The incident took place last night around 8pm. The school that accommodates students from nursery to ordinary level, is located in Buye village, Butare cell in Ngoma sector of Huye district.
The car hit the students as they crossed the road heading to their dormitories after dining from the school’s refectory. The dormitory is opposite school buildings that students have to cross the road to reach it.
The head teacher of Centre Scolaire Elena Guela, Sister Patricie Mukagahima has told IGIHE that they rushed student to hospital after the incident where one succumbed to injuries.
“We rushed them to health facilities unfortunately one of them died at King Faisal Hospital. Others are attended to at University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) but four of them have been seriously injured,” she said.
Huye district officials have today morning joining the school’s management to comfort students discomforted by colleague’s accident.
Speaking to IGIHE, some parents with children at the school have expressed worries over restrictions to visit their kids at hospital amidst Coronavirus pandemic but the school’s management has said that parents are getting updates of admitted students’ health via phone.
Police spokesperson in Southern Province, SP Kanamugire Theobald has told IGIHE that the car that hit students has been seized.
“We have seized the car and the driver. It is apparent that the accident was triggered by over speeding. The next step is to make his file and hand him to the Prosecution,” he said.
SP Kanamugire appealed on motorists to drive carefully and abide by traffic rules.
The cabinet meeting held on 4th January 2021 chaired by Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente set new COVID-19 preventive measures requiring institutions (public and private) to operate at no more than 30% capacity of staff while others have to work from home.
To further reinforce the directive, MIFOTRA yesterday released a letter requesting public institutions to operate at 15% capacity of staff.
“Pursuant to health guidelines and measures of the cabinet meeting of 4th January 2021, after realizing the rising COVID-19 cases, we would like to inform you that public institutions will continue activities with a requirement to operate at 15% capacity of total staff while others have to work from home on rotational basis,” reads part of the letter.
“ In this context, MIFOTRA also requests public institutions to produce a list of staff to work from home or office and specify when they should rotate that operating at 15% of staff capacity shall go into effect immediately,” adds the letter.
MIFOTRA has requested institutions to make the list public and encourage staff to respect COVID-19 preventive measures.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March last year.
As of today, a total of 9,058 people have been tested positive out of 750,081 sample tests of whom 6940 have recovered, 2006 are active cases while 112 have succumbed to the pandemic.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
The system built under the auspices of Compassion International Rwanda stretches along 1.5 kilometer built through Gatebe village, Susa cell of Kanjongo sector in Nyamasheke district at a cost of Rwf 6 million.
Construction activities of the system expected to distribute water to over 170 residents started towards the end of last year.
Residents have explained that the water system comes in handy to address water scarcity that has been pushing them to consume dirty pond waters.
“We have been greatly delighted because we used to fetch dirty water from far distant locations. We are bound to improve hygiene and sanitation. The water taps are closer to our homes,” appreciates Tuyishime Vestine, one of the new water taps users.
Another resident, Habiyeze Damascène thanked donors and the Government for making the infrastructure available.
“We have been cooking with dirty water but the situation is going to improve. With new water facilities, we are assured of good health. This makes us grateful to the Government and donors,” he said.
The water system will also be used by nearby school, health post and Baptists Union Church in Rwanda (UEBR) church.
Ngabonziza Benoît, the Bishop of UEBR church said the facility will help them to respect COVID-19 preventive measures when they are allowed to reopen.
“As you see, we have already built a hand washing facility and will be accessing water from this system. The infrastructure will help us to contain spread of COVID-19 and other diseases related to poor hygiene when our church reopens,” he noted.
Over 80 % Nyamasheke residents have access to safe water.
Nyamasheke district vice mayor for social affairs, Mukamana Claudette revealed that the water system comes in handy and has increased the number of residents accessing safe water.
“We are grateful that the infrastructure that residents have been requesting is available. It is indeed a great support in a sense that it increased residents accessing safe water,” she said.
Mukeshimana was arrested on January 4, in Kadashya Cell, Kamembe Sector following information that he was impersonating security organs and local leaders.
At the time of his arrest, he was receiving Rwf200, 000 from a local resident, whom he had seduced to believe that he is a police officer attached to the department of Traffic and Road Safety and in position to give him a driver’s license.
According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the police spokesperson for the Western region, Mukeshimana was impersonating Police officers, investigators, soldiers and local authorities.
