IGIHE

Author: Abou-Shadadi

  • MTV youth show hosts President Kagame

    Youth drawn from a number of African countries including Rwanda yesterday interviewed President Paul Kagame courtesy of the MTV Base’s “MTV Base Meets…with MTN” programme at Village Urugwiro.

    The President responded to questions from a diverse panel of African youth from Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and South Africa.

    Khaled Mikkawi, the CEO MTN Rwanda described the initiative as a great way to reach out, inspire and connect with the youth across the continent.

    “We are extremely honoured to have President Paul Kagame involved in MTV Base Meets…with MTN,” Mikkawi pointed out.

    Interview recordings of the MTV base meets…With MTN with the President Kagame will be aired across Africa from 18 July this year as part of an eight-series show.

     Recordings will be aired on MTV base (DStv Channel 322), and on terrestrial, DTT and CATV channels including STV (Nigeria), HiTV (Nigeria), WBS (Uganda), NTV (Kenya), Canal2 (Cameroon), Muvi TV (Zambia), Zuku (Kenya), ZAP (Angola), Smart TV (Kenya) and Star Times (Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi).

    MTV Base Meets…With MTN is a joint initiative between MTV Networks Africa and MTN Group. It is designed to inspire African youth by connecting them with some of the world’s most influential personalities.

    It is intended to provide greater understanding between the African youth and the political, business and cultural leaders who shape today’s world.

    Other eminent personalities to feature in the series later include Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first and only elected female head of state and Julius Malema, the President of the ANC Youth League.

    The show has also featured other prominent personalities including Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Morgan Tsvangirai and Wyclef Jean.

    African youth are encouraged to nominate shakers and movers in society and submit their proposed questions for the programme via a dedicated MTV base Meets…with MTN website or via their mobile handset.

    To register go to www.mtvmeets.com or http://mtvmeets.mobi or follow the campaign on Twitter at #MTVMeets@MTVbaseAfrica.

  • Uncle Austin discloses reason for quitting radio

    Radio 10 presenter and musician Uncle Austin has announced his intentions to quit the broadcasting profession and concentrate on his music. His daily radio show “The Overdrive” will be pined for by his radio fans, who have revealed their concerns during his last shows.

    In the music scene, Uncle Austin is renowned for his hit songs Nzakwizirikaho and Gapapu.

    Austin’s departure from the media remains a dilemma to many since it is through radio that he gained his fame. To clear the air, the artist claimed that his music had reached a critical stage especially among his fans. He gives that as the reason he intends to resign and concentrate on better music delivery.

    “The music industry is doing well now and singing is my calling. I can feel it,” he remarks.

    He further points out that he felt the calling when his first songs received massive attention from his fans, most of them youth from both Rwanda and the region.

     Austin is quick to highlight plans for his music career. Topping the list are video shoots for his latest hits Nakuvala and Nzakwizirikaho due in two weeks.

     The artist whose music is a blend of R&B and Afro fusion is presently working on his debut album produced by Kigali based producer Lick-Lick.

     “Very soon, I’m releasing a new hit called Ndagukunda Nzapfa Ejo,” the artist says.

     Reacting on his poetic title, which translates to why fall in love with someone only to die tomorrow, Austin sighs and declines to comment until the song is out.

     He further discloses that his poetic titles are one of his tricks to capture audience attention. 

  • Rwanda makes more reforms to ease doing business

    Rwanda has introduced new business reforms to make company start-ups and cross border trade easier as it strives to be among the world’s top 30 places to do business by 2017, Clare Akamanzi, chief operating officer of Rwanda’s Development Board announced this week.

    Akamanzi said the new reforms were meant to make it easier for businesses to start, deal with construction permits, register property and trade across borders.

    “We have introduced free online registration and reduced registration fees from 25,000 to 15,000 francs. We have also eliminated certain requirements like the notarising of sale agreement,” Akamanzi told Reuters.

    The World Bank’s 2011 Doing Business report ranked Rwanda the second most pro-business reformer globally, and 58th in terms of ease of doing business, up from 70th a year earlier.

  • Tigo Rwanda launches mobile money payment service

    Tigo Rwanda, a telecom brand owned by Millicom Cellular International (MIC), recently inaugurated its mobile money services in Rwanda, targeted at subscribers with limited or no access to banking services.

    Tigo Rwanda is the second mobile company to launch such a service after its major competitor MTN Rwanda launched its mobile money product last year.

    Tigo has similar services in Ghana and Tanzania.

    Rwanda’s rural areas have limited access to financial services, with the central bank saying only 1.7 million deposit accounts had been registered by December 2010 out of a population of 9 million.

