Category: News

{{The regional police joint command exercise will be held annually to further equip regional forces with modern techniques in the fight against trans-border and organized crimes.}}

The announcement was made Saturday by the inspector General of Police Emmanuel Gasana, also the Chairman of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO).

The concluded exercise play, the first of its kind, brought together 58 participants from twelve member states, covered three topics of counter terrorism, human trafficking and Peace Support Operation.

“I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Though there could still be challenges, but it is a great achievement having moved from commitment to action jointly to create a safe region for our citizens,” Gasana said.

{{President Paul Kagame has noted that the Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament will not stop even after he leaves Power saying, “sponsorship will be sustained”.}}

Kagame said on Friday while hosting the 2012 Cecafa Cup champions Young Africans at Village Urugwiro in Kigali.

The Cecafa Kagame Cup features top regional clubs.

Yanga are in Kigali for a series of international friendlies ahead of next season’s Vodacom Premier League, which kicks off on September 15.

President Kagame added that the idea of sponsoring the tournament was to promote solidarity among the East and Central African countries.

“It is not because Rwanda is richer than other East African nations, but rather a symbol to strengthen the impact of sports and unity of people in the region.”

‘The idea was planned in a way that the tournament and its annual sponsorship will stay longer than me. It is beyond individuals,” Kagame said.

“Even when I am no longer the President of Rwanda, the sponsorship will continue. The impact of the Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament will be preserved,” he insisted.

Yanga, who won the 2012 title for the second year running after beating local rivals Azam in the final three weeks ago at the National Stadium, are in Kigali for a one-week pre-season tour.

Club officials said the main purpose of their trip was to extend gratitude to President Kagame for his continued support to regional football.

“We are here to recognise the support from President Kagame towards developing football which has also acted as a uniting tool in the region,” head of the delegation Yussuf Mwangi said.

In 2002, President Kagame became the first sponsor of the club competition, injecting $60,000 which is distributed among the top three teams in the annual tournament.

Besides the prize money, the President also gives $15,000 every year for organising the tournament, bringing his total sponsorship to $75,000, according to Rwanda’s Sports and Culture minister Protais Mitali.

As a result of that support, Cecafa leaders renamed the competition Cecafa-Kagame Club Cup championship.

The sponsorship remains the competition’s lifeline to date.

Meanwhile, Yanga beat Rayon Sports 2-0 in their first friendly match at Amahoro Stadium on Friday.

Quick first half goals from Ugandan import Hamis Kiiza and Simon Msuva on 1st and 8th minute were enough to hand the Cecafa Kagame Cup champions a deserved win.

Rayon responded with good attempts but all their efforts were well dealt with by goalie Ally Mustafa while Papy Kamanzi wasted precious opportunities in-front of the goal.

Today, Yanga wind up their tour with another friendly against Police FC at Stade Amahoro.

{{The Citizen}}

{Yesterday, 25th August 2012, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien HABUMUREMYI participated in community work (Umuganda) in Kitazigurwa Cell, Muhazi Sector in Eastern Province where he called citizens to work for their country.
}

“When you have no country you have no dignity, we all owe much our country so we have to work hard and develop it ourselves” said Prime Minister while addressing residents of Muhazi Sector shortly after Community work (Umuganda).

“I have never seen a country that builds houses and provides cows to its citizens except Rwanda, so you have to love your country and stand for your dignity wherever you are” Premier said.

Prime Minister called citizens to contribute to the Agaciro Development Fund so as to boost the country’s economy in spite of waiting for assistance from outside.

He also thanked Muhazi citizens for the way they understand and support government programs like the recent national census.

Before starting Umuganda, Prime Minister toured Kitazigurwa model village with 65 houses and a modern farm with around 98 cows for residents of the village.

During Umuganda Prime Minister participated in the constructions of houses for poor people living in the Kitazigurwa cell.

He urged leaders to make sure that all the citizens should live in villages as the best way to facilitate access to infrastructure like water and electricity.

{{Hope Magazine Online}}

{{Fred Yiga, The Police Commissioner for the United Nations for African Missions in South Sudan (UNAMISS) has praised the discipline and professionalism exibihted by the Rwanda Police officers on mission in south Sudan.}}

He noted such good model by Rwanda Police force “should be emulated by other contingents to promote peace in the Region.”

Mr. Yiga is in Rwanda to attend the Police Command Post Exercise (PCPX) launching today.

PCPX is organized by Rwanda National Police attracting twelve African countries to train together on cross border crimes.

“We are determined to help South Sudan Police force get the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to prevent crimes. It is only through professionalism of the force that peace will reign in South Sudan,” said Emmanuel Gasana Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police.

{{Gatsibo District has announced plans to intensify soya bean production targeting cultivation of over 2000 hectares only in 2012. Gatsibo located in Eastern province of Rwanda has vast arable land.}}

Ruboneza Ambroise the district mayor says soya is a good crop which adds nutrients in the soils where it has been planted, “after soya harvest, other crops can be planted in the same garden and will grow well.”

The Mayor encourages gatsibo residents to consider Soya production to provide enough supply to the new Soya processing factory (Mount Meru Soyco Ltd) being built in nearby Kayonza district.

Mount Meru Soyco factory has capacity to process over 200 tones of produce every day and an estimated 45000 tons annually.

