Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

Three of the suspects showed to the media at the Police Metropolitan headquarters in Remera, were arrested by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crimes (ASOC) department in Musanze and Gasabo districts with combined 8,256 pieces of the outlawed polythene bags and 555 pieces of assorted skin bleaching products.

They are Louise Bamporineza, 29, arrested in Musanze District, Cyuve Sector in Rwebeya Cell, Marampima Village; Venuste Yamuragiye, 25, and Ephraim Nsabimana, 33, arrested in Kinyinya and Nduba sectors, respectively, both in Gasabo District.

Bamporineza one of the suspects, told the media that it never crossed her mind that she could be arrested.

“I have never thought before that this… being in handcuffs would happen to me. I was getting plastics bags and lotions [skin bleaching agents] from Uganda through DRC, Rubavu to Musanze where I live before transporting them to Kigali to supplier retailers, who pressed orders,” Bamporineza explained.

Yamuragire is a taxi-moto operator, who was transporting the goods. He was the first to be arrested and named Bamporineza as his boss.

According to Bamporineza, she was using public means to smuggler the products from Musanze to clients in Kigali.

Meanwhile, seven other suspects were arrested in Kigali for allegedly conniving to steal pharmaceutical products from Gasabo District pharmacy.

They include one Xavier Hakizimana Xavier, an employee at Gasabo District Pharmacy, who was allegedly embezzling assorted pharmaceutical products from the pharmacy and selling them to other pharmacies, clinics and dispensaries.

Hakizimana told the media that he has been taking drugs and lab testing kits from the store and selling them to other health facilities in Kigali.

He added that he started stealing the medical products in 2017. At the time of his arrest, Hakizimana was found in possession of 15 COVID-19 testing kits.

Deputy RNP spokesperson, CSP Africa Sendahangarwa Apollo said the suspects were arrested as a result of strong partnership between the Police and the general public through information sharing.

CSP Africa urged those in the health sector to abide by the law, guidelines and strengthen the vigilance to fight such fraud.

“Health is a delicate sector that requires maximum professionalism, high standards of ethics, loyalty and discipline to give the best medical services to patients.
Behaving contrary may highly affect lives of the people,” CSP Africa said.

On the non-biodegradable plastic bags and banned skin bleaching creams and oils, CSP Africa warned against dealing in such outlawed products.

Article 266 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general, states that “any person, who produces, sells or prescribes the following prohibited substances: a drug; harmful products; cosmetics or body hygiene substances any other products derived from plants; commits an offence.

Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.”

Under article 10 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 states that any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items, is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times of the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.

In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Frw300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.

The statement released last night shows that the deceased include two men aged 42 and 72 from Kigali and a 72-year old man from Nyaruguru.

The Ministry has also reported that 5666 were vaccinated yesterday bringing the total number to 329,410 since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program.

Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 20681 people have been tested positive of whom 19143 have recovered, 1251 are active cases while 5 are critically ill.

Tanzania’s soft-spoken Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Friday was sworn in as the East African country’s first female president after the sudden death of John Magufuli from an illness shrouded in mystery.

“I, Samia Suluhu Hassan, promise to be honest and obey and protect the constitution of Tanzania,” said Hassan, dressed in a black suit and red headscarf before dignitaries at a ceremony in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

In her first public address as president, the 61-year-old leader announced 21 days of mourning for Magufuli and public holidays on March 22 and on March 25, the day the late president will be buried.

“It’s not a good day for me to talk to you because I have a wound in my heart,” said Hassan. “Today I have taken an oath different from the rest that I have taken in my career. Those were taken in happiness. Today I took the highest oath of office in mourning,” she said, after being sworn in at 10am local time (07:00 GMT) on Friday.

Hassan ascended to the presidency after President Magufuli’s death due to heart disease was announced by the government on Wednesday, more than two weeks after he was last seen in public.

Magufuli’s absence since February 27 had fuelled speculation about his health and sparked rumours he had contracted COVID-19, although officials had denied he was ill.

According to Tanzania’s constitution, the vice president serves out the remainder of the term of a president who dies in office. Magufuli, who was first elected in 2015, secured a second five-year term in polls in October last year.
The constitution also states that after consultation with their party, the new president will propose a deputy, the choice to be confirmed by the votes of no fewer than 50 per cent of the National Assembly.

Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Kenyan capital Nairobi, said: “She has just given her maiden speech and it was a very emotional tribute to her predecessor John Magufuli.”

“I’ve been speaking to people in Tanzania to get a sense of what she is about and what they’re telling me is that her leadership style is very different from the late president. They say she listens to counsel more and is not one to make unilateral decisions.”

{{‘Time to stand together’}}

Described as a softly spoken consensus builder, Hassan has become the country’s first female president and the first to be born in Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous island in the Indian Ocean that forms part of the union of the Republic of Tanzania.

She said that Magufuli “who always liked teaching” had prepared her for the task ahead. “Nothing shall go wrong,” she said, urging all the country’s people to work to unite the nation.

“This is the time to stand together and get connected. It’s time to bury our differences, show love to one another and look forward with confidence,” she said.

“It is not the time to point fingers at each other but to hold hands and move forward to build the new Tanzania that President Magufuli aspired to,” she said, amid opposition claims about the cause of Magufuli’s death.

Exiled opposition leader Tundu Lissu insists the president died of COVID-19.

