Category: News

{{President Paul Kagame has said that Rwanda’s development is not miracles but sweats from citizens that have worked tirelessly.}}

Kagame was giving his speech which concluded the 9th National Dialogue which attracted hundreds of executive, judiciary, parliamentarians, members of diplomats, friends of Rwanda and Rwandan from Diaspora.

“The good things we have done are clear to all, we do them for our own good not for appreciation or praises but we should not praise ourselves. When you praise yourself it drags your mind and you become complacent. We don’t want complacency but rather development,” Kagame said.

“These good things gives us hope, due to this massive improvements some see them as miracles, even though we have massive improvement that give hope, they are not miracles they are works of citizens from leaders to the common persons,” He added.

“That woman, that man on his level, in that deep villages and his family and all challenges faced for survival, waking up daily for work which all adds up to these good things the nation attain,a cultivator or livestock famer gets luck when the rain falls but the one who has not done any will never get luck from the rain that will fall,” Kagame explained.

Kagame called upon Rwandans should continue to use their strength, knowledge to be a people and conserve nation’s dignity which makes it the prime principle.

According to Kagame, a society has a culture with a discipline which enables one to conserve a dignity which makes one give dignity to others too.

“I don’t agree why we should not value one another’s dignity, that is why there are those who want to devalue our dignity, we should not allow it but rather should give them their dignity which ends up earning us our own dignity,” Kagame said.

Kagame also said that he has taken criticisms from his critic as a positive thing that keeps him check his leadership.

He said no one should discouraged by criticisms but rather a checking scale and wake up factor to work hard or prevent any reason to be criticized.

“Those who like criticizing they cannot ask question in this kind of forum because they fear to be challenged and fear to know the truth because they don’t want to get the truth. There is a person who decide to be rigged to an extent that if given facts he/she is on a wrong side, he adamantly refuses to accept it,” Kagame said.

“On another side I can get something positive from all these criticisms so as not to be complacent because it gives you pressure which makes you check yourself. It reminds not to be complacent and say what if what they are criticizing me is true. I question if what they are criticizing do exist and should be corrected if they don’t exist then let me work hard to prevent them,” he said.

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{{Residents of Ngoma Sector in Huye District have commended the issuing of land certificates that began 14th December saying the move will cut down on land related disputes.}}

While launching the exercise, the Executive Secretary of Ngoma sector Sahundwa Pascal said,“The number of people with land-related problems will be reduced.”

According to Juvenal Bavugirije in charge of the land bureau at Huye district, totally owning a piece of land requires having a land certificate.

Documents which are being offered are “The contract of Emphyteotic lease”, “The certificate of land registration” and “The cadastral extract”.

The activity of issuing land certificates launched in Ngoma sector will continue at cell level facilitating local people in easily accessing Land documents.

{{President Paul Kagame has urged Ministry of Gender and Family Planning and Central Bank to help Women and Youth to access loans.}}

Kagame tasked Minister Aloysia Inyumba to implement the available program that paves way to help women and youth access loans.

He said that “The important thing is the implementation of this program at the right time”.

Minister Inyumba said that they’re in discussions with Central Bank to get a proper way to help them access loans through Business Development Fund(BDF).

Amb. Claver Gatete the Governor of Central Bank said that they’re processing all required channels to have it achieved in the near future.

He added that there is a problem where Women and Youth don’t equally access loans on the same percentage.

“Before we had faced many challenges to differentiate the way women and youth should access loans because women are in different categories and we hope to get a solution sooner,” said Gatete.

On other hand youth who didn’t have the security to access loans, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Francois Kanimba said that however his ministry started a program seeking 50 young entrepreneurs in a competition to be recommended for BDF.

Kanimba added that there’s a way they can make a big number of entrepreneurs in the ongoing program called Hanga Umurimo hence creating jobs.

In these days youth especially young graduates cry lack of security to access loans in Rwandan banks to start their own businesses in time of failing to get jobs.

