Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

With the MoU signed yesterday, Rwanda will become DP World’s hub for expanding e-commerce across the East Africa Community and beyond. Rwandan businesses will also benefit from broader DP World services and investment that will help to facilitate and develop trade.

This includes the promotion of Rwandan exports of coffee, tea, and horticulture on Dubuy.com, the modernising of Rwanda’s supply chain logistics including in rural areas, and access to digital tools to help businesses save money and expand their reach to local, regional, and global markets.

The decision to launch Dubuy.com in Rwanda follows the country’s consistent superior annual rating in the World Bank’s global “Ease of Doing Business” rankings and its commitment to international trade and investment.

The e-commerce site will bring Rwandan products to global markets and help enterprises from around the world to invest in Rwanda. In turn, Rwandans will have greater access to international products.

DP World has already invested in world-class port and logistics facilities in Kigali, demonstrating its strong belief in Rwanda’s future.

Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Clare Akamanzi, CEO of Rwanda Development Board, said that the government of Rwanda has made substantial investment in creating a suitable environment to derive eCommerce.

“The signing of the MoU with DP World today is a significant boost to our efforts to support the development of a digital economy working closely with the private sector. There is no doubt that this partnership will make it easier for Rwandan businesses to participate in global trade,” she said.

Mike Bhaskaran, COO Logistics & Technology at DP World explained that the platform will initially enable Rwandan products to reach global markets and help enterprises from around the world to invest in Rwanda, before later expansion to further African markets.

Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director – Middle East and Africa at DP World, reiterated commitment to partner and investor in Rwanda.

“The country’s favourable investment climate, commitment to training and education, and determination to lead Africa in job creation and industrial advancement through technology, makes it a strong and obvious location to launch our new global e-commerce site. Collaborating with the Rwanda Development Board, I am confident that we can open international trade further to Rwandan businesses within Africa and beyond,” he noted.

This was revealed yesterday as Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera explained new directives and other issued guidelines meant to guarantee the health of every resident of Rwanda from the COVID-19.

“We understand that there are some services, like restaurants and hotels, that disregard the directives by operating bars. In the last week alone, Police arrested 55 people, who were driving while drunk,” CP Kabera said.

“In partnership with other entities, we are inspecting service providers to ensure physical distancing; there should be recommended distance of at least 2 metres between tables and 1.5 metres between chairs in hotels and restaurants. We are inspecting if hand washing and measuring body temperature is respected in all services,” he added.

The spokesperson also reminded all residents of Rwanda to respect the movement hours.

“By 9pm, you should be home and only leave at 4am, but from December 22, up to January 4, 2021, we expect everyone to be home by 8pm.

However, for those in Musanze District, we don’t expect any movements by 7pm. If you are transiting through Musanze, do it before 7pm,” CP Kabera said.

To those holding vigils and burial ceremonies, he said, it should be done in compliance with the directives so as not to attract Police intervention.

“We are entering the festive period, we urge all residents of Rwanda to avoid any social gatherings. Police doesn’t wish to be in anyone’s home for any violations; no one should be forced to wear a facemask, wash hands, or apply physical distancing. Workforce should not exceed the required number, 30 percent at a time.”

To those who violate the directives and try to hide from the Police, he advised, they should instead hide themselves from COVID-19, because of the threat it poses to Rwandans and the rest of the world.

“Rwanda National Police will continue the enforcement through education, inspection and operations to ensure maximum compliance against the spread of the COVID-19, penalising errant violators, but also ensuring the overall security of people living in Rwanda, and their property,” he noted.

The statement released last night shows that new cases were found in Kigali: 64, Musanze: 38, Huye: 7, Nyagatare: 5, Rusizi: 3, Muhanga: 2, Nyamagabe: 2 and Karongi: 1.

Rwanda confirmed the first case on 14th March 2020. So far, 6954 people have been tested positive out of 676,078 sample tests of whom 6057 have recovered, 840 are active cases while 57 have succumbed to the virus.

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.

These are beneficiaries from Nestlé-Zoégas and Sucafina’s second phase of the Nescafé Plan-Coffee by women program which was launched last year and is implemented by the Kahawatu Foundation. The Foundation is an agribusiness nonprofit organization, that supports small-scale coffee growers in Rwanda and neighboring countries with the objective to improve the livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of the households and this in a sustainable way.

Uwimbabazi Dorothe a coffee farmer from Nyamyumba, is one of the 2,828 women coffee farmers, who have benefited from Nestlé- Zoégas program. She explained that my coffee production has increased exponentially in the last two consecutive years, that is 2018 and 2019.

Among others, her farm productivity improved with about 17% in 2019 vs 2018 production.

“This is a result of the adoption of the training on good agricultural practices and the technical assistance that Kahawatu has provided as part of the Nescafé Plan – Coffee By Women program,” said Uwimbabazi.

The program which seeks to empower more than 3,000 women within three years since 2019, has seen Nestlé and its partners deploy Agronomists to the 5 western CWS of Rwacof namely Musasa, Mushonyi, Nyamyumba, Rwinyoni, and Ngororero, to offer agricultural extension services, establish coffee demonstration plots for teaching purposes, and teach the farmers how to undertake coffee farming as a family business.

