The suspects arrested on Monday, December 14, are Hamuri Biracitse and his son Pascal Nizeyimana.
The engine, Yamaha 9.9hp, and fishing nets were stolen in the night of December 11, from Congolese fishermen in Lake Kivu, DR Congo side.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that following the alleged theft, Police Marine and Kivumu Police station in Rutsiro received credible information on some of the suspected thieves.
“Police, at about 3am on Monday, went to the house of Biracitse located in Bukiro, Kirambi cell in Kivumu Sector, Rutsiro District where the stolen items were suspected to be hidden. They recovered four rolls of illicit fishing nets and arrested Biracitse alongside his son,” CIP Karekezi said.
He added: “During interrogation, Nizeyimana admitted to have been stealing nets and boat engines, in collaboration with other people. He, however, argued that he did not take part in this specific night raid and theft, but disclosed that he knew other members of the group behind the theft.
He led Police officers to a spot in the lake, where they normally hide items they steal. It is the same spot where the boat engine was found submerged held by a rope.”
The suspects have since been handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) at Kavumu station alongside the exhibits.
“Law enforcement organs are working together to locate and arrest other two members of the group still at large. We call upon the general public with information of their whereabouts, to come forward as usual, so that the remaining suspects can be arrested to face justice,” the spokesperson said.
In article 166, any person convicted for theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six (6) months or only one of these penalties.
However, in article 167, the penalty doubles if the theft was carried out by more than one person.
The statement released last night shows that the new patients were found in Kigali: 30 Musanze: 39, Rubavu: 8, Karongi: 3, Rusizi: 3, Ruhango: 1 and Huye: 1.’
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 6832 people have been tested positive out of 673,517 sample tests of whom 6036 have recovered, 739 are active cases while 57 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.
They were taken to Kenya in the 1940s in different regions including Kisii and Kericho where they worked on tea plantations. They were settled in Kenya at different times respectively in 1930, 1945 and 1957.
Elizabeth Nyirabatware is one of Rwandans taken to Kenya during colonial times.
She was 93 years in 2017. Nyirabatware was taken to Kenya in 1945 along with her husband Joseph Rwasa Nyabenda who later passed on. At the time, she was 21-year old in early days of marriage. They were childless at the time.
They had been recruited to travel to Kenya by Belgium colonialists to work in the expansive tea plantations in Kericho and Bomet owned by white settlers.
As she spoke to the East African in 2017, Nyirabatware explained that she and her husband got a rewarding job experience working for the colonialists who paid attractive salaries and other benefits.
She explained that she received other incentives including promotions, free rations of grain and blankets from the colonialists for their services. She described the work as having been difficult but rewarding. She used to pick over 30 kilogrammes of tea leaf a day in the tea estates in Kericho and Bomet.
Talking about life in Kiropket Village in Nandi County, she had reservations about the “manner” in which subsequent post-Independence Kenyan governments treated the families of over 1,000 Rwandan nationals who took the trip with her in the 1930s and 40s.
Nyirabatware said she is the oldest surviving Rwandan national taken to Kenya to work at the tea plantations in colonial times, but lamented Kenya’s reluctance “to recognize us as citizens” despite “spending our entire lives in service to the government.”
Nyirabatware appealed to Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government to recognise her and the rest of the Rwandan community. “Before I die, I appeal to President Kenyatta and his government to provide me and other Rwandan nationals with ID cards,” she said.
{{Rwanda’s support}}
Rwanda’s ambassador in Kenya, Amb Dr. Richard Masozera has told IGIHE that the Government of Rwanda advocated until the first batch received citizenship during a ceremony held on 12th December 2020 to celebrate Kenya’s Independence.
“You know that there are Rwandans who were brought to Kenya in the 1930s by Belgian colonialists to work on tea plantations in Kericho counties. Since then, colonialists used to give them identifications helping them on cross border movements which host countries withheld gradually after independence,” he said.
Amb Masozera explained that Rwandans fall within such category that failure to get citizenship deprives them of some rights.
“These Rwandans in Kericho fall within this category. They are deprived of rights; fail to take children to public schools and access loans to implement projects,” he noted.
The plight pushed Rwandans living in Kenya to appeal for nationality so they could enjoy equal rights. In the 1980s, they sought to return to Rwanda but the then leadership claimed they were not known.
In the past four years, those Rwandans increasingly appealed for nationality after 100,000 people from Makonde tribe were granted Kenyan citizenship.
At the time, former Rwanda’s ambassador in Kenya, James Kimonyo visited these Rwandans, interacted with them and promised advocacy.
“They have spent over 80 years in Kenya. It means they don’t know relatives in Rwanda. At the time, Amb Kimonyo promised them advocacy to both Governments to fix the problem. I replaced him and took on the advocacy for the issue which they promised to solve,” said Amb Masozera.
