IGIHE

Author: Abou-Shadadi

  • Police: Beware of fake money circulating

    The National Police Spokesman Chief Supt Theos Badege has warned Rwandans to regulary scrutinize their currency notes because fake notes are in circulation especially denomination notes of 5000,2000 and 1000.

    Police is holding four suspects including three men and a woman seized for possessing counterfeit cash of 2million Rwanda currency and US $200

    The fake rwanda currency notes are in denominations of 5000frw,2000frw and 1000frw notes. From the samples of the adulterated notes seen by Igihe.com, the 2000frw note looks perfectly copied whereas the fakeness of the 5000frw note is vividly noticeable with deeper red colouration.

    The suspects have been identified as Joseph Misago an ex- soldier at the rank of corporal resident at Remera in Nyabisindu sector, Selemani Nyagisaza 56 resident of Gikondo’s Magerwa area and the lady identified as Florentine Murekatete a former hair dresser who resides at Muhima and Sulaimani Ryaruhanga a foreigner from Uganda.

    Misago confessed that he joined the clique because he had no other option and has been living in poverty and selling the fake currency was the only way to feed his family.

    He disclosed that he bought the fake currency from Kampala at a price of US$ 300 which is equivalent to one million Rwandan francs which he was supposed to make a profit of Frw 500,000 inform of valid currency.

    “I was supposed to bring a fake million in exchange of original Frw 500,000 but the bad luck was that the fake amount hadn’t reached a million so I started distributing to individuals,” he confessed.

    Meanwhile, Murekatete29, says that she got into the scandal after being convinced that she would benefit from the fake money deal.

    By press time the interrogations of suspects hadn’t yielded the mastermind of the fake money project but the seized suspects all agree that the fake currency was bought by Ryagihanga from Kampala.

    Ryagihanga denied making the money locally but rather claimed he had obtained it from a Ugandan friend and his role was to supply the amount within Rwanda, “they would give me US$ 350-400 in return for Frw1 million,” he disclosed.

    Police spokesman Chief Supt Theos Badege explained that the crime is associated with lazy people that don’t want to work for their own income and that the crime was highly punishable in court.

    If found guilty in the courts of law, the suspects risk punishment of magnitude of 3 years to 20 years in jail and high fines or both.

  • Rwanda: Model state not Failed state

    A few days to the celebration of liberation of Rwanda, all Rwandans should reject the recent malicious rankings that place Rwanda as a failed state in unison. The ideal Rwandans know what they want and have on many occasions proved to the world that all is possible with homemade solutions.

    Rwanda cannot run away from criticisms by a number of organizations mostly in the west that have taken it upon themselves to audit, police and give expert opinions and directions about domestic matters in developing countries.

    The first success made by Rwandans was when on their own managed to stop the 1994 genocide. The country had been ignored by the wealthier and stable west that cared less about deaths in Rwanda but kept arguing on the right word for describing the killings, ‘genocide or massacres’.

    The western powers will live to be haunted by this inability to own Rwanda success. Rwanda success accumulated since 1994 makes it harder for the western countries formerly involved with genocide regime of Habyarimana to apologize.

    Having moved from a desperate nation, Rwanda has attained a commendable position on the continent by asserting herself as a role model state as opposed to sadist inspired rankings as a failed state.

    According to the failed state Index, a state is rendered a failed entity when its government has lost its territory or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of force has earned the label. However, there can be more subtle attributes of failure.

    Sincerely, the Rwanda everybody knows has not lost an inch of its territory. The National defense forces have not lost any centimetre of Rwanda territory to a foreign enemy of any sort. Instead, Rwandan forces are heavily involved in peacekeeping mission in Sudan and Haiti. It is thus illogical to drag Rwanda into a nation without control of its territorial integrity.

    Another category for measuring a state failure, the populace may rely entirely on the black market, fail to pay taxes, or engage in large-scale civil disobedience. Definitely any sane person who has been to Rwanda clearly knows that there are substantial consumable products manufactured locally and a proportionate supply from neighbouring countries through 24hr active Rwanda borders.

