IGIHE

Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

  • CP Butera calls for dedication of security personnel in averting crimes

    {The commissioner for Operation and Public Order in Rwanda National Police (RNP), Commissioner of Police (CP) Emmanuel Butera has urged security personnel operating in Kicukiro District to always be informed on crime trends and learn more so as to deal with the emerging and sophisticated threats to security.}

    CP Butera made the remarks as he officiated at a two-day retreat of security personnel held on January 2.

    Participants include police officers, district security administrative organ – DASSO – and members of Rwanda Youth Volunteers in Community Policing in Kicukiro.

    CP Butera, who represented the Inspector General of Police, called for “dedication and commitment” to their work.

    He asked them to always be on alert adding that “no one knows when criminals may strike.”

    The commissioner called for collaborative efforts mainly in information exchange among security agencies in order to successfully combat crime.

    He said more weight should be put in preventing crimes such as human and drug trafficking, Gender based violence, child abuse and drug abuse which are some of the high impact crimes.

    The mayor of Kicukiro, Dr. Jeanne Nyirahabimana thanked the security organs for their work.

    She said the district has not recorded serious security threats in the recebt past, but added that concerns related to abuse of drugs can as put the young generation to waste, which can as be a serious security threat that also affects development.

    The mayor however, called for continued vigilance and asked them to but much emphasis on preventing crime rather than dealing with the aftermath.

    Mayor Nyirahabimana said that the retreat should be a time to reflect on the challenges ahead and review previous performance aimed at combating potential security threats in the district.

  • 7 struggles men with a pretty girlfriend go through

    {Men are naturally visuals so that’s why you will find so many men become defenseless when they meet a really beautiful woman.}

    Having a very beautiful girlfriend also comes with its own problems. Here are 7 struggles men with a pretty girlfriend go through

    {{1. Every guy wants your girlfriend }}

    One problem with dating a very beautiful woman is that every guy including some of your friends want your girlfriend. It’s really difficult for her to go out alone without getting the attention of other men. This brings us to number two struggle.

    {{2. Jealousy may become an issue }}

    Due to the numerous attention she seems to get from other men, jealousy might rear its ugly head if the man isn’t careful. Most guys will definitely agree with me that they have been jealous at least once while dating a very beautiful lady.

    {{3. You worry about other guys trying to sleep with her }}

    Lots of guys will still want to have a pretty woman in his bed even when he knows she has a boyfriend and this is a big struggle guys with pretty girlfriends go through. No matter how much you trust her, you know that guys will always come up with excuses to talk to her.

    {{4. She knows she’s hot and she might use it against you }}

    One problem with dating a very pretty lady is that she knows she’s pretty and she might use it against you. She might end up using her pretty looks to manipulate you into getting everything she wants. This brings me to number 5.

    {{5. You are so scared of losing her and can even go broke just to keep her }}

    Another problem lots of guys with a pretty girlfriend go through is that they know every man wants her so they do everything not to lose her. You are ready to go broke just to keep her because you know other men will be willing to snatch her from you if she’s not satisfied.

    {{6. You are invisible when you go out with her }}

    No one seems to notice you when you go out with her as all the attention seems to be on her. You become invisible when you go out with her because everyone becomes captivated by her beauty.

    {{7. You may stay with her for the wrong reasons }}

    Some guys with pretty girlfriends only stay with her just because she’s beautiful. She might be annoying, an egomaniac and unfaithful but you just can’t quit the relationship because she’s so beautiful. So many guys are in unhealthy relationships just because they have been blinded by her beauty.

  • Chimps’ behavior following death deeply disturbing

    {Shocking is one word Jill Pruetz uses to describe the behavior she witnessed after a chimp was killed at her research site in Fongoli, Senegal. The fact that chimps would kill a member of their own community is extremely rare — most aggression is between communities — but the abuse that followed was completely unexpected.}

    “It was very difficult and quite gruesome to watch,” said Pruetz, a professor of anthropology at Iowa State University. “I couldn’t initially make sense of what was happening, and I didn’t expect them to be so aggressive with the body.”

    Pruetz has witnessed many things since establishing her research site in 2001. She was the first to document chimps using tools to hunt prey. However, what she observed in 2013 was different. Pruetz and her research team documented the chimps’ behavior after discovering the body of Foudouko, a former leader of the Fongoli community, who was exiled from the group for five years. As Pruetz explains in the video above, the chimps — many of which Pruetz suspects killed Foudouko — abused and cannibalized his body for nearly four hours.

