Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The soldiers, Privates-Patrick Ndayishimiye, Fidele Nishimwe, François Gatete, John Gahirwa, and Theoneste Twagirimana, are accused of committing several acts of aggression against citizens of Kangondo 2 village, Nyarutarama cell in Remera sector, Gasabo District in the month of March this year.

Military Prosecution said that the alleged crimes were committed on separate occasions and there is evidence from victims’ testimony that the crimes were committed and so asked court to remand the suspects pending an in-depth investigation before trial hearings.

The defense lawyer, Moses Sebudandi argued during the earlier hearing, on Monday, that there was no sufficient evidence that the crimes were committed and the allegations leveled on his clients were not based on the legal provisions to suite a proper reason for detaining any of the accused.

Sebudandi, came to agree with the prosecution on testimonies collected but asked that all the suspects be released on grounds that the allegations were not sufficient to have them detained for 30 days.

The court said that there was enough reason to suspect the crimes were committed however found no sufficient evidence on one of the charges in which the suspects are accused of forming a terror group.

“Court finds no reason to suspect the accused of forming a terror group because they didn’t know each other and only met as a result of abandoning duty at their respective posts,” said Presiding Judge Major Gerald Muhigirwa.
“The six suspects, however, have five days to appeal the remand ruling,” the presiding judge advised.

All the suspects were taken for custody at a military facility pending the next appearance in 30 days, which can be extended depending on how much more evidence is needed before trial.

The head of Rwanda Community Abroad (RCA) in UAE, Kassim Kaganda said that they are relieved that the plan to airlift them has materialized with the flight set to leave UAE to Kigali on May 16.

“Our embassy which is located in Abu Dhabi has been working tirelessly to ensure that we are tested and accorded all kinds of support we need since we are not working or doing business. Rwandans in all the seven emirates were tested,”

“It was not an easy task since hospitals here were not accepting to test people with no signs of COVID-19 but the Embassy engaged with a private Saudi-German hospital which agreed to test Rwandans who had registered themselves,”

Kaganda said Rwanda’s Ambassador to UAE Emmanuel Hategeka and the Minister Counsellor Edouard Bizumuremyi, who is based in the Consulate in Dubai did everything to facilitate Rwandans who were stranded in UAE after countries halted all international flights to avert the spread of COVID-19.

Due to the situation in UAE, Rwandans who have been working and living in Dubai have wished to return home and wait until the situation stabilises.

On Saturday, Ambassador Hategeka stated that he was aware that some of the people want to urgently return home and efforts are underway to have them airlifted back home as soon as possible.

“We are working closely with MINAFFET on a solution and soon there will be a flight to repatriate Rwandans wishing to return home,” Ambassador Hategeka said.

On Sunday, Kaganda said that they had been informed that a Fly Dubai flight has been scheduled. He said that the community was thankful for the Rwandan government for its efforts to rescue nationals and ensuring that they return home safely.

On safety measures to ensure that the repatriated Rwandans from Dubai don’t import new cases into the country at the risk of setting the efforts to reduce infections back, Ambassador Hategeka said that all precautionary measures will be taken to ensure that cases, if any, are contained.

“Well, you can’t say no to someone wishing to return home but all COVID -19 precautions have to be taken. There are some measures we have taken if that can be the reassurance. We tested 56 Rwandans as a result of contact tracing,”

“Of those 15 were found positive and have all recovered after 15 days of quarantine and some treatment. Before they fly, they will be tested for symptoms at the airport; while in Rwanda, they will undergo the mandatory 14 days quarantine,” Amb. Hategeka said

Business leaders on the continent have signed an Open Letter stressing that the AfCTFA can and must remain on course. Their view is emphasized in a new report, the AfCFTA Year Zero Report, published by The AfroChampions Initiative.

There are innovative ways to keep AfCFTA on track, they stressed, “and we should be willing to explore them.”

Speaking from Accra, Ghana, Edem Adzogenu, Co-Chair of the AfroChampions Initiative Executive Committee said that postponing the start of trading would be a mistake.

Adzogenu said: “It certainly will be a mistake to postpone because this may well be our new reality. My view is that the political decision has already been made for Start of Trade to commence on July 1. If COVID-19 hadn’t struck, we would be on course.

So, COVID-19 reality needs to be evaluated within the context of the technical, health, and economic realities that the pandemic presents.

“The reality is that we need essential products to be produced and health personnel moving across borders. It will be a mistake for African countries to keep treating each other as foreign markets in times like this.”

Before the African business community made its position known, last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who is AU Chairperson, recommended that the date – July 1, 2020 – originally chosen for starting trading under the Agreement be postponed to January 1, 2021. Ramaphosa indicated that this was due to the impact of the pandemic on the work and operations of the Union.

