IGIHE

Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

  • COVID-19: Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally Postponed

    Organizers of this championship stated that the decision to postpone the championship was taken in line with the Public Notice issued by the Office of the Prime Minister of Rwanda, regarding the Covid19; and also after consultation with the Ministry of Sports and FIA regional Rally Department.

    “We regret to inform rally drivers, sponsors, partners, and fans that Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally 2020 which was scheduled for May 15-17th will be postponed to a later date,” the statement reads.

    “In these challenging days, the motorsports fraternity sends a message of solidarity to all drivers, navigators, officials, volunteers, sponsors, partners and fans across the world as we stay strong that we shall race again soon,” said the organizers

    The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is a round of the African Rally Championship and the Rwandan National Rally Championship. It is ranked third on the FIA/African Rally Championship calendar this year.

    Jean Claude Mugabo was the winner of the Mountain Gorilla Rally 2019 title, while Kenyan star Marvir Baryan was one to retain the African Championships crown for the third time in a row.

    The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is a round of the African Rally Championship and the Rwandan National Rally Championship.

  • Coping: Face masks disposal guidelines

    The guidelines follow an announcement from the Ministry of Health urging Rwandans to wear masks as it intensifies efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    Eng. Coletha Ruhamya, the Director General at REMA confirmed that the institution is working with concerned institutions to issue the guidelines as soon as possible.

    “Our guidelines will be clearly elaborate to be used for both as the surgical masks and other types of masks, whereby once we use to make masks for health workers only.” She added

    Local manufacturers are expected to produce 600,000 masks every day after Rwanda Foods and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) gave the green light for mask production to some local textile industries.

  • Coping: Kagame, Estonia president discussed technology as tool against COVID-19

    The two heads of state confirmed their phone conversation on Twitter and said they spoke about the importance of using digital technologies in the fight against the pandemic.

    “Joining our digital efforts and continuous collaboration across sectors will be key to ending the spread of #COVID19,” Kagame said in a tweet.

    Kagame said digital tech could also help in facing the realities that await us all when the pandemic comes to an end.

    The Estonian President said after holding discussion with Kagame that the international community needs to stand United during the pandemic.

    “Looking forward to working together with @RealSmartAfrica (Smart Africa Secretariat) to develop tech capabilities,” she said.

    With headquarters in Kigali, the Smart Africa Secretariat is a continental organization that seeks to help African countries transform using digital technologies.

    Rwanda and Estonia are known to share the belief that technology ought to be at the center of their socio-economic development.

    Estonia is particularly a very tech-savvy country with one of the highest adult literacy in the world, according to UNESCO.

    President Kaljulaid last visited Rwanda in 2017 in a two-day working visit and the two discussed cooperation in digital space.

    Estonian and Smart Africa are already collaborating to promote Africa’s digital transformation.

    As the world grapples with Coronavirus pandemic, technology is seen as an alternative to enable certain businesses to grow.

    E-commerce has, for instance, picked a pace during the period many countries have put their citizens on lockdowns.

    Citizens in Rwanda are already accessing all needed products through digital platforms.
    President Paul Kagame spoke with his Estonian counterpart, Kersti Kaljulaid about the role of technology to be used as a response to Covid-19.

  • COVID-19: Lockdown to be extended until April 30

    The decision to extend the lockdown was taken during an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by President Kagame which was held via video conference on Friday.

    President Kagame thanked Rwandans for the continued solidarity and for observing measures in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

    The first two-week lockdown ran from March 21 was meant to expire mid-April was extended for more 15 days until April 19, making this extension the second.

    Rwanda registered five new COVID-19 cases taking the total of confirmed cases to 143, according to a status report from the Ministry of Health.

    The ministry also announced that within 24 hours, there had been five new recoveries that brought the number of patients discharged from designated treatment facilities to 65.

    Under the lockdown, people are required not to make unnecessary movements outside of their homes.

    Businesses across the country are also closed except for those dealing in essential commodities like fuel, food items and medicine.

    Services like banks and telecommunication companies are also considered essential and remain in operation.

    Other measures prescribed by the lockdown include temporary ban on non-essential travel between different cities and districts across the country, suspension of mass gatherings like church services and schools while all employees in the public and private sector also are ordered to work from home, apart from those providing essential services.

    Public transport is also not operational, save for taxi cabs which are allowed to carry people dealing in the provision of essential services.

    Rwanda’s borders are also closed except for goods and cargo as well as returning citizens and legal residents who will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated locations.

  • Kora Coaching to hold ‘Coaching 4 a Cause’ international tele-conference for top level executives

    The event which will take place on Good Friday, 10th, April 2020, will see different individuals and leaders of organizations connecting via a tele-conferencing facility to share strategies on how to adapt to the changes that the world is facing today.

    The event will bring together speakers from around the globe in the Business Coaching and Faith-Based sectors.

    The initiative to launch during a Global Coaching Conference Call will give people and businesses around the globe an opportunity to learn, evaluate, innovate and grow stronger!

