Nshuti comes as a replacement for Oliver Nduhungirehe who was removed from cabinet in April, under accusations of letting his personal opinions prevail over those held by the government.
Nshuti previously served in different positions in the government.
Nshuti was formerly the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives, and Tourism; he served as Minister of Finance as well as Minister of Public Service and Labour.
Nshuti holds a Ph.D. in Finance. He also holds a Masters degree in Business Administration in Accounting.
He has also served as the Chairman Board of Promoters assigned to set up Umutara Polytechnic (University).
Nshuti served as the Chairman Board of Governors, which was tasked to turn round the School of Finance and Banking (SFB).
Umutara Polytechnic and SFB have since merged with other public Higher Learning Institutions to form the University of Rwanda (UR).
Heavy rains recently caused a landslide in Nyange, leaving the Muhanga-Ngororero-Karongi road unoccupied.
This meant that those wishing to travel through these roads use the Muhanga-Huye-Nyamagabe-Nyamasheke-Rusizi and Rutsiro-Rubavu-Kigali roads.
Apart from that, other roads across the country were blocked by the effects of the rains, including Kigali-Gicumbi, Muhanga-Ngororero-Mukamira.
On the morning of April 30, 2020, the Rwanda National Police announced that all roads were opened.
“The Rwanda National Police has informed them that the Muhanga-Ngororero-Mukamira road is now used,” reads the statement on The National Police Twitter Wall.
He added that the Kigali-Gicumbi road is also used.
The National Meteorological Agency, Meteo Rwanda, recently announced that between 21 and 30 April 2020, heavy rainfall is expected in the country compared to previous days.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations (Minema) said heavy rains on the night of April 25, 2020, caused disasters, killing three people, injuring three others and destroying 215 houses.
The rains also damaged crops on 66.3 hectares, 11 roads, and its six bridges as well as two water pipes, killing five small animals.
Heavy rains on April 17, killed three people, injured two others, and destroyed many properties.
On April 22, a torrent of rain fell across the country, killing over 12 people and injuring 18 others, while destroying various properties, including 32 houses.
This move comes after several petroleum transporters were reportedly stuck in Kigali with their truck drivers at a loss on how to offload the fuel.
The drivers, mainly from regional countries, say that they have spent days with trucks loaded with petroleum and cannot return to their countries of origin. When importers explained their lack of storage, they said it is due to the low demand caused by the COVID-19 lockdown which stopped traffic and affected previous stocks.
One driver, Yusuf Salim, from Tanzania said that he has to pay for a parking fee of Rwf1000 per day and has so far spent three weeks in Kigali.
“This parking fee was reduced from Rwf2000 but it is still a challenge since we also have other expenses such as food and other needs,” Salim said.
Local petroleum importers on their side said that the Covid-19 pandemic caught them off-guard after ordering more products, and now they have to spend more on the maintenance of transporters.
“We have to pay $100 per day to the suppliers for their hired trucks that are spending extra days waiting to be offloaded. This is because we have nowhere to store their fuel; as the previous orders did not get consumers,” said Joseph Akumuntu, the chairperson of Petroleum importers in Rwanda.
The Minister of Trade, Soraya Hakuziyaremye said that the government will discuss ways of supporting Petroleum transporters to resolve the challenge of expenses caused by difficulties of finding storage facilities.
“We have received their complaints and we are considering providing customs facilitation where they can store this petroleum at some of the privately-owned petrol station storage facilities,” Hakuziyaremye said.
Rwanda has a capacity to store over 110 million liters of petroleum products per year, and the local market demand of about 600 million liters per year.
According to Minister Hakuziyaremye, the domestic economic impact of Covid-19 on the petroleum sector shows that a drop in local market demand for petroleum products has affected the sector by 50% and this is expected to continue.
“We, like any other country, have been affected negatively by low demand for petroleum products. We shall do an economic impact assessment on this area as we find ways of easing business for fuel importers, “Hakuziyaremye said.
On Wednesday, the trade ministry deployed a task force to evaluate the situation of the petroleum transporters and importers who are currently stationed in Gatsata and Rusororo sectors in Kigali.
This is brought to you by Rush Foods, a company that offers an extensive service of food and package delivered at your doorstep in Kigali.
The company that prides itself on maintaining the highest quality of services also delivers different supermarket goods and drinks to customers who need the service anywhere in Kigali.
Rush foods have announced that the company is committed to helping Rwandans who are not able to move during the Coronavirus outbreak.
“We want to contribute our part to the wellness of Rwandans in these challenging times, and this is why we have decided to waive delivery fees for people who buy food and drinks using our services anywhere they are located in Kigali.” says the Chief Executive Officer of Rush Foods, Naeem Ali.
Rush Foods services are available on the Rush Foods application which is available on Android and IOS. All you have to do is to install the application, follow guidelines and you can receive your order anywhere in Kigali.
Other services that are offered by Rush Foods include parcel and medium package delivery to people around Kigali.
