Author: Elina Jonas Ruzindaza

The announcement comes after reports surfaced on social media that Rwandan passports would expire by the end of this year.

The East African Community Electronic Passport has a variety of categories including the Ordinary Passport light blue, which has three categories, which is used for regular travel and is available to all Rwandans who want it.

Includes a 34-page children’s passport, valid for two years, at a cost of Rwf25,000. An adult passport with 50 pages at a cost of Rwf75,000 lasts for five years. Another passport in this category is for adults but has a page of 66 for 10 years. This 10-year passport is issued for Rwf100,000.

The other category is a green work passport with 50-pages issued to employees who have gone for the government mission at Rwf15,000 that lasts for five years.

There is also the passport of diplomats and other dignitaries provided for by the Ministerial Order of May 2019 on Immigration and Emigration, which has a 50-page page for 5 years, issued at a cost of Rwf50,000.

Passports are issued not later than four days after application.

A ministerial statement issued on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, states that the deceased was a patient undergoing treatment in Kigali.

“Condolences to the family of the 37-year-old man who passed away in Kigali,” he said.
The number of Covid-19 patients continues to rise.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that in the last 24 hours, Rwanda reported 18 new cases out of 4886 sample tests taken and 46 recoveries discharged from the hospital.

New patients include 15 from the Kigali City of Kigali among contacts of positive cases and tests conducted in a high risk group, 2 from Ngoma District, and 1 from Rubavu.

Currently, of the 2,189 people infected with Coronavirus, 1524 have already recovered, and 657 still undergoes treatments.

While the cabinet has decided that churches that meet the Covid-19 prevention guidelines would reopen, the Nyamasheke case has been handled differently as there are still many infections , especially in some villages in Gihombo sector.

Although the eligible temples were opened, Nyamasheke District Mayor Mukamasabo Apolonie said the pandemic had not gone away, which is why they ask religions to comply with the Covid-19 prevention guidelines.

Christians in Nyamasheke Parish told IGIHE that they were happy to be reunited, praying, and obeying the instructions.

Uzayisenga Clementine said: “We were very thirsty, as you can see, we were happy both in our hearts and physically. She still reminds people to wear masks, and everyone takes it as his own.”

Worshiping places that have not reopened Representatives from religions that have not re-opened yet told IGIHE that they have started putting in place infrastructures needed to allow for proper observation of coronavirus guidelines; even though they are expensive, but they hope that next Sunday they will reopen, as they meet all the requirements.

Mushimiyimana Simeon, a representative of the Free Methodist Church, said: “We are waiting for them to visit us because we have done what we were asked to do.”

Kagorora Gallican, ADEPR’s representative, said: “We have not met all the requirements, the hand washing machine is very expensive and it is not less than Rwf 2 million, we are collecting materials, by Friday we will have finished.”

A statement from the Ministry of Defense stats that officer cadets will undergo training at Rwanda Military Academy-Gako, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in various military-related disciplines.

Candidates required to have completed high school, between 18 and 23.

Recruits at junior officers level are required to have completed three to six years of secondary education, also aged 18 and 23.

Other qualifications include willingness to serce, patriotic, meducally fit as approved by a registered medical doctor and must not have been convicted by a court of law, should be single and honest.

Junior recruits are required to carry along academic credentials that prove their completion of Ordinary and Advanced levels.

An RDF statement signed by the Acting Chief of Administration and Personnel, Lt Col Peterson Mutsinzi states that those who had previously registered will not have to re-register but will take the exam.

The interviews will begin August 17-23, 2020 at 8:00 am and will be held in all Provinces and the City of Kigali.

Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) began voluntary testing for Coronavirus towards the end of July.

The program is designed to allow those who want to travel abroad, visit the parks, among others to get results in less than 24 hours, along with a COVID-19-free certificate.

To access the service, the user opens the Irembo website, health category and choose to test COVID-19, following the instructions. The service helps users request a day off for COVID-19 testing at RBC-designated centers.

Users are required pay Rwf 47,200 or $ 50 per person, payable through Bank of Kigali on either a Rwandan Francs or Dollars account. The fee, however, only covers part of the testing cost as a single test costs between $100-150 [ between Rwf100,000-150,000].

RBC has, again, advised all interested individuals to pay with digital currency including Mobile Money, MoMo Pay, Airtel Money, and Banking.

RBC has also announced that two permanent testing sites have been set up in Kigali, at the Petit Stade Amahoro in Remera and Gikondo at the RBC Vaccine Office.

Of the seven new cases, Kigali has 5 and Rusizi 2.

The total number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Rwanda has risen to 2,111 out of 286,251 sample tests taken including 1,258 recoveries. Active cases 848, and five deaths recorded.

“The government of Rwanda expresses its sincere condolences to the Lebanese government and to the families of the victims,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a tweet on Wednesday, August 5.

It is said that the explosion may have been caused by a bomb or other military explosive device, while other schools of thought say it was caused by “ammonium nitrate” used to make fertilizers.

Lebanese Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, said the site caught by fire contained 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for six years.

Beirut’s governor, Marwan Aboud, said the blast had left 300,000 homeless people. He added that the damage was estimated at between $ 3 billion and $ 5 billion.

The ammonium nitrate reactor exploded after a house in which various products were stored was engulfed in flames. It exploded vigorously as far as Cyprus, about 240 kilometers from there.

The tragic incident happened on Wednesday, August 5th. The Executive Secretary of Muganza Sector, Ngirabatware James, said the brick site was being operated illegally, as the owner had been fined and stopped from operating the quarry.

“They are two children, one aged 16 and the other 18, who used to make bricks. The crater caved in, killing them instantly. The site had been closed but was being clandestinely and illegally operated. It was near the river and when it rained, it flooded, collapsed, and took the young lives,” said Ngirabatware.

The Mayor of Rutsiro District, Ayinkamiye Emerance, told IGIHE that of the 16 suspects, 14 were at the sector level including five Sector Executive Secretaries and two others at the District level.

“Some officials have been suspended following investigations over misappropriation of public funds.

They are suspected of embezzling funds from VUP projects,” she said.

She added that there were projects to be done for the residents but the materials that were to be used were not found to be available during a forensic audit nor were they paid for. The materials include stones and sand that were to be used in building small bridges on the sidewalks.

They were suspended for six months as further investigations continue.