At the beginning of 2020, Arthur Nation that organizes Seka Live announced that the performances will be happening on a monthly basis. February will see a Seka Live in which will perform the South African Ndumiso Lindi and the Nigerian Kenny BlaQ.
Kenny BlaQ was welcomed by Arthur Nkusi and the whole team of Arthur Nation.
Ndumiso Lindi is expected to arrive in Rwanda this Friday, February 28, 2020.
This month’s Seka Live is scheduled to take place on February 29, 2020, at Marriott Hotel, with entrance fees being Rwf 10,000 for ordinary seats and Rwf 20,000 for VIP.
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Beside these international comedians, Seka Live will see the performances of such Rwandan emerging comedians as Nimu Roger, Mercy, Patrick, Milly, and Captain Father.
Neptunez Band and Nep DJs will entertain the public with music.
Among the new ministers are Dr. Ngamije Daniel who was appointed Minister of Health, Dr. Uwamariya Valentine, Minister of Education, Dr. Bayisenge Jeannete, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, and Mpambara Inès, Cabinet Affairs Minister.
Others sworn include Tushabe Richard, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Charge of the National Treasury, Lt. Col. Dr. Mpunga Tharcisse, Minister of State in charge of Primary Health Care, Twagirayezu Gaspard, Minister of State in Ministry of Education in charge of Primary and Secondary Education and Irere Claudette, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in Charge Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
Also sworn in are two members of parliament; Karemera Emmanuel and Mukabalisa Germaine.
{{Kagame emphasizes services above self}}
In his speech, President Kagame said that Rwanda is matching on well but needs to pragmatically face the current pressing challenges.
“We need to work better, to work with each other well. All sectors, people from other places, there is no problem in treating others well when they treat you the same. That’s how it should be all the time.”
“You’ve seen it, in the swearing-in, I’ve realized that all of you are young. Most of you are women. You should use those strengths. With them, nothing should be out of our reach. Otherwise, we will have failed ourselves since we have everything we need. We must maintain good practices, a good collaboration, without focusing on ourselves but on Rwandans. I’m not restricting anyone from focusing on themselves, but that needs to come second after the interest of the country.”
“The oath, maybe some read it merely speaking without thinking about what they are swearing. When they ask you, ‘Won’t you use the power you are given for your personal benefits,’ what does it mean? That is the part of the oath which is most difficult to implement. Because of weaknesses, I don’t think it is about being human since making mistakes is natural, but some get so weak that they focus their duties on their personal benefits. It’s not right when repeated a lot. … What’s good is the public’s interest. That’s what is crucial to us, giving the country a good future that we want.”
President Kagame thanked the sworn-in leaders and talked about why some of them change posts.
“The first thing is to thank those who have accepted new duties so that they can work with others in order to keep building our country. For those who changed their posts or left, there are reasons. The first reason, when they change your duties, it doesn’t mean they did not like your performance. It is for the sake of moving with the times or trying to do what we already do in a different way. There are others who leave their duties due to responsibilities that they failed to accomplish. I think we have spoken of this many times here. When people fulfill their duties well, they deserve thanks. When people fail to fulfill them, blame is normal.”
“Even a self-employed person has duties to do a good job so that his work gives out a good result. However, there is no profit when what produced that profit did bad to other people.”
The three, whose names have not yet been disclosed, were arrested early this week from their residence in Cyarwa Cell, Tumba Sector, Huye District.
RIB got the information from the neighbors, the executive administration, and the night watchmen who claimed that the men have sex with teens under 16.
Both suspects are aged 22, from Bugesera and Nyagatare districts respectively.
The executive officer of Tumba Sector, Migabo Vital, said that they also arrested a woman suspected of being a pimp and sex trafficker.
“We got information about three girls under 16 who are said to have had sex with two men who study at IPRC-Huye. We arrested them and handed them over to RIB. There is also a woman who was arrested for allegedly involving the girls into the sex trade.
She is also well known for being a sex worker. She had employed one of the girls as a house girl to take care of her child but with a hidden objective of trading her off in sex work.”
Some people from Cyarwa Cell have however said that the girls in question are known sex workers in the area.
“What I can say is that the boys are innocent because the girls were prostitutes even before. They are known in Butare Town. The girls are prostitutes. They always frequent pubs.”
Huye District is one of the districts with a lot of early pregnancies among teens under 18. In 2018, the district registered 338 which shot up to 669 early pregnancies.
The Southern Province police spokesperson, CIP Twajamahoro Sylvestre has said that both men are in custody of RIB, Ngoma Sector as investigations get underway.
CIP Twajamahoro said more people involved in sex trafficking are being investigated.
This year, Cécile Kayirebwa will receive a recognition award during the concert which is scheduled to take place on March 8, 2020, in Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village (KCEV), the former Camp Kigali.
