On 01 April 2025, the Plenary Sitting of the Chamber of Deputies expressed satisfaction with the oral answers given by the Minister of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), Sebahizi Prudence, concerning issues identified in the functioning and management of cooperatives and challenges in providing BDF services.

Minister Sebahizi highlighted ongoing issues within cooperatives, such as poor governance, inadequate resource management, a limited understanding of cooperative operations among leaders and members, and insufficient active participation.

The Ministry has pledged to tackle these problems by reviewing Cooperative Laws to improve regulations, collaborating with MINALOC and local authorities to increase cooperative officers in underserved sectors, encouraging members to understand their roles and responsibilities, and establishing specialized courts to resolve cooperative-related disputes.

Concerning the Business Development Fund (BDF) services, the Minister outlined strategies to enhance accessibility and efficiency. These include deploying staff across the country for better reach, conducting media awareness campaigns, collaborating with local authorities, and increasing staff capacity to accelerate service delivery and make services more accessible to citizens.

The Chamber of Deputies committed to monitoring the implementation of these strategies, ensuring that the recommendations provided by MPs are effectively addressed to enhance cooperative management and BDF service delivery.