Rush Food Chief Executive Officer, Naeem Ali noted that sometimes people want to send packages to their friends and family, but they are not able to because of conditions imposed by the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We also help those people where we charge them only Rwf 1000 for package delivery, which is a very low price compared to the transportation cost he/she would pay.” He further added
Rush Foods began its operations in Rwanda in 2018.
New results from a clinical trial conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases establish the drug as the standard of care for Covid-19, which has killed 50,000 people in the U.S. so far, said agency Director Anthony Fauci. He likened the good news about remdesivir to the discovery of the first medication found to help treat HIV more than three decades ago.
“The data shows that Remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said at the White House during a meeting with President Donald Trump.
Results from the preliminary trial show Remdesivir improved recovery time for coronavirus patients from 15 to 11 days. That’s similar to the effect that the influenza drug Tamiflu has on flu. Tamiflu also doesn’t cure patients quickly, but can reduce how long they are sick.
“Although a 31% improvement doesn’t seem like a knockout 100%, it is very important proof of concept,” Fauci said of Remdesivir. “What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus.”
Remdesivir also may reduce the likelihood that patients will die.
“Results also suggested a survival benefit, with a mortality rate of 8.0% for the group receiving Remdesivir versus 11.6% for the placebo group,”
Remdesivir is among several drugs being tested against Covid-19, but the NIAID trial is the first conducted according to rules aimed at gaining FDA approval.
About 1,090 people participated in the trial internationally, but the World Health Organization said it’s too early to comment on the remdesivir trial results released.
“Typically, you don’t have one study that will come out that will be a game changer,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for the coronavirus response.
She said the agency generally pulls together evidence from several studies before reviewing and critiquing the evidence.
“It can sometimes take a number of publications to determine (what) the ultimate impact of a drug is,” said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies program.
Four people including the driver, rider, and two other people, who were aboard the vehicle, were also arrested.
The Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) in Muhanga, Sylvestre Twajamahoro, who is also the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that the two motorcycles RD 318F and RB 213V were intercepted in Rongi sector, Karambo cell with combined 12, 000 pieces of polythene bags.
“One rider identified as Jean Bosco Nshimiyimana, 25, was arrested but the other runaway abandoned the motorcycle and the polythene bags,” said CIP Twajamahoro.
The information was provided by residents and Police officers were deployed at about 1 pm when the traffickers were intercepted, the motorcycles and their illegal goods impounded.
In Burera District, a vehicle RAA 649G was intercepted in Gahunga Sector, Rwasa Cell with three sacks of non-biodegradable products.
The driver identified as Jean de Dieu Shingiro, 30, alongside two other men on board; Alexis Nshimiyimana, 28, and Clementine Nyirabazungu, 25, were taken into custody.
CIP Alexis Rugigana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said that the vehicle was stopped in Mutara village along Cyanika-Musanze road, searched, and recovered the three sacks of polythene bags.
“The vehicle was intercepted at about 6 pm, traffickers didn’t disclose where they were coming from but said that they were taking the plastic bags to Kimisagara in Nyarugenge District in Kigali.”
Under article 10 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 on the environment, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items, is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times of the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
The Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) Plc is the first Bank in Rwanda to be rated by Fitch. In the past, Fitch has only rated the Sovereign (i.e. Government). Through this inaugural rating, Fitch has rated BRD as a B+ Stable outlook which is the same rating as the Government of Rwanda.
This underlines the Institution’s standing compared to the best banking standards and practices. The rating further validates the Bank’s recent improvements, growth prospects, and continued expected financial stability.
The rating will also play a major role in strengthening BRD’s capability to attract new strategic financial partners to enable it to play a more prominent role as the only development bank in Rwanda. One of the strategic objectives of BRD in the medium term is to increase its capacity to leverage longer term funding at attractive rates for economic actors in Rwanda.
BRD Management welcomed the news with great optimism. The CEO, Ms. Kampeta SAYINZOGA stated “We have come a long way and we are very encouraged by this rating which comes amidst tough times. Our rating is attributed to the strong support BRD has received from its shareholders to turn the Bank around in a very determined way.
The BRD team is working relentlessly to live up to the expectations of its shareholders and ensure productive use of capital. This rating will also be instrumental in supporting our upcoming effort to diversify our capital base in the medium term. It re-energizes our endeavours to deliver on our mandate to sustainably improve the socio-economic development of Rwandans.”
{{What are the key drivers for the rating?}}
BRD’s ratings reflect Fitch’s view of the current financial status of the Bank and the commitment of its majority shareholders (i.e. the Government of Rwanda) to position the Bank as a strategic vehicle to implement the National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). BRD is indeed expected to play a major role in driving Rwanda’s transformational economic agenda.
The Bank’s strategy has been assessed in this light and has been rated accordingly. As Rwanda’s sole development bank, it has been found by Fitch that its unique business model would be difficult to be replicated by other domestic financial institutions. BRD Plc is 97%- owned by the government, via the Agaciro Development Fund (Rwanda’s sovereign wealth fund, 55%) and the Rwanda Social Security Board (42%) and is overseen by the Ministry of Finance.
