IGIHE

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  • MINALOC Vows To Strengthen VUP Reforms

    {{Members of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) have urged the ministry of local government to strengthen reforms in the Vision 2020 Umurenge Program aimed at assisting vulnerable people.}}

    Reacting to the auditor general’s report 2009-2010, the PAC parliamentarians chaired by Juvenal Nkusi, grilled the MINALOC permanent secretary Cyril
    Turatsinze and his colleagues on the uncountable funds in the project.

    However, journalists were denied the statistics. “We are still verifying the figures,” he said.

    Meanwhile during the four hour Question and answer session , Turatsinze agreed that a good number of things didn’t go as expected during the program’s inception.

    He noted that financial institutions at the local level for example refused to work jointly with MINALOC in issuing credit to those who had promising projects. Hence the project was integrated to Ubudehe a fund used to support common community activities. “The banks were afraid to take the risk that’s why we had to come up with another option”

    “Most of the beneficiaries were living in extreme poverty and didn’t have collateral as a requirement for them to get credit but since our aim is to help them we gave them the credit with agreements on how they will pay but it’s unfortunate that some didn’t respect the agreement,” he pointed out.

    “However, there have been measures to reduce the non performing loans; they now stand at 50%.”

    Also there are those who took credit with specific projects but later changed to cheaper ones in order to save some amount. Others took the loans as a group and later divided the amount amongst them a fact that affected the accountability process.

    Illiteracy and lack of awareness also complicated the process, “can you imagine some people were not aware of the bank account to pay the loan and rather deposited in their own accounts thinking by doing so they were paying back the loans,” Turatsinze remarked.

    Also some leaders of cooperatives swindled the funds; in Ruganda sector a similar cooperative dealing with agriculture produce was left stuck after their leader ran away with the funds.

    This behaviour is believed to be influenced by those who faked to be vulnerable yet they’re wealthy people who wanted to swindle the funds.

    Lastly, evaluation of VUP funds was not done competently, that’s why a committee in charge of the program enforced reforms to strengthen the program.

    Among the reforms, beneficiaries involved in agriculture activities are obliged to pay the credit within two years.

    In terms of issuing credit, priority will be given to cooperatives since groups seemed disorganized. In addition the funds will be given in intervals to verify whether the amount was effectively utilized in each stage of their project proposal.

    In regard to enhance transparency and evaluation the fund’s management, district offices will also oversee the implementation of various funded projects. The fund’s committee will be meeting monthly to review progress.

    {{ENDS}}

  • RRA Refutes Public Claims Over Tax Ignorance

    {{Following Sunday’s Rwanda TV and Radio’s live talk where a member of public called in complaining of lack of information about tax issues, the tax agency has refuted the claims saying members of public pretend.}}

    In an interview with Nkusi Mukubu Gerald the Director of Tax Payers Services Department at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) said that his institution had a lot to ensure public awareness on tax related issues.

    “It is so unfortunate if they are complaining, however we have done much to make the whole country covered with tax education, of course I can’t say it is 100% but at least 98% which wouldn’t result into such complaints,” Mukubu said by cell phone.

    Mukubu said that RRA has been carrying out several tax education in the country citing different events in up country including one that was carried out in Burera District in Northern Province.

    “Taxation issues are complex, you can’t know all of it but some of the tax payers do exaggerate and fail to see what government is doing for them and so some pretend they have not received any tax education, just yesterday I received a call from Burera District the same area we carried out a workshop and had a celebration of tax payers day recognizing the best tax payers,” Mukubu added.

    He however revealed that some of them have fear of arrears of taxes not paid in the past three years and end up creating pretext that they have no information about taxes.

    Mukubu called upon the public to suggest the best channel and way RRA can help them to be tax educated.

    “We have a hotline 3004 which one call and get answered by an expert who answers almost every query, we have a system that they can use to pay taxes or ask anything about taxes but they can propose to us which way we can use, we can adjust, we are flexible,” he added.

    Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has set a target of collecting at least Rwf 533.8 billion in tax revenues during the current 2011-2012 fiscal year.

    Recently, the Commissioner General of RRA, Ben Kagarama, during the last fiscal year, the tax body had set a target of Rwf 458 billion, which they surpassed by collecting Rwf 491 billion.

