Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The materials were recovered from three suspects on Monday, August 24.
The suspects include two security guards at the construction site identified as Faustin Niyotwizera, 26, and Jean Pierre Basigayabo, 28.

The third suspect is called Theogene Uwitonze, 37, who was buying the construction equipment from the two security guards.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson of the Eastern region, said that the materials were found at Uwitonze’s site, where he was constructing his residential house.

“On Monday, builders were shocked when they found no construction materials at the site and others missing from the store, including bags of cement, bricks, iron bars and water containers, and they immediately called the Police.

The two guards were identified as prime suspects, and indeed, they admitted to the alleged crime and led the Police to the site where Uwitonze was constructing his house, where some of the equipment were recovered,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
Among those recovered are four bags of cement, seven iron bars, over 500 bricks and 30 jerrycans full of water

CIP Twizeyimana appealed to the local residents to protect such items jealously since they are meant to ensure that their children acquire education.

“Such criminal acts affect the national education programme and particularly children in the area, who are supposed to benefit and study from these classrooms. Protecting such public infrastructure is the responsibility of everyone so as to ensure a better future for their children,” CIP Twizeyimana said.

All the suspects have been handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in Gashanda.

The caution follows a party held on August 15, at ‘The Retreat Hotel’ in Kiyovu.
About 35 people gathered at the hotel for the party dubbed “Les Samedis Sympas,” which was organised by one Juan Nsabiye, a fashion designer, in collaboration with the Retreat Hotel.

The party included music by DJs; Toxxyk and K’Ru.

RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that the event was a “total violation of COVID-19 prevention measures.”

CP Kabera said: “Not only that parties or social gatherings are prohibited in this period, Les Samedis Sympas was a total violation of COVID-19 preventive measures since no one was wearing a facemask and they did not practise social distancing.”

“Les Samedis Sympas, like similar other parties lately organised by celebrities and attended by young people especially personalities and social media influencers, who should otherwise promote positive behaviors towards collective efforts to fight the pandemic; instead they knowingly violate the directives and enjoy publishing their violation photos on their social media platforms, which undermines awareness efforts on safety practices, promotes negative actions and further undermines public confidence in adhering to recommended measures against COVID-19,” CP Kabera added.

The spokesperson said that some of those, who were involved in the violation have been identified, summoned and taken to isolation center to be quarantined for at least seven days in line with Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) guidelines, where they will be tested for Covid-19.

So far, 21 out of the 35 people, who attended the party have been identified and placed under isolation for close follow up.

{{Others are still being traced}}

The tests, however, will be carried out at the violators’ own expenses, same as the quarantine costs.

CP Kabera also reminded owners of hospitality facilities to operate within the limits of the directives and to promote positive behaviours rather than engaging in business activities that might lead to further spread of the pandemic.

In 2016, the first program was launched, bringing together three African countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, plus two countries from Asia, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

In the 2017-2020 program, two projects directed to African continent were launched, and just at around the same time two programs directed to Asian continent were launched in the same sense; the countries that attended these program were Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Rwanda on each continent, each represented by two Cities.

In this training program, Rwanda was represented by water and sanitation officials in the City of Kigali and the Eastern Province.

This project was implemented by two companies, NIRAS and the WaterAid project and was funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development and Cooperation, AIDS.

Jean Paul Mbarushimana, WaterAid’s director of monitoring the project, said the training program is important because it aims to build the capacity of institutions and individuals, whether from public, private or non-governmental organizations, all sharing a connection with water and sanitation in different ways.

These include decision-making bodies such as the Ministry, regulatory agencies such as RURA, and water and sanitation agencies such as WASAC, Districts and other agencies.

“The main goal is to increase the capacity of the institutions to plan, implement, and monitor projects in a sustainable manner.” He said

So far, 36 graduates have been enrolled in the program and 18 others are still enrolled, and graduates have been shown to be productive of the changes needed in the workplace.

The program was launched by Rwandans in 2017, with 12 participants each year; the city of Kigali provides six, and the Eastern Province provides six.

The final phase of the course is in Kigali City and in the East they will finish in the coming days. Graduates in the field of water and sanitation are awarded international certificates.

On Tuesday 26th, a statement from the Ministry also said that 231 new cases were confirmed in the country, obtained from 6,128 sample tests conducted in the last 24 hours.

Of the new cases, 196 were detected among traders that used to work in Kigali’s markets before some of them were closed, 30 cases were confirmed in Rusizi District’s high risk groups; Rubavu reported three new cases, Huye and Gatsibo districts reported one case each.

On the same day, 21 people recovered from the pandemic; bringing the number of recoveries to 1, 806.

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 required to continue complying with government regulations, especially with frequent washing of hands and water and soap, wearing masks when leaving home or in public.

