It is a photo taken during the Genocide against the Tutsi. Getty Images, a website that sells photos, said the photo was taken on June 12, 1994, in Gitarama by photographer Alexander Joe of AFP, the French Press Agency, although there was a lot of information provided by Genocide survivors.
It turns out that the soldier and the “Interahamwe” [as Getty Image called him] were together killing Tutsis while the Inkotanyi were fighting to end the Genocide. A few days ago a name was put to the photo.
The man in the photo is Ramadhan Muhire, who is still living in Zimbabwe, from Rukira in Ngoma. He is said to have played a big role in the massacre of Tutsis.
Muhire’s profile IGIHE was able to see was that he was the son of Gasekuru and Nyirabungura Thérèse, a former resident of Nyagasozi in Birenga. It has now been transformed into Amahoro Village, Nyaruvumu Cell, Rukira Sector in Ngoma District.
It is said that Muhire lived in Kibungo before the Genocide where he worked as a driver. He was an Interahamwe youth.
Many of the IGIHE interviewees agreed that he was the person who appeared in the photo.
One of Muhire’s neighbors told IGIHE that he knew him well and that he was the one in the most famous photo, he didn’t not only kill Tutsis but also looted a bag containing dollars in the économat in Kibungo and fled to Tanzania.
“He continued to Malawi. I heard he is living in Zimbabwe. That’s where he lives because even his relatives go to visit him, they come and tell us, he is a businessman.”
{{He cut me in the arm}}
One of the drivers who was working in Kibungo at the same time as Muhire, says that he knows him well because he once cut him.
“He once stabbed me. At the time, there was an Arusha negotiation and a signed the agreement, which the Interahamwe refused. They were protesting everywhere. They forced us on the way to go to the protest, to lift stones and block the road.
They took the Tutsis as cockroaches (nyenzi) and took them away to block the road with stones. That’s where he stabbed me and I still have the scar.”
{{He is a great man in Zimbabwe}}
“He is a trader in Harare City. He owns shops and factories and there are reports that he supports these groups in Congo where he acts as their coordinator in Zimbabwe,” One of the informants living in Zimbabwe told IGIHE.
IGIHE journalist found one of the members of the Muhire family at his shop in Kigali City, showed him a photo that is circulated and asked him if he knew the occupant.
He replied that he did not know him.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, CNLG, Bizimana Jean Damascène, told IGIHE that he had also heard reports that the person in the photo was Muhire but that “I have no evidence”.
Around the world, there are still people accused of involvement in the Genocide against the Tutsi but roam freely about. Apart from hiding, many are now engaged in the process to belittle genocide and even more so in pursuit of cooperation with insurgents in Rwanda.
The Rwandan prosecution has already issued arrest warrants for 1,144 people in 33 countries.
The report presents the AG’s findings and respective recommendations on matters which were identified during the execution of Financial, Compliance, Performance, IT and Special audits conducted during the period from May 2019 to April 2020.
The focus for the audits was on high risk entities and those that implement programs that are of national importance. Those include; 5 GBEs (RSSB, WASAC, BDF, SGF &RPC Ltd) and 10 boards.
Other entities audited include; twenty eight (28) local governments, sixty nine (69) projects, eleven (11) ministries, nineteen (19) central government entities and twenty-six (26) district hospitals. In addition, as it has been before, OAG participated in the audit of EAC and its organs.
“This year, unqualified opinion makes 33% of opinion on the audit of compliance with laws and regulations and realization of value for money while 55% of opinions are unqualified on Financial Statements. The number of adverse opinions reduced by 3% and 5% compared to the last year in compliance and financial audit respectively. This indicates that public entities are improving towards a better audit opinions as qualified audit opinions increased by 3% compared to the last year” the Auditor General told parliament.
However, this improvement in better opinions is significantly dominated by projects and Ministries& other central government clusters which made up 82% of unqualified audit opinions and 67% of qualified audit opinions. Boards and GBEs results are still undesirable yet they are responsible for executing key national programs which significantly impact on the lives of citizens.
