Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

{The Rwanda National Police (RNP) Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) has arrested three people in Rubavu District suspected to be major drug dealers.}

The trio; Laurent Ntakamaro, 59, Clenie Nyiransabimana, 36, and Aline Icyimanizanye, 30, were arrested on December 9, in Gisenyi and Rubavu sectors with combined 5504 pellets of cannabis.

They were at the time in the process to traffic the narcotics to City of Kigali, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.

“Ntakamaro and Nyiransabimana were arrested in Isangano Village, Bugoyi Cell in Gisenyi with 504 pellets while Icyimanizanye was arrested in Murambi Village, Buhaza Cell in Rubavu Sector with 5,000 rolls of cannabis. These drug dealers were reported by residents,” CIP Karekezi said.

He added: “Residents had earlier told ANU that Ntakamaro is a drug dealer and would receive a new consignment that day.

ANU got further information on the spot where Ntakamaro would meet his supplier before he would also supply other dealers in Kigali. That’s how Nyiransabimana was also arrested as she brought the 504 pellets to Ntakamaro concealed in a bag of irish potatoes.”

Ntakamaro and Nyiransabimana are suspected to have been working together to traffic and distribute narcotic drugs in Rubavu and Kigali.

Icyimanizanye was also arrested with 5000 pellets as he was going to supply other drug dealers, following information provided by residents.

The suspects were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) for further legal action.

The Ministerial Order No. 001/MoH/2019 of 04/03/2019 establishing the list of narcotic drugs and their categorization classifies cannabis as a “very severe drug.”

The law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, especially in its article 263, provides an imprisonment of between 20 years and life, for anyone convicted for very severe narcotic drugs and a fine of up to Frw30 million.

On Thursday, 10th December, ONOMO celebrated the opening of iJURU with a private VIP reception hosted that included a live performance by Universal Music Africa artist Andy Bumuntu, sounds by DJ Bissosso, a fashion show with designs by Touch of Rwanda.

iJURU provides an open-air trendy and chic oasis fit for private events, intimate gatherings, weddings, and other celebrations. The menu offers a variety of international fusion cuisine accompanied by an array of expertly-blended cocktails that showcase the flavors of Africa and beyond.

The name, iJURU translates to heaven in Kinyarwanda and was selected from a social media contest. ONOMO Hotel prides itself in integrating the local culture into the design and feel of each of its properties. In order to ensure that Rwandan culture was reflected in every aspect of iJURU, ONOMO Hotel launched a social media contest for Kinyarwanda names that would be fitting for the new exciting space. Didier Kananura, the lucky winner submitted the name iJURU which adequately captured the elevated view and feeling of the terrace.

In addition to the unveiling of iJURU, ONOMO Hotel is celebrating the launch of their new partnership with Universal Music Africa (UMA). The partnership is their latest addition to ONOMO AFRICA’S FINEST, an initiative established to promote and support the finest talent Africa has to offer in art, music, cuisine and fashion. The Africa’s Finest Live Concert Series will showcase African talent and artistry with live music performances by UMA artists at its properties across the continent.

Commenting on the launch, the General Manager of ONOMO Hotel Kigali, Emile Nizey said: “iJURU represents the brand and feel of ONOMO. It brings Africa’s finest alive in the food, the event space it provides for art and performances, its stunning view of Kigali, and in the name itself. We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring a new look and feel to Kigali’s dining and event venue scene.”

Located in Kigali’s upscale Kiyovu valley, ONOMO Hotel Kigali features 109 modern guest rooms, including ten suites with separate lounge areas and kitchenettes.

Equipped with superior COVID-19 safety and sanitization practices, ONOMO Hotel recently received the prestigious SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label certification from Bureau Veritas, the world leader in testing, inspection, and certification services. The Safeguard label certifies that ONOMO Hotel is in compliance with the global standards set forth by Bureau Veritas’ health, safety and hygiene experts for employees and guests.

With Rwanda’s borders open for travel and domestic tourism fully underway, ONOMO Hotel Kigali is open for dining-in, events, and guest stays. To encourage domestic tourism, ONOMO Hotel is offering staycation promotions for East African residents to enjoy overnight stays at a discounted rate of $150 per night. ONOMO Hotel invites guests and visitors to escape the hustle and bustle of Kigali with the laid back intimate vibes of iJURU. The rooftop restaurant and lounge is open seven days a week to the public 07:00-22:00.

