The operation is part of the intensified fight against illegal fishing on water bodies across the country.
Police marine unit Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elias Mwesigye said the destructive fishing nets were seized from poachers on Nkombo island in Rusizi District.
The substandard and illicit nets were disposed of in presence of some area residents and members of fishing cooperatives to emphasize the fight against the illegal acts and reporting those involved, ACP Mwesigye said.
“Some of the confiscated nets were banned due to their ill-effects on fish growth. Others are illicit including mosquito nets and kaningini, which kill young fish,” he said.
“Police Marine Unit is there to ensure that people using water bodies for any business do it legally and safe.”
ACP Mwesigye elaborated on the ill-effects of illegal fishing, which can also lead to loss of lives.
“Illegal fishing is dangerous more than what people think. Poachers use substandard and destructive gears, which injure or kill fish. The dead fish can easily become toxic and negatively affect consumers’ lives but also when the injured fish remain in water they can contaminate others which can also die,” he explained.
“These illegal and dangerous fishing practices, therefore, affect aquaculture and fish depletion, especially when using such fishing gears that net and kill even the juvenile fish.”
The commander warned that operations are continuous around the country, and people who will be caught in those illegal acts will be punished.
He further urged communities around water bodies to take the good initiative of fighting against illegal fishing as well as other crimes that can be committed in waters and report whoever is involved.
The law N°58/2008 of 10/09/2008 determining the organization and management of aquaculture and fishing in Rwanda provides that the right to fishing in public waters is only granted by a competent authority, which issues the fishing license.
Any person, who engages in fishing activities without authorization shall be liable to a fine ranging from Rwf50,000 to Rwf200,000 and an imprisonment of 3 to 6 months or one of them, and dispossession of the equipment used.
Article 11 outlaws use of “poisonous substances aimed at stunning, weakening or killing fish; applying explosives; using electromagnetic procedures or electrocution; flashing water with an aim of capturing fish; fishing where water organisms are reproduced.”
The main objective of the FinScope Rwanda 2020 Survey was to indicate the levels of financial inclusion; define the landscape of access; identify the drivers of, and barriers to financial access; assess trends or changes over time and provide information on new opportunities for increased financial inclusion.
According to the FinScope 2020 survey, 93% (from 89% in 2016, 72% in 2012 and 48% in 2008) of Rwandan adults are financially included in terms of accessing and using both formal and informal financial products. Levels of financial inclusion vary from 99% in Gasabo district to about 83% in Rusizi district.
The survey indicates a narrowing gender gap in financial inclusion with only 8% of women excluded compared to 7% of male counterparts. The report underscores that youth within the age range of 16 – 24 years, are the most financially excluded at 18%, significantly higher compared to the national average of 7% exclusion.
About 77% of the Rwandan population access and use formal financial products, including those that are provided by the banking sector and other from formal but non-bank financial institutions such as insurance firms, mobile network operators, Microfinance institutions/SACCOs, etc.
About 36% (from 26% in 2016, 23% in 2012 and 14% in 2008) of adults in Rwanda are banked. The proportion of adults that are banked range from 80% in Gasabo district to only 8% in Ngororero district. Banked population growth has increased by 1.1 million since 2016. About 25% of banked adults use digital financial tools up from 6% in 2016. About 75% of adults in Rwanda use other formal (non-bank) financial products/services. These financial services increase overall levels of formal inclusion.
The informal sector continues to play a significant role in financial inclusion and increasing product portfolio choices with about 78% of adults in Rwanda using informal financial services mainly through saving groups (ibimina).
“Financial inclusion is one of the core drivers of an inclusive economy and Government has invested significantly in removing systemic barriers to the uptake of financial services. The FinScope survey shows that there has been tremendous improvement in financial inclusion. The work is not over yet. The objective is to achieve 100% financial inclusion by 2024 so I encourage everyone involved to keep the momentum,” said Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
The FinScope Rwanda survey is a nationally representative demand-side survey conducted every 4 years to address the need for credible financial sector information. It offers insights to guide policymakers, regulators and financial service providers in terms of how to address or respond to existing challenges, monitoring and reviewing the financial inclusion target.
The first FinScope Rwanda Survey was conducted in 2008, driven by a lack of credible information to guide policy interventions and financial service providers in their efforts to expand the reach and depth of the Rwanda financial system. AFR, on behalf of the Government commissioned follow-up surveys in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
The later illustrates how many adult Rwandans are financially included, specifically aligning the levels of inclusion to the revised National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) and to report any changes since the last FinScope survey.
AFR is a Rwandan non- profit organization, with a strategic focus of stimulating financial sector development by collaborating with financial institutions and other stakeholders to increase access to and use of financial services.
