Category: News

{{3 people have reportedly died and 13 sustaining serious injures after being suddenly struck by lightning while in an Anglican Church located at Gahurire cell in Ngoma district.}}

The incident happened minutes before the congregation celebrated the begining of new-year 2012 at midnight.

Meanwhile, the injured are recovering at Kibungo hospital from fractures and bruises. A big number is allegedly traumatised by the lightning attack incident.

During a counseling session with one of the victims, a therapist identified herself as Sally noted that patients were not in a bad mental state.

“So far 9 patients are still in shock but will recover soon. I think some of them should be discharged today,” she remarked briefly before she left to attend to patients.

Prior to the tragedy, Ngoma district had received heavy rainfall with several thunderstorms and lightning according to metrological reports.

Victorie Mukarukundo a local leader in the area noted that this was the second time lightning struck 2011.

“In March 9 pupils were struck by lightning at Murinja primary school but didn’t die. I advise all Social building to have gadgets resisting the lightning attacks.”

{{The outgoing year 2011 seems to have come with most solutions in the Rwanda’s political arena.}}

Memories of president Paul Kagame appointing Louise Mushikiwabo as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, progressive diplomatic ties begun to have another face.

The most celebrated one was the renewal of diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Uganda that saw warm reciprocal visits.

From the time the two countries clashed in the DR Congo war, the bilateral relationship begun to sour almost every each minute intense security alert was raised on both countries borders.

The neighbors begun to totally treat each other like strangers despite the shared history which included inter-marriages.

This year’s Christmas, President Paul Kagame, his wife Jannette Kagame and their children Ange, Brian and Ian celebrated the eve in Uganda at President Yoweri Museveni’s home in Rwakitura.

In July Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife Mrs Janet Museveni were also given a warm reception to an official state banquet held in honor of their visit to Rwanda.

The banquet held at the model village in Kayonza where President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame received their guest at their country home.

As they entered a room filled with Rwandan and Ugandan officials, the sense of union that President Kagame carried was palpable.

President Kagame began his toast by warmly welcoming his counterpart President Museveni and his wife Mrs Janet Museveni.

This reminded everyone present of Rwanda and Uganda’s historical, cultural and political bonds.

“The sense of fraternity between our people which was evident gained strength during the visit,” Kagame said then.

President Museveni’s speech was an equally powerful testament to the depth of the relationship between both nations.

Museveni expressed his gratitude to Rwandans for their role in the Ugandan liberation struggle.

“I salute Rwandans that participated in our (Uganda’s) liberation struggle. President Kagame was among those that helped us liberate our country,”Museveni also noted that time.

Prior to the official banquet, President Kagame accompanied and gave out 10 long horned cattle commonly known as ‘Inyambo’ to President Museveni.

In Rwandan culture, a cow is the best, expensive and valuable gift a person can give to a close friend as well as in the tribe of Banyankore/Bahima of which Museveni and his wife belong.

President Museveni had also a day before joined the residents of Kanombe, Kicukiro District for the monthly communal service {‘Umuganda’} where he laid a foundation stone to a Nine Year Basic Education of Camp Kanombe.

Renewal agreements were also signed between the two countries and now both countries are enjoying secure and trusted exchange of activities of their citizens.

This simply showcases that the year 2011 has been a year to fortify bilateral ties between something that is set to boost and harmonize economic, political and security relations between Rwanda’s allies.

{{Official quotes}}

“We must remain focused as two neighbours living together in peace. So, irrespective of what has happened in the past, misunderstandings and their causes, we have to focus on the importance of living as neighbours in peace and work towards getting rid of the causes of the problems between Uganda and us,” Kagame said.

“The sour blood between Rwanda and Uganda is no more as the two countries continue to get along,” Kagame said while cementing the renewed relationship.

“We are good neighbours with Rwanda,” Museveni said recently on a visit to Ndorwa at the Uganda-Rwanda border during the inauguration of Kigali-Gatuna to Mbarara highway.

In addition President Museveni added, “Rwanda is now a stable country and you should take this chance to do business there.”

“Our governments are linked by close historical ties of common values. Rwanda and Uganda share a colonial heritage, including issues of dictatorship and liberation struggles,” Mushikiwabo said.

{{Two states historical alliances}}

Both countries have governments born out of revolutions that swept away dictatorship and restored stability, rule of law and democracy.

Their armies also have a common history and made significant contributions in shaping the destinies of the neighboring nations.