    With about 3.3 million mobile subscribers shared between MTN and Tigo as of January this year, Rwandan mobile users can utilise the technology to deposit and withdraw money and can pay electricity bills and school fees via text messages.

    “Tigo Cash is basically a wallet on your mobile phone. You don’t have to have a bank account,” said Tom Gutjahr, Tigo Rwanda’s chief executive. To sign up for the service is free but one has to be above 18 years and a Tigo subscriber with a valid identity card.

    Non Tigo subscribers will not be able to register for the service but can receive cash on their network from a Tigo Cash registered peson in any part of the country any time any day.

    “If you are not a “Tigo Cash” user, you will still be able to receive money from other Tigo Cash users,” the CEO said.

    Licensed to operate in Rwanda two years ago, MCL said Tigo Cash can send between $1 and $550.

    John Sebabi, head of payment systems at Rwanda’s central bank, said the new service would deepen financial services.

    “If the number of mobile phone exceeds that of bank accounts, then access to financial services is growing which is line with our objectives of increasing access to such services,” he said.

    The Product Manager, Tongai Maramba announced that Banque Commerciale du Rwanda (BCR) would be the host of the Tigo Cash trust account.

     

  • Interview with award winning Rwandan filmmaker Gahizi Ganza

    Rwandan filmmaker Dieu Donne Gahizi Ganza won the BIOMOVIE award which is organised annually in London by United Kingdom’s TV1 and based on environmental themes. The third born in a family of five, Ganza, 26, spared time from his busy schedule to talk to our entertainment writer Diana Mutimura. Below are the excerpts.

    Diana : Tell us much about your award ?

    Ganza : At first, I was not confident that I would win since for the last 26 years, the award has been won by foreign film producers. But at the back of my mind, I knew that my work was worth it, I’m really overwhelmed to have put my country (Rwanda) and Africa at large on the world map and I intend to sustain the success. 

     A lot of people must be wondering how you climbed all the way up to even compete with renowned filmmakers. Can you share with us the secret or is it that you have long experience in the industry ?

    I started my career four years ago after taking a six month course in Kenya and so far, I’ve worked with Jean Claude Uwiringiyimana, a renowned local film producer. I must say that hard work matters a lot, yet creativity is also important for a successful film.

     This is interesting. You are only four years in the profession ; yet you emerge a winner at a global competition. What encouraged you take part in the competition which has in the past disregarded African filmmakers ?

    I understand your concern but as I had said earlier, hard-work and creativity are the two most important things for one to thrive in the industry. It is due to this attitude that one of my two films ‘One Day of the Blind Student’ emerged the best in last year’s film festival held at the National University of Rwanda (NUR). This film brought me to the limelight and I started to interact with renowned film producers who have been taking part in the award. Ezeyi was among the filmmakers who effortlessly persuaded me to apply for the BIOMOVIE award. 

     Wow, it seems your work has been yielding success all along. So tell us more about your award winning film which has been recognised for promoting authentic Rwandan practices ?

    Creativity matters a lot, look at the title of the film, for instance, Change I Mean It. I had to find a unique aspect that was relevant to the competition’s theme which was environmental conservation and Umuganda ( a monthly communal cleaning) was my favourite since it involves every citizen in cleaning their neighbourhoods as well as planting more trees. At some point, I wished that the same practice should be replicated in other countries too, because if we want to save the world from global warming, we should double our efforts to change the situation.

     What would be your advice to upcoming filmmakers ?

    I would like to encourage my fellow producers to always aim higher and they shouldn’t be discouraged by the so called international awards or even big film festivals. I urge them to always take part in the competitions and strive to show their work to the world.

     I imagine entering the competition might have cost you a fortune given the poor returns from films in Rwanda.

    What you say is true. The film industry has not yet grown to make us millionaires like our colleagues in the neighbouring countries. I should really thank my sponsors including the National Youth Council which intervened and paid both my air ticket and accommodation in the UK after Nokia pulled out. I also can’t end without thanking the Minister of Lands and Environment together with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) who facilitated in shooting the award winning film. Surf Survivors, an association of genocide led orphans also supported me financially. I also thank all those who voted for my film especially Rwandans in the Diaspora. 

     

  • Belgian mayor extols Rwanda’s achievements in reconciliation

    A Belgian mayor has lauded the country’s unity and reconciliation efforts since the 1994 genocide.

    Rik Soens, the Waregem District Mayor made the remarks, Sunday, May 15, when he led a delegation from his district to pay tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial site, Gisozi.

    Soens expressed shock and disappointment by the events of the 1994 genocide. “I am shocked and disappointed by the massive killings that took place in Rwanda. This is beyond human nature,” Soens regretted.

