Rwamagana — Eastern Province has seen a recent boom in mobile banking, and residents are applauding the new technology. The new service, which use cell phones to make bank transactions through texting, or sms, is offered by the Bank of Commerce.

In a recent visit to Kirehe district, The New Times caught up with residents who had turned up to access the services from BCR mobile bank at Nyakarambi center.

Alfred Murangwa a prominent business man in Nyakarambi said he had been tipped off to the service offered by the BCR mobile bank by colleague and immediately opened up an account.

"Whenever I wished to go shopping in Kigali, I would withdraw money from Bank Populaire or micro-finance and then take it with me. This posed a great risk of being stolen but nowadays I just move with a single cheque leaf. Even when I want to pay someone, I just give him a check rather than withdrawing large sums of money," Murangwa said.

Alex Karuhura, Rwamagana BCR manager said that a cheque-based culture had to be brought. "BCR wishes to change the past mentality where clients moved up and down looking for banks, to banks looking for clients instead. That is the use of mobile banking," Karuhura said.

Services include depositing and withdraw services, money transfers, opening accounts and providing information to residents.

"Even some prominent business men call us to go and take money and we drive there," Karuhura said.

Other services include a newly-introduced 50 per cent overdraft salary advance to those who get their salaries through BCR. Opening an account with the bank is now free of charge.