During the celebration of Kenya’s Independence known as “Jamhuri Day”, President Uhuru Kenyatta granted citizenship to 1300 Rwandans. Ten of them got identities instantly while others will get them gradually from January 2020.
Amb Masozera explained that the government of Rwanda made all efforts to put an end to this problem.
“The Government knew the case and provided necessary support. I used to interact with elders in Rwandan communities living in Kenya. They were happy with Rwanda’s support in addressing the issue,” he noted.
Majority of these Rwandans hail from Southern Province in former Gitarama and Butare prefectures as well as Rubavu district in Western Province.
The campaign officially launched on 14th December 2020 runs until 31st January 2021.
Mutimura Benjamin, Chief Commercial Officer at BK explained that the campaign is aimed at increasing customers’ penetration into cashless payments.
“We recently run a campaign dubbed ‘Si Ngombwa Cash’ to drive customers into cashless payments. The prizes align with similar initiative to encourage them to go cashless and embrace our reliable and safe cards used everywhere,” he said.
Embracing cashless payment is one of key strategies to control the spread of Covid-19 pandemic which has affected the world in many aspects.
Mutimura explained that using MasterCard would contribute a lot to controlling the spread of the virus.
“We strongly encourage customers to take advantage of MasterCard to abandon cash payments for cashless. They are reliable and enable fast transactions,” he noted.
Throughout the campaign, customers who perform single transactions worth Rwf25,000 and above using their BK Mastercard debit or credit cards online or via Point of Sale (POS) will stand chance to win different prizes.
Prizes including laptops, shopping vouchers and motorbikes will be awarded on weekly basis while a Mahindra KUV 100 NXT car, which is the grand prize of the campaign, will be given out at the end of the campaign.
The new offer from MTN is the first in the market as traditionally voice minutes were only limited to call On-Net (within the MTN network).
Speaking about the offer, MTN’s Chief Financial Officer, Mark Nkurunziza, said, “As part of making our customers’ lives brighter this festive season, MTN customers can call both MTN to MTN numbers as well as numbers on other networks at no extra cost. They will not need to switch SIM cards when they want to call friends & family that are on other networks.”
MTN’s “Duchillinge” promotion will run until 8th January 2021 and will apply to Daily, Weekly and Monthly voice bundles. This move is aimed at giving customers even more value for their calling needs.
“Coupled with our vast network coverage and our distribution footprint of over 30,000 agents across the country, we are continuously looking for even more ways of giving more value to our customers by making communication more affordable. It is about offering our customers the control, convenience and flexibility they need,” concluded Nkurunziza.
To access MTN Voice Bundles, MTN customers can dial *140# for Irekure and *154# for Yolo.
MTN Rwandacell Limited is the market leader in mobile telecommunications in Rwanda. Since 1998, we have continuously invested in expanding and modernising our network and are now the country’s No 1 internet network.
MTN Rwanda offers various superior services to subscribers, including innovative propositions such as personalised voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in mobile financial services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
The figures were released yesterday as Cimerwa presented financial report for the past nine months of the previous financial year that ended September 2020.
Overall the company registered Rwf 63.5 total revenues.
The profit is promising for new investors wishing to buy the firm’s shares currently listed on Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE).
Albert Sigei, Cimerwa Chief Executive Officer said that the performance required much effort due to COVID-19 disruptions which affected different businesses.
The firm was also closed during the 40-day lockdown.The plant later struggled to get new equipment for cement processing. Sigei explained that the firm managed to overcome those challenges with the support of the Government of Rwanda which established strong COVID-19 resilience strategy that they leveraged to expand activities.
Generally, Cimerwa produced 421,000 tons of cement. The firm registered a remarkable improvement producing 55,000 tons in July this year breaking record as the hugest bulk production since the establishment of Cimerwa.
Apart from the first quarter characterized by upgrading activities, Cimerwa gradually increased production in every quarter of this year. The firm is currently operating at 80% capacity.
“We need to keep up the momentum and avoid complacency so that we satisfy the market and increase profits,” said Sigei.
Cimerwa’s profit is mainly attributed to mega construction projects including construction of roads, health centers and over 22,000 classrooms built in different parts of the country in which the firm supplied over 8,000 tons.
{The decision is part of cabinet resolutions taken yesterday, reviewing COVID-19 preventive measures following the gradual increase in new infections. }
“All gyms and swimming pools are closed. However, those at hotels may be used only by tested hotel residents,” reads the resolution.
The decision goes into effect from 15th December 2020.
Among others, the national football premier league games and training camps are suspended except for national football team competitions and clubs involved in international competitions.
Like other wellness facilities and a number of activities, the functioning of gyms was suspended on 15th March 2020 one day after confirming the first COVID-19 case in Rwanda.
