The MoU signed yesterday in Kigali by the CEO of REG, Ron Weiss and his counterpart of ZESA, Dr Sidney Z. Gata was also witnessed by the Minister of Infrastructure, Amb. Claver Gatete and the Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Rwanda, Prof. Charity Manyeruke.
The signed MoU provides a framework of cooperation and aims at laying the foundation for the establishment of a business understanding leading to the signing of the energy partnership infrastructure implementation agreements between both parties.
The MoU is signed following a visit by officials and engineers from Zimbabwe who have been in Rwanda witnessing the country’s achievements in electricity distribution.
Amb. Gatete explained that the MoU reinforces bilateral relations that it is in the framework of cooperating to promote both countries.
He further stressed that Zimbabwe has come to learn from Rwanda’s experience where officials visited various electricity infrastructure including Shango substation.
Among others, Amb. Gatete said that signed MoU seeks to assess how concerned parties can collaboratively address citizens’ problems.
“They want to emulate a lot witnessed and requested to foster cooperation on both sides. This will serve as the foundation for improved services rendered to citizens,” he said.
Ambassador Manyeruke highlighted that the MoU is centered on cordial diplomatic and economic relations that have deepened roots.
Rwanda and Zimbabwe enjoy existing cordial relations. Rwanda has an ambassador representing its interests in Zimbabwe and vice versa.
In 2017, RwandAir started flights to Harare in Zimbabwe.
Rwanda reports over 56% households with access to electricity of which 41.3% are connected to the main grid while 15.4% use solar energy.
The government of Rwanda targets universal electricity access by 2024.
This was revealed today at the presentation of the 6th Rwanda’s Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) for the year 2019-20 showing Rwanda’s health progress in comparison to the past five years.
The survey focused on Rwandan females in the age brackets ranging from 15 to 49, males in the age brackets ranging from 15 to 59 and children under 5 years.
As he presented findings of the survey, Yusuf Murangwa, the Director General of NISR explained that the Government put much effort in reducing the prevalence of stunting among children under five which yielded good results.
“The Government of Rwanda did its best to reduce stunting to the extent that stunted percentages among children reduced by 5% from 38% to 33%,” he said.
Inadequate nutrition is one of the many causes of stunting. Growth failure often begins in utero and continues after birth, as a reflection of suboptimal breastfeeding practices, and inadequate complementary feeding and control of infections17.
Therefore, focusing on the critical 1000-day window from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday is critically important.
The 2019-20 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) was primarily designed to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators.
The 2019-20 RDHS also collected information on fertility, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of women and children, maternal and child health, adult and childhood mortality, women’s empowerment, domestic violence, awareness and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other health-related issues such as smoking. It also tested for the prevalence of anemia, malaria, HIV, and selected micronutrient indicators.
The first survey of its kind was conducted in 1992, later in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015.
Giscard, who served as France leader from 1974 to 1981, is among presidents who held office for one term. He fostered France’s foreign relations particularly African countries shortly after Independence.
The relations heavily rooted on cooperation agreements and injecting funds on the continent to maintain great power on African continent.
Giscard d’Estaing was replaced by François Mitterrand.
In December 1962, four months after Rwanda’s Independence, the developing country French as one of official languages, entered relations with France which later got boost when Giscard d’Estaing took office in in 1975.
On 19th July of the same year, the former President of Rwanda, Juvenal Habyarimana and Giscard d’Estaing signed military cooperation agreements. It was the first of its kind signed between both countries.
The agreements incorporated clauses stating that France would provide military trainings and help the country to get weapons. It is said that France provided 4 million of its then currency to Rwanda annually.
Analysts link the agreements to France’s role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi observing that they paved way for support to reinforce Habyarimana’s military to fight RPF Inkotanyi as well as training Interahamwe.
In 1998, France parliament delegated a committee to investigate the country’s role during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The committee summoned people including Giscard d’Estaing to shed light on military cooperation agreements signed with Rwanda in 1975 as they were considered to have fueled France’s role in Rwanda.