The suspects identified as Eric Murwanashyaka, 34, and D’Amour Niyitegeka were arrested in separate operations conducted in line with fighting trafficking, distilling and selling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Niyitegeka was arrested in Masaka Sector in possession of 5,760 litres while Murwanashyaka was arrested in Muhima Sector in possession of 1,452 litres.
Chief Inspector of Police(CIP) Marie-Goretti Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the Central region, said that the duo had illegal distilleries in their homes producing the poisonous substances.
“We found 24 barrels and many bottles filled with illicit brews from Murwanashyaka’s home,” CIP Umutesi said.
Besides not having legal documents and mixing various undefined raw materials to make alcoholic drinks, she said that they were also working in a dirty and unhygienic place.
The spokesperson thanked the residents as the operations were successful due to their cooperation and sharing of information, and urged them to strength the proactive spirit.
The impounded illicit drinks were disposed of.
Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) specifies that “only food-grade processing aids recognized as safe for human consumption shall be used during the manufacture.”
All drinks with alcoholic content exceeding 45 percent as well as all those without the standard mark (S-Mark) issued by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) are classified as narcotics.
Article 263 of the new penal code partly states that “any person who, unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances commits an offence, with a sentence ranging from seven years to life in prison, upon conviction, and a fine of between Rwf20 million and Rwf30 million.
The Rwanda delegation was made of Health Minister Dr. Daniel Ngamije, Trade and Industry Minister Soraya Hakuziyaremenye and Local Government Minister Prof. Anastase Shyaka, among others, while their Congolese counterparts were Innocent Bokele Walaka, the deputy minister for internal affairs, the deputy minister of health – Dr. Albert M’PETI Biyombo and the Governor of North Kivu Province, Carly Kasivita Nzanzu, in Rubavu District in a closed door meeting that lasted over five hours.
Officials from both sides noted that the bilateral meeting was made possible thanks to the political will by heads of state of the two countries. They discussed collaborations towards improving public health in the two countries.
The purpose of the meeting was to formulate proposals for high-level political commitments meant to guide the strengthening of cross-border cooperation in surveillance of Covid-19 pandemic and its implication for cross-border trade in compliance with the specific measures taken by either country.
These two teams discussed about the measures to be taken to ensure the continuity of commercial activities and the cross border movement of essential goods notably medicines, medical equipment and basic necessities.
According to a statement signed by the two countries after the meeting, it was agreed to encourage traders to operate in cooperatives in order to reduce the number of people who would have to cross the border on daily basis; this implies that respective cooperatives will designate emissaries to transact on their behalf across borders. The statement says that goods by informal cross border traders will continue to benefit from a simplified declaration and preferential tariff.
Minister Ngamije noted that the bilateral meeting was crucial towards containing the spread of coronavirus while allowing for resumption of cross-border movement in compliance with measures taken by either country in a bid into curb the pandemic.
“Both countries agreed on how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 through sharing information on those who tested positive in a move to trace groups of suspected cases. We also discussed ways cross border trading should resume without disregarding measures to contain this pandemic,”
Ngamije said also that they agreed to set up a technical team of focal persons from respective sectoral ministries to coordinate the implementation of the meeting resolutions.
Deputy Minister Bokele Walaka said “We are happy as we share same ideas with Rwanda towards fighting COVID-19, we are therefore set to put this pandemic to an end through sharing experience and best practices,”
The event took place at CHUK on May 28, 2020, following the King Faisal event on Wednesday.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen and five other Rwandan charitable clubs are starting to work together to help change the world and resolve conflicts, education, fighting ignorance and poverty, improving access to clean water, fighting pandemics, and eradicating polio disease through donation vaccination and help the needy.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic caused by Coronavirus has been reported in China and spread around the world, doctors are among the foot soldiers fighting its spread.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen thus donated Rwf 5 million to King Faisal Hospital and Rwf 8 million to CHUK.
The donation was raised in conjunction with Rotary Club Brussels-Renaissance in Belgium and another project called Chaîne de l’Espoir, which has been working with Rotary Rwanda for three years in the field of pediatrics.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen President Sebera Eddy told IGIHE that they have chosen to help the hospital access safety equipment for its operations.
The Rotary Club already operates various hospitals in Rwanda where it recruits specialists in various diseases and support the treatment of some communities for free.
CHUK Director General Dr. Hategekimana Théobald thanked the Rotary Club for their support in various activities.
