IGIHE

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  • Diaspora to Send Petitions to Ombudsman via Online

    {{The Rwandan diaspora will be able to lodge their petitions online to the Office of the Ombudsman.}}

    One has to log on to diaspora@ombudsman.gov.rw and send petitions.

    The Ministry of Foreign affairs welcomes the new platform which it says will reduce the cost of sending mails through firms such as DHL that has been limiting the flow of ideas.

    The ministry normally receives complaints from Rwandans living abroad.

    The office of the Ombudsman says, “We are a smart country which endeavors to expedite service delivery in all sectors, that’s what we are doing and we want to continue doing.”

    Petitions from people living in Rwanda can either be physically submitted to the Ombudsman’s office in Kigali or online by sending an e-mail to info@ombudsman.gov.rw.

  • 4 More Grenade Victims Discharged

    {{By saturday, Four other people, who were injured when a grenade went off in Nyarugenge District on Friday evening, have been discharged from the hospital.}}

    By 6pm on Saturday, on six people were still admitted – five at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and the other one at Kanombe Military Hospital – the Rwanda National Police Spokesperson, ACP Theos Badege, said.

    The explosion which occurred at about 6:50pm in Gitega sector near Nyabugogo abattoir commonly known as “marathon” killed three people, two of them died on spot while the other one succumbed to the injuries.

    The third person was among the 30 people who were injured in an incident.

    Three people have been arrested in connection with the act.

    Rwanda National Police appeals to the population to remain calm and conduct their usual businesses as investigations continue to bring to justice all those responsible for this inhuman act.

    RNP

  • Minister Musoni Commends Mutako Residents over Trench

    {{The Minister of Local Government, James Musoni this Saturday during Communal Work Umuganda joined residents of Mutako cell in Kicukiro district to construct a trench of about 400meters.}}

    Residents have managed to moblise over Frw4Million to construct the trench which will cost over Frw18million on completion.

    Twagira Joseph residing close to the trench was always weary of being washed away by runoff water during the rainy season, he says the construction of the trench has given him more hope.

    Minister Musoni commended the residents for pooling funds and also their own labour to construct the trench.

    He added that such infrustructure benefit the local residents thus they shouldn’t wait for government to do everything for them.

  • 75 Arrested in anti-drugs Crackdown

    {{A Police operation against transnational organized crimes conducted across the country intercepted over 25, 029 litres of illicit brew and 175 kilogrammes of cannabis, and arrested 75 people in connection with the act.}}

    The operation dubbed “Usalama” carried out between July 16th and 18th was organized by the Nairobi-based Eastern Africa Interpol regional bureau.

    The crackdown on organized gangs was in the framework of the Eastern and Southern police bodies – EAPCCO and SARPCCO – joint strategies to counter cross-border crimes following their resolutions late last year to cooperate to break criminal rings in the two regions.

    The operation conducted concurrently in all the 25 countries in the two regions targeted drug and human traffickers, immigrant smugglers and motor vehicle theft.

    Immigrant smugglers are people who illegally sneak others into a country, either for good or bad intentions.

    The exercise also targeted arms traffickers and brothels. A brothel is a place where people may come to engage in sexual activity with a prostitute or with any other person, who is not a legal partner.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tony Kulamba, the Acting Commissioner for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said five residential houses used as brothels were recovered in Kigali, which were closed and owners arrested.

    “We processed their dossiers and handed them over to prosecution for judicial process,” ACP Kulamba said.

    He warned anyone that could be involved in this illegal business to “desist” before they are apprehended to face the wrath of law.

    ACP Kulamba also said that two Rwandans were arrested in connection with people smuggling after it emerged that they had brought seven Burundians – who were also arrested – illegally into the country to use them in various activities.

    “Like it is zero tolerance on corruption, and so does on drugs,” he stated.

    “There is will and ability to counter any security threat in the country and this is a warning to anyone involved in any illegal activity. We will not tire until such criminal rings are dismantled,” he warned.

    He also appealed to schools, parents and religious leaders to strengthen their campaign against drug abuse, which is still high among the youth.

    The Acting CID chief also said that “soon” the Interpol tool – I-24/7 – will be extended to all outlets to aid in tracking down criminals and stolen vehicles.

    The tool acts as a database connecting all Interpol member states.

    With now all small arms in the country registered, he said, no threat of arms trafficking in Rwanda.

    Both EAPCCO and SARPCCO member countries are scheduled to meet in Uganda next month for public disseminate and evaluate the results of the operation.

