Following the deadly attack on residents of Musanze that left fourteen killed with traditional arms, Police mounted a hunt for the assailants and confirmed that 19 of the attackers were shot dead while 5 were arrested and paraded before the media yesterday.
A statement signed by RNP spokesperson, John Bosco Kabera reads that some of the assailants who killed residents with extreme cruelty are still on the run that whoever involved will be held accountable.
Surviving attackers said they were from RUD Urunana, united rebel outfits FDLR FOCA and RNC.
These rebel groups are affiliated to five united political parties known as P5. These include Amahoro People’s Congress, Forces Démocratiques Unifieés – Inkingi (FDU-Inkingi); People’s Defence Pact-Imanzi (PDP-Imanzi), Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and PS Imberakuri.
IGIHE has learned from credible sources that Ingabire Victoire has been summoned by the investigation departments because her political party is a member of the mentioned P5 suspected to be behind the attack in Musanze.
Following the attack, Ingabire Victoire was fast to release a statement condemning killers that they should return their swords in scabbards saying that killing citizens is contrary to patriotic ambitions.
IGIHE could not get further details from Rwanda Investigation Bureau by press time.
The Luxperience Travel Trade Exhibition is a luxury Business event that connects the most innovative experiential tourism and premium events specialists in the travel market. The show is a considerable source market for leisure travel in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
Visit Rwanda was presented with the award in the destination category at the opening ceremony of the travel trade show on Monday.
Speaking after receiving the award, Belise Kariza, the RDB Chief Tourism Officer expressed delight for the award given to Visit Rwanda.
“Rwanda’s tourism sector participation at Australia’s leading high-end travel show is a very good opportunity to tap into a key market of tourists. Australia is currently a key source market for Rwanda and they are high spenders. In terms of visits to trek the endangered mountain gorillas, Australians rank third after tourists from the USA and UK,” she said.
This is second-time Rwanda is showcasing its remarkable attractions and opportunities in the tourism and hospitality at the show.
In attendance are representatives from the Rwandan tourism industry, including tour and travel operators, accommodation establishments and RDB showcasing tourism offerings to an audience of about 7,000 people.
Visitors to the Rwanda stand are taken on an incredible journey as they discover Rwanda’s breath-taking scenery and landscape; eco-adventure tourism like gorilla trekking, nature walks, and birding; the booming hospitality sector; and the advent of world-class conferencing venues.
The vehicle, Jeep Land Cruiser RAB 232S, was intercepted Monday in Nyamabuye Sector, Remera Cell. The minerals were concealed in 39 sacks, each weighing 70kgs, Police said.
“At around 1 a.m on Monday, Police in Muhanga received a phone call from a resident in Mata trading center, Tyazo Cell of Muhanga Sector reporting people, who were loading goods in a vehicle and suspected some foul-play,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, the Police spokesperson for the Southern Region, said.
“Police officers were dispersed, and the vehicle was intercepted in Remera Cell, Nyamabuye sector, searched and indeed found it was transporting 39 sacks of coltan and cassiterite minerals. Two people, who were on board didn’t have legal documents for the minerals and they were taken into custody,” he added.
The minerals were being transported to Kigali, according to the spokesperson. Those taken into custody are identified as Eugene Nkundimana (driver) and his accomplice Jean D’Amour Masabo.
“We have since established that the minerals were stolen from three mining concessions; Execok of Karongi District, TMT of Rutsiro and Big Mining of Ruhango and other quantities from Ngororero. We have also established that a house belonging to one only identified as Kazuru located in Mata trading center, from where the minerals were loaded, was being used by the suspected thieves as their store.”
CIP Twajamahoro thanked the resident, who informed the Police about the illegal act and called for strengthened partnership and information sharing on any suspected unlawful acts.
Article 54 of the law on mining and quarry operations, states that “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a license commits an offense.”
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy IGP in charge of Administration and Personnel, Juvenal Marizamunda.
Their discussions focused mainly on partnerships in various areas of policing, including fire and rescue operations, as well as traffic and road safety.
Hon. Stich and his delegation were given an overview of RNP’s history, its current structure in terms of training, deployments both locally and in international peace support operations, community policing and cooperation, among others.
IGP Munyuza emphasized that cooperation remains an important factor in modern policing to exchange best practices and to be ready and ahead in responding to safety and security needs.
RNP and Rhineland-Palatinate have had a partnership in various areas of policing, especially in traffic and road safety, and crime-scene management.
The Police Chief also said that RNP is a people-centered force adding that “we value much partnership with the citizenry as a force multiplier; we also work with other institutions both locally and cross-border.”
RNP also signed about 40 bilateral and multilateral MoUs with other Police institutions and organizations.
Local active community policing partners include over 260, 000 Youth Volunteers in Community Policing, Anti-crime Ambassadors, 170,000 Community Policing Committees (CPCs), over 2000 Anti-crime clubs in schools, transport associations, media fraternity, artists, faith-based organizations as well as government and private institutions that have signed MoUs with RNP
Hon. Stich, whose docket is in charge of Police in Rhineland-Palatinate, commended Rwanda’s “safety and cleanliness”
“We feel safe every time we are here in Rwanda; Kigali is also a clean city. It is also very motivating to see how Rwanda police are organized with many responsibilities to keep everyone safe,” Hon. Stich said.
He added: “It was very interesting for us to see a good structured and trained police that is responsible for a safer Rwanda. This partnership between Rwanda Police and our Police in Rhineland-Palatinate is good for us all to learn from each other and exchange best practices.”
The first smartphones ever to be made in Rwanda have already rolled off the assembly line a few days before the official launch.
The launch of the USD 50 million factories was also attended by Government officials and private investors among other guests from the region, the continent and beyond.