He said beside the donation given to the two hospitals, children born with heart problems were treated with the support of the Rotary Club which restored hope among their parents.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen recently donated to Rwandan Biomedical Center (RBC) more than 900 liters of hand sanitizers and hygiene kits including 160 handwashing tanks worth Rwf12 million to deal with Coronavirus. It also donated another Rwf 3 million to support the charity Solid Africa, which cares for homeless patients and helps them get food.
They made the commitment in a meeting of 28 heads of the youth group from different sectors of Nyanza district. It was conducted in line with the recommended safety guidelines of social distancing, wearing face masks and washing hands before entering the meeting room.
The meeting aimed at laying firm strategies in this period to ensure mass campaign against the virus in communities and in busy public places, according to Aline Murekatete, the district youth coordinator.
She expressed the willingness of youth volunteers in the district to work with the police and local authorities to implement the government guidelines to end the pandemic.
“We are still young and our voice in our respective communities can reinforce in educating the people on best and safety practices,” said Murekatete.
“This was like recommitting ourselves in that line to work with our police to remind and educate people on how to positively behave and fight against COVID-19. We are going to use public communication systems to deliver messages but also reporting those whose actions contravene the directives,” she added.
She noted that the campaign will be extended to people in trading centres, markets to influence the same understanding and to work together to be safe.
Disregarding the directives and recommended healthy practices, she said, can put people’s lives at risk, and “we will not be bystanders.”
The District Political and Civic Education Officer (DPCEO), Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Jean Baptiste Nyirishema, who attended the meeting, thanked the youth for their volunteerism spirit in security, health and development activities.
“Some people still do not understand the importance of respecting directives or ignore them intentionally. Wearing face masks, social distancing, washing hands at all times; these are directed practices that are still breached. We are working with the youth volunteers so that they can be where police officers cannot be,” AIP Nyirishema said.
“Youth volunteers are many; they can effectively and efficiently deliver the message of obeying the set directives. They deliver the messages in many places like markets or trade centers, taxi parks and in other public places. The messages they give reach to many people,” he explained.
The youth volunteers in different parts of the country are actively engaged in awareness campaign on COVID-19 and supplementing the national efforts against the pandemic.
The youth group, which started in 2013, currently has over 300, 000 members across the country.
The new guidelines were issued by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) on Wednesday. The issued guidelines are part of the efforts to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 when moto-taxi operators resume their work on June 1.
Among the guidelines issued in a statement, motorcyclists and passengers have to carry hand sanitizers. Motorcyclists are required to sanitize the helmets and ensure passengers sanitize their hands before boarding. Both the motorcyclists as well as passengers have to wear their face masks and taxi-motor operators have to obey one-meter distance while in parking.
Motorcyclists in Kigali are required to use meters cashless payment of their fare using Mobile Money or Airtel Money. The cashless payment also applies to motorcyclists operating in other parts of the country.
No cash will be allowed in order to decrease the risk of spreading Covid-19 through cash handling.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera reminded taxi-moto operators and their clients to ensure maximum compliance.
“Motorcyclists as well as passengers have to follow rules and directives that have been set. It is for everyone’s safety. They will resume their businesses but we remind them to not put their lives in danger. Washing their hands and helmets, wearing face masks, cashless payment, and social distancing is necessary for everyone’s safety,” CP Kabera said.
He warned of appropriate actions against anyone who will be caught violating the guidelines. He further urged them to operate within the limits of traffic rules and regulations
“Besides Coronavirus, reckless usage of roads can also claim lives. We expect people to do the right thing to protect themselves and others and those who disobey will be punished. Let’s make respecting rules part of our culture,” CP Kabera emphasized.
The President of FERWACOTAMO, a federation of motorcycle cooperatives; Daniel Ngarambe said that all efforts are currently being put in emphasizing the government directives to curb the virus from spreading.
“We will control and monitor motorcyclists and passengers on compliance; washing or sanitizing hands and helmets, wear face masks and maintain the one-meter distance. Whoever uses a moto must feel safe but he or she will not get service without wearing a face mask or sanitizing their hands,” Ngarambe said.
While the U.S. government has committed more than US$5 million to date in emergency funding in support of Rwanda’s COVID-19 response, private American citizens, U.S. companies, and non-profit organizations based in the United States have also organized private contributions to support the Rwandan people during these difficult times.
“I am pleased to see so many American citizens and U.S. organizations getting involved in coronavirus response and relief here in Rwanda,” said Peter H. Vrooman, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda. “It truly is an ‘All-of-America’ fight against coronavirus for us, both at home and around the world.”
“The private sector showcases America’s ‘can-do’ spirit and illustrates the depth of the partnership between our two countries,” said Vrooman. “I want to thank these U.S. citizens and organizations and all others making a real difference in the lives of Rwandans all across this country.”
