Category: News

{{On his, Twitter, President Paul Kagame has denied news reports that he said ‘Arsenal needs another coach.’}}

He explained that on 22nd January 2012, chatting with Philip Etale, a journalist in Kenya, he said that like an Arsenal fan, he is not happy with its performance nowadays.

“In fact, I wants Wenger to make changes in his coaching activity so that his team might win”, said Kagame

He adds that he got surprised when he found media has distorted his message interpreting it differently where they used words like ‘resign’ and ‘step down’.

He went on saying that it might have been the problem of misunderstanding, emphasizing that ‘resign’ and ‘make changes’ are totally different in meaning.

He advised journalists to keep the real meaning of the message by interpreting it according to the source without alter it

{{The race to inspire Africa is on and Rwanda has joined the race this year. Recognised as one of the cleanliest, safest, and fastest growing economies in East Africa,Rwanda is being challenged to be the most inspiring country in East Africa by joining the ‘Project Inspire Africa” business competition.}}

Project Inspire Africa season one, is a reality show created by ‘Inspire Africa’ in hopes of encouraging and inspiring young business men and women of East Africa in joining the competitive world of business today.

It also creates a fresh generation by giving them a financial boost in which the winner of the best three business proposals receives a cash prize of US$ 50,000 with which they would use as capital to start their own business, as well as business exposure and mentorship .

The competition was open to people from ages 18 and above to people who had innovative business ideas.

The competition began with all but 50,000 applicants from all over East Africa who had submitted their applications on the 30 of July 2011, but only 30 applicants were allowed as the final contestants.

Out of those final contestants each one will be given various business tasks and ventures while presenting their business ideas through knowledge of logistical and other services and kinds of assistance needed to help them become business moguls.

Today Clarilles Iribagiza, Raissa Muhatwurukundo, Tom Rwahama, Esther Kunda, Gaston Rurangwa and Tadeo Nyarwaya are the Rwandese participants whom are being put to the test amongst other fellow East African citizens to see if they can not only inspire their own people to grow in competitiveness in entrepreneurship but also inspire, challenge, and compete with their neighbouring African countries.

This year ‘Inspire Africa’ which is a business competition reality show has come to Rwanda in hopes of boosting entrepreneurship that would in future help in development of the private sector which is a very important part of the growing economy in Rwanda today.

The Permanent secretary in the ministry of trade and industry Emmanuel Hategeka noted that the programme was in coordination with the government plans of improving entrepreneurship business skills in Rwanda.

The coverage of the show will be aired on Rwandan television as well as other telecasts across East Africa. The grand finale will be held in Rwanda on 3rd March,2012.

{{Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu the chairman of Ibuka, an association of Rwandan genocide survivors has commended the deportation of genocide suspect Leo Mugesera who arrived in Rwanda last night from Montreal Canada.}}

He also hailed Canada’s judiciary which has struggled with the suspect’s deportation case for the past 15 years.

“The court has made a good decision despite being mislead by genocide deniers and sympathizers of those who committed atrocities in Rwanda’s 1994 ethnic war,” he said.

Dusingizemungu called upon potential witnesses to testify against Mugesera during his trial as a way to enhance justice.

“His deportation should be a lesson to other accomplices still hiding, and we request that foreign countries harboring other genocide fugitives to arrest and deport them to Rwanda since their cases will be judged fairly,” he insisted.

Dusingizemungu was reacting against what he called false excuses from foreign countries hesitating to transfer genocide suspects accusing Rwandan government of harassing and torturing the accused.

“This isn’t true we have professionally handled similar cases in the past. The United Nation has entrusted our country to detain war criminals from Sierra Leone and several suspects have been transferred to Rwanda by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda based in Tanzania’s Arusha.”

According to police spokesman Supt Theos Badege, Mugesera who is allegedly charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity including inciting killings against the Tutsi, will be handed to the general prosecution office in not less than three days.

Currently the suspect is at an undisclosed police detention facility.

{{The national Commission for fighting against Genocide (CNLG) has said that they are intending renovate three Genocide memorial sites in Uganda alongside Lake Victoria.}}

Ildephonse Karengera, in charge of memorial sites in the commission says, “we are intending to rebuild big historical sites with pictures, Rwandan history, particularly that of genocide.”

Karengera adds that the sites will have the same plan as that of Kigali Genocide Memorial Site in Gisozi which has more than 260,000 bodies who died during the 1994 Tutsi Genocide.

The sites to be rebuilt are those with bodies which were thrown in rivers like Akagera and ended up at the shores of Lake Victoria.

Those sites are Ggolo with 4773 bodies, Kansesero with 2827 and Lambo site with 3336 bodies. All the bodies in those sites are estimated to be beyond 10,000.

There are more than 400 Genocide memorial sites in Rwanda, among which 7 are care taken by CNLG and the rest are under Districts they are built.

Apart from these sites to be rebuilt, there are also other genocide memorial sites in Uganda which were built by an Indian named Muhamudu Tobani.

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{{The World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, Rachel Kyte, is scheduled to visit Rwanda from January 26 to January 29, 2012.}}

During her three-day visit, the Vice President is expected to meet with President Paul Kagame and hold bilateral meetings with several senior government officials.

Kyte will also meet with representatives of the donor community and travel upcountry on a tour of World Bank-supported energy and agricultural projects.

As Vice President for Sustainable Development, Kyte has overall responsibilities for the organization’s global work in agriculture, the environment, infrastructure, urban development, and social development. She has held the position since September, 2011

Rachel Kyte last visited Rwanda in 2008 when she was Vice President for Business Advisory services at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group.

{{United States of America senior advisor on Darfur is in the country to talk about peacekeeping and Rwanda’s involvement bringing back peace to the southern Sudan region.}}

Ambassador Dane Smith met Rwanda’s Minister of Defense Gen James Kabarebe yesterday at Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) headquarters, Kimihurura.

They both discussed together about the progress of United Nation Mission in Darfur (UNMID) specifically how cooperation with Rwanda can move forward for the good of restoring peace in Darfur.

Ambassador Smith said that he was grateful to government of Rwanda contribution to UNMID and also thanked Rwandan peacekeepers for their effort to restore peace in Darfur.

Early last year Amb. Smith was received by President Paul Kagame and discussed different issues including the way forward in the process of resolving the issues affecting Sudan.

They talked about the importance of finishing the negotiations in Doha, the armed movements and its government getting a good agreements, which can become a basis for future processes of consultation on the ground in Darfur to ultimately end the conflict.

Ambassador Smith commended Rwanda’s contribution in Darfur, saying Rwandan forces are doing a lot to bring peace to the Sudanese people.

The objective of his visit is mostly to get acquainted with Rwanda as a country that leads the Darfur peacekeeping mission.

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{{Rwanda National Police (RNP) Spokesperson, Supt Theos Badege, has applauded the institution’s social media as a communication breakthrough especially regarding content management.}}

“Information can be updated, altered, supplemented, discussed and packaged in a way that is different from traditional ways of communicating,” Badege said.

RNP has used the social networks for a year now and they have proved to be one of the fastest and effective means of communicating to the public in and out of the country.

According to the police statement, today, RNP uses social media networks to sensitize the public about abstaining from crimes. For example it used face book and twitter to sensitize youth to abstain from drugs during and after the anti drug campaign.

Further to that the public use face book and twitter to ask for temporary and practical driving exam, how they can register, and procedure to take when declaring lost identifications among others.

Through social media RNP is also able to give Rwandans minute by minute timely and updated information allowing the public to follow proceedings as they unfold during big events.

Though use of social media remains a challenge due to high illiteracy levels and less internet access, the progress so far is promising.

Meanwhile RNP also employs conventional means of communication such as its monthly and quarterly Kinyarwanda and English magazines TV, and Radio to ensure Rwandans from all walks of life easily access Police related information.

Social media has become one of the most effective tools of communication that has allowed people from all walks of life to express their views and opinions unhindered.

It has become popular with the masses due to ease of use. Timely sharing of information has allowed people to know what is taking place faster than conventional means.

Realizing its potential, government institutions have embraced social media and used it as a faster way to easily reach out to the public through announcements, communicating their agendas and generally ensure that the public is aware of services they offer.

{{The board chairman of Population Services International (PSI) Frank E Loy has said that some of their programmes will handed over to a new Organization Society For Health which begin its activities soon.}}

This has been announced by Frank E Loy the Board Chairman of Population Services International (PSI), Frank E. Loy, who paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Pierre Damien Haburemyi in his office.

“Rwanda is doing better than any other African country in effective family planning methods; and this shows that as a nation, it has a bright future and PSI will maintain its strong cooperation with the Rwandan government to sustain this progress,” Loy clarified.

Loy led a delegation of five PSI board members and are said to have discussed several issues, regarding how best to enhance health in the country with the prime minister.

PSI has been working in Rwanda for the last 19 years and has also opened liaison offices in over 60 countries worldwide.

The Minister of Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, who was also attended the meeting, says that PSI has worked with her ministry on several research works in the social sector aimed at behavioral change to guarantee better lives.

She noted that currently, 45 percent of women of fertility age use family planning methods countrywide due to PSI interventions.

PSI Rwanda has been involved in health services especially HIV prevention, family planning, malaria prevention and sanitation.

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{{A grenade has blasted in Muhanga District, southern Province injuring 16 people on spot, eye witnesses have said.}}

The criminals responsible for the blast have been arrested now detained at Muhanga town police post.

The blast happened Tuesday evening in the town center in an area commonly known as ‘Kwa Jacque’ popular for phone credit business in Gahogo cell, Nyamabuye Sector.

In an interview with Yvonne Mutakwasuku the Mayor of Muhanga District confirmed the grenade saying that two of the 16 people sustained severe injuries.

“After the grenade blast, two suspects were arrested. They were both on a motorcycle,” Mutakwasuku said.

“Muhanga has had secure environment and residents should be worried, we shall continue to do anything in our means to protect them,” She added.

Doctor Osee Sebatunzi the Director of Kabgayi Hospital told Igihe.com that three of the injured sustained severe injuries and have been transferred to Kigali based Central University Hospital(CHUK).

Dr. Sebatunzi said some of them will be discharged from the hospital soon.

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{{Leon Mugesera has already arrived in Kigali, Rwanda aboard a light aircraft that touched ground late Tuesday evening at Kigali International Airport.

Mugesera is wanted by the Rwandan authorities for incitement to genocide for a speech he delivered two years before the 1994 Tutsi genocide that claimed a million lives.}}

“Leon Mugesera’s deportation, while decades past due, is welcome news for a people committed to healing and justice,” Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said in a Tweet.

“Canada did the right thing.”Mushikiwabo added.

She thanked Canadians, whom she said saw through an international legal labyrinth and decided Mugesera must go.

“Reaction here in Rwanda is very positive. The victims of Mugesera’s speech are finally going to get justice,” added Mushikiwabo.

“It’s unfortunate that the extradition took so long, but it’s still good news. It sends an important signal to all those who are being sought by Rwanda for their role in the genocide,” she said.

“For us Rwandans it is also the culmination of the progress made in the sector of the judiciary since the end of the genocide,” she said.

“It is exciting that this chapter is finally closed, after 16 years of all sorts of abuse of process. The task ahead is one for which we are well prepared – a fair and transparent trial,” Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga said.

“The new era is unfolding and sooner than later, Rwandans will witness what they have longed for – to see trials taking place where genocide was committed,” he said.