The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Uzziel Ndagijimana revealed this yesterday as he presented state of national budget and economy to the general assembly of parliamentarians.
Figures show that Rwanda’s economy in 2019 respectively grew by 12.3%, 10.9%, and 8.4% in the second, third and fourth quarters.
Unlike last year’s figures, Rwanda registered 3.6% growth in the first quarter of 2020 and plummeted by 12.4% in the second quarter translating into 24.1% decrease compared to similar quarter in 2019.
Dr Ndagijimana attributed the shortfall to imposed countrywide lockdown halting many activities.
“Covid-19 effects were deeper during the second quarter from April until June including the period of lockdown spent at home putting many on standstill. This resulted into economic downfall in all sectors,” he said.
Transport, commerce, education, construction, export, hotels, restaurants and agriculture are among sectors critically affected by Covid-19.
Dr Ndagijimana explained that reopening of activities and current situation gives hope for economic recovery and expressed optimism that the country might return to normalcy if the current pace is not withheld.
“The current situation is promising as we are gradually progressing after lockdown. We are still performing below zero but moving forward. This is a good indication giving optimism for recovery,” he said.
Covid-19 has also affected employment in no smaller part. The labour force survey conducted every three months shows that jobs decreased from 3,568,934 in February to 31, 9914 in May when Covid-19 was still fresh. This translates into 10% decrease in jobs.
The latest figures in August show that jobs have increased to 3,667,611 exceeding the numbers before the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Rwanda.
Overall, employment was increased by 3% across all sectors of the labour force from February until August 2020.
Ndagijimana explained that international trade was also affected seen in the decrease of imports and exports which are currently on the way to recovery.
Figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that the world’s economy slumped by 4.4% due to Covid-19 but projected to grow by 5.2% in 2021 if the pandemic is less intense.
Team Rwanda delegation arrived at Kigali International Airport on Monday around 9pm with their coach Félix Sempoma and Alphonse Nkuranga, the second vice-president of Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) who had accompanied them.
Speaking to the media, Moïse Mugisha attributed his victory to teamwork though it was a challenging competition.
“As we raced for the first stage, I interacted with Samuel Mugisha discussing how to develop team work spirit and luckily won the first stage. I was confident because Samuel Mugisha stood by my side and especially attribute the victory of the fourth stage to his support,” he said.
Samuel Mugisha who led his colleagues in Cameroun revealed that the tournament ended on high note as they reached goals.
“The tournament was successful because we had a purpose of winning before taking off from Kigali. It is something of great significance to be proud of and celebrated when you successfully reach the goal,” he said.
Upon, Team Rwanda has been quarantined at Sainte Famille Hotel where it is expected to spend one day awaiting for COVID-19 test results.
Apart from the grand prize, Team Rwanda also received several awards in different categories. The champion Moïse Mugisha also emerged the best young rider, Samuel Mugisha emerged the best climber while team Rwanda was awarded the best during the tournament that lasted five days from Tuesday until Sunday.
During the race, Mugisha took the Yellow Jersey which he defended until the final stage. Among others, six racers that represented Rwanda during the tournament walked away with four prizes.
These include Moïse Mugisha, Rnus Byiza Uhiriwe, Patrick Byukusenge, Didier Munyaneza, Joseph Areruya and Samuel Mugisha.
Rwanda was competing with different teams from Africa and Europe namely; Dukla Banska Bystrica, Ivory Coast,Burkina Faso, Senegal,Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin, Mali, Cameroon, and SNH Vélo Club.
Following Grand Prix Chantal Biya, Team Rwanda will be busy preparing for Tour du Rwanda 2021 scheduled in February.
He made the remarks while visiting the Rwanda Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs Forum (RCWE) on Thursday, November 19, 2020.
The Ambassador explained that the UAE has a population of approximately 10million, with 90% being foreigners who live, study & work in the UAE.
He emphasized the notion that: “The woman is half of the society, any country which pursues development should not leave her in poverty or illiteracy. I am on the woman’s side.”
“Today, by law the UAE Constitution guarantees equal rights to all of its citizens, including women who have the same legal status, to name but a few, the claim to titles, access to education, the right to practice professions, and the right to own as much properties as men do. Women can also own businesses,” said the Ambassador.