Pennsylvania-based Azizi Life partners with rural Rwandans to lift lives through fair trade. The nonprofit raised more than US$10,000 in contributions from online donations, mostly from the United States, to support more than 500 artisan and beekeeping partners and their families for one month.
U.S.-owned Impano Sportswear has shifted its Kigali production line to face masks, in support Government of Rwanda guidance requiring cloth face masks in public. In addition to custom designs and branded masks, Impano is also producing sports masks.
In coordination with local partner Abahizi Rwanda, U.S.-based life and style brand Kate Spade New York has shifted local production in Rwanda to face masks, while still continuing its seasonal handbag production. The company has donated 24,000 masks to community members in Masoro.
USAID’s Power Africa advisor helped blended-learning leader Kepler to apply for a US$50,000 grant for portable solar chargers for laptops so that 163 undergraduate students at Kiziba refugee camp can attend class online.
Kids Play International, established by a three-time U.S. Olympian, promotes gender equity through sport and the Olympic values in post genocide impacted countries. Due to COVID-19, the non-profit raised over US$9,000 to supplement its current after-school sports-based programming in Rwanda and Cambodia. Kids Play has providing almost 3,000 kilograms of food to the families of 300 youth involved in its programming, feeding more than 1,500 people across both countries. Kids Play will also bring water and sanitation solutions to more than 10,000 community members.
Atlanta-based Kula Project is a non-profit that has been empowering Rwandan coffee farmers through business and leadership training since 2015. Thanks to an online fundraising campaign and an awarded food relief grant, Kula has worked with Kayonza, Gakenke, and Nyamasheke districts to provide food, masks, and soap directly to 1,060 households. It has also given additional financial support to the districts as they continue their community response.
MindLeaps, a U.S.-based non-profit that uses dance to develop the cognitive skills and social-emotional learning of at-risk youth, has donated more than 2,000 kilograms of food to more than 230 families in Nyamirambo and Rwezamenyo.
Atlanta natives Erin and Colton Parks live and work in Rwanda. The Parks Family collected donations from more than 100 family and friends in the United States and worked with Rwandan friends and local government offices to distribute food to more than 10,600 families.
Partners In Health, locally known as Inshuti Mu Buzima, has worked with the Government of Rwanda to strengthen primary and chronic care services in the public health system since 2005. PIH directly supports the National Joint COVID-19 Task Force by providing staffing expertise in data management, communications and analytics. PIH also bolstered national COVID-19 testing capacity by providing an RT-PCR machine that conducts 73 tests an hour to the National Reference Lab and strengthened facility readiness for COVID-19 response in the District hospitals of Kirehe, Rwinkwavu, and Butaro. In addition, PIH is ensuring the continuation of care for cancer patients in the lock down context by distributing oral cancer treatment by drones in partnership with Zipline.
Thanks to US$60,000 in donations from people in the United States and other countries, U.S.-based Rhoda Consulting helped local NGO Dufatanye provide emergency food and soap distributions to more than 5,000 households in Nyanza. This is more than 91 tons of food impacting more than 31,000 individuals.
Boston-based Shooting Touch uses the mobilizing power of basketball as a tool for health education, intervention, and improved well-being for rural communities. Unable to take to the court, Shooting Touch is providing weekly phone credit to 15 women at each court they have built, in order to establish a “buddy system” to maintain camaraderie during these isolated times. This calling task-force offered an open ear, recording the concerns of their teammates, as well as provide them with at-home stretching routines, fitness exercises, mental health coping strategies, and phone numbers for free support – to more than 1,000 families.
TEACH Rwanda is a Pennsylvania-based organization for American educators to help Rwandan preschool and primary teachers learn to use modern, research-based teaching methods. Their exemplary school in Muhanga, Bright School, includes many students from vulnerable families, so the school has provided food to 67 families to date, with even larger food distributions to come. Teachers regularly call students’ families, as well, to check-in and to encourage project-based learning at home.
The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) is a global university based in Rwanda. An initiative of Boston-based Partners in Health, it offers a unique community-and facility-based approach to medical training that centers on vulnerable populations. UGHE presents a long-term solution to pandemic preparedness and response in training students to build, repair, maintain, and grow resilient health systems capable of preventing and withstanding future outbreaks, as well as contributing to critical research in this area.
Currently, its alumni are well-trained to contribute to frontline efforts in contact tracing, testing operations, delivering medical supplies and training community health workers, in Rwanda and other countries. Campus resources are being allocated towards the response, including redeploying drivers to transport patients to facilities facing interruption like the Butaro Cancer Center.
