Category: News

{{Charles Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in jail. A UN-backed war crimes court sentenced the former president of Liberia Wednesday for arming Sierra Leone rebels in return for “blood diamonds”.}}

“The trial chamber unanimously sentences you to a single term of imprisonment for 50 years on all counts,” said Special Court for Sierra Leone judge Richard Lussick at the court based just outside The Hague.

“The accused has been found responsible for aiding and abetting some of the most heinous crimes in human history,” said Lussick.

Taylor, 64, dressed in a smart dark suit, white shirt and golden tie, listened with his eyes closed and a drawn face as the judge handed down the sentence, which Taylor can appeal.

The former president was convicted on April 26 on all 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for aiding and abetting Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during the country’s 1991-2001 civil war.

{{Rwanda National Police has yet again called upon those who are still possessing arms illegally or who happen to know their whereabouts to hand them over to security organs or local authorities.}}

Police urges people to voluntarily hand over illegal weapons as failure to do so may result in penalties ranging from five years in prison to life sentence, a fine or even both.

The liberation war and genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 left grenades, unexploded ordnances (UXO’s) and other small arms on the surface of Rwanda.

Undetonated UXO’s and recent series of grenade blasts across the country have claimed innocent lives including children who played with them are a clear indication that there are still firearms in illegal hands.

As for those who are afraid of being identified, Police has put in place toll free line 112 where they can report the whereabouts of the illegal arms. It has also encouraged them to leave the fire arms in public places where the police can easily access them.

Only security organs mandated by the law to possess fire arms. However, security companies are allowed to carry firearms but with express permission from relevant authorities.

Individuals too may seek permission to possess a firearms but that too has to go through proper procedure.

The law stipulates that a person living in Rwanda may request possession of weapon if he can convince beyond reasonable doubt why he or she needs it.

They also have to pay up to Frw 500,000 annually for the service. Security companies are liable to pay Frw 100,000 every year.

Rwanda National Police thanks citizens who have continued to voluntarily hand-in weapons to security organs. It continues to encourage those still keeping weapons in their homes to hand them over to Police.

{{A Rwandan based refugee camp at Nkamira in Rubavu district is reportedly stretched beyond capacity by a large influx of Congolese refugees fleeing fighting in the eastern DRCongo.}}

There are about 9, 500 Congolese refugees from 8,700 registered last week. The influx of Congolese refugees has the rising day by day in Kanzenze sector.

Nkamira transit camp was initially meant to accommodate 2, 000, now the number has hit 10, 000 refugees.

Nkamira transit camp officials have expressed doubt over the capacity of the camp to accommodate all the refugees.

Karigire Gonzage, the acting director of Nkamira temporary camp said, they receive at least 100 refugees daily.

Some of the refugees giving account of the situation in their areas before fleeing, say they are tortured, raped, insulted and even killed.

Refugees at Nkamira camp are given food to sustain them for a month. The children are immunized against different diseases including Measles and Polio.

Karigire said if the numbers continue to rise; the camp would have no more space to accommodate them. He further said that the camp also houses Rwandan repatriates.

{{The U.S. Embassy, in collaboration with Lycée de Kigali school will launch the third English Access Micro-scholarship program in Rwanda.}}

The Access Program, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, provides a foundation in English language skills to talented 14- to 18 – year-olds from economically disadvantaged sectors through after-school classes and intensive summer learning activities over a two-year period.

Access students gain an appreciation for American culture and democratic values, increase their ability to participate successfully in the socio-economic development of the country, and gain the ability to compete for and participate in future U.S. exchange and study programs.

This is the third Access program in Rwanda, and it will bring together 44 students from 4 secondary schools, including Lycée de Kigali, which will host the program, Lycée Notre Dame de Cîteaux, Groupe Scolaire Rugando and Groupe Scolaire Kacyiru II.

The first program began in 2010 with 20 students from 3 secondary schools and was hosted by the Kigali Health Institute.

The second group, which began in 2011 with 40 students, is hosted by the Catholic Institute of Kabgayi.

{{Fire has partly burnt HASH petrol station at Gikondo trading center. The incidence happened on 29th evening hours.

However, no causalities were reported in the incidence. Fuel pipes and other valuable equipment were destroyed.

By press time, fire had been contained and renovation work was already ongoing. The proprietor of the petrol station refused to talk to our reporter.}}

{{MTN Rwanda has launched a new brand campaign,“We Are Better Together.”

The new campaign has evolved from ‘My People, My Country, My Network’, which identifies with all Rwandans and the growth of the country, to ‘We Are Better Together’.}}

Yvonne Makolo, MTN Rwanda’s Chief Marketing Officer said that the telecom company started operations in Rwanda over 13 years ago at a time when there were very few foreign investors in the country.

She said over the years the company has grown with the economic development of Rwanda, introducing innovative products and services that have touched almost all aspects of lives of Rwandan people.

“Since our inception in the Rwandan market in 1998 we have pioneered many services and products that have had an effect on Rwandans from all aspects of life. For example in February 2010 we introduced, the mobile money platform and to date it has registered more than 475,000 customers and transacted volumes of over Rwf 67 billion since it started operations,” Ms Makolo said.

“With ‘My people, My country, My network’ our brand reaffirmed that we continue to grow as a network and continue to be relevant to the lives of close to 3 million subscribers across the country. The new brand campaign not only highlights MTNs role in every aspect of people’s lives but it also emphasises the sense of community in the country and how life is better when people come together”.

In Rwanda MTN has supported and promoted the development of sports. This year alone the company’s sponsorship for the ‘2012 Peace Cup’ soccer tournament was worth Rwf51.4 million.The company has also promoted local musicians and still continues to support all kinds of arts.

