Author: IGIHE

Bharti Airtel has entered into a definitive agreement with Millicom International Cellular under which Airtel Rwanda Limited will acquire 100% equity interest in Tigo Rwanda Limited, thus consolidating the Rwandan telecom market by putting Airtel has a strong No 2 operator in Rwanda.

The consideration for the transaction is based on approximately 6x EBITDA multiple, payable over two years, the carrier said in a statement on Tuesday. The agreement is subject to regulatory and statutory approvals.

“Airtel has taken proactive steps in Africa to consolidate and realign the market structure in the last few remaining countries where its operations are lagging on account of lower market share and presence of too many operators. Airtel and Tigo have already merged their operations to create a strong viable entity in Ghana. Today, it has taken yet another important step to acquire Tigo Rwanda to become a profitable and a strong challenger in a two-player market,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel.

The move comes within days of Mittal admitting that it’s Africa investment was ‘a bit rushed’ and should have been done with a little more due diligence.

Over the years Airtel has been solidifying its market position to become a key player in the continent with in-country acquisitions. In the past, Airtel acquired assets in Uganda (Warid) and Congo B (Warid), Kenya (yu Mobile) and consolidated operations in Ghana (Millicom). In a recent interview with ET, Mittal said that the company would look at consolidation in countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania through mergers, acquisitions or both, even as the overall Africa business was turning a corner.

“We are also committed to the long term viability of our operations in two other countries i.e. Kenya and Tanzania, to ensure that in 2018 all our 15 operations in Africa start contributing positive margins and cash flows towards a healthy and profitable Airtel Africa,” Mittal added.

Under the agreement, customers of a Airtel and Millicom in Rwanda, will benefit from a wider network, affordable voice and data services, and superior customer care.

The existing customers of Tigo Rwanda will join Airtel’s global network, which currently serves over 370 million customers across 17 countries.

Raghunath Mandava, MD and CEO, Airtel Africa, said, “The acquisition reinforces our commitment to the Rwanda market and is a significant step towards creating a stronger presence in the country. It will create synergies with our existing business and help boost operational efficiencies in the market.”

On completion, the proposed acquisition will undergo seamless integration, both on the customer as well as the network side, and further strengthen our market position, he added.

In the quarter ended September, Airtel Africa reported a 2.8% increase in revenue to $782 million, where the operating profit margins improved by 9% on-year for the quarter. The region reported a profit of $48 million as opposed to a loss of $91 million in the same quarter a year before. At the end of September, it had total debt of Rs 91,480 crore.
{{Source:economictimes.indiatimes.com}}

During the meeting, the officalss exchanged ideas on the prevailing political and security situation in Central African Republic, in South Sudan and in the region.

Lacroix expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Rwanda for its contribution to peacekeeping and commended the excellent performance of the Rwandan peacekeepers troops whenever they are on UN missions.

The discussions also reviewed the progress of the ongoing negotiations over UN request for the Government of Rwanda to contribute more troops to MINUSCA. The additional force which is expected to be deployed to the Central African Republic by February 2018 will reinforce UN operations and address recurrent attacks against the population.

Rwanda currently maintains troops and other personnel that include a Level-Two hospital and other UN staff in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Rwandan troops are specifically charged with providing security for high-ranking government officials, including the President and securing key state institutions.

Mushikiwabo thanked Lacroix for the visit and reassured him of Rwanda’s commitment to support peace in Africa and elsewhere in the world.

Mr. Lacroix took up the post of UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations on April 1st this year, replacing Hervé Ladsous.

The eleven-week compulsory course for NCOs is designed to further improve the skills of the officers in various fields of Policing.

The course covers topics like public order management, leadership and management, road safety rules and regulations, field-craft and civic education, among others.

The Commandant of PTS, Commissioner of Police (CP) Vianney Nshimiyimana, while officially closing the course, said that training forms a big part of Rwanda National Police towards service excellence and professionalism.

“Training and skills development is a continuous process, this is neither the first nor the last training; as the policing landscape evolves it necessitates officers also to informed and skilled to tackle such challenges,” CP Nshimiyimana said.

“The mission of Rwanda National Police is for people in Rwanda to be safe, involved and reassured, and this is the duty that officers are trained to sustainably achieve.

The institutions and Rwandans in general expect you to be catalysts to ensure security of the people and their property,” he added.

Training is one of the major priorities on RNP, with PTS, the National Police College (NPC) and the Counter-Terrorism Training Centre (CTTC) in Mayange, Bugesera District taking charge.

{{Source:RNP News}}

The ANC announced on Monday that Ramaphosa had defeated Dlamini-Zuma, the former chairperson of the African Union Commission and President Jacob Zuma’s preferred candidate, to become the leader of Africa’s oldest liberation movement.

More than 4,700 delegates cast their ballot in a marathon voting session that began late on Sunday and continued until mid-morning on Monday.

Ramaphosa won 2,440 votes to Dlamini-Zuma’s 2,261.

He will replace Zuma as ANC president and almost certainly run for the country’s presidency when South Africa takes to the polls in 2019.

Zuma will remain as South Africa’s president until then, but it is possible that Ramaphosa and the new national executive may recall him over a series of allegations of corruption that has dogged his tenure as president.

{{Marathon session}}

The announcement of the results marked the end of a bitter leadership race that threatened to split the party, with the two leading candidates presenting completely different visions for the future of the country.

Voting had been initially delayed after ANC officials battled to vet delegates, forcing the conference itself to start late. Hundreds of delegates were also disqualified from voting.

The markets reacted immediately to the news, with the South African currency, the rand, strengthening to the dollar.

