Both Muhanga district officials and the Cooperative COEPROMU, a cooperative made up by cow breeders do not agree on the reasons that led the closing of the main dairy of the District located in Nyamabuye Sector.
Since its official launch by the former Prime Minister Bernard Makuza in 2009, the dairy stopped working for unknown reasons. It stopped worked since then up to now.
The Vice Mayor in charge of economic issues in Muhanga District, Uhagaze Francois revealed that the dairy stopped working due to the fact that the tender that led to its construction was wrongly studied and conducted.
To the other side COEPROMU members affirm that the dairy closed due to other reasons than these provided by the District officials.
Some of them revealed to UM– USEKE that the Muhanga district warned them to stop operating, accusing the cooperative members to work as a society rather than a cooperative.
The COEPROMU adherents deny these allegations, affirming that they have all legal papers allowing them to operate as a cooperative.
The cooperative members also affirm that some of the reasons why the district officials hindered them from using the dairy relate to the fact that most of them are economically fit.
This hinders them from involving the least economically fit people as the amount to integrate the cooperative is relatively high (100,000 Rwf), the district officials state.
The cooperative members agreed to reduce the amount from 100,000 to 20,000 but concerned breeders did not adhere to the cooperative.
For the cooperative adherents, the District officials are imposing different unfavorable conditions meant to hamper them from using the dairy.
RAB (Rwanda Agricultural Board) advises the Muhanga district officials to take a decision that is beneficial to all Muhanga inhabitants, setting up a new cooperative whose adhering procedures allow everyone to be part of the cooperative.
UM– USEKE.RW
