IGIHE

Category: News

  • Gov’t Officials Meet Over Cholera Outbreak

    {{Senior government officials convened today in Rubavu district for an urgent meeting aimed at discussing measures that would prevent the spread of Cholera that has broken out in Neighbouring DR-Congo.}}

    According to a press statement by the Ministry of Health, Cholera outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to spread close to the Rwandan border. There are no cases of cholera reported on the Rwandan side and that the situation is still normal on the Rwanda side.

    “The imported cases from DR Congo were handled and contained mainly due to the usual rapid response measures implemented to fight the disease inside the country,” the statement reads in parts.

    DR-Congo Health officials have registered up to 1228 cases of Cholera in North Kivu Province leading to 11 deaths as of last week.

    It has also been reported that the first case of cholera was diagnosed in Rwanda on 13th February from an individual returning from North Kivu. Since then, 12 other cases were diagnosed and successfully treated and discharged one week ago.

    It is said all registered cases were contaminated from DR-Congo but returned for treatment and have since been discharged with no recorded death. No new cases have been reported since February 22nd.

    In a consultative meeting to address strategies of curbing the spread of Cholera into Rwanda,The Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho emphasized the need for vigilance and continuous sensitization of population on key hygienic preventive measures as well as quick and accurate rapid treatment for the sick.

    “The Government of Rwanda takes great value in the lives of each and every citizen of this country,” Minister of Health Dr. Agnes Binagwaho said.

    “For now we have managed to contain this outbreak but what I need to remind everyone is that this outbreak is a ticking bomb especially in neighbouring countries. Therefore, if we are not prepared, it could spread to our population,” the Minister cautioned.

    To fully contain the situation and ensure no new infections occuring in the country, government officials agreed to enhanced Community sensitization and mobilization on best hygiene practices through mass media campaigns.

    They also agreed to advise population on limited cross-border movements especially for social functions like burials or any other functions that can be postponed, abolish consumption of raw food stuffs sold alongside roads and ensure hygiene inspections by Local Government authorities for all households.

    Other measures included placing informative and educative posters at Border posts, cross-border meetings between leaders and technicians to share best practices of combating Cholera epidemic in DRC, ensure rapid reporting and treatment of any cases that could emerge and implement all the elements of the Hygiene Campaign launched last year by His Excellency the President of the Republic.

    Binagwaho said the Health Ministry would undertake sensitization meetings across all districts bordering DRC to re-enforce mechanisms of combating the outbreak of Cholera.

    She also hailed district officials for taking seriously measures to combat the scourge which were the reasons for containing it so far.

    The meeting which was presided over by Health minister attracted the State Minister for Local Government Dr. Alvera Mukabaramba, the Governors of North and Western province, District Mayors, and other district official, Senior Army and Police Commanders, Doctors, Nurses and Sector executives of both provinces.

  • Sex Workers Punish Man For Refusing to Pay

    {{A group of prostitutes have mobbed a man who allegedly refused to pay their colleague after obtaining a service from her.}}

    The Incident happened at Matimba Street in Indatwa village, Rwezamenyo cell, Rwezamenyo sector in Nyarugenge district in the night of 24th February 2012.

    Zarafan Muteteri, a daughter of the landlord told IGIHE.com that she overheard Quarrels and figths in a closed house during the night around 10:00 pm.

    She alleged that “Nyirandimubanzi a sex worker leased her house to a fellow prostitute to host her client for the night however, the man refused to pay after for a service rendered to him.”

    Muteteri narrated that sex worker sought for help from her colleagues including Nyirandimubanzi who later beatup the man in a closed house.

    “They opened the door when Security agents arrived. Four women and an unconscious man; the security agents demanded the sex worker to take the man to hospital,” Muteteri added.

    Sylvere Barayavuga, a neighbour, said that he found a half naked man in underwear bleeding profusely while seated on the veranda. He suspected the man was assaulted with a razor blade on back. The man is being treated in CHUK room no. 1.

  • EAC Conference Seeks Financial Sector Fusion

    {{A Conference aimed at integration of financial sectors of EAC member states is concluding today in Arusha Tanzania.The two day conference that opened yesterday was organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund.}}

    The conference deliberated under the theme “The East African Community after 10 Years: Deepening EAC Integration”.

    Over 100 regional and international experts and policy makers used the conference as a platform to discuss the EAC’s accomplishments to date, the benefits of regional integration, relevant international experience, and the macroeconomic policy challenges going forward.

