{{Fans of rival football Clubs seen whispering to each other after a match}}
Author: Publisher
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Farewell as RRA’s Ben Kagarama is Lauded for Excellence
{The new Commissioner General Mr. Richard Tusabe (standing)}
{{Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has a new Commissioner General Mr. Richard Tusabe. He replaces Mr. Ben Kagarama who has been heading the Revenue body for fourteen years.}}
RRA established in 1997 is an autonomous body charged with the task of assessing, collecting, and accounting of Fiscal and Non-Tax Revenues of the Government of Rwanda.
Mr. Kagarama was presented with gifts of a job well-done while he served diligently at Rwanda Revenue Authority. He was acknowledged for steering RRA through several reforms of which the new Commissioner General looks to build upon.
RRA tax reforms put in place combine; education, innovations and enforcement to increase tax base and compliance.
The event to commend Kagarama was hosted at Lemigo hotel recently during which the new commissioner Mr Tushabe was also also received.
Mr. Tushabe had earlier this month at a handover ceremony said that Rwanda needs an increased tax base in order to attain the country’s development goals.
According to statistics there are only 120,000 registered taxpaying business entities representing 20% of businesses in Rwanda. However, their active ratio is low, at 48%.
{Mr Ben Kagarama (L) admiring his gift Plaque}
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Amahoro Abahe? New Film Produced by Rwandan Woman
{{Where is Peace? (Amahoro Abahe?). It’s a new film produced by a Rwandan woman Uwimbabazi Yvette it will hit the market 31 March.
Uwimbabazi through her film, urges Rwandan women to get together and seek financial help in form of bank loans and get out of poverty including other life challenges.
The film producer told IGIHE that this is the Second Part of the film which has cost her over Frw2 million adding that the first part of the film cost about Frw1.5Million.
Uwimbabazi says the entire film expenses were covered by her alone.
A large part of the film has scenes played from within Kigali city in the suburb of Gikondo in Nyarugenge district.}}
{Uwimbabazi Yvette -Rwandan Film producer}
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Karitanyi to Head Tourism & Conservation at RDB
{{Ambassador Yamina Karitanyi has been appointed the new Head of Tourism and Conservation at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). She replaces Rica Rwigamba that has been at the helm for four years.
Karitanyi was Rwanda’s Ambassador to Kenya since 2012.
Also the new changes announced in cabinet resolutions, Evode Uwizeyimana have been appointed deputy head at the national law reform commission. Until his return this year, Uwizeyimana has been a fierce critique of the Rwandan government.
Several other appointments have been effected in various government sectors. }}
{Yamina Karitanyi the new Head of Tourism and Conservation at the Rwanda Development Board}
{Evode Uwizeyimana/deputy Head National Law Reform Commission}
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First Lady Attends Global Umuganda in Musanze
{{The First Lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame today joined around 3000 residents of Busogo sector and around 350 youth (who were part of Kwibuka Conversation the day before) for the Global Umuganda.}}
This special umiganda consisted of working on a road and re-constructing homes for genocide survivors. 83 year old Nyiramategeko Esther, widowed during the genocide against Tutsi in 1994, is one of the survivors whose home was re-done.
Mrs. Jeannette Kagame also gave 10 cows to needy families in Busogo sector. In her speech, the First Lady started by sharing H.E. President Kagame’s greetings.
She then reminded the youth that Rwanda believes in them and that the leadership is ready to assist them, to become better and better.
She also called upon everyone to fight together so that genocide never happens again. The First Lady ended her brief message by thanking everyone for their collective hardwork.
Other remarks were given by the Mayor of Musanze: Mrs. Winifrida Mpembyemungu, Nothern Province Governor Aime Bosenibamwe and Honourable Minister of Youth and ICT Philbert Nsengimana.
Minister Nsengimana’s key message was a pledge that this generation would fight to ensure genocide never happens again.
