IGIHE

Author: IGIHE

  • Your role in public safety is crucial, Governor Mureshyankwano tells motorcyclists

    {The Governor of the Southern Province, Marie Rose Mureshyankwano has urged commercial motorcyclists in the region be the eyes and ears of security organs through providing information on anything that could cause insecurities.}

    The Governor made the call on June 8 while addressing over 400 motorcyclists operating in Nyamagabe District.

    The meeting was also attended by the Southern Region Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gilbert Gumira.

    “The best way you can contribute to building a safer community is through working closely with security organs providing information about anything suspicious, but also take part in the implementation of development programmes,” said the Governor.

    The governor particularly pointed out that the security situation in the province is calm but emphasized the need to always be on alert against drug dealers and anyone that could be involved in illegal and criminal activities.

    In his remarks, ACP Gumira told them that it’s a responsibility for everyone to be cautious of their security.

    “Matters of security are not reserved to security institutions, it’s a responsibility for every citizen,” the RPC.

    ACP Gumira outlined major crimes including drug abuse, Gender Based Violence, Human Trafficking among others as high impact crimes everyone should fight.

    Jerome Nsabimana, the head of commercial motorcycle cooperatives in the Southern Province lauded RNP for reaching out to them, which has improved the working relations between the two parties in community policing.

    Source:Police

  • Rulindo transporters tipped on environmental protection

    {Public transporters operating in Rulindo District have been urged to play their role in environmental protection.}

    The call was made by the District Community Liaison Officer Inspector of Police (IP) Fidele Mbonimana during a roadshow campaigned held on June 6 in Base Sector, which attracted over 1000 people.

    In his remarks, IP Mbonimana said: “Your responsibility starts with keeping the roads clean, there are some passengers that litter the road; they throw waste from car windows and it starts with you to prevent that from happening.”

    He reminded them that it’s against the law to litter anywhere.

    The organic law determining the modalities of protection, conservation and promotion of environment in Rwanda, in its article 32, states that “no one is permitted to dispose waste in an inappropriate place, except where it is destroyed from or in a treatment plant and after being approved by competent authorities.

    IP Mbonimana also cited of article 64 of the same law which states that, “the population has the obligation to conserve the environment by individual action or through collective activities, associations of the environment, in preparing green spaces and reserved areas and other activities that promote environment.”

    “As public transporters, you now understand that you have a responsibility to contribute to environmental protections as well,” IP Mbonimana said.

    In line with ensure adequate environmental protection, RNP established an Environmental Protection Unit mandated to ensuring protection of the environment in all aspects, including air space, forestry and biodiversity, as well as the enforcement of different legal instruments that protect environment.

    The Commanding Officers of Bushoki Police station, IP Canisius Rutagengwa, who also spoke at the campaign said, “If you want to boost your business, you should do it in the most appropriate way by ensuring your passengers also understand the dangers related to littering.”

    Source:Police

  • 46 Senior Officers graduate from Senior Command and Staff Course

    {46 Senior Officers from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and Allied Defence Forces have graduated from the one year long Senior Command and Staff Course Intake Five (05/2017), at RDF Command and Staff College ( RDF CSC) in Musanze District. Among the 46 SCSC graduates, 40 were in addition conferred academic qualifications by the University of Rwanda; 27 with Masters of Arts in Security Studies and 13 with Post Graduate Diplomas in Security Studies.}

    The graduation ceremony held on 9th June 2017 was presided over by Honourable Minister of Defence, Gen James Kabarebe, on behalf of H.E Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda and Commander-in-Chief of Rwanda Defence Force.Other present dignitaries included Hon Minister of Education, Dr Musafiri Papias Malimba, Hon Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources, Geraldine Mukeshimana, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, Professor Phillip Cotton, the RDF Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Patrick Nyamvumba, among others.

    In his key note address, the Guest of Honor pointed out that the knowledge acquired by the Senior Officers from the College will contribute to national and regional security. “The course you have just concluded has equipped you with the necessary analytical, planning and communication skills to enable you make the transition from tactical to operational and strategic focus, to deal with the contemporary complex security environment”, Gen Kabarebe noted.