It will at the outset manufacture Mara Z and Mara X models respectively costing Rwf 175, 750 and Mara X costs Rwf 120,250.
Mara Phone offers unlimited, free high-quality photo storage, automatically keeps information secure and ensures that your phone is clean, fast and performing at its best.
The Mara Z phone has up to 128GB, 3GB Ram and 32GB storage, Dolby Sound, 13 MP Back and Front Camera with Front Flash, Gorilla Corning Glass, Fingerprint Sensor, Facial Recognition and Turbo Charger while the Mara X has 1GB Ram and 16GB storage support up to 128GB, Dolby Sound, 13 MP Back Camera and 5MP front Camera, Gorilla Corning Glass, Fingerprint Sensor and Turbo Charger.
Speaking at the launch of Mara Phones Rwanda, Kagame said that the Mara Phones plant ‘is a complex manufacturing operation requiring significant technical skill and expertise’.
He highlighted that it is another milestone on the journey to high-tech, ‘Made-in-Rwanda’ industry and the latest addition to Rwanda’s ongoing partnership with Mara Group showing the company’s confidence in the business prospects of Rwanda and the wider region.
Considering the services it is set to offer including the integration of Government services, the President observed that the smartphone is becoming a prerequisite for daily life.
“The smartphone is no longer a luxury item. It is rapidly becoming a requirement of everyday life. That trend is bound to increase in the years to come, as more and more services migrate to digital platforms,” he said.
“In Rwanda, we have Irembo which is already the city’s primary gateway for many public services. Integration of Irembo into Mara Phones is an innovative feature,” added Kagame.
At least 15% of Rwandans own smartphones. The President said the factory is promising to increase smartphone ownership.
“The percentage is still really low of Rwandans, who are already using smartphones, but we want to enable many more who would like to, and this is why dealing with cost and quality is very important. We are gradually dealing with those obstacles through what Mara group has established here in Rwanda,” he said.
“The introduction of Mara Phones will put smartphone ownership within reach of more Rwandans. The product is backed by a warranty and the price can be paid in installments over two years. They have tried to make it as simple and possible for Rwandans as they could,” noted Kagame.
Kagame stressed that the private sector is the engine of the progress desire for African continent pushing for the need to compete regionally and globally, at the high-end of the technology spectrum.
He thanked the management of Mara Group for making a good choice to invest in Rwanda.
Ashish J. Thakkar, the CEO of Mara Phones said that the launch of a smartphone manufacturing factory in Rwanda is proof that Africans can produce high quality international standard products on their continent.
“If our people have high quality and affordable smartphones, it will truly enable financial inclusion, digital education, digital health care, agriculture efficiency and so much more,” he said.
The financial brand is organizing a week-long celebration from 07th to 11th October 2019 across its retail outlets to honor its customers.
Unimoni will also recognize and reward its various teams who continue to be pivotal in delivering and sustaining exceptional customer service and experience.
The week-long celebrations will also witness various programmes that focus on themes such as self-awareness, product & service knowledge, problem-solving, empathy, and commitment.
The 2019 International Customer Service Week theme recognizes that good service is magical. It can turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied long-term customer.
It can turn an occasional customer into a repeat customer, and it can turn any customer into your biggest fan & advocate.
Surviving attackers said they were from FDLR and had come on a mission to take control of the country. They wore military uniforms.
14 victims of the attack in Kinigi sector of Musanze district killed Friday night were yesterday laid to rest.
Initially, Rwanda National Police (RNP) announced that eight people were killed during the attack but death the toll rose to 14 victims yesterday.
Some of the victims were laid to rest in Nyabageni village, Kabazungu cell in Musanze sector.
Before laying killed residents to rest, officials comforted residents and assured them of their security.
The burial was attended by different Government officials including, Northern Province Governor, Gatabazi Jean Marie Vianney, parliamentarians, Police and Soldiers.
The statement signed by RNP spokesperson, John Bosco Kabera reads that some of the assailants who killed residents with extreme cruelty are still on the run.
“Some of the residents were found home killed with knives and stones. This proves the extreme cruelty of these assailants. The operation to hunt down the attackers resulted in killing 19 assailants while 5 have been arrested,” reads part of the statement.
CP Kabera said that security is guaranteed in Kinigi sector.
According to a statement from Rwanda National Police, the assailants were armed with traditional arms and guns.
” During the night of 4th to 5th October 2019, armed gangs of whom the majority were equipped with traditional arms raided Kinigi sector in Musanze district where they killed and injured residents,” reads part of the statement signed by Police Spokesperson, John Bosco Kabera.
” These assailants killed eight people including six, with traditional weapons and two-shot dead. They also injured 18 others who were taken to hospital,” adds the statement.
Security officials rushed for intervention and comforting residents affected by the attack.
The development was confirmed by Minister of State in charge of primary and secondary education, Dr. Isaac Munyakazi yesterday as he visited ‘Centre de la Fraternite’ where the students will be tutored as they prepare to resume normal studies next academic year.
He also explained that Congolese living in Rwanda wishing to further education in Rwanda are welcome for the program.
“We stopped them from studying in DRC because the country has what it takes to advance their knowledge. Indeed, there are Congolese who appreciated our education and find no need to return to DRC yet they can afford courses of their choice in where they run businesses,” said Munyakazi.
According to Munyakazi, Rwandans were stopped from studying in DRC over the Ebola outbreak recurrently reported in DRC.
Every student will resume from the previous level of education without repeating courses so long as they are familiar with the English language.
During her previous visit to Rubavu district, the Minister of Health Dr Gashumba Diane advised residents against unnecessary travels to DRC over the Ebola outbreak reported in Goma.
Rwandan students were stopped from crossing the border from Gisenyi town to DRC on 2nd September 2019 as they were crossing to start the academic year 2019-2020 in Goma.