“The suspect, after getting information that the resident (name withheld) was in the process of acquiring a provisional and definitive driver’s licenses, he approached him disguising as a traffic officer, offered to help him acquire the permits for Rwf200, 000,” CIP Karekezi said.
He added: “The resident, out of suspicion that Mukeshimana could be a conman, paid him Rwf30, 000 in advance but informed the Police thereafter. He was arrested red-handed receiving what would have been the balance of Rwf170, 000.”
Residents of Kadashya trading centre, where Mukeshimana was residing, also disclosed that the suspect was impersonating investigators and had defrauded some of them promising to give them related services.
CIP Karekezi thanked the resident, who reported the criminal acts and facilitate the arrest of the suspect red-handed.
“All services have proper channels through which they are accessed and given to those that need them; they are not offered on streets, road on in someone’s house. In this case, a driver’s license is not bought with someone but an aspiring driver registers, seats for the tests and acquires the license through the known legal process but not through any individual,” the spokesperson said.
Mukeshimana was handed over to RIB at Kamembe station.
Impersonation, under article 279 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, attracts an imprisonment of between two and three years and a fine of between Rwf300, 000 and Rwf500, 000, while fraud is punishable under article 174, with an imprisonment of between two and three years and a fine of Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million, upon conviction.
Among others, 103 new cases have been found out of 4,829 sample tests while 62 have recovered.
The statement released last night shows that new cases were found in Kigali: 82, Rubavu: 6, Musanze: 3, Huye: 3, Muhanga: 2, Nyanza: 2, Ruhango: 1, Rusizi: 1, Burera: 1, Kayonza: 1 and Nyagatare: 1.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March last year.
Since then, 9,058 people have been tested positive out of 750,081 sample tests of whom 6940 have recovered, 2006 are active cases while 112 have succumbed to the pandemic.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
Nzayisenga Yenos who tipped off the concerned officials through his twitter account has told IGIHE that foot patrol members on 14th December 2020 went to the home of Nkurikiyimana accusing him of abusing a woman in the area.
Upon arrival at Nkurikiyimana’s home around 9pm, patrol agents knocked at the door, beat and injured the him as he got out.
One month after Nkurukiyimana went for medical attention and reported the brutality to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) with no stern action taken against the culprits, Nzayisenga decided to call for action using his Twitter handle.
Following the tweet, Kamonyi district officials and Rwanda National Police took action and gave a reply to the effect that the six suspects have been arrested and handed to RIB.
“They are suspected of beating and causing head injuries to Nkurikiyimana Enoch,” reads a tweet by Police.
Police explained, the suspects are detained at Gacurabwenge Police Station as investigations get underway.
The violators are required to report to the traffic offices in Muhima not later than January 18.
The list includes 143 vehicles, 66 motorcycles, drivers, riders or owners, who undermined the directives after they were caught in hours when movements are prohibited.
All the violators were registered in City of Kigali between September 25, and December 5, 2020. Movements are prohibited between 8pm and 4am.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera warned that operations will commence after January 18, to impound automobiles on the list, whose owners, drivers or riders will not have reported as required.
“Besides moving within prohibited hours, some of them refused to stop at Police check-points while others did not go to centres where they were instructed to go or to park their automobiles. We, therefore, urge everyone on this list, which has been published on the police website, to come forward voluntarily because the next step will be enforcement,” CP Kabera warned.
The provided centres where people are required to go during curfew hours are central grounds used to control movements during prohibited movement hours as well as sensitization centres wide enough for social distancing, where people are educated on the pandemic and safety practices.
CP Kabera warned against “disrespectful behaviours and undermining instructions given by the authority.”
He observed that the directives are meant to ensure the safety of everyone from the pandemic of the COVID-19, and must be respected as well as those charged with enforcing them.
“Speeding away will not save you from being penalized because, in some cases, the violators leave their traffic-related particulars behind or plate numbers are recorded for those who refuse to stop. We also have CCTV cameras on roads, so the advice is; be home by 8pm because undermining instructions by officers enforcing the directives will only make the penalties severe,” CP Kabera warned.
During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, former communes of Muganza, Kigembe, Kibayi and others in the current Gisagara district were home to many Burundian refugees. Some of them are accused of having participated in the genocide.
Bunyenzi Isaïe, a genocide survivor in former Kigembe Commune currently in Nyanza sector has revealed that Burundians conspired with Interahamwe to kill Tutsis.