    Rwanda’s economic performance has been impressive since 2004, with an average annual growth rate of 8%. The country has also registered strong performance in trade, tourism, and in foreign direct investment (FDI), with more than US$1 billion allocated since 2001. All this data is interesting proof that Rwanda is not a failing entity.

    Middle level industries and markets are been constructed throughout the country to strengthen the infrastructure base that allows for economic development. Agro processing, construction materials manufacturing factories, rural electrification, safe water, and livestock restocking in every home and free elementary education could not be indicators of a failing state but signs of a stabilized country.

    In addition, Rwanda has not been subjected to involuntary restrictions of its sovereignty, such as political or economic sanctions, the presence of foreign military forces on its soil, or other military constraints, such as a no-fly zone to be booked a place on list of failed states.

    Similarly, outside intervention as symptom of and a trigger for state collapse does not apply in the current Rwanda situation. The country is not in a dire situation to require outside intervention instead Rwanda is currently exporting specialized peacekeeping labour to other countries in need.

    Is the FSI discrediting the Rwanda that the World Economic Forum’s recently released Global Competitiveness Report ranking Rwanda as the 6th most competitive market in sub-Saharan Africa, and among the world’s best on indicators such as female participation in the labour force, staff training, and legal rights.

    Recent Fitch Ratings upgraded Rwanda to a “B,” citing Rwanda’s “uninterrupted” period of economic growth and significant improvement of its business environment. This year, Rwanda was the first African country to become “the world’s top reformer,” according to the World Bank.

    Considering the recent history of Rwanda and the speed with which domestically generated solutions have helped the tiny landlocked country transform into the most secure country on the continent, FSI should have known that Rwanda does not fall in the kind of countries it subjects their rankings onto.

    With major achievements in the health sector, good governance, education, security, tourism and easiness of doing business among others, it does not mean in totality that Rwanda is a super performer. Of course, there are many improvements needed both urgent and gradual and these are achievable with the current well-focused pro people leadership.

  • Gaddafi wanted for rape, war crimes

    The Libyan government has dismissed an arrest warrant issued against President Muammar Gaddafi wanted by the international criminal court for rape and other war crimes saying that the court is politically biased.

    Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim says the ICC is a political court that serves its European paymasters, “Our own courts will deal with any human rights abuses and other crimes committed in the course of conflict in Libya.”

    Britain, another leading member of the UN-mandated effort to protect civilians against Gaddafi’s forces, has also welcomed the decision, “Individuals throughout the regime should abandon Gaddafi,” Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

    The US government describes the ICC warrant against Gaddafi as “another indication” that Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy.

    The Australian Government said the warrants should serve as a warning to other leaders who commit grave crimes.

    “These warrants reflect the real readiness of the international community to take action when grave crimes are suspected,” Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said today. “The ICC’s action should serve as a warning to those who violate international humanitarian law that they can no longer commit crimes with impunity.”

    However, the ICC still lacks credible evidence that rapes have taken place in Libya’s civil war and cannot for the moment prove that Gaddafi ordered for the rapes.

    prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo says that the ICC is still trying to link Gaddafi, his son Saif Al-Islam Gadhafi and brother in law Abdullah al-Sanussi to the rapes. Ocampo says that the first investigation focuses on the three individuals but will include other names.

    The warrants are “for crimes against humanity,” including murder and persecution, “allegedly committed across Libya” from February 15 through “at least” February 28, “through the state apparatus and security forces,” the court said in a news release.

    In a related incidence, Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda,South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, Congo’s Dennis Sassaou Nguesso, Amadou Toumani Toure from Mali and Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz from Mauritania are meeting in pretoria for a speedy resolution of the libyan criss.

    The African Union has mandated leaders of South Africa, Mauritania, Congo, Mali and Uganda to form a high-level committee to handle the Libyan crisis through engaging conflicting parties in an inclusive dialogue.

    The decision to form the committee resulted from a meeting of the AU’s peace and Security Council recently held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

  • Mattress war threatens Rwandaform monopoly

    The effects of a liberalized market in Rwanda are beginning to manifest through the ongoing silent commercial war among mattress manufacturing companies in the country and those from East African member countries, Igihe.com has learnt.

    Rwandaform a former monopoly of mattress products in Rwanda has now embarked on a campaign aimed at eradicating poverty beddings in form of make shift grass cushions onto which most poor families retire.