Tickets are Rwf 20,000, Rwf 10,000, and Rwf 5,000 for those who buying with hard cash.
Tickets can be found at different places where Airtel services are provided; Remera at Airtel headquarters, Nyabugogo, and Nyamirambo.
Other selling points are; Camellia at Gisimenti, UTC, CHIC, KBC, Simba Supermarket, T2000 at Monaco, Nyarutarama at Tenis Club, downtown Simba Supermarket, Blues Coffee, and in the downtown bus station.
Fans who will buy tickets on the day of the concert will part with Rwf 25,000 (VVIP), Rwf 15,000 (VIP), the rest being Rwf 10,000.
It will be the first time that a musician will be given the recognition of high contribution and promotion of Rwanda’s culture through arts.
Among the performers at the much hyped concert are Muyango, Mariya Yohani, Mani Martin, Sentore Jules, Clarisse Karasira, the traditional dance and singing troupe Ibihame By’Imana, Mushabizi, and the
Dr. Daniel Ngamije has replaced Dr Diane Gashumba who resigned two weeks ago on account of gross misinformation to the office of the president.
Valentine Uwamariya is the new Minister for Education, replacing Eugene Mutimura who now heads Science and Technology Commission while Gaspard Twagirayezu was appointed Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, replacing Isaac Munyakazi who also resigned son account of dishonesty and corrupt practices.
Other appointments include; Inès Mpambara Minister in charge of Cabinet Affairs, Jeannette Bayisenge, Solina Nyirahabimana was appointed Minister of State in Charge of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, replacing Evode Uwizeyimana, who resigned over visiting violence on a female guard on duty. Marie-Solange Kayisire, formerly Minister of Cabinet Affairs moves to Ministry of Emergency Management.
Lt. Col. Dr. Tharcisse Mpunga becomes Minister of State in the Ministry of Health in charge of Primary Healthcare, replacing Dr. Patrick Ndimubanzi, who has been appointed Executive Secretary of the Human Resources for Health Secretariat.
Former Director General Rwanda Social Security Board, Richard Tusabe was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in Charge of the National Treasury.
A newly formed docket for the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education in Charge of ICT and TVET Education has been given to Claudette Irere while Yves Iradukunda becomes Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
Régis Rugemanshuro was appointed Director-General of Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), Amandin Rugira Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Zambia and Dieudonné Sebashongore as Ambassador-designate of Rwanda to Belgium.
The multi-million facility has 21 rooms, decorated with Rwandan cultural items such as Imigongo and other artworks.
President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame launched the hotel this Thursday, February 27, 2020. Present were also Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, the director of Kerzner International that manages all hotels of One&Only.
President Kagame appreciated this investment, saying that it is a good collaboration between Rwanda and its United Arab Emirates friends.
“I want to thank you for your investment. We must strive to make this investment earn all of us a benefit.”
He said that the investment,with a sister branch in Nyungwe, is in line with Rwanda’s vision of developing extraordinary infrastructure.
“We will take it as ours, as yours. We will also keep adding value to it in different ways.”
Muhammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani thanked all people involved in the construction of the hotel. He said that Kerzner will open four more such hotels in different places this year, but that, “to be honest, no one asked me about the other places other than Rwanda. They asked me, ‘When will the hotel be ready so that we visit Rwanda.’ It looks like this country has a lot of attractions. The pictures of this hotel have themselves attracted much attention.”
The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Development Board, Clare Akamanzi said that Rwanda now has two One and Only hotels and thanked Kerzner for believing in Rwanda.
She said that Rwanda continues to find possible ways to provide tourists with the safest hospitality and that it is progressing positively.
This was expressed on Wednesday February 26, 2020 when the Rwandan agri-tech company Horizon Sopyrwa awarded for the sixth time about 210 outstanding pyrethrum farmers. Among the prizes were 36 cows as the main awards, mattresses, rubber boots, and others, all of which were for recognizing their good work in making pyrethrum give a good produce.
Some of the farmers show pride in pyrethrum because from the moment they started farming pyrethrum, development visited their homes to stay.
Takuriya Noel Emmanuel said, “Those who don’t know the wealth pyrethrum are the ones who can speak negatively of them. Since the time I started growing them professionally, I have bought a plot of land of three hectares, in which I cultivate pyrethrum, I pay for myself Mutuelle de Santé” [a community-based health insurance], and no one of my children is in a poor school. I was awarded a cow. I will take care of it, always bearing in mind that I got it because of pyrethrum.”
Hategekimana Pierre Claver too had this to say, “I passionately do the farming of pyrethrum, since 2018. Now, I have bought a plot of land. In my family, we take a balanced diet. We live well because of pyrethrum. Something else, I have been given a cow. If I had never been farming pyrethrum, I wouldn’t be given it, and now I become a farmer because of pyrethrum.”