    Soens observed that the unity and reconciliation in Rwanda would bring about sustainable development.

    A member of the delegation, Rita Kestier, said that the memorial site not only exhibits massive inhuman acts that occurred in Rwanda in 1994, but also demonstrates that Rwandans are rebuilding their nation and striving for a better future.

    The delegation was in the country as part of a partnership between Waregem District in Belgium with Gatsibo District of the Eastern province.

    The cooperation that began in 1987 and is intended to promote professionalism in different sectors between the two districts especially education.

  • Two Britons to cycle to Rwanda to raise funds

    Two Briton’s Pete White, 31, and Pete Goodwin, 28, will travel approximately 6,000 miles and through 12 countries in just 70 days by bike from the United Kingdom to Rwanda to raise thousands of pounds in sponsorship to make a difference to youngsters in the country.

     The two will start the ‘Cycle to Rwanda’ trek in May 2012 from West Suffolk Athletics Arena, Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, Suffolk, and ending in Kigali.

     The Arena has been chosen to host the Rwandan Olympic and Paralympic teams Pre-Games Training Camp as they prepare for London 2012.

    The two aim to arrive in Kigali, Rwanda, in time to accompany the Rwandan Olympic team on their journey to Bury St Edmunds.

     The Cycle to Rwanda challenge is part of the ‘Sport For Rwanda’ fundraising appeal which aims to raise £80,000 by 2012 to provide 140 schools in the country sports equipment and training materials to introduce sport to the Rwandan educational curriculum, through charity Rwandan Aid. ‘Sport For Rwanda’ was set up by the St Edmundsbury Olympic Steering Group as part of its Go Rwanda project to build a lasting legacy with Rwanda. Godwin and White are both working with the registered UK-based charity group Rwanda Aid on this project as well as sports for Rwanda and other organisations.

    The trek will take them from Bury St Edmunds to Harwich where they will cross by boat to the Hook of Holland. From there they will cycle the 700 miles through France to Marseille, taking a total of six days. They will travel from Marseille by ferry to Tunisia’s ferry port and then cycle 1,750 miles in 18 days through Tunisia and Libya to Cairo in Egypt. From Cairo they will journey 1895 miles in 18 days across Egypt and Sudan to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The final leg of their journey will take 16 days and 1,605 miles from Ethiopia through Kenya and Uganda to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

    White was quoted as saying that he wants to cycle to Rwanda for various reasons such as broadening his horizons of the African continent and experience its beauty first hand but most important is that he wants to make a difference.

     Pete Godwin said he was doing this “because I have always grown up with easy access to sports equipment professional training whereas many of the young people of Rwanda don’t have that luxury in the world of sport. ” He added that he wants to try to create real life actions that symbolise the true meaning of “Everyone’s Games. ”

     

  • We need innovative citizens- Kagame tells varsity students

    President Paul Kagame has said that low financial capacity should not retard innovative ideas among students, adding that the problem is lack of proper entrepreneurial and developmental skills that matches with the modern society.

    The Head of State made the comments yesterday while addressing over 12,000 students and staff of the National University of Rwanda (NUR) at the university stadium in Huye District, Southern Province.

    Shortly before addressing the NUR community, President Kagame, officially opened a state-of-the-art ICT laboratory at the University constructed with the support of the Republic of Korea.

    Addressing the students, President Kagame said that he was pleased to discuss the role of higher education and its importance to the nation, particularly the contribution of the university community in the transformation of the Rwandan society. He further asked students to work hard since nothing is easy in life.

    “Nothing can easily come without working and sweating for it,” he challenged NUR students and staff.

    Kagame called upon the students to be innovative and self reliant and capitalise on the newly established ICT laboratory to achieve new and constructive ideas that would help the nation attain sustainable development.

    He urged the students to be job creators as the youth of 21st century observing that they should not rely only on their lecturers’ notes ; but should instead engage deeper into research.

    The President assured them that the government was behind them adding that it would work closely with the university to meet various challenges. The president said the government considers education as one of the main pillars of development and will continue to invest heavily in the sector.

    The Rector of NUR, Prof Silas Lwakabamba, said that the newly inaugurated ICT school would be important in offering ICT courses, adding that it represents a large and Important new resource for staff and students at NUR.

    He noted that the structure has 11 laboratories with 400 computers and is the best of its kind in Africa. The facility was equipped at a cost of US$4.7m with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) donating US$4m.

    Prof. Lwakabamba commended the Korean government for the continued support, and added that more projects were yet to come, to expand the University infrastructure much needed.