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{{The staff of United Kingdom based global Network of Independent Accounting Firms PKF international with a local branch has donated Rwf 700,000 to an orphanage home in Gatsabo District.}}

PKF International Limited (PKFI) administers the PKF network of legally independent member firms. There are over 245 member firms and correspondents in 440 locations in 125 countries providing accounting and business advisory services.

It has member firms with US $2.4 billion aggregate fee income (year end June 2010) and the network is a member of the Forum of Firms – an organisation dedicated to consistent and high quality standards of financial reporting and auditing practices worldwide.

Emma Mujawabikira, caretaker of the orphanage commended their support and urged the society to not only think of assisting them but also use the will to help those who are needy.

Murtuza Dalal a PKF Rwanda partner, noted that the auditing firm had formed an East African foundation to assist the needy in the region. The assistance include scholarships, food etc.

His colleague Boniface Mutua the PKF Country Director added that continuous assistance is essential.

“The amount we gave them was just a start, next year we intend to meet with university students residing in this orphanage and find ways to upgrade their skills either by working with them as interns or offer them scholarships,” he promised.

However, Mujawabikira cautioned groups of people who have shown interest to support them but later fade away.

“There are these people from Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) for example, they came took photos promised wonders then later kept quiet,” she said adding.

“We really struggle to take care of over 250 children including 14 infants, feeding them for instance is our biggest challenge especially pupils who study in our primary school enclosed in the compound, PKF support is a major boost and pray for them blessings for their will to continued support in our orphanage.”

The orphanage was started by catholic priests in the year 1978 in Gikogoro district then later shifted to the city in 1991; currently their biggest donations come from the Italian Catholic church.

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{{The government has a challenge to recover over Rwf 1bn from the cases it won arrested officials for embezzling state funds.}}

This was mentioned by Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi while presenting a report of the last National Dialogue during the two-day 9th National Dialogue that commenced at the lower chamber of parliament.

Habumuremyi’s presentation highlighted resolutions adopted from the last National Dialogue which recorded achievements in different sectors that included Judiciary, education, financial, security and good governance among others.

The prime Minister said that over 1030 cases filed for embezzling state funds only 779 cases have been closed categorized in crimes that cripple the country economy.

He also said that on the side of genocide fugitives only USA and a few countries in European community have accepted to arrest and try the suspects.

Despite having noted that more efforts were still needed, prime minister said that a lot had been achieved but still called for joint efforts among ministries to seek solutions to the challenges in the country.

According to the prime minister, the National Dialogue is the right forum that can have positive results saying that 83% of the issues highlighted in the last Dialogue were accomplished.

Habumuremyi said that an issue of Umurenge Sacco was highlighted in the last Dialogue and accomplished with better results.

He said that to date the increased 1.3m members have saved over Rwf 23.3bn from Rwf 6bn in the previous year.

Habumuremyi added that 1166 houses for Genocide survivors were built including intensive fight of Genocide ideologies and over 34000 houses built in an effort to fight Nyakatsi.

Because of the involvement of residents to contribute towards 9 year basic education and other relevant partners, 66% of the whole budget of Rwf 102bn was covered to build additional needed class rooms.

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{{Referring to the repeated question about the term limit, President Paul Kagame said the author of the opinion should be the one to respond to journalists who have over asked him about it.}}

Recently, while addressing a press conference in Kampala, Uganda journalists asked President Paul Kagame whether he is not bothered by people suggesting him to run for third term.

The journalists referred to the view which was forwarded by Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana the Minister of Internal security.

For two times, Minister Harerimana from Idealist Democratic Party (PDI)has publicly expressed his view to amend Rwandan constitution to remove presidential term limits to allow Kagame run for a third term of office.

According to Article 101 of the 2003 Rwandan Constitution, the President of the Republic of Rwanda is elected for a term of seven years renewable only once.

“There’s contradiction, on one hand you say people should have freedom to express themselves. On the other hand, you start questioning somebody expressing himself.” President Kagame said recently in Uganda referring to his critics who say there is no freedom of expression in Rwanda an issue he repeatedly commented on in his speech while opening the 9th National Dialogue.