Many Ugandans and Rwandans have parents, relatives and friends on either side of the border. President Kagame and President Museveni are also old students of Ntare School in western Uganda.

On top of that, the historical bond between the two countries seems to have been strengthened by Rwandans huge involvement in the Uganda’s liberation war and as well Uganda’s involvement in the Rwanda’s liberation war in 1990s that stopped the 1994 Tutsi Genocide.

{{Relationship Restoration}}

Efforts to mend ties between the two countries began in 2002 through to 2003. In 2006, Rwanda and Uganda decided to revive mechanisms intended to normalize their relationship, political stability, security and economic interests.

Political leaders held meetings in both countries and in Europe to pave way for amendments of the torn apart relationship.

At a lower level, the military chiefs of both countries held quarterly joint meetings to discuss their contribution to fast-tracking the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Other relations earned included restoring France’s diplomatic ties and winning others like Australia and Sri-lanka among others on international scene.

Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan also visited Rwanda on a mission to have a health bilateral relationships between the two countries.

This was followed by President Denis Sasou-Nguesso of Congo Brazaville who also cemented diplomacy of two countries not forgetting Ivory Coast.

{{ENDS}}

{{The police spokesman, Superintendent Theos Badege, has said that there were not many bad security incidents during the festive season owing to vigilance of the police ensuring public and traffic security.}}

Normally such holidays are synonymous with security problems. However, the National Police declare that there were no unusual offenses or dangerous accidents in the concluded festive days compared to the last years.

Over Christmas and New Year holidays, there occurred 8 accidents in which 3 people died. On the last day of the year 2011, all over the country 3 accidents occurred and no person died.

With regard to other offenses, the police declares that only one man died in acts of violence while in 2010 in the same period 4 people had been killed.

{{Kibungo Police is holding Clementine Nyiransengimana who is also contemplating suicide after throwing her three day old baby girl in a pit latrine.}}

The embattled mother admits that she threw her baby due to stress from her boyfriend Jean Claude Habimana who harassed her for alleged promiscuity.

“He rejected the baby because she didn’t look like him, so I got worried of how to raise her alone,” she said.

The baby who was recovered dead at a latrine in Mutanderi center is the second child Nyiransengimana has allegedly had with the same boyfriend who currently in another relationship.

“He agreed to have fathered our first child but I wonder why he bothered me on this new one. He always insults me calling me all sorts of bad names. That’s why I couldn’t take it,” she disclosed.

After throwing the kid in the pit latrine, Nyiransengimana rushed to the hospital for malaria treatment.

However, the doctor who attended to her got curious of the absence of her newly born child indicated on her medical report and decided to call the police after she failed to give the physician convincing reasons on the kid’s whereabouts.

It is then the police mounted a search within Kibungo town and found the kid dead in a pit latrine.

Currently she is being detained and might get a life sentence if found guilty.

However, Nyiransengimana is not willing to wait until the judgment day and prefers to die due to shame.

“I admit I threw my kid away and I caution others never to try this unGodly act. That’s why I deserve to die,” she said.

{{Bellow is the Message to all Rwandans from President Paul Kagame in its verbatim, He wishes all Rwandan Peace, Success and Progress.}}

-Fellow Rwandans;
-Inhabitants of Rwanda;
-Friends of Rwanda;

On my behalf and on behalf of my family and the Government of Rwanda, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. May it be a year of peace, success and progress.

Last year, we worked together and achieved a lot in various facets of our country’s development: in our economy, social sector, good governance, and in the justice sector. I wish to convey my gratitude to you for that.

This way of working together, based on our development plan, is what has brought our country this far and should characterize all our future actions.

We should all be encouraged by the good level of economic growth that we have attained and the impact this has had on all Rwandans, irrespective of where they live.

Despite the global economic turmoil, our economy grew by 8.8% and inflation was contained at 7.4% in November last year, when inflation levels in other parts of our region were around 20%. We also managed to maintain our monetary stability.

We should also be pleased that we have continued to make it easy to do business in Rwanda.

In the last three years, we moved from 143rd position out of 183 countries to 45th in the world and 3rd in Africa.

Programmes that aim to uplift the needy in our society are ongoing and have benefitted almost all of them.

We shall intensify them and ensure that they reach everyone as soon as possible.

We will achieve this by building on the solid foundation of peace and security in our country.

