Category: News

{{The London High court in the UK has given a go ahead to Mau Mau’s compensation case against British Government despite a 50 year time lapse. Case now to go to full trial.}}

The Guardian reported three elderly Kenyans have won an historic legal victory over the British government after the high court gave them permission to claim damages for the grave abuses they suffered when imprisoned during the Mau Mau rebellion.

The three suffered what their lawyers describe as “unspeakable acts of brutality”, including castration, beatings and severe sexual assaults.

The British government’s lawyers have accepted that all three were tortured by the colonial authorities, so even though the case now has to go to a full trial, it is expected to be settled promptly with the payment of damages.

However, an estimated 2,000 other Kenyans – the survivors of more than 70,000 Mau Mau suspects who were imprisoned during the seven-year insurgency in the 1950s — are now expected to come forward to sue the British government.

{{Judy Cheng-Hopkins the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Peace building Support is currently in Rwanda where she has come to personally acquaint herself with the progress made by the Rwanda Defence Forces.}}

She also wants to see how the RDF has developed into a proffessional force since stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Ethnic Tutsi.

Cheng-Hopkins told IGIHE that she is in Rwanda to see for herself the progress made by RDF in Peace building. She added that RDF’s Achievements can maybe emulated by other countries.

{{The East African Community has received a US$15 Million grant from the government of Sweden which will be used in infrastructural development projects such as ports, improvement in the bloc’s border crossings and support growth of the region’s private sector.}}

A Swedish diplomat Björn Häggmark, said, “This additional core investment underlines Sweden’s commitment to East African integration.”

He added that East Africa’s potential has never been greater; “East Africa is an increasingly important and vibrant player in the world economy. It must also be remembered that integration is not only about economics; integration does also enhance peace and stability.”

This was said during after the signing of a contribution agreement between the government of Sweden and TradeMark East Africa.

Swedish government pledged continued support to the East African Community to realise its agenda.

{{The Republic of Burundi has officially expressed interest in becoming a member of the Commonwealth.}}

When the previous Common Wealth Summit was held in Uganda, Burundi’s first vice-president, Dr. Yves Sahinguvu noted that his government intended to officially forward its application to join the Commonwealth nations as soon as possible.

Burundi was an observer country at the meeting.

We are in a period of reconstruction and consolidation of peace in our country. We need to be part of an extended partnership.

Burundi is currently a member of the Francophonie, an organisation of French-speaking countries.

“I do not mind belonging to the French-speaking world and the Commonwealth. We are not alone. There is Cameroon, Mauritius and Canada, which belong to the two worlds,” Sahinguvu said.

Burundi’s official announcement of its intentions come at a time when francophonie countries are expected to meet at a summit in Kinshasa DRC from October 12-14.

Gabon President who announced plans for his country to switch to English is expected in Rwanda to acquaint himself with how Rwanda has adopted the English language.

{{Police is holding a former manager of a Chinese construction firm to help in the investigations into the death of a Chinese national who was gruesomely killed by a caterpillar on site.}}

Munyentwari Ignace a manager of China Road and Bridge Company was arrested October 3, while attempting to bribe a policeman with Frw100,000 to manipulate the case.

On September 29, David Mbarushimana the driver of a caterpillar constructing Nyamasheke-Karongi road, crashed dead Yuan Jing a Chinese national working in the same company on the site.

The Identification documents of Yuan were immediately plucked out of his pockets and the driver fled.

Munyentwari thus attempted to bribe AIP Aphrodice Mutangana with Frw100,000 to tamper with the case file of Yuan and reframe it to say that the Chinese death was caused by one Christophe Nyabyenda who was nolonger working with Road and Bridge Company.

The Insurance Company would not execute any compensation if there were no identification documents of the driver that caused the accident thus it was Munyentwari’s plan to bribe the Police officer to alter the case file to replace Mbarushimana’s name with that of Nyabyenda.

Currently Munyentwari is detained at Ruharambuga police station in Nyamagabe district. Mbarushimana has since fled and his whereabouts are still unknown.

{{Police is questioning three women arrested for allegedly dealing in smuggling illegal liquor into the country.

The trio was seized October 2, at Kabuga Cell, Mukura Sector in Gicumbi District found in posession of about 250 bottles of various types of liquor.}}

The suspects were identified as Francine Murerwa, 32, Chantal Uwamariya and Violette Ugirumurera, 34, all detained at Byumba Police Station.

The three suspects are said to smuggle goods from Uganda through illegal entries.

Supt Francis Gahima, the Gicumbi District Police Commander (DPC), who confirmed the arrest, said the trio, who were headed to Kigali, had travelled in a transit vehicle to beat security along the Gatuna-Kigali highway.

“They were traveling in a transit vehicle, but it got involved in an accident along the way. When we arrived at the accident scene, out of suspicion, we checked their luggage and discovered the liquor,” said Supt Gahima.

According to Gahima, smugglers have some specific places in Gicumbi where they sit and send some people to bring them goods – one-by-one – through illegal borders, until they get the required amount of the merchandise they need.

