A fortnight ago, on 10th July, a gang armed with rudimentary weapons attacked Shyogwe Sector of Muhanga District and injured people who were on night patrol.
Muhanga District mayor, Béatrice Uwamariya told IGIHE that local government and security officials will continue investigating with an aim of bringing to book all those involved in the crimes.
She said that the acts had created fears among people.
“We wouldn’t cease searching because we cannot lead people who are scared, that is why we conducted operations to arrest unrecognized people who are also suspected of being behind those acts destabilizing the security and sovereignty of the country. Some of them have accepted their role and case files have been prepared for them to be prosecuted,” she explained.
She said that among the 82 arrested, 45 accepted playing a role in the crimes.
On his twitter handle, Kagame expressed warn welcome to Jinping adding that it is the opportunity to strengthen the existing good relations.
“We wish a warm welcome to President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan. It is a pleasure to host you and further strengthen the already very good ties between our two nations and people,” Kagame’s tweet reads.
In a statement yesterday, Jinping said that he is pleased to pay a state visit to Rwanda at the invitation of President Paul Kagame.
He said that under the leadership of President Kagame, Rwanda has embarked on a path of development suited to its own realities, achieved long-term social stability and fast economic growth, and is enjoying increasing influence in the region and beyond.
“As the rotating chairman of the African Union who also leads its institutional reform, President Kagame plays an important role in promoting African cooperation, supporting Africa’s effort to seek strength through unity, advancing peace and development in Africa, and strengthening AU institutions. We extend our congratulations on these achievements,” he said.
“This is my first visit to Rwanda as Chinese President. The fact that President Kagame and I have exchanged visits in a little over a year speaks volumes for the great importance we both attach to our relations,” Jinping added.
During the visit, Jinping said he looks forward to further discussions with President Kagame on the development of two countries’ relationship in the new era and on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Jinping believes that with the good cooperation of the two sides, his visit will be a full success and bring enormous benefits to the people.
Narendra is expected in Rwanda on July 23rd in historic visit as is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Rwanda.
A statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs says that Narendra who will also visit Uganda and South Africa will hold bilateral meetings with Presidents, delegation level talks and meetings with the business and Indian communities.
“In Rwanda, Prime Minister will visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial and participate in an event on Girinka, a national social protection scheme of Rwanda that was initiated by President Paul Kagame,” a statement reads in part.
The Times of India wrote that Narendra will provide 200 cows as a contribution from India to the Girinka programme.
Speaking to the media, India’s Secretary of Economic Relations in the Ministry of External Affairs, T S Tirumurti said that a defence cooperation agreement is also expected to be signed between India and Rwanda.
“During this visit, we expect to conclude two lines of credit—one of 100 million for development of industrial parks and Kigali Special Economic Zone and another one for USD 100 million for agriculture and irrigation,” he said.
Tirumurti added that they expect agreements to be concluded in the areas of defence, dairy cooperation, leather, agriculture and culture.
“My then fiancé deceived me that he was a Muslim too and I didn’t know much about him as we just met in Kigali. Coming to marry him, I found him under the roof of four sheets only. He was drinking a lot of beer, illegal gin and smoking weed. Shortly after getting married, he started coming home late at night and beat me seriously. I started leaving the house to sleep in the banana plantation whenever I heard him coming home drunk,” narrates Kabuto.
She produced her first baby girl a year later and kept sleeping outside with the baby since she was two months old.
“Then came Indashyikirwa project by Rwanda Women’s Network in 2015 and my peers elected me among others to be a counsellor for the gender-based violence victims. My husband fought hard my commitment but I invoked our village leader who helped to convince him. I later invited home my fellow counsellors to teach my husband. He heard the lessons but was reluctant to change,” says the mother of two.
She later invited her husband to the Muslim gathering from which he decided to join the religion and went home telling the wife he had abandoned taking beer, abusing drugs and all forms GBV he was doing against her.
“We started working together, we took a Rwf100, 000 loan to open a business and repaid it at ease, shortly bought a plot at Rwf250,000 and built in a house. We are selling products from there and we have a peaceful family. We have got a so good life that my and his weight has increased from around 50kgs to around 90 and 75kgs respectively. My husband was a security breaker but has since become the village security in-charge,” she adds.
Kabuto was testifying Thursday at the closing of Indashyikirwa project in Nyarugenge Sector. The four-year project has been running in two cells of each of Ngeruka and Nyarugenge sectors.