Entities audited represent 80% of the reported Government Expenditure for the year ended 30 June 2019 compared to the 86.6% audited last year. This decrease of audit coverage recorded this year was due to the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted the availability of auditees.
The audit of 9 entities that were still work in progress by the time of tabling the current annual audit report shall be concluded once the situation of COVID-19 pandemic will be stabilized.
In the current year, there has been a significant increase by 51% in irregular expenditure in form of unsupported expenditure, partially supported expenditure, wasteful expenditure, unauthorised expenditure and funds diverted or fraudulently utilised amounting. This year we have Frw 8.6 billion from Frw 5.6 billion in the year 2018.
Other cross cutting findings identified during audits include cases of delayed and abandoned contracts, continuing cases of idle assets; stalled projects. These problems, according to the AG, need adequate attention since they may threaten smooth implementation of National Strategy for Transformation (NST1).
The Auditor General also noted in his report that the level of implementation of his recommendations has deteriorated by 5% in the current audit. 44 % of recommendations were fully implemented compared to 49% implemented in the previous year 2018.
“With a continuing low rate of implementation of recommendations, I call upon public entities to recognize the audit reports as a management tool meant to enhance their improvement of PFM country system” The Auditor General pleaded.
“I recognize that the audit would be of little value if recommendations are not implemented to address issues highlighted in audit reports” he added.
Last time we introduced you to the doctors and nurses who committed genocide in Butare town, Huye District. In this article we highlight the role of some of the doctors and nurses who worked in hospitals, health centers, clinics and health institutions in the Southern Province.
In this document, CNLG shows fifty-six (56) doctors and seventy-three (73) nurses who committed the crime of genocide.
{{I. HOSPITALS}}
{{1. Kabgayi Hospital, Muhanga}}
Dr Niyitegeka Théoneste was born in Cyeza, Muhanga District in 1964. He graduated from high school in Rilima, 1984 and attended university education in Russia where he specialized in paediatrics. In 1994 during genocide and after, he worked at Kabgayi Hospital. On 05/02/2008, the Gacaca Court of Appeal of Gihuma in Nyamabuye Sector (Muhanga) convicted him of complicity in the Genocide committed at Kabgayi Hospital and sentenced him to fifteen (15) years of imprisonment. Dr Niyitegeka Théoneste is detained in Rubavu Prison.
{{2. Nyanza Hospital, Nyanza}}
Dr Higiro Pierre Celestin alias Majambe was one of the organizers and implementers of the Genocide in Nyanza. He was a key member of the CDR. On 02/06/2009, the Gacaca Court of Nyanza City convicted Dr Higiro Pierre Celestin of genocide, which included the killing of Tutsi hospital staff, demonstrating a plot to carry out genocide through planting a bomb at his residence and spreading lies that it was planted by Tutsi for them to be killed and making a list of Tutsi to be killed.
Dr Higiro was charged in the same case with Basomingera Wellars who was sentenced to nineteen (19) years in prison and Mwemezi Bertin who was sentenced to seven years (7) years in prison and he died there. They collaborated in the killings at the hospital and in Nyanza City. Dr Higiro Pierre Celestin was sentenced to life imprisonment with special provisions by the Gacaca court. The defendant is being held in Nyanza Prison.
{{3. Kaduha Hospital, Nyamagabe}}
No doctor committed genocide in Kaduha hospital except other staff including a nurse called Rutaboba Tasiyani who was born in Cyangugu. He pleaded guilty and was released. In addition, he testified in Gacaca Courts but he died suddenly and was said to have been poisoned by those who feared he would expose their role in genocide. Others are two nurses called Mukamana Lidia who has been sentenced to nineteen (19) years and Nyiramana Catherine who has been sentenced to 25 years. Both are being held in Nyamagabe Prison.
{{4. Kigeme Hospital, Nyamagabe}}
Dr Twagiramungu Edson was in charge of Kigeme Hospital during the genocide and committed genocide at the hospital. He currently lives in Kenya. In addition, nurses Munyentwari Rodrigue and Mutiganda Evariste were also involved in the massacre of Tutsi at Kigeme Hospital.
