Author: IGIHE

It also offers a big opportunity for weight to set it, so we have thought of some really good ways we can all keep our health going well during this time.

{{Drink plenty of water}}

Water isn’t just good for quenching thirst; it’s good for softening food, and making it easier for excretion to be passed.

Water also increases the metabolism rate, which means you are likely to be burning weight as you eat as much as you can.

And water can make your skin glow better.

{{Work out}}

Well, I’m sure you would know the reason we all need to work out as we eat this season. In case you don’t, it’s because we’ll all be eating a lot too, so it’s only fair we maintain a balance. You don’t even have to do much, simply take a stroll, jog, and you’ll be amazed at how much you would have improved yourself.

{{Eat responsibly}}

It’s easy to forget yourself and eat with reckless abandon this season because there’s so much to eat and drink, but don’t forget that with eating so much come the risk of gaining weight, and that never helped anyone. Instead, gaining weight would expose you to so many illnesses, and make you lazy. So eat as required only. Rather than eat everything at once, why not eat only as much as you need?
{{Source: elcrema.com}}

The televised live talkshow brought together ministries of Youth, Health and Education; Rwanda National Police (RNP) and National Rehabilitation Services (NRS) to discuss dangers that psychotropic substances pose to the young generation, the majority vulnerable group and to echo the call for everyone to reinforce the available efforts to fight the vice.

The minister of Health, Dr. Diana Gashumba, said that narcotic drugs pose serious health problems to users.

“It is one of the causes of illness such as; heart, liver, kidney and mental problems; the same applies to use of shisha. It is scientifically proven that a girl who smokes shisha at a young age is likely to give birth to an abnormal child,” Minister Gashumba said.

Rwanda, mid this month, banned the importation and smoking of water-pipe commonly known as shisha tobacco, in the country.

The ban was in consideration of the international advisory note by the World Health Organization that cites scientific proven serious health implications such as lung cancer and heart diseases that shisha tobacco cause.

The Minister of Youth, Rosemary Mbabazi, commended the regular awareness campaigns conducted countrywide by Police and partners, to help the young generation fully understand the dangers of drug abuse and their ultimate need and commitment to avoid and fight the vice.

Mbabazi appealed to the public to have “ownership” and share information with the police on those involved drug related crimes.

Meanwhile, the State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Isaac Munyakazi said that educating students on dangers of illicit drugs in partnership with police, was adopted in schools.

“We have anti-drugs clubs in schools, and students are making good use of these platforms to discuss and educate each other on dangers of abusing drugs, and their role in addressing the problem, ” Munyakazi said.

At least majority of about 2000 anti-crime clubs in the country, are in schools.

“These community policing foras have left the youth people with a changed mind and we have had cases where students reported drug dealers and abusers,” he added.

Munayakazi further reiterated that, the Ministry of Education is working closely with the NRS to rehabilitate the identified addicted students.

According to Aime Bosenibamwe, the coordinator of NRS, at least 12228 addicted youth aged between 18 and 35 year, have so far been rehabilitated and equipped with vocational skills since 2012.

About 90 percent of the rehabilitated youth, he added, have “completely been healed from drug consequences, and are engaged in income generating activities” adding that “10 percent if not followed closely, are likely to abuse drugs again. ”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Theos Badege, the RNP spokesperson, recounted that abuse of drugs remains one of the main concerns in the country and one of the key priorities of the force to address it.

{{Tricks used by traffickers}}

Some drug traffickers wrap them around their bodies, starch them in luggage, pumpkins and bicycle tyres; women carry them at the back as babies; others put them in their veils; others hire vehicles and motorcycles especially at night.

The RNP spokesperson shared some “responsible experiences” where some passengers, drivers, motorcyclists and the people in communities have either apprehended drug traffickers and handed them to Police or called the police reporting drug dealers, a community policing act he said continue to supplement the drive to break chains of supply.

“Addressing the problem is a crosscutting issue; you could be a leader somewhere and you take bribes from drug dealers, the following day you will be receiving complaints. Police will be receiving cases of injuries or people killed as consequences of drug influence. We will receiving be getting cases of sexual assault, theft among others,” Badege said.

“To address this issue requires responsible thinking and responsible action as leaders and individuals.”

Most common drugs like cannabis and illicit gin including kanyanga and others parked in banned plastic bags, are trafficked from the neighboring countries, and ACP Badege said that at the regional level, RNP has engaged their neighbouring police forces to harmonise joint efforts to destroy cannabis farms and breaking chains of supply.

RNP and Tanzania Police forces are currently conducting joint operations in River Kagera and sharing information on the whereabouts of cannabis farms on either sides to destroy them and arrest dealers.

This was during a live talkshow on the national broadcaster – Rwanda Television – on Sunday, which brought together officials from the ministries of Environment and infrastructure as well as Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) to tackles issues surrounding gas emission and preventive mechanisms in the country.

Juliet Kabera, the Director General in charge of Environment and Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment, said the government has put much efforts to address environmental degradation, but added that more still remains to be done to ensure the environment issue such as gas emission problem is effectively addressed.

