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Legal
Last updated: April 12, 2026
Governed by the laws of the Republic of Rwanda
By accessing or using the Umwuga platform ("Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform. These terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Umwuga Ltd, a company registered in Rwanda under company law.
Umwuga is a marketplace platform that connects clients with verified service providers — including engineers, technicians, and drivers — across Rwanda. We facilitate matching, communication, booking, and payment processing. Umwuga is not the employer of any service provider and does not directly provide the services listed on the Platform. Service providers operate as independent contractors.
You must be at least 18 years old and legally capable of entering into contracts under Rwandan law to use this Platform. When creating an account, you must provide accurate and complete information, including a valid Rwandan phone number. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. Service providers must hold valid professional certifications where required by Rwandan regulatory bodies.
All service providers undergo a verification process that may include: national ID verification, criminal background checks (in cooperation with relevant authorities), professional certification review, and skills assessment. Verification status is displayed on provider profiles. Umwuga reserves the right to revoke verification and suspend provider accounts if information is found to be false or if conduct standards are violated.
By booking a service, you agree to pay the rate displayed at the time of booking confirmation. Rates are quoted in Rwandan Francs (RWF) and include the platform service fee. Service providers must arrive within the agreed timeframe and perform work to professional standards. Clients must provide safe and reasonable working conditions. Either party may cancel a booking subject to the cancellation policy below.
Payments are processed through the Platform via Mobile Money (MTN MoMo, Airtel Money) or bank transfer. Clients are charged upon booking confirmation. Providers receive payment after service completion, minus the Umwuga service commission. All transactions are recorded and receipts are available in your account. Umwuga complies with Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) tax obligations, and providers are responsible for their own tax declarations.
Clients may cancel a booking free of charge up to 2 hours before the scheduled service time. Late cancellations incur a fee of 20% of the booking value. No-shows by the client result in a charge of 50% of the booking value. If a provider cancels, the client receives a full refund and priority re-matching. Refunds are processed to the original payment method within 3–5 business days.
After each completed service, both clients and providers may leave ratings and written reviews. Reviews must be honest, relevant, and free from abusive language or discrimination. Umwuga reserves the right to remove reviews that violate these standards. Manipulating ratings (e.g., fake reviews, review trading) is grounds for account suspension.
Users may not: (a) provide false or misleading information; (b) use the Platform for any unlawful purpose under Rwandan law; (c) harass, threaten, or discriminate against other users; (d) circumvent Platform payments by arranging off-platform transactions; (e) copy, scrape, or reverse-engineer any part of the Platform; (f) impersonate another person or entity. Violation of these terms may result in immediate account suspension or termination.
All content on the Platform — including the Umwuga name, logo, design, and software — is the intellectual property of Umwuga Ltd and is protected under Rwandan and international intellectual property laws. Users retain ownership of content they upload (e.g., portfolio photos, reviews) but grant Umwuga a non-exclusive licence to display such content on the Platform.
Umwuga acts as an intermediary marketplace. While we verify providers and facilitate transactions, we are not liable for: (a) the quality, safety, or legality of services performed by providers; (b) any disputes between clients and providers beyond our resolution process; (c) indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. Our total liability for any claim arising from use of the Platform is limited to the fees paid to Umwuga in the 12 months preceding the claim.
Service disputes should be reported through the Platform within 48 hours of service completion. Umwuga will mediate in good faith. If a dispute cannot be resolved through mediation, it shall be referred to arbitration under the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC) rules. These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Rwanda. The courts of Kigali shall have exclusive jurisdiction for any matters not subject to arbitration.
Your personal data is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Law N° 058/2021 of 13/10/2021 relating to the protection of personal data and privacy. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy.
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or in-app notification at least 14 days before taking effect. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you may close your account.
For questions about these Terms, contact us at legal@umwuga.com or write to: Umwuga Ltd, KG 7 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda.