The weeklong service that started yesterday is conducted by opticians from the United States (USA) in collaboration with Come and See Rwanda (CASA-Rwanda) organization and Assemblée de Dieu Church.
Frank Murenzi, the Executive Director of CASA-Rwanda has said that Rwanda’s vibrant external relations enabled the availability of these specialists.
“The service is rooted in good relations between Khalvari and churches in Rwanda particularly Come and See Rwanda and Assemblée de Dieu,” he explained.
Some beneficiaries from the program at the outset revealed that it will improve their sight because they had run short of means to access treatment.
“I would not see alphabets well and shade tears sometimes as I read. They have given me glasses that have improved my sight,” said Jean Murekezi.
“I always failed to read the bible in church and I had abandoned using my phone because I couldn’t see well. I am thankful for the support,” said another beneficiary, Patricia Mukamusoni.
Dr. Rodolfo Rudy Sarmiento one of the ophthalmologists said they were motivated to offer such free treatment realizing that eye disease is on the rise around the world leading to vision impairment.
“We found it necessary to provide the treatment. Many Rwandans need eye treatment despite the scarcity of ophthalmologists. We observed the growing demand when we came to Rwanda last year. We chose to provide our contribution in partnership with Christian churches,” he stressed.
A total of 600 residents will attend eye test where some of them will get glasses while 60 others will get eye surgery from the service worth Rwf 50 million.
The forgery took place one week after the management of Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) stopped the auctioning of the butchery over suspected fraudulent acts committed by former managers of the cooperative.
Arrested men include contractors who built the butchery and the notary of Rubavu Sector who signed alleged forged documents.
The case is connected to the meeting held in 2015 where suspects approved Rwf 435 million KOADU owe to contractors of the butchery and signed the document without consent of the cooperative members.
The spokesperson of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Modeste Mbabazi has said that their file was transferred to the prosecution.
“We have transferred their case to the prosecution for quite some time,” he said.
The president of KOADU cooperative, Bertin Musabyimana Nyarubisi has said that it was a good decision to arrest the suspects.
The butchery was to be auctioned on 25th July 2019.
Considering the development of technology, PSF has upgraded its infrastructure and entered into a partnership with MTN Rwanda to explore the usability of cell phones for all transactions allowing access to the Expo ground.
Today, PSF and MTN Rwanda have a great pleasure to announce the official launch of a digital user-friendly ticketing solution named MTN m-Ticket, to be kicked off during the 22nd Rwanda International Trade Fair (Expo) starting from July 22nd to August 11th, 2019.
The ticketing solution is part of a full cashless Expo. Next, to the introduction of MTN m-Ticket, all 500 exhibitors will be trained and equipped with MoMoPay. After the Expo merchants will keep their shortcodes and keep using MoMoPay. This partnership aims at accelerating the Government of Rwanda’s cashless agenda as well as offering simplified options in ticketing sales while saving customers the time & the hassle of queuing.
MTN CEO Bart Hofker said “All 500,000 expected visitors will save time and the hassle of queuing when buying a ticket, and on the EXPO itself they can pay all 500 exhibitions with MoMoPay without cash and no fees. It will bring safety to the exhibitors and save a lot of time counting money. No one needs cash, just MoMo.”
PSF CEO, Ruzibiza Stephen said “All around 500,000 expected visitors will save time and the hassle of queuing when whiling to access the Expo grounds. It is easy and convenient for our visitors, 500 exhibitors, and PSF members to access the services wherever they are and whenever needed. This includes access to the Exhibition countrywide.
The partnership was signed by CEOs Stephen Ruzibiza of PSF and MTN’s Bart Hofker during the Transform Africa Summit held in Kigali in May 2019.
With this new system, visitors will be able to buy m-Tickets to get into the Expo and pay using MTN Mobile Money.