On 8th June 2020, the Ministry of Sports gradually allowed different sporting activities to resume staring with cycling, Tennis, Gold, Hiking and other physical exercises respecting social distancing.
Other sports were allowed to resume on 13th July 2020. These include Cricket, Boxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, Judo, Skating, Kumasha, Badminton, Aerobic, Gymnastics in open air and adhering to COVID-19 health guidelines.
Concerts were also suspended on 8th March 2020 thus artists opted for online concerts to entertain fans.
Among others, cabinet banned all social gatherings including weddings in public and private settings.
The new measures have been announced following the surging of COVID-19 new cases where over 700 people tested positive within 14 days as 6 succumbed to the virus in the same period.
The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Rwanda on 14th March 2020. So far 6747 people have been tested positive out of 671,223 sample tests of whom 5996 have recovered, 695 are active cases while 56 have succumbed to the virus.
The resolutions documented and shared with the public spelled him as Dr Thomas Muyombano but IGIHE has confirmed from credible sources that it was a typing error.
Dr Muyombo replaces Dr Swaibu Kayitare who has been appointed Head of Biomedical Services Department.
Dr Muyombo has been serving as the Director of Regional Center for Blood Transfusion (RCBT-Kigali) since April 2019.
He is known for his professional music career had previously worked as the Head of Blood Donor Recruitment at Rwanda Biomedical Center.
Prior,in February 2017, he served as chair Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT) based that brings together 13 African countries. He also worked as a pediatrician at Police Hospital before appointment RBC.
The cabinet meeting appointed Dr Ernest Nsabimana the Director General of RURA. Dr. Ernest previously served as Vice Mayor in charge of Urbanization and Infrastructure at the City of Kigali.
He replaces Lt Col Patrick Nyirishema who has held the position for six years since July 2014.
Alfred Dusenge Byigero has been appointed to replace Aimé Muzola as the CEO of WASAC. He has before served as the Deputy Director General of RURA between 2012 and 2017. He also headed Energy Company in Mauritius.
WASAC performance has been raising concerns over resources mismanagement. who held office in September 2017.
Vincent Munyeshyaka who once served as the Minister of Trade and Industry has been appointed the CEO of BDF while Rosalie Semigabo has been appointed to deputize him.
Félix Nshimyumuremyi was also appointed the CEO of Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) while Noël Nsanzineza deputizes him. Nshimyumuremyi Félix previously served as the Director of Road Safety and Environment Unit at Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) while Nsanzineza was the Acting CEO of RHA.
The post of RHA CEO has been vacant for long following the arrest of former head Serubibi Eric accused of public funds mismanagement.
Dr Rose Mukankomeje, the former Executive Director of Higher Education Council (HEC) has been appointed Director General of the institution.
In the Financial Intelligence Center, Jeanne Pauline Gashumba has been appointed Director General, Jean Bosco Murenzi is the new Head of Compliance and Prevention Department while Jean Marie Nyirurugo has been appointed Head of Monitoring and Analysis Department.
Among others, Paul Umukunzi, has been appointed Director General of Rwanda TVET Board (RTB). Other institutions like the Ministry of Health have got new appointees in various departments.
All new customers that purchase a minimum 5MBPS will receive a free router for either their home or office that comes with free installation.
Speaking about the offer, Senior Manager of MTN’s Enterprise Business Unit (EBU), Didas Ndoli, said, “During this festive season, we are glad to offer our valued customers a free router and installation upon purchasing a package so they can study, work, stream, game and download with a connection that is consistently stable.”
With more people working and learning at home, MTN recently ventured into providing dedicated broadband internet to homes, a service that was once provided to only corporate institutions.
Customers have 4 (four) broadband internet packages to choose from with speeds ranging from 5Mbps to 25Mbps depending on their needs.
{{Key features of MTN’s Fixed Internet are:}}
• Unlimited usage and high Internet speeds with the most reliable internet connectivity
• Installation and connection of a home or office within 48 hours upon subscribing for the service within Kigali
• 24/7 customer service and dedicated technical support
• Payment options via MTN MoMoPay by dialling *182*8*1*800000#
MTN’s EBU operates as a fully converged provider, with an ability to offer businesses and now homes, the largest range of Fixed Internet services. Many of these solutions mainly target Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in need of affordable, efficient, and collaborative productivity solutions.
Customers who would like to have this new service installed at their homes can contact the MTN Sales team on a toll-free line 3111 or send an email to Sales.RW@mtn.com.
{{About MTN Rwanda }}
MTN Rwanda is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry in Rwanda. Since 1998, MTN Rwanda has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network and is now proudly Rwanda’s No 1 Internet Network.
MTN Rwanda offers superior services to its subscriber base, including innovative propositions such as personalized voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in Mobile Financial Services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
