The Permanent Secretary in the Rwanda’s ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Caleb Rwamuganza has been arrested along with other top senior managers over allegedly over embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds allocated to boosting energy sector, a judicial source confirmed Monday to APA in Kigali.The officials are being probed for embezzling and misusing funds meant for various energy projects across the country, according to the same source.
According to the Rwanda’s National Public Prosecution Authority, investigations and subsequent arrests are based on audits conducted this tear, which unearthed fraudulent acts through which huge amount were embezzled.
The arrest comes after after local players in the renewable energy sector under their umbrella body, Energy Private Developers, had come out seeking financing to help meet national targets.
Latest official reports indicate that Rwanda has currently over 100 private sector players in the local renewable energy sector with limited impact largely due to financing challenges.
In the solar energy sub-sector, the existing operators have so far contributed about 11 per cent of national penetration.
The Rwandan government has a strategy to extend electricity to the entire country by 2024.
The tiny East African nation is endowed with natural energy resources including hydro, solar, and methane gas.
To date, 54.5% of Rwandan households have access to electricity, according to official statistics.