Hassan rose through the ranks over a 20-year political career from local government to the national assembly. A stalwart in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), she was named Magufuli’s running mate in the 2015 presidential campaign.

The pair were re-elected in October last year in a disputed poll marred by allegations of irregularities.

Her leadership style is seen as a potential contrast from Magufuli, a brash populist who earned the nickname “Bulldozer” for muscling through policies and who drew criticism for his intolerance of dissent.

Magufuli was a vocal COVID-19 sceptic who urged Tanzanians to shun mask-wearing and denounced vaccines as a Western conspiracy, frustrating the World Health Organization (WHO).

Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi said that Hassan did not talk about coronavirus.

“A lot of people are looking to see if she will change strategy. Magufuli had faced a lot of criticism for how he handled the disease. He never put the country in lockdown and never encouraged people to wear masks or sanitise,” she said.

“People are waiting to see how she is going to deal with this disease and if she’s going to change the policy that had been in place by Magufuli.”

Hassan’s swearing in will assuage opposition fears of a constitutional vacuum.

“The VP has to be sworn in immediately,” opposition leader Zitto Kabwe told Reuters by phone from Dar es Salaam on Thursday. “The constitution doesn’t allow a vacuum … I will be concerned if the day passes without her being sworn in.”

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli died aged 61.

He died on Wednesday 17th March 2021 from heart complications at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an address on state television.

Magufuli had not been seen in public for more than two weeks, and rumours have been circulating about his health.

Opposition politicians said last week that he had contracted Covid-19, but this has not been confirmed.

In a statement released yesterday, EABC described Magufuli as a patriotic, intellectual pan-African leader highlighting that the council will follow his great vision of unity, peace and industrialization for the economic growth and prosperity of the East African Community.

{{Read full statement}}

Thursday, 18th March 2021, Arusha, Tanzania: – The Chairman, Board of Directors, Management and Members of the East African Business Council (EABC) convey deepest condolences and sympathy to the family, citizens and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for the loss of H.E. Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Member of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State.

President Magufuli was a patriotic, intellectual pan-African leader. H.E. Magufuli pioneered the vision of Tanzania ya Viwanda, Standard Gauge Railway, revived Air Tanzania, Julius Nyerere Hydropower among other landmark achievements, that have delivered prosperity to the citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania and the EAC region. His exemplary stewardship led to economic growth elevating the United Republic of Tanzania to middle-income status.

President Magufuli in his tenure as the Chair of the Summit of EAC Heads of State launched and endorsed the East African Businesses Code of Conduct, calling for joint efforts in the fight against corruption in the EAC region.

President Magufuli was at the forefront of promoting the socio-economic role of the private sector, an avid advocate for industrialization, infrastructure development and revitalization of the energy sector in the EAC. President Magufuli bolstered regional local content and value chains.

H.E. Dr. Magufuli remains strong in our hearts and it is our duty to follow his great vision of unity, peace and industrialization for the economic growth and prosperity of our beloved East African Community.

East African Business Council stands in solidarity with the people and Government of the United Republic of Tanzania during this difficult time.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.

They discussed ways to strengthen relations and cooperation between the two countries.

In July last year, the cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame approved Amb. Amir Mohammad Khan to represent Pakistan to Rwanda with residence in Kigali.

Rwanda and Pakistan enjoy longstanding relations whereby Pakistan business people arrived in Rwanda 100 years ago during the reign of Kings.

Pakistan was the first country that rose alarm to the United Nations to save Tutsis during Genocide in 1994.

In 2014, both countries expanded cooperation in the areas of politics, economy, military and education among others.

Pakistan nationals in Rwanda run different businesses like foreign exchange businesses, wholesaling rice, or working with Non-Governmental Organizations among others.

The call follows separate Rwanda National Police (RNP) operations in the district in which scores of smugglers and smuggled goods have been seized.

In the latest operation conducted on Tuesday, March 16, the RNP Revenue Protection Unit (RPU) seized 80kgs of second-hand clothes commonly known as caguwa and 240 pieces of Movit Jerry, from smugglers.

They were intercepted in Gahinga Cell, Mururu Sector following information provided by local residents.

According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, residents reported a group of smugglers, who use Rusizi river as transit route from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“In this particular operation, we had received prior information from residents that smugglers would be crossing the border from DRC with assorted goods through Rusizi river. We also knew that smugglers first hide in a bamboo forest after crossing into Rwanda before continuing to the first destination in Rwanda,” CIP Karekezi said.

However, on spotting movements, the smugglers abandoned the goods and escaped back towards the same direction.

CIP Karekezi added that a number of smugglers have been arrested trying to use this route from DRC and through Buremera Village, Gahinga cell in Mururu sector.

He recommended local residents, who continue to fight such fraud.

“We appreciate locals, who share information with security organs on all forms of cross-border criminality including smuggling and drug trafficking. This is why many people involved in these criminal businesses are identified and arrested” CIP Karekezi said.

The East African Community Management Act, which is applicable in Rwanda, in its article 199, states that a driver of the vehicle intercepted with smuggled goods, will be slapped with a fine of US$5000 while the vehicle and the goods are auctioned.

{{Tax fraud}}

A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is subject to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax. With exception to that penalty, the Tax Administration refers the case to the Prosecution service if the taxpayer voluntarily evaded such tax. In case of conviction, the taxpayer can be imprisoned for a period between six months and two years.