    Minister Kabarebe further revealed to the graduates what they should expect in terms of new responsibilities in their military career. “In the years ahead, most of you will be promoted to positions of higher responsibility where you will be required to uphold high standards of professional integrity and discipline as you discharge your duties. You will be required as commanders, to be bold and accountable in order to be able to make difficult choices in a changing environment. I therefore urge you to go beyond the ordinary way of doing things and have the necessary drive required to take Africa to next level”, Gen Kabarebe said.

    As this year graduating ceremony coincided with the RDF CSC 5th anniversary, Gen Kabarebe took the opportunity to commend the College’s achievements. “The RDF CSC has demonstrated its capacity, readiness and willingness to be part of national solutions and to contribute to our common development and destiny, and to defend our freedom and dignity. I have no doubt that the College will continue to deliver the desired results in line with the strategic guidance of our Commander-in- Chief, HE Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, which seeks to create a better Rwanda for our people and Africa”, he underlined.

    In his remarks, the UR Vice Chancellor, Professor Phillip Cotton, congratulated those who have met the University requirements for the awarded degrees, noting that they have become and they are most welcome among to the big UR Alumni family.

    The RDF CSC Commandant, Maj Gen JB Kazura underlined on his side the College’s significant achievements in its five years of existence. Some of those achievements include the graduation of 228 from Senior Command and Staff Courses including 47 allied students, as well as 323 officers that graduated from 9 intakes of Junior and Command and Staff Course.

    The 46 Senior Officers SCSC5 Graduates who were awarded the PSC certificate, include 29 from RDF and RNP ( 27 and 2 respectively). 17 others come from Allied Armed Forces, namely; Ethiopia (2), Ghana (1), Kenya (2), Malawi (2), Nigeria (1), Senegal (1), South Sudan (2), Tanzania (2),Uganda (2) and Zambia (2).

  • Minister Gatete says new Mombasa-Nairobi railway vital to east African integration

    {The newly inaugurated standard gauge railway line between Mombasa and Nairobi is very important to the integration of eastern Africa, Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete said.}

    “It was a very successful project, thanks to China’s support for Kenya,” Gatete told Xinhua in an interview at his office in Kigali, the Rwandan capital on Thursday.

    The new railway, known as the Kenyan SGR, started cargo and passenger services a week ago in ceremonies attended by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong, the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Gatete said leaders of the region have attached great importance to the construction of standard gauge rail lines as part of the Northern Corridor, which links Kenya with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and the Central Corridor, which starts from Tanzania, through Rwanda and then lead to Burundi, to reduce the cost of doing business, the cost of movement of people and goods.

    “The one in Kenya is really something to be proud of,” he said. “We are working to make sure that we discuss at the regional level how we can also benefit.”

    The 480 km 3.8-billion-U.S.-dollar Mombasa-Nairobi SGR was constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, with 90 percent of the funding coming from China.

    Gatete said much has been done to advance east African integration, with the removal of non-tariff barriers, cutting the time needed for cargo shipment from Mombasa to Kigali from the original 21 days to about five days.

    The facilitation of free movement of people, including easier access to work permits and the introduction of common visas, the removal of voice and data roaming fees, and the harmonization of the electricity grid all helped consolidate the integration.

    The minister described the relationship between Rwanda and China as “excellent.”

    “We are very happy about that cooperation in all areas… at the technical level, development level,” he said.

    “At the international cooperation level, the relationship between Rwanda and China can be a very good example for the rest of the world,” Gatete said.

    Rwandan President Paul Kagame met Chinese President Xi last March during his visit to Beijing, where the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral strategic cooperation.

    Over the past decades, Rwanda managed to achieve an average growth of 8.0 percent, cutting the poverty level from 79 percent in 1995 to 39 percent in 2014.

    Gatete attributed the success to the leadership and vision of President Kagame, the importance the country attaches to free universal primary and secondary education and the focus on science, technology, research and innovation, as well as technical and vocational training.

    Known as one of the world’s cleanest governments, Rwanda practices a policy of zero tolerance toward corruption.