“We are all required to keep educating the public to influence positive change, this is one of the appropriate approaches to make people responsible in tackling the problem,” Kabera said.

According to Kabera, about 2, 227 people lost their lives in Rwanda since 2012 due to respiratory diseases largely caused by air pollution, but added that the government and the ministry of infrastructure in particular is supporting communities to get improved stoves which, which use less charcoal.

Eng. Colette Ruhamya, the Director General of REMA, observed that air pollution has a devastating effects on people especially young children.

Commenting on industries as being widely blamed for causing air pollution, the REMA boss said that “new strategies have been set.”

“Before a new industry could be allowed to operate in the Rwanda, they have to fulfill international standards against air pollution, and these standards are clearly stated and documented,” Eng. Ruhamya said.

She explained that although there are no many and big industries in Rwanda compared to other developed countries where gas emission from industries has become a challenge and causing climate change, “the emphasis is to plan ahead to avert the bigger problem of gas emission that lies ahead caused by industries.”

She also urged farmers to avoid burning grasses in gardens but instead use the grass as manure to boost crop production.

ACP Mujiji Rafiki, the Deputy Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety Department noted that RNP has taken a step to particularly address the issue of gas emitted by automobiles including compulsory gas emission testing at the mechanical inspection centres.

The vehicle mechanical inspection centres have the capacity to inspect at least 800 vehicles daily.

Source:RNP News

The UN security council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil, and its earnings from workers abroad.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year and, in a last-minute change, demands the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The United States-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4m barrels a year and commits the council to further reductions if it were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea’s foreign ministry said the US was terrified by its nuclear force and was getting “more and more frenzied in the moves to impose the harshest-ever sanctions and pressure on our country”.

The new resolution is tantamount to a complete economic blockade of North Korea, the ministry said.

“We define this ‘sanctions resolution’ rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the region, and categorically reject the ‘resolution’,” the ministry said.

North Korea on 29 November said it successfully tested a new ICBM that put the US mainland within range of its nuclear weapons.

North Korea’s nuclear weapons are a self-defensive deterrence not in contradiction of international law, its foreign ministry added.

“We will further consolidate our self-defensive nuclear deterrence aimed at fundamentally eradicating the US nuclear threats, blackmail and hostile moves by establishing the practical balance of force with the US,” the ministry said.

“The US should not forget [for] even a second the entity of the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea], which rapidly emerged as a strategic state capable of posing a substantial nuclear threat to the US mainland,” it added.

North Korea said those who voted for the sanctions would face Pyongyang’s wrath.

“Those countries that raised their hands in favour of this ‘sanctions resolution’ shall be held completely responsible for all the consequences to be caused by the ‘resolution’ and we will make sure for ever and ever that they pay heavy price for what they have done.“

Tension has been rising over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, which it pursues in defiance of years of UN security council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House.

In November, North Korea demanded a halt to what it called “brutal sanctions”, saying a round imposed after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on 3 September constituted genocide.

US diplomats have made clear they are seeking a diplomatic solution, but proposed the new, tougher sanctions resolution to ratchet up pressure on the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un.

China, with which North Korea does some 90% of its trade, has repeatedly called for calm and restraint from all sides.

The Chinese foreign ministry on Saturday said the new resolution also reiterated the need for a peaceful resolution via talks and that all sides needed to take steps to reduce tensions.

Widely read Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times said on Saturday the tougher resolution was aimed at preventing war and noted the US had compromised, with no indication the UN could grant the US permission for military action.

“The difference between the new resolution and the original US proposal reflects the will of China and Russia to prevent war and chaos on the Korean peninsula. If the US proposals were accepted, only war is foreseeable,” the Global Times said in an editorial.

Mugwaneza was arrested this week in Nyanza after he allegedly attempted to bribe a Police officer with Rwf2, 000 to release his motorcycle.

The motorcycle RB 728X was impounded last month after it was found being used to traffic narcotic drugs.

Meanwhile, Mugabe, who was arrested in Burera had been caught with illicit gin when he offered a bribe of Rwf5, 000 to prevent further legal actions.

While Mugwaneza is currently detained at Byimana Police Station, Mugabe is also detained at Cyanika Police Station pending further investigations to forward their files to prosecution for further legal process.
I
nspector of Police (IP) Innocent Gasasira, the Northern Province Police spokesperson reminded that “corruption has diverse effects on service delivery, governance and development in general.”

“Fighting corruption requires combined efforts of everyone. Let this be a reminder that anyone that will try to bribe a police officer will be arrested to face the law. We also appeal to the general public to desist from such malpractices and report any leaders or anyone they witness or suspect to be soliciting a bribe,” the spokesperson said.

Article 640 of the penal code stipulates that, any person who explicitly or implicitly offers, directly or indirectly proposes or promises a gift or any other illegal benefit, to a person in charge of a service, mission or mandate in order to render a service to him/her or somebody else, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of two to five years and a fine of two to ten times the value of the illegal benefit granted or promised.

