Author: IGIHE

Ngirente was speaking Friday while presiding over the ‘2017 Taxpayers Appreciation Day’ in Kigali.

The day was celebrated under the theme ‘My Tax, My Development, My Dignity’

Statistics show that in 2016/207 fiscal year, taxes contributed 56.4% whereas in 2017/2018 will contribute to 66% to financing the national budget . According to Ngirente, this is a proof of how taxes contribute to developmental activities like constructing infrastructure, classrooms, hospitals and electricity among others.

He challenged people who are reluctant to pay taxes, to change their mindsets towards understanding tax payment as a contribution in building the nation.

“I would like to remind people who evade taxes and those who delay to pay them to change their mindsets and understand that tax payment is everyone’s responsibility. It benefits both taxpayers and the country in general.

We should know that no country could develop without the contribution of its population” he said.

He said that in seven years, the government will achieve the target of being self-reliant through increasing tax revenues.

Ngirente said that the government target to increase investment by promoting Made in Rwanda and increasing exportation and their added value.

The Commissioner General of Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Richard Tusabe hailed the role of government in mobilizing more taxpayers.

He stated some challenges like tax evasion and called upon the government’s contribution in tackling the problem

According to RRA, in 2016/2017 fiscal year, they collected a total of Rwf1,086.5 billion whereas they target Rwf1,215 billion in 2017/2018

A report released on July 5, 2017, HRW says that different people were killed by the Army, Police, Reserve Forces and DASSO while others were killed by individuals following orders by local leaders.

Dubbed ‘All Thieves Must Be Killed’, the report says that at least 37 people were killed in Rubavu and Rutsiro Districts of Western Province over petty crimes like robbery, drug dealing, illegal cross border crossing and illegal fishing among others.

According to the Chairperson for the Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights, Madeleine Nirere, people who were claimed executed are still alive and others who were confirmed dead, had died following natural diseases.

{{A look into the findings }}

According to the Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights, seven people reported executed in the HRW report are alive and these include; Tharcisse Nsanzabera, Alphonse Majyambere, Daphrose Nyirabavakure, Jovan Karasankima, Elias Habyalimana, Donati Nzamwitakuze and Emmanuel Hanyurwabake.

In the HRW report, names of one person are mistaken.The report talks about Pascal Nsabiyeze while the commission says correct names are Alias Nsabiyeze.

According to the commission, four persons reportedly killed in the report, have died of natural diseases. These
are; Thaddé Uwintwali, Jean Kanyesoko, Innocent Habimana and Jean Damascène Ntiriburakaryo

Rwanda National Commission says that six persons died as a results of various accidents though HRW reports that they were executed by the Rwanda Defence Forces, National Police or DASSO officers.

These include, Jean de Dieu Bihibindi, Samuel Minani, Amurani Bazangirabate, Djuma Ntakingora, Vedaste Renzaho, Emmanuel Ntamuhanga.

The commission says that one person reportedly executed by the Rwanda Defence Forces or police officers was shot dead by the Congolese soldiers. The person was identified as Moise Tuyisenge.

Also one person reportedly executed by an RDF soldier in HRW report; the Commission says they found out that the perpetrator was procecuted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was identified as Emmanuel Nzitakuze.

The commission rejects accusations of two people reported by the HRW to have been killed by individuals on orders from authorities, saying that they established that perpetrators were prosecuted and sentenced by courts as they committed the offence on their own behalf. These include, Jean Claude Barayavuga and Théoneste Uzamutuma.

Rwanda National Commission for Human Rights also said that ten people were reported to have been executed, but the commission says that they are unknown in local administrative entities singled out in HRW report.

These people include, Innocent Mbarushimana, Jean Damascène Ntahondereye, Emmanuel Niyigena, Nzabandora Ndayishimiye, Hakuzimana Basabose, Naftal Nteziriza, François Buhagarike, Alexandre Bemeriki, Jean de Dieu Habiyaremye and Vincent Nshimiyimana.

“The allegation that 10 persons reported by HRW to have been executed by the Rwanda military or police officers after being accused of theft and executed on orders according to which all thieves must be killed is not true. At different times, those individuals were shot while crossing the Cyanzarwe Valley from the DRC, during the night; a pathway usually used by FDLR elements to cross to Rwanda and disrupt security. Local authorities have forbidden residents to cross the valley during the night for security purposes”, Madeleine said.

These people include; Ernest Tuyishime, Jeanine Nirere, Benjamin Niyonzima, Innocent Nshimiyimana, Fulgence Rukundo, Gasore, Prosper Iradukunda, Joseph Mukeshimana, Pierre Hakizimana, Muke Flavien alias Basare.

IGIHE has caught up with William McIntyre, Regional Director for Southern Africa for Carlson Rezidor, on the sidelines of African Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Kigali on Tuesday, to learn about the giant brand’s ambitions in Rwanda and the region.

About Rwanda, McIntyre said, “We are very confident of our investment in Rwanda and everything is set perfectly for Kigali in particular to become a hub of meetings and events, and a tourism hub. We are currently focusing on increasing our occupancy which will tie in with the increase in tourism in the country.”

He said, in the region covering South Africa, Mauritius, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Gabon and Rwanda, Carlson Rezidor boasts of 20 hotels in operation and six under development while they target to add at least 40 hotels under their strategic Destination 2022.