    There is a lot of anecdotal information on how chimps grieve, but Pruetz says these chimps were not in mourning. The team’s reports and video, published in the International Journal of Primatology, build upon a 2014 study on lethal aggression. The younger adult male chimps were the most aggressive. Researchers noted that two of Foudouko’s former allies were the only ones that didn’t show any aggression. Pruetz says one of the two did yell at and hit the body, but it appeared to be an attempt to rouse Foudouko.

    Few animals, other than humans, show such deadly aggression, and the field of primatology has been divided as to what causes this behavior among primates, Pruetz said. It is important to understand this deadly behavior because of the chimpanzee’s endangered status.

    Pruetz has long thought that human-made environmental changes, which disrupt the chimp’s habitat, may contribute to the aggressive behavior researchers observed. She cannot say definitively if that was the case with Foudouko’s death. It’s likely that competition for a mate — there are more male than female chimps at Fongoli — and a power struggle with younger chimps were contributing factors.

    The skewed gender balance at Fongoli may be linked to human factors. Pruetz says local residents have reported people hunting female chimps to get infants for the pet trade. Hunters capturing just one female chimp every few years would have a real impact on the community, because of their slow life history, she said.

    Isolation and exile unique

    The fact that Foudouko survived in isolation for several years is quite unusual. No one has ever recorded this happening for such a long period, Pruetz said. During the five years of his exile, Pruetz and her team observed Foudouko following the group from a distance, and privately interacting with some of his former allies, but these interactions were rare.

    “It really struck us that Foudouko lived on the outskirts for so long,” Pruetz said. “Chimps are very social, so this type of isolation would be a huge stress, and it seemed Foudouko wanted to get back into the social group.”

    Pruetz says Foudouko might have had a chance, if he had been more submissive. During the days before his death, researchers suspected he was in the area. Still, there was no indication or warning that the group would kill him, she said. As a leader, Foudouko was very dominant and feared by the other chimps. It’s possible the younger chimps were concerned he would try to regain a position of power, and decided to attack him, Pruetz said. The younger chimps outnumbered Foudouko and his allies, and they were in their physical prime, which gave them an advantage.

    Even after the deadly attack, Pruetz says it was obvious the other chimps were still afraid of Foudouko. They showed signs of fear, especially when Foudouko’s body would jerk or move during the attacks. Once the chimps left the body, Pruetz and her team buried Foudouko. His bones will be exhumed for examination in the future.

    Stacy Lindshield, an ISU lecturer in anthropology; Kelly Boyer Ontl, an ISU Ph.D. student; Elizabeth Cleaveland, a former ISU student now at the Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative; Joshua Marshack, a lecturer at Colgate University; and Erin G. Wessling, a former ISU master’s student now at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; all contributed to this study.

    The fact that chimps would kill a member of their own community is extremely rare, but the abuse that followed was completely unexpected.

  • 3 social media habits that can bring distrust and jealousy

    {There are so many things happening on social media these days, and so many news of how it has ended many relationships and marriages.}

    Social media has its pros and cons, depending on how you use it. However, there are many ways it can breed jealousy, distrust and unnecessary suspicions, ruining your relationship in the process.

    {{1. Snooping }}

    Snooping on your partner’s private messages doesn’t inspire trust in any way, rather you’ll plant a seed of suspicion and distrust deep within you, and that can go on to burn your relationship.

    {{2. Checking your partner’s browser history }}

    Only the thoughts to do something as grave as this will definitely ruin your relationship. To go to such a length only shows how low your relationship has come, and such an action wouldn’t inspire trust in any way.

    {{3. Checking out your partner’s exes }}

    Surely, this is taking things a bit too far. Going as far as looking up your partner’s ex wouldn’t help you in any way. Instead, jealousy and an unnecessary rivalry will follow next, and you’d end up doing things that’ll hurt your relationship.

    Have you been guilty of these habits? You should quit them now; they wouldn’t help your relationship in any way.

    ViV

  • Artiste Christopher to hold ‘Little Paradise’ concert on Valentine’s Day

    {As few days remain for lovers to celebrate Valentine’s Day on 14th February 2017, Christopher Muneza, a young Rwandan artist who has been in the Rwandan music industry for some time now, has brought to the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda a unique and worthy celebration of Valentine’s Day through his music and many other activities. }

    During that evening while celebrating love, businesses and individuals can benefit from the endless opportunities that can present to them in various forms like exhibitions, communication branding, and on site visibilities to forge meaningful business relationships while celebrating love.

    Christopher Muneza will hold an evening for lovers called “Little Paradise”(Ijuru rito) where couples are invited to come at Radisson Blue during that evening for a diner, and will be entertained by the very best artists from Rwanda in songs, poetry and painting among others.

