Category: News

{{Exit polls tonight show Opposition candidate Macky Sall has won the presidential Elections in a run-off. Abdoulaye Wade has conceded defeat. }}

Senegalese state television has reported that President Abdoulaye Wade conceded defeat in a phone call to his main electoral rival Macky Sall.

‘Former president’ Wade “phoned Macky Sall at 21:30GMT congratulating him after the first results showed him to be the winner of a presidential run-off” vote.

Mr. Sall had promised that, if elected, he will shorten the presidential term to five years from the current seven, and enforce a two-term limit. He has also promised to bring in measures to reduce the price of basic foodstuffs.

Polling stations closed after a largely peaceful electoral exercise on Sunday that attracted more than five million voters, with local reports suggesting a high turnout.

Wade was miserably and roundly beaten in his home polling station in the suburb of Point-E.

Wade once said “how can you organise an election and lose it?”

{{Who is Mr. Macky Sall?}}

He is 50 years old, a geologist who served as President Abdoulaye Wade’s prime minister between 2004 and 2007 and before that held the interior and mines portfolios. He held several ministry portfolios before becoming prime minister.

He also oversaw the successful re-election of Mr Wade five years ago, heading his electoral campaign – and went on to become president of the National Assembly.

He has twice served as mayor of his home town of Fatick, 120km (75 miles) south of the capital.

Sall and Ade fell out over the handling of public spending by Karim Wade, the ‘former president’s’ unpopular son, whom many believed wass trying to succeed his father.

{{Democracy in Senegal}}

Senegal, a former French colony, is seen as a stable democracy with an unbroken series of elections since independence in 1960.

It remains the only West African country where the army has never seized power.

{{Two people have reportedly died due to family related disputes at Kazo sector in Ngoma district.}}

Aloys Nkurikiyabera 43 was killed on Friday 22 March due to a land dispute. Nkurikiyabera was beaten to death by family members on Thursday night. Nkurikiyabera was resident at Akabaya, umukamba, Kazo.

Police in Kibungo is holding three Suspects in the death of Nkurikiyabera include; Kalimunda Ivode 31, Nsabimana Damascene 17 and their father Gahigi Faustin 51.

Also a woman was hit with an Axe by her husband Bernard habimana 46 on Saturday 23 March due to a family dispute.she died at kibungo hospital on Saturday morning.

Her killer husband Habimana had completed several years of prison sentence related to the 1994 Tutsi genocide. The victim was resident at Kalisizo, Birenga in Kazo.

{{Rwanda and Uganda are seen as frontrunners to host the East African Region Referral Forensic Centre (RRFC). Both countries have modern forensic centres.}}

Uganda has intensified lobbying forensic experts from East African member states to support its bid to host the bloc’s referral forensic centre.

Forensic experts led by the officer in charge of peace and security at the EAC Secretariat, Didacus Kaguta have visited Uganda to assess the country’s readiness to host the Regional Referral Forensic Centre.

The team also includes one forensic expert from each EAC member state and two from Britain and Germany.

Forensic science (forensics) is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action.

Governments in the region have been spending big amounts of money on forensic tests that are carried out abroad, mostly in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Also several criminal cases have been thrown out of court due to poor gathering of forensic evidence. Trained forensic personnel are also few and far between.

However, Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Director Grace Akullo earlier this week said the Uganda police force has a modern forensic laboratory that can handle all criminal investigation challenges in the region.

“I am strongly convinced that our forensic department is better than others in the region and we are better placed to host the referral forensic centre. The political will is there to improve it further so that it matches international standards,” she said.

Rwanda is already conducting record checking and fingerprint lifting at Kigali Forensic Lab however; complicated forensic evidences are still flown out of the country for further analysis.

However, Uganda Police say they plan to acquire a fingerprint machine and integrate ICT in investigating cyber crimes. Uganda has only 70 scene-of-crime officers (Socos) who investigate the at least 99,676 criminal cases reported at police stations annually.

The Assessment Group also earlier this month toured Rwanda’s forensic establishments and supporting amenities.

Rwanda’s IGP Emmanuel Gasana noted that several Rwandan Police officers have schooled in forensic sciences both within the country and abroad. Also forensic science and criminology faculties have been introduced at the Police University in Musanze.

The RRFC is a brainchild of the Council of East African Police Chiefs which, among other duties, addresses challenges in investigations, and strengthens forensic services and criminal justice departments.It also aims to ensure that EAC member states have harmonised forensic centres.

Kaguta says when the regional forensic centre is established; it will train forensic practitioners as well as disseminate information to all national forensic labs.

Establishment of RRFC is sponsored by member countries and the German society of international development commonly (GIZ).

{{Pastor Rick Warren has urged Rwandans to resist manipulative donors who intend to give Aid on condition of respect and or adoption of gay rights.}}

Pastor Warren was answering Questions raised by Journalists. He said that every nation must safeguard their sovereignty.“Forcing People to do what is against their culture and beliefs amounts to Blackmail”.

Homosexual acts are illegal in most of African countries. Many people see it as violating religious and cultural beliefs.

The issue of giving Aid on condition of respect of gay rights was raised by the British Prime Minister David Cameron at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting recently held in Perth, Australia.

Pastor Warren splashed his Rwandan Diplomatic passport saying he is Rwandan. He is also a member of President Paul Kagame’s Advisory Committee.

The subject of hormosexuality cameup in many questions raised by journalists. Pastor Warren noted, “I am against homosexuality and adultery. I am also against sex before marriage. If you believe in the purpose driven life, you can’t believe in homosexuality.”

