Author: IGIHE

The group was arrested separately in operations conducted Tuesday in Gasabo, Rubavu and Nyanza districts.

The suspects are identified as Abdoul Karim Kalisa, 47, nicknamed Thierry, Phonique Uwimbabazi, 30, and Vital Twagirayezu, 32. Another member of the ring escaped the arrest, Police said.

Police said the targeted operations were conducted simultaneously in the three districts as a response to information from local residents on the suspects and their location.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that Police had vital information about Vital Twagirayezu’s criminal dealings… trafficking drugs from DR. Congo.

“Twagirayezu is suspected to be one of the suppliers in Rubavu and Nyanza,” CIP Twajamahoro said, adding: “He was arrested in Nyanza District, Busasamana Sector, Kavumu Cell in Mugandamure A Village, where he was supplying cannabis. He was caught with 500 pellets, which he was yet to supply,” CIP Twajamahoro said.

CIP Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that Phonique Uwimbabazi was intercepted in Rubavu as she crossed into Rwanda from DR Congo through a porous border with 1010 pellets of cannabis.

“Uwimbabazi was with another person who had 10kgs of cannabis, which were abandoned as the suspect escaped back to DRC,” Kayigi added.

Meanwhile, Kalisa was arrested with 466 pellets of cannabis, which he was at the time selling in Kanyinya Village, Ruhango Cell in Gisozi Sector of Gasabo District.

Police said that “these are strengthened and coordinated operations by the Anti-Narcotics Unit and District Police Units, which responds to credible information from Rwandans.

The ideology of community policing is playing a significant role in breaking chains of supply by targeting identified major dealers, knowing the tricks and routes they use in an attempt to beat security.”

Later on, Kagame, in his capacity as the Chair of the East African Community, shared a Working Lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin together with other chairs of regional economic communities across, the presidency has tweeted.

The President also met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the Russia Africa Summit.

Kagame arrived in Sochi, Russia yesterday where he joined other African Heads of State and Government for the first ever Russia-Africa Summit co-hosted by President Vladimir Putin of Russia together with Egyptian President and serving African Union Chair Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

The two-day Russia—Africa Economic Forum to be held on 23–24 October 2019 is expected to many politicians and business leaders from 35 African countries at the Olympic Park Main Media Centre in Sochi.

The official event programme will feature a plenary session, and a range of high-level roundtables and panel discussions, as well as a multitude of opportunities for business contacts.

The Forum is an important and much-anticipated milestone in laying foundations for the promotion and enhancement of trade and economic relations among the economies across the African continent and enabling the diversification and deepening of economic collaboration between Russia and Africa.

As he opened the Summit, the Russian president has welcomed thousands of African leaders to discuss politics and business “worth billions of dollars” and promised to refrain from ‘political or other’ influence, DW reported.

The two-day event will see more than 3,000 delegates from across Russia and Africa to discuss an array of topics from nuclear energy to mineral extraction.

All 54 African states sent a representative to the meeting, including 43 heads of state or government.

“We currently export to Africa $25 billion ($22.5 billion) worth of food — which is more than we export in arms, at $15 billion. In the next four to five years I think we should be able to double this trade, at least,” Putin said.

Russia has dominated arms sales in Africa but this time, Putin has promised further African cooperation without “political or other” interference. This comes as a reassurance to African states who have previously expressed concerns about dependence on China.

Russia is hoping to sign a potential military cooperation agreement with Ivory Coast. The West African country is expected to send a delegation of 70 people to Sochi, including President Alassane Ouattara.

In addition to “military and security cooperation” with Africa, Putin also pledged Russian commitment to combat the Ebola virus with aid, and the training of “African cadres” by Russian universities.

“Joint projects are underway in extractive industries, agriculture, healthcare and education,” Putin said in his opening remarks.

Russia had played a more crucial role in the continent during the Soviet era, supporting independence movements and training government leaders in former Soviet client states such as Angola and Ethiopia.

