After he was taken through the different facilities of the Ministry of Defence yesterday, Omar Faye held discussions with Rwandan minister of defence, Maj Gen Albert Murasira, at the Ministry headquarters.
Among the issues they talked about is how to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
Gambia minister said: “Rwanda and Gambia have a strong friendship; we appreciate how both President Kagame and President Adama Barrow are expending efforts in improving our countries’ collaboration and the unity of African continent.”
“Our goal here is to reinforce that cooperation; we shall, in the near future send some of our officers to train from here and Rwandan officers will also be welcome to train from Gambia. Our cooperation will continue to focus on building our defence forces and other institutions,” he added.
Sheikh Omar Faye was appointed the minister of defence early this year by President Barrow, after serving Gambia for many years in different capacities.
This next meet for meat event will take place on the 30th November 2019. All the more unique and special, parents will be able to take out their children that are already in holidays, for the delectable experience.
The ‘Nyama Choma’, Swahili for ‘roast meat’, is eaten on special occasions, such as a weekend family get-together, with ‘Ugali’ and the fresh vegetable salad, ‘Kachumbari’. The roast meat can be goat, chicken, beef, among others, served up as a kind of social lubricant, often aided by copious amounts of the local beer or any desired drink.
The management of Kigali Marriott Hotel observed that this event prepared more especially for their customers wanting to enjoy the last Saturday of the month out with friends and family.
Participants are given different types of meat, food, and drinks like Mützig draught on a 50 % discount. This is done with the purpose of bringing together their clients and give them moments of fun and relaxation.
Just with Rwf20,000, a person can enjoy meat with a drink.
All this takes place at Iriba Bar & Terrace where the evening is given pomp with soothing music played out by professional DJs and famous live bands like Mico Band to cap off their week.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation yesterday wrote to the EAC Secretary General requesting him to notify partner states that the meeting that was set to be in Arusha – Tanzania on November 30 will not take place.
According to a letter signed by Olivier Nduhungirehe, the State Minister for EAC affairs, the postponement was at a request sent by a member of the Summit who was not disclosed in the announcement.
However, the meetings of senior officials, the coordination committee and the Council of Ministers, as well as the Business and Investment Summit that were meant to take place alongside the meeting will take place as initially planned, according to Nduhungirehe’s letter.
The session of the Council of Ministers and Heads of EAC Organs and institutions is scheduled to take place November 29, looking into issues like reviewing and finalization of the new structure of EAC Organs and institutions approved in October this year.
The council of ministers will also look into the budgeting and recruitment processes and the administrative and budgetary matters, including reduction of the recurrent budget and elaboration of an Administration of the EAC Secretariat Act.
Rwanda is the current chair of the six-member regional bloc.
Gen Nyamvumba announced this yesterday as he took over the reins of the ministry that was previously under the Ministry of Justice.
On 4th November 2019, President Paul Kagame made some changes in different institutions of government where some functions where added to the Ministry of internal security under the stewardship of Gen Patrick Nyamvumba who has been Chief of Defence since 2013.
As Gen Nyamvumba received office yesterday, he pledged total commitment towards upholding Rwandan security.
“I am very familiar with security, and so is everyone else that we are partnering with; but it is the responsibility of everyone to work hand in hand in assuring the security. This means there is still a lot to do and we will have to combine our efforts where needed,” he assured.
“To be given responsibilities is one thing, but to fulfill them is a very different thing. When you are entrusted with a job, you have to put all efforts and all knowledge to fulfill it,” he added.
Nyamvumba asked all Rwandans to work hand in hand with authorities to ensure their own security, stating that security starts with an individual.
The Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye thanked staff in all the institutions they have been working with for three years, especially the Rwanda National Police (RNP), which was restored under the leadership of the Minister of Internal security.
It has been 5 months that the new year of mutual health insurance started but some residents of Muyumbu sector had not been able to subscribe for lack of money.
In their campaign on teaching on leading a healthy life and the benefits of environmental protection, Access Bank, in addition, built a house for one citizen who was homeless.
Olive Batamuriza, head of a family of four, praised this initiative that will enable her and members of the family to access medical services.