As Rwanda prepares to Remember the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi for the 20th time, the Global Umuganda and Kwibuka Conversations serve to show solidarity with survivors and support them as much as possible.
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FBI Nabs Fugitive on Top 10 Most Wanted List
{{The name Juan Elias Garcia hardly settled on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list when the 21-year-old nicknamed “Cruzito” surrendered today at the U.S. Embassy in Managua, a law enforcement official familiar with the matter told media.}}
The FBI named Garcia one of its most wanted fugitives on Wednesday, putting out a $100,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
He was wanted for the 2010 execution-style murder of a 19 year old woman and her 2 year old son in Central Islip, NY, officials said.
Garcia is alleged to be a member of the violent Mara Salvatrucha gang, known as MS-13, and is from El Salvador.
“MS-13 is the most violent gang here of any of the street gangs,” said Special Agent Reynaldo Tariche, who investigated the case with other members of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force.
While gang-related murders are not uncommon on Long Island, “the execution of a 2-year-old and his mother is a new low even for MS-13,” Tariche added.
Garcia, who was 17 at the time of the murders, had a romantic relationship with the victim, Vanessa Argueta. She had ties to a rival gang. The two had a falling out and the FBI said it was decided to retaliate against her, authorities said.
“They were going to kill her for disrespecting the gang,” said Special Agent James Lopez. “It is unacceptable for MS-13 members to have girls they associate with be involved with rival gang members.”
The circumstances of Garcia’s arrest weren’t immediately known, but a source familiar with the matter said the addition of his name on the Ten Most Wanted list made a difference.
Since it was established in 1950, 501 individuals have been named to the list — the vast majority of which have been apprehended or located.
{wirestory}
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Interpol Course to Fight Counterfeit Goods Ends in Kigali
{{Police officers from seven Eastern and Southern African countries, on March 27, completed a tactical course in Kigali to lay stringent measures against counterfeit and smuggled products.}}
Forty-four officers from Botswana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia Zambia and Rwanda, took part in the three-day exercise.
The Interpol exercise dubbed “Operation Wipeout” to be conducted in the seven countries will target fuel, beverages, cigarettes, foodstuff and home-care products.
Other products include pesticides, mobile phones, their accessories, electrical products and electronics.Commissioner of Police (CP), Emmanuel Butera, the Commissioner for Operations, while closing the training thanked Interpol for the initiative to fight illicit and smuggled products in the region, which pose threat to the economy and consumers’ health.
He observed organised criminal networks use profits from trafficking and selling illicit goods to fund criminal activities such as drug and human trafficking and terrorism.
“Joint efforts are crucial to fighting these illegal and life-threatening businesses,” CP Butera said.
He however appealed to the officers to utilize the acquired skills to make “Operation Wipe-out” a success.
Magdalena Utouh, head of Counterfeit Surveillance Commission in Tanzania also praised the international police body – Interpol – to provide a platform for law enforcement agencies to share experience and lay strategies against illicit and smuggled goods within the region.
RNP
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We are not Working to Become Other People, We Know Who We Are
{{President Paul Kagame today joined residents of Nyamirambo, Nyarugenge District in the city of Kigali for Global Umuganda, part of ongoing activities in line with commemorating 20 years since genocide occurred in Rwanda.}}
The activity which was also attended by various diplomats and dignitaries, involved laying the foundation of a community hall for a genocide survivors’ village.
President Kagame told Rwandans not to work to become other people but endeavor to know who they are as they proudly work to build their nation:
“We are not working to become other people, we know who we are and we are working to build a country that we are proud of. We must work hard because if we wait for others to develop our country, we will not make progress.
Any external help must only come as an addition to our own efforts to better ourselves. We are prepared and determined to continue on the path we are on to develop our nation.”
President Kagame pointed out that Umuganda is about development and rebuilding what was destroyed by Rwanda’s tragic history and bringing people together.
