IGIHE

Author: Abou-Shadadi

  • Czech Republic minister calls for closer ties with Rwanda

    The Czech Republic Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tomas Dub yesterday held discussions with Defense Minister Gen. James Kabarebe about strengthening defense ties between his country and Rwanda.

    “In the recent months, we signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation” Dub said after the meeting. “Leaving aside the MoU signed recently, the two countries can exchange a lot of fighting techniques,” Dub said.

    He however noted that the pact between the two countries is not fully implemented hence the continuous visits and discussions on how to strengthen defense ties between Rwanda and Czech Republic.

    “I would like my visit to simply focus on continuing our cooperation,” he said.

    Defence and military Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jill Rutaremara, told reporters that Dub’s visit at the ministry aimed at looking into how the Rwanda-Czech defence pact can be implemented.

    He added that Rwanda could learn a lot from the Czechs mainly in fighting techniques, particularly through its air force.

    Dub later invited the defense and foreign affairs ministers to the Czech Republic to pick out what Rwanda could learn from them.

  • Karugarama briefs US varsity delegation on Rwandan justice system

    The Minister of Justice, Tharcisse Karugarama, yesterday received in his office 15 students and three professors from the department of International Peace and Conflict Resolution of Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, the United States.

    The delegation is in Rwanda on a week-long study tour to gain a deeper understanding of the country’s conflict resolution management.

    “They are here to find out how genocide survivors managed to reconcile with the genocide perpetrators, “Minister Justice Tharcisse Karugarama told reporters.

    Karugarama told the delegation that the country’s judicial system during the pre-genocidal era was inept where to become a judge or prosecutor never required any academic qualification.

    “There was no fairness at all and to become a judge or prosecutor never required you to present your papers ; but through the will of the then President, he could appoint you (as judge or prosecutor) because he had full powers,” he pointed out.

    Minister told the US delegation that Rwanda’s justice system is today based on truth, equity, fairness and transparency, adding that the present government laid emphasis on training of judges and prosecutors to try the colossal backlog of genocide perpetrators in the country’s prison facilities.

    The minister briefed the delegation on the Gacaca courts system which had tried many perpetrators compared to the contemporary justice system which led to delays. He further attributed notable peace in the country to the unprecedented success of the Gacaca which resolved 1.5 million Genocide-related cases.

    Karugarama underlined that Rwandans today believe in forgiveness and tolerance where both perpetrators and survivors live in harmony.

    He allegorically underscored that though Rwanda has 1000 problems, it correspondingly has 1000 solutions.

    The delegation also nods in the agreement for the introduction of Gacaca courts. I think how we are told, if that’s how it works, it is then efficient,” Connor Moriaty a student part of the delegation noted.

    A member of the delegation and a student at the university Connor Moriaty lauded the role of Gacaca courts.

    “Basing on the account given to us, the Gacaca court system is efficient,” he said.

  • President Kagame meets U.S health experts

    President Paul Kagame yesterday at Village Urugwiro met with representatives from a consortium of 16 top medical, nursing and health management schools universities from the U.S through the Clinton Health Access Initiative.

    The delegation of 38 health experts is in the country on a week long study tour to explore ways of enriching the Rwandan health sector.

    Ira Magaziner, the Chief Executive Officer and the Vice Chair, Clinton Health Initiative (CHAI), who is the head of the delegation, said their discussions with the President centred on the benefits that would arise out of a partnership with the Ministry of Health.

    “We discussed with the President about the ways of promoting good health in Rwanda while analysing the cheapest means of bringing Rwanda’s heath sector to the top,” Magaziner pointed out.

    He revealed that through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ministry of Health, the CHAI would work alongside their Rwandan colleagues to offer world class training.

    “By the end of seven years, Rwanda will have a world class health education system,” Magaziner said.

    He noted that the programme is in line with the vision President Kagame shares with Clinton – to build a quality, world class healthcare system in Rwanda.

    “The need is also to develop a base of highly educated people that can lead to the creation of research in health industries and the health economy of Rwanda, that is what we are working on with the leadership of the Ministry of Health,” Magaziner said.

    The group will focus on several areas of specialty such as dentistry, nursing, obstetrics, paediatrics and many others providing diverse expertise.

    The representatives were drawn from Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Duke, Virginia, Colorado, Texas and Maryland universities as well as leading nursing schools. 

    Chantal Kabagabo, the Dean of Students at the Kigali Institute of Health said that lectures based on the partnership would be instituted within a year. The training would be conducted in health training institutions and hospitals to equip local health workers like physicians and nurses with modern skills.

  • Female artistes out of the Guma Guma superstar loop.

    The names of the ten nominees in the much awaited Primus Guma Guma superstar competition were finally disclosed last Friday at the Kigali Serena Hotel main hall. The by invitation-only event that was broadcast live on Rwanda national television attracted thousands of music enthusiasts.

    However, the missing ingredient was the absence of female artistes among the ten nominees to fight it out in the latter stages of the competition. The ten nominees are Dream Boys, Dr. Claude, Urban Boys, J-Polly, Riderman, Rafiki, Mani Martin, Kitoko, King James and Tom Close.

    In an interview with IGIHE.com, the Bralirwa Primus Brand Manager, Jean Pierre Uwizeye, said the lack of female nominess was based on the judges who not deem them proficient enough, dispensing with rumours that Bralirwa had a role to play in that. He further pointed out that Miss Jojo chose not to be involved in the competition due to her Muslim beliefs that deter her from branding alcoholic products. He observed that another popular artiste Shanel could not take part in the contest due to her other musical engagements in Canada.

     “Miss Shanel is already abroad so she cannot be a nominee ; this competition was meant for Rwandan artists in Rwanda,” he said, observing that even for some of the female participants who took part like Aline Gayongire, her votes tally did not add up.

     “So if the Rwandan people are thinking that it was done on purpose, it truly wasn’t,” he spelt out.

    When contacted to corroborate her non-participation in the competition, popular artiste Miss Jojo said that she balked to join in due to personal reasons.

     “My work, religion and personal life work hand in hand”, she said told IGIHE.com.

    One of the judges, Jean Paul preferably known as JP a popular music producer acknowledged that culture may have had a part to play in discounting female musicians.

     “I believe that Rwandans don’t want to see their daughters dancing provocatively on stage, it’s not in our culture”,

     “ I have to agree, but the truth is I am not the only one voting and I also believe that the ten who were chosen have worked harder and longer in this industry and deserved their votes. ”

     Miss Jojo concurred. “The female artists are trying but they are still new and young in this business. They really have to have great ambition in this industry and work hard. I mean really hard, so they can attain the level of their brothers ; then we can compete fair and square”, “This is just the beginning, the sky is the limit”.

     Meanwhile, when the competition ensues, the contestants will perform alongside a live band and the judgment would be based on their performances.

    A road show will be held in different parts of the country, including Huye, Rusizi, Nyamagabe, Karongi, Muhanga, Byumba, Kibungo, Rubavu, Ruhengeri, Kigali and Nyagatare, as contestants egg on their fans to support them during the final competition slated for July 30 at Amahoro national stadium.

    The contestants will compete for the grand prize of Rwf6 million and record a song with international star, Sean Kingston, among other prizes.

  • Extraordinary efforts needed; President tells new cabinet appointees.

    President Paul Kagame, May 10, presided over the swearing-in ceremony of eight newly appointed cabinet ministers at Parliamentary Buildings in Kigali. 

    In his remarks immediately after the function ; President Kagame called upon the new ministers to work tirelessly and enhance positive gains for the country.

    “With great performance, Rwandan society will reach sustainable development and poor performing will lead to poor development which will bring a bad image to the nation,” Kagame cautioned.

    The Head of State appealed to the ministers to commit themselves and use extraordinary efforts in serving the citizens as required, adding that they should produce extra results compared to what is expected out of them. Kagame wished the new ministers the best in their new duties.

    The new ministers that were sworn in included Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, the new Minister of Health, Aloysia Inyumba, the State Minister in Prime Minister’s office in charge of Gender and Family Promotion, Francoise Kanimba, (Trade and Industry) ; Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, (Education Minister) and Albert Nsengiyumva (Infrastructure).

    Others were Venantia Tugireyezu, the Minister in the President’s office ; Christine Nyatanyi, the Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs and Community Development and Dr. Alex Nzahabwimana, the State Minister in the Ministry of Infrastructure in charge of transport.

     

     

     

  • Habineza thanks President Kagame for diplomatic appointment

    Former minister of Sports and Culture Joseph Habineza, who was recently appointment as the Rwanda High Commissioner to Nigeria has expressed his gratitude to President Paul Kagame for the appointment. In an exclusive interview with IGIHE.com from Paris, France, where he was on holiday, the former minister further thanked the Rwandan public for showing sympathy towards him and encouraging him following a much publicised scandal that resulted in his resignation from government.

    “I am very happy and grateful to His Excellency President Kagame. I also thank the general public for showing me sympathy and for encouraging me. Asked what he thought of getting back to government months after his resignation, Habineza said that it was difficult to respond, adding that the appointing authority was best placed to answer the query.

     He tendered his resignation in early February this year after a wide circulation of internet photographs that showed him cuddling several women. 

    Mr Habineza told the media then, that he had resigned for personal reasons.

    “But when you see people publishing pictures and all that, it is not good for your image as a minister,” he said.

    The photos, which Mr Habineza says were taken in 2008, were published on on an opposition website called Le Prophete.

    Most of the 11 photos showed the minister dancing or cuddling with one woman in particular in a well-furnished room.

    The person who posted them said he was a university student and wanted to illustrate how the government was spending lavishly.

     

  • Finance minister releases preliminary budget

    The budgetary allocation for agriculture in the upcoming 2011/12 budget has increased by five percent, from Rwf 64 to Rwf 67 billion.

    The money, according to the Minister of Finance, John Rwangombwa, will be spent on increasing potential in the sector through promoting exports and facilitating farmers’ access to markets.

    This, Rwangombwa said, is under the general framework of eradicating poverty, mainly in the rural areas. Agriculture forms one of the priority expenditures of the government’s annual budget with focus on increasing productivity.

    “While we have the crop intensification programme that is having a big impact on food security, we are putting money in exports like horticulture, tapping into the potential of our rural areas,” Rwangombwa said.

    The agricultural sector has grown at an average of 4.9 percent over the last five years, contributing about 36 percent to the overall national growth.

    Part of the budget is allocated to Rwanda Development Board, (RDB) to strengthen the quality and quantity of commercial farming, increase diversification of new agricultural products and develop markets for the produce.

    Rwanda Development Bank will also be allocated part of the funds to boost its export promotion fund, while Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme will be financed to construct markets and warehouses.

    Rwangombwa said the investment is more focused on infrastructure development, agriculture for export and increase in agricultural productivity.

    “This will boost not only the overall economic growth, but also promote the country’s exports,” he added.

    The Finance Minister said that government expects an additional US$ 50 million from the World Bank to boost agricultural productivity in the country.

    Resource allocation

    Total EDPRS expenditures envisaged from the budget were estimated at RwF3, 436Bn from 2008 to 2012. This was an average of RwF687Bn per year to reach the target.

    The budget has however grown in nominal terms than envisaged and the total public sector spending towards EDPRS will reach 3,673.9 billion in the financial year 2011/12, which is 7 percent in excess of the projected total expenditure of RwF3, 436 billion.

     According to the minister, the expenditure towards infrastructure cluster is well above the projected EDPRS share of 19.7 Billion of the total budget.

    The expenditures in this sector has been accelerated due to its importance in creating an enabling environment for the economy to grow. Energy generation and distribution, enhancement of road networks, communication and ICT is said to have been the key projects.

    Rwangobwa said that the productive Capacities Cluster at 17.9 percent of the total budget in 2011/12 is about 1.2 percent in excess of the projected EDPRS share. This is due to the unlocked productive capacities like in the private sector which is used to tap the potentials and achieve the growth objectives.

     The budget allocation to Human Development and Social Cluster at 30.5 percent is still under the envisaged EDPRS share of 34.2 percent.

    This is due to the relative price levels of resources used in this cluster compared to the other two clusters whose materials are mainly imported equipment and their prices have substantially changed due to the dynamics in the international market. 

    They key expenditure drivers in the Human Development and Social Cluster include Health Equipment and Transport, the Health Insurance Scheme, 9 YBE, TVET, VUP, FARG, Demobilization Program and cost sharing scheme in higher education. The budget allocation to Governance and Sovereignty Cluster is just above the envisaged EDPRS share of 29.4 percent by 0.6 percent of the total budget.

    During the press meeting, the Minister said that the total recurrent budget had risen from 13.0 percent of GDP in 1997 to a high of 18.7 percent of GDP in 2005.

    “ The numbers however, declined as a share of GDP to create more fiscal space for development projects. The total recurrent costs are projected to reach 14.9 percent of GDP in the financial year 2011/12. Total development budget has been low since 1994 because government spending was more focused on social sectors to secure the primary services for the people. By 2003, the share of development budget was at about 6.8 percent of GDP but this has grown to 11.7 percent of GDP in 2010/11 and is projected to reach 13 percent in 2011/12,” he said.

  • Young female entrepreneur shares her experience in male dominated ICT field

    As the country gears for a technological take off, young entrepreneurial Rwandans are seeking the emerging opportunities that go with this. One of this budding entrepreneurs is Akaliza Gara who has successfully launched her ICT business aptly named, ‘Shaking Sun’. According to Gara, the young company’s aim is to help businesses and individuals realise their ambitions through the use of innovative technology and modern expertise. They also seek to actively ’think outside the box ’and design and implement creative and practical uses of the technology available today. ’Shaking Sun’ offers, discounted or pro bono services to, nonprofit and charity organisations. In a recent interview with IGIHE.com’s Fiona Gasana, Miss Gara narrates the opportunities and challenges of the business recently held an exclusive interview with Miss Gara on how her firm is coping in the gung ho ICT business…….or not so much so. Below are the excerpts.

     IGIHE.com : Is there any particular reason you called your business, ‘Shaking Sun’ ? 

    Gara : It was to get people thinking – to make them curious about what the business is about.

     What made you decide to take the leap and start your own business ?

    I had so many ideas and in Rwanda entrepreneurship is really encouraged and supported by the government – especially in the field of ICT.

     How were you able to decide that now you are ready and it is the right time for you ? 

    I had been working as a consultant for some time, but there was so much demand I decided it was time to form a team.

     Has it always been an ambition of yours ? 

    Not really – I actually wanted to be an artist – more specifically a ,children’s book illustrator when I was young.

     Why in the ICT field ? 

    There are so many opportunities in ICT – and technology is racing ahead so you always trying to keep up. It’s a great challenge.

     Isn’t there much competition ?

    Not as much as there could be – I think many people haven’t realized what a gold mine this is.

     What makes your business different to others in the same field ?

    With websites, we always offer training – we try to get our clients to feel a real sense of ownership about their product so we teach them how to use it and maintain it.

     Do you have specific groups of people you target ? 

    No ! We hope there’s something for everyone.

     Who inspired you to actually venture in this domain ? 

    Companies like Pixar and Virgin.

     Was it easy ? 

    Sometimes it’s really difficult – but I like being my own boss !

     How did you go about getting started ?

    I created a business plan several years ago and started calculating how much it would cost to set up and do business for one year. Then I started saving up and when I reached a certain point I registered and go started !

     What do you hope to achieve from your business ? 

    The vision for our business is to be a symbol for positive change to millions.

     How do you think you could help or encourage other hopeful young entrepreneurs ? 

    For people like me – young and single – I think this is a great time to take a leap. Once you get to a point where you have a family to take care of, it will become a much bigger risk. Take advantage of the unique place you are in right now.

     Are you excited about your business ? I’m really excited !

     Rwanda is fast becoming a country that is encouraging young entrepreneurs in all types of businesses eager to move forward. That’s true.

     With you as a perfect example, what kind of advice can you share with others to encourage them to go for their own ventures ? 

    One – do the research first. Two – Make sure its something that you are passionate about. Three – Set achievable goals. Doing these three things can help see you through the really discouraging times.

     Does you being female in a mostly male dominated domain make it any harder ?

    Not really ! I think it makes you stand out, which is a good thing.

     Did you have any difficulty putting together a team ? 

    Well, I’d never done it before so I was nervous about making mistakes – especially conducting interviews ; I wanted to make sure I asked the right questions.

     How did you go about it ? 

    For the website developers I took on interns for a three week program. It gave me time to see them work and to find out what kind of personalities they have. Then I selected the best from that group.

     Did you advertise for the positions needed ? 

    Yes, on the website and on the Facebook business’ page.

     What advice can you give other hopeful young women who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs ? 

    Do what you love ! It needs to be something you’re willing to fight for.

    What would you say was a major hurdle in getting started ? 

    Learning how to handle clients who don’t pay on time – that’s still a challenge !

     Any surprises you were not expecting ?

    I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support I’ve been offered from various sources.

     Any anxieties you have ? 

    That I’ll burn out ! It’s been many long hours and working weekends.

     Do you have a time frame in which to attain certain set targets ? 

    Yes, I have so many goals – but I’ll tell you more in a few months time – I can’t give away everything just yet ! 

     

  • Judge implicated in bribery scandal

    Two judges and three local authority employees are in police custody over allegations of graft in Mugomba District, Southern Province.

    The accused include the executive secretary of Mambo sector David Ntiyamira, Aphrodice Ndungutse of Ndora Sector and an agronomist, who had all been arrested on environmental degradation charges. The presiding judge Eliya Nsengimana alongside the court clerk Jean Leonard allegedly told the accused to part with a Rwf 550,000 bribe and a cow to be set free.

     In an interview with IGIHE.com, Police Spokesman Theos Badege disclosed that the agronomist parted with a total of Rwf 250,000 while Murindabigwi paid Rwf100,000 through the MTN mobile money service in Kigali and was to clear the balance on his return to the province.

    On his part, Ntiyamira offered a cow to the presiding judge.

    The trial is now set to be heard by another other judges. “If this evidence can be proven in the court of law, then those found guilty are liable to a prison sentence of a minimum 15 years,” Badege said.

    “These are the very people we put in place to prevent and ensure that corruption doesn’t happen. Instead, they are the ones accepting bribery. We wish to notify the general public that these institutions are put in place to offer free services,” Badege advised. 

     

  • KBS to scrap Rwf 500 ticket

    Kigali Bus Service has scrapped its Rwf500 ticket effective since Monday 9 May 2011, after it emerged that counterfeit tickets were in circulation.

    When contacted for comment, the former KBS chairman Charles Ngarambe, who doubles as chairman of the Kigali transport association, explained the firm had notified their clients on time and that complaints emanated from those duplicating tickets. “As we speak, we are conducting a thorough investigation among our staff and suspected accomplices,” he further pointed out,” imagine in the morning, a man ran away from the bus after issuing a fake Rwf 500 ticket, this means that the scandalous behavior was on the rise,” he remarked.

     The gimmick was also reciprocated by students who were severally nabbed by bus inspectors.

    Ngarambe further dismissed allegations that the move aimed at hiking fares. He admitted that due to high fuel prices, they had floated a similar proposal to the Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Authority (RURA), which has ordered the firm to revert to its former price structure since fuel prices might soon drop to normal.

    However, he encouraged commuters to use the recently introduced electronic payment system since it was more effective than the paper ticket.

    “We don’t intend to remove paper tickets forever but we keep persuading passengers to use smartcards since it also facilitates our management processes,” Ngarambe commented.