Author: IGIHE

The World Tourism Award for Visionary Leadership is being presented to HE President Paul Kagame “in recognition of HE Paul Kagame’s visionary leadership through a policy of reconciliation, sustainable tourism, wildlife conservation, and economic development attracting major hotel investment, resulting in the remarkable turnaround that has led to Rwanda’s rise as one of the leading tourism destinations in Africa today.”

Under the visionary leadership of HE President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has achieved remarkable tourism success and has been established on the global stage as a leading sustainable tourism destination in Africa today.

Tourism, Rwanda’s number one foreign exchange earner, has played a crucial role in the country’s development. Revenue from tourism has doubled from US$200 million in 2010 to US$404 million in 2016 indicating an annual average increase of 10%, surpassing the National Export Strategy II target in 2016 by 13%. Over 1.3 million tourists visited Rwanda in 2016. Visitor arrivals for the same period (2010-2016) have increased by 12% annually against a backdrop of UNWTO arrivals in global emerging markets bench-marked at 3.3% for the same period. The tourism sector in Rwanda is expected to grow at 15% per annum.

As a preferred investment destination, Rwanda has instituted several initiatives to ensure a conducive environment for business. To date, Rwanda is considered as the 2nd competitive destination for business in Africa according the 2017 WEF Global Competitiveness Report, and this has encouraged even more foreign investment in the tourism sector.

Prioritizing infrastructure development within the travel and tourism sector with over $1Billion invested into significant contributors such as RwandAir, enabling it to expand its routes globally to 23 destinations as well as increase its airlift capacity with two new A330 Airbus aircraft. The next major development in this sector is the commencement of the new international Bugesera Airport.

The construction of Kigali Convention Center now positions Rwanda as an international conference and meetings destination. The addition of over 1,600 international brands four and five-star lodge and hotel rooms, including Marriott, Radisson Blu, Bisate by Wilderness Safaris and One & Only Nyungwe House, Ubumwe Grande that has been acquired by Double Tree by Hilton has resulted in the creation of over 90,000 jobs in the overall hospitality industry.

Sustainability is critical to a sound tourism policy and Rwanda has ensured that 10% of all tourism revenue is given back to the communities surrounding the Country’s four national parks. This money is used to fund local priority projects such as schools, health centers and business that promote sustainability benefiting thousands of Rwandans.

Rwanda’s Conservation efforts have made a major impact on the growth of the world-renowned mountain gorilla population by 26.3% since the last census in 2010. The Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is now home to 305 mountain gorillas which accounts for more than half the population in the Virunga Massif.

Other conservation milestones in Rwanda took place in the Akagera National Park, where fencing of the park led to a reduction in human-wildlife conflict. Also in Akagera, there was the recent reintroduction of lions and rhinos. There is also a marked reduction in poaching throughout the country, for example in 2013, more than 2000 snares were collected from the park whereas in 2017, only 1 snare was collected. Similarly, in 2017, no arrests were made compared to back in 2013 when more than 200 poachers’ arrests were made.

Another major conservation achievement was the proclamation of Gishwati Mukura National Park bringing the total number of national parks to four with 9% of land now managed as protected national parks.

Source: eTN

It is in line with that philosophy that the government of Rwanda, working with Energy Private Developers (EPD) organised a two-day conference to discuss renewable energy for sustainable growth.

The Conference organised under the partnership of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), ERF and The Renewable Energy Cooperation Program (RECP) attracted more than 200 participants including international, regional as well as local players in the energy sector.

The event served as a platform for key energy players to share ideas on how to increase off grid connectivity across the country and achieve 100% universal access to electricity by 2024.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer at Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi stressed the importance of the forum in promoting renewable energy in Rwanda through the contribution of the private sector.

She reminded the attendees that there are some incentives in place to facilitate investors within the energy sector.

“This forum is crucial in attracting more investments in order to increase accessibility, affordability and availability of electricity in Rwanda as per Rwanda Government seven year program. So far RDB has signed 40 Public Private Agreements within the energy sector, proving our country’s business friendly environment in providing affordable frameworks for investors.”

The Minister of Infrastructure, James Musoni said that the government is committed to working closely with the private sector in increasing off grid connectivity in remote areas of the country and scale up the current demand.

“It is important for us as government to make sure that energy is availed for all. We are currently focused on promoting off grid power connections in the country for the simple reason that it is more affordable and sustainable. This is why we also encourage more innovative economic models as we are ready to facilitate private sector developers in Rwanda.”

The Chairman Energy Private Developers, Dr. Ivan Twagirashema talked about Rwanda’s current national strategies and the need for more private sector innovations in the country.

