Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Dr. Biruta said this on Wednesday while addressing the media in Kigali on the current affairs on local, regional, and global issues.

Asked about the recent comments made by the Burundi’s President Maj. Gen Evariste Ndayishimiye that Rwanda is holding hostage Burundian refugees, Biruta said that the claims are false because Rwanda has expressed the desire to facilitate the repatriation process.

“The numbers we have indicate that Rwanda hosts 71,973 Burundian refugees at the moment, the third-highest number of Burundian refugees hosted by any country. One can only claim that the ones in Rwanda have been held hostage after the refugees in other countries have returned home, which is not true,”

“Before the COVID-19, which led to the closure of borders, it should be noted that at least 200 Burundian refugees would return home. Nobody stopped them. The fact that they are not going home now is because of the border closures but Rwanda has no interest in keeping the refugees,” Minister Biruta said.

Dr Biruta added that Rwanda has an international obligation to welcome refugees escaping trouble but has no interest in keeping them. He said that whatever was done was in line with the protocol to protect refugees in peril.

“As we speak, tomorrow there is a technical meeting involving all parties, to discuss the modalities of how these refugees can be facilitated to return home even at this time of COVID-19,” he added, pointing out that the process is facilitated by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

“We have about 136 Burundian citizens who had come to Rwanda for different reasons at the time the borders were closed, including those who had come to seek treatment. They requested to return home and they were denied the right to do so. They have been stranded here. The Burundian Embassy in Rwanda approached us and requested us to facilitate their repatriation and we did our part but Burundi refused to welcome them back. Some were known and had been cleared to travel hear for treatment but after that they could not be allowed to return home,” Dr Biruta said.

Dr Biruta said that it is surprising that Bujumbura would accuse Kigali of holding Burundian refugees’ hostage yet they cannot allow back their own citizens.

Dr Biruta also spoke about the recent comments by the Burundian leader that his government is not interested in pursuing friendly ties with a ‘cunning and dishonest neighbour’, pointing out that Rwanda would not force Burundi to work on bettering relations.

“What I can say is that for us we remain ready to work with our neighbours to improve relations. For two countries to co-exist well there must be the will on both sides. What we learned is that Burundi is not interested in improving relations,” Dr Biruta said.

He said that Rwanda would not go into responding to some of the allegations or attacks apart from clearing the air on outstanding issues without exchanging words with the Burundian leadership.

His death was announced by the ruling party Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF- Ikotanyi) via Twitter.

“On behalf of the @rpfinkotanyi family, the Secretary General Hon. François Ngarambe joins in mourning the family of Ambassador Kamali Karegesa who passed away on Tuesday due to illness,”

“Ambassador Kamali will be remembered for his dedication and service to the country. May God grant him eternal rest,” reads the statement.

The Late Karegesa served in different government positions;he served as the Rwandan High Commissioner to South Africa, after working in similar capacity in Uganda.

Karegesa also worked as the Executive Secretary of the Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders and Decorations of Honour (CHENO).

Before he passed, Karegesa was working at the secretariat of the ruling RPF-Inkotanyi, where he was an advisor on diplomacy.

In a Tuesday 12, August report, 19 new cases were recorded out of 5153 tests that were conducted, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 2,171.

According to the Ministry of Health statement , the new cases include 10 contacts of positive cases and tests in high-risk groups in Kigali, while 6 are returning residents isolated upon arrival in Rubavu; there were also 2 cases from Rusizi and one from Gicumbi district respectively.

The new recoveries bring the number of recoveries to 1478 while the number of active cases is now 686.

The generators were recovered on Sunday, August 9, from three prime suspects, who were also arrested in Fumbwe Sector, Rwamagana District.

Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson of the Eastern region, identified the suspects as John Dukuzimana, 25, Jean Bosco Rwigamba, 21, and Santos Murazimana, 26.

CIP Twizeyimana said that the trio was intercepted in Lake Muhazi as they crossed from Gatsibo to Nyarubuye in Fumbwe Sector.