Giscard d’Estaing replied that he didn’t understand the laws granting the committee to summon the former president for interrogation to explain reasons for activities or politics implemented by the Government he led.
He explained that what happened between his country and Rwanda has no connection to France’s role during genocide.
In 2009; an author called Odile Tobner run a publication explaining that the major purpose of France, Rwanda military cooperation was to inspect the extraction of minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that the role played during genocide was auxiliary.
{{Fostering relations}}
Giscard was the first France President to visit Rwanda where he spent three days.
He was along with wife during their visit to Rwanda in 1979 where they attended the Sixth Conference Franco-Africaine (Franco-African Conference) held in Kigali.
Giscard arrived in ahead of the conference visited various projects in Rwanda and went to Akagera National Park for hunting exercise.
On 18th May 1979, Giscard and Habyarimana with their wives went to former Ruhengeri Prefecture where they visited Ruhengeri Hospital and school of Gendarmerie (a military force with law enforcement duties). They returned to Kigali in the afternoon and signed cooperation agreements.
Part of these agreements include France’s commitment to fund rural development, expansion of Kigali International Airport, building tanks for petroleum products, promoting telecommunication, building a hospital in Gisenyi among others.
Speaking to journalists, both head of states revealed that France would establish a school of nurses additional to Ruhengeri Hospital and providing 50% of funds for expansion of Kigali International Airport.
The Sixth Franco-African Conference ran from Monday 21st May until 22nd May 1979. The conference discussed issues pertaining to advancing Africa’s development and how France can cement its participation.
At the time, President Giscard revealed that despite global economic crisis, France committed to increase budget allocated to countries including those from Africa to one million of the then France’s currency by 50%.
“France is eager for the advancement of social-economic development but it cannot be attained without peace. That is why I found it relevant to hold discussions geared towards supporting African countries in security matters,” he said.
The success of the conference is among factors that promoted the reputation of Habyarimana in France which started perceiving him as a potential gateway to maintaining influence in Africa. To this end, the country also increased funding to Rwanda.
Habyarimana’s good relations with France got further boost as François Mitterrand replaced Giscard.
The factories which are now surrounded by bushes include Société Rwandaise des Allumettes (SORWAL) that manufactured matchboxes, GABI involved in food processing and New Rucep, a leather tanning factory.
SORWAL closed down in 2014 over huge debts in taxes owed to the Government.
The closure left 125 employees laid off. The firm was auctioned in 2018 and bought by a Malawian, Osman Rafik. At the time it was reported that the plant would provide jobs for 300 but has not yet resumed up to date.
GABI that sold processed foods especially beans closed in 2012 leaving 98 employees out of jobs. The number excludes casual workers.
It was said that the closure resulted from unpaid debts worth Rwf 500 million which Rwanda Correction Service (RCS) owed the company.
New Rucep also halted operations in 2017 and left 35 workers laid off. It was closed following surrounding residents’ complaints for bad smell from the plant’s waste water. The 250 permanent employees that lost jobs are joined by part time workers who also lost job opportunities.
Some of employees laid off explain that the plants’ closure left them jobless amidst unpaid salary arrears.
“We had spent six months without salary when the factory closed,” says one of former employees at SORWAL.
Emmanuel Ngarukiyimfura, a resident of Huye raises fears that bushes surrounding these firms might become a hiding spot for gangsters or wild animals and appeals on concerned officials to take action.
“The factories grounds have become bushes and arouse worries. There is need to renovate and reuse these structures lest they host wild animals and gangsters that might abuse residents,” he observes.
The Governor of Southern Province, Alice Kayitesi says they are seeking how to restore operations for halted projects that were beneficial to the community.
“The Province is concerned with the issue and has taken measures aimed at revamping the factories and other projects that benefited the community,” she explains.
Kayitesi assures that GABI will resume operations soon because it was discussed during cabinet meeting.
“In partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Rwanda Development Board and other top Government institutions have delegated a team to follow up GABI and devise ways of getting it up and running again,” she says.
“The issue was once discussed in cabinet meeting. We expect it to resume, process produce from residents and return jobs to laid-off workers,” she said.