{{5. Munini Hospital, Nyaruguru}}
No doctor committed genocide in Munini Hospital. The nurse called Nyirinkindi Thomas, participated in the massacre at Munini and Kibeho. He was sentenced in absentia by Gacaca.
{{II. HEALTH CENTERS }}
{{1. Ruhashya, Huye}}
Léopold Munyakayanza was a nurse, and had run the Ruhashya health center since the 1980s. He was initially a soldier in the ex-FAR, after his demobilization he worked as a nurse. He lived in Mahembe in the former commune of Ruhashya, in Butare. He played a very big role in the extermination of Tutsi together with Nyawenda Esdron who was bourgmestre of Rusatira and who fled to Belgium.
Leopold Munyakayanza and bourgmestre Esdron Nyawenda led meetings that planned the extermination of Tutsi from Rusatira, such that when President Theodore Sindikubwabo and the Prime Minister of the genocidal government Jean Kambanda came to Butare on April 19, 1994 to incite to begin the genocide in this region, Léopold Munyakayanza and Esdron Nyawenda were already ready to begin the extermination of Tutsi in the commune of Ruhashya.
On April 23, 1994, Léopold Munyakayanza led attacks against the Tutsi of Rusatira, who made several victims, including Twagiramutara Laurent who was a veterinarian at ISAR Rubona, and who was killed with all his family, were also exterminated, Kanyandekwe who was an accountant at ISAR Rubona and all his family, Ruzindana who is agronomist of Rusatira Commune and his family and many other Tutsi killed particularly at Kinkanga.
The wife of Léopold Munyakayanza, whose name was Iyamuremye Apolinariya, head of the social service (social worker) at the Rusatira health center also participated in the massacre of Tutsi. The two fled Rwanda after the genocide. Munyakayanza is probably died in exile and his wife lives Iyamuremye Apollinarie lives now in France.
{{2. Mugina health center, Kamonyi}}
Budengeri Jean Chrysostome was a nurse and was also in charge of child immunization program in Mugina and Ntongwe communes. He committed genocide in Mugina and Kinazi in collaboration with Bourgmestre Martin Ndamage, Major Pierre Claver Karangwa, a businessman called Francois Twagiramungu, Bourgmestre of Ntongwe Charles Kagabo and other interahamwe. After leaving Rwanda, he first settled in Zambia, became one of the founders of the FDLR in Zambia, and was its first vice president. He has since fled justice in Norway to date. Another nurse who committed genocide at Mugina health center was Umurerwa Annonciata who completed her sentence.
{{3. Kinazi health center, Ruhango}}
KAGABO Charles, was the head of the Kinazi dispensary in the former Ntongwe commune. During the genocide, he was appointed the Bourgmestre of Ntongwe by the Interim Government, after the assassination of Bourgmestre Alfred Habumugisha. Charles Kagabo was born in the former Nyakabungo sector of Ntongwe, studied in Butare – Indatwa (GSOB) in the medical assistant department. He first worked at Nyanza Hospital and was famous for exterminating Tutsi in Ntongwe and in Mugina Communes.
He circulated in the entire commune telling Tutsi to go to the commune’s office to be protected there, once they became a big number, he took away their traditional weapons that they had come with, and then sent soldiers, Interahamwe and Burundians to kill them. He is also accused of Nyamukumba massacre at a football ground where many Tutsi that he had sent to Ruhango were killed.
In 2008 he was tried in absentia by several Gacaca Courts: Gikoma Assembly in Ruhango Sector, Gitisi Assembly in Bweramana Sector; Rutabo Assembly in Kinazi Sector and Nyakabungo Assembly in Ntongwe Sector. All of these Gacaca assemblies sentenced him to life imprisonment with special provisions.
{{4. Gatagara health center, Nyanza}}
Dr Hakizimana Jean Marie Vianney, who headed the health center, was involved in the killing of patients at the health center and in the killings at the Center for the Disabled (HVP Gatagara) in collaboration with Brother Jean Baptiste Rutihunza, who headed HVP Gatagara. Dr Hakizimana lives in Uganda and Brother Rutihunza Jean Baptiste lives in Italy.