Moscow’s relations with Africa deteriorated after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, with China taking over as the continent’s key foreign business partner.

In 2000, Beijing established the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, pledging tens of billions of dollars into Africa.

This was revealed yesterday during a press conference organized by the Catholic Church’s Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) aimed at assessing unity and reconciliation efforts by the church over the past 25 years.

In the past few days, different institutions and the public expressed concerns that the Catholic Church should dismiss some of its clerics including priests, nuns, bishops, and followers convicted for a role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

For instance, the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG) said recently in May that such people should not rejoin the clergy.

One of the pointed out convicts includes Father Denis Sekamana who completed 15 years sentence and reintegrated in church services in Butare Diocese. There are other nuns who were transferred to other congregations in Belgium.

Speaking to journalists, the Archbishop of Kigali Diocese and the President of Bishop’s Justice and Peace Commission, Antoine Kambanda said that relieving convicted clerics from activities giving them the floor in the public and giving them enough time to confess were among taken measures.

“For such serious crimes, the convict is given time to confess and pray. We believe that a person can be transformed but doesn’t continue to assume duties like before,’ he said.

Archibishop Kambanda said research is underway to make assess whether strict measures can be adopted for clerics convicted of genocide crime.

“It is about isolating him from public appearance, to have enough time for prayers and repent without assuming duties as usual. We still undergo an assessment because genocide implies extreme cruelty that it is hard to find a matching punishment. What we try to do is to make sure the person repents and reconcile with God,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), Fidèle Ndayisaba said the feedback from citizens draw emphasis on instituting tougher punishments for clerics who committed genocide crimes.

He explained that such people are no longer trusted that it gives a negative image by reinstalling them to former functions.

“It is obvious that they are not trusted anymore yet their function requires honest people. This implies that the Rwandan community is frustrated with being led by people who lost reputation in the face of the international community,” he said.

“Some churches decided to relieve pastors who perpetrated the genocide of their duties. Indeed, a person doesn’t return to public service after a six-month sentence,” added Ndayisaba.

In March 2017, Pope Francis apologized for the Catholic Church and members for a role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

HWPL has signed agreements with education ministries and institutions to provide peace education to students of different nationalities and cultures.

HWPL, the host of the conference, has developed peace education at a global level in the past three years, since 2017. Working with educators around the world, HWPL developed teaching materials that can nurture students into peace leaders and citizens. It has signed Memorandum of Agreement with education ministries in seven countries and Memoranda of Understanding with 214 schools in 23 countries, implementing peace education at all levels from elementary school to university students.

Peace education, which is one of the key initiatives of HWPL, was proposed as an innovative approach to realizing Article 10, “spreading a culture of peace,” of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW).

This year’s HWPL Peace Education Conference addressed the necessity for peace education and its future direction, drawing support and cooperation from the educational circles in South Korea.

Former and current superintendents of education, university presidents, professors, and educators in attendance confirmed that HWPL Peace Education can be an effective alternative in the reality of the Korean educational field where order and courtesy between teachers and students are disappearing. Moreover, they agreed that peace education is key to establishing a foothold for Korea to become a nation of peace. To spread peace education, schools and educational organizations promised to organize a class for HWPL Peace Education.

A congratulatory address was delivered by Mr. Sung Ho Shin, Chairman of Happiness Culture Forum.

“For us to restore peace, which is humanity’s greatest task, educators of the current generation must be on the forefront in spreading the culture of peace. It was taught that the mission of education in this era is to teach the students, who are the future leaders, about the noble values of peace and the correct spirit of peace so that they can grow into citizens of peace. If each student grows up to be a citizen of peace, they will be able to contribute to their surrounding communities, and ultimately, to the development of peace in their countries,” he said.

Next, there was a presentation by teachers who were the first to recognize the excellence of HWPL Peace Education and provided it to children and youth.

Ms. Areum Yang, Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch General Director of HWPL Department of Peace Education, presented a case of peace education being implemented in Israel and Palestine, regions suffering from long years of conflict between the ethnicities.

