Author: Samson Iradukunda

Rwanda, DRC discuss extradition of FDLR rebels

LaForge Fils Bazeye who was the Spokesperson of FDLR and Lt Col Theophile Abega, who was FDLR Head of Intelligence, were arrested by the Army of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the end of last year.

They were arrested at Bunagana Border on their way from Kampala on 15th December, 2018 from where they had been for talks aimed at destabilizing Rwanda’s security.

At their arrest, the Government of Rwanda revealed it wanted them to be repatriated to Rwanda, their mother nation.

Speaking to IGIHE, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community said that discussions over the two rebels extradition to Rwanda had started.

“They are in Kinshasa now. Discussions [on their extradition back to Rwanda] have already started,” Amb. Olivier Nduhungire said.

However, the talks have been going slowly as the Democratic Republic of Congo is in Presidential elections.

Last year, reports circulated that DRC might request Rwanda to hand over Laurent Nkunda, former Chief of CNDP rebels and other fighters of M23 rebel group as exchange for Bazeye and Abega.

One high army ranking officer in the DRC told Jeune Afrique that DRC Government was not ready to easily send the two FDLR officials back to Rwanda.

January 8, 2019
3 375 teenagers became mothers in six months of 2018 in East Province

The figures were revealed by the Ministry of Health on Sunday during the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) end of year meeting that brought together members of the Inkotanyi in the Eastern Province.

Speaking to participants during the meeting, Rwanda’s Chief Gender Monitor, Rose Rwabuhihi said that statistics by the Ministry of Health indicate that 3375 girls aged between 15 and 19 years were impregnated and delivered children in the first six months of the year 2018.

A total of 737 girls were from Gatsibo District counting most pregnancies and 251 from Rwamagana; with the smallest number.

Rwabuhihi urged RPF members to stand up all together and fight the unwanted pregnancies among teenage girls.

The Governor of the Eastern Province, Fred Mufulukye said the unwanted pregnancies in teenagers increase with abuse of drugs and irresponsible families that don’t care for their children.

“Our analysis reveals that drugs and the fact that children are not cared for by their families are reasons why teen pregnancies keep increasing. We are going to build the Village’s cultural school ‘Itorero ry’Umudugudu’ which will help us identify problems within families and after which we will partner to resolve them as RPF Inkotanyi party members,” Mufulukye said.

The Commissioner in charge of Agriculture and Rural Development in RPF, Francine Tumusiime, who represented RPF Secretary General at the meeting, urged RPF members to work together in fighting malnutrition and the violence faced by girls which are among challenges to Rwanda’s national development.

After the meeting, members of the RPF in Eastern Province resolved to work together in fighting the stunting among children, the gender based violence and family conflicts through Rwandan cultural values set to be enhanced through the ‘village’s cultural schools’.

Rwanda's Head of the Gender Monitoring Office said 3,375 teenage girls were impregnated and became mothers in the first six months of the year 2018 – Rwanda's Head of the Gender Monitoring Office, Rose Rwabuhihi said 3375 teenage girls were impregneted and became mother in first six months of the year 2018

RPF members in Eastern Province at the meeting – RPF members in Eastern Province at the meeting

January 8, 2019
Her husband killed Tutsi, she hid and saved one

Nyirabazungu 55, now a resident of Ntarama Sector of Bugesera District, was married to Servilien Kambari who was the leader ‘Conseiller’ of former Kibungo Sector in current Bugesera District.

Kambari used a gun to kill many Tutsi including those who had fled to Ntarama Catholic Church where they took refuge believing killers would not dare to kill people in the ‘house of God.”

Kambari later died in the attacks the former RPA (Rwanda Patriotic Army) Inkotanyi soldiers carried out to liberate Bugesera District and surrounding areas to protect and save victims who were being killed in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

Talking to IGIHE, Nyirabazungu, said she hid one Celestin Mugabe who then was 20 years old.

“It was on Sunday when other people had gone to pray and from churches they came back saying killings had started,” Nyirabazungu recounts.

“At around 3 PM, Celestin Mugabe came to my house carrying a bag and asked my help as his fellow Tutsi were being killed. I put him in my house. His mother and his siblings went to hide in the swamp where I took them food in the evening,” she says.

Nyirabazungu adds that she kept hiding Mugabe and his two other younger brothers who came later into his house.

While Nyirabazungu was hiding Mugabe, her husband Servilien Kambari woke up every day and went to Ntarama to kill Tutsi.

“I kept feeding Mugabe’s parents from neighboring homes where they hid. I told my children to keep it as a secret that Mugabe was hiding at our house. Every day, Interahamwe militias came to my house looking for the young boy I hid but my children and I kept denying his presence at our house,” Nyirabazungu adds.

Nyirabazungu says that Mugabe’s parents later decided to flee to Ntarama Church where they believed their lives would be saved but they were killed on the way.

Few days later, Mugabe also left Nyirabazungu’s house as killers kept looking for him but fortunately survived.

“On my heart, I always feel the pride to have saved somebody’s life during the genocide. It pains that my husband killed several others. Now Mugabe is alive and he is a father to four children,” Nyirabazungu says adding that “people should be generous and truthful.”

