IGIHE

Category: News

  • Rwandans react to human rights body’s report

    {{Rwandans from different walks of life have denounced the Human Rights Watch recent criticism of the country’s Gacaca traditional courts terming the courts a massive success story that ought to be modeled across board.
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    The report released on 31 May 2011 was titled “Justice Compromised: The Legacy of Rwanda’s community-based Gacaca Courts.”

    “The Gacaca was conducted in our own traditional way regardless of the challenges it faced,” said Emmy Arsonval Maniriho, a student at the National University of Rwanda.

    “Rwanda could not solve everything in a single day. The timing of HRW report is not appropriate as the government has promised to evaluate the Gacaca courts and review cases that did not go well,” said Maniriho.

    A Remera resident, Steven Gatete said that the quoted cases were few in comparison to the over one million cases the traditional courts handled. “The 350 cases they quoted are a drop in the ocean,” he emphasised, terming the report “abusive and partial.”

    “They are content to continue talking ill about our country without any basis,” Gatete lamented.

    Rukira Wa Muhizi, 45, a resident of Huye district and a former judge with the Gacaca in Rwaniro and Simbi sectors of the district, said that Gacaca was a role model since it had provided rapid justice to genocide victims and lent a hand to families to easily locate genocide victims and accord them decent burials.

    “Gacaca accorded everyone an equal platform and no one felt intimidated,” Muhizi observed.

    “Why did HRW ignore the justice rendered by the courts,” he wondered.

    He noted that the Gacaca courts had brought together families and managed to identify Genocide suspects wherever they were hiding, which the human rights watchdog completely overlooked in their report.

  • IFC invests US$7.2m for SME development

    {{The International Finance Corporation an arm of the World Bank, is investing US$1.6 million in equity in Business Partners Rwanda SME Fund (BPI Rwanda). The fund aims to provide financing and management support for up to 70 SMEs, increasing employment and local entrepreneurship in Rwanda.
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    IFC’s investment comprises about 20% of the fund’s total committed capital of $7.2 million. The target size for the fund is $8.0 million. Other key investors include the Rwanda Enterprise Investment Company (REIC) and DOEN, a Dutch NGO. The Business Partners private equity fund responds to a growing need for risk capital and quality management advice in Rwanda.

    Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Director for East and Southern Africa, said “Business Partners’ Rwanda chapter provides a much-needed option for socially responsible financing. By supporting small and medium enterprises, the fund will help Rwandan entrepreneurs build businesses and create jobs across the country. IFC and Business Partners share a commitment to responsible business models, which should increase focus on social and environmental performance standards in Rwanda.”

    Business Partners International is a South Africa based financier of SMEs, established in 2004 as a joint venture between IFC and Business Partners. The BPI Rwanda fund will be managed by a local team, under the oversight of Business Partners International. The fund will tap into the expertise of locally based managers and combine financing with business advisory services.

    Nazeem Martin, BPI CEO, said “The partnership with IFC will enable BPI to provide comprehensive technical services to Rwandan SMEs. This includes the installation of management information systems, market research and product development; quality assurance; process efficiency improvements; and staff training and skill development. With this wide range of services, BPI aims to improve corporate governance with an eye towards social and environmental returns.”

    BPI Rwanda is IFC’s fourth investment in a local investment fund managed by Business Partners International. To date, IFC has invested $5.0 million in BPI Kenya, $3.7 million in BPI Madagascar and $2 million in BPI Mozambique.
    The International Finance Corporation (IFC) promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries. IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, DC. It shares the primary objective of all World Bank Group institutions: to improve the quality of the lives of people in its developing member countries.

  • Kigali set to host Commonwealth Parliamentary Association forum

    {{Starting from 10-18 June Rwanda will host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference; the event will also see the country’s inauguration into the association. The event follows Rwanda’s approval into commonwealth nearly three years ago.}}

    The conference will attract 300 participants from the association’s 18 countries; other participants will come from East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) Southern African Development Community (SADC) and International Conference of the Great Lake Region (ICGLR).

    Among the main issues to be discussed include how to introduce genetically modified crops in Africa as a way of ensuring food security, the next agenda will focus on how to improve sustainable livelihood through poverty alleviation measures.

    In addition, the conference will address issues related to gender equality especially in land matters where some cultural practices have denied women the right to own property; democracy will also be at the core of the talks since it facilitates good governance and fair elections.

    Vincent Biruta, the Rwanda’s senate president, noted that the conference was timely given the country’s development progress. In this light, Biruta was optimistic that some participants might show interest towards Rwanda’s investment opportunities.

    Biruta further highlighted that the conference will be a success despite the fact that out of 18 African countries invited only three won’t attend, the absentees include Seychelles, Mauritius and Sierra Leone which has not yet confirmed their attendance.

    Rwanda’s parliamentarians in CPA total 95. These include 79 members of parliament and 16 Senators. The association’s objectives include; promotion of democracy and good governance, human rights and promotion of justice in Africa among others.

