Category: News

{{This week, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is expected to deliver two judgments, including that of the considered mastermind of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, and conduct appeals hearing involving two other individuals.}}

Whereas State Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are set to elect new judges and prosecutor of the Court.

On December 14, the ICTR Appeals Chamber will deliver appeals judgments in the case of two former Rwandan senior military officials, including the alleged mastermind of the 1994 genocide, Colonel Théoneste Bagosora and his colleague Lieutenant Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva.

The other judgment involve ex-senior Rwandan official, Dominique Ntawukulilyayo.

Bagosora, former Director of Cabinet in the Defence Ministry and Nsengiyumva, who was in charge of military operations in Gisenyi, are appealing against life imprisonment sentences imposed on them on December 18, 2008 after being convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

For Ntawukulilyayo, who was deputy governor of Gisagara in Butare prefecture, South Rwanda in 1994, is appealing the August 3, 2010 decision in which he was convicted of genocide and sentenced to 25 years in jail for his role in the April 23, 1994 massacres of Tutsi refugees at Kabuye hill in the prefecture.

The ICTR Appeals Chamber is due to hear an appeal for Rwandan former businessman Gaspard Kanyarukiga and ex-Commander of Ngoma military camp in Butare prefecture, southern Rwanda, Lieutenant Ildephonse Hategekimana, on December 14 and 15, respectively.

Hategekimana is appealing a life sentence imposed on him by the lower court on December 6, 2010, for genocide and crimes against humanity (murder and rape), for ordering the massacres of Tutsis who had sought refuge at the Ngoma church in Butare prefecture.

Regarding Kanyarukiga, the lower court convicted him of genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity on November 1, 2010. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in massacres of Tutsis at Nyange Parish in Kivumu commune, Kibuye prefecture (western Rwanda), on April 16, 1994.

{{The President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame has this afternoon held private talks with his Ugandan counterpart President Yoweri Museveni at State House.}}

Reliable sources say that President Kagame flew this morning to Uganda aboard the new Rwandair Boeing 737-800.

Kagame is in Uganda for a two-day visit to attend theYoung Achievers’ Awards ceremony that is taking place tonight at Speke Resort Munyonyo where he has been honoured with a Lifetime Award.

President Kagame has been awarded for his continued efforts to the country’s sustainability and development and strong efforts to recognize the youth.

The event has attracted different dignitaries from Uganda, including President Yoweri Museveni, ministers, ambassadors and the Buganda kingdom’s Nabagereka, Sylvia Nagginda.

President Kagame was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, the Minister of Local Government, James Musoni and the Minister of Gender and Family Affairs, Allosia Inyumba.

Meanwhile Kagame has also awarded this year’s overall winner of the Young Achievers Award Nelson Tugume, the co-founder and Chief Executive officer of Inspire Africa.

The initiative principally targets young and successful entrepreneurs in Africa, whose desire is to enthuse other young people willing to make it to the summit of the business world.

The ceremony was held at the Commonwealth Speke Resort Munyonyo and was meant to award different young Ugandan achievers as winners, including the tabloid private newspaper ‘Redpepper’, New Vision’s Nigel Nassar, and others from various fields including the media, music, arts, fashion and culture as well as leadership and governance.

In his speech President Kagame challenged the young achievers that, “when you think you can then you can but when you think you can’t then you are right, but we should all think we can.”

In an interview with igihe.com Tugume commended the award saying, “This is very achievement that we need to continue in Africa.”

In his remarks after receiving the award, Tugume overwhelmingly testified, “I used to be taxi conductor but I said I have to make a change.”

The biggest category which that was in the song of the year, was Wilson Bugembe jostling against Judith Babirye, Dangelo Busuulwa, Exodus and Jackie Ssenyonga.

The Young Achievers Award is an initiative designed to create a platform for harnessing talent, show case excellence and innovation among Ugandan citizens aged between 18 and 35 years, and equally inspire others to get involved and pursue their dreams.

The award was designed as an intervention to address the pressing issue of unemployment among the youth through promotion of the concept of job creation and alternative skills training programs particularly vocational skills.

{{In the Eastern Province, Kayonza District in the area called Rwinkwavu, a small group that named itself; Imparata is reportedly sabotaging mining activities in the area.}}

Reliable sources say that during night hours they attack mine sites owned by the organization legally authorized to carryout mining in the area. They steal minerals and sell them to unknown people in the same area.