BRD has recently benefitted greatly from several capital injections which have strengthened its ability to deliver on its ambitious developmental objectives. The Bank is regulated by Rwanda’s Central Bank, and is subject to compliance with the prudential requirements, albeit with certain exemptions (in particular for asset quality, loan restructuring, and FX risk management).
Since 2016, BRD and its Stakeholders started initiating turnaround and transformation strategies that have concretely strengthened the Bank and contributed to its improving financial profile. The Bank’s performance has significantly improved with losses reduced by more than 77% in 2019 compared to the previous two years.
This performance has mainly been driven by the recovery efforts on the written off book and stopping the migration of good loans to bad loans which has made the Net impairment charge on loans and advances to significantly reduce by 31% compared to the previous year. The close monitoring of our customers has resulted into significant improvements of the Bank’s non-performing ratio that has dropped from 19.34% 2018 to 7.52% end 2019.
It is worth noting that BRD’s performance continues to be affected by relatively high funding costs and large FX translation losses due to its unhedged foreign currency funding. Measures are being taken by management to address these issues in consultation with the regulator. Like all policy banks, BRD has a higher risk appetite and finances emerging industry sectors and customers that commercial banks tend to view as “too risky”. Lending is typically longer term (average tenor in the book is 84 months) and on more favourable terms, including longer grace periods.
The narrated by a young Rwandan girl child in Kinyarwanda with English subtitles features an African girl child character taking us through steps in how every child can be a superhero in these times of coronavirus.
Maggie Korde, Save the Children, Country Director for Rwanda and Burundi: “Children have a vital part to play in awareness and prevention of COVID 19. They are not just passive recipients of aid and information. They are our superheroes. And as this animation shows, they can inform us, the adults in their lives, how to avoid, recognize and respond to COVID 19”.
The video is part of a range of child-focused interventions rolled out by save the children around the world to help the world’s most marginalized communities protect themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are working with urgency at this time with the Government of Rwanda and different actors to produce localized Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials that promote awareness and behavior change in COVID-19.” says Ms. Korde
Children and adults need access to reliable, age-appropriate information to understand and implement steps to keep themselves and their community safe from infection.
“A priority is to ensure that age-appropriate learning opportunities are created as we support the Ministry of Education/ Rwandan Education Board with messages for broadcast via radio, television, and other media. Our primary objectives in the coming months remain on ensuring program continuity and delivering on all our operations as much as possible, in the midst of this global crisis.”
Since the onset of the crisis, Save the Children teams around the world have been working to reach the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, to raise awareness of the risks of COVID-19 and ways to slow its spread, and in Rwanda, it has been no different.
In the letter, the leaders of that sector wrote to the Executive Secretaries of the Sectors said, “Based on the special plan to reduce travel in the city of Kigali to strengthen the fight against the spread of COVID-19, there are also residents who had an appointment with the doctors on different dates and did not have access to a vehicle to help them circulate.”
“I am writing this letter to ask help for patients who have appointments with the doctor to take them and bring them back to their homes,” reads the letter.
In an interview with IGIHE, the Executive Director of Gasabo District, Umwali Pauline says that they normally help patients, but it was not done everywhere which is why they asked them to do the same.
“The residents we help in providing food, today, might have a reason to go to the doctor, for their appointments, before they used to take a motorcycle, and today it’s not possible and they do not have any other means to go to the doctor,” she explained.
Umwali says that with the help of security vehicles, or vehicles of sector leaders, sick residents are brought to the hospitals.
“In the local administration, you cannot give food to someone and ignore them when they get sick, especially when there is a vehicle bought by the community,” she said.
Assistance to the needy can be provided by reaching out to the local authorities.
As the world continues to face the Coronavirus epidemic, Rwanda has taken steps to prevent its spread, where many activities have been suspended, residents are being urged to stay home, travel between regions and borders is closed.
As a result, senior government officials have agreed to dedicate April’s salaries to Rwandans to help them with their work affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
To help customers who will not get paid including executives and other employees who have volunteered, BPR Plc, has set up a type of loan [personal Loan] where customers who sacrificed their salaries are allowed to borrow the same amount of money equal to his salary plus an additional amount [Lump sum] if they are paid employees.
The BPR management also explains that this loan is to keep in check people who will not be paid because they sacrificed their salary for them to fulfill their family responsibilities.
BPR also states that those who sacrificed their salaries and will not be able to repay the loans they were already paying, will be given one month without paying because it is known that they will not be paid.
This personal loan is repayable for up to 12 months depending on the will of the customer. BPR explains that this new loan the customer is given to repay it at the same rate as he or she was already repaying the loan he had. Those who do not have a loan are given a normal bank interest.
Requirements for those who sacrificed their April salary and need a loan are to write to BPR Plc at info@bpr.rw stating the names and requirements of the applicant. For those who are working in companies that have a problem in paying them these days, they are asking for months to postpone the repayment of the loan.
The employer can also write to BPR Plc, requesting that it help its employees who will not be able to repay the loan because it will not pay them. They should apply via email loanrestructures@bpr.rw requesting permission to not repay the loan within three months. For those who need more information call 1,500 for free.