Nadine Rutabayiro, the Team Leader of Woman Banking at Access Bank said that the campaign was organized to teach citizens on leading a healthy life while protecting the environment.
“We desire to help people contribute in their wellbeing and take care of the environment. We cannot say we serve the country when its citizens lead a miserable life,” she said.
The executive secretary of Muyumbu sector, Gilbert Simpunga lauded the support to vulnerable families.
He added that Clotilde Mukankuranga, the resident who received the new house has a family of six all of who were living a miserable life. ”Thanks to the Access Bank’s initiative their lives are turning for the better.”
During a consultative meeting between promoters, RRA staff, and artistes, it was emphasized that artistes should understand workings and why they should pay.
RRA has assured that the majority of Rwandan artists now understand tax mechanisms and regimes and are now embarking on working with promoters that ship in international artists to ensure that they are, too, taxed.
{{Taxing international artistes}}
RRA representative, Innocent Kayitana told IGIHE that normally there are two types of taxes concerning foreign artistes.
“They are to pay 18 % of VAT and 15% tax on profit. This means that the total tax on their income is 33%,” he said.
Kayitana added that this has to always be categorically well stated in contracts drawn between the artist and the promoter, failure of which the cost eats into the organizers’ profits.
In the past, international artistes have been coming to Rwanda, entertain revelers and get paid, leaving with all their pay without benefiting the economy
In 2016, there were 17,000 reported minors who carried unwanted pregnancies throughout the country, a number that rose to 19,000 in 2018, according to information from the Ministry of Health.
On November 5, as he inaugurated the new judicial year, President Paul Kagame observed that the efficiency in the delivery of justice but expressed concern over light sentences given to the perpetrators of crimes.
Statistics reveal that RIB received 2091 defilement cases in 2016/2017 that rose to 3060 in 2017/2018 and 3512 in 2018/2019.
The number of related suspects arrested was 3417 in 2018/2019, 3001 in 2017/18 and 2092 in 2016/2017.
Five of the envoys that presented their credentials to President Kagame yesterday are resident in Nairobi-Kenya; two in Kampala –Uganda, four in Kigali and one is in Dar es Salam, Tanzania.
Speaking to media after handing in their credentials, the envoys committed to work to improve the relations between the countries they represent and Rwanda, with specific emphasis on boosting trade and investment.
“We have been partners with Rwanda over the past 25 years. We have seen our relations develop from the very start from 1994 where our engagements were mostly humanitarian assistance,” said Matthijs Clemens Wolters, the new Dutch envoy.
“We are shifting from aid to trade and we will be investing our time in convincing Netherlands investors to come to Rwanda,” he added.
Thomas Kurz, the new German envoy said his country is also looking to invest more in Rwanda.
Ambassador Charity Manyeruke of Zimbabwe highlighted specific sectors of engagement: “We have very excellent relations with Rwanda and now we are hoping to deepen especially our economic relations and in sectors including agriculture, education, mining, ICT, politics, and governance,” she said.
The appointment of the Qatari ambassador Abdulla Mohd Al- Sayed comes a few months following the three-day state visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar.
The visit which took place in April ended with the signing of four bilateral agreements in the areas of culture, sports, cooperation in the field of tourism and business events.
Other countries whose envoys presented credentials yesterday are; Ireland, Hungary, Malaysia, Philippines, South Sudan, Spain, Botswana and Serbia with residence in the East African region.
Francisca Pedrós Carretero the Spanish ambassador to Rwanda said she had a frank conversation with President Kagame about working to improve the relations of both countries bilaterally and in multilateral forums.
Dragan Zupanjevac the Serbian envoy to Rwanda expressed the willingness for both countries to cooperate in business.
Chef Bizimana has been a junior sous chef since 2017 at Kigali Marriott Hotel, where great Chefs from the region are committed to taking diners to a global culinary tour with diverse tastes that meet with the most elegant full-course meals.
He has been building up to his dreams and talent in the culinary world.
He is most grateful to Kigali Marriott Hotel for pushing him to this level and will not stop until he reaches his dream of becoming the Rwandan Gordon Ramsay.