    The company’s director Patrick Makuza says that the mattresses will be issued on credit to vulnerable groups.Makuza rather encourages those in need of mattresses to group themselves into cooperatives making it easier for them to access credit in banks. Those that purchase mattresses in bulk will receive a discount.

    “Currently we’re working on how to implement this program, but our main aim is to have all Rwandans sleeping on quality mattresses,” he remarks arguing that Rwandaform mattresses are not only durable but also ensure ones physical health.

    Makuza attacked those selling mattresses produced from neighbouring countries at very low prices compared to those of Rwandaform describing them as fake the very reason they are sold at extremely low prices.

    In the last few years mattresses from neighbouring countries especially Uganda and Tanzania have amplified competition in the Rwanda market through offering prices Rwandan clients consider affordable compared to Rwandaform mattress prices.

    However, Makuza claims, “the cheap mattresses are often substandard and that can lead to back pain when used. He adds that Rwandaform provides orthopaedic mattresses used by those suffering from back pain and can also be used by those who are not ill to help reduce fatigue”.

    Efforts to reach for comment from the Rwanda bureau of standards were unsuccessful, as most could not answer their phones.

  • Might Rwandans marry at 18?

    Under normal circumstances, a Rwandan child begins school at age 7, spends 6years in primary school, 6 years in college and 4years in university. At 23 years, the Rwandan child will be available for marriage.

    If passed into law, the current proposition in a marriage bill that marriageable age in Rwanda be lowered to 18years from 21 might tilt the status and form of families in the country.

    The citizens are anxiously waiting for the outcome of the parliamentary deliberations on the new marriage age in the bill.

    However, it is literally impossible to find a common denominator on marriage age around the world. Factors including traditional customs, economic issues and religion play an important role in deciding the average age at marriage in different countries. The differences can be shocking.

    In historical Rwanda society, the age at which men and women have married at altering ages during the monarchical rule and under the republics. Until recently, Rwandans have been legally fit to marry at the age of 21.

    Quite stunning though, in Rwanda is that a Rwandan is mature enough at 16yrs to acquire a national Identity card but won’t marry until they are 21.

    However, at 18 one can have sex, open a bank account and qualify for a driving licence. Its these controversial rights at different ages in Rwanda that most respondents want harmonised at a common single age.

    In India and Pakistan, it is tradition that parents arrange weddings for their children when they are 17, however many brides there are getting married as soon as they turn 15. This is the case also in many African countries, where economic factors force parents to marry off their daughters at an early age.

    Nigeria has some of the lowest averages in Africa, with most men getting married around 23 and most women at 17.

    Igihe.com has since conducted a quick survey on the subject and we bring you in part some of the comments from the public as told to our reporter Diana Mutimura;

    Annette Manzi, a first year student at Kigali Institute of Management (KIM) says that it is a great opportunity because some parents previously blocked their children getting married arguing that they were still young.

    Manzi explains, “As for me age is just a number. What matters is love between me and my man but the only thing the government should do is to sensitize parents. I don’t think a mother can be happy when her daughter gives birth at home because she has denied her the chance of marriage”.

    Pauline Ruzinda wants marriage age be put at 18years because girls grow faster than boys and by the time a girl is 21 she is too old and not attractive. Men do not mature faster as girls do. “I think this is will decrease family conflicts among parents that have sometimes disagreed on the age with which their daughters could be married off.”

    Jane Murerwa shares her experience, “I first gave birth at the age of 19years but my family did not accept the idea of me getting married to my boyfriend. Here I am with two children to different fathers and I don’t have the hopes getting married in my life because am approaching my 30s.

    Fred Ndahiro 30, a businessman in Kigali wonders whether government is copying western culture, “If the bill becomes law it will not consider only girls but even boys. A girl at 18 can get married but what about a boy of 18 taking someone’s daughter and starving her.”

    Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Marriage Age and Registration of Marriages an organisation for women Pro- Femme Twese Hamwe calls for every to backoff from the project in favor of protecting girl’s rights.

    Parents want marriage age raised even higher. Pastor Theoneste Ngaboyisongo of Inkurunzuza church believes that God is the only one that gives a happy marriage not age.