The mayor of Huye district, Ange Sebutege says that he personally engages with the investor, Osman Rafik , the owner of SORWAL who promises to start operations soon.
Michel Campion, one of founders of New Rucep factory explains that they established ways of reducing bad smell from waste water but lacked funds to restore operations.
He however reveals that the machinery are still in good condition giving optimism to resume whenever funds are available.
Giscard, who served as France’s leader from 1974 to 1981, had recently been hospitalised in Tours with respiratory problems, and was released only to return to hospital in mid-November.
He died at his family home nearby after suffering from complications linked to the virus, according to a statement issued by the foundation he had set up and chaired.
“His state of health had worsened and he died as a consequence of Covid-19,” his family said in a statement to AFP.
The Foundation Valéry Giscard d’Estaing tweeted on Wednesday: “In accordance with his wishes, his funeral will take place in the strictest family intimacy.”
He made one of his last public appearances on 30 September last year for the funeral of another former president, Jacques Chirac, who had been his prime minister.
Giscard was known for steering the modernisation of French society during his presidency, including allowing divorce by mutual consent and legalising abortion.
He was elected president at 48, coming to power after years of Gaullist rule, and sought to liberalise the economy and social attitudes. He was credited with launching major projects including France’s high-speed TGV train network.
He lost his re-election bid, however, to the socialist François Mitterrand in the aftermath of the global economic downturn of the 1970s.
In France, Giscard is remembered for his radical reform drive which included the legalisation of abortion, the liberalisation of divorce and lowering the voting age to 18.
Tributes poured in across the political spectrum in France on Wednesday. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy said Giscard had “worked his whole life to reinforce relations between European nations”.
The head of President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling party in parliament, Christophe Castaner, said: “His modern and resolutely progressive policies … will long mark his legacy.”
In Europe, he helped drive moves towards a monetary union, in close cooperation with his German counterpart chancellor Helmut Schmidt with whom he became friends and whose leadership years almost dovetailed with his own.
Together they launched the European Monetary System (EMS), a precursor of today’s single currency, the euro.
Michel Barnier, the lead EU negotiator in Brexit talks with Britain, said: “For Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Europe needed to be a French ambition and France a modern nation. Respect.”
He was also an ardent Anglophile, and took office a year after Britain joined the European Economic Community.
“Complete love-hate relationship with our country,” Britain’s former Europe minister in the early 2000s, Denis MacShane, said in a tweet, calling Giscard a “big politician” who changed Europe.
It was at Giscard’s initiative that leaders of the world’s richest countries first met in 1975, an event that evolved into the annual summits of the Group of Seven club.
With a more relaxed presidential style than his predecessors, “VGE” was sometimes seen in public playing football, or the accordion. He also hosted garbage collectors to breakfast and invited himself to dinner at the homes of ordinary citizens.
Giscard “dominated almost naturally with his presence, his distinction, his language, his liveliness and intuitions,” said fellow centrist Francois Bayrou, a former minister and presidential candidate.
Born to a well-to-do French family, Giscard was firmly part of the elite; he studied at France’s elite Ecole Polytechnique and the National Administration School.
Aged just 18, he joined the French resistance and took part in the second world war liberation of Paris from its Nazi occupiers in 1944. He then served for eight months in Germany and Austria in the run-up to Germany’s capitulation.
He launched his political career in 1959, becoming finance minister in 1969.
In 1974, while in power, VGE – married since 1952 to the aristocratic Anne-Aymone (née) Sauvage de Brantes – was reported to have crashed a borrowed sports car into a milk lorry in Paris in the early hours, with a celebrated actress in the passenger seat. After leaving the Élysée he wrote books mentioning his affairs and a novel that hinted that Diana, the Princess of Wales, had not been able to resist his charms. He later insisted the stories were untrue and “fiction”.
After his defeat in 1981 – which he said left him with “frustration at a job unfinished” – he remained active in centrist politics, first regaining a seat in the French parliament and then serving in the European parliament.
In 2001 was selected by European leaders to lead work on the bloc’s constitutional treaty – which French voters then rejected. In 2004, after losing his legislative seat, Giscard ended his active political career.
