IGIHE

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  • Congo army enters last major rebel stronghold

    Congo army enters last major rebel stronghold

    { {{Offensive of DRC’s UN-backed military sends thousands fleeing into neighbouring Uganda.}} }

    Congolese government troops have entered the eastern border town of Bunagana as M23 rebels abandoned what was the last significant town they were holding.

    The town was first seized by the rebels last year and its loss is the latest success in an offensive by Democratic Republic of Congo’s UN-backed army, which is seeking to crush a 20-month rebellion.

    Al Jazeera’s Malcolm Webb, reporting from Bunagana, said the town was deserted when government forces swept in because civilians and rebels had fled fearing the advance.

    “The civilians came running back when they saw the army come in,” said Webb, who was travelling with government forces. “Now, it’s a very jubilant mood. People were cheering and hugging the soldiers.”

    Celebrating soldiers shouted and high-fived for the cameras, giving martial arts demonstrations and performing dramatic dance moves in the centre of the town, surrounded by dozens of laughing locals.

    But the heavy fighting that erupted as they closed in on some of the last pockets of territory held by the rebels has forced more than 10,000 Congolese to flee into Uganda, officials and humanitarian workers have said.

    Lucy Beck, a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency in Uganda, said the Congolese crossing the border were now “too many to count”. The number of Congolese seeking refuge in Uganda rose from 5,000 to more than 10,000 within hours on Wednesday, she said.

    {{Kampala talks}}

    Among those crossing the border on Wednesday was Bertrand Bisimwa, the civilian head of the M23 movement, who was reported to be on his way to the Ugandan capital, Kampala, at the request of a mediator trying to bring an end to the 18-month rebellion, according to Uganda’s top military spokesman.

    Bisimwa does not face arrest in Uganda, which has been mediating failed peace talks between the Congolese government troops and the M23 since December, said Uganda Lt Colonel Paddy Ankunda.

    The talks stalled again earlier this month and, within days, clashes erupted between Congolese forces and the rebels.

    M23 briefly overtook Goma – a city of 1 million people – last November but has been substantially weakened in the past year by internal divisions and waning Rwandan support, according to a United Nations group of experts.

    Aljazeera

  • UPDF Denies M23 Leader Surrendered To Uganda Forces

    UPDF Denies M23 Leader Surrendered To Uganda Forces

    {The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda has denied rumors that the M23 Rebel leader has surrendered himself to Uganda Security Forces.}

    He said the leader is in the country to take part in the ongoing peace talks at Muyonyo Hotel in Kampala.

    Mr Bertrand Bisimwa and his convoy have already entered Uganda heading for the M23 delegation in Kampala tonight.

    Meanwhile, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and UN forces have captured Bunagana town, the main base of the M23 rebel group.

    More Congolese are reported to have entered Uganda from Rwanguba, Kabindi, Busanza, Bunagana and Nyarubara since last week.

    The M23 launched a rebellion in eastern DR Congo in April 2012. It is made up of army deserters who say they are fighting for the rights of the minority Tutsi ethnic group.

    Earlier this week, about 10,000 people fled to Uganda, with about half of them arriving on Wednesday.

    There was an exchange of gunfire on Saturday in Kibumba between the Congo army and the rebels forcing the rebels to retreat.

    ugo.co.ug

  • Uganda line up Rwanda friendly

    Uganda line up Rwanda friendly

    {The Uganda Cranes will play Rwanda’s Amavubi Stars in a friendly next month as part of preparations for the upcoming Cecafa and the Chan 2014 championships.
    }

    Ugandan FA, Fufa, confirmed on Wednesday that the friendly will be played under floodlights at Namboole Stadium, Kampala on November 15.

    “An official request for match officials to handle the game has already been sent to Football Kenya Federation (FKF),” reads a statement from Fufa.

    Both sides will use the game as a build-up to next month’s Cecafa in Nairobi while Micho Sredojevic’s Uganda will also use it as prep for January’s Chan in South Africa.

    It will also be the first time Micho is facing Rwanda since the two parted company mid this year. Ticket charges are UhShs10,000 for open stands while the pavilion will go for Ugshs20,000.

    Super Sport

  • Over 96 thousand students complete the national exams

    Over 96 thousand students complete the national exams

    {
    Today, more than 96 thousand students completed the ordinary and advanced level national exams , the number of registered candidates increased this year}.

    The Rwanda education board confirmed that the total number of candidates to sit-in for the final exams- including Ordinary level and advanced level- is precisely 96.376.
    The national exams kicked off this morning.

    Over 65(65,325) are sitting for the 9 year basic final exam, compared to last year. Specifically, there has been an increase of 14.8% , while 31(31,O53) are sitting for the secondary six final examination with a decrease of 8.1% compared to last year.

