In a drive to give a variety of services to its customers, Rwanda
Energy, Water ans Sanitation Authority (EWSA), is set to introduce a 'Mobile Bill Payment' system.
The new mode of payment will target the 2.5 million mobile phone users in
the country.
The Managing Director of EWSA Yves Muyange told Business Times
that the company is set to work with all the three mobile operators in
executing the project.
"We are targeting all mobile users from all the three networks, we have
already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MTN Rwanda and they are
waiting for the other two operators to approve." Muyange explained. He
also added that the telecom operators are developing the technology and the
service will be launched as soon as the technology and testing is done.
Rwanda's water and electricity provider is also introducing a new
'Pre-payment Contract Service' and ‘Bank Payment Contract Service’. The service
is aimed at customers who are interested in paying invoices ahead of time.
According to the acting Commercial Director of EWSA, Lucien
Ruterana, the company is working with all banks in the country and that a
customer's will be debited after a period agreed in the contract signed between
the client and the utility body.
Officials said that the utility body will enter an agreement with customers
according to their average water or electricity consumption. Payments will be
made at the utility body's branches across the country.
A period of time is set to balance the customer's account and the service is
designed for customers who wish to settle their water bills six to twelve
months in advance instead of dealing with the inconvenience of monthly bills.
Ruterana explained that this will help people who are very busy or travel a lot
and don't get the time to queue and pay their bills.
"This is going to reduce work for us. We
will no longer be going to people's homes to cut water or electricity because
of a delay in payments," he added.