Author: John Mbaraga

As the competition inches closer to the final scheduled to take place on Sunday, Lozano won the stage from Musanze District to Kigali but Rwandan Samuel Mugisha continue to retain yellow jersey that he secured from the stage two of the competition.

From Musanze to Kigali, the 107.5 Kilometer distance, Lozano used 2 hours 48 minutes and 18 seconds followed by Rwandan Valens Ndayisenga using 2 hours 48 minutes and 35 seconds.

On this stage, Rwandans Jean Claude Uwizeye and Mugisha came third and fourth respectively using 2 hours 48 minutes and 35 seconds.

Mugisha continues to lead the general classification with 21 seconds ahead of the second Rwandan, Jean Claude Uwizeye and one minute and 33 seconds ahead of the third, Ethiopian Mulu Hailemichael.

As all players play final stage Sunday, Mugisha says the competition continues.

“I am very happy. The race continues and I cannot affirm that we have won the competition. I call upon Rwandans to come and support us tomorrow,” he told the media.

{{General classification top ten}}

1. Samuel Mugisha for Team Rwanda: 19h31’52’’
2. Jean Claude Uwizeye for POC Cote de Lumière: 19h32’13’’
3. Hailemichael Mulu for Ethiopia: 19h32’16’’
4. Lagab Azzedine for Groupement Sportif Des Petroliers: 19h32’35’’
5. Lozano RIBA David for Team Novo Nordisk: 19h33’42’’
6. Temalew Bereket Desalegn for Ethiopia: 19h33’46’’
7. Valens Ndayisenga for POC Cote de Lumière: 19h34’08’’
8. Doring Jonas for Team Descartes Romandie: 19h34’13’’
9. Didier Munyaneza for Team Rwanda: 19h34’54’’
10. Goudin Valentin for Haute Savoie Auvergne Rhône Alpe: 19h36’00’’

The incident took place yesterday around 9:00pm in Rurembo Village, Byahi Cell, Rubavu Sector of Rubavu District.

According to witnesses, the incident was started by misunderstanding between people who were in a local beer pub and the soldier.

Following quarrels, Ngendahimana who was clad in casual, went in the barracks and returned with a gun that he used in shooting at people in the pub.

The deceased has been identified as Jean Marie Vianney Benimana while wounded are Vincent Hakizimana and Theoneste Nzabahimana.

In a meeting with locals on Saturday morning, the 301 brigade commandant in Nyabihu and Rubavu Districts, Col. Pascal Muhizi ensured people that culprit will face justice.

“I would request you to calm down and ensure you that he will face justice, RDF follows the rule of law, if we will find it necessary, hearing process will take place on the scene of crime,” he said.

Rubavu District mayor, Gilbert Habyarimana requested people to avoid quarrelling and consider informing security officials in case they arise.

“Since you saw a soldier arguing with people, you should have reported to his commanders,” he said.

In 2014, a similar incident took place in Rubavu District when a soldier shot dead one person in Caribana Pub leaving others injured.

Known as ‘The Cup of Excellence Awards’, the ceremony took place in Kigali on Friday.

Twenty-eight out of 344 coffee lots that had registered for the competition were announced winners of the Cup of Excellence Award, 2018 after exceeding 86.62 marks.

However only the top three lots got beyond 90 marks and became ‘presidential award’ winners.

The winners are Twumba coffee from Karongi District with 90.53%, Mayogi Cooperative from Gicumbi District with 90.06% and Murundo Coffee Washing Station from Nyamasheke District with 90.03%.

Winning coffees are chosen through a competition conducted by a selected group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process.

Best coffees are auctioned after the awarding ceremony and get secured by the highest bidders.

The top winner coffee lot at the previous competition was sold at USD84 per Kg and the top best coffees for this year will be auctioned in September.

The Cup of excellence awards ceremony is organised by the Government of Rwanda in partnership with Alliance for Coffee Excellence.

Since the Cup of Excellence was launched in Rwanda in 2008, the winning coffees have attracted buyers from Asia, Europe and United States of America.

PLP is a youth led organization that aims at establishing a positive change in the world through peace, unity and development.

Dubbed ‘Anda Arts Festival’, the event has been organised by youth, for youth. The festival will take in Kigali on Saturday and Sunday.

It calls upon the use of performing arts to express creativity, to advocate and create awareness about challenges in communities as well as discussing ways to address them.

Anda is a Kinyarwanda word which derived from verb ‘Kwanda’ which literally means to expand or to grow.

“With several short plays (in Kinyarwanda or English), contemporary and traditional Rwandan dance, poems, and musical performances this edition comes with energy to celebrate with you as we start the conversation related to our diverse needs and engage in decision making processes and express ourselves freely,” says Nelson Kitofu, Peace and Love Proclaimers Country Director.

The International Youth Day is a celebration of the role of young men and women as essential partners in change and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world.

This year, the International Youth Day will be marked under the theme ‘Safe space for youth’.

Usually, PLP celebrates the day by bringing the youth together and engaging them in discussions and activities related to their diverse needs and interests, participate in decision making processes and express themselves freely.

The church has now embarked on a deliberate program of rebuilding, upgrading and rehabilitating the church premises across the country that did not meet the standards then.

In an interview with IGIHE, the Church spokesperson, Pastor Juvenal Ngendahayo said that they are mobilizing funds to construct new worship places as well as renovating closed ones.

“One of the most urgent activities is mobilizing funds and implementing recommendations so that we can be allowed to re-open,” he said.

He said that among over 90 closed places, they need at least Rwf200 million for renovation and meeting hygiene standards where each church will take at least Rwf2 million.

Ngendahayo revealed that building church headquarters that meet Kigali Master Plan will cost Rwf3 billion.

However, Ngendahayo is optimistic that in not more than one-year-and-half, the closed worship facilities will have been renovated and re-opened as they continue to mobilise funds for headquarters’ construction.

Ngendahayo revealed to IGIHE that the funds will be mobilized from followers and donors.

In a statement recently, the government said that the closure of worship places did not infringe on freedom of worship but served to address the alarming challenge of proliferation of places of worship in dilapidated and unhygienic conditions, as well as troubling behaviour of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as religious leaders.

Last month Parliament passed a law governing faith-based organisations which sets qualifications of a Bachelor’s degree in theology for an individual to head a faith-based organization.

The Government’s clampdown on illegal church structures started in March this year, affecting many, but those that took action to meet minimum standards have since re-opened.

Prior to the clampdown, government officials and church leaders in February held a meeting that resolved to urgently address the increase in places of worship that failed to meet minimum building and hygiene standards, posing serious threat to the safety of worshipers.