Category: News

{{About 42 people have suffocated to death in a truck in Tanzania. Security officials say the truck was carrying immigrants. 74 have survived.}}

The bodies were discovered on Tuesday in the truck in Dodoma province, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) west of Tanzania’s economic capital Dar es Salaam.

Tanzania Police said the truck driver fled the vehicle after finding the dead bodies.

Deputy Interior Minister Pereira Silima said, “Police and immigration officials are questioning the survivors to establish their identity including names and nationality.”

It was initially reported the migrants were from Malawi, but officials said that they were suspected to be originating from the Horn of Africa region to the north, and were on their way southwards to Malawi.

“Preliminary reports noted that the immigrants were destined to Malawi,” Silima said.

In December, 20 Somali migrants were found dead in Tanzania.

{{The United Nations wants an African Union force hunting fugitive warlord Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) to be fully equipped by December, according to a U.N. strategy due to be presented to the world body’s Security Council on Wednesday.}}

The AU force, which has U.S. backing, aims to have a full strength of 5,000 troops from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic (CAR) and Uganda, but lacks equipment, training, food and transportation.

“These troops lack almost everything,” AU special envoy on the LRA Francisco Madeira told a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday.

“They lack boots, they lack uniforms, they lack food rations and sometimes they lack training. So there is a need for these things to be supplied.”

Abou Moussa, U.N. special envoy and head of the U.N. Regional Office for Central Africa, is slated to brief the 15-member U.N. Security Council on Wednesday on the U.N. regional strategy to address the threat and impact of the LRA.

The strategy, obtained by Reuters, requires U.N. countries and agencies to ensure the AU force is “adequately equipped, including with regard to air capabilities, communications, office and living accommodations, medical support, and fuel and rations, as soon as possible, and no later than December 2012.”

The Security Council is likely to release a statement endorsing the strategy on Wednesday, diplomats say.

Kony, accused of terrorizing northern Uganda for 20 years, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

His LRA is accused of abducting children to use as fighters and sex slaves, and of hacking off living victims’ limbs as a method of intimidation and revenge.

In a report released this month U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said the AU force lacked the necessary resources to “enable troops to mount effective operations against the LRA” and urged U.N. member states to provide what was needed.

{{Rwanda has received the United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA) 2012 2nd place in the category of “Promoting Gender Responsive Delivery” of Public Services.}}

UNPSA is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.

The award was handed over to the Inspector of Police Goreth Mwenzangu the coordinator of Isange One Center which operates at Police Hospital in Kacyiru. The event took place Tuesday at the UN Head Quarters in New York.

The confirmation announcement for the award was made a month ago by the UN, office of the Director Division for Public Administration and Development Management.

The award dubbed “Promoting Gender Responsive Delivery” of Public Services is in recognition of the success of the Isange One-Stop Centre, which operates under Rwanda National Police.

The secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon commended the innovative projects by different countries and emphasized the importance of sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices throughout the world in sound public policies, effective public administration and efficient civil services, through capacity-building and cooperation among the United Nations Member States.

Isange One Stop Center was established in 2009 through the advocacy of the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, to offer free medical assistance to victims of GBV.

The Center is part of a broader national campaign against Gender Based Violence.

Present at the awarding ceremony included; Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jimmy Hodari, the Rwanda National Police Attaché to the UN, New York, Sha Zukakang the United Nations under- secretary- General for economic and social affairs.

Also present were Dr. Mutlak Al- Qahtani the representative of the president of the UN General Assembly, Inspector of Police Goreth Mwenzangu the coordinator of Isange One Stop Center Kigali among others.

{{Police in Ruhango district has detained a man identified as Ndahayo Patrick suspected of stealing a door. The suspect confirmed to Police that he had stolen the metalic door.}}

Ndahayo 17 was nabbed on Monday night by reservists that were on patrol in the area. A metalic door costs between Frw50,000 and Frw100,000 depending on the size and materials used.

Ndahayo alleged that he had been sent by another accomplice he only identified as innocent a resident of Rugarama at Nyamabuye sector in the same district.

The theft incident took place at a residence of Mutijima where Ndahayo had been working fixing doors and windows.

Ndahayo pleaded for mercy saying it was the first time he had stolen but immidiately got nabbed. He said he will never steal again. He hails from Karongi district.

{{In Ruhango distrct a man identified as Andre Munyeshyaka 30 was killed by another man after the two fought over a woman they both had been romantically involved with.}}

On Sunday night Felicien Mbazumutima 40 confronted Munyeshyaka at Beatrice Uwingabire’s house at Mwendo sector. They both had sexual relationship with her.

Munyeshyaka was killed in the bedroom while sleeping in bed with Uwingabire. After a thorough search by security organs, they realized that he was dragged and hid in the farm close by Beatrice’s house.

The murder suspect and Uwingabire are detained at Nyamagana Police station while the body was taken to the hospital for postmortem.

Police investigations say Uwingabire had been in a relationship with Mbazumutima and had a child together. They both separated. Later Uwingabire met Munyeshyaka and started a relationship.

Mbazumutima had warned Uwingabire that if any man is found at the house there would be serious consequences.

According to Uwingabire, she did not know how to deal with the problem. She however, admitted to have been with Munyeshyaka during the night he was killed.

However, the Police Commander in Ruhango district explained that such incidents were not common but efforts to sensitize the community were ongoing.

“It is inhuman to see people fighting to the extent of killing one another because of a prostitute, integrity aspects need to be emphasized so that people avoid criminal cases.”

“Self respect is very important when it comes to relationships sudden reactions are very bad and affect the community.” Police Spokesperson, Superintendent Theos Badege said.