{{5. Nyamure health center, Nyanza}}
Ndahimana Matthew, was the director of the health center and was born in Mbuye in Nyanza District, Kibilizi Sector. He concluded high school from the Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare (GSOB) in 1985 in the Department of Medical Assistants. He worked for CHUB and CHK in Kigali but during the genocide he was the director of the Nyamure health center in the former Muyira commune.
He was involved in the killings that took place in the entire Nyanza District. Ndahimana fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congo-Brazzaville and later to Gabon. When he returned to Rwanda, he was aware that he would inevitably be held accountable for his role in the genocide. He has been in Nyanza (Mpanga) prison since 1997.
During his trial with Gacaca, he acknowledged his role in the genocide, claiming that he used hospital ambulance to carry out the killings, and participated to numerous attacks in Nyanza, Kibilizi, Nyamure, Rwezamenyo, Karama and many other parts of Nyanza and Amayaga.
He was the one who brought gendarms from Nyanza to fight the Tutsi who had previously resisted in the Mayaga area where they had taken refuge. He pleaded guilty to multiple offenses that he was accused of. Nyamure Sector Court of Appeals sentenced him to 30 years imprisonment in December 2009.
{{6. Ntyazo health center, Nyanza}}
Kabanda Alexis, who was the director of the health center, chaired the genocide preparations meetings and completed his sentence.
{{7. Kibilizi health center, Nyanza}}
Karasanyi Esdras, was the director of the health center, killed wounded Tutsi who were brought at the health center and took part in the attacks and he died.
{{8. Gikongoro health center, Nyamagabe }}
Rwasa Eugene was a nurse from Nyaruguru District (Ruramba). He was convicted by the Gacaca Court of Ngiryi Sector (Gasaka Sector) on 05/03/2010 on charges of handing over Tutsi girls who had taken refuge in Nyamagabe Health Center to be raped and killed.
After he was sentenced to life imprisonment, he immediately disappeared. He is said to have fled to Uganda. His wife, Kabarere Venantie worked at SOS / Gikongoro and has been sentenced to life in prison for killing 29 orphans who had fled from Kigali SOS Kacyiru. She is being held in Nyamagabe Prison.
{{9. Jenda health center, Nyamagabe}}
Mugwaneza Léonard was the director of the health center. He is from the former Cyangugu Prefecture, Kirambo Commune. He was involved in the massacre of Tutsi who were hospitalised at Musange Health Center and those who had taken refuge at Musange Commune office. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia and lives in Uganda (Kampala) where he works in a clinic.
{{10. Kibeho health center, Nyaruguru}}
Mutazihana Nathanael was the director of Kibeho dispensary. He was sentenced on 05/7/2007 by the Gacaca Court of Kibeho Sector to 25 years imprisonment to be served as follows: 12.5 years doing Travaux d’Intérêt Général (TIG), 8.5 years in prison and to end up with a 4-year suspended imprisonment sentence. He only carried out the imprisonment sentence but he has not yet done the TIG and he works in Rwinkwavu.
{{11. Busanze health center, Nyaruguru}}
{{Munyankindi Thomas}}, a former medical assistant who committed genocide in the former Nshili commune. He fled to Burundi.
{{Conclusion}}
This list (those that CNLG managed to find out) of some of the doctors and nurses who committed genocide is published in addition to the one published yesterday about the City of Butare. It shows that many of those who were in charge of treatment of people but betrayed the standards of their profession. It also shows how the Genocide against the Tutsi was a supernatural crime where doctors and nurses quit their careers of protecting lives and chose to kill.
The CNLG calls on the countries hosting these doctors and nurses who committed genocide, and has given them the job of treating people, to suspend them from the medical profession and to remove them from the list of doctors and nurses who are allowed to practice medicine and to be brought to justice as soon as possible.
CNLG commends all those who continue to take part in this international justice campaign so that the perpetrators of the Genocide who fled the country can be held accountable for their actions.