The farmers have also received trainings on Group Dynamics and leadership, nutrition and food security, primary healthcare and hygiene and sanitation.

“As a result of the trainings we have undertaken, we have seen an increase in the representation of women and youth in the producer organizations formed in the five coffee washing stations,” said Hans Nilsson, Marketing Manager Zoégas (Nestlé).

“Currently the leadership structure of the producer organizations has changed to include a lead farmer, women representative and youth representative. We are also seeing an increasing number of women owning their own coffee farms and vying for leadership positions in the coffee washing stations,” he added.

Women play a significant role in coffee farming activities, as well as their critical contribution to families and communities, but they frequently do not have the same opportunities to receive training or to take on leading organizational roles.

The project supports gender equality and women empowerment with a tailored program to increase the household incomes, strengthen financial management, and develop communication and influencing skills, helping some of them to assume leading community roles.

Coffee is still a major source of livelihood for thousands of Rwandese smallholder farmers and this partnership aims to have a higher inclusion of women and youth, improved economics of coffee farming, improved livelihood and living standards and thus improved household resilience.

The aim of the five-day meeting is to draft a Concept on Countering Asymmetric Threats, a global phenomenon that poses a regional and international security threat.

The Chiefs of Defence and Security meeting was officially opened by Rwanda Defence Force Army Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Jean Jacques Mupenzi.

In his opening remarks, he noted that the region continues to face challenges of conflict that impact peace and stability in some of member states and proposed possible solutions.

“Acts of violence, terrorism and violent extremism, particularly in the Horn of Africa and Eastern DRC, continue impacting the region and call for concerted effort,” he said.

“For EASF to realise its goals, we need to match our stated commitment of promoting African solutions to African problems, with an equal commitment to mobilize more resources from within the continent than we do today, in order to give a concrete meaning to the leadership and ownership of the organization,” added Lt Gen Mupenzi.

The EASF Director, Brig Gen Getachew Shiferaw Fayisa emphasized the EASF Organisation after achieving full operational capability (FOC) since 2014.
“One of our key activities for the next five years strategic plan will be to maintain the force readiness and focus on preventing conflicts in the region” he said.

The EASF CDS meeting will be followed by the Council of Ministers of Defence and Security meeting which is the last of the 28th Ordinary Session of Policy Organs Meetings.

RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera, while appearing of Rwanda Television on Tuesday, December 15, said that some people comply when forced or only for fear of being arrested.

The Cabinet meeting held on Monday, December 14, set new measures in response to the fight against further spread of the COVID-19, most of which took effect on December 15.

The new measures include prohibited movements between 9pm and 4am (with exception of Musanze District where movements are prohibited between 7pm and 4pm) effective December 15 to 21st.

With effect from December 22 up to January 4, movements will be prohibited from 8pm to 4am. All social gatherings including wedding ceremonies and celebrations of all kinds are now prohibited in both public and private settings; meetings and conferences should not exceed 30 percent of the venue capacity while event organizers must comply with COVID-19 prevention measures. A certificate for negative negative test for COVID-19 will, however, be required for all participants.

Meetings and conferences in Musanze are suspended for the next three weeks.
Offices of public and private institutions will operate at 30 percent capacity; other employees will continue working from home on a rotational basis.

Public transport will now operate at 50 percent capacity in compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures; services at places of worship shall operate once a week with no more than 50 percent of maximum occupancy, except in Musanze when attendance is at 30 percent maximum occupancy.

Funerals should not exceed 50 persons but the maximum number is 30 persons in Musanze; the maximum number at the vigil is 15 persons at a time; gyms and swimming pools have been closed with related services only allowed for tested hotel residents; football competitions and training suspended except for national teams and clubs involved in international competitions.

The Minister of Health, Dr Daniel Ngamije warned that the new directives can be revised and tightened further any time, if people don’t adhere to health guidelines.
The Cabinet directives emphasized the critical importance of complying with the health measures including physical distancing, wearing facemask and hand washing, warning of penalties for non-compliance.

All other existing measures and guidelines remain in force.

On the specific measures for Musanze, Dr. Ngamije said that this was informed by the increase in infections in the district.

“In our random testing, we found that at least 13 percent of those tested were positive; any positive cases beyond 10 percent in random testing raises concern that requires immediate and relatively tougher measures,” Minister Ngamije said.

Meanwhile, CP Kabera reminded all Rwandans to comply for own safety from catching COVID-19 or spreading it.

“Complying because you are being watched or for fear of being arrested will not save you from getting infected. Fear the COVID-19 not the Police,” CP Kabera said.

He explained that Police officers across the country continue to work with other relevant entities such as local leaders and youth volunteers to enforce the directives, including awareness, arresting and penalising violators.

“It’s a combination of education and enforcement. We urge people to continue sharing information on violators; bars, restaurants and hotels that hide under their permitted services to sell alcohol; people turning their homes into bars or holding events and other prohibited gatherings.

If a hotel allows people, who are not their residents, to access their gym and swimming pool services, the owner or management will be held accountable including likely closure of the facility.”