Etienne Kanamugire, a resident of Gihinga Cell of Nyarugenge, said he was a drunkard and used to exercise violence against his wife, Agnes Nyiransabimana, and as a result, they lived in poverty under the eight-roof sheet house but the couple has now got a decent residential house and two more houses aside, thanks to the teachings about GBV.
Funded by UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) under the coordination of Care International, the project trained 200 GBV counsellors and benefited at least 40,000 people in the district over the last four years, according to Annet Mukiga, the Progmammes Director at Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN) which implemented the project alongside Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC).
Ms. Mukiga said the project was running in seven districts in the country and considering the results it has delivered, RWN is seeking more funding to scale it up in other parts of the country in a bid to eradicate GBV.
Léandre Kagorora Ngombwa, the Executive Secretary of Nyarugenge Sector, said the project has reduced cases of GBV in the sector, adding that only 27 women and four men reported GBV cases in the last two years.
The Vice-Mayor in Charge of Social Affairs in Bugesera District, Yvette Imanishimwe urged the counsellors to keep helping the couples in conflicts even after the project and reminded the residents that they cannot attain the development they and the country aspire for when they live in violence.
“As the district administration, we cannot limit this impact in Nyarugenge and Ngeruka, we have 15 sectors and want to share these lessons with all the sectors in collaboration with you, partners. Let’s fight drug abuse which is largely behind the GBV. Let’s fight any kind of GBV and we ask victims to report it to Isange One-Stop Centre,” she said.
The agreements were signed Friday when President Paul Kagame was receiving his Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Nyusi in one-on-one bilateral talks at the presidential palace, Village Urugwiro.
According to the Office of the President, other bilateral agreements signed include the establishment of a joint permanent commission, air service, science and technology, higher education and professional training.
They also signed a memorandum of understanding between Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Investment and Export Promotion Agency of Mozambique.
After the bilateral talks, both Heads of State held a joint press conference in which Kagame said there is partnership and cooperation between the two countries.
He said that people of Rwanda and Mozambique share a lot and have similar aspirations.
“We have had similarities in our history as earlier referred to, liberating our people and countries; these experiences are better in complementary manner, there are similarities and differences, but, if all brought together each side learns one thing or two, more than they had in their own experiences,” he said.
“So, when we are talking about the liberation of our people and countries, the very big part of that is social and economic transformation that we seek to carry out in the context of good political management of our countries.”
Kagame said that along the process, both countries share the experiences in supporting private sector so that they lead the economic progress desired for both countries’ people.
“It is all offered in that framework of partnership that we witnessed in the bilateral agreement. Through that process, many things will happen to benefit Rwanda and Mozambique,” Kagame noted.
Kagame said that Rwanda-Mozambique partnership will not stop by strengthening both countries’ cooperation, but they will also contribute to the African countries for the better of the continent.
Representing the Government of Rwanda at the third general shareholders meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to Treasury in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Caleb Rwamuganza noted that Africa50 provides Rwanda with a unique opportunity to pursue to key infrastructure projects.
“We have several infrastructure projects in the pipeline that we hope to realize in the near future. Joining Africa50 simply takes us another step closer to that objective,” Rwamuganza said after signing a shareholder agreement on behalf of Rwanda.
Africa50’s primary target sectors are transport and power, which represent almost 70% of projected infrastructure investment needs between now and 2025, and have a significant economic and transformative impact.
“More than ever, Africa50 is in a position to deliver its mandate. In just two years of operation, Africa50 has brought together key players from Africa’s public and private sectors and the broader Pan-African and international development finance community,” the platform Chief Executive Officer, Alain Ebobiss said.
Africa50 supports commercially sustainable projects through increasing the number of investment-ready, infrastructure projects and provide financing at earlier stages of projects.
It also provides primarily equity and quasi equity with flexible exit options, while accessing preferential debt from the Africa Development Bank and development finance institutions.
The third general shareholders meeting was graced by President Uhuru Kenyatta and was attended by African ministers, senior government officials representing Africa50’s shareholder countries, as well as distinguished business leaders in Africa and beyond.
Africa50’s investor base is currently composed of 28 African countries, the African Development Bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), and Bank Al-Maghrib, with over US$800 million in committed capital.
The government targets 100% access to clean water by 2024. However, the report presented yesterday expressed concerns over strategies being implemented to achieve the target.