    The number of private school students sitting-in for the advanced level final exam decreased by 67.8% compared to last year, the exact figures are 4374 to 1409, the previous figure reflects this year’s number. The decrease in the previous figures is a result of the decisions from the REB, in consequence to the behaviors of these candidates.

    Another cause of the decline in number of the advanced level candidates was because some of the students had skipped the ordinary level examination. Therefore, 5800 were required to first complete their Ordinary level final exams before they can proceed to another level.

    Richard Mugarura

  • Darfur: RDF builds more infrastructures in Zilangei and El salaam

    Darfur: RDF builds more infrastructures in Zilangei and El salaam

    {The 34th battalion Rwandan Defense Force’s 34th battalion built 2 hospitals in the Sudanese capital city worth $50 thousand US dollars during a UN peace mission in the Sudanese capital city of Darfur. }

    According to the Rwandan ministry of defense, these two hospitals were opened last Sunday on the 24th of October 2013, as a quick impact project for the benefit of Zilangei and El salaam in Darfur region.

    These two hospitals will be supporting the residents of Darfur by offering: counseling, medical tests, medicine provisions and other important benefits.

    The construction of these two hospitals was a joint effort between UNAMID and RDF 34th battalion. The RDF soldiers in the 34th battalion built sections of 5 rooms and 4 toilets per hospital in the camps of El Salam and Zilangei

    Habib Bumaya, the head of UNAMID in Darfur confirms that these two hospitals were built in a period of two month with a total cost of 50000 US dollars.
    Mr. Habibu thanked the commitment and the sacrifice made by the RDF army in the accomplishment of this project: which, purposed to initiate and keep peace among the Sudanese people.

    He also thanked the Rwandan government on the good heart and culture in supporting the people in need around the region.

    After surveying the hospital in Zilangei, Mr. Habibu added the buildings were well built and appreciated the commitment from the RDF 34th battalion that made this project possible and a success. He also added that the Rwandan defense forces facilitate most of the successful projects executed during peace missions in Darfur.

    During the opening ceremony, the head of the RDF 34th battalion Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Mwesigye called upon the Sudanese people to maintain and utilize well the Hospitals.

    Mr. Enos chuma added that support from the RDF army in Darfur region was not new as there are some other infrastructures that have been built by the RDF in partnership with the Sudanese people. Some of these other infrastructures include roads and schools.

    By Richard Mugarura

  • Zimbabwe: Mugabe ‘complain about people’s mistresses in wedding speech’

    Zimbabwe: Mugabe ‘complain about people’s mistresses in wedding speech’

    {Robert Mugabe used his niece’s wedding to complain about people having mistresses, it’s reported.}

    The veteran leader made a speech to lament the “small house” culture prevalent in the country, according to UK-based news site New Zimbabwe. It’s a reference to the phenomenon of long-term extra-marital affairs that’s reported to have sprung up in the country in recent years. Apparently, economic problems forced many men to drop polygamous lifestyles, while fears of contracting Aids led them to eschew casual sex with strangers.

    The term “small house” refers to the economic support, in terms of rent, food and school fees, they might pay lovers. And New Zimbabwe quotes Mugabe as suggesting some ministers’ wealth may be leading them astray. “Small houses, small houses! I said to cabinet the other day: ‘looking at all of you, who can I say does not have a small house’?” he’s reported to have said. After extolling the virtues of monogamous relationships, he apparently joked that although he was invited to many wedding parties, he was never invited to the divorces which often followed.

    BBC

  • U.S. debt problems ‘casting global shadow’ – EU’s Barroso

    U.S. debt problems ‘casting global shadow’ – EU’s Barroso

    {Persistent doubts about the ability of the United States to resolve its debt problems are putting U.S. credibility in the world at stake, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has warned.}

    The White House won a brief respite this month when the Republicans backed down after a 16-day government shutdown. But the temporary fix has only pushed the problem into early 2014, with no comprehensive solution in sight.

    Barroso, who heads the European Union executive and has been at the frontline of efforts to resolve Europe’s debt crisis over the past three years, said the uncertainty was making investors risk averse, with potentially damaging economic consequences.

    “What is at stake is fundamental, not only for the American economy, but also for the credibility of the United States in the world,” he told Reuters in an interview.

    “I hope that American democracy will work and will deliver what I think is critically important, not only for America but also for the world, because of the size and the impact of the American economy in the world.”

    At the peak of Europe’s debt crisis, when it looked like Greece could be forced out of the single currency zone and global markets were on edge, U.S. officials repeatedly sought assurances from the EU that leaders had the situation in hand.

    Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner flew to Europe to meet EU finance ministers, and President Barack Obama sat down with a handful of leaders, including Barroso and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on the sidelines of a G20 meeting to try to understand the depth of the region’s challenges.