    EAC Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera said yesterday in his opening remarks that the East African Community has as its primary objective to develop a single market and investment area in East Africa that is anchored on the twin pillars of internal free trade and liberal trade with the rest of the world.

    He said that EAC has evolved strong institutions, legal frameworks and operational modalities in the promotion of a viable and vibrant integrated market, a business and investments friendly environment and development of competitive value added industries.

    “We have established a Customs Union and Common Market into which we are currently investing every effort and energy to ensure that these programmes work well for the people in delivering and demonstrating the benefits of regional integration,’ he explained.

    He said the EAC is putting in place comprehensive programme of regional infrastructure to support a viable, vibrant single market and investment area in East Africa.

    “On the whole, we have transformed the East African narrative from that of lethargy, stagnation, dependence and underdevelopment to that of forward looking dynamic progress,” he added.

  • Regional Police Arrive For Command and Staff Course

    {{Senior Police officers from the region are in Rwanda for an intermediate Command and Staff Course- the first of its kind in the history of Rwanda National Police training. }}

    The course will last three months at National Police Academy (NPA) in Musanze district.

    According to Rwanda National Police sources, the Police command and staff course is designed to aid participants with skills and knowledge in police operations and staff duties and international policing.

    Rwanda’s Minister of Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harelimana has commended Police leadership for the constructive innovation of developing the new course.

    “As law enforcement agents policemen are required to have necessary skills and trainings are one of the ways through which such skills can be acquired,” Minister Harelimana said.

    Participants include 5 police officers from Burundi, Somalia (5), South Sudan (10) and Rwanda (20).

  • US $ 80 m Approved For Rural Sector

    {{The World Bank Board of Executive Directors yesterday approved a US$80 million International Development Association Credit for the Rwanda Third Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP3).}}

    Representing the final phase of a 3 phased program that began in 2001, RSSP3 aims to continue to increase agricultural productivity of marshlands and hillsides in the sub-watersheds targeted for development in an environmentally sustainable manner and, to strengthen the participation of beneficiaries in market-based value chains.

    “The World Bank is pleased to work with the Government to extend the already successful growth-stimulating rural sector support activities of the first two phases, while emphasizing diversification of economic activities to increase and stabilize rural incomes” said Hardwick Tchale, World Bank Senior Agricultural Economist and the Project Task Team Leader.

    Focus areas of the project include: expanding the irrigated area of cultivated marshlands; increasing the use of sustainable land management practices; financing economic infrastructures needs articulated by beneficiary communities; and building the capacity of the beneficiaries, through Water User Associations (WUAs) and cooperatives for sustainable utilization of the irrigation and economic infrastructure.

    Key outcomes expected by the end of the project include that at least 6,000 additional hectares of irrigated marshlands will have been rehabilitated or developed; at least 17,000 additional hectares of hillsides will have been sustainably developed; and both the share of commercialized agricultural products from targeted areas and the number of farmers in targeted areas who have adopted sustainable land management practices on hillsides or marshlands will have increased.

    Overall therefore, RSSP3 seeks to build upon the progress achieved by the Government of Rwanda since 2001 in seeking to attain its strategic goal of unlocking rural growth in order to increase incomes and reduce poverty, through promoting sustainable intensification of the marshlands and surrounding hillsides.

    {{ENDS}}

  • Rwanda Risks Internet Cuts As Ship Faults Fibre Optic Cables

    {{Last evening two fiber optic cables were affected after being hit by a ship’s anchor that docked at Mombasa port in Kenya, technicians say that the impact will likely cause internet disruptions in six countries including, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi,Tanzania, Ethiopia and part of South Sudan.}}

    While waiting for access to a port in Mombasa, a ship dropped a larger anchor in a restricted area off the coast.

    The anchor barreled towards the sea floor, as anchors tried to hold it up and upon contact damaged two of three undersea fiber-optic cables responsible for delivering high-speed Internet access to a large portion of Africa.

    They link the eastern costal region of Africa to the United Arab Emirates and connect countries in the affected region to each other.

    The remaining cable maintains a link between the affected region to Europe, India, and South Africa.

    East African Marine Systems, the owners of one of the cables, have passed a communiqué saying that repairs may take up to 14 days after which the average Internet speed of users in the affected counties is expected to drop by 20%.

    However, Eassy the owners of the second affected cable have diverted some of their clients to their satellite bandwidth but the internet addition wouldn’t be advantageous to the majority yet.

