Rwamagana: Electricity access reaches 86%.

The Rwanda Energy Group (REG), through its Rwamagana branch in the Eastern Province, has announced that the electrification program in the district has reached an impressive 86%. The company projects that within the next two years, if progress continues as planned, every household in Rwamagana District will have access to electricity.

Residents who have recently been connected to the national grid say electricity has transformed their lives, helping them move from isolation to opportunity and inspiring them to start small income-generating projects.

Belancilla Uwimana, a resident of Munyaga Sector, expressed her gratitude after her home was recently connected to electricity.

“Since we got electricity, we have been very happy. We feel we have moved from darkness into the light. We thank President Kagame for his generosity. As widows, we were given houses, and now we have electricity too — this is truly a great blessing,” she said.

Juvenal Nkuranga, from Kaduha Cell, shared similar feelings:

“We are so happy. We can now light our homes, charge our phones, and our children study better — their school performance has improved. We have also started thinking about projects that can help us earn more income,” he said.

According to Jean Pierre Maniraguha, the REG Branch Manager in Rwamagana, the district’s electrification program is progressing well. He noted that the target for the 2025–2026 fiscal year is to connect 9,500 additional households by June 2026.

“Although our five-year plan aims for 100% electrification, with the current pace and support from the district, development partners, and contractors, we are confident that within two years, all households in Rwamagana will have access to electricity,” Maniraguha stated.

He also mentioned that residents who currently face issues of low voltage or unstable power supply will benefit from an upcoming project expected to address these challenges within the same period.

“Those without electricity should be assured — their turn is coming soon. Within the next two years, issues of power shortage or interruption will be history in Rwamagana,” he added.

REG further revealed that under the TBAE project, more than 16,000 additional households in Rwamagana District are set to be connected to electricity.

Local leaders, including Munyentwali Damascene, the Executive Secretary of Munyaga Sector, are urging residents to make productive use of electricity by engaging in small businesses such as carpentry, welding, barbering, and other trades that can improve their livelihoods. He also encouraged farmers living in scattered rural areas to relocate to planned settlements to make it easier for them to access electricity and other services. According to REG statistics, as of September 2025, 86% of households in Rwamagana District are connected to electricity, compared to 85% nationwide. REG aims to achieve universal access (100%) to electricity across Rwanda within the next four years in 2029