“There are two main objectives for this forum, one, to promote inward investments and two discuss challenges in the industry and address them with a clear road map,” he said

“Thanks to the business friendly environment in Rwanda, public and private sector leaders are able to engage in dialogue and solve issues intertwined within the energy sector and ensure that products and services are more affordable to consumers,” he added.

Power generation in Rwanda stands at 210.9 MW installed capacity. Hydro power accounts 48%, thermal 32%, PV 5.7% and methane to power 14.3%. As per Rwanda Energy Group Report in August 2017, Rwanda has achieved 40.5% access rate, of which on-grid access represents 29.5% while off grid represents 11%.

Rwanda looks forward to achieving universal access of electricity (100%) by 2024, with on grid connections representing 52% and off grid 48%.

Mrs. Kagame was speaking about unity and reconciliation in the Global Citizen Forum Thursday in Montenegro, under the theme ‘Opportunities in the age of uncertainty’

She said that before 1994, the politics of division had gradually weaved its way into the everyday lives of Rwandans, culminated in one of the worst tragedies ever, genocide.

“One million lives were brutally cut short, through a hateful wave of killings that would mark the psyche of our nation for generations to come. Hundreds of thousands of women were viciously raped, and subsequently infected with HIV/AIDS; while 50,000 widows and 75,000 orphans survived the tragedy. The physical wounds have since healed, but the emotional scars still linger” she said.

She said that the 100 days of genocide marked a total failure of the concept of ‘global citizenship’ and its needed civic responsibility where international communities left people who were being killed.

She said that Tutsi, Hutu and Twa are ethnic fabric of the Rwandan society contrary to before colonial period, where they had been living together in peaceful environment.

First lady said that Rwandans embraced new mindset, which empowered them with the ability to shape their future.

“We viewed education as a powerful tool, able to drive the advancement of entire communities, so we also focused on increasing the number of primary, secondary, and tertiary education institutions to help realize the economic and social transformation, envisioned in our national development plans” she said

“As a rule, we believe in building bridges with all peoples and cultures, despite, or perhaps because of, a past marked by exclusion for many of us, who grew up in Rwanda or in exile” she noted.

She said that such reasoning led the country to work towards the repatriation of Rwandan refugees to their home country, by establishing socio-economic programmes facilitating their return, ahead of the cessation clause of Rwandan refugee status, set for the end of December 2017.

“We also believe that there is more to be gained at a human and economic level, by opening up to others. That is why we made a conscious decision to allow Rwandans to hold a double citizenship, to advocate for a no-visa policy within Africa, in line with our continental policy for Free Movement of People, Goods and Services, and more generally, to simplify travel processes for every visitor” she explained.

She said that as Rwanda was marked with terrible past, the country decided to play part, in the protection of other threatened populations across the World

“We have for instance welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees and provided them, with access to the same education and health programmes services that our citizens benefit from, as we believe that refugees or not, they are human beings, who deserve nothing less than to be treated with dignity” she explained

She told participants to understand that ‘races’ are not biological and urged humans to make one big ‘race’, with more similarities than differences.

When we accept that in the grand scheme of things, we are more together, than the sum of each of us alone; then it becomes possible to turn fearful circumstances into great opportunities, because then fear disappears from the equation, and love and oneness takes its place, said Mrs Kagame

The Global Citizen Forum is a two day event, attended by global leaders, industry visionaries, entrepreneurs as well as celebrities

They called the government to expel the organization from the country and open a lawsuit against them as the report aimed at destabilizing Rwanda.

Lawmakers were yesterday speaking during a consultative meeting on HRW’s report dubbed ‘All Thieves Must Be Killed’ that was released in July.

The report says that 37 people were killed by Army, Police, Reserve Force and DASSO in Rubavu and Rutsiro Districts of Western Province.

However, the Rwanda Commission for Human Rights denounces the report saying that some individuals pronounced as dead in the report are still alive while others died of
natural causes.

{{Lawmakers’ Reaction}}

MP Constance Rwaka Mukayuhi said that endless HRW reports on Rwanda are aimed at weakening the development of the country which should be fought. Senator Gallican Niyongana said that it is disappointing to hear of people pronounced dead yet they are alive and carrying on with normal life, saying they have demonstrated lack of professionalism in their sham activities. HRW should demonstrate professionalism and produce evidence-based reports, he said.

“I wonder whether anouncing a living person as dead leaves any iota of merit in the organization. This is disgusting,” he said.

“The government should examine whether we should renew the working relationship with HRW when they blatantly flout terms and conditions,” he said.

MP Jean Pierre Hindura said that HRW employees are intentionally targeting the President of the Republic and Rwandan security.

