On a Thursday evening at 7PM Sharp electricity goes off. It has been a routine since August and residents of Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts have adapted to this load shedding of which electricity is switched back on at 9PM sharp.
Standing on the roadside at Rwagitima trading centre, the blanket darkness is unbearable, a few solar lit homes standout, some residents use phone lights to guide them.
The 7-9PM predetermined total darkness schedule forces shops to close while residents retreat into their homes, leaving a few people at the trading centre.
The village night patrol teams in their uniforms walk in columns through Rwagitima centre. A few cars can be seen rolling on the highway.
Suddenly a convoy of numberless motorcycles loaded with bags approaches at high speed and branches off to a dusty road and disappears into the neighbourhood. These are no nonsense riders delivering Sachet Alcohol to a client. This is a common routine.
Taarifa Investigative reporter approaches the sector night guards to inquire about the smugglers.
The guards acknowledge that they are aware of the motorcycle convoy of smugglers but don’t know their final destination.
Supply of Sachets is too high to an extent they have become a major employer with the emergence of vendors available to clients at short notice.
Sachet Alcohol had been a very scarce commodity before the government banned locally produced Spirit alcoholic drinks in Rwanda. Previously, one Sachet would cost Rwf500 today three sachets cost Rwf1000.
Empty sachets are currently littered everywhere. Day schooling students and pupils easily access the sachet Alcohol.
Kazungu Derrick (not real names) a distributor was recently arrested with sachets in a bag of 150kg. The sector guards (irondo) asked him to choose between foregoing the bag or be taken into sector custody. Kazungu let go of the bag of sachets and returned home. It was a bad day for him but lucky to get off the hook.
“They take seized sachets and sell them to bar owners at very low prices,” Kazungu told Taarifa Investigative team on condition of anonymity.
Engaging village authorities Taarifa notices that most of them also consume sachet Alcohol and locally brewed banana wine. Deliveries for adulterated banana wine are also done during night hours. The selling is cunningly done.
A client comes into the bar and orders for an authorized brand such as Mutzig, Primus, skol. This actually means the seller pours the wine in a Mutzig or Primus bottle and hands to the client.
From the outside, you see clients seeping from these bottles and assume they are taking beer. But when they get drunk, it’s when they openly reveal they are taking banned Alcohol.
Smuggling From Burundi
Taarifa Investigative team dispatched to Huye to determine how residents are managing the aftermath of banned spirit alcoholic drinks.
In 2015, Burundi slammed its border with Rwanda and terminated movements. However, smuggling has been on a sporadic rise. Burundi’s cheap alcoholic products are the most served in Rwandan border districts.
Burundi alcoholic beverages are too crude and are claimed to be laced with a host of concoctions sometimes including marijuana, Viagra and other herbs that offer different feelings to consumers.
Uganda government last month banned a controversial alcoholic product imported from Burundi. It was found containing Viagra additives.
Taarifa team randomly accessed a shop in Berwa village, Gitwa cell in Tumba, Huye and ordered for a drink.
Susuruka at Rwf700 can make you drunk. It is Smuggled from Burundi through Gisagara and Nyaruguru districts bordering Burundi.
“Alcoholic products are smuggled from Burundi at night. They are affordable,” Mukansabimana Solange told Taarifa adding that residents now have a replacement for the recently banned locally produced products.
Facing the new challenge
In the first week of September, Ndatemwa cell Executive summoned village leaders at church compound.
He told them that he had information that some of them were failing government efforts in the fight against illicit alcohol.
He warned some of them against shielding and distributing seized sachets of Alcohol instead of arresting the perpetrators.
Rwanda National Police is using social media beaming out warnings against cross border smugglers.
ACP Boniface Rutikanga warned against distribution of banned Alcohol saying those involved will be arrested and prosecuted.
He said some people were recently apprehended as they attempted to distill local gin in Gikomero, Rusororo of Gasabo district.
“Some people hid banned Alcohol products and still sell them. Those involved just like money and do not consider the health and lives of people,” ACP Rutikanga said via national broadcaster.
By Taarifa Investigative Desk