    “As much as the global economy is in need of financial aid; our mental health, mindset, emotional and spiritual wellbeing are in great need of an uplift. For this reason, Elite Coaches from all 4 corners of the world have come together to spur Hope and positivity through an initiative called ‘Coaching 4 a Cause’.”

    The KORA Coaches are often sought as Conference Speakers or Consultants for organization of key workshops and flagship events.

    The Kora Coaching Group is composed of business professionals and Entrepreneurs with a combined expertise in excess of 30 years. They have a track record in global business activities ranging from Coaching, Consulting, Advisory, to Business Development in Financial Services, Conferences and Event Management.

    To be part of this experience, participants will register using the Kora coaching website:

    https://kora-coaching.com/conferences/

  • E-Digital Criminal Record Certificate now available on IREMBO

    Irembo announced on Thursday that they made more new changes to this service to improve user’s experience.

    In a tweet, Irembo said: “We are excited to introduce IremboGov 2.0, an all-new redesigned & reengineered e-government service platform, which has started with 22 Local Govern’t services.”

    “This also kicks off a phased migration of all services to the new platform, to be done in the next few months.”

    The process takes only three steps and a fee of Rwf1200, payable digitally via Mobile Money or any other digital payment system.

    This new way takes only one day to receive the certificate, but if Prosecution, the issuing institution, has a lot of requests it can take three days maximum, according to the service level agreement between Irembo and Prosecution.
    From now onwards, anyone in need of a Criminal Record Certificate can access it on the new IremboGov 2.0 without having to travel or file any forms.

  • Coping: Water bills to be electronically delivered, digitally settled

    WASAC staff that under normal circumstances would go to consumers’ premises to read water meters are now working from their homes to access water usage and metering, generate bills and advise consumers on the amount payable for the particular period.

    A statement issued by the agency on March 30, 2020, says that WASAC staff are now working from their homes and deliver bills using telephone and WhatsApp technology, in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

    WASAC is asking those who have to pay for water, to look at last month’s receipts for the phone numbers of its employees, and to send their own contacts.

    “Since they don’t have all your phone numbers, we ask you to look at last month’s bills or any of their phone numbers and names, and send them the numbers on the meter or take a picture of it and send them via WhatsApp,” he said.

    Dan Iraguha, WASAC’s communications officer, told IGIHE that for those who don’t have a receipt to get the numbers, they can use other means to inform WASAC of their account details.

    “One can take a photo of it and send it to us on WhatsApp or Twitter, wherever she can get it to WASAC, and we immediately send it to a local WASAC employee. One can copy the contents of his meter and then send them either by email, social media or by sending it to the WASAC department. ”

    WASAC encourages subscribers to visit its website to see how quickly they can pay via digital platforms including mobile money.
    Water bills to be electronically delivered, digitally settled

  • Coronavirus: 19 cases

    The Ministry of Health said one is a Rwandan man, 32 years, who arrived on 19th, March from Dubai, UAE; while the other is a Rwandan man 34-year-old who arrived on 20th, March coming from Dubai, UAE.

    The government of Rwanda has adopted new cautionary measures, including temporary closure of borders for two weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus. Rwandans have been urged to abide by all cautionary measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic.
    The government of Rwanda has adopted new cautionary measures, including temporary closure of borders for two weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus.

  • 39 arrested for congregating during quarantine

    Currently, 17 people have been reported infected in Rwanda and they are being treated.
    According to the Northern Region Police Spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police Alexis Rugigana, thirty-nine people were arrested during the operation that Police conducted in homes from across the district since Friday.

    Three of the suspects are members of the Seventh-Day Church who were arrested as they were celebrating the Sabbath on Saturday.

    Rugigana urged the general public to protect their lives and those around them by abiding with all the directives that the Government has issued to contain the coronavirus.

    “As the ministries of health and local government instructed people should practice social distancing; avoiding praying in churches, in prayers’ rooms and other areas like caves, These practices are banned as long as coronavirus is still in the country,” he said.

    He went on to warn that whoever will breach the directives meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus will be brought to book.
    39 arrested for congregating during quarantine

  • Difficult Times: Rwanda hotels lose billions as coronavirus effects bite

    There is an average of 7,000 hospitality establishments (including hotels, restaurants and bars and accommodations facilities) across the country which employ over 84,000 workers.

    Tourism and the hospitality sector currently account for about 142,000 jobs.

    Barakabuye Nsengiyumva, the Chairperson of Rwanda Hoteliers’ Association (RHA) said that some hospitality establishments were already laying off workers as a way of mitigating losses and accumulation of unpaid salaries for employees who are redundant.

    “We are still awaiting reports from other hotels so the figure is bound to rise,” he said.

    Nsengiyumva added that they were in discussions with the government to devise measures of supporting hoteliers to remain afloat in these difficult times.

    Nsengimana said that with the cancellation of flights and conferences, the sector is at risk of losing many jobs due to the crisis.