Category: News

{{Women study journalism on a reasonable basis but choose to change the field to public relations to almost 85% due to job security and lack of enough investment.}}

In his presentation the Minister of information Musoni Protais said, the government of Rwanda ensures that, the role of women journalists is embarked on a comprehensive media reforms.

“I have no doubt that, Rwanda is promoting gender equality through gender mainstreaming in media industry which will improve the proficiency,” he said.

The minister stressed that government has demonstrated a political will and commitment to gender equality and the necessary press freedom resulting into the present political stability, national reconciliation and respect of human rights and freedom.

A diplomat representing Norwegian Ambassador to Rwanda noted that freedom of expression and free media are essential for realisation of fundamental rights and a cornerstone of democracy in any society.

She observed that some women take serious personal risks related practicing journalism at their work places, like being harassed, threatened and even killed in the field doing investigative assignments.

“Though there are a lot of things to be improved, like collaboration between media houses and institutions as well as among individual media professionals , countries have to unite and design women’s future,” she said.

she added that with gender equality, “you need conscious strategies, and specific measures and plans to encourage women into the career.”

However, the Police Spokesperson Supt. Badege, said that so far there is no any case police has received about harassment of female journalists and incase it happens, they will be considered as other crimes police deals with.

In a video massage of the Executive Director of UN in charge of women, Michelle Bachelet said, “Journalists are the voice of the silent and the champions of the forgotten”

She further said that, the Global Media Monitoring Project Report of 2010 revealed that women reporters are responsible for 37% of the stories compared to 28% 15 years ago while in Africa 30% on of news is covered by women.

President of senate, Hon Vincent Biruta’s said, though women are well represented in other decision- making organs of the government, “I do not think media is well represented like other sectors. Female representation is not as impressive to the extent that, where only 29% of women are media practitioners while less that 10% take media leadership roles”.

“If you educate one man that is educating one person and if you educate one woman is to educate the whole nation”, said VicentBiruta.

“Women journalists have endured bad work conditions for some time and it’s harder for them to report sexual harassment cases due to fear of losing jobs, said Faith Mbabazi the president of women’s journalists Association.”

According to Gaspard Safari, the president of Rwanda’s journalists Association, both public and independent media still have few career women scribes and called upon all media house owners to consider all employees equally.

“Gender equality in Rwandan media is not as in other countries because the problem we meet is poor work conditions payment which why females are not comfortable working with the media.”

{{As petitions continue enlarging in the public against Ishema Newspaper following its controversial story published in its issue No.24, the management of Ishema newspaper has said they are organizing to petition against its opposition side, a source told igihe.com}}

The source said that the partners and management team of Ishema newspaper are organizing a meeting either this Saturday or Sunday to discuss the way forward and that if possible, the paper might have a break for at least a month without publishing.

When contacted Ishema Newspaper Managing Director, Fidele Gakire confirmed the developments: “Yes we might have a meeting this Sunday to see where we stand today because its worsening in the public and to some officials in MHC who are not helping us on the issue yet they are there to protect media”.

“The President himself forgave me on that issue and told me he has no problem with me but I don’t know why the public is allegedly reacting like that.”

“These days, personally, I can’t travel with public taxis because I am humiliated by the public. Whoever recognizes me starts pinpointing me to the friend and I don’t know why. This is why I have to go on table talks with my partners and study on the way forward, and if possible we can have like one month break,” Gakire revealed

This follows an affidavit signed by over 1,500 residents of Gasabo district petitioning against the paper for is article published as explained above. Adrien Seruvumba of Gatsata sector in the same district had also earlier petitioned on the same issue.

This Monday, schools opened for the 3rd term. However, the pupil pictured below prefered to remove his shoes and walk bare footed as he returned home on a sunny day.

Around this time of the year, the Banana harvest season starts and bananas commonly known as Matooke are in plenty. However, its not clear whether the Traffic Police will let this moto taxi deliver his package to final destination..