Responding to scientific claims that some men are attracted to fellow men, Pastor Warren said, “its not a sin to have an attraction but it’s a sin to act that way. Action is choice while attractions are not choice. If all people do what they are attracted to, the world would be crazy. “You can’t have sex with all women you are attracted to. You need to make a choice.”

Pastor Warren has been in Rwanda to witness the graduation of more than 3000 health workers in Karongi district under PEACE plan training. By the end of year over 6000 health workers will have been trained. The same initiative will be replicated in all the 30districts in the country.

Pastor Rick Warren is an American evangelist and preacher, author and New York best seller of purpose driven life for four years and founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California one of America’s largest and most influential churches.

{{About 122 participants from four cells including; Nyabisindu, Rukiri I, Rukiri II and Nyarutarama in Gasabo district have received training on the concept of community policing.

Particpants were also trained on the role of CPC’s in crime prevention, reporting system, need for discipline in their duties and professionalism in patrolling.}}

The Executive secretary of Remera sector Felix Kayihura and the District Community Liaison Officer in Gasabo Bonaventure Twizere urged participants to exhibit good conduct, professionalism and discipline in their tasks.

In order to prevent crime participants were asked to always collaborate with residents and share information with Police and other security organs.

The CPC’s were urged to report timely and to collaborate with public in combating illicit drugs and illegal trade in Remera Main Park.

They were also urged to combat prostitution, robbery and other crimes in different areas of the Gasabo District.

Police in Gasabo district in collaboration with Remera sector yesterday organised the one-day seminar with Community Policing Committees (CPC’s) at Centre Christus at Remera.

meanwhile, Rwanda National Police has taken the community Policing concept to schools as part of its efforts to ensure creating a relationship between students, school administration and Police.

One of the core components of community policing in schools, is to build partnerships and relationships for the purpose of creating safe school environment. On an individual basis, this can improve the relationship between youth and police- one student at a time.

Community policing in schools focuses on sensitizing students to avoid criminal activities that can disrupt their studies, thus affecting their lives. The program creates a platform unto which Police, students and teachers discuss common problems within society such as crimes and what can be done to prevent them.

{{Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has been awarded a Honorary Doctorate from Fatih University – Istanbul, 23 March 2012.

President Paul Kagame received the Honorary Doctorate during a Working Visit to Turkey.

He also attended the Turkey-Rwanda trade & investment forum- Istanbul, on 22 March 2012.}}

{{One person has died and others sustained minor injuries this evening at 7:00 PM when an unknown type of explosive blew off in Musanze district town. The Dead person is suspected to have been in posession with the explosive}}

The blast occurred close to Equity Bank near former premises of Belvedere Transport Company on the road leading to the construction site of the new Musanze town bus terminal.

Mpebyemungu Winifrida the Mayor of Musanze district told IGIHE minutes after the blast that the victim of the blast could have been the one in possession of the Explosive.

According to the effect of the blast of the deceased it clear the victim was in possession of the Explosive. There wasn’t much damage in the area and other people sustained minor injuries. The town has always been safe”.

Suprentendent Theos Badege the Police spokesperson told IGIHE the injured are five people and are already receiving medical care at Musanze hospital and “One person died on spot”.

Supt. Badege explained that the cause of the attack hasn’t been established but investigations have already been launched. No suspects have arrested in connection with the attack.

{{Four people have sustained injures in an accident involving three cars at Kimisagara in Kigali city.}}

The accident occurred at 5:00PM. It was caused by an over speeding commuter taxi (RAB035K) that lost control after failing to brake and rammed into other two cars a minibus RAB 525G and a Rav4 RAV4 of RAB238V.

IGIHE talked to the driver of the RAV4 car on condition his identity remains anonymous, “the minibus driver lost control while over speeding and swerved from one side of the road to another and hit us”.

The police officer who was present urged drivers to pay attention especially to the technical status of their cars.

The injured were rushed to CHK -University Hospital of Kigali.

{{European countries have secured permission to launch military attacks on Somalia land aimed at dismantling pirate’s bases including other targets at sea.}}

In a two-year extension of its mission, EU defence ministers agreed warships could target boats and fuel dumps. The extension means EU warships will stay until at least December 2014.

Currently there are up to 10 EU naval ships actively patrol the Horn of Africa. They have policed shipping routes and protected humanitarian aid since 2008.

An EU official said the new mandate would allow warships or helicopters to fire at fuel barrels, boats, trucks or other equipment on beaches.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told reporters, “The EU plan is to allow attacks on land installations when ships are assaulted at sea,” adding that “much care” would be taken to avoid civilian deaths.

{{If passed into law, the draft law currently before Cabinet awaiting passing into a Presidential Order, will empower Kigali city as a stronger entity that will be in charge of all developments in the three districts that makeup the capital city.}}

Fidel Ndayisaba Kigali city Mayor told a local daily that the new law will harmonise all plans developed by the three districts.

“We want Kigali to become a business oriented city and are very optimistic this new policy, once approved, will be a very positive move towards the development of the city”.

The three Kigali city districts including; Nyarugenge, Kicukiro, and Gasabo, will only be in charge of social affairs.

Local Government Minister James Musoni was quoted by the local daily saying that “budget will also be centralized”.

However, Minister Musoni explains that the new policy, “will not remove the three districts; they will remain with their autonomy while facilitating certain developments in compliance with the City of Kigali”.