“There is this question I have kept on answering, and keeps coming back asking me if I am comfortable with people saying to amend the constitution for me to run for the third term, I begin to answer what I never suggested. Fazil who said it is here,” he said.

“I can serve my country whether I am in this office or out of this office. I actually served my country even before I came to this office but people keep on accusing me for the offence I have not committed. I think Fazil needs to carry his own cross,”Kagame said.

Kagame added, “This is not serious and some of us are used to serious issues, members of the press misunderstand us. They draw cartoon of me that when they asked me I was vague, I have never been vague in my life,” Kagame concluded his speech.

In an interview with a local newspaper The Chronicles, Prof. Shyka Anastase, the executive director of Rwanda Governance Advisory Council, a national body that promotes and monitors good governance in Rwanda, described Harerimana’s comments as a joke.

“I think he was probably trying to be funny. He was just saying out what was in his mind but nobody in Rwanda is actually interested in following him,” he said.

“President Kagame has stated clearly that he shouldn’t be counted in if anyone ever wants him for another term because he is not interested in that game,” Prof. Shyaka added.

The Professor said there is no such momentum building up in the country to delete term limits, stating that had the comments come from inside the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front or two years before the next election due in 2017, or if Kagame says I’ ll think about it, then people would be worried.

Only Uganda in this region has no presidential term limits which turned around since 2005.

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{{President Paul Kagame has blasted people who tend to believe that they are placed in better position to teach Rwanda about freedom and democracy.}}

Kagame was officially opening the on-going 9th national Dialogue at the parliamentary building where different dignitaries within the country, Rwandans in the Diaspora and friends of Rwanda from international community in their diplomatic representatives attended.

“This dialogue should be a platform to examine how we give ourselves dignity,” Kagame said citing some people who question Rwanda’s freedom.

“They have questioned political space, freedom of expression and democracy. They have made themselves teachers of political freedom, teachers of freedom of expression, they can’t be teachers of freedom when they give freedom to the murders of our own people, freedom to Bagosora and his colleagues now walking free in their territories and you come here to give us a lesson?,” Kagame said.

“We have fought for our freedom and freedoms for others. There are no lessons to learn from these people with double standards,” he added.

Kagame said some journalists, Human Rights activists and masqueraders should not speak for all Rwandans.

He said that some people make it a myth to indicate that only the selected few have the answers to Rwanda.

“They should first get answers to their own problems before they claim to carry answers to Rwanda. Who are you to teach me about my freedom? You come here to teach me about my freedom?, I am not that kind, i am not cheap,” Kagame added.

“They feel they can do anything like what they did to Mutara Rudahigwa, even if they can do anything, it does not make them right,” He noted.

He noted that the reason for external disrespect is due to over dependency hence called for working hard to end dependency because when one is a beggar does not have a choice.

President called upon the participants in the 9th National Dialogue therefore to treat it as a very important and leaving it more than determined to leave beggar spirit behind.

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{{The Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Lt. Gen Charles Kayonga Wednesday concluded a five day working visit to Sudan where he visited Rwanda Contingents deployed in UNAMID Darfur, Sudan, from 10th to 14th December 2011.}}

The working visit to Rwandan contingents serving in United Nations-African Union Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) was aimed at witnessing how the RDF, Rwanda National Police and Civilian Staff are executing their duties in contributing to UN Peace and to wish them a happy holiday season.

Rwanda is one of the biggest Troop Contributors in the Mission.

Lt Gen Charles Kayonga also held discussions with UNAMID Force Commander Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba and other Senior UNAMID officials who briefed him on the situation in Darfur.

The CDS and his delegation held meetings with Rwandan Officers, and troops of RWABATT 26 deployed in Zalinge, RWABATT 28 in Kabkabiya, RWABATT 29 and RWABATT 27 deployed at UN Headquarters, El Fasher and Zam Zam respectively.