“Ignorance and lack of interest in peace turn people away from peace. Through Peace Education, students found the value and importance of peace and wanted to put peace into practice starting from their own personal life,” she said.

“In a class with the theme, ‘Everyone has a wish for peace inside,’ the tool that we used was the concept of ‘peace DNA.’ After watching a video on war and conflict and a contrasting video on peace, students expressed their feelings. All children said they felt good and happy when they saw peaceful scenes and realized that they are people with ‘peace DNA’ who love peace,” Yang added.

The accident took place Tuesday morning around 9 am in Tagaza village, Rubona cell of Nyamyumba sector when the car registered RAB230Y skidded off the road as it swerved to dodge another truck in a road bend located at the banks of Lake Kivu.

Marine forces are searching for the missing two while three of the passengers that sustained injuries were taken to Gisenyi hospital.

Police spokesperson in Western Province, CIP Emmanuel Kayigi confirmed the incident and urged drivers against driving beyond the recommended speed limit.

“The vehicle belonging to a Chinese construction company collided with another vehicle along the road bend and fell into Lake Kivu. Three of eight surviving passengers onboard sustained injuries. The military’s marine forces are still searching for bodies of the remaining two,” he said.

He appealed on drivers to avoid over speeding and advised passengers to warn drivers driving beyond limited speed. Similar accident was last reported in 2015 when a vehicle Toyota Land Cruiser sank in Lake Kivu near Grande Barriere killing the driver, Butera Desire.

23rd October 1957 was a day filled with joy as the family of Asteria Bisinda Rutagambwa and Deogratias Rutagambwa welcomed the newborn, Paul Kagame. At the time, Rwanda was a colony of Belgium.

Kagame was born in Nyarutovu in former Commune Tambwe, Gitarama Prefecture currently in Ruhango district, Southern Province.

His 62nd birthday is a special moment of his life story and Rwandans celebrating him for great achievements transforming Rwandans lives in all aspects.

Kagame is married to Jeannette Kagame. The couple got married June 10th, 1989 in a wedding ceremony held in Kampala, Uganda and is blessed with four children—three boys and one girl; Ivan Cyomoro Kagame, Ange Ingabire Kagame, Ian Kagame and the youngest being Brian Kagame.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUR EXCELLENCE.

The two-day Russia—Africa Economic Forum to be held on 23–24 October 2019 is expected to attract as many as 10,000 politicians and business leaders from 35 African countries at the Olympic Park Main Media Centre in Sochi.

The official event programme will feature a plenary session, and a range of high-level roundtables and panel discussions, as well as a multitude of opportunities for business contacts.

According to organizers, the Forum is an important and much-anticipated milestone in laying foundations for the promotion and enhancement of trade and economic relations among the economies across the African continent and enabling the diversification and deepening of economic collaboration between Russia and Africa.

The event will be attended by African Heads of State and government officials, leaders of Russian, Eurasian, and international business communities, as well as representatives of governments and economic integration organizations from Africa.
Participation in the Russia—Africa Economic Forum is by invitation only.

Rwanda is among countries with strong relations with Russia.

The recent cabinet meeting approved the Presidential Order determining agreements held in Moscow on 5th December 2018 between Rwanda and Russia on cooperation to use nuclear energy for peace purposes.

Thje technology will be utilized in agriculture, energy and preservation of environment.
In June last year, Kagame was hosted by his counterpart of Russia, Vladimir Putin at his palace and held bilateral talks on both countries’ relations which existed for 56 years and expressed willingness to take it farther.

Rwanda, Russia relations deeply roots on trainings, education, military cooperation, health sector and politics.

Putin yesterday said that his country can support African continent unconditionally unlike Middle-East countries.

According to RDF website, the Senior Defence and Security Advisor to the President, Gen James Kabarebe read the Eulogy of President Paul Kagame and Commander-in-Chief of the RDF to the family of the deceased, and comforted them for losing a father, a son and a friend and that the country has lost a gallant son who fought for Her Liberation.