Senators visited all districts across the country and consulted different institutions including the State Minister in charge Water and Energy in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) officials and the Ministry of Local Governance.
According to the committee chairperson , Jacqueline Muhongayire, the report identifies many queries in the water distribution process.
“Water distribution process has many challenges including wrong statistics, poor operational and management of water supply system as well as poor collaboration between district officials and contractors in charge of water distribution and maintenance,” she explained.
Among others, Muhongayire said that contracts between contractors and district officials are poorly implemented.
The report indicates that District Water Boards do not effectively implement their responsibilities. In all districts, the government rain water harvesting programme is not efficiently implemented.
Senators expressed concerns in district water distribution plan and lack of water accessibility research. It was concluded that water access challenges need immediate redress.
The commission observed that 100 per cent access to clean water by 2024 may not be achieved if there are no clear measures to address the prevalent challenges, which is why Prime Minister should explain the way forward.
Currently, clean water access is 84.8 percent from 74.2 percent in 2010. Under the seven-year government programme, it is targeted to reach 100 per cent.
Kagame was speaking yesterday at a State Banquet hosted in honour of visiting Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi.
Nyusi arrived in Rwanda yesterday for a three-day state visit on the invitation of President Paul Kagame.
Kagame said that the two countries have a similar liberation trajectory, as well as a common vision for African integration.
“Our countries have earned the freedom to chart our own course. It came at a heavy price as we know, as well. Our responsibility has been to continue the struggle for the prosperity, security, and dignity of our citizens. We are counting on the next generation to sustain these gains and expand upon them,” Kagame shared.
He said that shared work to make the African Union more effective and relevant is part of the struggle.
“As signatories of the African Continental Free Trade Area, we look forward to trading much more with each other around our continent,” he added.
Rwanda and Mozambique teams have been working together this week to strengthen bilateral cooperation in priority areas.
“There is no better way to continue our liberation journey than to combine our respective strengths and capabilities and transform the lives of our people,” Kagame noted.
The Head of State revealed that Rwanda seeks to open an embassy in Mozambique which is expected at strengthening cooperation.
“In fact, a little earlier I informed the President that we are looking at opening an embassy in Maputo very soon. This will help carry on with the work of strengthening our cooperation,” he added.
In a statement, Thursday, the World Bank says that under Jaramillo’s leadership, the World Bank will continue supporting inclusive growth and poverty reduction through a wide array of financial products and technical assistance.
Mr. Jaramillo will be overseeing an operational portfolio of over 80 projects representing a total investment of more than US$12 billion to help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face.
In Rwanda, the focus will be on supporting the Government in the implementation of the National Strategy for Transformation. Jaramillo will oversee the development of a World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy that will focus on accelerating economic growth that is private-sector driven and job creating; improving productivity and incomes of the poor through rural development and social protection and supporting accountable Governance through public financial management and decentralization.
Mr. Jaramillo is the outgoing Director of the World Bank Group’s Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice (MTI) where he led a global team of over 450 economists.
Since joining the World Bank, in 2002, he has also served two terms as Country Director in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.
Before joining the World Bank, Mr. Jaramillo served in the public service of the Government of Colombia, holding offices in the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Trade.
He holds a Ph. D. in Development Economics from Stanford University. Jaramillo succeeds Ms. Diarietou Gaye, who has been appointed as the World Bank’s Director of Strategy and Operations for the Africa Region.
According to a statement from the Office of the Government Spokesperson, issued 19th July, Modi will have a two-day working visit starting from July 23rd to 24th.
Between today 19th to 24th, Rwanda hosts leaders of Mozambique, China and India on successive state visits.
Meanwhile, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi arrived in Rwanda, Thursday and welcomed by President Paul Kagame.
Nyusi is in the country for a tree-day state visit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, will be in Rwanda from July 22nd to 23rd, this marks the first visit by a Chinese leader to Rwanda.
A statement says that the visits will facilitate to expand trade and investment opportunities.
“These important events will serve to celebrate and deepen the close ties that exist between Rwanda and these three friendly nations. Each leader will also be accompanied by a significant private sector delegation. Expanding trade and investment will therefore be a particular focus, notably in the areas of infrastructure, mining, agriculture and information technology,” reads a statement.
Discussions will also touch upon continental matters in the context of the African Union, which President Kagame currently chairs. China and India are among Africa’s most important and fast-growing economic partners.
