The Rwandan utility regulator confirms that it has been approached by the US transport operator to start operations in the country.
Despite difficulties (frequent tensions with taxi companies), setbacks (leaving late February in Morocco) and competition now well established (EasyTaxi, Little Cab, Africab …), Uber continues to deploy its expansion strategy in African land.
Already well established on the continent (more than 2 million users), the US giant of the connection between passenger cars with driver (VTC) and their customers, has expressed interest in the upcoming start of its activities in Rwanda.
The information, not confirmed by the California operator, was leaked by the head of the transport department to the Regulatory Agency of Public Utilities of Rwanda (RURA), Emmanuel Asaba. “They [Uber] came to see us and we gave them the list of requirements to get a license […].
The process launched, “[…] we will verify that everything we need is complete and we can then grant them their license,” said the head of the Rwandan regulator, quoted Friday by our colleague from the New Times.
RURA said, however, that “Uber is just one of the many taxi service providers who contacted them to ask for details on the acquisition of a license”. The other VTC carriers whose licenses are being studied by RURA are Jquicker, Panda and Little.
Only Yego Cab and Taxi Rwas are currently allowed to operate in the country of Thousand Hills. In case of validation by RURA, Rwanda would be the fourth East African country where Uber operates, after Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