{{Residents of Jabana Sector in Gasabo district have expressed concern over vandalism of their property caused by road construction machinery.}}

They claim most of their crops have been destroyed by bull dozers and caterpillars currently constructing new roads in the area. Some houses have been left in the middle of the new roads.

Local area leaders say there will be no compensation arguing that it’s the residents that requested for new roads and other public facilities.

However, some residents allege that they were asked to sign on documents whose content they were not explained about saying had they known it would lead to such vandalism and render them homeless, they wouldn’t have consented to the memorandum of understanding.

{{President Paul Kagame has sent a message of condolence to the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, as well as the family of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who passed away on Tuesday.}}

President Kagame described Prime Minister Zenawi as “a visionary and gallant leader with a genuine concern for the socio-economical transformation of Ethiopia, and Africa as a whole – with a commitment for Africa’s rightful place in the world.”

President Kagame said Rwanda was deeply appreciative of Prime Minister Zenawi’s exceptional friendship and continued partnership over the years, and expressed solidarity with Ethiopia during this period.

IGIHE.com is among the 2012 nominees for the World Summit Award Mobile and will compete for its place among the best of the best.

Being one of two domestic apps that made it through the national preselection process, IGIHE.com settled the race in the category m-Media & Entertainment and may soon rock the international stage.

The news-website was founded in 2009, with a zero budget by university student volunteers led by Murindabigwi Meilleur.

Meanwhile, it has grown into a company with various media brands and has won numerous accolades for empowering and revolutionizing the web-based media in Rwanda.

{{Mobile Quality, made in Rwanda}}

According to IT-expert Jeff Gasana, the IGIHE.com app combines quality content with intuitive handling. Gasana also mentions the public importance of IGIHE.com:

“I believe this young entrepreneur deserves an award because he has made a revolution here in Rwanda where every morning people wake up and get news from his website that is now also available on mobile phones.”

However, IGIHE.COM is not the only Rwandan contribution to the WSA-mobile 2012. The second nominee Inyarwanda.com is an online media that aims at using technology to promote social life through Entertainment and Culture.

{{International Experts Decides}}

In September, an international jury of renowned IT experts and industry leaders will evaluate the nominated products. Jury members come from all continents and have backgrounds in the creative industries, telecommunication, advertising, journalism and research, as well as in teaching. The jury also includes representatives of international organisations in the ICT-for-development field.

“Consequently, it is not a product’s commercial success that matters most for the jury”, emphasizes Peter A. Bruck, Chairman of the WSA Board.

According to Bruck, the Grand Jury will judge the value of the content as well as the product’s design and its technical realisation. Furthermore, each nominee’s contribution to bridging the digital divide will play a central role for the jury.

“WSA-mobile’s goal is to find out what works in different markets and in different parts of the world and what really makes a difference for the people in remote villages and global megacities. We want to show to the decision makers what can be done to foster mobile’s potential to create a true information society”, states the internationally renowned New Media expert.

{{On top of the mobile world}}

For the nominees from all over the world, the award is a chance to raise global awareness for their products. Those projects that will come out on top of the Jury’s decision will be invited to the WSA-mobile Winner’s Event from February 3rd to 5th in Abu Dhabi.

The event will also host a dynamic innovative exhibition, offering a platform for the winners to present their services and projects to potential partners and investors.

Furthermore, the events will include keynotes from renowned experts as well as conferences, summits, forums, roundtables, vision panels, and strategy workshops, turning Abu Dhabi in the hot spot of the mobile world.

{{Burundi’s year-on-year inflation rate rose to 17.6% in July from 17.3% a month earlier, driven by housing, water and energy price rises, the country’s statistics office said.}}

Activists and trade unions warned last week that they were planning to call a general strike in the coffee-producing nation in protest against high utility costs and power rationing.

The price index for housing, water and energy surged 30.4% in the year to end-July, from 29.9% in June, the Institute of Economic Studies and Statistics (ISTEEBU) said.

Only 3% of Burundi’s population has access to electricity, while demand for power grows by about 13 percent every year.

The International Monetary Fund forecast this month that inflation would drop to 14.7% by the end of 2012 before easing further to 8.4% at the close of 2013.

{Reuters}

{{India has said that it acquired nuclear weapons to prevent other strong nations from blackmail and coercion.}}

National security advisor Shivshankar Menon disclosed that after India became a declared nuclear weapons state in 1998, it has not faced such threats.

Menon made the remarks during a national outreach conference on global nuclear disarmament.

He underlined that until the world arrived at “this happy state” it will continue to maintain atomic weapons as they have helped deter others from attempting nuclear coercion or blackmail.

On at least three occasions before 1998, other powers used the explicit or implicit threat of nuclear weapons to try and change India’s behaviour,” he revealed.

“So the possession of nuclear weapons has, empirically speaking, deterred others from attempting nuclear blackmail against India,” he added.

The day-long conference, organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs and supported by the external affairs ministry, saw the participation of nearly 1500 students from around 37 universities.

Menon said,”Unlike certain other nuclear weapon states, India’s weapons were not meant to redress a military imbalance, or to compensate for some perceived inferiority in conventional military terms, or to serve some tactical or operational military need on the battlefield,” he added.

Menon underlined that said the acquisition of nuclear weapons has imparted an added authority to India’s moral authority for universal disarmament on the global fora.

“We spent 24 years after our first peaceful nuclear explosion in 1974 urging and working for universal nuclear disarmament and a nuclear free world,” he said.