The contingents briefed him on how they are executing the UN duties and their role in contributing to peace building not only through the conventional methods but also through sharing Rwanda’s experience in home grown solutions.

Addressing the Rwandan Peacekeepers on ground, the CDS conveyed greetings from the leadership and compatriots from home, briefed them on activities RDF is engaged in at home and wished them happy holidays.

During the visit to Sudan, the CDS paid a courtesy call to his counterpart in Sudan and visited SAF Military Academies.

{{In a meeting held at Lemigo hotel, attracting different energy stakeholders, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has pledged support to Rwanda’s efforts to obtain geothermal energy.}}

Without giving details, the resident representative, Hiroyuki Kobayashi said that they have brought five experts in geothermal exploration and will provide technical support whenever the need arises.

The financial lending arm of Japanese government has widely embarked on supporting geothermal energy explorations globally including Africa.

Last week, JICA signed memorandum of understanding to finance feasibility studies for two geothermal projects in Costa Rica, Pailas II and Borinquen in Guanacaste province.

Since reopening its office in 2005, JICA Rwanda has implemented more than twenty projects on the ground, including those supported by Japanese volunteers through Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) – JICA’s volunteer program.

Currently, approximately nine activities are ongoing in the three priority areas of Human Resource Development, Rural Development and Economic Infrastructure and Industrial Development.

In August the agency launched a USD 18 million project to supply water to communities in Ngoma and Kirehe districts covering five sectors with a population of 31,000, while in Ngoma district, two sectors with 28,000 people benefiting from the project.

Early this year, the government announced plans to spend US $935 million on the development of 310 megawatts of electricity from geothermal sources in the next seven years.

Geothermal energy is produced by tapping the steam created by water trapped near hot rocks in the earth.

In the statement from former energy and water minister, the geothermal sources have been identified between Gisenyi and Karisimbi Volcano and Bugarama.

Rwanda had an installed capacity of only 69 MW in 2009, but plans to increase to 130 MW by the end of 2012 through investments in small hydropower and methane gas plants.

State Minister for Energy and Water, Emma Francoise Isumbingabo said the exploration of geothermal energy is set to commence at the slopes of Mt. Karisimbi.

Isumbingabo said feasibility studies have been conducted and before end of this month findings will be compiled to enable the beginning of the drilling three planned wells at Karisimbi.

She added that the exercise is expected to be completed in two months.
The minister said that surveys conducted by various firms since 1983, including Kenya Electricity Company (KenGen), in 2009, indicated that the geothermal resource area at Karisimbi was enormous.

Other sites identified are Gisenyi, Kinigi and Bugarama.

According to the national electricity master plan, geothermal energy is expected to contribute at least 300 MW to the national grid by 2017, and potentially provide half of the country’s energy requirements by 2020.

Rwanda is also looking at developing hydropower, methane gas, solar, biogas, peat, with an ultimate goal to reach 1,000 MW of production capacity by 2017.

Experts estimate the geothermal potential along the East African Rift Valley in excess of 15,000 MW, but the huge potential has remained largely untapped except in Kenya and Ethiopia.

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{{The New Minister of youth’s first public announcement has come with a warning to bar owners who sell alcohol to the under age.}}

Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana reminded bar owners that selling alcohol to under age was illegal and purnishable by Rwandan law.

He was addressing over 2000 students at Regional stadium Nyamirambo who successfully completed their civic training commonly known as {Itorero ry’Igihugu.}

“The law is very clear; selling alcoholic drinks to a person less than 21 years of age is illegal. Once caught, they will be charged accordingly,” Nsengimana said in a protest to those drugging young generation.

Students also signed performance contracts (Imihigo) with the ministry to form unity and reconciliation clubs, fighting consumption of drugs and other social vices towards beviral change.

At least 36,115 students completed three weeks of civic education training at various camps across the country.

Students attended the training in their home districts contrary to previous arrangements where the programme could be conducted at Nkumba Peace and Leadership Centre in Burera District.

In general students say the training helped them understand more of government programmes and also helped them get a picture of Rwanda’s future.

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