The development follows the signing of a partnership agreement between Karongi District authorities and Afrinest Engineering, a company that has been operating in the area for the past seven years.
Rwanda comprises six major lakes, including Lake Kivu, Muhazi, Ihema, Rweru, Burera, and Ruhondo.
These water bodies present significant opportunities for transport, trade, tourism, and recreation. However, progress in these sectors has been hindered by limited local expertise in boat construction and navigation.
Within the region, Afrinest Engineering Ltd is currently the only company manufacturing boats that meet the standards of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
One of the key challenges the company faces is its reliance on foreign skilled labor, with workers sourced from countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. This challenge has driven the initiative to establish a local training institution in partnership with Karongi District.
The Managing Director of Afrinest Engineering, Alain Munyaburanga, said the land for the school has already been secured, and the next steps involve conducting architectural studies and developing the curriculum.
“We will begin with 40 students, gradually increasing to 400. We plan to recruit students with backgrounds in welding, mechanics, and electrical engineering and equip them with specialized skills in boat building and maintenance,” he said.
Julienne Ntakirutimana, Vice Mayor of Karongi District in charge of economic development, noted that the school will be built in Bwishyura Sector. She added that the district will support student recruitment.
“This initiative will help reduce unemployment, as Afrinest has access to job markets both in neighboring countries and beyond. When the company builds boats, clients often request trained personnel to operate and maintain them,” she explained.
Célestin Simparinka, who has spent 30 years navigating boats on Lake Kivu, welcomed the initiative. He noted that his own skills were acquired abroad, having trained in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Uganda.
“My boat navigation license was obtained in Congo. I have heard about Afrinest’s plan to establish this training school, and it is a very positive step.
Karongi is growing in tourism, and we have long been concerned about operators who learn informally and in a short time,” he said.
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