Rwinkwavu minerals were discovered by Belgian brothers Gargarathos in 1930, and mining started in 1939 by Ridell and Gastrell (also Belgians).

The mines are now owned by Wolfram Mining and Processing Company (WMP).

{{Martin Ngoga({pictured above}), the Republic of Rwanda Prosecutor General has been appointed to head the East African Prosecutors department.}}

According to the recommendations reached during the East African Association of Prosecutors (EAAP) conference held in Kigali, Ngoga will be assisted by Tanzanian Prosecutor General Dr. Eliezer Mbuki Feleshi as his Vice President.

In the conference Prosecutors vowed to work closely and combining efforts in order to bring better services to the people they serve.

It was drafted that the next meeting of the Prosecutors in this regard will be held in August next year.

{{Emma-Claudine({photo above}) a journalist at Radio Salus based in the Southern Province has this weekend scooped Junior Chamber International (JCI) Rwanda award in its latest business plan competition dabbed ‘{terimbere}’.}}

Claudine is among the first three journalists that started with this radio station. “I am among the three journalists who started with Radio Salus and I could ask myself why Rwanda has few women in media.”

She said she wanted to change women’s behaviour by starting up a radio station where women could voice out their grievances and thoughts to be recognized. Claudine thus submitted in a detailed business plan with intension to gain experience and support.

“I thought that by starting women radio station will bring about behavior change in women and see them getting involved in all activities and media as well,”Claudine noted.

Claudine is among 13 winners including those just initiating their business ideas plus others already in business in 700 business ideas that were submitted to JCI to compete in June this year.

The journalist said she has six years experience in journalism, currently a member of Women’s Edition of Population Reference Bureau and according to her business plan she wants financial assistance worth five hundred eighty dollars to set up the business.

During the same event the new JCI Rwanda Board of Directors were inducted and sworn in. They will run the organization in the year 2012.

In her speech commenting to the new board, the outgoing JCI Rwanda President Lydie Hakizimana said, “your passion will inspire me and motivate me in the next years to come after here.”

She was replaced by Albert Nzamukwereka that will drive the organization over the year 2012.

The new Youth Minister, Jean Philibert Nsengimana as the chief guest challenged the winners saying, we want to see you changing the little millions you will get into the huge amounts.

{{Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in Rwanda to support the next phase of the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI), which started three years ago.}}

Blair who met president Kagame yesterday both commended the establishment of the innovative Strategic Capacity Building Initiative (SCBI) aimed at addressing crucial capacity constraints in a sustainable way and facilitating the achievement of Rwanda’s national development goals.

“I believe that Africa can be for the first of this century what Asia was for the second half of the last. That’s the goal but it will only become a reality if African leaders are able to drive the reforms their countries need, and African governments are equipped to deliver them. Which is why as Prime Minister I set up the commission for Africa to look into how to strengthen African governments and help them move to aid independence. And it’s why, when I left office, I set up the Africa Governance Initiative,” Tony Blair said on AGI official website.

In the recent fourth high level forum on Aid Effectiveness in South Korea, President Paul Kagame singled out the work of the Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) as a model of aid effectiveness.

During his speech, the President pointed to the unfulfilled promises of previous high level forums, which had pledged to deliver aid in a way that would put developing countries in the driving seat.

“In Paris we committed, and reaffirmed in Accra, to channel aid through country systems so as to strengthen national capacity to execute development plans, to budget efficiently and deliver services. It was also meant to build the foundation for enhanced capacity and accountability towards development results. In practice, the status quo still prevails,” Kagame said.

The President went on to say that the work of the Africa Governance Initiative, which has been working closely with the government of Rwanda since 2007, is challenging that status quo.

Blair who is in Rwanda noted that the innovative programme reflects the increasingly important role the Government of Rwanda has taken as a leader in aid effectiveness.

“Last week in Busan, we discussed how Africa can lead its own development, Rwanda is showing us how. The SCBI is truly government led, owned and managed, driven by the priorities the Government has clearly laid out. It is a huge step forward for true country ownership which sees African governments take charge of their own development,” Blair said.

The SCBI targets improved delivery in both the centre of Government and relevant Ministries and Agencies working on the four key national priorities that consist of agricultural production; mining development; access to electricity; and private sector growth.