  • Government launches US$2m electric fence at Akagera park

    {{The government through Rwanda Development Board has commissioned a US$2m electrical fence that will cover the territorial boundaries of Akagera national park.
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    The 2.5 metre-electric fence that is powered by solar energy will be supported by a metallic mesh intersected by three horizontal electrified wires and galvanised posts secured at short distances to endure high pressure and wind.

    John Gara, the Chief Executive Officer, RDB said that the construction is important because it will provide solution to the problem of wildlife animals that have been interfering with the activities of the population living near the park.

    “We are very pleased to be here today to start the fencing of the Akagera National Park. This is the beginning of the end of the human-wildlife conflicts at the boundaries of the park,” he said in a ceremony held at the park’s southern entrance of Nyankona in Kayonza district on Tuesday.

    “This will not only solve the problem of human-wildlife conflicts but it will also provide employment opportunities to the neighbouring population during the construction process and also thereafter in terms of maintaining the fence,” he added.

    The fencing also aims at addressing different problems linked to the close proximity of the park with the human population. These include direct damages, loss of property, poaching and other illegal activities in the park.

    In a bid to support the Akagera community conservation programme that links the park to the community, RDB donated a cheque worth Rwf 6M to 132 families of Kageyo cell, Mwili sector, Kayonza district. The money will also compensate property destroyed by the wildlife.

    “We recognised that the benefits from the park that we generally receive are to be shared between not only the general public but also the community projects of the population surrounding the park,” Gara pointed out.

    Executive Secretary of Mwili Sector, J.M.V Habyarimana noted that the community is optimistic that the money donated shall be used to buy seeds to cultivate crops in the destroyed farms.

    Rwanda’s construction company, Entreprise de Construction (EME) in partnership with a South African construction company were contracted to put up the fence.

  • Rwanda prefers use of IDs for regional travel

    {{Rwanda has said it prefers East Africans to use national identification cards when travelling in the region.
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    The country’s minister for East African Community Affairs Ms Monique Mukaruliza said countries that had opted to use national IDs as travel documents should go ahead and formalise the procedure.

    “The EAC secretariat has to put in place a forum for those partner states which have agreed to use national IDs for the movement of their citizens across the region,” she said.

    Ms Mukaruliza made the plea in Kigali on Tuesday at a meeting with new EAC secretary general, Dr Richard Sezibera.

    The minister said free movement of people and labour would facilitate implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol which came into force in July last year.

    Tanzania has objected to the use of national IDs as travel documents, insisting only passports and other internationally recognised travel documents should continue to be used.

    Rwanda is the only EAC state that has machine readable national identity cards while Uganda is reported to have started issuing its own.

  • Long-term loans a challenge to development financing in Africa- Central bank Governor

    {{Developing the economy can perform the traditional functions to undertake the responsibility of economic growth with stability on the African continent.
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    The Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda Ambassador Claver Gatete elaborated that to accelerate the development of the least developed countries, challenges must be solved in advance. He made the remarks during the assembly of African central bank governors at the 34th ordinary seminar held in Kigali this week. The meeting, whose theme was Financing Development in Africa and the role of Central Banks, was organised by the Association of African Central Banks (AACB).

    “Long-term debt sustainability is difficult for African banks due to exterior conflicts on African continent”, Gatete said.

    The Executive Secretary of (AACB) Mr. Samuel MEANGO said that to meet the set target, which is tied to Africa’s relatively poor economic development,” is not to rely on foreign financial support only. He advised that countries should also ensure aid effectiveness and emphasise domestic resource mobilisation”.

    He further more said that encouraging savings through establishment of microfinance institutions and other non-bank financial institutions and creation of incentives for acquisition of financial assets could help African Banks to enhance domestic savings for higher investment. It is in this respect that the seminar sought to offer means which Africa can address its needs in financing development.

    The chairperson of the meeting Mrs.Monique Nsanzabaganwa who is the Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, encouraged players in the financial sector to anticipate and advise in terms of proper policies like market development and enhancing policy and regulation that is prudent and flexible enough to accommodate the innovations.

    About the risks the banks are ready to take for the sake of development and how they can be measured, Nsanzabaganwa said that central bankers should reflect more and come up with strategies on how to develop the world market and how and where to invest local assets. Otehrs were the extent the partners and regulators should adopt technology like mobile banking and ICT and how to improve credit rating.

    She reiterated that Africa should use appropriate indicators to illustrate the continent’s position in the global economy. These include addressing the problem of corruption by strengthening anti-corruption institutions and effective and efficient implementation of development programmes, especially, those related to poverty reduction.

    The Association of African Central Banks was established to promote co-operation in the monetary, banking and financial spheres in Africa. The idea of AACB was first introduced on May 25, 1963, at the Summit Conference of African Heads of State and Government held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

  • Female hawkers to form co-ops to boost incomes

    {{Women hawkers in the streets of Kigali will soon boost their income levels after authorities advised them to join cooperatives to access financial services.
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    The president of the national women council, Tengera Francesca, is buoyant that the effort to organise women street vendors into cooperatives and empower them is one way to enhance the business
    sector.

    “I know you are not poor as you always run up down and think that your hopes ends from there and that is why today we are here to implement knowledge which is missing.”
    Tengera also noted that the cooperatives will help women to shun illicit business and target bigger businesses.