    Prior to his speech, the Head of State had listened to the University’s Guild President Hildebrande Niyomungeri read out the challenges the students at the national university face.

    Niyomungeri thanked the president for the visit and further commended the head of state for boosting the bursary for Students Financing Agency of Rwanda (SFAR) sponsored students by 70 percent.

  • UNICEF welcomes Rwanda’s campaign to eliminate HIV transmission from mother to child

    UNICEF
    has welcomed the announcement of a national campaign to eliminate the vertical
    transmission of HIV from mother to child in Rwanda and confirmed its commitment
    to support the government in ensuring that all women in need will be reached
    with a new, more efficacious HIV regimen by 2015.


    The campaign was launched on Thursday last week by Rwanda’s First Lady, Mrs.
    Jeannette Kagame, in the presence of the Minister of Health and other
    government officials, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and South Africa,
    Elhadj As Sy, representatives of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
    Relief (PEPFAR) and other bilateral partners as well as the President of the
    Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

    UNICEF
    is co-championing the call for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission
    of HIV by 2015. UNICEF Regional Director As Sy said he was confident that
    Rwanda can meet its goal of reducing the transmission rate among children born
    to women living with HIV to less than 2 per cent. “In order to achieve this
    goal, we have to make sure that all pregnant women with HIV can participate in
    prevention programmes, including adolescent girls and those living in remote
    areas. UNICEF stands ready to support the government in identifying the gaps in
    access and in removing bottlenecks that prevent women from making use of the
    existing life-saving services.” 

    As
    part of the elimination campaign, Rwanda plans to ensure that all HIV positive
    women receive the most efficacious ARV regimens through expanded coverage of
    quality services. Furthermore, the government wants to make sure that pregnant
    women access health services earlier, that HIV incidence among women of
    reproductive age is reduced, that comprehensive knowledge on HIV prevention is
    increased and that all women have access to family planning. Rwanda has a birth
    rate of 2.8 per cent with a fertility rate of 5.3 per cent. It is also
    Africa’s most densely populated country.

    The
    campaign will strengthen the links between MCH and HIV programmes and further
    enhance the already high involvement of male partners in prevention and testing
    programmes. 

    Although
    Rwanda has one of the lowest HIV prevalence rates amongst pregnant women in
    Eastern and Southern Africa – currently standing at a national average of 4.3
    per cent – rates in the capital Kigali are much higher (between 16 and 34
    per cent).

    More
    than 20,000 children below the age of 15 live with HIV in Rwanda. Over 90 per
    cent have been infected through vertical transmission. HIV positive women
    can transmit HIV to their children during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.
    Without intervention, the risk of transmission is more than 30 per cent.

    The
    Government of Rwanda, through the support of international partners, including
    UNICEF, has been able to significantly increase the provision of PMTCT
    services. 

  • HUAWEI to launch smartphones in Rwandan market

    Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei through its local subsidiary is soon to launch android powered smartphones in the Rwandan market through telco operators MTN Rwanda and TIGO.

    The smartphones to be powered by the popular android operating system offer a full range of remarkable features and applications. According to the Chief Operating Officer of Huawei Rwanda Adriaane Heine, the model expected to retail via the TIGO and MTN Rwanda operators is HUAWEI U8150 IDEOS.

    “Huawei will be dealing with provision and marketing of these products and ultimately, the operators will be selling to the markets,” says Heine,.

    Hein reveals that the Huawei smartphones have been well received in many countries across the world, a factor attributed to “the phones’ new, simple and incredible technology coupled with numerous amazing features.”

     “The handsets received a good response particularly in countries like Kenya where about 100,000 units were sold in the first few months. Since its release in January until February (2011), they (Huawei Smartphones) had already taken 45.4 percent of the market share surpassing that of even other more popular established brands such as Nokia with a market share of 33.3 percent,” Heine says.

    He says that the phones fitted with a range of powerful features from hardware to software.

    “The powerful android operating system will provide the user with categorised applications they can use, which are directly accessible from the android market feature on the phone,” he observes.

    During an exclusive interview with IGIHE.com, Heine demonstrated the brilliant applicability of the phone by opening Google Maps, an application that allows a user to trace topographic directions at their disposal via satellite communication.

    The phone’s uniqueness goes beyond the software and integrated hardware, It offers elements such as a capacitative touchscreen , powerful 3G connectivity and other powerful features such as a router.

    HUAWEI is a global telecommunication company specialising in the supply of a diverse range of telecommunication equipment. With its strong and broad network of around 110,000 employees worldwide, it has partnered with more than 470 operators in more than 130 countries. The company has been operating in Rwanda since 2005 and helped local telecommuinications firms like MTN to build the network infrastructure.