    Two years on, the EU has managed to stabilise the situation, but only after five euro zone countries received rescue packages of one form or another, a 500-billion-euro rescue fund was established and much stricter fiscal rules were agreed among the 17 countries that share the single currency.

    Now it is the United States, where elements within the Republican party are demanding that Congress not give in to demands of the White House and Treasury to raise the debt ceiling, that is causing consternation across Europe.

    “One of problems that (our) crisis highlighted, and a lesson we should draw, is the issue of confidence. We have a serious problem of confidence,” Barroso said.

    “Investors globally have been risk averse and this is not good for a scenario where we want globally to restore sustainable growth.

    “Everything that casts a shadow over the confidence of investors is certainly not good, neither for the country concerned, in this case the United States, nor for the global economy.”

    SPYING UNDERMINES TRUST

    The uncertainty that exists between the world’s two largest economies comes on top of the serious questions raised by the U.S. spying scandal, in which the National Security Agency is accused of eavesdropping on France, Spain, Italy and Germany, including Merkel’s own personal mobile phone.

    European leaders have expressed collective outrage at the U.S. activities, and in a phone call with Merkel last week, Obama assured her no such spying was going on any longer.

    Germany and France are now in discussions with the United States over a new espionage relationship, including the possibility of a “no-spying” agreement. Obama is now considering a ban on any U.S. espionage against allies.

    Barroso described the spying on Europe as a “very big surprise” and said concrete steps needed to be taken to rebuild trust with between the transatlantic partners.

    “It’s a matter of the utmost sensitivity. We believe it should be addressed in a way that gives reassurances that can build trust between the United States and Europe,” he said.

    “There is no more important relationship for Europe than the relationship with the United States, and I also believe there is no more important relationship for the United States than the one it has with Europe.”

    Reuters

  • Gatsibo, Kayonza: Heavy rain displaces residents and destroys properties

    Gatsibo, Kayonza: Heavy rain displaces residents and destroys properties

    {This past Tuesday, heavy rain fall destroyed properties in Gatsibo and Kayonza districts and left 2 people homeless. In addition, 2 churches and crop fields were destroyed.}

    Heavy winds during the rain fall blew off the roof of an Adventist church building.
    According to the victims, the crops destroyed during this ordeal in Remera sector of Gatsibo district are estimated to be covering 10 hectares of land.

    Kwizera Gilbert, one of the victims of this heavy rain talked to our journalist and confirmed that he was among other farmers who suffered major losses as farming is their source of income.

    The victims who became homeless are temporarily being hosted by their neighbors until they repair their houses. The Remera sector is mostly compromised of farmers.
    According to the residents of this area, they had spend a few days without rain and they were looking forward to some rain.

    Unfortunately, this rain they witnessed came as a drawback to their achievements, because it left some of them homeless. Last month, a similar rain fall claimed the life of a 4 year old boy.

    In Kayonza district

    This heavy rain followed by heavy winds destroyed a Methodist church, a nursery school including some of its teaching and learning equipments in Mbarara sector, located in kayonza district.

    Talking to Ndizeye Jean D’ amour one of the teachers at the nursery school; which, is sponsored by a private organization called “Teach Rwanda”, confirmed that almost 50 roofs were blown by wind and could not be used for construction any more. This school has only been in operation for 1 year so far.

    Mr. Ndizeye estimates that the property destroyed is worth 300,000 Rwandan francs and some of the items destroyed include books and much more.
    He also added that in order for the school to continue its daily activities, they need support from the church and the parents in order to recover from this ordeal.
    According to the leader of Rwinkwavu sector, Mr Gakire told IGIHE that they are doing their best so that students can resume their normal classes.

    By Richard Mugarura

  • Nigeria Ranked 147 Out of 189 in World Bank’s Doing Business

    Nigeria Ranked 147 Out of 189 in World Bank’s Doing Business

    {With no major economic reform between June 2, 2012, to June 1, 2013, Nigeria has been ranked 147 out of 189 nations in the World Bank’s Doing Business report released Tuesday. }

    The new World Bank Group report revealed that the Sub-Saharan Africa continues to record a large number of reforms aimed at easing the regulatory burden on local entrepreneurs, with 66 reforms adopted in the past year. Rwanda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burundi were among the 10 economies globally improving business regulation the most.

    The top African countries in the list are Mauritius at 20 position, Rwanda 32, South Africa 41, Tunisia 51, Botswana 56, Ghana 67, Zambia 83, Morocco 87, Namibia 98 and Cape Verde 121.

    This year’s rankings on the ease of doing business are the average of the economy’s percentile rankings on the 10 topics, which included starting a business, dealing with, construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, paying taxes, trading across borders, getting credit, enforcing contracts, protecting investors, and resolving insolvency.

    Singapore tops the global ranking on the ease of doing business. Joining it on the list of the top 10 economies with the most business-friendly regulatory environments are Hong Kong SAR, China; New Zealand; the United States; Denmark; Malaysia; the Republic of Korea; Georgia; Norway; and the United Kingdom.

