Author: Samson Iradukunda

Kagame promises support towards archdiocese cathedral

Speaking after his ordination, Archbishop Kambanda said that among his chief goals during his spell as Kigali’s Archbishop is the construction of Kigali’s new Archdiocese’ cathedral.

“He said: “Fellow Christians of this City (Kigali), we have as a wish to build the new modern temple of God, the Cathedral of this City.”

Kigali Archdiocese’s cathedral is currently built in Kiyovu, Nyarugenge District at St Michael’s Parish.

President Kagame pledged to support the cathedral adding that it would possibly be built at a new location.

“We will partner to build it and we will build a better cathedral. We may build it at a new other place but this will depend on the Church’s will or due to the agreement we will have in sponsoring the activity to realize that wish in as short time as possible,” Kagame said.

President Kagame also commended the good partnerships between the Roman Catholic Church and Rwandans particularly in the provision of education and health services to our population, regardless of their religious affiliation.

President Kagame said that during his visit to Vatican in 2017 “the Holy Father made a humble gesture, calling on God to forgive the Church as a whole, for the Church’s failure in our tragic history.”

“This was a major milestone, which we are all called upon to perfect, by working together as religious institutions and government in a positive way, based not on the past, but on the future we want,” he said.

“Let us put the Pope’s teaching into practice, and most importantly, into the hearts of the clergy and the faithful. We want the Church to be a full partner in building this nation, and the foundation of unity and reconciliation upon which it is based,” Kagame added.

“A healthy mind requires a healthy body. The Church shares the duty and mission to transform people’s lives. After all, we don’t only take sick people to God,” Kagame said asking: “Why not go to Him having lived lives of purpose and virtue, in service to our brothers and sisters, right here on Earth?”

“It is in our power to do so,” he said.

Antoine Kambanda who was installed as Kigali’s new Archbishop had been appointed as Bishop of Kibungo in 2013. He becomes Kigali’s third Archbishop since 1976 when it was founded. He will keep serving as temporary Bishop of Kibungo Diocese before it gets its new Bishop.

January 27, 2019
Thousands attend Arcbishop Kambanda installation

Over 25,000 Rwandans and guests from Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Italy and Spain witnessed the event.

Bishop Antoine Kambanda was appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Kigali to succeed Archbishop Thadee Ntihinyurwa whose wish to retire was approved by Pope in November last year.

Born in Nyamata on November 10, 1958, Kambanda was ordained Bishop of Kibungo Diocese on July 20, 2013. He had been ordained priest on September 8, 1990 at Mbare, Kigali Archdiocese during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Rwanda.

Upon his priesthood ordination, Bishop Kambanda started his mission as teacher doubling as the in charge of studies at Ndera Minor Seminary in Kigali.

Between 1993 and 1999, he went for further studies at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome, where he obtained a doctorate in moral theology.

From 1999 to 2005, Kambanda served as Director of CARITAS of Kigali Archdiocese, serving also as the Chairman of Justice and Peace Commission in the Archdiocese.

He was also a teacher at Nyakibanda Major Seminary.

Between 2005 and 2016, Antoine Kambanda was the Rector of Kabgayi Major Seminary before he was once again appointed as Rector of Major Seminary of Nyakibanda, a position he left when he was appointed the Bishop of Kibungo Catholic Diocese on May 3, 2013 replacing Monsignor Kizito Bahujumihigo who had resigned from the position in 2010 amid financial troubles.

Archbishop Antoine Kambanda’s motto is “Ut vitam habeant’’, translating as, “That They May Have Life.”

January 27, 2019
Unilever launches project to see 10,000 residents access clean water

Unilever, a multinational leading consumer goods companies, making and selling around 400 brands in more than 190 countries, launched three water sites built in Munini Sector of Nyaruguru District where residents are now be able to fetch water at Rwf10 per a 20 liter jerry can.

The water facilities that have been constructed in three months are part of Unilever’s project dubbed ‘Sunlight Isoko y’Isuku’ worth Rwf45 million projected to see between 50 and 60 water facilities built in Nyaruguru District.

The water facilities will also serve as shops for cleaning products made by Unilever including soaps sold starting from Rwf50.

Nyaruguru District residents who have started shopping at Sunlight Isoko y’Isuku project sites say the project is a solution to long distances they walked looking for water of which cleanliness they always doubted.

