IGIHE

Author: IGIHE

  • KCB Bank-Rwanda appoints acting Managing Director

    {KCB Bank-Rwanda has appointed Mr. George Odhiambo to the position of the Acting Managing Director effective Friday August 1st, 2017.}

    The commercial bank says that this follows the departure of former Managing Director, Maurice Toroitich.

    Mr. Odhiambo, was the bank’s former Head of Business Development and Client Services. He joined KCB Bank Rwanda in September 2013 after serving as Head of Business Analytics & Transformation at KCB Bank Kenya. He brings to the bank 18 years of experience in Commercial banking.

    The incoming Acting Managing Director says; “I am humbled to take on this responsibility during an exciting and transitional period for both KCB Bank Rwanda and the financial sector in general.”

    “I am particularly pleased to champion the bank’s ambition in facilitating major infrastructure and financial technology development in Rwanda. My aim is to keep this momentum going in both the immediate and long-term.’’

    The Acting Managing Director also congratulated his predecessor, Maurice Toroitich for the commendable service provided during his 9-year tenure.

    “The staff, Management, Board and Iwould like to once again thank Maurice for the business foundation he built from inception and growth successes that the bank achieved during his leadership. The bank is in a strong financial position and we will definitely look forward to seeing more progress in the coming years. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” he added.

    According to the official statement, it is revealed that the banks remains committed to deliver on digital payments and investments in Rwanda’s key economic sectors.
    This year KCB Bank Rwanda launched Mvisa and is currently in the process of launching a new mobile credit service to customers.

    Subsequently, the bank derives satisfaction in contributing to landscape changing developments like the construction of Bugesera International Airport, Kigali Heights, Ubumwe Grand Hotel and Park Inn Radisson Blu among others and believes that the best times in helping to shape Rwanda’s economic development are still ahead.

  • Two Rwandan firms for €500,000 innovation prize

    {The start-ups ARED and EarthEnable from Kigali are two of the five green pioneers still in the running for the prize of €500,000 at stake in the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, one of the largest sustainable enterprise competitions in the world.
    The annual Postcode Lottery Green Challenge since 2007 is organized by the Dutch Postcode Lottery. }

    It is one of the largest annual international competitions in the field of sustainability innovation.

    Each participant must submit a detailed business plan to the preliminary jury, who will establish whether the idea is viable.

    Among them, two Rwandan start-ups is ARED, that has developed the Shiriki Hub, a mobile kiosk with solar panels, a WiFi router and mobile phone charging stations while EarthEnable offers a sustainable and inexpensive solution for cement floors, which are very CO2-intensive.

    ARED brings sustainable energy and cheap WiFi to the African countryside, offering a clean alternative to diesel generators. Its franchise busines model also provides employment opportunities for people living in remote regions.

    Henri Nyakarundi aged 40, founder of ARED said that it’s amazing to be recognized as a green entrepreneur by such a competition in the field of sustainable innovation. The prize money enables us to scale up our business model and further improve the technology in the Shiriki Hubs.”

    Earth Enable the other start-up from Rwanda that has developed a method for making sustainable floors using locally sourced materials. The plant-based oil finish makes these floors easy to keep clean.

    This Rwandan start-up tackles a global problem, as more than a billion people still live on sandy floors, which are often a breeding ground for parasites and germs.

    A cement floor is often the only available alternative, but this is expensive and is not eco-friendly. The EarthEnable floors are 75% cheaper than cement floors and reduce the carbon footprint by 90%, offering a cheap green solution for the world’s poorest people.

    Goyatri Datar aged 31; co-founder said that being among the last five out of 515 entries is already a great achievement and honour. With the prize money we plan to scale within Rwanda and likely in three other countries.

    “The prize money gives us the opportunity to test different scaling models to find a viable scale strategy to improve the health and lives of millions of people who are still living on dirt floors.”

    The two Rwanda teams are up against three other finalists: Glowee from France, Lightyear from the Netherlands and Pond from Denmark and The finale will take place in Amsterdam on 14 September

    The best business plan that fights climate change wins €500,000 (estimated Rwf494,561,270). The runner-up receives €200,000 (estimated Rwf197,824,508)
    Winners from previous editions have successfully developed their innovative products.

    Founder of ARED; Henri Nyakarundi
    Co-founder Gayatri Datar

  • Al-Sisi in Rwanda on two-day visit

    {Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi is in Rwanda, and was welcomed by his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame on Tuesday at 11.50 am on a visit intended to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.
    }

    After inspecting a guard of honour he visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial where he laid a wreath to pay tribute to the victims of Rwandan Genocide who were killed in 1994.

    Al Sisi said that the life of any person is holy and should be defended.

    “It is necessary that all people have peace, unity, collaboration and freedom and henceforth we uphold a culture of peace in all contexts of people living on the world. We have hope that criminal deeds like this that are shameful will never occur again,” he said.