We will work on ensuring an environment where all Rwandans will be able to create their own employment or get jobs in order cater for themselves and their families; where those in agriculture are self-sufficient and even produce for markets.

Those in need of health care will have easy access and all Rwandan children will be able to go to school.

I take this opportunity to thank all Rwandans, including our army and police, who participated in building classrooms for the nine and twelve-year basic education programme.

I also wish to thank all Rwandans for their continued confidence in each other and in our governance institutions. This is part of the ongoing development process in our country.

We should endeavour to promote homegrown solutions to our challenges drawing first from our own means and capacity so that this becomes part and parcel of our culture. This will surely earn us the dignity that we deserve.

Let me also say that in the last year, we continued to build good diplomatic relations with other countries, starting with our neighbours, the rest of Africa, Europe, America, Asia, and others.

This is in line with our government’s policy aimed at building partnership and cooperation with the rest of the world.

• Fellow Rwandans;
• Friends of Rwanda;

Let me conclude by reiterating that we have made good progress.

Let us start the new year with renewed energy, determined to work even harder and smarter, and with resolve to be permanently self-reliant.

This is my wish for all Rwandans in the coming year.

Once again, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year, full of blessings and actions that advance our development.

{{From different homes, to the streets, inside bars, restaurants and hotels, every Rwandan is excited to usher in New Year 2012.}}

Different Christians have flocked their respective churches and different places in a joint fellowship like National Stadium to pray for peace, stability and prosperity in Rwanda and across the region.

Almost nobody is left indoor except reporters who are now sitting down to their computers filing in stories.

The old people, boys and girls, women and men, families have disbursed themselves to different areas celebrating in their own styles.

Many have vowed not slumber until they see the seconds hand click on the minute to see 2012 ushering in.

Different local and regional artists have organized concerts in different joints, some sponsored by hotels, or bars to entertain their customers while others are launching their albums, it’s extremely at high nod -the best of ecstasy.

Still deciding how to spend the last night of 2011? There are parties raging throughout Kigali with security personnel on high alert.

Kigali is always happening on New Year’s Eve. Jubilant crowds party as they shake off the old year and welcome the new one with lots of fanfare – nonstop music, dances, and spectacular fireworks.

New Year’s Eve parting in Rwanda is the most celebrated event where until the wee hours of the next morning, people still in the mood.

The East African Promoters have organized the East African Party at the Expo Ground in Gikondo attracting superstars in the region.

The party kicked off at 7p.m. where lots of funs have gone to have time with their idols not minding tickets sold at Rwf2000 (ordinary section) and Rwf5000 (VIP section).

The party features top local artistes, such as Jay Polly, Kitoko, Tom Close, King James, Riderman, Uncle Austin, Knowles and Dream Boyz.

Canada-based Rwandan artistes Frankie Joe and Dady Cassanova, alias Dady Cassa, are also expected to be on the stage.

Equally expected are stars Kidum (Kenya-based Burundian artiste) and Flavor (Nigeria); both of whom have vowed to rock concertgoers into the New Year 2012.

The grand annual end-of-year party, Happy People Party, is also set at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Minaffet) Gardens in Kimihurura, Kigali.

This time, the party, famous for its fireworks displays will bring South Africa’s DJ Bego, who will play alongside Rwanda’s DJ Karim, at Quelque Part Bar & Restaurant and Sundowner in Kigali.

DJ Bego, a resident DJ at Club Hush (Ex-Moloko) in Johannesburg, South Africa, replaces Kenyan DJ Styles, who graced the previous three editions of the New Year’s Eve main bash.

Ugandan artiste Jose Chameleon will stage his end-of-year performances in Kigali at The Manor Hotel in Nyarutarama.

{{ENDS}}

{{Léon Mugesera could finally face deportation to Rwanda on January 12. This comes almost eight years after the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled that he is inadmissible to stay in Canada because he helped incite the Rwandan Tutsi genocide.}}

But the Quebec City resident, who has been fighting expulsion from Canada since 1995 and has been in legal limbo since the 2005 Supreme Court decision, is circulating an email to drum up support from friends – and he has hired a lawyer to launch more legal action.

Mugesera said he received notice from the Citizenship and Immigration department in early December that his time in Canada is fast running out.

He remained in Canada tenuously since being stripped of his permanent resident status for his role in the 1994 Tutsi genocide.He argues he would face persecution and torture if he is sent back to Rwanda.