{{The National Bank of Rwanda and other Central Banks in the Common Market for the Eastern and Southern Africa region (COMESA), are ready to set a cross border payment system to improve trade amongst the member countries.}}

The named Regional Payment and Settlement System (REPSS) will directly be linked to Rwanda Integrated Payment Processing System (RIPPS), which was adopted by BNR at the beginning of the year 2011.

As explained by the Governor of National Bank of Rwanda in press conference yesterday the October 3 2012, the new system will provide importers and exporters with a faster, safe and secure way to pay each other goods and services at a lower cost.

He further told the press that commercial banks in member state of COMESA will be linked to their central banks payment system but payment and other transactions will be done through central banks in the Region.

Ambassador Gatete Claver responded to journalists that the common currency to be used in COMESA is still a project under a big process.

He said for the first days of this system, the payment and other transactions will be done through US dollars and EUR.

Journalists questioned a new system as security as Cyber Crimes are nowadays at the highest level, the Governor stated that the System is to be Settled by CMS which uses swift as trustful system in the world.

The system will charge traders a lower cost in transactions compared to the usual banking system.

The BNR governor demonstrated that the new system is expected to charge 2% for the total costs instead of 5% in the usual banking payment system.

The system will be operating in 19 countries COMESA members and Tanzania to come later. Ten countries have registered in REPSS and others are in the process.

But Rwanda, Mauritus, Swaziland and Sudan are the only countries that have gone live for the system.

Despite Rwanda will benefit from facilities of this new system of payment, its traders have not yet found an interest in COMESA market.

The figure shows that Rwanda imported from COMESA in more than USD415 million while Rwanda exported around USD83 million there. Amb. Gatete said Rwandan traders’ needs to be encouraged.

{{President Paul Kagame has said that Rwandans we must rely on our homegrown solutions to address their challenges.

Kagame was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Judicial year 2012/2013 at the Parliamentary building in Kigali.}}

He added that Rwandans should work hard in order to prevent themselves from the aid trap.

“We are not short of places or agreements on rules for aid but if you think they respect you or rules, you are deceived” He said.

“Rwandans, you should not accept to be victims…you must work to improve your life no one else will do it for you” Kagame notted adding that Rwandans should do their best and get the best out of very little they have in their hands. “Let’s continue to be decent people” He urged.

Past judicial year saw an increase in cases handled by court, creation of e-filing system and first internationally transferred case to Rwanda.

Over 80,000 cases were handled in the past judicial year 2011/2012.

President Paul Kagame commended previous achievements while presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of a MP, the Ombudsman and the Army Chief of Staff.

Clothilde Mukakarangwa took oath of office as Member of Parliament before the head of state and other government officials.

Aloysie Cyanzaire has taken Oath of Office as the new Ombudsman.
Maj. Gen. Frank MUSHYO KAMANZI, has taken Oath of Office as Army Chief of Staff.

They pledged to fulfill their responsibility and work for the consolidation of national unity adding they will never use power entrusted to them for personal gains.

Martin Ngoga, the Prosecutor General, said that during previosu Judicial Year, Rwanda issued 146 international arrest warrants for fugitives who are in more than 20 countries.”

Ngoga added that they have addressed challenge of case backloads and resolved all 35,000 cases last year.

He added that Frw201 Million embezzled by Government officials was returned to Government coffers.

President of the Bar Association Athanase Mutabingwa said that Rwanda has established a permanent legal assistance program for vulnerable groups.

The country has built a Genocide Fugitive Database with more than 600 entries currently.

Ngoga noted that the use of technology include video conference testimonies and online access to one’s personal judicial records helped in speeding up activities.

More than 80,000 cases in last judicial year were completed.

“Current statistics and international rankings show that Rwandans have trust in their judicial system,” The Chief Justice Prof. Samuel Rugege said.

Prof. Rugege added that Transparency international survey shows 80% of Rwandans believe justice is administered fairly.

He reminded that World Economic Forum Competitiveness report ranks Rwanda 25th in independence of judiciary.

“We need to reinforce grassroots mediation structures to support our ordinary courts,” Prof.Rugege said.

{{In a trial Involving a Rwandan genocide suspect in Norway, Witnesses told Oslo Court that Sadi Bugingo led a militia that made victims dig their graves then killed them with hand grenades and machetes during 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.}}

Bugingo has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated murder adding that “he funded the militia, led its attack and worked with the local leadrs to organize the murder spree” several witnesses testified.

Bugingo moved to Norway in 2002. He was arrested and put on trial there after Rwanda told Norwegian authorities in 2008 he was suspected of taking part in the genocide against Tutsi.

Witnesses said Bugingo did not kill anyone himself but led, encouraged and organised the killings – acts that amount to murder in Norwegian law.

He played a similar role in the killing of another 1,000 people at the town’s St. Joseph Catholic Centre in former Kibungo the following day, witnesses added.

Bugingo faces a maximum 21-year prison sentence if convicted.

Norwegian prosecutors have said there are more than 20 witnesses on the case and expect another 80 to testify via a video link in a trial that will run until December.