{{An elderly Rwandan immigrant Lazare Kobagaya 84, accused of genocide by the Rwandan government, reacted with joy yesterday after hearing news that the US government has dismissed all charges against him and also to hear that his U.S citizeniship was restored.}}

However the Rwandan government has not welcomed the closure of charges against him by the U.S government saying that he was supposed to be deported back to Rwanda to be charged against 1994 genocide crimes.

Exclusively speaking to igihe.com, Jean bosco Siboyintore, the Acting head of Rwanda’s Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit (GFTU) said: “We had earlier requested the U.S government to deport him back to Rwanda and be charged with genocide crimes because we had not welcomed their charges against him about immigration crimes.

“The U.S government does not have the law to prosecute genocide crimes and he should be deported to be charged in Rwanda.

“If that is the decision taken to dismiss all charges on him, then we are going to review it and ask the U.S government about another alternative on how to get him charged on genocide,” Siboyintore added.

On the other hand, Kobagaya’s lawyer said: “He won’t be deported, he won’t be jailed, he won’t be put on probation and that his life is basically restored.”

US prosecutors had charged Kobagaya with lying about his actions during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda in order to gain entry to the United States and eventual citizenship.

While he cannot be tried in a US court for crimes committed in Rwanda, Kobagaya could be deported if convicted of lying to immigration officials when he denied participating in genocide.

His family said that deportation to Rwanda is tantamount to a death sentence.

In May, jurors found that Kobagaya made a false statement on his visa application about his whereabouts in 1994.

They deadlocked over whether he misled officials on a citizenship application by denying he took part in genocide.

On Thursday, however, prosecutors filed a motion seeking to set aside the verdict and dismiss all charges against Kobagaya. Judge Monti Belot granted the motion to throw out the case against him.

Prosecutors said they had failed to inform defense attorneys of an immigration official’s statement that Kobagaya’s mere presence in Rwanda in 1994 would not have barred him from entering the United States.

The investigation and trial, which involved sending investigators to Africa and bringing witnesses from Rwanda to Wichita, is estimated to have cost between one and two million dollars, Kerns said.

“Do I think it was a huge waste of money to prosecute this case in the first place?” Kerns said.

According to Siboyintore, the investigation carried out in Rwanda by the U.S officials was basically related to the charges of immigration crimes.

“U.S officials came and investigated about Kobagaya in Rwanda and even took some witnesses to testify because they wanted to know if he got involved in genocide so that he can be denied citizenship since U.S cannot grant citizenship to people who committed genocide and that was the reason of investigation in Rwanda,” Siboyintore pointed out.
He added that as Rwandan government, Kobagaya’s charges on genocide will continue.

Siboyintore also said that he doesn’t know why U.S dismissed charges on Kobagaya since it was proved that the genocide happened when he was in Rwanda yet he had lied saying he was not in the country by the time.

During his trial, some witnesses testified that he led the killing of ethnic Tutsi residents of Rwanda, but other witnesses contradicted those statements, Inquirer news reports.

Kobagaya became a US citizen in 2006. He came to the attention of US officials after giving a statement in support of a former neighbor on trial for genocide in Finland.

Kerns said the erroneous visa application was actually filled out by one of Kobagaya’s sons.

Kobagaya has 11 sons and daughters, all but one of whom lives in the United States, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Kerns said. “The family reaction was overwhelming joy and a great sense of relief that the case has finally come to a close,” Kerns said

{{With the upcoming campaigns for senatorial polls scheduled in a fortnight, public media houses stand warned against taking sides by providing equal coverage to all candidates without fear or favour in respect of the media ethics.}}

According to the Media High Council Executive Secretary Patrice Mulama, it’s the constitutional obligation for the government media outlets to give equal airtime and space to all contestants to ensure free and fair elections.

“On behalf of the MHC, I appear to all public media houses to provide equal airtime and space to all candidates and to avoid giving publicity to some candidates to the detriment of others as this would be unconstitutional” He underscored.