He hired lawyer Johanne Doyon to attempt to quash the latest decision, but in the meantime was told by the Canada Border Services Agency, which carries out expulsions, that his deportation is imminent.

“This means that the Federal Court could render its decision at a time when I am already under torture and facing an atrocious death at the hands of my political enemies in power in Rwanda,” Mugesera wrote in the email.

“I would thank you if you could act on my behalf as urgently as possible. I am very uncomfortable asking you this during the holiday period.”

Doyon, who began representing Mugesera in mid-December, called the short notice of the deportation date “unbelievable” and is preparing a motion for a stay to suspend the deportation while he fights another round.

“We got notice on Dec. 27, oral notice, that the deportation was Jan. 6. We called back and said a week and a half is not reasonable,” she said, noting the date was then moved up to Jan. 12. “He arrived here (20) years ago, it’s shocking the rush of this.”

Doyon said the government is not providing enough time to seek a judicial review to quash the most recent decision and stay the deportation.

“The file is years and years, boxes and boxes, it’s not possible to challenge the decision in such a short time,” Doyon said.

“His argument is a matter of life and death and persecution. Enemies use allegations of genocide to apply torture and persecution. He has valid grounds to challenge.”

Although the Supreme Court long ago branded Mugesera persona non grata, she said there are new legal issues at stake in his renewed legal bid that could see his case come full circle.

“Being inadmissible under the law on immigration and losing your permanent residency status is one thing. That point has been decided,” Doyon said.

“Being repatriated to your country of origin and being at risk of persecution or cruel and inhumane treatment is another thing – completely different legally and practically speaking. The Supreme Court has never ruled on that.”

Mugesera’s fate has remained uncertain for the better part of a decade while he sought final recourse with a pre-removal risk assessment. Carried out by senior officials at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, PRRAs are a stay of deportation available to anyone ordered removed from Canada, including war criminals and terrorists, if they believe they could face death or torture if repatriated. The decisions are not public but can be appealed in Federal Court.

While the years have ticked by, Rwanda’s ambassador to Canada has demanded Mugesera’s return so he can face justice as the country seeks to come to terms with the 1994 genocide through a series of war crimes tribunals. Rwandan victims of the genocide in Canada also have grown frustrated with the slow process to rid Canada of a painful reminder of the slaughter.

Mugesera is wanted to stand trial in Rwanda for a 1992 speech widely viewed as a clarion call to the genocide in which he called ethnic Tutsis “cockroaches” and stated: “Anyone whose neck you do not cut is the one who will cut your neck.”

In his speech, rebroadcast at the height of the 1994 bloodbath, he referred to Tutsis using an ethnic slur, and advocated throwing them into the Nyabarongo River – a veiled reference to a 1959 mass murder of 20,000 Tutsis.

However, Mugesera has long argued his political enemies are out for revenge that would be exacted once he sets foot in Rwanda.

The Canada Border Services Agency would not comment specifically on Mugesera’s case, but said the government is committed to ensuring those involved in crimes against humanity are not given safe haven in Canada.

“It is the CBSA’s responsibility to enforce the law. The removal of inadmissible individuals is key to maintaining the integrity of the immigration program and to ensuring fairness for those who come to this country lawfully,” said spokesperson Esmé Bailey.

“Everyone ordered removed from Canada is entitled to due process before the law and all removal orders are subject to various levels of appeal.”

{source:Montreal Gazette}

{{160 Rwanda police officers of first contingent deployed in Haiti have returned home after completing a nine-month mission under the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) since March.}}

The police officers belonging to the Formed Police Unit 1 (FPU1) deployed in Jérémie Town, South of the Caribbean, touched ground Saturday at Kigali International Airport at about 2:00am aboard RwandAir.

The Inspector General of police, Emmanuel K. Gasana received the officers at the police general headquarters at Kacyiru commending them for successfully accomplishing their task.

“Your contribution towards restoring security in Haiti has lifted Rwanda’s image high,” noted Gasana.

The police Boss told the officers that stabilizing the country, following the 1994 bloody period of Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda’s security organs took the lead to help other countries retain peace and security.

“Security is the only way to go. Development cannot be attained without security; security is a priority, followed by good governance, which results into sustainable development,” Gasana observed.

Gasana explained that Rwanda National Police has also embarked on collective security with other security organs in other countries aimed at fighting transnational crimes.

Chief Supt. Egide Ruzigamanzi, FPU1 contingent Commander said that apart from promoting peace and security in Haiti, they also introduced community work, commonly known as Umuganda.

