IGIHE

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  • Benin’s President Yayi Boni Assumes AU chairmanship

    {{The President of Equatorial Guinea Dr. Teodoro Obiang Ngwema on Sunday handed over African Union chairmanship to Benin’s President Yayi Boni.}}

    This was effected during the 18th Ordinary AU Heads of State and Government Assembly that officially opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday.

    President Paul Kagame who is attending the 2 day session along with other heads of State and Governments planted trees in memory of the late Prof Wangari Maathai at the newly constructed African Union Conference Centre upon arrival.

    Dr. Jean Ping the Chairman of the African Union Commission said that the 18th summit of the African union comes after a year of political upheavals, citing the post election crisis in Ivory Coast and the popular Arab uprising saying the events tested the AU commission’s conflict prevention capacity.

    “Last year’s events show the need to strengthening our conflict prevention capabilities, and avoiding that outsiders arbitrate Africa’s issues”

    The Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon who is attending the Summit for the Sixth time also acknowledged that the UN was taken by surprise by the recent turmoil experienced in Africa last year.

    “The Arab spring took many by surprise traditional indicators told us these countries were stable or doing well”. He stressed that the popular uprising on North Africa was a message to the World that People’s aspirations for democracy and rule of law cannot be stopped by police violence.

    Similar to remarks made by Dr. Jean ping, outgoing chairman of the African Union Dr. Teodoro OBiang NGuema condemned foreign interference in Africa’s issues.

    “Africa should not remain indifferent to foreign interventions that destroy Africa’s social fabric”. Ngwema called upon Africans to maintain solidarity against unjust judgment from others, and for the creation of its “own criminal court to stop this indiscriminate decisions by foreigners”

    The afternoon session was marked by discussion on the theme “Boosting Intra African Trade”. President Paul Kagame attended the session heading a delegation including Foreign Affairs Minister Mrs. Louise
    Mushikiwabo and the permanent secretary in the ministry of trade and Industry Emmanuel Hategeka.

    A study done by AU commission presented at the occasion indicates that Africa could get additional 34 billion US dollars annually through the facilitation of Inter Africa Trade. Emmnanuel Hategeka said that intra African trade remains very low compared to that of other continents.

    “Intra African trade stands at less than 12% while intra asia trade stands at 52% , intraeurope trade at 72%.”

    Mr. Emmnanuel Hategeka said that intra -African traded is kept low by lack of weaknesses in tariff structure as well as by fiscal and Non fiscal barriers including lack of adequate infrastructures.

    The Study by AU commission recommends that African countries deepen integration, establish a free continental trade area, increase infrastructuree, trade financing and strengthening the private sector.

    Dr. Richard Sezibera, EAC secretary general also present at the session on intra African trade said that he supports the idea of integration “The benefits of integration are many; it helps in reducing trade barriers, reducing the cost of doing business and creating big markets.

    This Monday, President Kagame will be presenting to the session his report on the HLF4 forum held in Busan, South Korea late last year.

  • Returning FDLR flee FARDC-RDF Joint Intelligence led Operations

    {{The Rwandan FDLR genocidal forces operating in Democratic Republic of Congo are fleeing their hitherto strongholds in North Kivu.
    Many are repatriating home in the last three months due to intensive battle conducted by FARDC-RDF led Intelligence operations. }}

    The joint military intelligence between Rwanda and DRC to track the FDLR and the Congolese forces operations against the rebels has destroyed many deployments resulting into splits within FDLR ranks.

    Military pressure exerted against the rebels has lead to majority repatriating as a result of a comprehensive DDRR process by the Demobilisation Commission. Others are fleeing to Lubero and Beni areas.

    Recently there have been new developments whereby Congolese civilians have organized themselves in local defence known as Mai Mai to get rid of the FDLR that they accuse of killing, raping and looting.

    FDLR officers who have repatriated confirm that these developments have completely weakened them.

    They testify that they are worried by such situation where people who have previously supported them have now turned against them.

    According to testimonies by FDLR returnees at Mutobo Demobilisation Center, on 24th January, the battle situation is so alarming that many of the FDLR senior commanders including their Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen Leodomir Mugaragu have been killed.

    This was said by Capt Joseph Tuziyaremye, the FDLR Civil-Military officer who recently fled from FDLR headquarters.

    He further explained that this situation forced a big number to lose morale and decided to return to Rwanda.

    In the last three months a total of 337 ex militia have repatriated to Rwanda fleeing the battle.