To purchase an MTN m-Ticket, customers must follow the user journey below;
Via SMS
• Customer opens a new SMS window
• Customer types the word EXPO, space, number of tickets (1-10) to be purchased
o Sample message: Expo 3 (for buying three tickets)
• Customer sends the SMS to 7799
• Customer receives a Rwf 1,500 debit request on MoMo.
o Where the customer doesn’t receive a debit prompt, he/she dials *182*7*1# and enters their PIN to complete the transaction
• After payment approval, the customer receives an m-Ticket via SMS
o Sample m-Ticket
• The customer can now proceed to the Expo Turnstile
• The Turnstile has a screen that validates the m-Ticket by scanning the SMS on the phone
• Once validation is completed the customer will see a green arrow indicating that the customer can go through the gate
• After the customer has passed through the Turnstile the gates automatically lock
Via USSD
• Customer dials *779#
• Select language
• Selects the number of tickets he/she wishes to purchase
• Receives an SMS notification displaying the amount to be paid and a transaction ID
• Followed by a debit request on MoMo requesting for approval of the previously displayed amount on SMS.
• After payment approval, the customer receives an m-Ticket via SMS
o Sample m-Ticket below
Please note
• If a customer purchases one (1) ticket he/she is eligible for a single entry
• Where a customer has purchased multiple m-Tickets he/she is eligible for entries equivalent to the tickets
• Unused m-Tickets will only be valid for the Expo period (22nd July to 14th August)
• The m-Ticket can be purchased remotely
• The m-Ticket is transferable to offnet customers (Airtel customers)
• Customers with a broken phone screen will be supported by MoMo agents
• Customers without phones will be supported by MoMo agents i.e. the agent purchases an m-tickets on behalf of the customer and help the customer to enter the gate
• m-Tickets are secure that they can’t be duplicated
-ENDS-
{{For more information, please contact}}:
• Mr. Eric Kabera, Head of Communications & Marketing: erick@psf.org.rw
• Ms. Teta Mpyisi, Senior Manager, Brand & Sponsorship: pr2.rw@mtn.com
{{About PSF:}}
{The Private Sector Federation – Rwanda (PSF) is a professional organization, dedicated to promote and represent the interests of the Rwandan business community. It is an umbrella organization that groups 10 professional chambers. It was established in December 1999, replacing the former Rwanda Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Private Sector Federation (PSF) has registered major successes since its creation in 1999. Beyond a strong brand and membership base, PSF pioneered Business Development Services (BDS), registered wins in advocacy and played a strong national, regional and international role.}
{{About MTN Rwanda: }}
{MTN Rwanda is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry in Rwanda. Since 1998, MTN Rwanda has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network and is now proudly Rwanda’s No 1 Network. MTN Rwanda offers superior services to its subscriber base, including innovative propositions such as personalized voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in Mobile Financial Services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, Tap&Pay and MoKash Loans and Savings}
Kitaoka who is on a visit to Rwanda between17th-21st July 2019 visited the memorial accompanied by JICA management in Rwanda.
They were taken through the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and laid wreaths to mass graves at the memorial.
President Kitaoka who visited the memorial for the second time said that he was deeply moved by history reflected at the memorial reminding him of what happened in his country 47 years ago.
At the time, Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities were bombed with atomic bombs following the 2ND World War killing 3,000 people.
“What happened is beyond imagination. I am however inspired by the way Rwandans and the Government of Rwanda overcome bad history to promote good politics that Rwanda has become a dignified country. They share this with Japanese people,” he said.
Kitaoka came to Rwanda following the visit of President Paul Kagame to Japan in January 2019 and held discussions on different areas supporting Rwanda’s development programs.
He is also expected to visit various projects supported by JICA in Rwanda including k-Lab, Fab-Lab, Rusumo International Bridge and One Stop Border Post (OSBP) as well as holding talks with President Kagame.
Manchester City recorded a 4-1 victory against West Ham United in the opening game of the 2019 pre-season tour of Asia.