Matt and Andrea Miller, along with parents and friends of Virunga Valley Academy, an American international school in Musanze, raised more than US$15,000 for food relief, which helped more than 1,000 families in Musanze district.
Kentucky-based Word Made Flesh invests in women living in vulnerable communities in Rwanda, providing access to dignified work, vocation and life skills, financial literacy, counseling, and deep friendship through community. Since the start of the COVID lockdown, Word Made Flesh has worked with local government leaders to distribute food to 450 households in Kangondo, more than half headed by a person living with HIV.
U.S. tech start up Zipline is using drone-based delivery to support medical response to COVID-19 in Rwanda and Ghana, delivering testing samples in-bound from rural areas and distributing outbound PPE and other medical supplies like cancer meds.
This “All-of-America” approach is helping people around the world. American private businesses, non-profit groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, and individuals have now provided more than US$4.3 billion in donations and assistance globally, more than any other nation, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Categories in the award include Top Innovations in Corporate Finance, Payments, Trade Finance, Cash Management, Islamic Finance, with Winners selected from different regions of the world.
The classes of award comprised Most Innovative Banks in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and Western Europe; The Most Innovative Fintech Companies in Asia-Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, North America, and Western Europe; and The Best Financial Innovation Labs
At the virtual awards announcement, Anita Hawser, European Editor at Global Finance and Lead, Global Finance Awards evaluation team, noted that companies recognized at the Innovators 2020 significantly stood apart.
She said the review panel looked at innovation in the context of product or process innovation, as they were ultimately more concerned with the impact of innovation in terms of creating value for customers or addressing a specific need, like speeding up lending or credit review process for small businesses; enabling companies to deposit cheques remotely and not having to visit the branches.
According to her, these are innovations that significantly reduce the time or cost of companies to perform financial tasks and really transform customers’ business lives helping them operate more effectively in a significantly challenging business and economic environment.
In his remark, Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group CEO said: “We are pleased to be recognised as the ‘Most Innovative Bank in Africa’ by Global Finance. This attests to the strength of our brand in multiple countries across Africa, our unique pan-African platform, and our innovative banking products and solutions made possible by the success of our digital transformation journey”.
With a larger African footprint than any other bank operating in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, Ecobank is the only bank that has banking operations that spans 33 African countries, operating a truly integrated African network.
That is One unified integrated Ecobank Mobile Banking App, that works seamlessly across all 33 operating countries in Africa; One Ecobank Omni and Omni Lite serving Multinationals and SMEs in Africa; One Rapidtransfer app that breaks down country borders and allows the diaspora community send money directly to their loved ones, instantly and affordably across Africa; One Ecobank Online Banking platform that can be easily accessed across 33 African countries.
The Ecobank Group’s unique and largest pan-African platform is designed to help unlock the opportunities of the continent, for the benefit of the continent, through standardization, thereby enabling regional integration, and trade and investment across borders.
With the Group’s sterling performance, it has been severally recognized as ‘Best Retail Bank in Africa 2019’ at African Banker Awards; Most Admired Financial Services Brand in Africa 2019 by Brand Africa 100; Best Digital Bank in Africa – 2017 by Euromoney Awards; Best Retail Bank and Innovation in Banking both in 2018 by the African Banker Awards amongst others.
After the presiding judge read out the offenses that Kabuga was accused of, including genocide, persecution and extermination against Rwanda’s Tutsi minority, Kabuga denied the charges.
“Those are all lies,” Kabuga said through an interpreter. “I would not have killed my customers. They are lies.”
Kabuga appeared before a Paris Court of Appeal that will decide whether he will be transferred to an international court. The French court refused to release Kabuga on bail, despite his lawyer’s argument that he is in poor health. Kabuga appeared in court in a wheelchair, hands in his lap, wearing a face mask. No immediate medical concerns were known.
The defense lawyer said Kabuga would not receive a fair trial at a UN tribunal. The French court will determine whether he will be handed to an international court during its next session, which is scheduled for June 3.
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Kabuga, who was arrested earlier this month in a Paris suburb was considered the most-wanted suspect connected to the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda. He had been on the run for 25 years for his suspected role in crimes committed during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
A tea and coffee tycoon, Kabuga was one of Rwanda’s richest people leading up to the genocide.
Prosecutors have accused Kabuga of using his wealth to import machetes and gardening tools that would be used as weapons in the 100-day genocide that killed several hundred thousand Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Kabuga also co-owned the Radio Television Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM), which spread ethnic hatred against Tutsis.
Kabuga managed to evade capture for years by living under false names and frequently moving. French police previously said he lived in several European and African nations — including Germany, Belgium, and Kenya — in the quarter-century since the genocide.
