KAYANZA July 22nd (ABP) – Fines ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 BIF will now be imposed on wholesalers, semi-wholesalers and owners of bars in Kayanza province (northern Burundi) who will arrogate to themselves the right to increase the prices of BRARUDI products.
This was announced on Tuesday the 20th by the governor of Kayanza, Colonel Rémy Cishahayo, during a meeting he held for the wholesalers and semi-wholesalers of BRARUDI products, those of BUCECO cement as well as wholesalers of the sugar from SOSUMO, a check in Kayanza by ABP revealed.
According to Governor Cishahayo, the purpose of the meeting was to analyze the causes of the increase in prices of BRARUDI products, SOSUMO sugar and BUCECO cement.
Speaking about the rise in the price of sugar, Mr. Sylvestre Nduwimana, one of the wholesalers getting sugar from SOSUMO, said that the sugar shortage observed in these times is no longer valid because, he underlined, this product is currently in sufficient quantity on the market, so that fines will have to be imposed on the trader who dares to exceed the price of 2,500 BIF per kilo.
As for the BRARUDI trade commissioner in Kayanza, Mr. Patrick Parfait Magoyagi, he indicated that the illegal increase in the prices of BRARUDI products is knowingly done by wholesalers and semi-wholesalers, which in turn means that the owners of drinking establishments are raising the price so as not to work at a loss.
On his part, Mr. Papias Misago, one of the wholesalers of BUCECO cement, he specified that the price of 24,500 BIF is respected, except for a few individuals who buy one or two bags to sell them to high prices.
The provincial governor has, therefore, warned the traders of BRARUDI products who are showing speculation by unexplained increases in the prices of those products. He said without mincing words that the latter will be penalized as follows: a fine of 500,000 BIF will be imposed on wholesalers, while semi-wholesalers and owners of bars will be respectively fined 200,000 and 50 000 BIF.
With regard to sugar and cement, the measure of confiscation of those products will be used, which will be sold afterwards, and the money will be paid into the public treasury. In the end, he asked the representatives of BRARUDI in Kayanza province to proceed with the immediate replacement of the suppliers of BRARUDI products in Rango, Muhanga and Kabarore communes by others who are up to this activity.