Stephen HA, VP of TRANSSION HOLDINGS and GM of TECNO Mobile said:” TECNO feel very honored that our brand will be with City players all through 2019 Asia tour. We believed that our blue spirit will be a winner. “
Just last week, TECNO announced the renewal of the global multi-year partnership with Man City at a celebration event in Delhi, India.
Damian Willoughby, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at City Football Group, said: “Manchester City prides itself on partnering with some of the world’s leading organizations, so we are thrilled to be announcing the renewal of our established partnership with TECNO Mobile. During the past three years, we have collaborated on a number of exciting initiatives that have engaged, connected and entertained our global fanbase.”
Rwandans traveling to and living in Uganda have been illegally arrested, imprisoned and tortured at different times accused of being spies.
Recent statistics show that over 1000 Rwandans have been illegally deported from Uganda.
Talking to the media yesterday Baziruwiha one of the two recently deported Rwandans said he was arrested on accusations of being Rwanda’s spy.
The man hailing from Rutsiro district went to Uganda in May 2018 for fishing business which he practiced in Lake Victoria.
Baziruwiha later joined ADEPR Pentecostal Church International Uganda (PCIU). He later moved to Wasiko region where he was in January 2019 assigned preacher in the same church.
He explained that the church leader got jealous of his new appointment and started asking why he left Rwanda.
Baziruwiha replied to the church leader that he will return to Rwanda when the situation is normalized at both countries’ borders but the he kept running after Baziruwiha and Rwandan colleagues.
Baziruwiha explained that the church leader later took an accusation to the local police station in March 2019.
“There, we met a policeman who asked our identities. We presented them and he replied ‘let these people pray with others because they have permission from officials’.”
The church leader took allegations to other officials who also clarified that we have permission to stay.
In the morning of 23rd May 2019, Baziruwiha received a phone call summoning to report to himself officials.
He took his documents to police station and was asked who licensed him to found a church in Uganda.
“I told them that I don’t know founders that I am a preacher like others,” he replied.
The policeman told Baziruwiha that he had a target of ousting all Rwandans from Uganda and were taken to Entebbe police station.
He and his colleague were in the next morning told that they are from Rwanda’s intelligence on mission to Uganda.
They met several Rwandans in prison some of whom were not aware of accusations.
During their stay in prison, they were taken to court but the judge transferred them to Higher Court.
Baziruwiha said they met between 40 and 50 Rwandans.
“I took the names of some Rwandans detained there who asked me to inform their families,” he said.
Ugandan prisons accommodate Rwandans jailed between 4 and 5 years whose files were not taken to court.
Baziruwiha and Rwagasore were taken to the prison in red dresses given to notorious criminals.
Realizing how the court didn’t prove efforts to assist them, they thought about bribing the judge.
“We sold part of our properties including livestock like pigs and sought a person to negotiate with the judge. We were assisted by a neighboring old man but the judge asked one million Ugandan shillings to spoil the accusation changing to illegally fishing Rwandans,” he said.
On 26th June 2019, they returned to court which ruled on their deportation.
The policeman who detained them was not satisfied with the ruling and held them for one more week.
Hailing from Kayonza district, Bernard Rwagasore, 42, said that they rarely got food and one dish would be shared by 40 prisoners.
The duo was later deported on Sunday morning.
Rwagasore had been in Uganda for 10 years working for an institution of white people earning him a living and pay school fees for his children. He advised Rwandans to think twice before crossing to Uganda considering hard times he endured in Uganda where Rwandans are illegally detained and tortured.
A total of 1000 Rwandans have been reportedly detained in Uganda.
This saw the Government of Rwanda advising Rwandans not to travel to Uganda for their security until the situation gets back to normal.
It has been two years since Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened.
Rwanda expressed concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being Rwanda’s spies.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of conspiracy with rebel groups intending to destabilize state security.