    {{Rwandans are encouraged to attend the “Little Paradise”. }}

    Christopher is committed and passionate about availing a unique experience on a Valentine’s Day for Rwandans and friends of Rwanda.

    Talking on the event Christopher Muneza said “As I fight to be among the best Rwandan artists who sing about love and work to share love all around me, I want to spend this 2017’s Valentine’s Day experience with your couples, and entertain you in a unique environment you won’t get anywhere else, and I want also to offer you the very best prices on this evening to your couples”.

    Christopher wishes everyone a happy and prosperous new year, and thanks to all partners who have made this possible.

    “We acknowledge additional local partners who contributed to the launch of Little Paradise: Radisson Blue, TIGO Rwanda, Bralirwa, Hobe Agency, POSITIVE PRODUCTION, media houses and you my fans,” he said.

    Access to the event only requires to buy a ticket of 30,000 Rwf per person or 50,000 Rwf for a couple. Individuals, organizations and small businesses wishing to find out more about the venue and the event may contact directly the following address :Email: christopherlive2@gmail.com
    Facebook:chirstopher live
    Twitter: Christopher Muneza

    Christopher Muneza

  • Rwanda forges forward with drone mapping

    {Rwanda forges forward in drone mapping use After Rwanda made waves in the news early last year for allegedly being the first country to approve drone delivery, people paid attention. The country, with its rolling hills and one of the fastest growing economies in Central Africa, has already established regulations regarding drones and become a vanguard of sorts for the region.}

    “ My impression is that there is a huge market in Africa at the moment,” said Francesco Nex, assistant professor at the ITC Faculty, University of Twente.“ They are growing very fast, with a shortage of surveying and maps available.”

    Nex recently taught photogrammetry for an applied drone mapping training at INES-Ruhengeri Institute in Rwanda, along with his colleagues Rohan Bennett, and Anton Vrieling. The Netherlands annually sponsors such continued education events for former students of Dutch institutes, and for 2016 the University of Twente organised a course in Rwanda on the latest drone mapping techniques.

    “They were very, very, enthusiastic,” Nex said of the 196 applicants, from which they selected 20 students from eight neighbouring countries. “ Most of them asked me very specific questions for specific problems. They really knew what they were looking for and had big expectations for this course and the use of drones.”

    The training consisted of three parts: making orthophoto maps, 3D reconstructions, and topography models from UAV images in Pix4Dmapper software; mapping applications in land administration, and mapping applications in food security. The ability to map a crop using multispectral images to better understand its quality has potential to expand the practice of precision agriculture.

    Gerald Forkuor, lead remote sensing scientist for WASCAL and training attendee, explained that the predominance of subsistence farming in the region means small field sizes, which require a cheap and efficient imaging system to capture them. In addition, “Persistent cloud cover prevents optical sensors from acquiring cloud-free images during the main cropping season,” said Forkuor. “ Knowledge of how UAVs can support in reducing such effects is very necessary.”

    Leonard Sweta, training attendee and GIS analyst at the Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) in Kenya, stated that learning how to create 3D models and calculate vegetation indices in Pix4Dmapper were the most valuable part of the training. He aims to derive new techniques in land innovation and agriculture from them.

    “ The idea was to explain how to use UAV images to update maps, for cadastral,” said Nex. “ Most of the country has cadastral maps that are very out of date—from flights done sometimes over 20 years ago. There are also big informal settlements. This means there are large areas where you don’t know what’s going on.” Where there are mapping agencies with aircraft in the region, often sensors are not included and need to be rented, creating an impractical and expensive solution.

    Mireille Biraro, head of the department of land administration and management at INES-Ruhengeri, attended the course to learn Pix4D’s drone photogrammetry workflow for land administration activities. “ In Rwanda, we used aerial images to register land.” Said Biraro. “ But those images were captured with a plane. UAVs can be a potential tool to acquire new imagery to update the existing.”

    As in Rwanda, drones are beginning to be recognised around the world as a powerful surveying solution. Accessible in terms of price and availability, their sensors quickly capture data that can be turned into valuable topographical and agricultural information in Pix4Dmapper software. Eyes are on Rwanda as it uses, and spreads knowledge of, drone photogrammetry solutions.

    Source: Suas News

  • Huye gangs beat up worshippers

    {A group of unidentified thugs equipped with spears, machetes and big sticks last night raided ADEPR church of Ngoma in Ngoma village of Taba parish , Huye district where they stabbed seven Christians who were praying along with other residents who intervened for help. }

    The incident follows a recent one where more than six ADEPR Christians in the region were severely beaten on Wednesday last week leaving one of the victims in coma.
    The bishop of Taba parish ,pastor Habinshuti Samson has told IGIHE that “ Thugs with machetes entered the church as the Christians were praying and said ‘If your God does miracles, let’s see whether He can save you.”

