Some cross-border traders in Rubavu District have criticized the local Migration Office for providing poor services that cause long queues at the border and significant delays, resulting in losses as goods spoil or are confiscated, while luggage and produce cross early on bicycles.
This came during a discussion convened by International Alert, as part of their “MUPAKA SHAMBA LETU II” initiative aimed at supporting women and youth in cross-border trade in the Great Lakes region.
Traders highlighted multiple challenges:
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Long waits at the border to pay fees (Kashi).
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Inability to reclaim unsold perishables such as meat and fish.
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Frequent network outages that stall tax payments to Rwanda Revenue Authority.
A shared grievance is the slow issuance of the CEPGL travel document which is officially processed in three days, but often takes over a week, with traders waiting at Rubavu offices not even receiving it. This delays daily commuters who rely on the document, which is immediately used up once issued.
Staff only serve on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, forcing traders to return multiple times, causing spoilage and lost customers.
Border delays of 30 minutes to 2 hours at crossing points like Petite Barrière mean goods delivered early spoil when traders are left waiting for stamps.
Trader Uwimana Claudine said:
“We don’t know what Migration staff are doing—they stand chatting or on calls for long, delaying us and costing us customers.”
Similarly, Kamali Claude, who crosses via Petite Barrière, said:
“There are long, slow-moving lines to enter and exit, unlike on the Congolese side where there are no lines. Why doesn’t Rwandan Migration work like theirs?”
Rubavu’s Investment & Labor Officer, Mwiseneza Emmanuel, acknowledged the backlog in CEPGL issuance and said additional staff will be deployed to help.
Both International Alert and Mwiseneza agreed that processing slows down due to the mass influx of travelers after M23 took Goma (Jan 27, 2025), which overwhelmed limited staff at both border crossings. Migration needs urgent government intervention to reduce delays.
Cross-border crossings in Rubavu have surged to 50,000 people per day, as crossing hours were extended—from 9 AM to 12 PM at Petite Barrière and to 4 PM at Grande Barrière.
Moreover, the CEPGL fee system has shifted: previously paid at USD 10, but now replaced with a free jeton for crossings, and Rwandans are no longer required to pay USD 50 Peris séjour, since M23 took Goma on January 27, 2025.