In his address to high level dignitaries in Busan, President Kagame spoke of Rwanda’s partnership with the African Governance Initiative as a good example of capacity building.

“While donors may not be entirely to blame for bypassing these systems where they are weak, or non-functional, why not use aid to build up and strengthen such critical systems? A case in point is the partnership between Rwanda’s government and Mr Tony Blair’s African Governance Initiative, which uses embedded support to balance fast implementation of development programmes and transfer of skills,” Kagame said.

Earlier on Friday, Blair was the special guest at a discussion forum chaired by the Minister of Finance, John Rwangombwa, where senior officials from institutions directly involved in SCBI shared experiences of delivery and reaffirmed cross Government commitment to the new progamme.

“The Strategic Capacity Building Initiative is demand driven. It is based on Rwanda’s national development agenda and focused on our delivery priorities. This allows us to secure targeted support to meet our needs, rather than merely accepting whatever is offered,” Minister Rwangombwa said.

“Today’s discussion served to take stock as we start to implement this initiative and progress so far is satisfactory. Tony Blair advised us on how to drive this program in order to achieve the results we want. What is important is that the international experts suceed in mentoring Rwandan experts so that by the time they leave at the end of the four year period we will significantly increased local capacity in our institutions,” he added.

The SCBI has begun recruitment of 41 international experts who will work with 61 high caliber local counterparts who will form the next generation of Rwanda civil servants. The program has received funding support from the World Bank, African Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.

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{{In a wake unclear circumstances on whether some schools would accommodate students, the State Minister in charge of primary and secondary school have come up with a directive of only schools of excellence to be allowed to accommodate students.}}

The selection of which schools and how it will be conducted was main focus during a one day meeting here in Kigali that brought together the ministry of education, and secondary school directors.

The meeting was aimed at making preparations for the next academic year 2012 scheduled to commence on January 9, 2012.

While addressing educationalists the State minister Dr. Mathias Harebamungu, said that this year, more than 79,000 students qualify to join secondary schools, a number bigger than 40,000 students of previous years.

During the meeting it was stated that the government will transfer students in schools with adequate dormitories to accommodate all students.

The schools should have enough beds so that no student sleeps with another, and should have a adequate facilities like dining rooms and the like.

Minister Harebamungu further said that selections for students to join a boarding system will depend on the points student got, his or her school of choice and the location of the school.

For district Schools of 9 and 12 years basic education, will continue to function normally but each district will have to choose the kind of system they want.

Minister Dr. Mathias Harebamungu asked Districts to include in their reports those schools where students still trekking long distances so that the Ministry of Education can increase facilities for the 12 years basic education.

The meeting also attracted District Vice Mayors in charge of Social Affairs, District education officers, principals of schools with both lower and upper secondary with boarding school system, and principals of former ESI high schools.

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{{Researchers from Institute of Policy Analysis and Research of Rwanda (IPAR), have called for strong collaboration between the population and the leadership, to ensure impact oriented researches.}}

Meeting in a research conference, Researchers noted that their research should improve lives of ordinary Rwandan.

The call was made at the closure of the Annual IPAR Research Conference that took place in Kigali.

Under the theme: “Improving the Lives of Ordinary Rwandans: Evidence for Policy”, the meeting attracted researchers who have conducted their researches in Rwanda, on poverty reduction and promotion of economy.

The Antonia Mutoro the Executive Director of IPAR, says that researchers in and outside Rwanda, who carried out research in the country were called to present their findings.

During the meeting, it was noted that researches should be carried out without aiming to benefit or give solutions to available problems in the society hence driving towards transformation.

“For researches to improve lives of people, it should be conducted in collaboration with the population and leadership, and the implementing organ of the research resolutions,” Said Mutoro.

The IPAR presented research carried out on the importance of taking street children to a rehabilitation and Vocational Development Centre at IWAWA Island.

The Kigali City Mayor Fideli Ndayisaba who attended the meeting said that such meetings with researchers, is a platform to give in their input and to send them on areas of need.

The Institute of Policy Analysis and Research-Rwanda (IPAR-Rwanda) was established in 2008, as an independent policy research institute whose primary mandate is to conduct research and analysis leading to policy advice to the government, private sector and civil society in Rwanda.

IPAR works with researchers in higher learning institutions, universities and research institutions from countries like Uganda, UK and Tanzania.