“Before this project was initiated here, access to clean water was really a problem for us. We used to fetch water from stagnant sources in dams at long distances causing children to get late at school,” says Alexis Ntazinda, a resident of Munini Sector.

Désiré Manzi, a 17 year-old boy says the nearest place they could get water is the valley where he travelled for 30 minutes which saw him get tired and get late to school.

“We had no other solution. I sometimes came at the water tap and found so many people which made me get late to school,” Manzi said.

Unilever’s Rwanda Country Director, Kelvin Kuria, says Unilever started Sunlight Isoko y’Isuku Project in order to improve the health of members of the communities where they work.

“For us, Sunlight Isoko y’Isuku Project is a way to show the community members that we work for them. Most of our customers are women and children. We only work aiming at improving their lives and social welfare,” Kelvin Kuria said.

“It will also prevent children from dropping out of school due to long distances they travelled looking for water which would take up to two hours. It will help parents also do other household works,” he added.

Kuria said the Project comes to support the Rwandan Government’s program to see every Rwandan get access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities by the year 2024.

Only 0,85% of Nyaruguru District residents have water taps at their houses according to the District Mayor, Francois Habitegeko who said, “We are very happy of this project because with no other partners, we as the Government only can’t reach the target to see all of our population get access to clean water.”

Habitegeko said now 70.3% of Nyaruguru District populations have access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities while only 43% residents get water from not longer than 500 meters, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Unilever is a British-Dutch transnational consumer goods company selling food, beverages, cleaning agents, beauty and personal care products in 190 countries worldwide.

The company started its operations in Rwanda in 2016 where it has two projects including the Tea project launched in Nyaruguru District in 2017 set to employ over 1000 residents with permanent job contracts.

It followed Unilever’s project to sell cleaning products including ‘Sunlight soaps’ traded by Zed Investment Ltd.

January 21, 2019
Misinformation on Rwanda keeps FDLR militiamen in DRC jungles- repatriated combatants say

A former FDLR commander Major Sébastien Nkundabose who is now a dean at Mutobo Centre where the 500 ex-FDLR combatants who repatriated last year are undergoing a three-month civic training says he repatriated to Rwanda after spending two years at Military Prison in Équateur Province in Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We spent all 24 years in jungles with no salaries believing that the Rwandan Government would hold talks with FDLR on sharing power. We always dreamt of coming back and conquer Rwanda but see; some of us have been brought to Rwanda by force. Those who think will get power in Rwanda through fighting, I tell them to stop those thoughts and the war doesn’t build the nation, it instead destroys it,” says Sébastien Nkundabose.

“When we arrived in Rwanda, we were warmly welcomed by officials, different from what we thought that we would be killed,” he adds.

Another ex-FDLR militant Balthazar Ndagijimana who was 19 years old in 1994 when he joined FDLR combatants came back to Rwanda when blind. He also says FDLR hopes of taking power in Rwanda remains a dream.

“That FDLR can take over power in Rwanda is merely a dream. FDLR strength reduced when Gen. Rwarakabije repatriated. He came to Rwanda with a large number of combatants with so much ammunition. We were stronger before but now FDLR was destroyed. Today, I think it is just a dream that they can come and overthrow the government in power,” he says.

“I realize it is impossible. I have been in FDLR for 24 years. I know FDLR enough. Taking over Rwanda is a just a mere say. When you have no ammunition, no army, it is impossible to take over the country,” says Joseph Kabarindwi, another ex-FDLR combatant.

{{Fake news}}

Deo Ndayambaje, 57, another ex-FDLR combatant was born in Nyamasheke District. He had a rank of lieutenant and he was the leader of Kanyabayonga Camp.
Ndayambaje says that they took long in DRC forests due to misinformation on Rwanda. He says among other lies they were told is as that Rwanda is now populated by only foreigners.

“Most of the news that reached us was bad and fake news. They said everyone back in Rwanda is killed while those who survive death are imprisoned. Even those who spoke to their family members were told either their property was sold or they were sentenced to imprisonment among other lies,” Ndayambaje recounts.

At Mutobo Demobilization and Reintegration camp, ex-FDLR combatants undergo civic training, entrepreneurship and other knowledge to help them adapt normal life.