    “We want to organise women who are in petty business to come together into cooperatives,” she said,
    She also noted that hundreds of street vendors, mainly women usually flock in Kigali streets during evening hours.

    This workshop organised by the national women council in partnership with Rwanda Cooperative Alliance is sensitising almost 321 women from Kigali on how they come together in cooperatives to expand their
    business.

    Audace Bimenyimana, the officer in charge curriculum development in the capacity building unit at RCA said that women are able to earn a lot from their meagre capital if they come together in cooperatives.

    “By working together, these women have the advantage of earning a lot from their savings and build bigger businesses and they will be able to employ other people,” he said.

    Genevieve Mukeshimana a mother of 4 who is a street vendor dealing in vegetables says she is optimistic that this effort will improve their business perceptions thus better incomes.

    “I am always up and down fighting with the local security, but when the officials from our nyarugenge district called us to come for training I did not refuse because I believed after this workshop I am
    going to through away (agataro).”

    The mayor Nyarugenge Solange Mukasonga said that the government has already prepared minimarkets where female hawkers will be allocated to carry out their businesses on an expansive basis.

    “We have started construction of two more selling points in Mageragere and Kanyinya. This will help many of these women to get a place,” she said, noting that the markets will help women to expand businesses after acquiring credit.

  • Health ministry wants more private sector involvement

    {{The ministry of health and the private sector are working on a framework to enhance collaboration from both parties with the aim of facilitating better healthcare.
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    Though the private sector has contributed to improvement in health activities, the Health Minister Agnes Binagwaho argues more needs to be done to provide health services especially in rural areas.

    She further assured support to the private sector adding that if they for instance put up hospitals, the government would provide them healthcare personnel. “We have to ensure that there is quality healthcare provision within the public as well as the private sector.”

    Jean Nyirinkwaya, the president of the private medical association highlighted that they too have the will do more towards extending better health services to Rwandans. “We’re meeting to find ways of enhancing a relationship between the Ministry Of Health and us and we hope to come with a framework that would confront challenges such as
    manpower and equipment,” he remarked.

  • Expo to underline agric sector’s performance indicators

    {{This year’s Kigali National Agricultural show is set to highlight among other things the performance strides the agricultural sector has taken.
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    The annual show slated to take place from 6-12 June, 2011 at Mulindi Agricultural Show ground in Gasabo, Kigali will bring together farmers and traders countrywide.

    Speaking to journalists Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Agnes Kalibata noted that the show would also showcase the current innovations the government has invested in recently.

    “We have recently been investing heavily in irrigation and mechanization, said Kalibata, adding; “What we plan to do in this agricultural show is to exhibit some of these innovations.”

    “The amount of work that would usually take a whole day could be done in two hours. This is why it is vital for those involved in agricultural practices to be equipped with machinery because it allows them to be more productive while at the same time allowing them to invest their time in other productive activities that go beyond agriculture.”

    The permanent secretary in the ministry Ernest Ruzindaza reiterated that government is targeting to promote the use of new machinery by offering subsidies to the agriculturalists and making these easily available.

    “Machinery that will be used include various tractors and (combine) harvesters and they will be imported tax free” he said, adding that; “we are trying to make these more affordable and accessible to agricultural practitioners that’s why they will be able to purchase them at a lower cost of 25 percent through corporations such as the rural investment facility”.

    The minister observed that the drive towards agricultural modernisation was not only allowing and promoting investment opportunities but “also creating awareness between practitioners of the availability of new and advanced methods of farming and encouraging their use.”

  • US jury skeptical Kobagaya lied about genocide

    {{A US jury deadlocked Tuesday on whether an elderly Rwandan immigrant committed genocide 17 years ago, convicting him only on a charge that he lied to US immigration officials.}}

    The verdict, coming at the end of a lengthy, expensive immigration trial, leaves uncertain the future of 84-year-old Lazare Kobagaya.
    US District Judge Monti Belot allowed Kobagaya to remain free on bail while a pre-sentencing report is prepared and defense attorneys file an expected appeal.

    Prosecution witnesses brought from Rwanda had testified that Kobagaya ordered people killed and beaten and their homes burned during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

    One of two counts against Kobagaya alleged that he lied to US immigration officials when he denied participating in genocide.
    The eight-man, four-woman jury couldn’t reach an agreement on that count.

    Instead, they convicted Kobagaya of lying to immigration officials when he claimed to live in Burundi, not Rwanda, from 1993 to 1995.

    “As I understand it, they didn’t convict him on anything violent at all,” defense attorney Kurt Kerns said as he left the courthouse with Kobagaya and the defendant’s family.

    Kerns said he couldn’t comment further because of instructions from Judge Belot.

    US prosecutors declined comment about whether they intend to re-try Kobagaya on the deadlocked charged or attempt to deport him based on the conviction they obtained.

    According to most sources, 500,000 to 800,000 people were killed in Rwanda during a three-month period, most of them ethnic Tutsis slain by the majority Hutu group.

    Prosecutors claim that Kobagaya, a Hutu, contributed to the deaths of thousands of Tutsi, including personally ordering the murders of at least nine people.