    The guard at the church Sebakungu Phillippe has told IGIHE that the raid was carried at 23:00 hours.

    “ Around 23:00 hours, more than 10 people equipped with small hoes ,machetes,spears and big sticks raided the church. I tried to stop them as they followed worshipers who returned from short call when they immediately hit me with a big stick on the shoulders,” he said.

    Sebakungu explained that he run to call for help from neighbours who were also hit as they arrived.

    It is said that the raiders had bottles of alcoholic drinks and smoked tobacco.

    Security personnel and officials in the region have this morning held a meeting with residents to investigate masterminds of the raid.

    The victims who were severely injured have been taken to University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB).

    Security personnel and officials in the region have this morning held a meeting with residents to investigate masterminds of the raid.

  • Tigo Cash nominated for prestigious global telecom award for Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture

    {The Tigo Cash platform, ‘Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture’ has been nominated for the prestigious 2017 GSMA Global Mobile Awards in the ‘Best Mobile Payment Solution’ category.}

    The GSMA Global Mobile Awards or GLOMO, is the global telecommunication industry’s leading stage for innovation, excellence and achievement. The awards aim to recognize companies and individuals that are driving innovation in the mobile industry.

    Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture platform, which has increased the financial and digital inclusion of over 10,000 tea farmers in two tea plantations located in Mulindi and Rusizi District respectively, was created by Tigo Cash in 2016 to provide mobile solutions for the agricultural sector so as to improve the communication and payment streams for local farmers.

    Tigo Rwanda, which is the only Rwandan telecom nominated for the Awards, will go up against EcoNet Wireless and Mahindra Comviva for EcoCash, Mahindra Comviva for mobiquity Wallet Hybrid HCE solution and Vodafone, Carta Worldwide and Raphael’s & Sons for Vodafone Wallet.

    The winner will be announced on 28 February during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that is organized by the GSMA. GSMA is a trade body that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide.

    Commenting on the nomination, the Head of Mobile Financial Services at Tigo Rwanda, Faith Chisulo said;

    “We are excited to receive the nomination. This project was a success and we couldn’t have done it without our partners, Access to Finance Rwanda, The Wood Foundation and local area Saccos. We have seen the transformative impact this solution has had on tea farmers’ productivity. We are looking forward to scaling up this platform to other value chains. At Tigo Rwanda we are passionate about linking innovation and technology to sustainable development and the improvements of people’s livelihoods.”

    {{How the Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture works}}

    When the tea factories located in Mulindi and Rusizi District pay the farmers’ salaries in their Sacco accounts, due to the technical integration between Sacco banking platform and Tigo Cash platform, the farmers are able to receive their monies on their TigoCash wallets on their handsets. After an SMS notification is sent to a farmer’s handsets informing them that money has reached their Sacco account, they can then go to their local Tigo Cash agent and receive their payment.

    With this platform, farmers no longer need to travel to their local Saccos and queue in line to receive their payment.

    Explaining how the platform has changed her life, Evangeline Bikorimana, a tea farmer from Gicumbi District, said;
    “Before Tigo launched this platform, we would wake up extremely early to head to our local Sacco. In fact, we would sometimes sleep in our clothes so that we could leave our homes before daybreak so that we could arrive at the Sacco before others. However, despite our best efforts, we would usually find a huge number of farmers waiting to receive their salaries. We would often have to go home and return the next day. Today that is no longer the case and it’s because of Tigo.”

    In order for the project to be successful, Tigo facilitated the bulk purchase of affordable handsets for over 7,000 farmers who could not afford handsets.

    According to the Chief Executive Officer of Tigo Rwanda, Philip Amoateng, this platform is the latest in the line of innovations that Tigo has brought to the market.
    “We are proud to have provided a medium for farmers to access their money in a seamless way using Tigo Cash. The platform that we are launching today is only the latest innovation that we have introduced in order to ease the lives of Rwandans while increasing digital and financial inclusion countrywide.

    With the rapid growth in mobile phone penetration, mobile solutions can reach remote farmers in a way that no other form of communication can, helping them to improve productivity and increase efficiency throughout the agricultural chain.

    Tigo believes that the agricultural sector is key to unlocking the economic power of mobile finance in rural communities. The success of this project can be replicated into a sustainable business model that will allow penetration of other value chains besides agriculture”.

    Speaking at the launch of the platform last year, Jean PhilbertNsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT, reiterated the fact that ICT innovations and platforms such as the Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture have the power to provide solutions to Rwanda’s challenges.