    Gatate said for leaders and people in responsible positions, everybody, from the president to anyone else, has to declare his or her wealth at the end of each June to the ombudsman.

    “Corruption… if you do it, you know the consequences,” he said. “You cannot reduce it to zero, but at least people know the consequences.”

    Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete receives an interview with Xinhua in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, June 8, 2017.

    Source:Xinhua

  • DR Congo’s Kasai unrest must be investigated – UN

    {The UN human rights chief has called for an international investigation into massacres and crimes in Democratic Republic of Congo’s central province of Kasai.}

    Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said the government response had so far fallen short.

    In March, the decapitated bodies of 40 policemen were found, as well as the bodies of two missing UN investigators.

    The government has been fighting the Kamuina Nsapu militia in the region.

    Fighting broke out in June last year after its leader Jean-Pierre Pandi called for a popular uprising with the aim of removing all state institutions and security forces from the region so that he could establish his chiefdom.

    Mr Pandi was killed two months later, after security forces raided his home, and his followers then took up arms.

    The UN says hundreds of people have been killed and more than a million displaced in central DR Congo since fighting broke out.

    It says at least 42 mass graves have been found.

    It had asked the government to agree to a joint investigation by 8 June, failing which it would call for an international investigation.

    DR Congo has been plunged into a constitutional crisis since President Joseph Kabila refused to step down after his term ended last year.

    A succession deal brokered by the Catholic Church, that would see Mr Kabila hand over power by the end of this year, has failed to resolve the crisis.

    There have been months of unrest in Kasai, after a local chief started a rebellion

    Source:BBC

  • May faces calls to resign as election hangs in balance

    {Exit poll shows prospects of hung parliament in Britain, but prime minister faces calls to step down by Labour leader.}

    UK Prime Minister Theresa May faced calls to quit in the early hours of Friday after her election gamble to win a stronger mandate appeared to backfire and threw British politics into turmoil.

    A joint poll by BBC, SKY, and ITV news said May’s ruling Conservatives would win 314 seats, short of a majority in Britain’s 650-seat parliament. The opposition Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, was projected to win 266 seats.

    In the event of a hung parliament – where no party wins enough seats to have a majority in the House of Commons – the two major parties, Conservatives and Labour, will try and form a coalition government with one of the smaller parties.

    Until a coalition government is decided, May remains prime minister – unless she opts to resign.

    With no clear winner likely to emerge from Thursday’s vote, May vowed to provide stability, while Corbyn said she should step down.

    “At this time, more than anything else, this country needs a period of stability,” a grim-faced May said after winning her own parliamentary seat of Maidenhead in southeast England.

    “If … the Conservative Party has won the most seats and probably the most votes, it will be incumbent on us to ensure that we have that period of stability and that is exactly what we will do.”

    After winning his own seat in north London, Corbyn said May’s attempt to win a bigger mandate had failed.

    “The mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confidence,” he said.

    “I would have thought that’s enough to go, actually, and make way for a government that will be truly representative of all of the people of this country.”

    May had unexpectedly called the snap election seven weeks ago, confident of sharply increasing the slim majority – 331 seats out of 650 – she had inherited from predecessor David Cameron before starting negotiations with the European Union over Britain’s departure from the bloc, or Brexit.

    Instead, she risked an ignominious exit after just 11 months in the post, which would be the shortest tenure of any prime minister for almost a century.

    Kieran Pedley, an analyst with GFK Market Research, told Al Jazeera that Labour has made impressive gains in southern marginals but that was offset to an extent by some Tory gains in Scotland.

    “May didn’t have to call this election,” said Pedley.

    “She called it because she expected to win and win big. Now that doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen, the knives are going to be out for her.”

    Sterling fell nearly two percent against the dollar on the back of the exit poll that was published as soon as voting ended at 10pm local time (21:00 GMT).

    The far-right UK Independence Party, which won 12.5 percent of the vote two years ago and was a driving force behind the vote in a referendum backing Brexit, risked being wiped out.