Ramaphosa, a successful businessman and one of South Africa’s wealthiest people, ran on a campaign to fight corruption and increase economic growth.

Analysts said he was seen as the more “credible” candidate and a possible antidote to the recent failures of the ANC under Zuma.

{{‘Divided party’}}

Ayesha Omar, a lecturer in political science at Wits University, said that many will consider Ramaphosa’s victory as “a kind of renewal and painful end to the kleptocracy of the Zuma order”.

“Ramaphosa illustrates a political will to defeat corruption, strengthen governance and help restore collapsing state institutions,” Omar told Al Jazeera.
Omar added, however, that the same could not be said of Ramaphosa’s fellow ANC apointees, Deputy President David Mabuza and Secretary General Elias Sekgobelo “Ace” Magashoula, describing their election as “deeply concerning”.

“I am not convinced that South Africa is on the birth of democratic regeneration as this result points to an internally factionalised ANC,” said Omar.

“While Ramaphosa might have won the leadership battle, it’s not clear whether he will have enough traction over a divided National Executive Council (NEC) to steer South Africa into a brighter political future.”

{{Zuma ‘bowing out happy’}}

Snuki Zikalala, president of the ANC veteran’s league, told Al Jazeera that the results were “largely successful”.

“The margin was very tight and ultimately we can only choose the leaders we deserve,” he said.

But Zikalala bemoaned the lack of gender diversity in the party’s top six positions – just one woman, Deputy Secretary-General Jesse Duarte, made it into the ANC’s most influential posts.

These top NEC positions are now split almost 50-50 between the two competing factions, in what is being seen as an attempt at unity following the hard-fought leadership contest.

Earlier on Monday, Zuma told reporters that he was leaving his post as ANC president satisfied.

“I’m bowing out very happy because I think … I made my contribution. So I am very happy.”

In his final address as ANC president on Saturday, Zuma appeared to endorse Dlamini-Zuma when he said that it was a milestone that there were three female candidates in the initial seven-way race for the party’s leadership.

He also blamed ill-discipline among party cadres and factionalism for the failures of the ANC. He made, however, no mention of the ways in which he had brought the party into disrepute over several allegations of corruption.
{{SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS}}

The two-day operation which started on Friday saw these cars impounded and held at the district offices.

The operation follows the last month directive that allows only farmers’ cooperatives to do irish potato dealership.

However, drivers claim that they have authorization from Irish potato collection centers detailing the volume and their origin. According to drivers, they are not aware of whether their authorizations are genuine or not.

According to Alexandre Muhire, though his car was impounded, he has authorization from the representative of the cooperative from which he bought the Irish potatoes.

“It is now the second day since my car was detained. We were told that we should not deal in Irish potatoes unless we have authorization from collection centers. I have authorization from the representatives but I do not know about its guarantee. This is the problem that should be solved by the collection centers,” he said.

Musanze Vice-Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Development, Augustin Ndabereye, said that documents of new directives are yet to reach all collection centers, adding that they will share them very soon so that the affected dealers can seek authorization before they are given back their cars.

When visiting the Northern and Western Provinces last month, Prime Minister Dr Eduard Ngirente found that collection centers were fleecing farmers with giveaway prices and put all Irish potatoes dealership into the hands of farmers’ cooperatives.

Debonheur made the remarks last week while addressing the youth who were attending Itorero Urunana rw’Urungano, a training that attracted youth from different walks to learn about different programmes of the country’s life.

Minister Debonheur reminded that Rwandan refugees will lose the refugee status from 1st January, 2018, a decision that will affect those who fled the country between 1959 and 1998.

She encouraged the refugees to return home and to not worry of poverty because the country supports all returnees with all means for their reintegration.

“Some fear to face challenges like poverty, hunger and insecurity among others, but contrary, all these challenges are not there. Those who return are provided with three-month meals plus $250 to old people and 150 to children per head respectively. Actually this is a good foundation for life,” she said.

She said that returnees are also provided with life skills and supported with toolkits to start leading their life.

Debonheur urged refugees with development activities in host countries to get registered with the Rwandan embassies so that they continue to operate as Rwandans living there for business purposes but not as refugees.

She tasked youth from the Diaspora to be good ambassadors who encourage Rwandans living abroad to come home.

“Try to convince fellow youth to go back to their country. I hope you are capable to do this. As you have witnessed the development in the country and other available opportunities, tell them to ignore false information they have out there,” she urged.

At least 6,000 returnees have been recorded by MIDIMAR from July to December, this year.

The cohort was trained in painting, tiling and masonry, the skills which will help them compete on the labour market. Graduates received their certificates at the headquarters of IPRC- East in Ngoma District, last week.

The training was offered under ‘TVET partnership project’ programme supported by German Chamber of Skilled Crafts (CSC), the Association of Contractors (AEBTP), Workforce Development Authority (WDA) and IPRC East.

TVET stands for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

The programme aims at skills and capacity development where students learn and they do internships in different companies through the programme known as ‘dual training’.

The Vice-Principal in charge of Academics and Training at IPRC-East, Eng. Rita Clemence Mutabazi said there is need for more in the programme to tackle the shortage of qualified employees on the labour market.

“We have witnessed the difference between existing teaching system and dual training. I am optimistic that if more efforts were invested in this programme, it would result in sustainable solution for qualified employees,” she said.

The ’TVET partnership project’ coordinator, Matti Tomingas affirmed that trainees are well skilled and urged them to choose either being employed, creating their own businesses or to continue learning.

The six-year project was launched in Rwanda in 2014 and will end in 2020.