  • RDB Recognises Entrepreneurs

    {{The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) for the fourth time held its annual Business Excellence Awards ceremony aimed at recognising entrepreneurs and institutions that enhance both innovation and better service delivery.}}

    According to RDB’s Chief Executive Officer John Gara, “the awards are in line with our continuation of honoring investors in the country and foreign ones.”

    He noted that this year’s awards had three new entries including, Woman and young entrepreneur of the year as well as a district which performed better in doing business.

    The guest of honor Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi noted that the government has a will to promote better service delivery and infrastructure development.

    He added that as far as the awards are concerned entrepreneurs should put much effort into innovation since it facilitates the use of latest technology for instance.

    “I’m happy that we are awarding entrepreneurs who strive hard to promote wealth creation and employments at the same time improve the welfare of their employees,” he pointed out.

    {List of the winners}

     ICT sector:Large Company : Tigo (Winner) SMEs : Hoziana (Winner)

     General Manufacturing sector : BRALIRWA (Winner) SMEs : Soft Group (Winner)

     Agro-Processing : Ese Urwibutso (Winner) SMEs : Coproviba (Winner)

     Finacial Sector : Bank of Kigali (Winner) SMEs : COMICOKA (Winner)

     Mining sector : Wolfram (Winner) SMEs : ALICOMEC SARL (Winner)

     Tourism sector : Tourism Promotion Services Ltd- Serena Hotel (Winner) SMEs : RTUC (Winner)

     Real Estate : Real Contractors SMEs : Ujenge (Winner)

     Best Business Friendly District : Ruhango (Winner)

     Customer care Service : Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration

     Woman entrepreneur of the year : Mukarubega Zulfat

     Young entrepreneur of the year : Jean de Dieu

     SME of the year : COPROVIBA (Winner) Soft Group (1st Runner up)

     Exporter of the year : BRALIRWA (Winner) Ese Urwibutso (1st Runner up)

     Investor of the year : Banque Populaire du Rwanda (Winner) Nakumatt (1st Runner up).

  • Nurse Disappears After Killing Patient

    {{Police in Rusizi district are looking for a nurse identified as Desiré Ngirabacu who is alleged to have killed a patient by the names Alphonse Muhigana by injecting him with an overdose of Peniciline anti-biotic.}}

    The nurse disclosed details about the death through her close friend Apolline Uzamukunda who stays at the dispensary’s compound known as Gira Ubuzima located in Rusizi town.

    Uzamukunda noted that the nurse gave her keys of the dispensary on 26th January 2012 in the evening something she has done before, then later called her to explain about the death of a patient whom she had locked in one of the dispensary’s rooms.

    “When she first gave me the keys she looked uneasy. Later at about 7PM she called me on her cell phone to explain that she had unintentionally injected Muhigana 3 injections of peniciline anti biotic after which the patient reacted weirdly by vomiting and bleeding from his nose and acted as if he was epileptic.”

    “She told me after seeing those scary signs she had no doubt that the patient would eventually die. She said she was afraid to face the family of the deceased due to fear of being sued or punished.”

    “I think that’s why she ran away. The nurse has been a good person I wonder how she can do such a stupid thing,”she explained.

    It is believed that the nurse ran to an undisclosed place since she’s nowhere to be found and neither her best friends know her whereabouts. She can’t be reached on her cell phone anymore.

    The deceased was buried on 27th at Karambi cell in Nyanza district.

  • Kagame Plants Tree at New AU Headquarters

    {{President Paul Kagame has planted a tree at the compound of the new African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.}}

    Each African country has been allocated a small piece of the land where heads of states are required to plant at least one tree as a symbol of their recognition at the union at the same time pass a strong message of environmental conservation.

    This is the 18th time the president is attending the African Union summit, this year the heads of states’ gathering goes by the theme ‘investment promotion among African countries’.

    The summit will be held in new premises, a gift from the Chinese government and is worth US$ 200million.

  • Drunk, Hungry Man Kills Mother Over food

    {{André Niyibizi has turned himself in to Ngororero police station after killing his mother Peruth Bwenge on Friday evening.}}

    Eye witnesses disclosed that Niyibizi left his home pub at 8PM and went to her mother’s home. It is alleged that his mother refused to open the door for Niyibizi despite continuous knocking on the door.

    Niyibizi became furious and forcefully broke down the door. He entered his mothers house and asked his mother to serve him food but she is alleged to have refused.

    Niyibizi grabbed a dagger and killed her mother through piercing her severally on her chest.

    The suspect and his mother are believed to have been earlier involved in disputes after Niyibizi’s mother allegedly used 100 roofing tiles belonging to him.