    RNP

  • Obasanjo May Mediate L. Nyasa Dispute

    {{Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo could be angling for a mediation role in the Lake Nyasa border conflict between Tanzania and Malawi. Mr Obasanjo is reported to have gone to Lilongwe in early June to meet President Joyce Banda.}}

    According to the latest issue of the influential Africa Energy Intelligence Report, talks between Ms Banda and Mr Obasanjo were dominated by the Lake Nyasa dispute. The newsletter said the former president, who ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979 and between 1999 and 2007, also intended to visit President Jakaya Kikwete before the end of July to secure a diplomatic solution.

    But the reports noted that Mr Obasanjo, who played mediator in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009 at the request of the United Nations, has intervened in Malawi in a strictly private capacity. Tanzanian officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.

    Diplomatic tension has mounted between the two countries over the border of the lake, with Malawi laying claim to all of it. The lake is called ‘Nyasa’ or ‘Malawi’ in that country and it has reportedly signed oil exploration agreements in the waters.

    Several mediation efforts are ongoing, including one led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano.

    Africa Energy Intelligence Report says that President Banda appeared somewhat discouraged by the developments. She is reported to have said that talks with Tanzania had bogged down and the chances of avoiding international arbitration were fast dwindling.

    The newsletter said, however, that the former Nigerian leader has been known to mix international mediation and business.

    “This was the case, for instance, when he backed energy exploration firm Chevron in its bid to build a gas pipeline between Cabinda’s offshore and Soyo in Angola by way of a section passing through DRC waters. Obasanjo introduced Chevron Angola’s boss, Alan Kleier, to DRC President Joseph Kabila to settle the issue,” said the report.

    In 2011, Malawi awarded the Franco-British company Surestream an exploration contract on blocks 2 and 3 in the northern section of the lake, prompting Tanzania’s protest.

    NMG

  • Litmus test for Ebola to be Developed

    A project in Uganda that aims to develop a paper-strip test for the deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses is among 102 initiatives across the world to be funded by the government of Canada through its Grand Challenges Canada project.

    The paper strip test would, if developed, help test for the virus in a cheap and quick manner within the community just like it is done for malaria. The project has been boosted with $100,000.

    The Uganda project leader, Dr Misaki Wayengera of Makerere University College of Health Sciences said that the highly infectious nature of both Ebola and Marburg, coupled with poor epidemiological data on their origins make it hard for them to be easily detected in the early days of an outbreak.

    “Amidst the inappropriateness of existing diagnostic technologies towards usability in bio-terror and point-of-care settings, development of rapid, easy to use, cheap, and reliable biomarkers for either filo viruses is a global health priority,” Dr Misaki explained.

    “Ebola and Marburg outbreaks are often initially silent, much as the clinical picture should raise suspicion. As a result, health workers are exposed and die of viral haemorrhagic fever.”

    NMG

  • Rwanda, Burundi to Start Driving on the Left

    {{Rwanda is now in the process of channeling the country’s motorists into the left side of the road and already a number of studies have been launched to aid the proposed traffic transition.}}

    This is according to the Deputy Director General of Rwanda Bureau of Standards, Mr Patrice Ntiyamira who is currently in Arusha.

    Ntiyamira told media on saturday’ during the on-going 17th East African Standards Committee (EASC) meeting taking place here which is being attended by the heads of National Standards Bodies from the five East African Community Member states.

    The Rwandan official revealed that the issue of conflicting road and traffic regulations in the five EAC member states was among the topics being discussed in the EASC meeting whose sessions are being held behind closed doors.

    Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda drive on the left side of the road having inherited the traffic regulations from their former Anglophonic rulers while the Francophone Rwanda and Burundi maintained their right driving.

    As a result, motorists operating in the East African Member countries found themselves ‘driving on the wrong sides of the road,’ whenever crossing onto other territories.

    While heads of National Bureaus of Standards are in Arusha discussing the harmonisation of quality certification of goods, it has come to light that so far there have been no efforts to harmonise traffic regulations in the East African Community.

    Driving on different sides of the road is also proving to be expensive for Rwanda and Burundi the two land-locked countries that depend on Tanzania and Kenya coastline to ship in their vehicles all of which, being destined for East Africa come with the driving wheels fixed on the right.

    {agencies}

  • Kenyan Adongo joins NFL

    {{New Zealand based Counties-Manukau loose forward Daniel Adongo has made the leap from the NPC to the USA National Football League.}}

    The Indianapolis Colts announced they have signed the 23-year-old as an outside linebacker with the player becoming the first Kenyan to feature in American football’s elite professional competition that has 32 teams.

    It’s an incredible transfer for a player who has just come off a season of Super Rugby with the Southern Kings in South Africa.