Rwandans traveling to and living in Uganda have been illegally arrested, imprisoned and tortured at different times accused of being spies.
Recent statistics show that over 1000 Rwandans have been illegally deported from Uganda.
Talking to the media yesterday Baziruwiha one of the two recently deported Rwandans said he was arrested on accusations of being Rwanda’s spy.
The man hailing from Rutsiro district went to Uganda in May 2018 for fishing business which he practiced in Lake Victoria.
Baziruwiha later joined ADEPR Pentecostal Church International Uganda (PCIU). He later moved to Wasiko region where he was in January 2019 assigned preacher in the same church.
He explained that the church leader got jealous of his new appointment and started asking why he left Rwanda.
Baziruwiha replied to the church leader that he will return to Rwanda when the situation is normalized at both countries’ borders but the he kept running after Baziruwiha and Rwandan colleagues.
Baziruwiha explained that the church leader later took an accusation to the local police station in March 2019.
“There, we met a policeman who asked our identities. We presented them and he replied ‘let these people pray with others because they have permission from officials’.”
The church leader took allegations to other officials who also clarified that we have permission to stay.
In the morning of 23rd May 2019, Baziruwiha received a phone call summoning to report to himself officials.
He took his documents to police station and was asked who licensed him to found a church in Uganda.
“I told them that I don’t know founders that I am a preacher like others,” he replied.
The policeman told Baziruwiha that he had a target of ousting all Rwandans from Uganda and were taken to Entebbe police station.
He and his colleague were in the next morning told that they are from Rwanda’s intelligence on mission to Uganda.
They met several Rwandans in prison some of whom were not aware of accusations.
During their stay in prison, they were taken to court but the judge transferred them to Higher Court.
Baziruwiha said they met between 40 and 50 Rwandans.
“I took the names of some Rwandans detained there who asked me to inform their families,” he said.
Ugandan prisons accommodate Rwandans jailed between 4 and 5 years whose files were not taken to court.
Baziruwiha and Rwagasore were taken to the prison in red dresses given to notorious criminals.
Realizing how the court didn’t prove efforts to assist them, they thought about bribing the judge.
“We sold part of our properties including livestock like pigs and sought a person to negotiate with the judge. We were assisted by a neighboring old man but the judge asked one million Ugandan shillings to spoil the accusation changing to illegally fishing Rwandans,” he said.
On 26th June 2019, they returned to court which ruled on their deportation.
The policeman who detained them was not satisfied with the ruling and held them for one more week.
Hailing from Kayonza district, Bernard Rwagasore, 42, said that they rarely got food and one dish would be shared by 40 prisoners.
The duo was later deported on Sunday morning.
Rwagasore had been in Uganda for 10 years working for an institution of white people earning him a living and pay school fees for his children.
He advised Rwandans to think twice before crossing to Uganda considering hard times he endured in Uganda where Rwandans are illegally detained and tortured.
A total of 1000 Rwandans have been reportedly detained in Uganda.
This saw the Government of Rwanda advising Rwandans not to travel to Uganda for their security until the situation gets back to normal.
It has been two years since Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened.
Rwanda expressed concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being Rwanda’s spies.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of conspiracy with rebel groups intending to destabilize state security.
The event consisting of a peace walk and peace song contest was held at the Islamic College Thailand in Bangkok on July 15th in attendance with students, faculties, and journalists. To spread a culture of peace, the peace walk took place from the Thonburi Youth Center to the Islamic College Thailand and the speeches calling for a sustainable peace secured in legal framework continued.
The participants also joined the “Peace Letter Campaign” that collects the voice of citizens of each country to establish international law for peace based on the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War(DPCW). According to the official of the host, the letters will be delivered to the leaders of Thailand.
The DPCW of 10 articles and 38 clauses addresses the principles of conflict resolution and international cooperation for peacebuilding such as respect on the international law, peaceful dispute settlement, and spreading a culture of peace. Currently, the letters supporting the DPCW written by approximately 1.3 million citizens in 193 countries have sent to their president or prime minister with expectations for responses from heads of each state.