    Abdel Fattah Al Sissi began his four African nations tour on Monday in Tanzania; from Rwanda he will later visit two states Chad and Gabon according to EgyptianAmbassador to Rwanda Namira Negma.

    Both Presidents are expected to issue ajoint statement after holding bilateral talks. Rwanda and Egypt have strong relations, particularly in sectors of trade, health and defence.

  • BNR to issue out five-year Treasury bond

    {Rwanda Central Bank (BNR) has revealed that it will issue out a five-year Treasury bond worth 10 billion francs ($12.12 million) this August to fund infrastructure projects, IGIHE has learnt.}

    BNR said the bids for the bond, whose coupon will be determined by the market, will be received from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23 and will be on the Rwandan stock market on Aug. 29 for secondary trade. ($1 = 824.9700 Rwandan francs).

    Rwanda has been issuing bonds as part of a blueprint to develop its capital market and to fund infrastructure projects.

    The bank wants to reduce its dependence on aid to finance its national budget.

  • Zambia’s Lungu to attend Kagame’s inauguration

    {Zambia President Edgar Lungu has confirmed that he will attend President Paul Kagame swearing in ceremony which is due on Friday August 18th, 2017.}

    Zambia’s Foreign Minister Harry Kalaba confirmed the news when he said that President Lungu has already accepted the invitation from his counterpart, in the context of cooperation and trade.

    “The visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss about different developmental issues, for the purpose of promoting common interests, and security within the Great Lakes Region.”

    It is expected that President Lungu will leave for Kigali on Thursday August 17th, 2017.

    President Kagame was elected for a third term in office after winning with a landslide victory in the recent elections held on August 4th. The swearing ceremony is expected to take place at Amahoro stadium; miscellaneous visitors are expected to attend, whether from outside Rwanda, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda.

    At national level citizens will follow the ceremony at the village level via Radio Rwanda and television.

  • Muhitira wins Marathon title in Congo Brazzaville

    {Rwandan long-distance runner Félicien Muhitira clocked a time of 1 hour 4 minutes and 31 seconds to win the 14th Brazzaville Half Marathon 2017 that took place on August 14th in Congo.}

    Muhitira aged 23 beat Kenyan athletes Wilson Kipotich and Rwandan Johnson Hakizimana who finished second and third respectively to walk away with CFA 2M (estimated Rwf 4m) and a gold medal in the race.

    Over 500 athletes from different parts of the world took part in the race that is organized annually.

    In his interview with IGIHE, the athlete thanked former Olympic and long-distance runner DisiDieudonnéwho now days assists him in finding some of the competitive races.

    The women’s category was a Kenyan affair, with AgnesBarsossioclocking 1h 11’ 52’’ to finish first, while Bornes Jerikrui and Josephine Chepkoech finished second and third respectively with a time of 1h 12’ 1’and 1h 15’.

    Meanwhile in the junior category, Kenyan s dominated the male category:

    {{Junior Male}}
    Agnes Barsossio (Kenya), 1h 11’ 52’’
    BornesJerikrui (Kenya), 1h 12’ 1’
    JoséphineChepkoech (Kenya), 1h 15’.

    {{Female category }}
    Clem Mambeke, 1h 24’ 17’’
    JodelOssou 1h 26’ 20’’
    Cherie Matsoni 1h’ 27’’

  • Rwanda, Congo Brazzaville to implement extradition treaty

    {Rwanda and Congo Brazzaville have agreed to exchange criminal suspects and convicts.}

    The agreement between the two countries was signed in November 9th 2013, but the laws governing the process stipulate that the exchange must first be approved by the parliaments from both counties. Rwandan parliament approved the agreement.
    Rwandan Chief Prosecutor, Jean Bosco Mutangana, said that approving the agreement is fundamental, which is a precursor to legal collaboration, most especially in countering criminals.

    “Within the last ten years, we sent requests to Congo to extradite 15 suspects. We are optimistic that this agreement will speed up the process.” He added that the requested extraditions are suspects of having had a role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

    The Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs in the Ministry of Justice Evode Uwizeyimana, said the treaty will expedite extraditing Genocide suspects who are in Congo Brazzaville.

    According to Ministry of Disaster Management and Refuge Affairs, there are over 10,000 Rwandans in Congo.

    Congo arrested two genocide suspects who are; Jean-Baptiste Gatete the former Bourgmestre of former Byumba and Ildephonse Hategekimana, the former soldier in the Ex-FAR. They were subsequently given a life sentence.

  • Meet Musoni, a man passionate about childcare

    {Théoneste Musoni, 29, is married and has two children. He enjoys playing with small children but it looks strange to many seeing a man kicking balls to children and receiving balls back, some weeping while Musoni consoles them but Musoni feels comfortable with the job he says earns him family living and has got him a house.}

    Musoni has told IGIHE that he is never frustrated over playing funny games with children and help them enjoy leisure from ‘Spiderman Game Center’ where he works. He says his job is not the final resort but a passion because he abandoned his previous business job to join childcare career.