“On Sunday, at about 3pm, local security personnel saw three men as they crossed to Rwamagana from Gatsibo, through Lake Muhazi with three power generators in a boat, and called the Police out of suspicion that the generators could be stolen,” CIP Twizeyimana said.

“During interrogation, one of the suspects, John Dukuzimana, disclosed that they stole the generators from a mining company in Gatsibo where Dukuzimana was working as a cleaner,” he added.

Dukuzimana was the brain behind the theft.

Indeed, when the Police in Rwamagana District called the mining company, they confirmed that their three power generators had been stolen.

The suspects were handed over to Rwanda Investigation Bureau in Murambi where the crime was committed.

The mining company thanked the Police for recovering the power generators, noting that theft had affected their operations.

CIP Twizeyimana lauded the impact of community policing groups including Irondo local security personnel and the general public in fighting and preventing crimes through information sharing on suspects and recovery of stolen items.

Theft, under article 166 of the law determining offences and penalties in Rwanda, attracts an imprisonment of one to two years and a fine of between Rwf1 million and Rwf2 million, a community service of six months or one of these penalties.

The suspects were caught mining coltan and cassiterite in a stream.

Those arrested are Vincent Habiyambere, Claude Twagirimana, Venuste Hakorimana and Vincent Nshimiyimana.

Others are Adrien Sinayobye, Patrick Mugabo and Sylidio Habirora.

According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson of the Western region, the operation was conducted between 11AM and 12:30 following information from local residents, who reported the unlawful acts.

“Local residents called Gatumba Police station reporting a group of people that was conducting illegal mining activities, which were affecting the stream and the environment in general,” CIP Karekezi said.

“The Police station and local administrative security personnel worked together to arrest all the seven people red-handed.

Their unlawful mining activities had affected the stream, blocked and channelled the running water to people’s gardens and the waters turned dirty due to such human actions,” he added.

The spokesperson noted that all the seven illegal miners came from different places, were not wearing facemask and protective gears.

“In any unfortunate case where one is infected with COVID-19, it was easy to infect others. They were also exposed to health risks since they had no protective gears.
Besides, they were also using minors in the unlawful and hazardous acts of mining.”
The exhibits including minerals and the tools they were using, were impounded at Gatumba Police station where the suspects are detained.

CIP Karekezi thanked the residents for reporting the illegal practices to protect the stream and fight environmental degradation.

Last week, more than 40 people were also caught in illegal mining activities in closed coltan concession located in Rutsiro District, Rusebeya Sector in Kabona Cell.
The concession was closed on safety grounds.

Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a license commits an offence.”

Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.

The law also provides for the confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.

NISR estimates that urban CPI has increased by 9.2 percent on annual basis (July 2020 to July 2019) and increased by 0.2 previous two months

Some of the reasons for Urban CPI increase are the rise in cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages that increased by 11.9 percent, ‘Alcoholic beverages, tobacco increased by 25.1 percent, ‘Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ increased by 4.3 percent and ‘Transport’ increased by 22.6 percent.

When comparing the CPI of July 2020 and July 2019, the prices of non-food and energy products rose by 7.3%.

In July 2020, rural CPI increased by 13.2% compared to July 2019. While the change in rural CPI in June 2020, was at an average of 11.2%.

Among the reasons for the 13.2% increase in July were the CPI of food and non-alcoholic beverages which rose by 19.8%, the prices of soft drinks and tobacco by 22.8% and the prices of transport by 23, 4%.

Compared to July 2020 and June 2020, prices rose 1.6%. The rise was mainly due to a 2.9% rise in food and non-alcoholic beverages and a 0.8% rise in prices for soft drinks and tobacco.

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According to the ministry, of the new cases, nine were identified in Kigali while the other three cases were detected in Rubavu district.

Rwanda has so far conducted a total of 304,500 Covid-19 tests since mid-March when the country recorded the first case.

So far, Rwanda has recorded a total of 2152 confirmed cases of which, 1392 have recovered with 753 active cases and seven deaths.

In order to avoid the spread of Coronavirus, Rwandans are required to continue to pay attention to and comply with government regulations, especially with frequent hand washing with water and soap and wearing facemasks in public places.