Mulama observed that in the last presidential elections, all public media outlets under the Umbrella of ORINFOR, now Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, gave equal publicity to all candidates and argued the agency to replicate the same fairness during the senatorial polls.

He pointed out that the MHC has it among her other mandates to monitor the coverage of all forms elections by public media organs in the country to ensure free and fair competition for public office by all candidates who qualify through the National Electoral Commission guidelines.

The elections for the 12 senators to represent all provinces and the City of Kigali are scheduled to take place on September 26, while government and private institutions of higher learning will pick their representatives the following day.

According to Article 82 of the Rwandan constitution, the senate is composed of 26 Senators elected for a term of eight years not renewable meaning the tenure of service for the Senate President Vincent Biruta and colleagues definitively ends soon.

The elections for the 12 senators to represent all provinces and the City of Kigali are scheduled to take place on September 26, while government and private institutions of higher learning will pick their representatives the following day.

Pursuant to article 82 paragraph 2, eight are appointed by the President, four are designated by the Consultative Forum of Political Parties, and two come from the private and government institutions of higher learning

Rwanda political pundits believe that Dr. Vincent Biruta who has been heading the legislature for more than a decade and is a President of main opposition party Social Democratic Party (PSD) is likely to get another high profile posting to ensure amicable relations between the ruling RPF and the entire democratic opposition parties.

In fact an insider who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, predicts a major cabinet reshuffle soon after the senatorial elections to accommodate bigwigs outside the RPF arena.

{{Nyarugenge District has initiated night guards’ wear to stamp out bewilderment between guards and thieves}}.

During a meeting with local leaders (cells) the mayor of Nyarugenge Solange Mutakwasuku requested leaders to sensitize the citizens.

Mutakwasuku urged citizens to keep security lights on all night to help guards trap thieves.

She further warned that nothing can compensate for security adding the night guards’ service to the residents is invaluable in monetary terms and argued residents in Kigali city suburbs to treat the guards with dignity instead of looking down on them.

To make a distinction between thieves and night guards, each guard’s wear will be numbered in order to remove that misunderstanding and incase guards misdemeanors, it can be easy for a victim to report him/her, Mutakwasuku elaborated.

Some top officials, policemen and others repudiate to contribute Frw 1000 for security and this influences the night guards, said Charlotte Mukangamije responsible of security contribution in Mucyuranyana cell, Nyakabanda sector.

Mukasonga said, no leader is supposed to use their title to refuse paying night security contribution.

She further urged citizens that every body is responsible for security and community work.

The RnB and Bongo style and best group of the year in Salax Music
Awards, the Dream boys music group will soon broaden their music career
to Rwandan Diaspora in France in December.

“We want to go further to Paris where most of our songs are cherished and
and selling like hotcakes. We have so far improved our live concerts, and much better for French. People to see the talents of Rwandans live,” Says Nemeye Platini from Dream Boys.

The event organizer, and coordinator of Dream Boys Paris concert, Ben Kayiranga, 44 year renown for ‘Freedom’ song, lived in France since he was 17 says, “If someone is talented no need of not helping him or her”

“So far we recorded a song called ‘Isezerano’ that also proved to me that they are good at controlling their voices, hope they can also do the same on the stage.

“I urge them to perform live because playback is not played in
France and hope they enjoyed and learnt from PGGSS” Kayiranga says.

Kayiranga, however cautioned, that Dream Boys have to sign an agreement before they depart Rwanda for the sake of returning to the motherland since their songs are liked by Rwandan
Diaspora not whites, so they better use the chance to promote them over there and come back with a full package.

After winning a 4th position in PGGSS, the management of Bralirwa promised to sponsor the dreams launch. Platini says that as soon as in November the album might be released.

He further says, since they begun in 2009, the two songs that amazed him are Isano and Sinzika

Kayiranga was born in Rwanda and now has French nationality, he is
married with three children who all live with him in France.He left Rwanda when
he was 17 and is an electrician and an I.T technician.