    Among the challenges Kagarama cited were mainly tax evasion, giving an example of taxpayers registered for Valued Added Tax (VAT) but who fail to issue VAT invoices.

    The RRA chief further noted that some traders use forged documents by under-declaring their taxes through a reduction in turnover.

    {{ENDS}}

  • MTN Introduces Youth Games Competition

    {{Rwanda’s main telecom service provider MTN Rwanda has innovated a new activity intended to empower the youth and help them earn from their talents through game competitions.}}

    Dubbed ‘MTN yellow hoops’, the game competition targets youths particularly the high school leavers and university continuing students.

    This weekend in the competitions which was held in Nyamirambo, different young men and women competed in different games including basketball, music dance and drama, and graffiti among others.

    According to MTN Publicist Robert Mugabe; the youth game competitions intend to bring closer Rwandan youth bearing in mind that approximately 50% of the population are the youth segments.

    “We came up with popular games that are liked by many people across the world and we intend to coordinate Rwandan youth and empower them use their talents as source of income, make them recognized in the community and also to bring entertainment closer to the youth especially during holidays,” Mugabe pointed out.

    “We also intend to encourage youth discover their talents and to develop the spirit of ‘I can do’ in them,” he added.

    Among the participants, Emmanuel Ndungutse who competed up to the finals in the basketball said the competition motivated him and made him weigh his level in the game.

    Ndungutse challenged fellow youth to come and get involved in such games as one way to develop carriers.

    Gerald Kanuma who never participated in completion but available at the competition ground recommended the competition as an important initiative to promote the youth. He added that next time he must also be involved in the competition.

    MTN brought other products and services targeting to facilitate the youth like using the face book, twitter, please call me and the promotion of getting bonuses to the incoming calls.

  • Foundation Honours Kagame for Exemplary Leadership

    {{The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation has honoured President Paul Kagame for his exemplary leadership. The event will take place in Washington D.C.}}

    Also honoured by the foundation include presidents Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania,Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.

    Former Heads of state including William J. Clinton and George Bush of the United States and Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Sullivan Foundation will salute the 2011 Sullivan Honours Recipients in a star-studded, international affair with notable performers from the United States and across the African Continent.

    US based Leon H. Sullivan Foundation empowers underprivileged people worldwide by promoting the principles of self-help and social responsibility.

    Kagame has improved Rwanda through the promotion of education, health, infrastructure, transparency, reconciliation, debt relief, and increased foreign relations among others.

    President Kagame’s good governance practices and positive economic policies have been an example of strong positive leadership for the world.

    Kagame in 2006 was honoured by the foundation by thanking him for his exemplary leadership in moving Rwanda forward.

  • Wife Hits Husband Dead In Domestic Wrangle

    Police in Bugesera district on Friday arrested a woman for killing a man using a hoe handle.

    Festiannette Mukaminega, a resident of Kagasa cell, Mwogo sector, Bugesera district repeatedly hit Jean Damascene Rutembesa with a hoe handle severely injuring him.

    Rutembesa was hit while fighting with Mukaminega’s husband over a domestic dispute.

    According to Police the two men had been at odds for sometime over irreconcilable domestic misunderstanding that culminated in a fight.

    Rutembesa was rushed to ADEPR Nyamata hospital for medical attention where he later died from severe wounds.

    Mukaminega who is detained at Nyamata Police station is likely to be sentenced to life imprisonment once found guilty.

    Police spokesperson Superintendent Theos Badege said that such incidences were uncommon and called on society to avoid disputes that end in violence.

    He noted that domestic crimes were a result of family feuds that have taken place over long periods of time. “There is always a better option of solving family wrangles rather than taking matters in ones hand. Rwandans should always strive to solve family wrangles amicably and seek outside intervention from courts of law or even local arbitration,” Badege said.

    He called on Rwandans to be vigilant and report family wrangles to relevant authorities as a means to avert any grave criminal incidents that may arise.

    Rwanda National Police urge families to always seek justice intervention in case of family feuds to avoid committing serious crimes that may arise as a result of rash uninformed decisions.