Done at Kigali on May 15, 2020
{{Dr. BIZIMANA Jean Damascène
Executive Secretary
National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG)}}
The money was recovered Wednesday from one Samuel Mbatezimana, 22, who was a domestic worker for the victim at her residence in Kicukiro District.
Mbatezimana allegedly stole a bag containing Rwf1.2 million, after breaking into his boss’ bedroom, recently.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the police spokesperson for Eastern region, said that Police first got to know about the theft through related messages which were circulating on social media.
“We first say the alleged theft on messages, which were circulating on WhatsApp, but we were later formally informed that the prime suspect could have escaped to Nyagatare,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
“Law enforcement organs worked together to locate and arrest Mbatezimana, the prime suspect in Rukomo Sector, Rurenge cell. We found only Rwf612, 000 on him,’’ he added.
The money was less Rwf600, 000, which the suspect had already spent buying different items like smartphone and clothes, among others, the spokesperson said.
The victim, CIP Twizeyimana said, was informed of the recovery of her remaining money.
Theft, under article 166 of the penal code, attracts an imprisonment of between one and two years and a fine of Rwf1 million to Rwf2 million, a community service of not more than six months or one of the two penalties.
As Rwandans grapple with the consequences of this pandemic, the two institutions have committed to provide relief to customers as they navigate through this difficult period.
Effective 15th May, all customers who are not able to pay their MoKash loans within 30 days of taking the loan will not be charged a late repayment fee. The late repayment penalty has been extended by 30 days. Customers who fail to repay their loans by 60 and 90 days thereafter will not have their loan limits reduced or cancelled respectively. An additional 30 days have been granted before a customer’s loan limit is reduced or cancelled.
Accessible via MTN Mobile Money (by dialling *182*5#), MoKash is a loan product offered by NCBA and MTN. MoKash provides 30-day term loans at 9% interest. Through MoKash, customers can also open savings accounts with interest of up to 7% per annum.
“As the Coronavirus continues to stir global economic fears, NCBA will continue to support our customers who may be financially affected by the outbreak” said Lina Higiro, Chief Executive Officer, NCBA Rwanda.
She added, “We would like to urge customers to be responsible with the credit solutions to ensure that as a collective we care for each other during this tough time. The Bank shall through MoKash continue to responsibly support all customers through this difficult period”
In addition, in a bid to promote cashless payments, customers will be able to move any amount between their MTN MoMo wallets to MoKash at no additional cost.
Speaking about this Corporate Social innovation, MTN Rwanda’s CEO, Mitwa Ng’ambi said, “We have taken a very frontal approach in engaging our partner NCBA and together we have come up with interventions to support Rwandan citizens and assist in the overall fight of the pandemic. MTN will also leverage its knowledge and infrastructure in the continued participation in the many forums that have been set up to assist those in need.”
NCBA and MTN will continue engaging and working with customers during this time to ensure that they can manage loan repayments.
Rwanda National Police (RNP), CP John Bosco Kabera said that they were caught at about 9 am.
Curfew starts at 8 pm up to 5 am.
Besides violating the curfew, CP Kabera said, they were traveling in a vehicle authorized to carry only four people in this period as part of the measure adopted to prevent the spread and combat the pandemic of Coronavirus.
One of those arrested, Jean Nzabihimana and Aboubakar Nibonshuti, while speaking to the media at Kicukiro Police station, said that they traveled to Rusumo border post in the same Toyota Hilux, RAB 394Q.
“We left Kigali for Rusumo on May 13, at about 11:00 Hrs, we were nine in the same vehicle, which should only transport four people as per the government directives,” said Nzabihimana.
He added: “We were fortunate that we were not caught along the way. When we arrived in Rusumo we took separate vehicles to Kigali. We linked up again in Kigali and traveled in the same car to Kicukiro where we were intercepted.”
Nibonshuti, on his part, said that they were aware of the violated directives only that they hoped they would not be caught.