The statement released last night shows that the deceased is a 71 old man from Kigali.

Among others, 37 patients have recovered. Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March 2020.

Since then, 6428 cases have been found our of 661637 sample tests, 5826 have recovered, 548 are active cases while 54 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.

Throughout 90 days of the campaign, Cogebanque will take Rwandans through deeper insights on benefits of using MasterCard products namely Debit, Credit and Prepaid cards while paying for goods and services like settling bills, making withdrawals or shopping online.

As for the campaign, clients using the cards will stand chance to win various prizes including airtime, cash, shopping vouchers, fuel vouchers, laptops, smartphones, airtime, home appliances including fridges among others.

The Head of Marketing and Product Development at Cogebanque, Antoine Iyamuremye explained that the campaign will mobilize Rwandans to leverage the bank’s reliable technology for quick services.

“The campaign comes in difficult times of COVID-19 pandemic. We have various digital products to help clients transact. Therefore, there is need to use reliable cards guaranteeing security to customers,” he said.

The campaign is designed for Cogebanque customers and potential customers using MasterCard products including Debit, Prepaid and Credit specifically helping them to access loans.

Iyamuremye explained that the cards are used globally and encouraged people to take advantage of them to go cashless.

Mastercard products enable customers to make payments easily at any time. They can also withdraw from foreign countries corresponding with prevailing exchange rates.

According to Iyamuremye, the campaign is also an opportunity to reward customers embracing digital banking services as well as celebrating them during the festive season.

“The festive season during which people need to install new home equipment is here. The campaign gives them chance to win weekly prizes where customers can win tickets, fuel vouchers or shopping vouchers to pick corresponding items of choice in supermarkets,” he noted.

The Head of Corporate Banking at Cogebanque, Songa Rwamugire encouraged Rwandans to embrace digital transactions because they are increasingly becoming universal.

“Cogebanque Mastercard Credit card grants you the capability to withdraw or get credit to be repaid within 55 days without interest. These cards are safe, reliable and internationally accredited,” he said.

At the launch of ‘Biroroshye hamwe na Cogebanque Mastercard’ campaign on Wednesday 9th December 2020, three customers who made transactions using designated MasterCards products since lockdown walked away with prizes.

The awardees were selected based on how active they have been using the cards in various transactions. These include Kayigamba Degaule Eugène, Nkomeje Eric and Rubangura Austin, the owner of UPROMEDIA Company. Each received Rwf 200,000 to be transferred to their accounts.

Cogebanque has 28 branches, over 600 agents, and 36 ATM points across the country. These are supported by Mobile banking (USSD on *505# and Mobile App “Coge mBank”), Cards (Mastercards & Smart cash) and internet banking delivery channel accessible through different media.

The Mastercards are accepted worldwide and can be used at over 36 million locations globally.

RGS is an independent annual publication of the RGB that seeks to gauge the state of governance in Rwanda, comprehensively assesses governance in using both primary and secondary data sources.

It is mainly designed to generate credible and reliable data on governance issues, serves as practical tool that drives policy reform in the domain of governance through the identification of areas for improvement and generates actionable recommendations and to contribute to current and authentic knowledge formation about Rwanda.

The launch of the 7th scorecard held today has been attended by various officials from private, public institutions, civil society organizations, higher learning institutions and research centers.

The research carried out was entrenched on eight pillars namely; :(1) Rule of Law, (2) Political Rights and Civil liberties, (3) Participation and Inclusiveness, (4) Safety and Security,(5) Investing in Human and Social Development, (6)Control of corruption, Transparency and Accountability, (7) Quality of service delivery,(8) Economic and corporate governance.

The pillar of Security came on top scoring 95,44% in 2020 from 94,29% of 2019, the Rule of Law performed at 87,86% from 84,70 % of last year, Political Rights and Civil liberties scored 85,76 % from 85,17 % while Participation and Inclusiveness got 81,96% from 73 % of last year.

The pillar of Investing in Human and Social Development scored 73,32% from 68,53%, Control of corruption, Transparency and Accountability got 86,28% from 84,28%, Quality of service delivery scored 78,31 % from 70,54 % while Economic and corporate governance scored 78,14% from 76,43% of last year.