“RDF as an institution has lost a brave officer. The country has lost a gallant son. The tribute to him should be to strive to continue making RDF an even stronger institution and Rwanda a developed country, which was what Brig Gen (Rtd) Rwigamba fought for,” reads part of President Kagame’s message.

He added that “the loss of a comrade such as Brig Gen (Rtd) Rwigamba reminds us of the other late comrades that died in the course of the liberation of our country. These are people who sacrificed their lives to liberate their country. Brig Gen (Rtd) A Rwigamba put his life to the service of this country so that we live a dignified life, a life that we deserve”.

Brig Gen (Rtd) A Rwigamba is survived by 5 children.

Rwigamba assumed different offices as the Commissioner General of Rwanda National Police prior to 2008 when he was relieved of his duties and replaced by Emmanuel Gasana in 2013.

The post was temporarily being filled by Deputy Commissioner General, Mary Gahonzire who was at the time appointed Head the National Prisons Services.

Andrew Rwigamba was sent to retirement from RDF at the rank of Brigadier General in October 2013 along with other senior and non-commissioned officers.

He was among the first batch of senior officers sent into retirement that took part in stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Following his retirement, Gen Rwigamba was appointed the Director-General in charge of Foreign Military Relations and Cooperation at the Ministry of Defense.

We are happy to be associated with Dubai Ports World and to partner in the establishment of this modern inland port, which is already improving trade and reducing costs for our country.

Following our tour, I must say I am impressed by the operations here. This is a high-tech operation that offers real-time cargo tracking to customers.

I congratulate you Dubai Ports on successfully completing the test phase, which has already demonstrated significant reductions in truck turn-around time.

Rwanda is a member of the East African Community, the Economic Community of Central African States and COMESA.

The future of trade and integration on our continent is the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is already in force. Trading will commence in July next year. But trade agreements and economic policies won’t have much impact, without actual infrastructure.

With the launch of this facility, Rwanda is doing its part to connect with the larger market of more than 1.2 billion consumers in Africa and beyond.

The Kigali Logistics Platform is really getting up and running, at a pivotal moment in our continent’s economic transformation.

We, therefore, want to challenge our business people and investors, starting with the industries located in this neighbourhood and from the region and beyond, to make full use of this facility. There is no excuse not to pursue the vast opportunities available to us

I wish to conclude by commending Dubai Ports World for their support to the development of Rwanda’s workforce, through your internship program and other community activities.

The presence of the Kigali Logistics Platform is already making a difference to the Masaka community around here. As the government, we are encouraged to see this platform operating successfully.

We are more motivated than ever to continuously enhance our policies and regulations, to maintain a conducive business environment, and adapt as needed to innovation.

As we look forward to the completion of the next phases of this facility to make the Kigali logistics platform, I want to assure you of our continued support to make the Kigali Logistics Platform an exemplary service provider in this part of our world.

He was caught with 40 sacks (2tons) as he negotiated with potential buyers.

During the Agriculture Season 2019B, the government povided maize seeds to some vulnerable residents from Gahara sector through a local cooperative, COAIGA.

Munyakazi diverted the maize seeds for vulnerable residents and had sacks stored at home of one Kanimba Cleophas, a resident of Byimana village in Ruhimba sector.

It is said that they washed the maize seeds’ color, repacked them and started negotiating with buyers. Residents tipped off the police who searched for the seeds and caught the agronomist on Monday night.

Police spokesperson in Eastern Province, CIP Twizeyimana Hamdun has told IGIHE that the search for missing seeds was launched following residents tip-off.

“He stole the seeds from the store at a cooperative of COAIGA and kept them at the home of Kanimba Cleophas. They washed maize seeds to remove the outer color covering maize seeds. Police apprehended them in the process of selling them after packing grains in new bags,” he said.

CIP Twizeyimana thanked residents for cooperation and blamed dishonest leaders.
Agronomist Munyakazi and the man with whom they conspired have been taken to Rwanda Investigation Bureau.