Carlson Rezidor put its footprint on the continent in 2000 with the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa but over the last three years, it has signed a new hotel deal in Africa every 37 days and improved its hotel openings to open a new hotel every 60 days, leading to a great expansion currently featuring 80 hotels with 17,200 rooms in operation and under development. The target is to have over 23,000 rooms in Africa by 2022.

South African national, McIntyre has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with his most recent role as COO for the largest hospitality real estate fund in Southern Africa, Hospitality Property Fund.

He elaborated on Carlson Rezidor’s ambitions and his own perception of the industry in interview excerpts below:

{{IGIHE}}: Who is William McIntyre in brief?

{{McIntyre}}: I am the Regional Director for Southern Africa for Carlson Rezidor, responsible for commercial performance, operations standards and owners relationships.

{{IGIHE}}: How did you get started in hotel industry?

{{McIntyre}}: I started in electrical engineering and construction, then moved to project management, within the project management I got into hotel industry as chief engineer, later changed career towards human resource. So, the combination of project management, engineering and human resource gave me a strong understanding of facility management. Coming to Carlson Rezidor, I understand the hotel owner’s perspective because we manage on behalf of them.

{{IGIHE}}: How do you make it in hospitality industry?

{{McIntyre}}: People often ask me, “How did you come to this job?” I like this sector as a knowledge-based facilitator of collective goals. My answer is always this, “incremental improvement” because today is 100% (successful) but tomorrow maybe 99%. We are never satisfied that we got it perfectly. We deal with people, with experiences, so every day we try to improve everything. The day you are satisfied in hospitality industry, it is the day you sink because competition never sleeps.

{{IGIHE}}: How well is Carlson Rezidor positioned in Southern Africa region?

{{McIntyre}}: Well, 17 years ago, Southern Africa was very much a region of independent hotel managers. There were not many international managers of hotels. In 2000, Carlson Rezidor took up the first hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town. Now we have 43 openings in Africa and 78 in the pipeline. We have grown faster than anybody else in Southern Africa specifically. In Kigali for example, we have Radisson Blu Hotel at the Kigali Convention Centre, this is a world-class facility exactly in the centre of Africa.

{{IGIHE}}: What can we expect from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group within Southern Africa in the next five years?

{{McIntyre}}: Carlson Rezidor has got new owners, the HNA Group (Chinese conglomerate). They have made it clear that they want to be in the top three hotel managers in the world in the next 10 years. We have had an aggressive expansion programme in Africa. You can expect nothing but expansion from Carlson Rezidor in the next five years. We plan to introduce two more brands but currently focusing on Radisson Blu and Park Inn as we look up to introduce two more brands to give people a range of choice.

{{IGIHE}}: Rwanda falls within your region of job, how do you see Rwanda’s hospitality industry?

{{McIntyre}}: Rwanda has acquired confidence, it is organised, clean and safe. The country was recently named the safest in Africa and ninth in the world. People are looking for places where they can have new experiences and feel safe amid the terrible things happening in the world. So, to be recognized as the safest destination works perfectly for the country’s ambitions to attract people here. We are very confident of our investment in Rwanda.

{{IGIHE}}: What defines most your interest in Rwanda?

{{McIntyre}}: I was speaking to some people in South Africa just last week, they were looking for locations for Pan-African conventions, and I said to them, “Come to Rwanda, come to Kigali, to understand the potential of the capacity that Rwanda has for tourism, meetings and events.” Anyone who is looking for a major and unique conference venue but still completely the African experience, I tell them, “Come to Rwanda”. I was speaking to someone here at AHIF earlier, and he said he has not felt this comfort of the function since Cape Town. People are comparing Kigali to Cape Town, that is a good thing. Cape Town is the best city for conferences on the continent.

{{IGIHE}}: Carlson Rezidor is managing only two hotels in Kigali, do you consider adding more on your list?

{{McIntyre}}: We are currently able to accommodate 5000 delegates at KCC and at least 400 more at the Park Inn by Radisson Kigali. The market in Kigali is very well stocked with hotel rooms, so we want to consolidate for awhile and raise occupancy rate.

{{IGIHE}}: What message would you leave to your clients in Kigali?

{{McIntyre}}: For any business, your client is your most important asset, you have to listen to your client. We have a strong brand with very clear brand identities and the people who are regular guests of Carlson Rezidor across the continent will experience the best services by Kigali in particular. I can tell our esteemed clients, “stay with us in Carlson Rezidor hotels. We are very confident we will continue to exceed your expectations. But if you are looking for something extra or something different, come to our hotels in Rwanda, I am a big fan, I am a big fan!

The event was combined with the celebration of the day of Girl Child and the International Rural Women’s Day, and was graced by the First Lady Mrs Jeannette Kagame and various Government Officials, the Civil Society and Development Partners.

During the ceremonily, children were given milk as symbol of promoting healthy nutrition and fighting stunting. They were also vaccinated and given Mebendazole and Vitamin A, an activity that launched the Mother and Child Health week. Children living with disabilities were given wheelchairs to facilitate their movement. Poor families were given cows by former beneficiaries of the Girinka program.

Minister Nyirasafari Esperance of Gender and Family Promotion informed that the Campaign will last for five weeks and activities will focus on health services, sensitization on Early Childhood Development Program implementation, women and girls empowerment, educating youth on reproductive health to address teenage pregnancies and fighting against Gender based violence.

The Integrated Campaign on Governance and Family Promotion is organised by Social Cluster Ministries together with their Stakeholders