In 2020, he was accused of sexual harassment in a legal complaint lodged by a German journalist. Ann-Kathrin Stracke claimed he repeatedly touched her bottom during an interview at his office on Boulevard Saint-Germain, in Paris, at the end of 2018. She lodged a complaint on 10 March with the Paris public prosecutor’s office.
Olivier Revol, VGE’s chief of staff, said the former president had “no recollection” of the interview or the incident.
Youth, particularly youth with disabilities, struggle to obtain meaningful employment, and this situation has only been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent statistics from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR 2017) place Rwanda’s overall unemployment rate at 16.7%; the rate is 18.5% of unemployment rate for persons with disabilities, and overall youth unemployment rate is even higher at 21%.
The Umurimo Kuri Bose activity will tackle barriers that hinder youth with disabilities from attaining employment opportunities, addressing both the supply and demand sides of the labor market. The activity will also bridge disability inclusion gaps by increasing employability skills, empowerment, engagement, and equity for youth with disabilities through sign language and braille training; and a comprehensive package of training modules coupled with internships placement support to provide hands-on work experience.
When asked about USAID’s commitment to inclusive education, USAID’s Mission Director in Rwanda, Leslie Marbury said:“USAID is partnering with the Government of Rwanda to equip youth with the skills they need for successful employment or self-employment, as well as to create a society in which people with disabilities participate fully.”
The Umurimo Kuri Bose complements other USAID investments, including Huguka Dukore Akazi Kanoze. Positive youth development and inclusion of people with disabilities are strategic priorities through USAID’s activities in Rwanda.
Rwanda National Union for the Deaf is one of the Umurimo Kuri Bose’s four target local disabled persons organizations and will support implementation through strengthening and empowering deaf and hard of hearing persons so that they are ready to tap into available employment opportunities and services.
The Executive Director of the Rwanda National Union of the Deaf, Samuel Munana, explained that the goal is to minimise isolation and ensure that deaf and hard of hearing persons are not left behind.
USAID Umurimo Kuri Bose will support employment and economic empowerment of 1,560 youth of which 1,200 are youth with disabilities in 12 districts in Rwanda. It is implemented by Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), in partnership with Umbrella of Organizations of People with Disabilities in the Fight against HIV and AIDS in Health Promotion (UPHLS), Akazi Kanoze Access (AKA), Rwanda Union of the Blind (RUB), Rwanda National Union of the Deaf (RNUD), and UWEZO Youth Empowerment.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Health released last night, the deceased is a 45 year old man from Kigali where majority of new cases were found.
The new cases are from Kigali: 29, Rwamagana: 7, Musanze: 4, Rubavu: 3, Gakenke: 1, Kirehe: 1 and Nyagatare: 1.
So far 5994 cases have been found out of 631 598 sample tests since the first patient was confirmed in March 2020.
5575 of them have recovered, 369 are active cases while 50 patients 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 mayoral tenure drawing to end started in 2016. Mayors will vacate office in February 2021. Members of districts’ executive committees are elected for five year term limit renewable once.
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) recently announced that elections of new mayors will start on 6th February to end on 2nd March 2021.
The past ten years have been characterized by constant reshuffles where some mayors were appointed to new duties, others were suspended and some resigned citing personal reasons.
{{Only two held office for two terms }}
Only two among the remaining 27 mayors countrywide held offices for two respective terms. These include François Habitegeko, the mayor of Nyaruguru district and Deogratias Nzamwita, the mayor of Gakenke district since 2011.
Others took on from predecessors in the first term until today.
These include Nambaje Aphrodis, the mayor of Ngoma district since May 2012 (he replaced Niyotwagira François who resigned), Muzungu Gerald, the mayor of Kirehe district who took office since 2014 replacing Murayire Protais who resigned and Gasana Richard, the mayor of Gatsibo since March 2015.
{{Shortest term serving mayors }}
Tuyizere Thaddée, the Acting Mayor of Kamonyi district tops mayors with shortest terms in office. He was previously the vice mayor for economic affairs in the same district and replaced Alice Kayitesi appointed Governor of Southern Province in July 2020.