“Haitians cheerfully welcomed the idea and now Umuganda is part of their monthly activities,” said Ruzigamanzi.

Ruzigamanzi explained that FPU1 acquired more skills after interacting with Police Officers from other countries, which he said, will help them to effectively execute their duties back home.

Police officers from 53 countries are part of the UN mission in Haiti.

{{North Korea’s new leader, Kim Jong-un, has risen to the supreme commander of the communist nation’s massive armed forces, state media reported Saturday, a strong indication that the young son of late leader Kim Jong-il is solidifying power.}}

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party met Friday and “proclaimed that the dear respected Kim Jong-un assumed the supreme commandership of the Korean People’s Army according to the behest of leader Kim Jong-il on Oct. 8.”

The commandership is one of the titles that the late leader held before he died due to a heart attack on Dec. 17, along with the general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party and the chairman of the National Defense Commission.

Kim Jong-un, believed to be in his late 20s, is expected to assume the other posts as well.

North Korea’s 1.19 million-strong military is one of the world’s largest.

Friday’s politburo meeting also “underlined the need to hold Kim Jong-un in high esteem as the only center of unity, cohesion and leadership of the WPK (Workers’ Party of Korea), devotedly defend him politically and ideologically, and give fuller play to the might of the political and ideological power,” KCNA said.

The late leader, who took over North Korea after the 1994 death of his father and national founder Kim Il-sung, had been grooming the third son as a successor, promoting him to the rank of a four-star general and naming him vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party.

On Saturday, the North said it will issue gold and silver coins to mark the 20th anniversary of late leader’s 1991 ascension to the supreme commandership, saying the move is to keep the late leader’s “immortal achievements shining through generations.”

The Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly made the decision, praising the late leader for making North Korea “an invincible military power” with nuclear weapons that no enemy can dare touch under his “songun” or military-first leadership.

The North also stepped up threats against the South.

In “joint calls” of the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the Workers’ Party, the North said it will turn South Korea’s presidential office “Cheong Wa Dae and the stronghold of aggression into a sea of fire and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification without fail if the enemies dare mount an attack,” according to KCNA.

The threat came a day after the North’s National Defense Commission said it “will have no dealings with the (South Korean President) Lee Myung-bak group of traitors forever,” a statement that appears to suggest that Pyongyang’s policy toward the South will remain unchanged.

The North’s commission issued the statement, accusing the South of banning its people from visiting Pyongyang to offer condolences and of seeking to drive a wedge between ordinary North Koreans and the North’s leadership over Kim’s death.

Relations between the two Koreas frayed after Lee took office in early 2008 with pledges to halt aid and link future assistance to progress in efforts to end North Korea’s nuclear programs.

The ties were further stretched after the North launched two deadly attacks on the South last year.

{{Kigali city waste management specialists are currently having sleepless nights identifying where a tentative waste site will be allocated.}}

Several sites have been visited both in Nyarugenge and Gasabo Districts and they are yet to give technical report for approval.

“We are actually from visiting one of the sites, we have identified so we are going to put down all technicalities for considerations before approving one site,” John Mugabo the waste Management Expert has told IGIHE.com by cell phone.

The tentative site will be used instead of Nyanza waste site in Kicukiro District before the permanent waste site will be identified in the Kigali City Master Plan.

Last week, the Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi gave an ultimatum to Kigali City Authorities to look for another site and close the current Nyanza based waste site.

“What we are now doing is getting a tentative waste site so as to shift from that of Kicukiro District to either Nyarugenge or Gasabo Districts, we will get one site before Kigali master plan is fully implemented,” Mugabo added.

Nyanza garbage site which is a home of tones and tones of garbage dumped there had become a health hazard for the nearby dwellers with risk of getting contagious diseases.

Nearby dwellers had begun complaining to authorities that when the rain falls, it makes the whole area stink and water carrying garbage through residents.

Former Mayor William Ntidendereza had warned over possible health hazards that could emanate from Nyanza garbage site.

“Although there is no study yet conducted on its likely health hazards, we can’t rule out possibility of it being a threat to nearby residents,” Ntidendereza said in 2007 when he was still a mayor before replaced by the incumbent Jules Ndamage in 2008.

Though there is no detailed study of the Nyanza garbage dumping site, between 300-350 tons per day.

It was officially opened as the cities dumping site in 2003 having started in 1988.

{{ENDS}}