At the end of the trainings, they are given Rwf180,000 of which Rwf60,000 is given before training and Rwf120,000 after rehabilitation as they plan for income generating projects back in their communities. Houses are built for ex-combatants with disabilities ad given a monthly stipend.

January 21, 2019
Madagascar President Rajoelina wants to meet Kagame

Andry Rajoelina, 44, was sworn in as President of Madagascar on January 19th, 2019 after winning Presidential elections with 55.66 votes cast.

The swearing in ceremony was held at Mahamasina Stadium and saw different guests attending including Rwanda’s Senate President, Bernard Makuza who represented President Paul Kagame.

In his message written on his official Twitter handle, President Rajoelina thanked Makuza whom he said they had discussed bilateral relations between Rwanda and Madagascar adding that he looks forward to meeting President Kagame.

“Thanks to Bernard Makuza, Rwanda’s Senate President for coming. We discussed bilateral relations and I expressed my will to cooperate more with this country [Rwanda] which is a true African success story. Thank you President Paul Kagame and looking forward to meeting you,” President Rajoelina tweeted.

Andry Nirina Rajoelina becomes President after elections after he led Madagascar from March as President of the High Transitional Authority of Madagascar from March 2009 to January 2014 after the resignation of Marc Ravalomanana.

He also served as the Mayor Antananarivo City, from December among other senior positions he held.

January 21, 2019
Morocco Justice Minister commends Rwanda’s success after genocide

Minister Auajjar made the remarks on Sunday after a delegation he leads visited Gisozi Genocide Memorial Site where they paid tribute to 250,000 victims laid to rest there.

Minister Auajjar and his delegation arrived at Gisozi Memorial Site, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana.

At Gisozi, the Moroccan delegation was shown a documentary film about the bitter times Tutsi went through in the 100 days that left more than a million lives lost in Rwanda.

They visited different parts of Gisozi Genocide Memorial Site as they were explained the history of divisions which led to the 1994 genocide.

Auajjar said what happened is beyond human imagination and efforts should be made to ensure it never happens again.

“My delegation and I were very much touched by what we saw at this site. It was a time to be witnesses of bitter times Rwanda went through but which Rwanda left behind and rebuilt the unity among Rwandans on a foundation of human values, culture, peace and human rights,” he said.

“What President Kagame did here [in Rwanda] makes us Africans proud of his generosity, Rwanda’s strength and capacity in rebuilding itself in a very short time after the genocide. It is a great human, social, cultural and economic success,” he observed adding that Rwanda’s jucidiciary needs to add more efforts in searching for genocide suspects still at large around the world.

Mohammed Auajjar will hold special bilateral talks with Rwanda’s Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye on Monday January 21 seeking to enhance bilateral partnership in the justice sector.

January 21, 2019
Nursery teachers for govt. payroll effective next financial year

Currently, salaries of teachers in public nursery schools are paid by parents.

“The Ministry of Education plans that teachers in nursery will be paid salaries by the Government starting with next fiscal year. Efforts by parents are not enough. When the Government doesn’t pay them salaries, there are no planned means to follow them up and train them,” Dr. Ndayambaje said adding that the number of certified nursery teachers is still low and unless the Government sets ways to treat them well, they can’t deliver expected results.

Rwanda Government projects the number of children between five and six years pursuing nursery education to increase from 24% to 45% in the next seven years.

According to the Education Ministry figures of 2017, there were 3,186 nursery schools of which 455 are public with 1,484 being public-private whereas 1,247 schools are private.

In 2017, there were 6,039 nursery school teachers in Rwanda.

January 21, 2019
Gas cooker blast kills woman, injures son

Nagapfura, 35, a resident of Gisozi Sector, Gasabo District died on spot as the gas cooker exploded as she was cooking at around midnight, Thursday, January 17th, 2019.

Eye witnesses told IGIHE that after the gas cooker explosion, Nagapfura immediately died, her house started burning but the fire was extinguished by Policemen from Rwanda National Police Fire Brigade.

Nagapfura’s son who survived the blast was taken to Kacyiru Police Hospital for treatment.

The Executive Secretary of Gisozi Sector, Théophile Niragire said the accident might have been caused by little knowledge in using a gas cooker.

“All we can say is that it might have been caused by the little knowledge of using gas cookers as users have not yet been accustomed to them. Using gas cookers is a good thing as it is environment friendly but we need to teach people how well they are used because if they are not used adequately, they can cause deadly accidents,” Théophile Niragire said.

