This is part 1 of a 3-part investigative series
As indispensable as it is secretive, Crystal Ventures (CVL) has always had a special status since its creation as Tri-Star Investments in 1995. Owned by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), the party of Paul Kagame, this private conglomerate initially played a central role in the reconstruction of the national economy after the genocide against the Tutsi.
28 years later, CVL is omnipresent in the country, from roads built by the NPD-Cotraco company to Inyange fruit juices that fill store shelves. The holding company claims to employ more than 12,000 employees and to have carried out no fewer than 23,000 projects.
Tentacular presence
Its influence in sectors such as construction, consumer goods and services, like that of the RPF in politics, makes it a central player in the Rwandan economic landscape. According to its critics, its tentacular
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