IGIHE caught up with him, and he is now taking us through the journey of his passion for culinary practices, the Gorilla Highland SilverChef competition, and aspirations.
{{IGIHE: What made you chose to become a chef in the first place and how did you get at Kigali Marriott Hotel?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} I developed the desire to become a chef when I was still a young boy. My family and I went out to share dinner at the Mille Collines Hotel where I saw an executive chef for the first time in my life who had come to ask about our experience with the meal.
I was immediately attracted by his outfit; the long hat with his white vest. (He pauses with a smile…) It was impressive. From there, the idea was implanted in my mind for good.
Immediately after secondary school, I enrolled in the Kagarama Culinary School, where I undertook a 3-year program in culinary arts.
On completion of the training, I got my first Job with Karisimbi Hotel where I worked for 5 years, building my chef experience. I then joined Kigali Serena Hotel as a sous chef, this too added greatly to my experience.
It was in 2017, as Kigali Marriott Hotel had just opened shop in October that I applied for the position and was immediately recruited as a junior sous chef.
During my time here at the hotel, I have had the opportunity to train under experienced chefs and get the chance to work with them on many events and signature dishes, which inspires me.
{{IGIHE: What would you describe as your preference in cooking? And what signature dish are you particularly proud of?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} I would say that I enjoy Indian food. When I came to Kigali Marriott hotel my executive sous chef introduced me to different Indian cooking styles; I became very fond of them especially this one ‘chicken biryani’. (He gives a chuckle of delight) I love spicy food very much.
Nevertheless, I would say that my signature dish is a more traditional dish and that is goat stew with banana. That is my first choice at any given time.
{{IGIHE: You are one of the three top chefs from this year’s Gorilla Highland Silver Chef competition; could you tell us what motivated you to participate in the first place? And how was the experience?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} I was here last time the Gorilla Highland SilverChef competition 2018 took place. It was hosted by Kigali Marriott Hotel and one of our chefs; Chef Sindayigaya participated and won the regional SilverChef award. I told myself I wanted to participate too.
So when the hotel chose me to represent the hotel in the competition, it was an opportunity that I could not pass on. With the help of the Hotel, I got in and also trained with colleagues and senior chefs.
I learned a lot of things during the competition. I gained speed, connection with fellow chefs from DRC and Uganda, and earned more experience with food presentation.
Being part of this regional experience was most definitely an amazing experience. I earned a certificate as one of the best chefs in the region.
{{IGIHE: Does your family share your love for cuisine?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} My family is my number one support, they pray for me, they are very supportive and they are very proud of me; both my wife and my children.
{{IGIHE: Do you enjoy cooking for your family too or you let your wife be in charge?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} I love cooking for my family on my day off. I would have enjoyed doing it all the time but I don’t always have the time.
{{IGIHE: What are your plans for the future?}}
{{Chef Bizimana:}} I dream of becoming a distinguished cook, one like Gordon Ramsay; he is a good chef, mentor and very tough (laughs).
He is my role model; I wish to be like him or even more and helping other chefs to be better at their specialty. I can see myself even hosting a TV show that showcases fine cuisines and training other aspiring chefs.
After the first meeting in Kigali on September 16th, the second was to be held in Kampala on October 18th, a month after but it never materialized.
Besides Rwanda and Ugandan delegates, the meeting in Kigali was also attended by ministers from Angola and DR Congo; the two facilitators.
In an interview with IGIHE, Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of State in charge of the East African Community confirmed that Rwanda has written to Uganda asking that the meeting be postponed.
Nduhungirehe said that the request to postpone the meeting is due to the fact that several members of the delegation that had to represent Rwanda will not be available on that date due to other engagements,
“It is true we have written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda informing them that unfortunately, there are several members of the Rwandan delegation who will not be available on November 18,” he said.
“We were proposing that the meeting in Kampala is postponed to a mutually convenient date that can be arranged through diplomatic channels,” He added.
Reacting to his twitter account, Ugandan Government Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo announced that he had received correspondence from Kigali via his ambassador in Kampala.
“Rwanda has asked for the date of the meeting to be postponed and we will announce the new date,” Opondo said.