    “The Tigo Payment Solution for Agriculture platform is one of the best examples of how ICT can change lives. Currently, about 80% of Rwandans live in rural areas; so while we can talk of ‘Smart Cities’, we also cannot forget to talk about ‘Smart Villages’ as well. This platform is an example of what the Smart Village concept is all about. In fact, we need to deliver this platform much faster and to a wider user base.
    This platform is a win-win. It is economically feasible as well as effective. Such initiatives need partnerships. We thank Tigo, AFR as well as the Wood Foundation for partnering. Let us keep innovating because the needs of the country are pressing“, Minister Nsengimana said in conclusion.

  • Recovering over Rwf 370 million defrauded from REB remains elusive

    {Rwanda Education Board officials have told parliament that efforts to recover USD 516,000 (over Rwf 370 million) defrauded of the board as it was being wired to Nigeria for school fees of Rwandan students have remained futile.}

    The REB Director General, Janvier Gasana who was yesterday appearing before parliamentary commission on education, technology, culture and youth said that they followed up the case through Interpol and CID, among other detective institutions only to find that the money had already been wired to several European accounts in countries like Spain and Netherlands.

    “It was decided two days ago to send a joint team from the prosecution, Interpol and the National Bank of Rwanda to liaise with security personnel in these countries and work out ways of tracking the culprits . It is still under process,” he added.

    The theft was revealed in the Auditor General’s 2013/2014 report which indicated that USD 516,000 (Rwf 370 million) went missing. It was meant to foot tuition fees for 14 Rwandans studying in Nigerian universities.

    On June 29th, 2015, the director of Rwanda Education Board, Janvier Gasana responded to the invitation of Public Account Committee (PAC) where he explained that they have transferred the money to the account of beneficiary university in Nigeria but was not delivered.

    Gasana explained that they asked the university to give another account .The same act was repeated where it was realized that the money was not delivered to the university for the second time yet the National Bank of Rwanda system indicated that the fund was transferred.

    On 10th June 2016,the spokesperson of Rwanda’s prosecution, Nkusi Faustin told IGIHE that efforts to recover the money were being worked out.

    The REB Director General, Janvier Gasana

  • US warns North Korea against nuclear attack

    {US Defense Secretary James Mattis makes first foreign trip to key ally South Korea and reaffirms military alliance.}

    The US defence secretary warned North Korea on Friday of an “effective and overwhelming” response if Pyongyang chose to use nuclear weapons.

    “Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said on a visit to South Korea, one of America’s closest allies.

    The remarks came as concern from its opponents mounted that North Korea could be readying a new ballistic missile test, in what could be an early diplomatic challenge for President Donald Trump’s administration.

    Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from Seoul, said: “There is a great deal of focus as to potential change in US policy towards North Korea and towards the alliance here in South Korea as well.”

    North Korea, which is technically still at war with the South since signing an Armistice agreement in 1953, carried out more than 20 missile tests last year, as well as two nuclear tests, in defiance of UN resolutions and sanctions.

    “North Korea continues to launch missiles, develop its nuclear weapons programme and engage in threatening rhetoric and behaviour,” Mattis said at the end of the two-day visit – his first overseas trip.

    {{Missile system}}

    A US missile defence system, known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), is due to be deployed in South Korea later this year. China has objected to THAAD, saying it will destabilise the regional security balance, leading to calls from some South Korean opposition leaders to delay or cancel it.

    “Both governments committed themselves to implementing it by the end of this year, but a presidential impeachment scandal is still ongoing here,” Al Jazeera’s Fawcett said. “It is possible there will be a change in government before that. So it remains something of an open question.”

    South Korean Defence Minister Han Min-koo, though, reaffirmed plans to deploy THAAD and said Mattis’ visit to Seoul – his first trip as defence secretary – sent a clear message of strong US support.

    “Faced with a current severe security situation, Secretary Mattis’ visit to Korea … also communicates the strongest warning to North Korea,” Han said.

    The US military has a permanent base in South Korea and the two countries conduct regular military drills that the North has called provocations. The reclusive state has often threatened military action, including nuclear and missile attacks against South Korea and the US.

    The North appears to have restarted operation of a reactor at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility that produces plutonium that can be used for its nuclear weapons programme, according to US think tank 38 North.

    Once fully developed, a North Korean ICBM could threaten the continental US, which is about 9,000km from North Korea. ICBMs have a minimum range of about 5,500km, but some are designed to travel 10,000km or more.

    Mattis said North Korea continues to engage in threatening rhetoric and behaviour

    Source:Al Jazeera