Others that held office for one year are; Uwanyirigira Chantal , the current mayor of Burera district since December 2019; Mukarutesi Vestine, the mayor of Karongi since November last year and Mukamasabo Appolonie , the mayor of Nyamasheke district.
Kayitare Jacqueline of Muhanga and Nuwumuremyi Jeannine of Musanze have also held office since November 2019.
{{Few mayors completed terms }}
At least 12 mayors have completed 5-year term since they took office in 2016.
Apart from 2 out of 27 appointed for new duties, others resigned or were forced to resign by executive committees.
In Southern Province, only three mayors among eight are completing their tenure. These are Habitegeko François of Nyaruguru, Rutaburingoga Jérôme of Gisagara and Ntazinda Erasme of Nyanza district.
In Northern Province, two out of five mayors namely; Kayiranga Emmanuel of Rulindo and Nzamwita Deogratias of Gakenke are completing their term.
Two out of seven mayors in Western Province namely; Ayinkamiye Emerance (Rutsiro) and Ndayambaje Godfrey of Ngororero are completing their term.
Among others, Eastern Province has a large number of mayors who served until the end of office term. These include Mbonyumuvunyi Radjab (Rwamagana), Murenzi Jean Claude (Kayonza), Gasana Richard (Gatsibo), Muzungu Gérald (Kirehe) and Nambaje Aphrodis (Ngoma).
{{Resignations}}
As some mayors enjoy fruits of their work at the end of office term, quite a large number have resigned for different reasons which they claimed ‘personal’ while others were forced to resign on account of underperformance.
Starting with the Southern Province, four out of eight mayors resigned. In Huye district, Kayiranga Muzuka Eugène resigned and replaced by Sebutege Ange in june 2018. The mayor of Nyamagabe, Mugisha Philbert was suspended by the advisiory committee over poor performance replaced by Uwamahoro Bonaventure in February 2018.
In Ruhango district, the advisort committee sacked Mbabazi François Xavier who was replaced by Habarurema Valens in May 2018 while the former mayor of Muhanga district Uwamariya Béatrice resigned and replaced by Kayitare Jacqueline in September 2019.
Kayitesi Alice who previously led Kamonyi district was in July 2020 appointed Governor of Southern Province.
In Northern Province, two of five mayors resigned. Musanze district was characterized by frequent reshuffles in the executive committee until Habyarimana Jean Damascène was forced to resign and replaced by Nuwumuremyi Jeannine in September 2019.
In Gicumbi district, Mudaheranwa Juvénal was in 2018 sent out by the advisory committee and temporarily replaced by Jean Claude Karangwa Sewase who also resigned until Ndayambaje Alexis was elected mayor in June 2018.
In Burera district, Uwanyirigira Marie Chantal was elected in December 2019 replacing Uwambajemariya Marie Florence who was at the time appointed Executive Secretary of Western Province.
As for Western Province, five out of seven mayors elected in 2016 resigned. They include Sinamenye Jeremie the former mayor of Rubavu district who resigned in 2017 replaced by Habyarimana Gilbert and Harerimana Frédéric of Rusizi district resigned in 2018 replaced by Kayumba Ephrem.
In Nyabihu district, Uwanzwenuwe Théoneste resigned and was replaced by Mukandayisenga Antoinette in 2019; Ndayisaba François former mayor of Karongi was replaced by Mukarutesi Vestine in 2019 while Kamali Aime Fabien of Nyamasheke resigned and replaced by Mukamasabo Appolonie in 2019.
In Eastern Province, only two out of seven mayors resigned. These are Nsanzumuhire Emmanuel of Bugesera who resigned citing personal reasons and replaced by Mutabazi Richard in July 2018 while Mupenzi George of Nyagatare also resigned citing personal reasons and replaced Mushabe David Claudien in July 2018.
{{Arrests}}
Some of mayors who resigned were held accountable for alleged faults and arrested but were not convicted.
