Labour day message: DGPR calls for a minimum wage in Rwanda

The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) takes on the opportunity of the International Labour day to request the Rwandan Government to set up a minimum wage (SMG) for Rwandan workers, without further delay, as stipulated in Article 76, Law No. 13/2009 of 27 May 2009.  

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has been sitting on the draft law for several years, its high time, the law is enacted. It should be recalled that the last time the Rwandan Government set up a minimum wage was in 1974, it’s now 42 years later and a lot has changed on the labour market.

DGPR requests all the concerned authorities to address all the complaints of pensioners, especially whereby most of them receive less than 10 USD per month. This money does not help our elders who have worked so hard for this country. They have ended up becoming beggars. This must be revised with immediate effect.

DGPR also requests Rwanda Social Security Board to stop making unprofitable investments, like the several skyscrapers built in several towns in the country, which have no tenants. Most of these buildings are only occupied at the ground floor.

It’s evident that no proper feasibility study was made before injecting several millions of dollars in these investments. DGPR suggest that those building be privatised and the money spent be returned to the savings account.

Done at Kigali, 1st May 2016

Dr.Frank Habineza

President, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda