Category: News

{{Residents living nearby Dusego cemetery in Nyabivumu sector, Nyamagabe district have expressed fear that the already overcrowded cemetery could lead to encroachment on their productive land. }}

Extra burials at the graveyard are ongoing daily yet it had been closed down by area authorities saying it had reached its limit.

Nyamagabe district Mayor Philbert Mugisha, acknowledged that the cemetery is congested however, calmed residents living close to Dusego that fear for their land could be targeted to extend the grave site.

“No more burials will take place from now and for the meantime we’re preparing for the new graveyards,” he said.

An angry resident who lives few meters away from the grave site Angelique Uwineza says “I’m afraid that they are yet to burry people in some of the nearby private lands,” she argued.

Following the complaints the sector authorities have decided to close down Dusego in two weeks, the graveyard will be relocated to Kanegeri and Kabirizi sector.

{{Leaders that will be found bullying citizens and also involved in immoral activities shall be fired from their positions of responsibility.}}

The warning was issued by Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi while touring districts of Risizi and Nyamasheke where he also visited some of the income generating activities.

“I warn leaders who bully citizens with an excuse of implementing government policies yet there better ways of communicating to their people,” he remarked.

Habumuremyi explained that poor governance can’t sustain development since it encourages corruption, disputes and insecurity.

Habumuremyi further condemned acts of the recently sacked Vice-Mayor in charge of social affairs at Rusagara, Mbazi sector, “I heard through media reports that this (vice) Mayor was involved corrupt activities and harassing farmers by forcefully confiscating their farm produce.”

“This is not the only case because I’ve been hearing over radios about similar cases about local leaders. This can’t continue,” he remarked.

Citizens are advised to report cases of bad governance, injustice and corruption to relevant authorities especially the ombudsman office.

{{Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has officially presented a passenger boat that President Paul Kagame donated the to Nkombo Island in Rusizi District.}}

Kagame was fulfilling his promise made to residents of Nkombo Sector that he would provide them with a boat to facilitate in their transportation across the water and connect to the main land.

Prime Minister is in his three days visit to Rusizi and Nyamasheke District in south western Rwanda where he also inaugurated the electricity connection plant extended by EWASA in line what the president had vowed in his last presidential campaigns.

Habumuremyi also gave out 700 one-laptop-per child computers to primary school in Nkombo sector and also visited the secondary school in the same area which was struck by Earthquake.

In the government program to fight malnutrition the Prime Minister fed milk to children from Nkombo sector.

He also visited Bweyeye sector which borders with Burundi where he met with citizens.

The Premier asked citizens to work hard and increase their working hours. He reminded them that they can have performance contract (Imihigo) which will be the first tool to achieve on development.

He also pledged a health center to the residents of Rasano cell that were making 3 hours journey to the nearest health center for treatment.

“Some of you don’t value the interests of the residents, everyone here has to give priority to the lives of the residents” said the Prime Minister while addressing the opinion leaders.

He also urged investors to invest in Hotels because the District has tourism opportunities.

{{ENDS}}

An accident has occured involving two motorcycles and a car at a junction at Kacyiru near the American Ambassodor’s Residence and road towards the Ministry of Agriculture Head quarters.

According to eye witness,”some people were hurt in the accident..Two were visibly wailing in pain.

{{The 5Ofrw coin that was approved by the cabinet on the 8th of February 2012 to be changed is to remain the same, but only the lettering of the coin shall be altered.}}

The statement was made early this morning on radio, where BNR’S Clavier Gatete told reporters that the only changes to be made on the coin is the lettering of the coin.

“The lettering of the coin must change so that it will be in accordance with the law,” He stated.

The 50frw coins will not be collected and will stay in circulation, as for the 10frw, 20frw and the 100frw, they will remain as they are.

The public should not be confused with this alteration and should not throw away the coins, for they are still valid and in circulation.

{{The Chief Executive of Action Aid Joanna Kerr is impressed with the level of care offered to victims at Isange one stop centre run by the National Police.}}

Ms Kerr was yesterday touring the centre to have a firsthand look at services offered to Gender Based Violence (GBV) victims.

Attendants at the centre explained to Ms Kerr the process that patients go through from when the victims are received to when they are discharged.

“Action Aid is committed to partner Police and be part of solutions,” Kerr said stressing the importance of communities in bringing the issue of GBV to the lime light as it remains an obstacle to socio economic development.

Action Aid donated equipment worth Frw 8.5 million to help combat Gender Based violence in Nyaruguru and Musanze districts.

Kerr also met the Inspector General of Police Emmanuel Gasana and the two discussed crime prevention.

IGP explained the role of Police as not only focused on criminal prevention but also promoting human security by participating in the national development agenda.

“By focusing on human security we reassure the public that we care about their social- economic development,” Gasana said.

{{Stakeholders involved in settling landrelated challenges have shown interests in strengthening a campaign aimed at educating the public on land taxation and lease fees reducing confusion among the public on the matter. }}

Addressing participants at the opening of a two day meeting on land lease and land taxation, Annie Kayiraba the LandNet Rwanda Chapter Coordinator, stressed that her organization intends to start a nationwide awareness program training both local leaders and the public on land tax/ lease fee.

“Our experts will soon start the trainings especially in rural areas and also train local leaders on how to educate their people on land matters,” she said.

Emmanuel Nkurunziza, the director general of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) commended Kayiraba’s initiative and urged other stakeholders to step up the campaign.

“We cannot do the sensitization alone since there’re many issues over the matter and I think most of them resulted from poor communication from our employees that conducted land registration process. They didn’t communicate fully about tax and lease fees for those holding title deeds,” he remarked.

Also district advisory councils mandated to set the tax fees, impose fees in unclear manner. NKurunziza admitted that they are given a certain range of fees to tax but most often the advisory councils tend to impose the higher fees.

Kayiraba argued that the district management should explain clearly to the public how tax rates are fixed since there’re cases of people who are taxed low rates due to favoritism from the advisory councils.

Briefly explaining how the land lease and tax fees are allocated, Nkurunziza noted that the amount is charged in two forms, one is the lease hold which requires an yearly payment of land tax while the second is free hold which exempts the land owner from tax after paying tax for ten years.

He added that in order for one to acquire a free hold for instance they need to prove to the district management that they are going to construct a building or start an activity which is in line with the master plan.

Then later pay the land tax for 10 years, having fulfilled the two one will only be paying the property tax fee of the house they have constructed for example.

“The amount isn’t much since a tax of 0.01% is charged according to the value of the house,” he said.

On the part of land hold, Frw 1000 is charged to land over 2 hectare, this amount is common in the rural but in urban areas the fee can rise according to location of the land.

{{Cabinet on 8th February 2012 approved the Presidential order confirming the new 50 FRW coin. The cabinet meeting was convened at village Urugwiro and chaired by President Paul Kagame.}}

Also approved include; Ministerial Order governing the extent and modalities of compensation for people attacked by Wild animals, the ministerial Order governing the population of wild animals in national parks and protected areas.

Cabinet Meeting also approved; The National Policy on the cooperation with the East African Community. The National Policy on the management of water resources.

Also Cabinet Meeting approved the Draft law governing the services provided by experts in Rwanda and Draft law approving the trade treaty between Rwanda and Congo Brazaville.

The Rwanda Electronic Single Window system was presented to cabinet which recognized present achievements and appealed for fast tracking of remaining aspects.

A report on the refurbishment of SOPYRWA Pyrethrum Company was presented to the cabinet meeting and recognized achievements made and called for increased production.

Cabinet was presented with a report on the construction of a cassava processing plant in Kinazi, Ruhango district. The cabinet meeting recognized the progress made and called for speedy finalization of remaining phases so that the plant can begin operations beginning of March.

The Cabinet Meeting appointed Mrs. UWIMBABAZI Espérance, The Director in charge of Ubudehe program In the Rwanda Local Development Support Fund, Mr. GAHAMANYI Vincent was appointed- The director in Charge of Umurenge Vision 2020 program and Mr. BUTERA Eric appointed Chief Advisor to the CEO.

Meanwhile In the national Unity and Reconciliation commission, Mr. Richard KANANGA was appointed-The director in charge of peace and conflict resolution.

In the diplomatic domain, Cabinet approved the following envoys to represent their countries in Rwanda:

– Mrs Antila SINIKKA representing Finland with residence in Dar Es Salaam;

– Mr. Eleftherios KOUVARITAKIS representing Greece with residence in Nairobi;

– Mr. Thambirajah RAVEENTHIRAN, representing Sri Lanka with residence in Nairobi;

– Mr Andrew GBEBAY BANGALI, representing Sierra Leone with residence in Addis Ababa;

– Mr. DEGEFE Bula Wakjera representing Ethiopia, with residence in Kampala;

– Mr Stefano Antonio DEJAK representing Italy, with residence i Kampala;

– Mgr. Luciano RUSSO as the Pope’s Apostolic nuncio to Rwanda with residence in Kigali.

The Cabinet Meeting approved the following Honorary Consuls.

– Mr. Sundvoll STEINER, Rwanda’s Honorary Consul in Norway.
– Mr. William DELUCE, Rwanda’s Honorary Consul in Toronto-Canada
– Mr. Bill SMITH, Rwanda’s Honorary Consul in Edmonton -Canada
– Mr. Van Es Christian Edouard KAREL, Rwanda’s Honorary Consul in the island ofWest Indies, with residence in Aruba.

{{Residents of Rusagara, Mbazi in Huye district are bitter with the manner in which their properties are being seized as collateral when found lacking health insurance commonly known as Mutuelle.}}

Residents further claim that local leaders in the area always confisticate livestock and farm produce whenever they find out that a local resident has defaulted on Mutuelle.

However, the leader of Mbazi sector disputes the claims saying if any of local leader got involved in such illegal actions against residents, they would be published.

Normally every citizen is placed in a specific level of abilty to pay for health insurence (Mutuelle.However, residents also are unhappy with how their grading was conduted.

Mbazi executive secretary Claudine Mukamudenge however, notes that the grading of residents was conducted in a general assembly that consisted of all area residents.

Residents are always aware and knowledgeable about ability of fellow members and thus during the grading sessions,information provided is always considered correct incase there is no objection from residents.

{{Rwanda’s First Lady Jeannette Kagame has funded the upkeep of Igongo Cultural Centre to the tune of $10,000; the museum is located in Uganda’s Mbarara district.}}

While handing over the cheque to to the executive director of Igongo Cultural Centre, James Tumusiime, Rwandan High Commissioner to Uganda, Maj.Gen Frank Mugambage noted that the support intends to promote cultural values between Uganda and Rwanda.

“The First Lady was highly impressed by what the Centre does in contributing to cultural values of humanity,” Mugambage said.

He said the contribution was also meant to inspire others in making the cultures of the two countries known.

Tumusiime, noted that the Centre will send local crafts makers and local artiste to Rwanda to expose Ugandan culture in the aspects of crafts and music.

He added that the exchange of culture will also help in promoting political integration, education and vibrant economies between the two countries and in the region.