Mugisha Philbert, the former mayor of Nyamagabe was arrested in November 2017 along with five officials from the same district on account of funds misallocation and illegal offering of public tenders. He was later tried and acquitted.
Others include Sinamenye Jérémie arrested in 2017 along with Dukundimana Espérance, the official in charge of administration and human capital in Rubavu district.
Sinamenye was arrested on account of disrupting Mpayimana Philippe who was campaigning for presidency. It is said he prohibited residents from participating in the latter’s electoral campaigns in Nyamyumba, Gisenyi and Kanama sectors. He was released without court charges.
Ndabereye Augustin, former vice mayor for economic affairs in Musanze district was arrested for beating and injuring his wife. Ndabereye was tried by Muhoza Primary Court which handed him five year and one month sentence.
{{New mayors}}
The upcoming elections will begin with the selection of districts’ advisory committees among whom the executive committee comprised of mayor, vice mayors for economic and social affairs will be elected.
The advisory committee is made of members selected at sector level, members from National Youth Council and the coordinator of National Women’s Council at district level.
Others include the coordinator of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities at district level and the President of Private Sector Federation in the district. Women representation in the district’s advisory committee is supposed to be 30%.
Nirere was recently appointed by the Cabinet Meeting of 11th November 2020 becoming the fourth ombudsperson since the institution was created in 2003.
She recently completed her two four-year terms eight year term as the President of National Human Right Commission.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kagame thanked the new ombudsperson ‘who has agreed to lead, together with all Rwandans, the fight against corruption and injustice in our country’, wished her well in new responsibilities and highlighted areas of focus the new ombudsman needs to give special attention.
“We have to intensify our fight towards eradicating corruption and injustice once and for all. In particular, we want to put more efforts in educating Rwandans about their rights, help them understand the laws meant to protect them, and the institutions that they can run to,” he said.
Kagame said that Rwanda has a good performance towards fighting injustice and called on more efforts to consolidate gains.
“In comparison with other parts of the world, our performance is not bad. This should not make us complacent to think that everything is in order. We need to build on what we have achieved to prevent injustice from happening,” he emphasized.
After completing two four-year terms as the helm of the National Human Rights Commission, the cabinet meeting of 16th June 2020 appointed Marie Claire Mukasine to replace Madeleine Nirere.
Previous ombudsperson include Anastase Murekezi who held office between 2017 and 2020, Aloysie Cyanzayire (2014 – 2017) and Tito Rutaremara (2004 – 2012).
Speaking to IGIHE, the Head of Finance at Rotary Club Kigali Doyen, Julien Kaburame revealed that they wanted to help a community with minority members able to cater for health insurance.
“We provided medical insurance targeting the most vulnerable residents who could not afford it without donors,” he said.
In line with existing programs to support vulnerable people to improve livelihoods, Rotary Club Kigali Doyen also plans to extend support to other communities in different parts of the country.
The Executive Secretary of Nyarugenge district, Emmy Ngabonziza explained that some of beneficiaries were ousted of jobs due to COVID-19 leaving them under poverty and hurdles hindering them to afford insurance easily.
The first quarter of 2020/2021 fiscal year between July and September left citizens subscribing for Mutuelle de Santé at 80,1% and has currently increased to 82.1%.
So far, Mutuelle de Santé subscribers have paid Rwf 23.7 billion.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen has this year funded different activities namely; donating 4000 face masks toresidents in Rutsiro district, donated Rwf 13 million to King Faisal Hospital and University Teaching Hospital of Kigali , donated 900 liquid soaps to Rwanda Biomedical Center as well as sanitary equipment including 160 hand washing facilities worth Rwf 12 million.
The club also contributed Rwf 3 million to support ‘Solid Africa’, philanthropy organization providing aid to the most vulnerable patients in hospitals.
Rotary Club Kigali Doyen is one of six Rotary Clubs in Rwanda including Musanze, Kigali Mont Jali, Kigali Virunga, Gasabo and Butare with 122 members.
It comprises of members consolidating efforts to provide humanitarian services and support to address problems facing the world by combating illiteracy and poverty, contributing to the provision of safe water, handling disputes and fighting epidemics.