“This report was released during the time we were approaching presidential election period; so, I think you understand well their targets,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Abbas Mukama said that HRW should be expelled from Rwanda because they have demonstrated their inability in more ways than one.
“Let’s expel them. We also expelled BBC and moved on. It is time to end working with HRW,” he insisted.

Parliament will decide on the HRW activities in Rwanda and hand their resolutions to government for action.

• Calliope Harelimana joined Sabena as assistant aircraft technician in 1979
• He was a farmer who completed primary education only
• His knowledge of French language got him a job
• He started job earning Rwf12,000 monthly, so much money considering then currency value compared to today’s value
• He was able to repair planes after eight years learning from a Belgian engineer
• Sabena was dissolved in 2001 and replaced by SN Brussels in 2002 which re-employed Harelimana as a car driver.
• He is paying university’s fees for four children, owns good house in Kigali
• Brussels Airlines covers his and children’s medical costs 100%
• 38 years working for airline companies, Harelimana has never taken flight despite offer of free flights.
• He plans to have three flights abroad, first to Brussels, before retiring.

Harelimana, then 21 years old, was tilling lands in his area of Muyunzwe, Gishweru, now in Ruhango District when his brother’s friend, Jean Damascene Mwumvaneza, asked for a replacement from Sabena technical dockets to join the staff van driving job.

“Mwumvaneza told my brother to bring him that young man (me) who was always number one in class but never got chance to continue to secondary school. I was able to speak French and that was enough to do the job of assisting the Belgian engineer by doing as instructed during the repairing of the plane,” says Harelimana.

When Sabena, former Belgian national carrier, was dissolved in November 2001, Harelimana waited for awhile before SN Brussels took over using some Sabena’s assets and Harelima was re-employed in April 2002 as a car driver. SN Brussels later changed name to Brussels Airlines, keeping Harelimana in the docket till now.

Father of four, Harelimana says he enjoyed much seeing a plane fly after his and fellow senior engineer’s work on a breakdown. “Eight years of learning from my chief engineer, I was able to work on planes’ technical problems and my supervisor would come after to check on the authenticity of my work. For over 20 years in technical job, we faced around 10 serious plane’s breakdowns which took intervention of a technical team from Belgium,” he says.

Harelimana has always found his motivation in good work environment, timely pay and pride of working for giant companies. He started at a salary of Rwf3,500, plus allowances of Rwf8,500 monthly.

“My supervisor said he would get my salary increased after my probation time but I told him the pay was good enough. Rwf12,000 was a lot of money that time and few people were paid such amount which can be equated to Rwf600,000 currently considering the value of franc in the 1970s,” he says.

{{A journey well travelled }}

Harelimana first extended pride of working with airlines to his family as he put down his father’s old houses and developed new and better ones immediately after getting into the job. He, as well, paid school fees for some family members. He later built his own house near the Kigali International Airport in Kanombe where he currently lives. He got married in 1990 and produced four children before his wife passed away 15 years ago.

Harelimana is able to pay private university’s fees for four children and provide them with all the required materials, thanks to “my good salary and cash from two rented houses.” The job also got him many friends in the country and abroad. “Belgians treat employees well. They pay good salary on time and lend me when I need money for children’s school fees,” he says.

When he started the job in 1979, Harelimana was told he is entitled to free flights for holidays abroad but he has never used the chance.

“I have never been on a plane because I found it better spending some Rwf400,000 on building houses and supporting family members than spending that on tours abroad. I have spent 38 years in this job without making any flight but I want to have at least three flights abroad before going for retirement,” he says.

Harelimana, 59, says he will have put aside all heavy responsibilities by September 2018 and will have his first flight to visit Brussels where he has many friends and former bosses.

Harelimana says the secret to retain a job lies in loving it and avoid misconduct at work and in society. He worked with many Rwandans before 1994 but he remains in the company with one, Mwumvaneza, to whom he sends his gratitude over getting him into the job.

The award is given to change makers in good governance, sciences, arts, sports and industries.

The head of state was awarded Wednesday evening at the International Achievement Summit in London.

Speaking during the summit, Kagame said that true achievement is not individual.

“Alone, none of us can accomplish much. When we apply our talents toward the common good, with those around us, we can transform our world for the better” he said.

Speaking about rebuilding the country, Kagame said; “Today, we have a country that has come together, united as never before, and which makes everyone proud”

He continued to say Rwandans believed that it was possible,despite enormous odds.

“So, we just kept going, until the vision became a reality” he added

Asked to speak about his role model, President Kagame said that he is inspired by Rwandan people.

“Only honest answer I can give is the people of Rwanda who suffered so much, yet refused to be defeated” he replied.

Kagame said that in terms of practical governance, what they did was to ensure everyone felt they were treated equally.

Photos by Village Urugwiro