    Adongo first emerged in Kenyan age grade teams before being snapped up by the Natal Sharks academy then the Bulls Super Rugby squad in 2011.

    However, he was released early from that contract after being persuaded by Counties coach and former All Blacks international, Tana Umaga to try his hand in New Zealand.

    Adongo played 13 matches for the Steelers in last years’s NPC before heading back to South Africa to join the Kings.

    The addition of Adongo is all about potential. He’s a 6-5, 257-pound outside linebacker prospect who most recently was with the Southern Kings of Super 15 Rugby, the world’s highest level of pro rugby.

    “He is not only an elite athlete and rising international rugby player, but he is an exceptional competitor and human being that has the right makeup for our sport,” Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson said in a statement released by the team. “We all look forward to watching his growth and development in the ensuing weeks.”

    Adongo joins a loaded outside linebacker mix. It includes projected starters Robert Mathis and Erik Walden, first-round draft pick Bjoern Werner, Lawrence Sidbury, Monte Simmons, Justin Hickman, Quinton Spears and Caesar Rayford.

    The Colts generally carried only four outside linebackers on their active roster last season. Adongo’s development might include a stint on the practice squad this season.

    Adongo, a 23-year old Kenyan national, is a 2006 graduate of Strathmore High School in Nairobi who attended the University of South Africa the following year.

    His rugby resume includes playing in the 2012 Varsity Cup for the University of Pretoria Tuks, the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the New Zealand ITM Cup team Counties Manukau.

    At 1.98m and 115kg he is well known for his muscular physique and is perfectly built for the NFL.

    “We are excited as an organization with the acquisition of Daniel Adongo,” Colts general manager Ryan Grigson said on the organisation’s website.

    The announcement was even accompanied by an action shot of Adongo playing for the Steelers against Otago.

    capitalFm

  • Tutu Says He Cannot Worship ‘Homophobic’ God

    {{South African peace icon Desmond Tutu has said he would rather go to hell than worship a homophobic God, likening the fight against gay prejudice to the anti-apartheid struggle.}}

    Tutu made the comments on Friday at the launch of a United Nations gay equality campaign in Cape Town.

    “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” the retired archbishop said.

    “I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,” he said, condemning the use of religious justification for anti-gay prejudice.

    Launched by the UN Human Rights Office, the public education campaign “Free and Equal” aims to raise awareness of anti-gay violence and discrimination.

    Tutu, a Nobel laureate, compared the project to the fight South Africans waged to end the former white racist minority rule, a struggle in which he played a pivotal role.

    “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level,” the 81-year-old said.

    Navi Pillay, head of the UN rights agency and herself South African, said same-sex relationships were illegal in more than a third of countries around the world and punishable by death in five.

    {{‘Worst cases’ }}

    Even in countries where gay rights are upheld challenges remain, she said, noting that South Africa has “some of the worst cases of homophobic violence” despite having some of the world’s best legal protections.

    The country has seen brutal, deadly attacks on lesbians, who also risk falling victim to what is known as “corrective rape”, which involves sexual assaults by men who claim they can change their victims’ sexual orientation to heterosexuality.

    A South African lesbian was last month found dead, having been sexually assaulted with a toilet brush.

    “People are literally paying for their love with their lives,” said Pillay.

    The campaign, which aims to push for legal reforms and public education against homophobia, will have a strong focus on working with governments.

    “I constantly hear governments tell me ‘but this is our culture, our tradition and we can’t change it’… So we have lots of work to do,” said Pillay.

    Source: Agencies

  • UN says Accord Reached on Syria Chemical Arms

    {{United Nations said it had reached an agreement with Syria on an inquiry into the use of chemical weapons, but did not say UN inspectors would be allowed in.}}

    Two UN envoys went to Damascus on Tuesday for two days and held talks with Syria’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, a brief UN statement said.

    “The discussions were thorough and productive and led to an agreement on the way forward,” Friday’s statement said, without giving any other detail. It did not say UN inspectors would be allowed in.

    Ake Sellstrom, the chief inspector in the UN investigation team, and Angela Kane, the UN high representative for disarmament, were to report to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the trip.

    Ban has demanded widespread access to investigate all allegations of the use of chemical weapons in the 28-month-old conflict. Syria has insisted that the UN only investigate its claim that rebels used chemical weapons in the town of Khan al-Assal on March 19.

    The UN says it has received reports of 13 chemical attacks in the conflict.

    Britain, France and the United States say all the attacks were carried out by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Russia, Assad’s main ally, says its inquiry found that rebels used sarin gas in Khan al-Assal.

    Source: AFP