He stated that the World Bank’s 2020 Women, Business and the Law Report indicates that the UAE is one of the world’s top ten economies exhibiting the most progress toward gender equality.
The Ambassador explained that Emirati women in the UAE hold two-thirds of public sector jobs, with 30% in leadership roles and 15% in technical and academic roles.
25% of cabinet-level ministerial positions in the UAE are held by women. Women also make up 20% of the UAE’s diplomatic corps.
In October 2008, the first female judge was sworn-in in the UAE. There are currently 4 female judges, 2 public prosecutors and 17 assistant public prosecutors. In March 2019, two female judges were appointed to the Federal Judiciary for the first time.
In Business, the ambassador said that in 2017 the UAE had the highest number of women on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen with 19 Emirati women on the list.
Today 15% of board level positions nationwide are occupied by Emirati women.
The UAE’s aviation industry employs more female pilots, captains, and aircraft engineers than any other country in the Middle East & Northern Africa region.
Etihad Airways marked International Women’s Day 2019 with an all-female flight for the first time in UAE history. Women Captains piloted the Airbus A380 along with a 19-member all-female cabin crew from 13 nationalities & they were in charge of 398 guests.
In International Development, the Ambassador said that the empowerment and protection of women is one of the key pillars of the UAE’s foreign aid strategy.
The UAE has developed a “100 percent Women” Policy which aims to enhance the UAE’s commitment to the protection of women and girls’ as a part of all UAE funded humanitarian programs and projects implemented in humanitarian crises.
“To date the UAE has dedicated US $322 million for humanitarian initiatives and interventions focused on women and girls.”
In Defense, in 2014 the region’s first military college for women, Khawla bint Al Azwar Military School, opened in the UAE.
The UAE currently has four women fighter pilots and 30 women who work with the country’s special security forces.
The first Emirati and Arab female fighter pilot, Major Mariam Al Mansouri, made international headlines for leading UAE missions against ISIS.
In 2019 a military and peacekeeping training initiative, operated by the UN, in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Defense and the General Women’s Union in the UAE, trained over 130 women from multiple Arab countries.
These cadets have been trained to protect women’s rights, help reduce sexual violence and provide support to women in conflict zones globally.
“This program provides world-class training, physical fitness sessions and leadership development providing the same opportunity and responsibility to female cadets as is available to their male counterparts.” said the Ambassador
{{Women entrepreneurs were promised support}}
Women founders and executives of companies in Rwanda are happy with the opportunity but are asking for support in reaching the market.
Jessie Kalisa said she has always had a dream of meeting someone who can take her to the Dubai market and do business.
“I used to dream of meeting someone in Dubai. How do I start a business in Dubai? ”
Ambassador Hazza Alqahtani said he would connect them with people who would help them so that they could start investing.
“My advice to you is to get together and open a store. I have no doubt that you will behave well. making baskets, oils, Rwandan coffee, is something that will attract many. ”
Other businesses that have been shown to be lucrative include export of fruits; pineapples, oranges, and mangoes.
The Minister of Gender and Family Development, Prof Bayisenge Jeannette, said the government would continue to promote women in business.
“The visit was aimed at exchanging information between the two countries and showing that women have been given the opportunity to thrive. It is to re-energize women and tell them that the country is ready to support them where possible. Opportunities like this are important because it allows them to see where they can better connect with different donors. ”
Economists predict that empowering women in investment could boost global gross domestic product by $ 12 billion by 2025.
Statistics from the Rwanda Private Sector (PSF) show that 42% of companies are run by women in the country.
Of the more than 12 million Rwandans, 52% are female. A report by the International Monetary Fund shows that women contribute 30% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
In response, residents apprehended two of the suspected thieves identified as Eric Rwizibura, 37, and Benoît Ntawuhiganayo, 41, and handed them over to Police at Nyagisozi station.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region, said that on Saturday night, at about 8:30 pm, three thieves intercepted Faustin Mutabazi and his wife Claudine Mukabagire, as they were heading home.
The couple was traveling on a motorcycle when the thieves stopped them in an attempt to rob them of their valuables.
“The couple tried to fight the thieves and, in the process, also called out loud for help. Neighboring residents responded to the alarm and apprehended two of the suspected robbers, who had assaulted the couple and had injured Mukabagire in the hand with a machete.