January 8, 2019
Hategeka promoted, becomes RDB Deputy CEO, several changes made

According to new appointments, Emmanuel Hategeka will serve as RDB’s Deputy CEO doubling as Chief Operations Officer.

In the Board of Directors, Mr. Itzhak Fisher is the Chairperson while Mrs. Evelyn Kamagaju is the Vice Chairperson.

Ms. Diane Karusisi, Mrs. Alice Nkulikiyinka, Dr. Patrick Hitayezu, Mr. Brian Kirungi and Ms. Faith Keza were appointed as Board Members at Rwanda Development Board.
Eight senior officials appointed include Ms. Elodie Rusera appointed as Chief Skills Officer, Ms. Diane Sayinzoga named as Head of Special Economic Zone and Export Facilitation Department with Mr. Emmanuel Nsabimana being appointed as Head of Tourism Regulation Department.

Mr. Desire Rusatira was appointed as Head of Reinvestment and Investor Aftercare Department while Mr. Francois Ngoboka was named Head of Targeted Labour Market Interventions Department whereas Mr. Pacific Tuyishime was appointed as RDB’s Head of Deal Acceleration and Transactions Department.

Mr. Viateur Nzabanita was appointed as Head of Strategic Capacity Development Department.

Founded in 2009, Rwanda Development Board (RDB), is a government department that integrates all government agencies responsible for the attraction, retention and facilitation of investments in the national economy.

RDB is, among other duties, charged with facilitating private sector led development through increased investments and exports.

Clare Akamanzi is the Chief Executive Officer of RDB since February 4th 2017.

January 6, 2019
Kagame invited at CAF 2018 Awards

Kagame wil join other guests including the president of Senegal, Macky Sall and former soccer player and now president of Liberia, George Weah.

Once again, Egyptian Mohamed Salah who plays for Liverpool, and his teammate Sadio Mane, the Senegalese and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who plays for Arsenal will compete to be named Best African Player of the Year.

Last edition of the CAF Best African Player of the Year Award was scooped by Egyptian Mohammed Salah who in case he wins it this year will become the second player to win it for two consecutive times after the Senegalese El Hadj Diouf, Cameroonian Samuel Eto’O and Ivorian Yaya Toure.

The CAF African Best Player of the Year is known after votes held by Coaches and captains of 56 national football teams of country members of CAF.

January 5, 2019
REG waives new connection fees for industries

“The only requirement for industrial customers wishing to benefit from this opportunity is just to complete the online new connection application available on REG website,” REG’s announcement reads in part.

Usually, fees charged from investors setting up new industries varied with the distance between the industry being set up and the electricity feeder nearby.

For instance, the new industry located in one kilometer from the feeder was charged Rwf40 million including the power transformer.

The World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2018 indicated that Rwanda’s energy sector improved from 119th place in 2017 to 68th in 2018, an indicator that enabled Rwanda to improve from position 41 to 29th as the easiest country for doing business globally.

The report also indicated that Rwanda was a country that had done most reforms in Sub-Sahara in the course of the latest 15 years in easing business doing.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG), Ron Weiss, said: “We want to continue to improve and we are doing several reforms to be able to offer the big clients with better services in order to bring more industries and increase development.”

Ron Weiss said that one of the main issues new businesses face is that they have so many costs as ” they need to build the factory, to have employees and to do so many things. If we help them with electricity, I think it can support them a lot.”

January 5, 2019
”I can’t be their police,” APR Coach slams players’ off field misconduct

Mulisa was a sad man after his side were held to a goalless draw to Gicumbi who sit in the relegation zone in the Azam Rwanda Premier League a match day 12 staged at Kigali Stadium on Friday.

Before the game, APR were top on league table with 25 points in nine games while Gicumbi Football Club was 15th with nine points in 11 games, one place in front of Amagaju FC who sit in the bottom.

In post match press conference, Jimmy Mulisa said his players played like those who had merely come for a travel and did not play putting their hearts on their job accusing some of the off field misconduct.

“I played football in Rwanda and abroad. I know how players should behave and how they prepare to win every game. But it is sad these players of mine want me to be their police man. We should help our players. I usually hear people say certain players don’t play because they have personal problems with the coach,” a sad Mulisa said.

“Players have not yet understood football is their job and this won’t make our football attain any further level. I am not a police man to go after every player to know where he spends nights and bars in which they night out. If I were able to, I would do that job but I am a coach. I only know matters in the playground,” he added.

Mulisa further said his players put no effort to win the game they drew with Gicumbi but rather played as if they had come to travel in the pitch.

Players whose performances were poor include those who are regular in APR FC starting XI and in the national football team including forward Muhadjiri Hakizimana and left winger Jean Claude Iranzi who Mulisa both replaced at half time.

APR FC, defending champions of the Azam Rwanda Premier League have not yet lost a game in ten games they played this season. The draw to Gicumbi saw the military side lose the total three game points at home for their first time having drawn one another game to Bugesera FC away in Bugesera District.