The General Manager of Horizon Sopyrwa, Bizimungu Gabriel said that this act of awarding farmers of pyrethrum plays the role of thanking them and inspiring other farmers to put into their farming a lot of work.
“Such an act of rewarding outstanding farmers of pyrethrum has an objective of thanking the courage they invest in the pyrethrum that end up giving a good produce. Also, it is to make other farmers jealous of the good work, inspiring them to have the courage to do good farming. More than that, this changes the mindsets of the farmers. Now, the awarded farmers harvest one tone from one hectare. We want all the farmers to develop such a mindset, or even a better one.”
The Director of Planning in Northern province Safi Desange asked farmers to keep promoting the cultivation of pyrethrum by joining cooperatives so as to join their efforts and so that such opportunities as the awards reach them.
After noticing the worth of pyrethrum, Horizon Sopyrwa founded AgroPY, an industry that extracts pesticides from pyrethrum.
Since the time this recognition started, 500 cows have been given. On this round of 2020, 61 cows were given to farmers from Musanze, Burera, Nyabihu, and Rubavu Districts. 40 of these were given by Horizon Sopyrwa, 10 by American partners of Horizon Sopyrwa who too manufacture pesticides from pyrethrum, and 11 which were given by past awardees as an act of giving back.
The recognition that took place recently, farmers were given 25 cows, 30 mattresses, umbrellas, and rubber boots.
Pyrethrum yields have grown from 200 in 2013 to the current 1,500 tons per anum.
Some of the recognized farmers said that their dedication to the growing of pyrethrum is a pact they have with Horizon Sopyrwa.
Mynyendatwa Jean Baptiste said, “We have developed a career out of growing pyrethrum. Every year, Horizon Sopyrwa recognizes outstanding pyrethrum farmers. This becomes a pact that we will dedicate ourselves more to the crop, especially that it has improved our lives. Some of us built good houses, bought livestock, and other things; there is no way we can give up on growing the crop.”
Mugabekazi Annonciata, another grower has this to say. “Such awards mean a lot to us. It motivates us to increase our dedication to pyrethrum. That I have been awarded a cow is not enough. I must keep working harder. Also, we thank Horizon Sopyrwa, especially for its continued support of our farming and for their good relationship with us.”
The General Manager of Sopyrwa, Bizimungu Gabriel has asked pyrethrum farmers to put in more effort and multiply the harvest because the market demand is still high.
“So far, we have not yet satisfied the demand. The market demands twice the produce we provide. This gives the farmers a task to work harder so that the harvest can reach the demanded quantity. However, we must also remind the farmers that the increase in quantity must go hand in hand with an increase in quality so that we keep being the first in providing the best oil to the market.”
Habanabakize Jean Claude the Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Development in Nyabihu District said that the farmers’ celebration of their achievements must be followed with setting new goals that include increasing the acreage of pyrethrum.
Currently, in the districts where pyrethrum is grown, which are Musanze, Burera, Nyabihu, and Rubavu, there are 240 farmers, grow ing the crop on 3400 hectares. In 2019, pyrethrum exports earned $6 million and projected to grow to $7 million in 2020.
MTN Rwanda started the campaign on December 20, 2019, where an individual or a group of people voluntarily donate smartphones the needy.
MTN Rwanda recently announced that 43,000 phones have so far been donated for the campaign so far is. The goal is to donate smartphones to all vulnerable households in the country.
This was announced by the Country Director for AHF, Dr. Brenda Asiimwe on February 18, 2020, in Musanze District on the occasion of marking the International Condom Day.
Dr. Brenda said that Rwanda and many other countries have a long way to go with fighting HIV/AIDS, unplanned pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases promising AHF will continue to work with the government in fighting that battle.
“We request the youth to take the battle in fighting HIV. As AHF, we have a goal of distributing more than four million condoms this year.”
The Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in Musanze District, Kamanzi Axelle said that while the world celebrates the good use of condoms, it is a good occasion to remind ourselves that HIV exists and is a deadly disease.
“We like to say that there are three HIV prevention ways which are abstinence, faithfulness and use of condoms.”
She said that a condom is something that most people are usually ashamed of using yet it is one of the trusted ways of preventing sexually transmitted diseases.
“We all know that HIV is transmitted in different ways, but much of the transmission is through unprotected sex. This [unprotected sex] is something most people do because they are ashamed of using a condom. However, the results are not worth it. We should not be ashamed of it because when the symptoms show, everyone around us tells what happened. So, instead of losing your life, making the country lose its manpower, you can use a condom, especially that we have brought it near you.”
Every year, more than 20 million condoms are distributed around Rwanda with the help of the government and other health organizations. Among them, 15 million are sold in shops, 5 million are given to health advisors and health centers while one million is given for free in public spaces.
A report by the Rwanda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (RPHIA) in September 2019 showed that 3% of Rwandans have HIV, 2.6% of whom fall between the ages of 15 to 45.