{{The special evidence hearing of the case of former Rwandan Minister of Defence Augustin Bizimana was concluded Monday at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania.}}

Bizimana is until now still on the run. The hearing was the third and last special evidence hearing with the case.

The Tribunal’s Spokesperson, Roland Amoussouga said, “Kindly be informed that the Bizimana special deposition resumed this morning with the hearing of the last remaining witness which was completed today. Consequently, the Bizimana special deposition has come to an end.”

Bizimana is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide or complicity in genocide, as alternative count, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The other two cases whose special evidence hearings have already been completed include; Felicien Kabuga and Protais Mpiranya, former Commander of the Presidential Guard.

The special deposition hearings are being conducted to preserve evidence for future use if the fugitives in question were to be arrested.

{{Rwanda has received the seventh case from International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda ICTR to be heard before the country’s Judiciary.

The case involves Aloys Ndimbati, the former mayor of Gisovu commune, Kibuye préfecture.}}

Ndimbati is charged with genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity for murder, extermination, rape and persecution.

On Monday, the (ICTR) granted prosecution’s application for transfer to Rwanda of Ndimbati’s case.

In its decision, a Referral Chamber presided by Judge Vagn Joensen ordered the prosecution to hand over to the Prosecutor General of Rwanda, material supporting the indictment against the fugitive as soon as possible and no later than thirty days after the decision has become final.

The Chamber expressed its solemn hope that “the Republic of Rwanda, in accepting referrals from this Tribunal, will actualize in practice the commitments it has made about its good faith, capacity, and willingness to enforce the highest standards of international justice”.

{{Rwandans will celebrate their 50th independence annivassary on July 1,2012 but this time also merged with the 18th liberation usually commemorated on July 4 when the Rwanda patriotic Front rebels captured Kigali.}}

Prof Wole Soyinka a Nigerian academic is scheduled to speak at an international conference organised as part of independence celebrations.

Deliberations of the conference will commence under the theme; Governance and Democracy: an African Perspective.

The Rwanda Governance Board (RGD) said in a statement, “the 1986 Nobel Laureate for Literature will be among speakers including AfDB president, Dr. Donald Kaberuka.

Also Several other speaks have been lined up for the event including; former US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs, Dr. Jendai Frazer, Prof.

Margee Ensign – President of American University of Nigeria and Kenya’s trade minister, Moses Wetangula among others.

The conference scheduled for June 30 has been co-organised by Government of Rwanda in partnership with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

{{Workers of United Nations base at Entebbe, Uganda have organized a protest accusing the global institution of enslaving and exploiting them in their own country.}}

“We are not working today until the UN chief comes to address this issue,” one of the protesting workers said bitterly.

More than 120 protesting workers are attached to the cleaning department at the UN base. They are protesting the organisations’ decision to tender out cleaning services at the base to a Ugandan private company, which then cut their pay.

The workers told local press, “They told us they would tender cleaning services to a private company but it won’t affect our work. We were surprised when Safi Cleaners Limited, the new company reduced our pay from $283 per month to $48.”

The cleaning company is accused of not giving workers appointment letters, or medical insurance, saying that makes them slaves in their own country.

{{The Rwanda Minister of foreign Affairs and Cooperation H.E. Louise Mushikiwabo, has quashed the Human Rights Watch (HRW) for creating a rumour accusing Rwanda of involvement in the Easten DRC Crisis and passing on the rumour but also quoting HRW.

“Its ricdiculous, ” she said.}}

Mushikiwabo was responding to Press Questions at the United Nations headqarters in New York. “I am in New York for UN business and bilateral discusssions in washington aswell.”

“Its important for those of us who want peace. Not to allow a war of words that is starting to harm innocent people in the region.”

Mushikiwabo is accompanied by H.E. Eugène-Richard Gasana, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Rwanda to the UN; and Major Patrick Karuretwa, Security Adviser to the President.

The minister urged whoever cares about the great lakes region to calm down, look at facts and context of DRCongo.

She noted that these multiple reports that keep croping up, some of which have been retracted, have a dangerous impact on lives of people in DRC and Rwanda Citizens in the region. That is extremely dangerous.

“I want to clear the air about some of the recent security situation in Eastern DRC . There seems to be quite a flarey of mis information and disinformation.” She added.

Rwanda has been a subject of disingenious accusations related to a detoriorating security situation in DRC. This is not the first time Rwanda has been a scapegoat to problems in the region.

Responding to a DRC letter recently sent to the United Nations , Mushikiwabo said, “the letter was actually sent while I was on a plane back to Kigali after the meeting with DRC authorities on the situation in Eastern DRCongo.”

“We(Rwanda) are aware that DRC sent a letter to UN secutity council. We regrete this. Rwanda and DRC have been engaged in discussions and we will continue to meet . I was in DRC for talks on the Joint Verification Mechanism and operations against FDLR- rebels on the congolese side.”

Minister mushikiwabo noted that given the gravity of the violence and fear about potential escalations, Rwanda has engaged different actors in the region and authorities in DRC that the situation doesn’t get aggravated.

“Whatever happens, violence should end quickly in DRC. Refugees should be allowed to return home. There has been so much energy on rumours and allegations. We have seen violence against Rwandan citizens in DRC. Eleven young Rwandan men were captured in DRC near their own home in Rubavu on the Rwandan side, beaten and tortured.”

She said that government of Rwanda was concerned as a with bigorty and rhetoric on a number of websites, “ Those who care to findout out will find out that even with some media close to DRC, this rhetoric is remniscent of period prior and during the Rwandan to genocide.”

Some newspapers continue to ask all congolese worlwide to strike Rwandans .