  • EAC Integration Might Never Come True–EALA Speaker

    {{Mr Abdirahin Haithar Abdi the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) has expressed deep concern over the slow pace of East African integration initiatives.}}

    Mr Abdi argues that unless the governments in the economic bloc change the strategies in implementing major decisions made, the dream of a fully integrated EA would remain a dream for many years to come.

    Addressing journalists in Bujumbura, Mr Abdi cited the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol which, he says, has not been operationalised because of failure by governments to swiftly implement what is in the document that its officials ratified.

    He said under the protocol signed by all the partner states in November 2009 and which came into force in July last year, regional laws were to be enacted to oversee its implementation but instead the member countries opted to harmonise their legislations for the purpose.

    The Speaker wondered if any of the provisions contained in the Common Market Protocol were already operational, saying harmonisation of the laws among the partner states to accommodate the common market provisions was not likely to be completed in the near future.

    Mr Abdi, speaking ahead of key meetings of the regional leaders in the Burundi capital next week, said Rwanda was the only state among the five countries in the bloc which had started to change its laws on immigration to conform to the requirements of the Protocol.

    Kenya has yet to amend at least 25 laws. Elsewhere, the EAC member states have delayed the process on the pretext of looking for annextures to change the laws but in reality not doing anything tangible on the matter.

    “Many people have now started to ask; Do we have a Common Market Protocol in place?”, he queried, noting that in reality the protocol was still on paper because some governments have failed to implement its provisions or were delaying the process for unclear reasons.

    He affirmed that failure to implement various protocols and treaties under the Community was denying the nationals of East Africa rights such as free movement across the borders but, more specifically, the economic benefits such as employment and setting up business in various countries within the region.

    The Speaker, responding to a barrage of questions from journalists from across the region, defended the manner under which the current members of Eala are elected, saying it was within the laws and procedures contained in the Treaty that established the EAC.

    He emphasised that the system would not change unless the Treaty was amended. Under the current structure, Eala members from each partner state are elected by the National Assemblies of the respective countries under the procedures determined by the parliament of each country.

    “The procedure would change only when some amendments are made on the Treaty,” he said, insisting that the EAC or Eala in particular, has no powers to interfere with any process deemed democratic in any EAC partner state in picking legislators for the regional Assembly.However, he explained that EAC would prefer an all-inclusive Eala which would serve the needs of the region.

  • MTN Plants 150,000 Trees

    {{During the monthly communal work ‘umuganda’ on Saturday,MTN Group announced the achievement of registering 150 million subscribers by planting 150,000 trees. Its sister branch; MTN Rwanda celebrated the achievement by planting approximately 7,000 trees to contribute to the number.}}

    Over 200 management and staff of MTN Rwanda mainly those based in Kigali that makes almost 80% of the company’s employees turned up and joined the residents of Nyarufunzo cell, Mageragere sector based in Nyarugenge district few kilometers off Kigali city to plant the trees at an open to erosion hill of Kabungo. The company was also marking the end of year of forests as its part of social responsibility.

    MTN Rwanda’s CEO Khaled Mikkawi in a press statement highlighted the company’s efforts to environmental conservation.

    “Over the past years we have been involved in Project Adoption where we have planted 100, 000 trees around schools across the country, Nyandungu Garden where we maintaining a stretch of four kilometers holding 10, 000 and a 1, 000, 000 Nursery bed project in Rulindo district.”

    Butera Rutagarama who led the management and staff at the activity confirmed the follow up and maintenance of the company’s planted trees with the assistance of the residents located near the areas where they are being planted.

    He added, “If we don’t involve in such kind of activities today; we are then loosing the better future of our children and our subscribers as well.”

    Juvenile Kabarisa an area resident said that in the past years, the hill had been degraded but confirmed his efforts in the maintenance of these planted trees in order to ensure environmental protection.

    Celebrating the 150 million subscribers, MTN Group pledged to plant 150, 000 trees in the countries of its operations before the end of the year.

    After the activity of umuganda, MTN officially handed over to the Kigali City officials 80 dustbins to be positioned across the city as part of the keep Kigali clean campaign.

  • AMAVUBI Now Fit For CECAFA Cup Title–Karekezi

    {{Veteran striker Olivier Karekezi has wooed his teammates by insisting that the current Amavubi team has what it takes to end their 12-year-wait for another Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup title.}}

    Rwanda last won the tournament back in 1999 when they fielded two sides in the competition. However, the Amavubi captain, who has rediscovered his form under new coach Milutin Micho, does not see why the team cannot go all the way this year.

