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Few countries generate such strong opinions, for and against, as Rwanda, which is ruled with an iron fist by an apparently ageless President Paul Kagame. All but set for re-election again in August 2024, Kagame continues to make himself very useful to allies, acting as a regional policeman while also a player in his neighbours’ conflicts, while drawing in finance despite criticism of governance abuses, write Tonderayi Mukeredzi and African Energy staff .

Independent power producer (IPP) Kaboni Energy has commissioned its first Burundian mini-grid pilot system in the rural Giharo, Rutana province. The development is noteworthy for its funding model, which Kaboni calls a community energy co-operative (CEC).

In a potentially radical development for Burundi, Nairobi-based Virunga Power on 6 September launched Weza Power, a new private utility which plans to connect 9m people over the next seven years. Structured as a public private/partnership (PPP), energy minister Ibrahim Uwizeye said Weza would help one of the world’s poorest nations to achieve its goal of becoming an emerging economy by 2040.

The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has agreed to provide up to $1m in funding to support the development of two run-of-the-river hydroelectric power (HEP) projects, which are being developed by Mauritius-based Tembo Power in the south of Burundi.

Songa Energy Burundi has broken ground on the 1.65MW run-of-river Ruvyi 102 hydroelectric power (HEP) plant on the Ruvyironza River in Gitega province.

Mauritius-headquartered Hydroneo East Africa has requested expressions of interest (EoI) for the design and construction of the 10MW Mpanda hydroelectric power (HEP) project on the Ruzibazi river in Bubanza. Once complete, the plant will be Burundi’s first HEP independent power producer (IPP).

Dutch developer Gigawatt Global Coöperatief is to double the 7.5MW Mubuga solar PV plant’s capacity in a rare investment success for Burundi.

Tanzania’s Auditor General has criticised the procurement of a major contractor at the Rusumo Falls, blaming the World Bank Group for the deviation.

Mauritius-based independent power producer Tembo Power has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) by 31 March for an investment partner to co-develop a total 22MW of run-of-river hydroelectric power (HEP) capacity in Burundi: the 12.4MW Siguvyaye hydropower and 9.6MW Dama hydropower schemes.

Norwegian development agency Norad will provide a NOK550m ($56m) grant over five years for the Nairobi-based African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI)’s Regional Liquidity Support Facility (RLSF). Norad will also become a partner for the facility’s restructured phase two.

Despite a difficult business environment, Burundi offers possibilities for the transition minerals market. London Stock Exchange-listed Rainbow Rare Earths is operating one of Africa’s only rare earths mines at Gakara and has another rare earths play at its Phalaborwa project in South Africa.

Burundi’s first major new power plant in more than three decades came online in October, when the 7.5MW Mubuga solar PV plant boosted on-grid generation capacity by more than 10%. It marks an important point for Burundi, whose poor record of governance meant it was avoided by a majority of developers, donors and financiers, even as neighbouring Rwanda surged ahead.

Burundi’s first utility-scale power development to come online in over three decades started up in October. The 7.5MW Mubuga solar PV plant will boost the country’s on-grid generation capacity by just over 10%, according to African Energy Live Data.

India’s KEC International has been awarded a $14.64m contract to build medium- and high-voltage transmission lines for the BI-Jiji and Mulembwe hydropower project.

Developers of small hydropower (SHP) projects in East Africa are facing greater challenges in raising finance for their schemes, as a result of weak national grids and a shift away from take-or-pay arrangements by offtakers, according to one industry figure.