The 17-time winners of Rwanda National Football league played without four of their starting eleven including goalkeepr Herve Yves Kimenyi, defender Herve Rugwiro, right back Ombolenga Fitina and forward Issa Bigirimana who are said to have refused to feature in the game alleging to have minor injuries while in truth they wanted to rest to enjoy the festive times.

December 31, 2018
Man goes missing, found dead in kitchen 8 days later

Since December 22, 2018, nobody knew whereabouts of Emmanuel Hakizimana, a resident of Beninka Village, Rubirizi Cell, Kanombe Sector of Kicukiro District, who was most known as ‘Bienvenu’ after he went missing.

In the night of December 22, 2018, around 3:00’am, the night patrol (irondo) officers met a young man near Hakizimana’s boutique with a laptop and jerry bottle and held him.
The young man was usually Hakizimana’s houseboy according to Steven Bagabe, the President of Beninka Village.

“They held the houseboy and asked him where he was going in that night and he answered Hakizimana (the deceased) had sent him to take his stuff home. They held him until the morning when he was taken to the in Charge of Security in the Cell before he was taken to Police Station,” Bagabe said.

“At Police, they dialed the phone number of Hakizimana, a call which was answered by someone sounding Burundian and when they asked if he was Hakizimana, he said yes. But when they kept calling the number asking him many more questions, he hanged up the telephone which can’t be reached since then,” Bagabe recounts.

Bagabe said that on Saturday, Hakizimana’s houseboy who was in custody at a Police Station was released as ‘Police found no evidence against him’ and immediately fled.

{{How Hakizimana’s death was discovered}}

Bagabe says that Hakizimana had started living alone, with the houseboy, after he had separated his wife with whom they had two children due to conflicts.
He says that days after Hakizimana could be seen nowhere, neighbors started smelling an offensive odour from Hakizimana’s house.

“Today [Sunday], they opened the house in which they found nobody but the stinking smell could be smelt from the backside of the house. When they arrived in the kitchen, they found the corpse wrapped in boxes. We don’t know if he had a problem with anybody but we hope that if his houseboy is caught, he will provide more information,” Bagaba said.

Speaking to IGIHE, the Spokesperson of Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Modeste Mbabazi said it was evident Hakizimana had been murdered because his corpse was found wrapped by stuff and RIB investigators had reached the scene and started investigating his death.

Mbabazi said nobody had yet been arrested following the dossier as the investigation goes on.

December 31, 2018
Woman detained for drug trafficking, husband arrested for attempted bribery

The wife had been taken into custody after she was found in possession of 597 rolls of cannabis.

“The husband of this woman called the officer at Byumba Police station, where the wife is detained, requesting to meet,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Alex Rugigana, the Police spokesperson for the Northern region, said.

“He instead sent a colleague with Rwf250, 000 to give to the officer in question so as to release the wife. The man who was sent with the money was immediately taken into custody, and the prime suspect was also arrested.”

CIP Rugigana advised the general public to “do the right thing” not to engage into criminal activities. He added that offering bribes will only be another crime committed and answerable in courts of law.

More than 200 people have been arrested this year for attempting to give bribes to Police officers with over 1000 people having been arrested for the same crimes since 2015.

The law against corruption especially in article 4, provides for an imprisonment of between five and seven years upon conviction, and a fine of three to ten times the bribe offered or solicited.

December 31, 2018
Rwandan Economist drowns in pool, dies in France

News of the passing of Samuel Baker was first announced on Twitter by one Twahirwa who tweeted as: ”This country just lost a young, bright man, Samuel Baker a few hours ago…The family received the heart dropping news of his drowning in a swimming pool in France where he had gone for a holiday from London.”

The news came as a shock for many on Twitter including the Governor of Rwanda National Bank, John Rwangombwa who described Samuel’s death as a big loss to Rwanda.

“It’s really sad. Samuel was one the brightest, hardworking and very positive young man I have ever met. It’s a big loss to our country indeed. To Samuel’s family we pray for you and join in moaning him. RIP Samuel,” Rwangombwa tweeted.

The announcement released by iDebate, an organization of which he was among founding members and in which he served the first Programs Manager said he ”played a crucial role in steadying the organization that was in its infancy, taking on administrative as well as coaching duties.”

“Samuel was a genius at his own right, who at 25 years of age had already earned a Master’s degree in Economics and Finance from Strathclyde Business School and was pursuing a PhD at City University of London, which would have made him of the youngest PhD holders in Rwanda,” the announcement reads in part.

The announcement goes on to say that Samuel Baker “had always dreamed to be part of our country’s transformation story. This led him to leave his job as an analyst at J.P Morgan to accept a position as Economist in the Monetary Policy and Research Department of the Central Bank of Rwanda”, a position he left to work in the Governor’s office according to his LinkedIn profile.

Samuel Baker’s LinkedIn account also indicates that besides being a PhD student at City London University, he was also the Africa Analyst, Economics and Country Risk at IHS Markit, a data and information services business, based in London that caters to a variety of industries including automotive, energy, financial services, defense and maritime.

Samuel Baker has written several opinions in Economics with most of them related to why Africa needed a single trade market, the digitization of economy among other opinions.

December 30, 2018