{{The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) is contesting construction of a new gas station at Jolie site in Kibagabaga a Kigali suburb saying the developer did not satisfy all the requirements before construction would begin.}}

Business tycoon Victor Nduwumwami allegedly started construction of the new petrol station late last year at Jolie site at Kibagabaga.He obtained a building permit from Gasabo District and a certificate of environmental impact assessment (EIA) from Rwanda Development Board.

However, REMA contests the validity of the certificate accusing the businessman of dodging a crucial step of public hearing saying the certificate issued by RDB is invalid.

“We have informed all the parties about our recommendations involving the halt of the construction work at the site and everyone must take precautions serious”, said Rose Mukankomeje, REMA Managing Director.

But since February, the beginning of written letters between REMA and the businessman, the construction of the petrol station has gone ahead rapidly and residents nearby the controversial station have threatened to stop the construction works saying the project scares their lives.

However, neither the Gasaba district administration nor the national police have taken an initiative to resolve the standoff.

“The population has no right to just refuse a project like that” says Willy Ndizeye, the Mayor of Gasabo in telephone before adding: “But if the documents are invalid, we should stop the construction and where necessary demolish the structures”.

On one side, the mayor of Gasabo is looking into REMA’s recommendations, based on an expertise reporting the project irregularities and potential threats resulting from the station for Jolie site residents.

On the other hand, the national police would only intervene, according to Spt Theos Badege the spokesman, at the request of the district administration authority.

REMA could also consider a judicial action says Faustin Munyazikwiye REMA acting director of environmental regulation and pollution control department.

“There are laws in this country and I have original documents and I challenge any aggrieved parties to address the issue to the competent court rather than taking the law in their hands” the tycoon responds to critics.

{{Rwanda Government is in negotiations with UN peace keeping mission in Haiti to transport one of its police officers who died last night in the Dominican hospital the Spokesman of the National Police supt. Theos Badege has said.}}

The deceased Sgt. Ndagijimana Serge Kamari, 46-year-old was shot last Friday during an attack at his home in Haiti’s capital city Port-au-Prince and was admitted immediately at a hospital with serious injuries which resulted into death after intensive treatment.

“Sergeant Kamari died from wounds at the Cedimat hospital in the Dominican Republic, where he was immediately evacuated after being wounded by gunshots during an assault on his home in Port-au-Prince on August 19″ The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said in a statement.

“In the name of all MINUSTAH police personnel, we express deep sympathy to all his fellow countrymen serving at the mission and present our sincere condolences to his family,” said UN police commissioner Marc Tardif.

Kamari went to Haiti in April and was assigned to a regular patrol of a Port-au-Prince camp for displaced survivors of the January 2010 earthquake.

UN police spokesperson Raymond Lamarre confirmed the death but didn’t provide a possible motive for the killing, citing an ongoing probe.

The one and only Limousine in Rwanda belonging to city tycoon; Barry Ndengeye has been seized and given to the Rwanda Commercial Bank (BCR) pending a huge debt Ndengeye owes to the bank.

According to the National Police, the Limousine that has been held at the Remera Police Station for some time over tycoons failure to service the loan he acquired from the bank, has confirmed its handover to the BCR.

Police Spokesperson, Supt Theos Badege pointed out that, there is a deadline given by the law to the debtor to refund the money, and that if the debtor does not show up in that given period; then the property is given to the creditor and this the same case with the tycoon (Ndengeye) and his Limousine.

The tycoon whose dancing club ‘B-Club’ that was located in Nyarutarama was also burnt down; the then National Police Spokesperson Supt. Eric Kayiranga said that Ndengeye fled the country to Goma in DRC adding that investigations were underway to know the reason why he escaped the country.

It was then in first months of the last year when his luxury Limousine was confiscated and taken to the police station near his residential area at Remera.

According to Anand Sanjeev of BCR, he declined the information about the loan that the tycoon is supposed to be paying back to the bank saying that according to laws, that should remain private.

The saga has happened just few days; rumours are spreading alleging that the Tycoon confirmed that he is organizing his way back to invest in Rwanda.