Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has released directives prohibiting traders from hiking prices of household utilities like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
Gas dealers hiked prices after the first 14-day covid-19 lockdown was announced on March 21 and extended by 15 days.
In the second 15-day lockdown period, RURA said that effective this Tuesday, gas retail price must not exceed Rwf1084 per kilogram, a price that will stand until further notice.
To ensure this happens, RURA said in a statement released this Monday April 6, 2020, that:
“The price of gas should be displayed and made visible to customers at retail sites. LPG wholesale service providers require a valid license issued by RURA and it is prohibited to operate without one,” the statement said in part.
The regulation comes after several complaints from households using cooking gas, in which they said that they are charged varying prices at the discretion and convenience of the retailers.
More than 80 per cent of the estimated 12million Rwandans use charcoal and firewood, meaning that the rest either use LPG gas or electricity for cooking.
Taxi drivers’ instructions
During this Covid-19 lockdown, RURA directed that taxi cab drivers can operate, only to give transport service to people who are allowed to go out for important services included in the instructions of Prime Minister of March 21.
While on duty, the drivers have to carry hand sanitizers for themselves and passengers on board. Drivers should also have a face mask.
The only cabs services allowed to operate will be YegoCabs and Volkswagen Move cabs which are accessible on calls- 9191 and 1010 respectively.
For both cab services and mobile money agents, RURA also said that their clients must keep a one meter distance between each other but also reminded citizens to use digital payments and to beware of the conning.