    “This job is so easy for me because I deeply love spending time with children. It is my nature. Talking with children, playing with them, holding them in my hands…all make my day nice and I never get enough of that,” he says.

    Musoni liked children’s games very much since his childhood and was so creative to come up with new plays which he used to perform in front of other children and adults. He was a shopkeeper but abandoned it to pursue childcare career which he finds as his talent

    Musoni receives around 20 children daily at Spiderman Game Center and enjoys making happy all those children. He first makes himself look like a child to make them comfortable with him, shows them playthings and puts on like a Spiderman before introducing different games and asking them questions after which he awards the winners.

    His enjoyable experience with children makes them return again and again, earning Spiderman Game Center with a lot of clients.

    {{Childcare earns him a lot}}

    Musoni started working with Spiderman Game Center in 2015 with a salary over Rwf200,000, the money which caters well for his family in Kigali, helped him construct a house worth Rwf2.5 million in Ngororero District, his origin place and bought three cows.

    “My two children, five and three-year old, are studying and I can afford well all the expenses as well as catering for the family,” he says.

    Musoni says that his wife congratulates him for childcare work and likes seeing him at home playing with their two children on his day-offs.

    While children often fear men, Musoni advises men to create a friendly environment for children by avoiding being harsh and frightening faces while trying to soften their heavy voices while talking with children. He says children like people who spend good time with them and urges men to find time for children despite daily busy dockets.

  • Coach Hey critical of playing surface and officiating during the Uganda rout

    {Rwanda’s Amavubi head coach, Antoine Hey, has revealed that poor playing surface, biased officiating by match referees on top of the inexperienced squad was responsible for Saturday’s loss to Uganda in St Mary’s in Kitende.}

    The Germany tactician is now looking at “better pitch and better referee” in the second leg of their due to be played at StadeNyamirambo.

    He felt the playing surface at the ground in Kitende was not up to scratch, while he also found fault with the performance of the match official, however, he promised a better performance in the second leg.

    Muzamir Mutyaba put the Cranes ahead through an early penalty inside the first fifteen minutes.

    Burundian referee, PacifiqueNdabihawenimana, awarded the hosts a penalty after AimableNsabimana appeared to have fouled Derrick Nsibambi.

    Hey has issues with that particular ruling. On his assessment, the referee made a wrong decision.

    “I cannot blame my players because they tried everything; going forward, worked very hard, very organized. We have days like these when things happen. We conceded a penalty after ten minutes which in my point of view was unfair. But we are used. It happened in Central African Republic and Tanzania where the referee was not fair,” Hey said.

    He believes his players, though young and inexperienced, proved their worth and believes they will turn the results in Kigali.

    Hey says that the first goal, that stemmed from the controversial decision, unsettled his charges before they conceded the second goal ten minutes later.

    “The reality is that when we conceded the goal, players became nervous and affected their concentration. We tried to reorganize and created some chances from set pieces; corners and free kicks but didn’t get that away goal.”

    Poor pitch

    The German coach also critical of the playing surface from the time of the team’s first training session.

    His view after the game did not change and went on to lash at the organizers for staging “a match of such caliber on such a poor surface.”

    Meanwhile, DjihadBizimana who was team captain has told IGIHE that they were unsettled midfield but they have the confidence of turning things around in the second return leg to be played in Kigali. He believes they can also win the game.

    Amavubi will have to score four goals and without conceding any if they’re to progress to the next round of the competition.

    According to local football body, FERWAFA, Coach Hey has boosted his side by summoning strikers Sugira Ernest and Mugisha Gilbert ahead of the must-win return leg 2018 CHAN third round qualifier against Uganda Cranes due on Saturday at Kigali Stadium.

    Sugira was released by DR Congo’s Vita Club because of failing to perform as expected while Mugisha Gilbert was signed from relegated side Pepiniere Fc last month.

  • Djibouti offers more land to Rwanda

    {Djibouti Government has allocated more hectares of land to Rwanda, expanding from the 20ha allocated in 2013 to the current 60ha near the Autonomous Port of Djibouti and the Dubai World International Port.
    }

    According to the Minister of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs, Francois Kanimba Rwanda was invited to establish facilities in Djibouti’s 4,800 hectares of the new free economic zone.

    Mr. Kanimba said Rwanda was still exploring investment plans to put the land to use.
    The development follows President Kagame’s visit to Djibouti following a two-day state visit of his counterpart, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh to Rwanda in March 2016.

    Rwanda offered ten hectares in Kigali Special Economic Zone to Djibouti.

    On his recent visit to Djibouti, President Kagame and his counterpart signed a number of bilateral agreements mainly in the area of trade and investment between the two countries including; air services, visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport holders, reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, the establishment of a joint commission and a protocol agreement on cooperation in ICT.