Sources indicate that the AU Chairperson is now consulting member states to make a final decision, either on postponement or starting trading on July 1.

Adzogenu stressed: “We can’t anticipate 2021 just as we didn’t anticipate the COVID-19 pandemic. So we must approach this situation as if this is the new normal and find the measures, available technology, and resources to proceed with the negotiations.”

On the offensive, they note, the July Start of Trade can focus on restricted trade in essential goods such as pharmaceuticals and food products to the fight against COVID-19.

On the defensive, current border closure will continue as part of anti-COVID measures while at the same time permitting the entry of critical and life-saving goods.

They noted that the temptation to postpone is natural, given the health emergency and how it has disrupted preparedness and finalization of negotiations and operationalization.

They stress that it is quite easy to use videoconferencing and online work platforms to keep AfCFTA negotiations and operationalization on track.

In their report, they emphasized that instead of delays, COVID-19 is a reason why the start of trade under the Agreement should be accelerated.

Indeed, it is noted, they expect the level of readiness and commitment to be impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Nevertheless, AfroChampions strongly advocates that in the face of COVID-19, Africa should use the AfCFTA to simultaneously play offensive and defensive by adjusting to current and critical issues needed to fight the pandemic.

According to the Afrochampions, negotiators must adapt to the changing times.

“The new AfCFTA Secretariat must fully embrace and innovate for the crisis period into which it has been birthed. We urge African trade ministers and governments to make the tough, creative, bold choice to march on – despite COVID-19,”

But members of the private sector are holding their fingers crossed, hoping the AU decision is changed.

Robert Bafakulera, the chairperson of the Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF), said: “Postponing will not help us, but it will take us back a lot. Trade, just like life, should not stop or be postponed. Business can’t stop. And, starting trading (under the AfCFTA) on July 1 will enhance trade on the continent.”

Bafakulera also noted that it is important to note that the continent has not been affected as other continents and there is hope that once African countries coordinate better and work harder, jointly, the pandemic will end faster.

Prudence Sebahizi, Chief Technical Advisor on AfCFTA at the AU Commission, said: “I don’t want to preempt the ongoing consultations with Member States.

Implementation of AfCFTA depends on Member States readiness. We at the AUC can only facilitate the process where possible.”

Rwandan economist Teddy Kaberuka also stressed that there could be no better time to start trading under the Agreement than now.

Kaberuka said: “It is very wrong to postpone. This, actually, is the time for Africa to initiate its common market, following the shutdowns, globally, due to the pandemic. The AfCFTA would be a good opportunity for our businesses.”

Launched in January 2017, the Afrochampions is a special implementation vehicle for major, innovative, public-private partnerships to harness big opportunities in Africa for transforming the continent’s best companies and institutions into globally significant players.

The Ministry of Health revealed this on Friday as the Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana communicated to different stakeholders.

“We are introducing the use of robots in the management of our #COVID19 Treatment Centres to reduce transmission risks. Robots will screen temperature, monitor status, keep medical records of Patients,” Dr. Nsanzimana revealed on Friday, sharing a video of one of the robots.

Speaking on Rwanda Television on Friday, the Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije revealed that five robots have been named Urumuri, Icyizere, Kazuba, Ngabo, and Mwiza and they will be helping in the handling of COVID-19 tests.

“These robots will support us in different ways but most importantly they will be used to test patients’ temperature and status of breathing among other tasks, which will help us minimize human-to-human contact,” Dr. Ngamije said, adding that more robots will be arriving in the country soon.

“They will help us reduce the number of times a doctor or nurse gets in contact with the patient and also help our medical personnel to handle many cases at the same time and also have time to rest,,” the Minister said.

Dr. Ngamije said the robots will be deployed in places where many people convene such as bus terminals, to do random tests and identify people who could have signs of COVID-19.

Countries around the world have been using robots to fight New Coronavirus where the machines are used to assist humans to contain the spread of the virus. Several countries including China, Japan, US, and UK have been deploying robots to handle risky tasks.

“Robots have the potential to be deployed for disinfection, delivering medications and food, measuring vital signs, and assisting border controls. As epidemics escalate, the potential roles of robotics are becoming increasingly clear.”

“For disease prevention, robot-controlled non-contact ultraviolet (UV) surface disinfection is being used because COVID-19 spreads not only from person to person via close contact respiratory droplet transfer but also via contaminated surfaces,” a study published in the Science Robotics says.

China is using robots to disinfect places, which has helped to contain the spread of the virus which was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province of the Asian country.