Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

Residents of Gasharu Cell in Kinyinya Sector of Gasabo District have raised mixed views after a local official announced they are now obliged to pay land taxes as required by the Presidential law.

The development came on Saturday during a community work in which, Mugemangango Claude, an Interim Cell leader, told residents that even those with small plot will have to pay land taxes as far as there is a constructed house in that parcel.

He said that the owner of the plot will have to pay 30 Rwf Per square meter.

Contrary to previous years residents in the area were not obliged to pay land taxes except for those with official boundary limit for their plots acquired after purchasing them.

Meanwhile at the beginning, to avoid the concern of landowners paying tax on land that is not economically productive, it was agreed that all people with land in urban areas be considered as “rural” and that people with less than 2 hectares should not be taxed, unless the owner wants to change the land for commercial production.

Residents said “Why are we forced to pay for our land that previously we had not had to pay for? At the beginning we were told that those who have to pay are the ones who own plots on which there are commercial activities, but today we are told now things have changed we all have to pay taxes contrary to the past”

Mugemangango said that those who will fail to pay on time will be fined taking into consideration the time that they have spent without paying.

He however explained that due to the mistakes that were committed in previous years, residents will have to pay starting with the year 2013.

It is one month after Nkurunziza Nicolas brought in modern Cook stoves that he said are different from the cookstoves made in Rwanda.

New Cookstoves were made in United States of America by the company called “Envirofit” and they were imported in three categories.

IGIHE learnt that the imported stoves include those that utilize charcoal, woods and cookstoves meant for big institutions including hotels, schools, etc.

Speaking to this site, Nkurunziza confirmed that these cookstoves are environmental friendly adding that they are also energy saving stoves.

He said “These stoves use small amount of energy compare to the existing ones that most of Rwandans use.”

Nkurunziza added that these stoves are internationally recognized noting that many people from different countries use them.

He further explained that he imported these stoves after finding that they can contribute to environment protection.

He said “While the Government of Rwanda puts more effort in protecting environment, I found that it is everyone’s concern to play a role in Environment conservation.”

Nkurunziza launched Energy Saving Stoves Ltd which partners with a US based Envirofit to provide those stoves.

He narrated his family experience where they used to utilize four sacks of cooking charcoal in one month; however after new stoves they use only two sacks.

“At home we used to consume four sacks of charcoal in a one month costing us between 28,000 Rwf and 32,000 Rwf. It was a heavy burden to us.”

A study that was conducted in US has found that saved energy from 60% to 80% of the cost spent on cooking charcoal.

Those interested in buying these cookstoves may contact Nkurunziza on the following address: +250788646930; +250788556165, or e-mail to reachyouthrwanda@yahoo.com

Kigali, 26th June 2014 – The Fund for Environment and Climate Change (FONERWA) and Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), today signed a Rwf 4 billion loan agreement to expand the Bank’s on-lending capacity to private sector investments for sustainable green economic growth in Rwanda.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA), Ms. Caroline Kayonga, who signed on behalf of FONERWA, expressed satisfaction in partnering with BRD, and also re-affirmed the country’s continued commitment to sustainable development and a green economy.

“We are pleased to partner with BRD that has tremendous experience and management expertise to extensively identify projects that respect the overall mandate of the fund (green economic growth) which is in line with the EDPRS II objectives” added Ms. Kayonga.

The Chief Executive Officer of BRD, Mr. Alex Kanyankole, emphasizes that BRD will now start to comprehensively finance climate change interventions that support the country’s national development agenda.

“This loan agreement will strengthen and expand the Bank’s short, medium or long term financing capacity to projects initiated and undertaken by private business community that focus on clean technology, environmental sustainability, climate resilient and green investments.” said Kanyankole.

While FONERWA availed Rwf 4B representing 70% of this fund, BRD undertook to top up with Rwf 1.7 to make up a revolving line of credit of Rwf 5.7B which will be utilized in financing the green energy projects.

The projects to be be jointly identified by FONERWA and BRD will be financed with an attractive interest rate not exceeding 11.45 percent per annum.

In its financing mandate, BRD is committed to protect and safeguard the environment, and the Bank ensures that beneficiaries undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment for the new projects to enhance sustainable green economy growth.

About FONERWA

An entity established by the Law Nº16/2012 of 22/05/2012, FONERWA is a national fund established to program, fund and monitor environment and climate change funded projects.

FONERWA has the overarching objective of contributing to sustainable wealth creation and poverty reduction in Rwanda, through sustainable management of natural resources, climate resilient and green economic growth.

Kigali – Rwandans and Americans joined at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali Tuesday to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) Pride Month in Rwanda by turning the U.S. Embassy’s wall into a canvas.

More than 40 people gathered at the U.S. Embassy’s outer wall to make graffiti celebrating LGBT rights and human rights here in Rwanda and around the world. Artists from some of Rwanda’s top galleries used their visual arts skills to decorate the Embassy wall while sharing the message that everyone deserves to enjoy human rights. Representatives from Rwanda’s LGBT community also put their messages on the wall, emphasizing that all people, whether men, women, old, young, religious, atheist, LGBT or straight deserve equal protection under the law, access to healthcare, freedom of speech and all other human rights.

“Gay rights are human rights. The U.S. Embassy wanted to make sure through this art event that everyone knows all people deserve to enjoy human rights,” said Benjamin Roode, Acting Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali.

The event was also a great way to show that art and expression can be positive reinforcements in society. Graffiti is a form of street art that can be used to express social or political messages for the world to see. The U.S. Embassy proudly supports arts development in Rwanda and was happy to share its walls as a canvas for important public messages.

“We came to show our unity as artists and to support human rights universally,” said Tony Cyizanye, head of Yego Arts studio. “We’re using our talents as weapons to change the world.”

You can see the art outside of the U.S. Embassy in Kigali in Kacyiru.

Following the cross border incident between Congolese Army (FARDC) and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on 11 June 2014, Rwanda officially requested the ICGLR Extended Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) to investigate and report on the incident.

However, the RDF was shocked to read the content of a leaked copy of an alleged EJVM report in the media, and for that reason, the RDF wishes to inform the public the following:

1. The reference to the leaked document as an “EJVM report” is in itself misleading. EJVM reports are documents signed by all members and submitted to the ICGLR’s Defence Committee. Such is not the case for the document being currently circulated in the media.

2. The leaked document is factually and methodologically wrong on several counts. For example, Google Earth cannot constitute a credible reference for border demarcations. As a matter of fact, uncontested coordinates of Kanyesheja I&II, when plotted on the topographical map, indicates clearly that Kanyesheja II hill is on Rwandan territory.

3. Choosing to solely rely on Google Earth instead of plotting the coordinates on the actual topographical map, the EJVM would have made a blatant and deeply misleading mistake.

4. The act of leaking the report runs counter to the established procedures of the ICGLR and does not in any way help in addressing the security concerns of member States and promoting confidence building; which is the fundamental reason the ICGLR Heads of State established the EJVM in the first place.

5. There is no known border dispute between Rwanda and DRC as alleged in the leaked “EJVM report”. Such a dispute would have been addressed to the African Union Border Program which handles those matters on the basis of legitimate reference documents.

The RDF avails itself to provide factual and detailed information based on credible references.