CP Kabera said that they were caught in varied violations put in place to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
“In this period, vehicles are also required to carry a specific number of people to ensure social distancing. A vehicle licensed to transport say, 70 people will only take 35; those licensed to take 30 will be carrying 15.
Unfortunately, they understand these directives and they breached them intentionally, including violating the curfew,” said CP Kabera.
He explained that the main focus is not to arrest or to use force but for the public to understand and heed the call to respect the measures put in place for everyone’s safety.
He warned that RNP will continue to ensure that the measures put in place by the government to prevent the spread of the pandemic, are understood and respected, and those violating them detained or fined.
Beauty salons and barbershops are among the businesses with a green light.
Needless to say, while getting a fresh haircut, getting your hair braided and other services, it should be done with utmost safety precautions.
Here are some COVID-19 risks and safety tips for Beauty Salons and Barbershops:
Use pre-booking. Walk-in appointments should be discouraged, ask customers to call-ahead or use online booking if you use one.
Symptom checking. If possible, check temperatures of staff and/or customers before they enter.
Social distancing rules still apply, except during services. Salons and barbershops should still maintain social distancing – keeping individuals one meter apart.
Customers and stylists be not less than one meter apart while services are performed.
Haircutting stations should be spaced, at least one meter.
Kick up your cleaning efforts. With COVID-19, step up your cleaning efforts. Sterilize tools and ensure stations are wiped down in between each client.
Wear face-masks. Both customers and employees should wear face-masks.
Practice safe hand washing and hand sanitizing. Ask clients to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer upon entering the salon. Employees should wash their hands in between all clients.
Let’s be safe by practicing safety practices. Individual responsibility and following all recommended healthy practices is key to beating the pandemic.
Mathieu Ndayisaba, 21, and Ildephonse, 30, were arrested in Gasarabwayi Cell after the victims reported the fraud, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said.
CIP Twizeyimana explained that the victims were tricked to believe that the suspects are collecting money to help those who were affected by disasters in the area.
“The victims are from different associations. Every member contributed between Rwf25, 000 and Rwf28, 000. Some of the associations’ members became suspicious and asked their local leaders the main cause for contributions,” Twizeyimana said.
He added: “After the local leaders realized that they are conning people, they immediately reported to Police. Law enforcement organs worked together to trace and arrest the two suspects to face justice. The suspects are also members of the associations they fleeced.”
“Besides the money they collected lying it is meant for helping vulnerable people, they also conned more than 50 others alleging that they are preparing development projects for them.”
CIP Twizeyimana advised the general public to be vigilant when it comes to pay their money.
He also warned people to refrain from “unlawful shortcuts to prosperity.”
Clause One of article 174 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, defines fraud as deception, obtaining another person’s property, whole or part of his/her finance by use of false names or qualifications, or offering positive promises or threats of future misfortunes.
Clause Two of the same article provides a term of imprisonment of between two and three years, and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million but not more than Rwf5 million, upon conviction.
The alarm raised by the two UN high ranking officials is substantive and worrying at a time when the world is grappling with an “invisible enemy” that has spread like a wildfire in a forest across the borders of developed and developing world, disrupting life for the rich and the poor alike in big and small cities and plunging world economies.
Users of social media platforms in Rwanda have witnessed cases in which institutions in the country had to intervene to urge the public to disregard false information circulating on social media and some internet sources.
There were many, but the most recent and notable among them is a false statement of cabinet resolutions that spread from one WhatsApp group to another while there was no such a meeting at all. Fake news also went as far as spreading rumors that Rwanda had registered the first death related to Covid-19.
The level at which false information “fake news” spreads around the world has reached an unprecedented level because with the increased internet connection, instant messaging services, and social media the world has become like a wired village where communities are closer to each other, and individuals much connected to each other that even a simple whisper can get far.
The Global Digital Report (GDR) 2020 indicates that 4.54 billion (59%) have access to the internet and the number of active social media users stands at 3.80 billion which is 49% of the total world population.