On August 17, the markets, Nyabugogo and Nyarugenge were temporarily closed after they were found to be time bombs for the spreading of coronavirus.

The closure was supposed to be lifted effective August 25, but the City of Kigali extended the closure to August 30th “as testing continues.”

In addition to these markets, nearby stores are not allowed to continue operations until they are given a green card to resume.

The City of Kigali says the closure of these markets is part of a plan to continue testing traders that are not yet tested and examine if there are no new cases.

Rwandans are required to continue to comply with government regulations, especially with frequent washing of hands and water and soap, wearing masks when leaving home or in public.

Small patches of green spaces have been created in amongst roads. Green spaces and city parks also makes this clean city appears more beautiful.

Afrilandscapes Ltd is a new landscaping company that has won the Kigali city procurement bid of plantings and installation of automatic and guided irrigation systems in Kigali roads, which has so far been done manually.

The company had some restrictions in water sources so they came up with durable irrigation systems able to use wisely the amount of water the city of Kigali could afford providing.

“In center mediums, we used the drip system, the advantage of this system is that water doesn’t get evaporated, runoff and the perfect amount of water is given directly to the ground, it’s administered very slowly into the areas right next to the root system of each plant. Once the plants get established, the pops get hidden and since they are on the surface of the ground, when we do maintenance, they are very visible, and least damage is done” explained Theresa Cooke, The operation manager in Afrilandscapes Ltd.

Two irrigation systems, Drip and Sprinkle, are getting installed and new plants are maintained at the same time in Kigali Highways greenspaces within a twelve months contract of Afrilandscapes Ltd.

Nduwayezu had packed the pellets in polythene bags, which he wrapped around his body and worn inside his shirt and coat.

Earlier that day, Nduwayezu left his home in Nyabihu District, Bigogwe Sector to Rubavu District where he was to collect the narcotics and head to Nyanza where he intended to supply his clients.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Evode Nkurunziza, the District Police Commander (DPC) of Nyanza, Police had already received all the detailed information on Nduwayezu’s moves that day.

Nduwayezu is a suspected major drug dealer said to be part of the chain that traffics the narcotics into the country and distributes them in various parts of the Western and Southern regions.

“Before he left Rubavu, informers called us with all the details including his identities, the vehicle he had boarded and the method of trafficking he had applied, so he was arrested red-handed on arrival in Gahondo cell of Busasamana after he disembarked from the public vehicle and attempting to board a motorcycle to his final destination,” SP Nkurunziza said.

He added: “The 700 pellets of cannabis were wrapped around his waist making it harder to be identified as a drug trafficker. If it wasn’t for the commendable community policing role of the members of the public, who brought the Police up to speed with credible information, he might not have been arrested.”

“Law enforcement organs are working together to identify and arrest all members of the chain including those who supply Nduwayezu with the narcotics in Rubavu and his retailers in Nyanza and other parts of the country.”

Operations targeting chains supplying narcotics continue to make headways with many members being arrested in the recent past.

Early this month, four members of the same chain were arrested separately in Rubavu and Rutsiro districts with 2000 pellets of cannabis.

Rubavu is marked as one of the major trafficking routes to other parts of the country largely because of its strategic location on the borderline, with traffickers trying to use porous borders.

Nonetheless, credit goes to the public in this fight against trafficking and distribution of narcotics in the country, whose credible information facilitates successful operations.

“When you look at most of the successful operations in which drug dealers were arrested, they were all based on information provided by members of the public, who exercise their community policing rights to fight lawlessness in their localities,” SP Nkurunziza said.

Anyone convicted for dealing “severe drugs” under article 263 of the law determining offences and penalties in Rwanda, faces between 20 and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.

According to the daily update from the Ministry of Health, the deceased were Rwandans aged 64 and 70 years.

“Condolences for the families of two Rwandans who passed away today,” writes the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health said that of the new cases, 202 cases were identified in Kigali markets, while 10 were recorded in Rusizi district whereas Nyamasheke, Kamonyi, and Nyanza districts reported a single case each.

August has been the worst month in the 5-month history of COVID-19 in Rwanda with a total of 9 deaths.

New COVID-19 cases also continue to increase exponentially, with Kigali being the most affected, followed by the Western Province’s district of Rusizi.

ON August 17, the markets, Nyabugogo and Nyarugenge were temporarily closed after they were found to be the source of wide-spread of the pandemic.

The closure was supposed to be lifted effective August 25, but the city of Kigali extended the closure by August 3o “as testing continues.”

The number of confirmed cases has now increased to 3,306, including 1507 active cases; recoveries, 1785, including 30 who recovered on Monday.

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 required to continue complying with government regulations, especially with frequent washing of hands and water and soap, wearing masks when leaving home or in public.