Muzungu made the remarks on Wednesday in Mahama Sector while addressing grassroots leaders. The meeting was also attended by residents of the nearby cells of Munini and Mwoga.

The Mayor reminded the leaders that community policing acts as a link between them, residents and the people.

“Security is the responsibility of everyone… it is a shared obligation by every Rwandan but as leaders, it lies in your tasks to guide the people in all aspects of development and security,” Muzungu said.

He urged them to be close to the people, understand their challenges, resolve their misunderstandings and disputes, and guide them to where their wrangles can be addressed without resorting to violent conflicts.

The mayor further reminded them to actively engage the residents for identify and report people involved in trafficking, making and selling illicit drugs, which he said they influence conflicts in families.

“You cannot expect peace and development in a family that is characterized with conflicts. As grassroots leaders, you have a primary responsibility to identify these issues, intervene to settle the community problems or refer them to the right person to help them. If it is a security issue, police or any other security organs should be informed in real time,” Muzungu said.

He appealed to the youth to desist from illegal acts like consuming or dealing in illicit drugs.

Community Policing spearheaded by grassroots leaders, is a philosophy premised on Police Public Partnership and characterised by proactive approaches and activities that combine awareness campaigns against crime with human security initiatives which create opportunities for Police- Public interaction.

It helps to uplift the quality of life for the communities and addresses concerns that would otherwise give rise to security issues and crime.
Source:RNP News

The community sensitization campaign, which also tackled the issue of child pregnancy, was held in the districts of Muhanga, Gisagara, Karongi, Kicukiro, Rwamagana, Nyarugenge, Nyagatare, Nyanza, Huye and Musanze.

It comes at the time when the country and Rwanda National Police (RNP) in particular, has intensified joint efforts to combat the vice said to be still high among the young generation, and influencing other criminal activities like theft, domestic and gender based violence, and causing school dropouts, among others.

While addressing about 1000 youth in Muhanga district, the vice mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Fortune Mukagatana urged them not to engage in abusing such psychotropic substances reminding them that it is both illegal and have side effects to users.

Medical experts say that illicit drugs have health and psychological complications to addicts, including weakening the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections and affecting one’s thinking and causes mental illness.

“You should play individual and collective responsibilities, whether you are at school or holidays to report drug dealers. A healthy, educated and focused generation becomes a resourceful assets for the family, community and the nation,” Mukagatana told the youth.

RNP has intensified operations in different parts of the country to break chains of supply especially cannabis, as means to prevent consumption.

At least 45 illegal distilleries that were making illicit brew, was closed in the Eastern Province alone, last month. This was after it came to light that only 20 percent of the 104 distilleries in the Eastern, were licensed.

A report by RBS released last month, also indicated that out of 27 distilleries inspected in the Northern Province, only seven fulfilled the requirements while 19 out of 32 found in the Southern Province were also closed.
{{Source: Police News}}

JHPIEGO is an international non-profit organization affiliated with the Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America.

RMH medical team provided many services including provoluntary male circumcision by prepex and surgeon, HIV/AIDS voluntary testing and counseling, eye, dental and skin diseases treatments.

The exercise was in the framework of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) social responsibility through medical outreach.

Closing the two-week medical activities at Iwawa Centre, the Clinical Division Manager at RMH, Lt Col Dr. Schadrack NGAMIJE, expressed gratitude to the youth, the US Embassy through US Department of Defence for partnering with RDF.

HE told the youth that they need to seriously take the facilities and skills they are receiving.

“You should be proud of your country’s leadership that wisely put in place such important facilities to change your life for the better”, said Dr Ngamije.

He reassured that Rwanda Military Hospital will continue to support all initiatives aimed at providing decent health care to the Rwandans in need and particularly to the youth under rehabilitation at Iwawa.

Dr. Eugene Zimurinda, the JHPIEGO Country Coordinator, commended the partnership between US Department of Defence and RDF in promoting health care among the youth.

He told the youth who underwent voluntary circumcision, HIV/AIDS voluntary testing and counseling that the act reduces infection risk at 60% but it does not give them full protection.

The Coordinator of Iwawa Rehabilitation and Vocational Skills Development Centre, Nicolas Niyongabo appreciated RDF for taking part in establishing the Center and its existence.

He thanked RMH and partners for their precious support to the youth at Iwawa. He urged Rwandans in general to accept and accommodate the youth who are graduating from Iwawa as nice and friendly youth.

“Do not fear them, they are no longer bad people, they have changed for good,” said Niyongabo.

According to RMH officials, the just concluded medical outreach is part of a wider campaign aimed at fighting HIV among the youth.

Charamba said in a statement that Chiwenga, who retired from the military last week after leading a military intervention that resulted in former president Robert Mugabe’s resignation in November, was appointed to the same position together with Minister of Defense and War Veterans Kembo Mohadi.

Mohadi belongs to the old PF-Zapu, which was led by late Vice President Joshua Nkomo who signed a unity accord with then President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF to form the united Zanu-PF.

The two’s appointments pave the way for them to be appointed the country’s vice presidents.