The CEO of RGB, Dr. Usta Kayitesi thanked the Government of Rwanda for providing required resources for the production of this index and urged all sectors to improve in areas that still rate poorly.

At the official launch of Rwanda Governance Scorecard 7th Edition, Mr. Fode Ndiaye UN Resident Coordinator commended RGB for setting a good example of self-assessment in the framework of African Peer Review Mechanism.

The pillar of ‘Investing in human and social capital’ is the least performing. Among other areas that need improvement include education, social protection, poverty reduction and climate change resilience.

As for the pillar of Economic and corporate governance ranked 7th with 78.16, it was reported that more efforts are needed in creating off-farms jobs which still ranks at 56.4%.

The Minister in the Office of the Presidency, Judith Uwizeye who graced the event highlighted that Rwandans are the primary beneficiaries of Rwanda Governance Scorecard and assured commitment for the implementation of recommendations.

“We have the interest of generating data that tells us the truth that anybody else cannot tell us. Transformational Governance is a key pillar of National Strategy for Transformation (NST1). Thus, the Government of Rwanda is committed to implement the recommendations of this edition of Rwanda Governance Scorecard for the good of our citizens,” she said.

Safety and security has maintained the lead since the inception of RGS.

News about the death circulated today morning around 7am when a resident saw the suspected murderer, a nephew, ferrying possessions from the house of the old woman who had gone missing for two days. When asked why he was taking away the house equipment, he run away.

The Executive Secretary of Cyabagarura cell, Niyoyita Ally said that the old woman’s body has been found dumped in toilet two days after disapperance.

“The old woman lived alone in the house. She had gone missing since Wednesday. Her nephew aged 25 whom they once lived together has been seen this morning looting the old woman’s house. He was seen by another nephew who asked why the other guy was stealing house equipment yet the owner went missing. He immediately ran away,” he said.

“This incited suspicions that he might be behind the old woman’s death. He is still at large. The next move was to search for the woman an unfortunately found her dead, body dumped in toilet. The old woman died after two goats she possessed were also killed. We suspect the nephew because he is a known notorious thief. The old woman had chased him from home over bad character, “added Niyoyita.

Retrieving the body was still underway by press time.

The support is sought by farmers grouped in Gwiza Nzige cooperative which invested in the growing of chili and French beans on 50 hectares. As COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the famers’ business collapsed affecting markets that some of the chili is wasting in gardens.

Hazizi Célestin who planted chili on a half hectare said they had invested much after easily finding buyers for the first produce. However, the situation exacerbated with the pandemic that farmers are counting losses.

“Growing chili was a good income generating project to invest in. Farmers were excited with the produce as they got buyers which motivated them to expand acreage. However, chili has ripened and wasted in gardens because we cannot find buyers. I had invested Rwf 2 million but I have only recovered Rwf 1 million,” he said.

He requested the Government to help them find market to recover the capital because some clients canceled their orders.

The President of Gwiza cooperative which grows chili and vegetables in Nzige sector Uwitonze Euphrem explained that there is a problem of poor market conditions despite available big volumes of chili produce from over 50 hectares.

“We harvest at between six and ten chili tons per week but the buyer picks only two of them. This brings losses and discourages farmers who have invested much. We appeal to National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and our district for advocacy to find market,” he said.

Fred Rwigamba, the Director of Finance and Operations SOUK Investment Group, a firm engaging in growing and exporting fresh horticulture produce from Rwanda, has told IGIHE that they are usually contracted to buy produce from Rubona sector that the produce from Nzige is auxiliary.

“They should be grateful because we help those buying small quantities of their produce. COVID-19 pandemic has affected markets pushing some investors to stop buying their produce. We do it in form of support to farmers because we don’t have large market,” he revealed.

According to the mayor of Rwamagana district, Mbonyumuvunyi Radjab, they have advised farmers to harvest chili and sell it to Rwanda’s market.

“Their venture into growing chili is expensive. However, there is market instability due to the pandemic which put the economy at sea. We advised them to harvest chili and sell the produce to Rwanda’s market even though the price is comparatively lower than what they used to get on the international markets,” he said.

Farmers explain that they used to sell a kilo of chili at Rwf 550 as per agreement with buyers but they currently sell at Rwf 300.

Gwiza Nzige cooperative comprises of 321 members farming on 661 hectares at the hillside and 215 hectares in marshland where they plant chili and maize among other crops.