Author: IGIHE

Launching the ongoing road safety campaign yesterday, Police said that from January this year to October, 1765 motorcycles were involved in road accidents and killed 132 people while 251 sustained injuries.

Under the campaign, Police continue to preach road safety to all road users. Police urged pedestrians, motorcycle riders and car drivers to respect traffic rules and avoid misconduct that could lead to accidents.
Under the campaign, on Kigali-Rwamagana highway, the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana urged all road users to respect traffic rules.

“It is your responsibility to fight against accidents by avoiding drunk driving as well as using handsets among others,” he said.

Speaking to the media, the police spokesperson, ACP Theos Badege said that police commissioners and senior officers have participated in the campaign from across the country sensitizing people about road safety.

Badege explained that statistics shows that accidents take lives of at least one person on a daily basis in the country.

He said it is a matter of concern that should be tackled and reduce numbers through putting in place different measures that will involve administering harsher sanctions.

“We are going to revise the laws, introduce tough penalties and persistent poor drivers and riders risk having their permits revoked and serving longer jail terms.

Mnangagwa, who was Mugabe’s deputy for decades, was removed from his post before an apparent coup restored him to power. He returned to the capital, Harare, on Wednesday, after hiding out following his dismissal by Mugabe earlier in November.

He’s scheduled to address the nation shortly afterward.

He gave a speech Wednesday night at his ZANU-PF party’s headquarters, after returning to the country, promising to lead the nation into a “new and unfolding democracy,”

On Thursday, Mugabe and his wife Grace, whose political ambitions were thwarted by the apparent coup which allowed Mnangagwa’s rise to power, were granted immunity, allowing the couple to remain in the country. Mugabe may not attend the inauguration, according to Zimbabwe’s Herald newspaper, which said he needed time to rest.

While the incoming leader isn’t expected to represent a significant shift in the country’s politics, ordinary Zimbabweans are thrilled that Mugabe has been removed.

The 93-year-old, until recently one of the world’s longest-serving head of state, was once a freedom fighter who ushered in Zimbabwe’s independence from the UK almost four decades ago. He has since presided over mass alleged human rights violations and ruinous economic policies.

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With the new agreement, Rwanda will increase market availability to 62 destination countries.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the 3rd Annual International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO) World Aviation Forum 2017 taking place in the city of Abuja.
The three day event started from 20th to 22nd November 2017 and held under the theme “Financing the Development of Aviation Infrastructure”.

“The Bilateral Air Service Agreement with Cape Verde is expected to open more potential market opportunities for RwandAir and Rwanda’s private sector providing more economic momentum to the Rwandan and African economies,” Uwihanganye said.

At the same event he also negotiated the Bilateral Air Service Agreement with the Republic of Nigeria which is expected to be signed in Kigali in a few weeks.
Through the agreement, Nigeria would be granting Abuja as the second entry point for RwandAir after Lagos. Abuja is expected to be opened in January 2018.

The Government of Rwanda already has 60 Bilateral Air Service Agreement in place. There are 24 bilateral agreements with African states and the rest are with countries outside the continent. The move has been a deliberate, consistent and strategic effort by the Government of Rwanda to increase air connectivity and deepen trade in Africa and beyond.

Sirleaf was speaking in a conversation with Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) Director General, Ledgerhood Rennie.

Sirleaf whose mandate is about to end said she hopes to retire in the interest of Liberia and Africa and be active in private life. .

“I need to retire gracefully,” she said.

Addressing a wide range of issues in Liberia, Sirleaf expressed satisfaction in Liberian women’s resolve not to be backbenchers anymore in decision making and working for the common good of Liberia.

“After my service as a president, it may seem a far distant call for another woman but one thing I am sure of is that there are women in the queue already who are demonstrating their preparedness to serve in many areas of national leadership,” she said.

“I pray that as Rwanda has the highest number of women representation at the parliament, one day we will get there. I have the hope and confidence in the women of Africa to rise above all odds and support their male counterparts in building countries on our continent,” she said adding that Rwanda is the only African country in the world that has sixty percent female lawmakers in parliament.

In Rwanda, women occupy 64% seats in parliament.

The VisaFreeAfrica campaign, launched by the Kigali Global Shapers during the World Economic Forum for Africa in 2016 includes a global petition that calls for all 54 African countries to grant a 30-day visa on arrival to all African citizens by 2022.

For the past 30 years, the African Union has attempted to address free movement on the continent. The “Agenda 2063” plan to introduce a common African passport by 2020 is in motion but African citizens still need visas to travel to 42 out of 54 African countries.

The NAS and VFA partnership took roots at the World Economic Forum meeting held in Davos, Switzerland in January 2017 and was formalized almost immediately. NAS, the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets, has made a five-year commitment to support this campaign which will be implemented in several African countries in the coming months.

Michaella Rugwizangoga, ‎Curator at World Economic Forum Global Shapers said, “With support from National Aviation Services, the Kigali Shapers will be able to better coordinate a continental effort towards open African borders and facilitate the removal of visa requirements on the continent.”

Hassan El-Houry, NAS Group CEO, said “As a partner in Africa’s development, we are aware of the mobility issues faced by youth and businesses in the region. With our investments in the region and by supporting Visa Free Africa, we continue to drive efforts for the development of the continent and its people.”

NAS operates across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, with a presence at 30 airports, managing more than 31 airport lounges and handling seven of the world’s top 10 airlines. The target is to achieve free movement of people across all African countries by 2030.

{{Labour mobility for Africa’s development}}

In addition to the petition, Global Shapers across the African continent are engaging their leaders and policy makers in dialogues about the need to ease mobility on the continent. Through this initiative, African youth will find a platform to voice the reasons why facilitating movement of people across the continent now can fast track the continent’s 2063 Agenda.

On a global scale, Africa’s competitiveness is tied to labor mobility. With the African market set to grow to two billion by 2050, greater integration and human mobility is the need of the hour. Liberal visa policies will help boost tourism revenues, foster new business opportunities and facilitate economic growth. It will also open up new job opportunities to the 60 percent of African youth that is currently unemployed.

The Kigali Global Shapers are part of a global network of 600 hubs under the umbrella of the World Economic Forum. Hubs are developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, achievements and drive to make a contribution to their communities. The community encompasses 7,000 change makers.

Established in 2012 by Founding Curator Diana Mpyisi, the Kigali Hub has now positioned itself as one of the most active and impactful youth-led groups in Rwanda.