  • Baby Named Paul Kagame

    {{Zainab Mpinganzima and Mark Kabwana have named their newly born baby Paul Kagame as an expression for their unwavering support for the President of Rwanda. The couple are residents of Gatsinsino village, Nyanza cell, Busasamana sector in Nyanza district.}}

    Mpinganzima the mother of baby Kagame said that they have named their son after the president for three reasons.

    She said, “first of all I support the President, secondly, our baby was born on National heroes’ Day, lastly, in 2009 when the President came to Nyanza I didn’t see him due to the big crowd which affected me with my pregnancy and I left without seeing him.”

    She said that she has never seen President Paul Kagame face to face except hearing his voice over the radio,“I wish I could meet him. I want my son to be a hero like him.”

    However, Mpinganzima says, “I am now worried of my action for I did so without Presidents permission.”

    The father had named the baby Paul Manzi and the mother added Kagame and the baby’s full name is Manzi Paul Kagame.

    Kabwana is a soldier in the Rwanda Defence forces in the 14th battalion at Ngororero.

  • Six Held over Stolen Home Electronics

    {{Police in Kicukiro district last week arrested six men in connection with theft of household electronics including; seven television sets, five DVD players, amplifier, three iron boxes, and two public broadcast speakers valued at Frw 1.5million.}}

    According to Police sources in Kicukiro district, an unidentified resident notified Police about one of the suspects seen carrying the electronics.

    Police mounted a search operation only to find on 23rd last week four television sets from the house belonging to Herman Manirarora a resident Kanombe sector in Rubirizi cell.

    The witness further informed Police about five more residents whom he believed used to buy those electronics from Herman.

    The arrested suspects are identified as Agustin Ndagijimana 26, Patrick Uwayezu 24, Diogéune Nshimiyumukiza 31, Herman Manirarora 28, Celestin Turimubabisha 44 and Elias Bakundukize 27 years old. They are all detained at Nyamirambo Police Station.

    Herman Manirarora was found in possession of four television sets but denies any wrong doing saying Police found at his home only one TV set.
    He claims the television set belongs to him and that he had no idea why he was arrested.

    Police Spokesperson Superintendent Theos Badege attributed the arrest of the suspects to the good collaboration with citizens.

    “That was a great job done by residents; it shows how much citizens have grasped their need to participate towards state security”, Badege said.

    Superintendent Badege advised youths to opt for honest activities and avoid crime.

  • 50 Police Officers Trained On GBV

    {{50 Police Officers preparing to go for the United Nations missions are in undergoing a one week training on Gender Based Violence at Police General Head Quarters in Kacyiru.}}

    The training aimed on equipping the police officers with necessary skills that will enable them to better address gender based violence cases while on mission areas.

    Apart from GBV, the trainees are set to learn other lessons like, mission experience, Gender promotion and leadership skills.

    The training was organised by Rwanda National Police and funded by UNDP. The 50 police officers are drawn from different areas of the country.

    Officiating at the opening ceremony, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Faustin Kalisa said such training was paramount to Police Officers preparing to go UN missions.

    It is quite important that police officers get skills on GBV as it enables them to better address violence against women and girls.

    “As the world is worried about violence done against women and girls, Rwanda has been ranked as the world leading country that deploys the highest number of female police officers to mission areas”, Kalisa
    said.

    MAXIM Rwendeye an official from UN who is in charge of GBV said UN shall continue to partner with Police to ensure women and girls are protected from all sorts of violence.

  • Cyanika Genocide Victims Reburried

    {{The remains of more than 25,000 victims killed at Cyanika Nyamagabe district during the 1994 Tutsi Genocide have been given a decent burial at a newly built memorial site located near Cyanika catholic church.}}

    Only 6 of the victims are known to have been killed at the area including; Joseph Niyomugabo, a priest at Cyanika catholic church who was killed with his congregation there.

    The Minister of Gender and Family Planning Aloysia Inyumba said, “this act of reburial should be a very strong basis to build our value as Rwandans with strength and hope to the brighter future.’’

    Dr. jean Pierre Dusingizimana the head of IBUKA said, “it’s sad to see genocide perpetrators like Bucyibaruta, the former prefect of Gikongoro who participated in the killing of these victims, wandering in Europe without apprehension.”

    Jean de Dieu Mucyo, the executive secretary of CNLG requested anyone having his victim buried at his home to bring them for burrial at the general memorial sites in order to preserve history for future generations.