    Parents argue that at 18, both the boys and girls are psychologically young, dependants and still in school. They fear limiting legal marriage age would lead to a possible increase of divorces and family conflicts.

    The parents also uttered the worry of their children that, if passed, the law may be the source of students to drop out of school.

    However, women are starting to get married a little late(in their 30s) and want to have jobs and first be independent and help out their husbands in life expenses, but still culturally girls who do not work are more often asked “why aren’t you married yet” by people.

    Many girls in college at the age of 18 are involved in and intimate relationship but most people nowadays do not even want to get married. They care more about other things such as family, jobs,

    According to John Mugabo, “It hurts when you daughter comes back home because she has failed to be patient with her husband and for that reason my children can go for marriage while they are old enough to figure out all the consequences in the family”.

    A radio journalist and mother of one Aisha Rutayisire disagrees with the age limit saying, “At 18 one is still young and just exposed to the world where you don’t know what you want and I don’t believe that person can stay in marriage. Government increase the age instead of lowering the age”.

    However, it is believed that young couples have almost three times the chance of ending up divorced than people getting married after 27 years old.

  • Tough policy against Child labour discussed

    Hiring children to perform inappropriate work could land faulting Rwandan employers into jail following the recent deliberations aimed at designing a new policy that seeks to control child labour in the country.

    Subject to international standards, children below 15 years are prohibited from employment or engaging in any family related work, unless they are allocated light tasks for less hours to avoid jeopardizing their education.

    In Rwanda majority of children especially those aged from 10-14 are involved in menial work. National statistics conducted three years ago show that 83.2% are in agriculture while domestic work constitutes 51.3% others include manufacturing 3.8% and services 5.3%.

    Two thirds of children work in family related duties and only 14.6% get allowances. Child labour is prevalent in Kigali city compared to provinces. Most jobs in the city given to minors could instead be assigned to youths .The report shows that the employers opt for kids since there paid less and easy to manage.

    The Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) is currently involved with stakeholders with the objective to design a policy that would address child labour in the country.

    Scott Lyon, an expert with Understanding Child Works (UCW) advises that among priorities to consider in a child labour policy is incorporating adequate social protection. Enough support to those living in poverty conditions and once they have a better welfare their children should be taken back to school. This involves giving a second chance to school dropouts. Those that cannot return to class can be referred to vocational schools to obtain working skills.

    It is not clear though about the effectiveness of punishing such employers that violate the children’s rights by exposing them to poor working conditions. Most of the employed children work for over 50 hours a week a fact that affects their health and reduces their school life expectancy.

    In most cases, the employed children do not have a choice since they have to assist their poor families despite existing government initiatives that would address the issues if consolidated.

    Moses Kayihura the human resource assistant at Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA- Rwanda) explains that they facilitate with feeding school children through the support from World Food Program (WFP) to improve class attendance. ADRA has also patterned with UNICEF to provide financial assistance to vulnerable households, the same funds are also used to buy scholastic materials to support pupils.

  • Businesswomen train to access global market

    Lack of vital information about products and services on demand in the foreign markets,language barrier and high transportation costs continue to hinder efforts of Rwanda businesswomen from accessing the larger global market…

    coffee-picking.jpgRwandan women entrepreneurs through a specialized training program-Access Program, funded by the Canadian government are slated to enhance their access to a wider global market for their products and services.

    “This Access Program aims at supporting women businesses through facilitating trade and making them understand the constraints they are facing”, explains Sebastien Turrel chief commercial officer of centre du commerce international.

    “We are not supporting them financially but technically through knowledge training, market access , providing them online resources and online promotion”, Turrel explains.

    For the start, 60 women entrepreneurs have been selected by Rwanda Development Board and the private sector federation. The selected women already have established businesses including handcraft businesses, horticulture and textile and leather.

    The targeted women managers include those already exporting or with exporting potential and national trade organizations. The program is in line with ITCs mandate of supporting private sector development, strengthening capacities of women-owned businesses building a network of strong partners and accessing foreign markets among others.