Ms. Chollada Suawong, a coordinator of this event, said: “I am happy to cooperate in organizing this event participated with people from various religious backgrounds that can help to transform the differences into harmony.”
Mr. Supalak Ganjanakhundee, a former chief editor of The Nation, said in his speech “Thai people should learn how to make peaceful resolutions such as peace talks. To do that, Thai people should have faith in peace and should reject any form of violence. Thailand needs to establish a credible rule of law. It can also be supporting the DPCW that means ruling by just and legitimated laws.”
The event was hosted by an international peace NGO called Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light(HWPL) and its affiliated youth organization, International Peace Youth Group. This event also marked the 6th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace and the Peace Walk that has been held at about 126 places in 77 countries including Myanmar, Australia, China, Germany, India, South Africa, the Philippines, and the United States of America.
To realize the world of no war and sustainable peace, HWPL has been carrying out its peace initiatives such as international law for peace, interfaith dialogue meetings, and peace education in cooperation with various sectors of global society from citizens to heads of states with the slogan of “Everyone should become messengers of peace”.
The warning follows an observation that fined residents to repeat the same mistake after their cattle are auctioned.
Consultations from three districts in the neighborhood of the barracks including Nyagatare, Gatsibo, and Kayonza came up with the decision of impounding cattle grazing in the precincts of Gabiro military barracks and auctioning them to keep the money in public coffers.
The decision reduced cows encroaching into the barracks though some pastoralists failed to comply with the order.
As he launched the campaign dubbed ‘Ukwezi kw’ibisubizo’ expected to address citizens’ problems within one month in Eastern Province, Minister Shyaka proposed tougher punishments to herders that fail to respect regulations.
“Stringent measures are meant to deter anyone intending to commit a crime. Some pastoralists graze 10 or 20 cows which are impounded and auctioned. Residents help them in restocking, surpassing numbers held before, but still, the same culprits encroach the barracks grassland again. We want to put a stop to such repeated offenses,” he said.
“We don’t want to cease your cows for auctioning again and pay fines. You can sell one or five cows if you have 50 to feed the rest other than taking the risk of encroaching the military barracks,” added Minister Shyaka.
He revealed that those who donate fined pastoralists will be punished too.
He said apart from intruding the restricted area, grazing cattle in the camp would spread Rift Valley Fever (RVF) among cows putting the area.
Residents pledged to comply with rules and reporting farmers failing to adhere.
The pickup vehicle registration number CGO 7995AA19 was intercepted on 14th July 2019 in Rurembo Village, Byahi Cell in Rubavu Sector.
Chief inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region said that a resident of Rurembo, earlier that day, called security personnel reporting a ring of drug traffickers with quantities of cannabis.
“At about 11pm, the Congolese registered pickup that was being used to transport the narcotics to Kigali, was intercepted in Rurembo Village, Byahi Cell in Rubavu Sector, people who were on board abandoned the vehicle in a distance after noticing security organs, and escaped,” the spokesperson explained.
“The vehicle was loaded with 14 sacks of cannabis weighing about 200kgs of cannabis. The car and the drugs were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau at Gisenyi station,” he added.
CIP Kayigi thanked the resident, who tipped-off security organs on the criminal dealings, and called for continued information sharing on drug traffickers and local dealers.
“Rwanda National Police has put much effort in operations and awareness against drugs, but the public are at the top in the fight because most of the drug dealers arrested and seized drugs is because of the information we get from them,” he said.
Article 263 of the new law determining offences and penalties in general, states that “Any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commit an offense.”
Upon conviction, the offender faces between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.
Bishagara passed on Monday last week at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore-Maryland in USA. She will be laid to rest at Rusororo cemetery, Friday, in Gasabo district.