Niragire urged members of the media, the gas cooker sellers and local authorities to sensitize users on using them adequately and likely consequences if misused.

January 18, 2019
AU calls DRC to suspend proclamation of elections final results

According to a communiqué released after a High Level Consultation Meeting of Heads of States and Heads of Governments held yesterday in Addis, the participants “attending the meeting concluded that there were serious doubts on the conformity of the provisional results, as proclaimed by the National Independent Electoral Commission, with the votes cast.”

“Accordingly, the Heads of State and Government called for the suspension of the proclamation of the final results of the elections,” the communiqué reads.

The meeting which was chaired by President Paul Kagame also the Chairperson of the African Union agreed to urgently dispatch to the DRC a high-level delegation comprising Kagame and other Heads of State and Government, as well as the Chairperson of the AU Commission, to interact with all Congolese stakeholders, with the view to reaching a consensus on a way out of the post-electoral crisis in the country.

Felix Tshisekedi was announced winner of the presidential elections with 38.57% according to provisional results released by the Congolese National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI).

Martin Fayulu who followed him with 34.83% of votes denounced the results and filed an appeal in the Constitutional Court demanding a manual recount of the votes.

DRC outgoing President Joseph Kabila didn’t attend the meeting that was attended by a number of Heads of State and Government or their representatives from SADC, the ICGLR, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, EAC, the African members of the UN Security Council, among other officials despite the invitation by President Kagame.

“In arranging for this meeting, I also contacted the President of DRC, President Joseph Kabila, in fact I extended the invitation to him as well. He told me he had wished to participate but because of that exact situation he may not be able to travel,” Kagame said.

January 18, 2019
Rwanda condemns early release of Col Aloys Simba, a genocide convict

In 2016, Col. Always Simba requested for his early release as he had ended the 2/3 of his sentence.

However, the Government of Rwanda opposed his request as it would be against interests of genocide survivors.

In its submission to the Mechanism, Rwanda provided a detailed opinion from an expert in the trauma of genocide victims, who personally interviewed some survivors and reviewed statements from others.

She described how Simba’s release would cause untold trauma for survivors of Kaduha Parish and the Murambi Technical School, where children saw their parents murdered, and parents saw their children murdered. “But Judge Meron somehow overlooked all of this to offer Simba leniency.”

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Justice on Thursday, Judge Theodor Meron who was President of International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (MICT) released [Aloys] Simba with utter lack of transparency and the release occurred last week in secret.

The statement says that Judge Meron has yet to make his order public, and he shielded it for days from the rest of the Mechanism. Rwanda was also kept in the dark. Such unchecked, underhanded unilateralism has no place in the administration of international law.

“Judge Meron is aware of Simba’s responsibility for the massacre of more than 40,000 Tutsi children, women and men at Murambi Technical School. Likewise, he knows that at Kaduha Parish, Simba put traditional weapons, guns and grenades into the hands of mass murderers and ordered them to “get rid of this filth” before they converted what should have been a place of refuge into a human slaughterhouse,” it says.

“He should have served his entire prison term,” the statement notes.

Judge Meron was named by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres as President of the UNNICT for an additional six months mandate slated to end on January 18th, 2019.

The Government of Rwanda says that during his tenure as President of the MICT, “Judge Meron has consistently reversed convictions, considerably reduced sentences on appeal, and released early genocidaires responsible for the worst massacres with no regard for the victims and survivors.”

In his last days as President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the statement says, Judge Meron cemented his legacy of undermining international criminal justice by releasing Aloys Simba in the dark of night, eight years before the end of his sentence.

The Government of Rwanda says it cannot know whether Judge Meron released Mr. Simba for health concerns, something the Government of Rwanda might not necessarily oppose. “Kept in the dark, however, it cannot know whether this is the case.”

The Government of Rwanda urges the next President to take more seriously the law and the facts, when reviewing applications for early release.

“We likewise urge the next President to operate in an open and transparent manner, so that the Government of Rwanda and others with an interest in the cases pending before the MICT have notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond to pleadings and orders,”

Col. Aloys Simba, 81, served as Presidential Advisor on Security in former Gikongoro and Butare Prefectures before the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

January 18, 2019