The Digital Divide: Poor Mobile Coverage Cripples Life on Musanze City Outskirts

Residents living on the Musanze City outskirts, particularly in Muhoza and Nkotsi sectors, have raised concerns over poor mobile network coverage, which they say is disrupting their daily lives and communication.

Despite Musanze’s growing reputation as one of Rwanda’s fastest-developing cities, some communities still face challenges accessing reliable mobile network services. Locals say they are forced to climb trees, hike nearby hills, or travel to the city center just to make a phone call or send a text message.

Amina NIDUFASHE, who lives in Kigombe Cell, Rukereza Village in Muhoza Sector, shared her experience: “When I receive a phone call in the evening, I have to leave the house and search for a spot with a signal. Sometimes I even ask my children to climb a tree and answer the call for me, then shout back the message. It’s frustrating.”

She added, “My husband works in Kigali and often calls for urgent updates. If I’m not in town, I can’t hear a thing. It’s as if I don’t own a phone.”

Eric MUTABAZI, a father of three, echoed the concern, saying the issue has existed for years without a permanent solution.
“You can buy a smartphone, but it only works properly when you’re in town. At home, it’s useless. We’ve gotten used to this challenge, but we still hope the authorities or private companies will invest in building signal towers here,” he said.

Residents are urging telecom providers and local authorities to address the issue, saying that in a city pushing for digital transformation, poor connectivity is a major setback.
Eliezel IZABAYO, a 24-year-old young man living in Bikara Cell, Nkotsi Sector, and a student in the field of technology, says the poor network coverage has denied him the opportunity to attend various online trainings on Zoom and use digital learning tools.

He said, “I have to wait until I get to town to check my emails or access the internet. This is holding us back in terms of technological advancement, especially as youth, knowing that technology is one of the main pathways to self-employment.”
The Mayor of Musanze District, Claudien Nsengimana, confirmed that the issue of poor network coverage in some parts of the district has been identified, and the local government is currently considering solutions to address it.

He stated, “We are going to advocate to telecommunication service providers in the country so they can improve network coverage in the affected areas. We want to see more communication towers installed, which will permanently solve this issue.”

He emphasized that improving communication access aligns with the national goal of delivering equal services to all citizens, regardless of their location.

Reports from Digital Rwanda, DataReportal, and other institutions such as RURA, in collaboration with MINICT and international organizations (such as those from 2024 and 2025), show that by 2025, basic mobile phone ownership in households has reached about 85–87%, smartphone penetration is at 34%, internet access stands at 38%, and mobile internet usage at 20%.

The Government of Rwanda aims for nationwide internet access by 2030, increasing mobile phone penetration so that everyone can access the internet through smartphones. This aligns with the Connect Rwanda initiative and the broader Vision 2050 agenda, which promotes innovation, good governance through technology, and efforts to ensure all Rwandans can access digital services.

By Libos NDAYISHIMIYE