    The program specifically aims at increasing the capacities of public and private partners in beneficiary countries, directly supporting women entrepreneurs to be export ready and accessing foreign markets with innovating products, contributing better revenues and improved services.

    Women at the training explained that challenges including language barrier and Lack of proper knowledge on what the market demands in terms of quantity, quality, and products continued to hinder their access to foreign markets.

    While voicing her concern, Ntibagwire Donatille, managing director of Floris, a company that specializes in the sale and exportation of fruits says “transportation of our products to overseas markets is expensive , that’s why the prices of our products are higher than those of some of our competitors such as in Uganda. The same product that is sold in Uganda could almost be one dollar cheaper than here she says”.

    Ntibagwire explains,“The current demand for our products is due to popularity of organic products in Europe but the situation could be much better”. She adds that the high transportation costs would be solved through increased government subsidies similarly done in other countries.

    She also points out that they need to be more aware of some the market demands and what they are asking for.

    This weeklong program drew experts from Cameroon, Senegal, Uganda and South Africa that will train Rwanda women entrepreneurs in components such as business counseling export training, trade information and access to foreign markets. A total of more than 800 women have been trained across Africa.

  • School honours Students,teachers killed in genocide

    Construction is set to takeoff at the school of a Frw 15M documentation centre in memory of the students and teachers that perished in the 1994 Tutsi genocide that left a million people dead.

    Lycee de Kigali (LDK) has honoured 13 students and 24 teachers that were massacred at the school in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

    A group of 150 students and 35 teachers travelled to Ntarama genocide memorial centre in Bugesera district and received explanations on how genocide was prepared and shown tools used to kill people during the genocide.

    “We learned a lot during the visit especially focusing on the future while rebuilding our nation,” the school director Martin Masabo said.

    In an interview with Igihe.com, Emily Mworoha, the Chairperson of the survivors association (AERG) at LDK said during the week, students were lectured about Rwanda’s history with particular emphasis on the 1994 Tutsi genocide that left a million people dead.

    “The information provided during the week will help us in knowing better where we are coming from and where we are heading to,” he pointed out.

    AERG association at LDK introduced the idea of building a memorial site at a cost of Frw15M that will be a centre of documentation for other schools. The school’s administration will cater for its construction.

  • Rwanda honey wanted in Middle East,Europe

    By: Igihe.com Reporter

    Export opportunities await honey producers in Rwanda following the increasing demand of the country’s high quality honey on the international market.

    According to the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) Director General Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Rwanda honey is on high demand in big markets of the Middle East and Europe. “But the challenge is the low production volume”, he notes with concern.

    In response to increasing export, quality Dr. Bagabe reveals that, “RBS has adopted a multiple-pronged approach aimed at ensuring compliance of Rwandan honey with international Standards”.

    The Bureau has since offered training to local honey producers on the aspects of producing quality honey targeting the whole value chain. Currently RBS has certified five honey-processing companies and some are already exporting their products.

    Dr. Bagabe advises farmers to opt for high volume beehives that would increase quantity of honey produced. During harvesting, farmers are advised to avoid using smoke (smoke contains a chemical dioxin) feared to be a cancer agent(carcinogenic).

    Florida Uwamariya the Accounts administrator of Rwanda beekeeping services center has told Igihe.com, “Our sector has registered remarkable growth. Beekeepers are enjoying the fruits of their work and the sales volume has been ever increasing.”

    Uwamariya notes that honey quality improved after farmers received training in methods of safe extraction, post harvest honey management and packaging. “We are looking at how we can maintain hygiene and quality honey processing and setting up scale processing equipment to upgrade the quality standards and produce”, she said.

    The International demand for Rwanda honey is largely credited for its naturalness much of which comes from the country’s endowed forest and eco system. Uwamariya says that the demand for Rwanda honey is expected to boost incomes of women that are mainly involved in the honey sector.

  • Youths urged to stay away from illicit drugs

    A 14-day campaign aimed at fighting aganist ilicit drugs has kicked off in Kigali city.

    Samuel Hakuzimana the National Youth Forum Coordinator in Gasabo district explains, “We organized this campaign because the problem is prevalent among the youth and we also find that if we as youth do not have sustainable life, our country is heading nowhere. We are the country’s future leaders”.