The latest figures by the Internet World Stats, a website that provides reports on internet access in the world, indicates that 5,981,638 Rwandans have access on the internet which makes them potential users and consumers of information on social media and other internet based channels. The most frequent social media used in Rwanda are Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter, youtube, Instagram
The number of social media users is also expected to continue rising thanks to the Connect Rwanda, an initiative aimed at distributing smartphones to families that cannot afford to buy one. During the Connect Rwanda campaign, the Ministry of ICT and Innovation revealed that out of 2.8 million households existing in Rwanda 14% have at least one smartphone.
According to Rwanda Media Barometer 2018, produced by RGB, the fiber-optic cable laid around the country is gradually increasing public access to “new media” or Social Media and other high-tech driven sources of information among other advantages.
The benefits are immense. Service delivery is becoming faster and cost effective, communication, and information much easier, accountability, and transparency enhanced. And more importantly, people were able to work from home and deliver services during the lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
On the other side, the irresponsible use and abuse of the information technologies and social media is also on the rise. With the new media, a user is both a content creator and publisher; they can record an audio, edit a video, create a text including any information they want, true or false and send it to the public through social media channels.
In the case of the false information reporting the first Covid-19 death in Rwanda, a voice of someone pretending to be familiar with the case was shared on several WhatsApp groups until the information was refuted as a rumor.
Some users tend to consume the information they get uncritically, go on to share it with friends, classmates, workmates, village mates. It could be hard for some users to detect false information because the authors use fake accounts of real institutions, photoshopped stamps, and letterheads that in some cases look like genuine ones.
Some rumors are also created around existing issues, realities, and occurrences like in the case of the statement of cabinet resolutions that members of the public were anxiously waiting for. Lack of digital media literacy is also contributing to the lack of questioning over content consumed. People must carefully verify the sources of information whether they are credible before duplicating by sharing.
Among the new media sources of information, we cannot ignore to talk about the explosion of Youtube channels some of which work as television stations. Some of the content carried using videos is fictional.
We have seen some videos where the producers claimed they met with the devil eye to eye (Twiboneye satani imbona nkubone). These are fake news that are unethical and punishable under cybersecurity laws.
Content creators on Youtube channels can increase their viewers without indulging in falsehoods which sometimes even instill fear among the population. In Rwanda’s case, Youtube content creators can make more profit than mainstream media if they concentrate on customized content that is valued by the audience.
As I conclude, social media may be an effective tool or a harmful tool depending on how we users want it to be. However, as I observe it today, the problem lies in that there is a growing number of people using it irresponsibly. It is high time we learned to use social media responsibly and consume content shared thereon in a healthier way.
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)2019 statistics report released on Tuesday, May 12, indicates that the City of Kigali ranks in second position after South Africa’s Cape Town.
City of Kigali attained the same position in for 2018 after climbing one position up on the list the year before.
ICCA’s rankings are based on the number of association meetings taking place regularly (annually, biannually), rotating between at least three different countries and with at least 50 participants.
Every year, the association ranks cities and countries following stringent guidelines.
“This is great news and proof that the MICE strategy is generating value for Rwanda,” commented Nelly Mukazayire, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Convention Bureau, the national MICE agency.
“We shall continue to identify and work better with our local associations and other stakeholders to help the destination do better in the ICCA rankings in the years to come.”
Tourism is the largest foreign exchange earner in Rwanda. With over 10,000 rooms in Kigali and 50,000 square meters of meeting space, MICE contributed 20% of all tourism revenues, amounting to US $56 million and 38,745 delegates, according to RCB; revenues for 2019 were projected to increase to US $88 million.
With the COVID-19 disease outbreak, 20 association meetings previously scheduled between March and April were halted, drawing national income back by US $10 million or 10 percent of estimated revenues in 2020.
Among the major meetings in Rwanda that were disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, include the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which was slated for June but was pushed forward due to the outbreak.
In global city rankings for 2019, Paris came top, followed by Lisbon and Berlin; all the top five cities are European.
In country rankings, USA holds the top spot, remaining the titleholder for the last two decades while the top 20 countries remain unchanged.
ICCA comprises of over 1,100 member companies and organizations in almost 100 countries and territories worldwide.