Unfortunately, the third thief managed to escape with some of the valuables including Frw680, 000 and a smartphone was stolen from the couple,” SP Kanamugire said.
The residents took the two suspects to Nyagisozi Police station and the couple was taken to Cyahinda health centre for medical care for the sustained wounds.
According to the spokesperson, one of the suspects, Eric Rwizibura was also wanted over similar crimes in Nyaruguru District, and drug trafficking.
At the time of his arrest, Rwizibura was also found in possession of one pellet of cannabis.
SP Kanamugire thanked the residents for the community policing spirit to save the couple and to apprehend the suspected violent criminals.
The search for the third suspect and recovery of the stolen valuables is still underway.
Under article 168 of the law determining offences and penalties in general, any person convicted for violent theft face between five and seven years in prison and a fine of between Frw3 million and Frw5 million
The new cases confirmed this Sunday include 21 from Kigali, 9 from Rwamagana, 8 from Nyanza, 3 from Nyamagabe, 2 from Bugesera, 1 from Rusizi and 1 from Musanze.
The Ministry of Health stated, “We mourn the death of a 32-year-old man who died in Kigali.”
These new cases brought the total number of confirmed cases in Rwanda to 5,665 of which 5,164 have recovered, accounting for 91.1%, while the number of active cases is 454.
So far, the total number of sample tests taken in Rwanda is 607,283.
The global number of new COVID-9 infections continues to rise, with only hope that the vaccine can bet got, curbing the disease which has already infected 58 million people and killed more than 1.3 million across the world.
The U.S.-based Pfizer and BioNTech companies in Germany recently announced that their vaccine protects against coronavirus by 95%, while Moderna Inc. works at 94.5 percent, although the trial has not yet been completed.
These institutions are in the process of requesting that these vaccines begin to be used on people.
The warning follows different cases where many people have been caught in such prohibited and risky gatherings in homes.
In the latest similar violation, Police and local leaders in Gatsibo District, on Saturday, November 21, caught 39 people, who were gathered in a resident’s house, praying.
The violators were gathered in the house of one John Barahirwa, 25, located in Simbwa Cell, Kabarore Sector, contrary to the directives against further spread of the COVID-19.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said that the prohibited gathering was reported by grassroots leaders in the area.
“All the violators are members of the Seventh Day Adventist church. They were found congested in a small room with no one wearing a facemask, following a sermon from their leaders; Aloys Hategekimana and Jonas Ndikumana,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
All the violators were subjected to administrative fines and sensitized on the threat of the COVID-19, national directives and health guidelines.
The spokesperson warned against such risky behaviors and actions, which can derail the national response efforts to curb the pandemic.
“The government directives and safety guidelines are very clear and must be followed. Those who hold such illegal gatherings are not only threats to their lives, but also to their families’ and respective communities’.
This means that everyone has a role to play to prevent these risky practices through information sharing on violations happening in neighborhoods,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
For four days, the 23 year old pro cyclist maintained the Yellow Jersey and pedaled to win Stage 1, 3 and 4 at the 20th Grand Prix Chantal Biya in Cameroon until it ended.
Mugisha didn’t win stage 2 but managed to add 34 seconds on his time record but quickly made a recovery victory in stage four held on Saturday clocking 2:46:33.
Slovakian national Kubiš Lukáš trailed in second position while Byiza Uhiriwe of Team Rwanda took the third position in this stage.
On the last day of the competition, a 166.4kilometers race from Sangmelima to Yaoundé, Mugisha lifted the Rwandan flag to emerge as the overall winner of the 2020 event.
Mugisha Moïse, who started competing in international competitions in 2018, won the Africa and Rwanda Championships in the Under-23s in 2019.
He also won the Bronze Medal at the recent African Games in Morocco for the Individual Time Trial.
Mugisha Moise, together with his colleagues, won the bronze medal in the race and times as “Team Time Trial” of the Championships “All African Games 2019” was held in Morocco.
Mugisha also managed to scoop the 2nd position at the 12th Tour du Rwanda (2.1) rated international competition just a few seconds behind the winner Tesfatsion Natnael, of Eritrea.
The new automobile inspection facilities worth over Frw3 billion, built in less than two years, are in the Southern Province (Huye town), Northern Province (Musanze town) and Eastern Province (Rwamagana town).