“Our brand has evolved with locally produced music. The success of local music is now synonymous with the MTN brand. The annual ‘Salax Music Awards’, which recognizes the achievement of local artists is sponsored by MTN. Our brand ambassadors, are local musicians. The models featured in all our brand campaigns are proudly Rwandan,”Ms. Makolo added.

MTN has also put a smile on many by supporting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and community activities. MTN Foundation the vehicle through which MTN Rwanda implements the company’s CSR activities enjoys 100 percent funding from MTN Rwanda, which gives it up to 1 percent of its profit after tax.

With 300 employees, MTN is one of the biggest employers in the country. Through the company’s distribution channels the company is still creating numerous jobs and is registered among the largest taxpayers in Rwanda.

Sakyi Opoku, the Snr Manager – Brand and Sponsorship said that though MTN is a global, African brand, with some facets of brand-building differing from market to market, the brand values are all universal and include the same pointers.

“In Rwanda we have built brand awareness and also want to continue building brand relevance. When it comes to sponsorship we look for properties that have the right fit with MTN’s brand and also with its consumers. Just like in the rest of Africa, in Rwanda its football, entertainment and CSR which fits the bill better than anything else.”

{{Swaziland will soon become a failed Economy if it doesn’t contain the existing economic constraints that have even led to cancellation of support from the International Monetary Fund IMF.}}

The Kingdom of Swaziland is the last absolute monarch in Africa.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has followed steps taken by the IMF to withdraw support for Swaziland.

The AfDB will not pay $100 million budget support due to the kingdom, because it has failed to tackle problems with its economy.

Last month, the International Monetary Fund withdrew support for the Swazi government’s financial recovery plan, because it had failed to reign in public spending and had presented a national budget that took money away from education and poverty reduction and diverted it to other areas, widely understood to include spending on King Mswati III.

Since 2010 the IMF has been working closely with the Swazi Government supporting its ‘fiscal adjustment roadmap (FAR)’ – a plan for recovery that included getting more revenue through taxes and reducing the public sector wage bill.

The Swazi Government drew up the plan and was aided by the IMF in its implementation through a procedure known as the staff-monitored programme. But even though the FAR was the work of the Swazi Government and was completely under its control, the government failed abysmally to implement it.

Central to the plan was to reduce the public sector wage bill – that of teachers, nurses and other civil servants – by 10 percent. This it failed to do.

Media houses across the world have consitently criticised King Mswati for ‘leading a lavish lifestyle while his people starve’. It is believed that the King has a personal fortune of US$100 million.

The extravagant King Muswati bought himself a luxury Maybach 62 sedan worth $500,000 despite his country’s economic problems, the dire poverty of the population. HIV pandemic is affecting 38.8% of his subjects.

On his recent birthday in April, he bought ten BMW seven series vehicles for himself and several of his wives. He was also building ten new palaces for his wives at a cost of $17m, regardless of the budget deficit standing at swazi currency 800 Million.

{{The trial of perpetrators of the attack on the residence of DRCongo President Joseph Kabila and Kokolo military camp began this May 28 before the Military Court of Gombe. }}

The accused include suspects with military ranks; Colonels, majors, captains and retired military and civilians prosecuted for participation in an insurrectionary movement.

One hundred twenty-six people are suspected of involvement in the attack on the home of Joseph Kabila and the logistics base of Kokolo.

The first hearing was mainly devoted to the identification of the accused and the confirmation of charges brought against them.

On February 27, 2011 early in the afternoon, heavily armed men attacked the residence of the Head of State in the town of Gombe in Kinshasa.

The Minister of Communication and Media, Lambert Mende had said it was an attack against the residence of Joseph Kabila, adding that the attackers were “heavily armed”.

{{The African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings kick off in Arusha, Tannzania today with a host of activities, including the launching of the 2012 African Economic Outlook.}}

According to the meeting programme a report about the private sector development in the continent will be inaugurated.

AfDB President Dr Donald Kaberuka, was expected to visit the recently repaved 105-kilometre Arusha-Namanga road.

Economic experts and financial analysts from across Africa and other parts of the world are already in Arusha for the event to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the financial crisis in the continent.

The heads of state segment of the annual meeting of Africa’s premier bank will take place on Thursday and Friday and will be opened by President Jakaya Kikwete on Thursday.

At least six heads of state from a number of African states have confirmed to attend the meeting.

Among the delegates would be central bank governors, ministers, economic experts and CEOs of regional banks and financial institutions.

Main speakers today will include the AfDB chief economist and Vice President Mthuli Ncube, Marrio Pezzini, director of the OECD development centre, the director of the regonal integration and trade division of the UN Economic .

{{Rwanda National Police will celebrate its birthday this June to mark 12years since the establishment of the institution.}}

Police week celebrations will focus on strengthening partnership between Police and the public and to promote transparency and accountability.

This year’s celebrations whose theme is fighting against drug abuse to end gender based violence. The commemoration also highlights Police annual activities over the past year and its plans for the future.

Celebrations will focus on special activities that will be conducted in five districts including Burera, Gatsibo, Kicukiro, Nyamasheke and Nyanza.

The districts signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda National Police on crime reduction and human security initiatives.

During the sixteen-day celebrations, Rwanda National Police will participate in community oriented work including crime prevention strategies such as anti drug abuse campaign and sensitize on HIV/Aids awareness.

The celebrations will also look forward to engage families in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV).

According to Chief Inspector of Police Lynder Nkuranga, the acting director of community policing noted that Police will focus on sensitizing the Public on crime prevention by conducting several campaigns.

The annual event will commence at Nyamasheke district on June 1, and end on June 16 at the Police headquarters where outstanding Police units as well as members of the public will be rewarded for their crime prevention initiatives.