GITEGA February 24th (ABP) – The governor of Gitega province, Venant Manirambona, has suspended since Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the sale of second-hand mobile phones and computers in the city of Gitega (center of the country) following the resurgence of theft cases of those devices, observed in that administrative entity.
In his statement, the Governor of Gitega invited traders of those devices in the space called “Bata” and in the “Bernadette” gallery to sell duly certified new items.
Mr. Manirambona also reminded anyone who sells items in illegal spaces or doing itinerant trade, that this kind of trade is strictly prohibited. It is for that reason that he called on the administrator of the Gitega commune, the head of the central market of Gitega as well as the communal and provincial police commissioners to implement that measure.
On Wednesday morning, traders of those items appeared before the office of the governor of Gitega with the aim of asking him to lift that measure.
Members of the Kerebuka cooperative say they have come together to avoid spending all their time doing nothing and are working closely with security guards by returning stolen items. Those members of Kerebuka cooperative indicate that more than 20 phones and other stolen items were seized and handed over to security officers for investigation. Those sellers also indicate that they work in transparency because, they add, before buying a phone, they ask questions to the sellers to really see if the phone belongs to them or not. They claim they have notebooks where they record anyone who sells their phone. For that reason, they ask the governor of Gitega to lift the measure so that their families have enough to eat. Note that this measure suspending the sale of second-hand telephones and computers remains in force.