    “I suspect he killed his mother because of the debt from the tiles which I believe wasn’t that much,” said one of the neighbours.

    Residents said that Niyibizi often turns violent when under the influence of alcohol which earlier caused his wife to divorce him due to domestic fights.

  • IBUKA to Build 3 Genocide Memorial Sites in Uganda

    {{Since 2004 IBUKA organization, an organization created by survivor’s of the 1994 Tutsi genocide, are planning to build three genocide memorial sites in Uganda to commemorate thousands of Tutsi victims that were washed up the river Nile.}}

    Idelphonse Karanga in charge of Rwandan national committee for the fight against genocide told reporters that with the help of the Rwandan government, IBUKA and the RNC are working to open three different memorials on the shores of lake Victoria in Uganda.

    The three districts chosen are Kasensero, Gigolo and Lambu, where over ten thousand bodies were discovered.

    The memorial centers commence construction by the end of 2012. The sites will be a replica of Memorial structures of the original centers in Rwanda.

    Beginning with the rooms of world history, where one is telling the history of the genocide and the other depicting the history of the genocide, as well as rooms such as the room which is dedicated to the thousands of innocent children whom perished during the genocide.

  • Gorilla Permits Price Rise by 50%

    {{The Rwanda Development Board has confirmed plans to implement changes to current gorilla permit pricing. The prices have been increased by 50% and this will take effect from June 1st, 2012 save for prior bookings made before this date.}}

    In a press statement, RDB CEO John Gara said; “This increase comes at a time when there is significant growth of the gorilla population as well as an increasing demand for gorilla tourism.”

    “We are very committed to sustain our efforts in conservation in order to protect their environment as well as the rich biodiversity that exist in our national parks.”

    Rwanda’s gorilla conservation efforts have shown significant success. Today, there are ten gorilla families which accommodate a maximum of eight tourists per day each, a number that has almost doubled over the last five years.

    The head of Tourism and Conservation at RDB Rica Rwigamba explained; “We have seen a sustained increase in interest for gorilla trek as well as recognition that good conservation can truly contribute to growth of these species.
    Mountain Gorillas are the only increasing gorilla species population, which is evidence that responsible tourism and conservation go hand in hand.”

  • US Diplomat In Rwanda

    {{The United States of America special advisor for Great lakes and DR Congo Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley is in the country.}}

    The envoy who arrived in the country on Friday evening, will meet with Rwandan government officials to discuss issues related to the situation in the Great Lakes Region, including Rwanda, Burundi, and the DR Congo.

    He said that, his trip to Rwanda was his first one since he was named to that position by Hilary Clinton, the US Secretary of State one month ago.

    The envoy who also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial Site, said that people should be aware of the dangers of hatred, tribalism and divisionism in the society, calling for tolerance to each other.

    He said this Saturday when he visited the Gisozi based Memorial site paying tribute to over 250,000 victims laid to rest at the site.

    Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley, the United States Special Advisor for the Great Lakes and the DR Congo, has said people should learn how to be tolerant to each other to avoid bloodshed.

    “It’s remarkably an emotional experience walking through the memorial centre. This was the worst tragedy to have ever happened to human kind,” he asserted.

    “This brings tears to everyone who visits this centre and reminds the world that this shouldn’t happen again, not in Rwanda, not in any part of the world”.

    {{ENDS}}

  • FDLR Embroiled In Internal Conflicts

    {{Information reaching Igihe.com suggest that the DR Congo based Rwandan dissident militia, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), has been hit by internal conflicts.}}

    The conflicts followed the last week’s killing of the group’s senior official Theodomir Mugaragu. He was reportedly killed in misunderstandings that emerged recently.

    Several reports suggest that Mai Mai have become major enemy to FDLR wanting them to get out of their land which has weakened the group.

    Capt. Joseph Tuziyarmye, a former political commissar in the rebel ranks, noted that FDLR has lost the support of the local population they had.

    Tuziyaramye also added that the group is short of ammunition and continuously loosing man power as local community also become against them and take them down individually.

    It has reportedly said that almost every soldier is remaining with bullets for personal security not for war and they have lacked direct external support.

    The returnees from South Kivu in the areas of Shabunda, Walungu and Hombo where they are said camping say that the offices of the UN Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) are far and also lacks communication links.

    The FDLR, and other rebel groups stationed in the north and south Kivu, are mainly made up of genocidaires, who fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the 1994 Genocide.

    The ex-rebels are currently undergoing demobilisation and reintegration training at Mutobo demobilisation centre in Musanze.

    {{ENDS}}