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{{In the latest MTN promotion for their loyal customers dubbed ‘izihize’ one of the winners in the first draw has quested to sell off his gift and use the money to buy a cow since he is a farmer.}}

Emmanuel Hakizimana a farmer in Rutunga, Gasabo District had won a Samsung Galaxy Tab and told igihe.com that since the tab is not so important to him, he will sell it off and instead buy a cow.

“I am looking for people who can buy it and buy a cow because it will help me more,” he said.

In the automatic draw done a day prior to the first draw held today Dec 9, 72 people went away with 72 prizes.

Among the prizes won included LG phones, Gitego (ZTE F160) phones, Huawei IDEOS phones, Blackberry Torch with one month internet subscription, Samsung Galaxy Tabs and laptops

Recently Makolo said Izihize promotion has been launched in appreciation of customer loyalty and to give some lucky winners a memorable festive season.

“We shall be rewarding a total of 2,872 winners each week and a total of 11, 488 winners by the end of the promotion on 28th December,” she said.

In related development, MTN Rwanda this week opened two Service Centres in Huye District and Muhanga District both in Southern Province, making it a total of 15 service centres countrywide.

According to the press statement, service centres which will employ over 10 permanent staff will both offer a full range of services including data solutions, airtime and simpack sales, sim swaps, and Mobile Money services among many others.

In his remarks while recommending on the two newly inaugurated service centres, Khaled Mikkawi MTN Rwanda CEO pointed out that MTN is a committed partner in the development and extension of ICT in Rwanda.

The service centre development project is a strategic initiative MTN is driving to ensure consistent service delivery for MTN customers everywhere they go.

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{{A campaign has been launched by a local consumer union aimed at fighting abnormal rise in costs of products during the forthcoming festive season.

Towards the end of the year marked by a festive season, prices of products and services tend to gradually rise to unbearable levels leaving consumers puzzled and unable to do anything about it.}}

Effective next week, a team from the Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights Protection in Rwanda (ADECOR French abbreviation) will conduct inspections at various wholesale and retail shops in the city.

Damien Ndizeye the union’s executive secretary noted that they aim at ensuring products sold have fair prices and are in good quality.

“Normally foods and beverages have a high demand during the holiday season and some traders are ready to take advantage of the situation by raising the prices, this is a normal trend but it has to change,” he insisted.

Also the transport sector is affected since majority travel upcountry for festivities. ADECOR is collaborating with both the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) and Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) to ensure bus fares remain at normal rates.

“However we still have a problem, last month we had a meeting with transporters and agreed that bus fares should reduce from Frw20 to Frw18 per kilo meter, but we didn’t have a unanimous agreement since some claim that though fuel prices have reduced commodities relevant to their work are still high, spare parts for example,” he remarked.

In this respect, the consumer union set up a team to investigate whether the complaints were valid or it’s one of those recurring excuses aimed at squeezing more money from consumers during the holiday season.

The campaign will be implemented jointly by MINICOM under its consumer rights protection unit. The head of this department Eseparance Muhongerwa insisted that harsh punishments will be applied to ignorant traders.

Currently MINICOM has the right to confiscate expired goods or arrest traders involved in scandalous activities meant to cheat consumers but ADECOR is only limited to advocacy.

“We might be weak at the moment but we’re optimistic that our activities will be stronger when the president approves the consumer protection law,” said Ndizeye.

For the meantime ADECOR has been training various traders on consumer rights since some are not aware of privileges a consumer is entitled to when they approach them.

“Imagine! some traders would refuse to sell because its lunch time for example or doesn’t advise further the client on a commodity their selling, it even gets worse when they sell expired goods perhaps because they didn’t bother looking at the dates, these are among the basics we train them.”

As way to equip more traders with the knowledge, ADECOR intends to establish a school next year aimed at offering similar lessons.

Muhongerwa’s department also conducts the trainings, “we realized in Rwanda most traders lack competence in handling customers, this is why those in the wrong are first trained and given a warning if they repeat the same mistake, the law takes effect,” she advised.

“Affected consumers should feel free to contact toll free line 3739. If one finds a suspicious substance in their packaged beverage, and the retailer refrains to refund, the affected person should call us, and we will first investigate the matter, if it’s true the consumer will be refunded and the case will be reported to the relevant company for further investigations in order to avoid a wider occurrence of the error.”