“Burundians accommodated in this area supported Interahamwe and hunted us from the commune’s office where we had fled. They stoned us with the intention of getting us outside so that they can kill us using spears,” he said.
After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, several cases involving Burundian refugees were handled by Gacaca courts which ordered some of them to pay reparations.
The mayor of Gisagara district, Rutaburingoga Jérôme has explained that Gacaca courts handled over 31,000 cases but pointed out difficulties for cases involving Burundians.
“We have finalized 31,057 cases but we have over 400 pending cases involving Burundian refugees who were accommodated in Gisagara,” he said.
Rutaburingoga thanked Gisagara residents for role in finalizing cases which he considered a great contribution to unity and reconciliation among Rwandans.
“We appreciate the way the exercise to finalize these court cases was handled and residents contribution because there are some victims who forgave offenders who had to pay damages,” he said.
Genocide survivors in different parts neighboring with Burundi have at different times asked for justice to bring to book Burundians who took part in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
They are often accused to have perpetrated Genocide in Nyakizu, Ntongwe, Kinazi of Ruhango district, Mugina in Kamonyi district, Rilima in Bugesera district; Muganza, Kigembe, Kibayi in the current Gisagara among others.
Speaking to IGIHE towards the end of last year, Faustin Nyakazungu, 77, who lived in former Commune Ntyazo , reflected on neighboring Tutsi killed by Burundian refugees who stabbed one adult woman saying ‘let us see if she can bleed blood or milk as they drunk much milk.’
“I was living in the neighborhood of those Burundians. I am one of people who were not hunted. I know well their deeds. They were characterized by extreme bad characters. They killed an old woman called Nyinawabo Bernadette and another man Jabo Félix. Those killers were with Interahamwe. The old woman was stabbed by a Burundian saying he wanted to find out if female Tutsis bleed blood or milk they drunk. I know many of them,” said Nyakazungu.
In June 2019, the former Rwanda’s Prosecutor General, Mutangana Jean Bosco revealed that the matter of Burundians has been sluggish due to lack of political will.
“We have cases of Burundians who perpetrated Genocide in Rwanda and fled but Burundi showed no political will to help us track those suspects. The issue is persistent. There are many especially in Gisagara, Nyaruguru at the border with Burundi. We issued arrest warrants but got no reply. That’s a problem,” he said.
Mutangana explained that Rwanda is eyeing support from Interpol to arrest the said fugitives.
In August 2019, the Minister of Justice and State Attorney General , Johnston Busingye told parliament that genocide is an imprescriptible crime that files for Burundians suspected for involvement in genocide have been arranged.
“Matters regarding Burundians are often reflected and which goes hand in hand preparation of related files. Action will be taken as relations return to normal but you should know that such cases are imprescriptible,” he said.
The statement signed by the Director General of RURA, Dr. Ernest Nsabimana shows that respective petrol and diesel prices in Kigali should not exceed Rwf 987 and Rwf 962 per liter. New prices are to be effected on 7th January 2021.
The prices are higher comparatively to previous ones where petrol and diesel prices were respectively set at Rwf 976 and Rwf 923.
RURA has attributed the rise to changes in international prices for petroleum products.
The decision to suspend auditions for beauty contest were announced in a statement released last evening following Monday cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente which prohibited inter-district travels.
“Miss Rwanda organizers would like to inform the general public that auditions expected on 9th January 2021 have been suspended,” reads part of the statement.
The statement further reads that beauty contest organizers attach great relevance to health of participants and Rwandans in general, that it is mandatory to adhere to Government’s measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
Aspiring girls will continue registration while other activities of the contest will be communicated soon.
The beauty contest audition in Rubavu was set for selection of contenders representing Western Province that would continue to other parts of the country on 16th , 23rd and 30th January 2021 respectively in Musanze , Northern Province; Huye, Southern Province and Kayonza in Eastern Province.
Auditions would be concluded in Kigali city on 6th February 2021.
The top 20 contestants to be selected on 20th February 2021 are supposed to head to the boot camp in Nyamata, Bugesera district from 7th to 19th March 2021 where they will proceed to participate in the grand finale slated for 20th March 2021 at Intare Conference Arena in Rusororo.
The winner will replace Naomie Nishimwe crowned Miss Rwanda 2020.