Each facility has two fixed lanes with the capacity to inspect at least 200 vehicles per day.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye, while officially inaugurating the center in Huye District, said that the facilities pledged by President Paul Kagame reflects the government’s commitment to further build the capacity of RNP to improve road security.
The launch in Huye was also graced by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza and the Governor of the Southern Province, Alice Kayitesi, among others.
“These facilities were built and completed within 19 months, which is less than 2 years. This is a lesson that even big projects can be completed within the agreed period. We have had cases when some projects are completed after a very long time and under troublesome circumstances.
To public institutions and entrepreneurs, this shows that what was possible here it should be the same with all other projects,” Minister Busingye said.
“As the wealth and wellbeing of Rwandans continue to improve, it goes with the increase in the number of automobiles. This center has come at the right time and it’s in line with the country’s governance system of taking services closer to the people,” he added.
He observed that the transport sector plays a big part in the country’s development, which requires having automobiles that are roadworthy.
The Minister urged vehicle owners to be responsive and make good use of the inspection facilities, because having one’s vehicle inspected for roadworthiness is important for one’s safety on, and not just for fear of the law or penalties.
He reiterated that as such police service resume, the pandemic of COVID-19 is still in our midst and a threat, which requires maximum compliance with the set health and safety guidelines.
IGP Munyuza said that these automobile inspection facilities provide three crucial services; fighting and preventing road accidents, gas emission and providing advisory services to owners of automobiles that are found with mechanical fault and in unroadworthy condition.
The three new centers will supplement the five fixed lanes at Remera Automobile Inspection Centre in City of Kigali as well as the Mobile lane, which were overbooked and overloaded.
This increases the daily inspection capacity to over 1100 vehicles, up from 500 previously.
“Decentralizing these automobile inspection centers is meant to bring services closer to the people, prevent long movements and time that was being spent traveling to Kigali to acquire the same services,” the Police Chief said.
He observed that such hi-tech services backed by online booking and payment are playing a big role in fighting corruption in RNP services, as well as saving time that was spent on travels and long lines to get the same services.
Between January and October this year, a total of 72,520 vehicles have been inspected, with 29,780 of them failing the first inspection due to varied mechanical faults while 1,896 were emitting gas.
In the same period, 3,352 road accidents were registered across the country, including 562 fatalities and 2,077 accidents recorded as serious.
Majority 188 of the fatalities are pedestrians, 152 taxi-moto operators and 106 cyclists, while other motorists account for the rest.
The accidents were mainly due to mechanical faults especially brake failures by trucks, human behaviors including speeding and bad maneuvers.
The IGP also hinted on some of the challenges faced by the police in offering automobile inspection services.
“One of the challenges in these automobile inspection services is corruption and fraud especially by people guising as brokers and in some cases working with Police officers to solicit bribes. Anyone caught in these serious criminal actions is handed over to courts of law, whereas in addition to being prosecuted, police officers involved in such offence are also dismissed from the force,” IGP Munyuza said.
In Musanze District, the Minister of Environment Dr. Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, who presided over the launch, emphasized the importance of automobile inspection centers in environmental protection and fighting fuel emissions in particular.
The event in Musanze was also attended by the Governor of the Northern Province, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi and the Deputy IGP in Charge of Operations, Felix Namuhoranye.
“Automobiles inspection centers will help to identify vehicles that emit harmful gasses, which will be a great support to national environmental protection efforts,” Minister Mujawariya said.
In Rwamagana District, the Governor of the Eastern Province, Fred Mufulukye alongside the Deputy IGP in charge of Administration and Personnel, Juvenal Marizamunda presided over the launch.
Vehicle inspection is compulsory under the Presidential Decree No. 85/01 of 02/09/2002 regulating general traffic police and road traffic.
The centers test gas emission, shock absorber, brakes including handbrake, axle play detection, wheel alignment and vehicle geometry, steering system, headlights, and visual inspection of the vehicle’s body condition, among others.
The Head of State made the call on Saturday while participating in a special G20 Summit side event on Pandemic Preparedness and Response which brought together global leaders to discuss strategies to overcome the New Coronavirus pandemic.
President Kagame spoke on behalf of The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), of which he is chair, in the dialogue on overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and restoring economic growth, at the G20 Summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia.