    The report tagged: “Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises”, found that of the 20 economies improving business regulation the most since 2009, nine were in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, Togo, Benin, Guinea, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. The report’s data showed that of the 47 economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa, 31 implemented at least one business regulatory reform in 2012/13.

    Rwanda implemented the most in the region, with reforms in eight of the 10 areas tracked by Doing Business. Three African economies made the biggest progress globally in an area measured by the report: Burundi in the ease of registering property, Republic of Benin in the ease of trading across borders, and Cote d’Ivoire in the ease of enforcing contracts.

    “It is encouraging to see so many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa engaged in reforms aimed at reducing burdensome regulations and building up stronger legal institutions. In 2012/13, more than twice as many economies in the region reformed as in 2005,” said Augusto Lopez-Claros, the Director, Global Indicators and Analysis, World Bank Group.

    “Despite these achievements, more can be done to improve the quality of the rules underpinning the activities of the private sector, to ensure continued convergence toward the better practices seen elsewhere in the world.”

    For the first time, Doing Business this year measured business regulations in South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011. Despite the challenges of creating laws and regulations from scratch, South Sudan has already passed a company law, tax law, and insolvency law.

    In addition to the global rankings, every year Doing Business reports the economies that have improved the most on the indicators since the previous year.

    The 10 economies topping that list this year are (in order of improvement) Ukraine, Rwanda, the Russian Federation, the Philippines, Kosovo, Djibouti, Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Guatemala. Yet challenges persist: five of this year’s top improvers – Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, the Philippines, and Ukraine – are still in the bottom half of the global ranking on the ease of doing business.

    The highlights of Doing Business 2014 concerning Sub-Saharan Africa showed that; – Thirty-one of 47 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa implemented at least one regulatory reform making it easier to do business from June 2, 2012, to June 1, 2013-66 reforms in total. – Since 2005, all economies in the region have implemented business regulatory reforms in the areas measured by Doing Business. Rwanda implemented the most number of reforms in the region with 34 reforms during this period, followed by Mauritius with 23 and Burundi with 21.

    – Rwanda has made the greatest progress globally since 2005 in narrowing the gap with global good practices. Burkina Faso and Burundi are also among the top 10 most improved. Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, and Cote d’Ivoire are among the top 20. The top 50 include 18 African economies.

    – Rwanda, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burundi are among the global top 10 improvers this year – the economies making the biggest improvement in business regulation over the past year. Rwanda implemented regulatory reforms in eight of 10 areas measured by Doing Business. Cote d’Ivoire implemented four reforms making it easier to do business (and one making it more difficult), and Burundi implemented six.

    – Mauritius has the region’s highest ranking on the ease of doing business, at 20 out of 189 economies. Rwanda has the region’s second highest ranking, having overtaken South Africa. – Data were collected for the first time this year for South Sudan. The country has a ranking of 186 on the ease of doing business.

  • Rwandan village of Jari renamed after Dumbarton

    Rwandan village of Jari renamed after Dumbarton

    {A village in Rwanda has been renamed Dumbarton in honour of Scots church-goers who have raised funds to help people affected by the 1994 genocide. Members of Dumbarton’s Rock Community Church have raised about £30,000 for a variety of projects in Jari.}

    Rwandan officials mooted a name change as a sign of gratitude and Dumbarton was chosen in agreement with villagers.

    The 1994 Rwanda genocide was a mass slaughter of mainly Tutsis by Hutus, which saw some 800,000 killed. The atrocity grew out of long-standing ethnic tensions between the two groups.

    {{House building}}

    Since 2008, members of the Rock Community Church have been engaged in helping the 150-strong Jari community, which includes survivors of the genocide.

    As well as supplying sewing machines to enable villagers to work, the congregation has also helped with agricultural supplies.

    In 2010, church members purchased a plot of land for £1,000 to build a number of homes for widows and genocide survivors.

    So far, three have been built with work on a fourth now under way.
    The homes are fitted with solar panels and allow villagers to make modest amounts of cash from selling electricity – mostly to family and friends who use it to recharge mobile phones.

    One of the founders of the Rock Community Church, Billy McClung, said the ongoing commitment to the Jari community had led to the process of it being renamed Dumbarton.

    “Following discussions with the local government administrator, he decided that we should be able to name the local area in recognition of the fact that we have already provided housing for three families and have committed ourselves to building a fourth house for another family,” he said.

    “He stated that he has recognised both the financial and emotional commitment that Rock Community Church has evidenced over the past five years.

    “We decided to call it Dumbarton Village in recognition of our home town of Dumbarton where Rock Community Church is based.”

    Mr McClung said the renaming had strengthened the links between the two communities.

    BBC News