    “We have a good side with a blend of youth and experience but more importantly, players desperate to impress in the tournament,” Karekezi said.

    Last year, Rwanda was knocked out at the quarter-final stage by eventual champions Tanzania after a 1-0 defeat but Karekezi is convinced that the wasps can oust the reigning champions today in Group A’s opening fixture.

    “For any tournament, the hosting team usually has a slight advantage over the rest but I think we can upset Tanzania,” Karekezi noted.

  • Violence On It’s High in DRC Final Election Campaign

    Main Opposition Candidate, Etienne Tshisekedi

    {{The Final day of Election campaigning in the Democratic republic of Congo has climaxed into clashes prompting police to ban final rallies ahead of Monday’s Parliamentary and Presidential vote.}}

    Police in the capital Kinshasa moved in to end a stand-off with supporters of the main opposition candidate, Etienne Tshisekedi.

    The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the government had “primary responsibility” for maintaining peace.

    “I call on all political leaders and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to exercise restraint throughout the process to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful and secure environment,” he said.

    President Joseph Kabila and his two main rivals had been due to hold rallies within several hundred metres of each other, at the Kinshasa City main stadium.

    However, Governor Andre Kimbuta said, “because of the escalating violence seen in Kinshasa, all public demonstrations and other political meetings are cancelled over the weekend”.

    DR-Congo interior ministry confirmed that two people had died in earlier clashes on Saturday.

    Later,Tshisekedi, of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), attempted to defy the ban as he flew into Kinshasa.

    Throngs of his supporters, many brandishing palm fronds, had gathered along the airport road to greet the 78-year-old.

    But his car was blocked by police who parked a large armoured truck across the road, hemming him in for eight hours.

    According to local press, the standoff ended only when police pushed members of his 20-car entourage into their cars with shoves and baton blows and forced the motorcade to drive off.

    Police fired tear gas canisters into the crowd to disperse them. A number of UDPS officials were reported to have been roughed up or arrested.
    Mr Tshisekedi was eventually escorted to his home by police.

    The elections on Monday see 11 candidates running for president and more than 18,000 candidates for the 500-seat parliament.

    It will be the second presidential poll since the 1998-2003 war.
    However, there are concerns over the distribution of ballot papers, as some planes bound for the country’s regions have been unable to take off because of bad weather.

    Tshisekedi has also alleged that the head of the national election commission favoured Mr Kabila, and that “ghost” polling stations would be used to rig the result.

    Election experts say it is unlikely the ballots will be able to reach the remote interior of a country where some 60,000 polling stations are spread out over a territory the size of Western Europe.

    “The end result of a democratic election should be the resolution of conflict. Instead, we’re heading into an election which is by its very nature bound to aggravate conflict,” said Jerome Bonso, co-ordinator of the Coalition for Peaceful and Transparent Elections.

    The last election, in 2006, was marred by weeks of street battles led by supporters of the losing candidate.

  • Rwandans in South Africa Meet

    {{On 26th November 2011, the High Commission of Rwanda in the Republic of South Africa held a meeting with Rwanda diaspora community, mainly from the province of Gauteng (North east part of South Africa) which comprises Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion and Midrand.}}

    The meeting under theme “United we win, Divided we fall” was attended by about 250 people including; Students, professionals, businessmen and refugees in South Africa attended this event.

    During the meeting, pertinent issues of Rwanda were raised including; the path of Vision 2020, Rwanda’s development as well as the purpose of the cessation clause were presented to the public.

    In his remark to the diaspora community, H.E Vincent Karega, The High Commissioner of Rwanda in the Republic of South Africa, gave a historical background of Rwanda’s tragedy.

    Karega called upon the diaspora community to keep at heart their country and ignore their differences urging them to live in solidarity and work together to improve their wellbeing and dignity. He reiterated support of the High Commission in those endeavors.

    The event was concluded by colorful dance and rhythms of Rwanda through which the diaspora could not contain their nostalgia.

    The High Commission of Rwanda intends to organize similar meetings in Capetown, Durban and Maputo ( Mozambique).