BUJUMBURA September 1st (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, hosted on Tuesday August 31, 2021, in Bujumbura City Council, a moralization session for young people from the town hall of Bujumbura to teach them patriotism and how to empower themselves.
The Head of State immediately congratulated those young people for the step already taken in terms of development projects. He also indicated that he has hope for a better future for Burundi, through young people. On the same occasion, he asked those young people to work in safeguarding peace and security, and also to speak words of blessing on their country.
The Number One of Burundi called on the young people of the Bujumbura City Council to establish development projects, by exploiting the potentials or the natural wealth that God has given to Burundi, including drinking water, rain, fish, minerals, Burundi’s position in relation to other countries and tourist places. According to Mr. Ndayishimiye, God granted those ones as capital and it is the turn of the Burundians to change their mentality and use their intelligence to exploit that natural wealth by establishing industries, as was the case in traditional Burundi where there were small industries which closed with the arrival of colonizers who came with the products of foreign industries.
Once those potentials are exploited, it will be an opportunity to eradicate poverty, said the Head of State, explaining that production will be abundant so that the country has a lot to export to have foreign currency. That will also prevent Burundi from being the market for the sale of products from other countries. He also advised Burundians to get used to consuming locally produced products to help Burundian industries develop.
Some representatives of successful companies, including Jerry Chris Ninahazwa’s construction company, Ephrem Ndayikeje’s Burundi bw’ejo company, Vénuste Harerimana’s priority health, the company manufacturing sanitary napkins from Laurette Tetero and Sangwe cooperatives of the City Council all affirmed that by drawing up development projects and working together, they made progress and were able to give employment to other young people, while also paying taxes to the Burundi Revenue Office (OBR). They asked the young people who were present not to be afraid to undertake even if they have small capital and to have the courage to come together in cooperatives because, they argued, unity is strength.
Those young entrepreneurs from the Bujumbura Mayorship have not forgot to meet certain challenges that hinder the entrepreneurial sector, including the high interest rate when they contract loans in banks, or people who steal projects from others. For that reason, they asked the Head of State to call on bank officials to lower the interest rate, especially for agriculture and livestock projects, explaining that the vagaries of the weather can lead to losses. They also insisted on copyright in the sector of development projects.
The entrepreneurs of the Bujumbura Mayorship have, moreover, pleaded for the exemption of the companies which are at the stage of trial and errors or to ask for taxes,
depending on the degree of development of the company and granting contracts to Burundian companies and not to foreign companies such as Indian or Chinese, explaining that Burundians are able.
To all those concerns, the President of the Republic urged young people to always be supporters of peace. Regarding the theft of entrepreneurs ‘projects by some executives, he promised to recommend to the Ministry of Trade to take care of the protection of entrepreneurs’ projects. Regarding access to credit, he directed young people to the Youth Investment Bank (BIJE) and the Youth Empowerment and Employment Program (PAEJ) to obtain loan; and the impulse, Guarantee and Support Fund (FIGA) to have what to mortgage.
The Head of State invites young people to fight against corruption and fraud and to always observe the barrier measures against the Covid-19 pandemic.