{{Maize millers in Rwimiyaga, Nyagatare District are angry at EWSA for faulting terms and requirements they agreed upon as a prerequisite for connecting over 20 maize milling machines to the national grid.}}
The Millers say they have been rendered jobless for the last three months.
At the beginning of this year on January 30, EWSA in Nyagatare abruptly disconnected a power line that supplied the maize milling machines in Rwimiyaga Town.
This followed complaints from Rwimiyaga residents who appealed to EWSA over noise pollution and drop of electricity for domestic consumption.
Aproprietor of a milling machine in the area, Mr. Robert Bahat told this reporter, “When all the mills are operating, the rest of the town would experience a blackout and endure noise from the operating mills.”
Meanwhile the maize milling operators said they had been requested by EWSA to relocate to another area out of town where they would operate without causing unnecessary noise in the town.
The Millers appealed to Rwimiyaga Sector authority to help them find a plot where they would be given a direct power line from the transformer. The new plot out of town was granted.
However, it emerged that one of the millers Mr. Etienne Nsabimana remained at the former location and EWSA reconnected power to his milling machine and this has since angered his colleagues.
“It is very disappointing to see EWSA acting in this manner. We cannot go and leave Nsabimana behind”.
EWSA Managing Director Nyagatare Branch, Mr. Anaclet Mukiga says, “I was at the site on January 20 and I told them it’s not in my responsibilities to verify settlement.
Whoever is cleared by local authorities to get connected to the grid, we connect them because it is our responsibility”.
Mukiga added that the reason they were cut off from the power line was not due to the location of their activities but due to power supply interruption their activities caused.
Rwimiyaga Sector Executive Secretary Emmanuel Muyango confirmed that the problem exists;
“However, we cannot force people to work together or to work in a certain place if they don’t want. If one’s activities are not a problem to the rest of the population, they’re free to work anywhere with anyone”.
Maize milling machines are a profitable business in villages since most people grow maize.
There are over 10 business persons that own milling machines in Rwimiyaga most of whom obtained them through bank loans .
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