“This session deals with the most urgent tasks facing the international community at this moment. We must end the pandemic through the rapid and equitable distribution of vaccines in every country in the world. And we must chart a pathway back to global growth,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame commended the G20 for mobilizing resources for the Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator, in particular the COVAX facility, adding that the recent announcements of effective vaccine has created hope worldwide.
“The apparent effectiveness of several vaccine candidates has generated enormous optimism for a return to normality in 2021. Fully funding COVAX is essential for ensuring that the vaccine is available everywhere. And we cannot forget that strong national health systems are necessary for effective vaccine distribution,” he said.
President Kagame explained that containing the pandemic permits a return to growth, but does not guarantee it, making a case for African countries which are likely to struggle to navigate their way out of the COVID-19 impact, calling for debt suspension measures and additional financing.
“The ability of countries to finance economic recovery is highly variable. Africa, notably, does not have access to the monetary policy tools in more developed economies,”
“For that reason, the G20’s continued commitment to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative is of central importance. But this crucial program will not be sufficient. Additional stimulus will be required in developing countries, just as it is in advanced economies,” he added.
President Kagame added that countries must continue to work together to ensure that no one is left behind, as the world recovers from the crisis.
Reinforcing President Kagame’s point, the African Union (AU) chairman, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the African continent is playing its part, including through the establishment of a COVID-19 Response Fund, to mobilise resources for a continental response and to support recovery.
“We also launched the African Medical Supplies Platform to ensure equitable access to medical equipment and supplies,”
“We have been involved in the formation of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, a global network to ensure access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for all those who need it,” President Ramaphosa said, emphasizing that the G20 should ensure that access to an effective COVID-19 vaccine should be universal, fair and equitable, as the consensus was at the summit.
“A commitment by G20 leaders to invest substantially in the ACT-Accelerator’s immediate funding gap of $4.5 billion will immediately save lives, lay the groundwork for mass provision of COVID-19 tools around the world, and provide a way out of this global economic and human crisis.
“We look to the G20, international partners and the international financial institutions to work with African countries to rebuild their economies. The African Union has proposed several measures, including debt relief in the form of interest-payment waivers and deferred payments,” Ramaphosa, emphasized Africa’s position.
At the opening of the G20 summit on Saturday, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia said that despite the growing confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine, improvements should be made to make it more accessible to all, and countries to better prepare for further outbreaks in future times.
In June 2020, G20 member states pledged to raise $ 21 billion to help with COVID-19, which was used mainly through equipment to fight the epidemic, vaccination and more.
King Salman also said that the G20 countries have already donated about $ 1,100 billion ($ 11 trillion), in a bid to meet the economic need to find ways to overcome the effects of COVID-19.
Josiane Umulisa, 25, who was wearing a school uniform, was at the time trafficking in possession of 1000 pellets of cannabis in a school bag when she was identified and arrested on Thursday.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson of the Western region said that Umulisa had covered the pellets of cannabis with school text books.
“Umulisa had travelled from City of Kigali to Rubavu District to collect the narcotics from her supplier, who is yet to be arrested,” CIP Karekezi said.
Umulisa is a resident of Kicukiro District.
According to the spokesperson, information was provided by a taxi-moto operator in Busasamana, whom Umulisa had hired to transport her.
“The motorcyclist called the Police out of suspicion, after he noticed nervousness and unrest from his client’s part.
He provided the details of the route they would use, and then police deployed officers who stopped them in Gihonga Cell. The officers searched the passenger’s bag only to find that it contained 1000 rolls of cannabis. The suspect was immediately taken into custody,” CIP Karekezi explained.
Umulisa, who was wearing a school uniform, had neither a school identification card nor a national ID on her.
The spokesperson commended the responsiveness of the motorcyclist.
“Many arrested drug dealers and their tricks applied in trafficking are unearthed because of this strong spirit of community policing and neighborhood watch. This is a lesson to other drug dealers that their time will come and they will also be arrested to face the law,” CIP Karekezi warned.
Umulisa was handed over to RIB at Busasamana station.
A drug dealer guising as a student is the latest discovered trick used by traffickers. Previously, some would stash the narcotics in pumpkins, tyres, gas cylinders, in women veils, milk containers and wrapping them around the body or women carrying them at the back as a baby, among others.
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.