Residents of Nyamirambo thanked President Kagame for leading the forces responsible for ending the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, and that they were looking up to the upcoming 20th genocide commemoration.
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Torrential rains Pound Dar es Salaam
{{Residents in Tanzania’s Capital Dar es Salaam have accused the city authorities of laxity in enforcing urban planning laws that has seen people build their homes in the path of streams, blocking the waterways and wreaking havoc}}
Local media reports that hundreds of residents are living in pathetic conditions after a two-day downpour flooded their homes.
The situation has been made worse by the fact that there are few or no outlets for the rainwater to drain away.
Residents accuse municipal authorities of allowing people to build in restricted areas such as river beds.
Some have built walls and fences that have blocked the flow of rain water. The damage caused by the floods has extended from the usual flood-prone areas to other parts of the city.
An expert has blamed the problem on a poor building permit system, an outdated city master plan and a poor solid waste collection system.
“We should expect the worst in the next few years if we don’t adopt robust measures to reverse this trend,” said Dr Robert Ntakamulenga, the director of environmental compliance and enforcement at the National Environment Management Council.
NMG
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Gambia internet Phobia and Censorship
Gambians living in the country are facing what may best be described as internet censorship by the state.
Smartphone users via Viber and Line have discovered blockage of these online communication applications.
Though it is not yet clear who is behind the blockage, but it is known that President Yahya Jammeh’s government has been very much distrustful of the widespread internet use among Gambians.
Last year, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services like Skype and dating websites were targets of a state crackdown.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), a multi-sectoral regulator established under the law had last year issued a prohibition to companies and individuals operating through Internet cafes and offering dating services and VoIP services.
Following an outcry from internet service providers and users, the government later relented and allowed citizens to continue enjoying Skype, but it did not shy away from justifying PURA’s decision as a drive to protect consumers and “the national interest”.
According to the government, it was necessary for the regulatory body to draw the attention of all operators of Internet cafes of the “criminal act” that “deprives” registered internet service providers and the national Treasury of revenue.
(Ordinarily internet cafes pay connection fees to ISPs).
{{Harsh internet laws}}
As if that was not enough, on July 5, 2013, Gambia’s parliament passed an information and communication law which contained several new offences on online speech that are punishable by a 15-year jail term or a fine of three million Dalasis (approximately $80,000).
The aw criminalises whoever spreads “false news” about the government or public officials, “caricatures” or makes derogatory statements against public officials, incites disaffection or instigates violence against the government.
The current blockage of Viber and Line have caused fears that Facebook and Skype may also be targeted because the other websites critical of the government and of President Jammeh cannot be accessed by those who do not know how to use anonymous browsers.
Gambians, especially those in the diaspora, widely use social media, blogs and online newspapers to criticise Jammeh’s regime.
The government is patently uncomfortable with the use of social media and internet-based communication applications by Gambians, especially the young people.
This discomfort is evident at political gatherings where politicians caution parents against allowing their children to browse online newspapers, especially the online Freedom newspaper published by exiled Gambian journalist Pa Nderry M’bai.
{{Concern of users}}
Local users of smart phones, laptops, and computers all complain of the difficulties of accessing blocked applications.
Critical websites like Gambia Echo, Gainako, Kibaaro News, Kairo News, Senegambia News, Jollof News, American Street News, Gambia Dispatch, Hello Gambia among others published by the Gambians in the diaspora are seen by the State as purveyors of dissent.
Besides blockage, computer technicians raise the danger many internet users could face of online surveillance.
Syria, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, China and Myanmar are other countries that put tight restrictions on internet usage. Lately they have been joined by Turkey, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
“Any government that does not want a pluralistic media environment and does not allow freedom of expression will only invite criticism from hardcore critics out of its reach,” says a veteran Gambian journalist who does most of his work online.
He described it a waste of resources to give unnecessary attention to the internet and its related communication channels when there are serious development deficiencies in the country.
NMG