    The pro-European Liberal Democrats, who have campaigned for a second EU referendum, were projected to increase their number of seats from nine, but their former leader Nick Clegg, who was also a deputy prime minister from 2010 to 2015, lost his seat.

    The Scottish National Party, which called for a new independence vote after Brexit, was tipped to lose up to 20 of its 54 seats.

    Having won all but three of Scotland’s 59 seats in the British parliament in 2015, their share of the vote fell sharply and they lost seats to the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

    May called the election in April when her Conservatives enjoyed a 25 point lead

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • ‘In shock’: Social media reacts to UK election

    {Celebration, disappointment and jokes run through British social media as latest projections show a hung parliament.}

    “Shock” ran through British social media on Thursday and Friday as polling showed major gains for the main opposition Labour Party.

    After the ruling Conservative Party failed to win an absolute majority, Britain will now be run by a hung parliament.

    With votes from nearly all 650 constituencies counted, by the time of publishing, the Conservative Party, led by Theresa May, had won 314 seats, failing to secure the required 326 seats.

    The Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, won 261 seats.

    After the first exit poll was announced, a prediction that is largely accepted as fairly accurate, many expressed disbelief and excitement at what appeared to be big Labour gains.

    In the event of a hung parliament – where no party wins enough seats to have a majority in the House of Commons – the two major parties, Conservatives and Labour, will try and form a coalition government with one of the smaller parties.

    {{

    The Conservative Party has failed to secure an absolute majority in parliament

    }}

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • Saudis apologise after London attack snub in Australia

    {Players ignored pre-game minute of silence for victims of last week’s deadly attack at London Bridge.}

    The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has apologised for “any offense caused” after its players declined to participate in a minute’s silence in memory of last weekend’s deadly attacks in London before the start of a World Cup qualifying match against Australia.

    When the stadium announcer called for a minute’s silence on Thursday night to honour the eight victims, including two Australians, the 11 Australian players on the field lined up near the centre circle with arms on their teammates’ shoulders.

    Their opponents from Saudi Arabia stayed on the other side, most seemingly ignoring the gesture, which sparked an immediate backlash. Video appeared to show one Saudi player bending down to tie his shoe lace during the minute of silence.

    The Saudi federation statement said it “deeply regrets and unreservedly apologises for any offense caused”.

    “The players did not intend any disrespect to the memories of the victims or to cause upset to their families, friends or any individual affect by the atrocity,” the statement said.

    “The Saudi Arabian Football Federation condemns all acts of terrorism and extremism and extends its sincerest condolences to the families of all the victims.”

    Football Federation Australia said the Saudi team management knew about the plan to hold a minute’s silence before the match and had indicated the players wouldn’t participate.

    “Both the [Asian Football Confederation] and the Saudi team agreed that the minute of silence could be held,” the FFA said in a statement.

    “The FFA was further advised by Saudi team officials that this tradition was not in keeping with Saudi culture and they would move to their side of the field and respect our custom whilst taking their own positions on the field.”

    Typically, representative of football’s world governing body, FIFA, meet with officials from both teams and the referee a day before a World Cup qualifier to discuss game-related protocol, including plans for reflections such as the minute’s silence.

    There was no immediate response from FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation.

    Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was asked early Friday about the incident but said while the matter had been raised with him, he had not seen video.

    “The whole world, the whole free world is united in condemnation of that terrorist attack and terrorism generally,” Turnbull said, without directly referencing the match. “Everybody, everyone should be united in condemnation with the terrorists and love, and sympathy and respect for the victims and their families.”

    Senior Australian Labor politician Anthony Albanese described it as “a disgraceful lack of respect”.

    “There is no excuse here. This isn’t about culture,” he said. “This is about a lack of respect.”

    The Australian team observes a minute's silence for victims of the London attacks, in which two Australians died

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • Qatar rejects Saudi-led bloc’s ‘terror’ list

    {Government says list of 59 people and 12 groups, with ties to Qatar, ‘reinforces allegations that hold no foundation’.}

    Qatar on Friday rejected allegations of supporting individuals and groups blacklisted as “terrorists” by four Arab countries which cut ties with it this week amid a major diplomatic fallout.

    Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt published a list of 59 people and 12 groups with links to Qatar late on Thursday, alleging that they have ties to “terrorism”.

    “The recent joint statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE regarding a ‘terror finance watch list’ once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact,” the Qatari government said in response.

    The list included Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of the most prominent Muslim religious leaders in the Middle East, as well as Qatari-funded charitable organisations.

    Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor at Qatar University, said that the release of this list was “part of the demonisation [campaign] against Qatar”.

    “They are demonising Qatar, in saying that they are not helping fight ‘terrorism’ and trying to use this list as evidence,” Zweiri told Al Jazeera.

    He said the claims of the list are dubious because “there’s a body within Qatar’s Ministry of Social Affairs, which looks at all the charities and monitors every penny they receive and send”.

    Zweiri added that these charities cooperate with international aid agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UK-based Oxfam, in conflict zones such as Syria and Iraq.

    “By saying that those specific [Qatari] charities [are engaged in ‘terrorism’], they are questioning the work of the international aid agencies cooperating with them as well.”

    In London, the independent UK-based Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) released a statement condemning the Saudi bloc’s list as “arbitrary”.

    “The list was clearly made up arbitrarily, to serve political agendas, without relying on any evidence or an impartial judicial authority,” the group wrote.

    “The exact legal definition and crime of ‘terrorism’ needs to be determined by a neutral judicial authority, which is not available in these countries [Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain].”

    The human rights group also criticised the countries for abuses carried out among their population by broadly applying “terrorism” to crack down on activists and ordinary citizenry.

    The AOHR also warned that the list violated clear laws against defamation, as the reputation of individuals and charitable organisations is put at risk.

    ‘Negative impact’

    The list’s release was just the latest escalation in the bloc’s efforts to isolate Qatar, as allegations that it interferes in the affairs of its neighbours by supporting and financing Islamist groups continue to be levied against it.

    Qatar has vehemently denied the charges.

    In its statement, the Qatari government said it has been leading the region in attacking what it called the roots of “terrorism”, including giving young people hope through jobs, educating hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and funding community programmes to challenge agendas of armed groups.

    “Our position on countering terrorism is stronger than many of the signatories of the joint statement – a fact that has been conveniently ignored by the authors,” the government said.

    Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have suspended all flights to and from Doha and closed off sea and air links to Qatar.

    Saudi Arabia has also closed off Qatar’s only land border.

    Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday described the blockade as a violation of international law and said there was an attempt to mobilise international opinion against Qatar.

    “These procedures that were taken have clear violations of international law and international humanitarian law. They will not have a positive impact on the region but a negative one,” he told a press conference during a visit in Germany.

    In an interview with Al Jazeera on Thursday, the foreign minister said that the country would not bow to the pressure being applied by Saudi, the UAE and their allies to change its independent foreign policy – a move Qatar considers a violation of its sovereignty.

    Qatar considers the pressure being applied to change its independent foreign policy as a violation of its sovereignty

    Source:Al Jazeera

  • EU dismisses accusations of its will to destabilize Burundi

    {The European Union denies Burundi accusations that it is involved in the destabilization of government institutions.}

    In the statement by the Delegation of the European Union to Burundi on Wednesday 7 June, the EU denies the “false” accusations of its involvement in the destabilization of Burundi security.

    “The accusations are based on a deliberately wrong interpretation of a program to support human rights defenders”, reads the EU declaration.

    “The EU foreign policy is based on the promotion of human rights and protection of their defenders throughout the world”, says the declaration, which also indicates that the lasting solution to the crisis in Burundi has to take into consideration the value of human rights.

    “Any lasting resolution of the crisis in Burundi must take into account the ongoing and past human rights violations as well as the protection of the persons and organizations working in this regard”, reads the declaration.

    The EU reminds that it’s a long-standing partner of Burundi and its people and that it supports the mediation efforts of the East African Community and continues its development cooperation in direct support to the Burundian population.

    The EU declaration comes as a reaction to the Burundian government announcement issued on 5th June in which it accuses the EU of its probable involvement in the destabilization of Burundi institutions.

    Source:Iwacu