According to the Central region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorette Umutesi, the two suspects were arrested in Kigali after information reached police about their illegal activities.
She explained that one of the suspects identified as Emmanuel Mutungire, 34, a motorcyclist was arrested red-handed in possession of several transport authorization documents.
He is currently detained at Kimironko Police Station as investigations continue.
The suspect confessed to the crime, adding that he was working with other people.
“After his arrest, he led Police to an internet café in Kimironko sector where his accomplice, Silva Kamali, was also arrested,” said CIP Umutesi.
“People are conned by such unscrupulous individuals who sell forged documents. I advise all those seeking a driving license and other official documents to follow proper channels, which have been made easier and brought closer to them,” she noted.
She thanked those who provided the information that led to the arrest of the duo and called upon the public to desist from taking shortcuts in seeking any service and report anyone they suspect to be engaged in any unlawful acts.
A transport authorization permit is issued by the Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA).
The permit authorizes a person with a motorcycle or vehicle to use it in the business of transporting people.
Forgery is a criminal act under article 276 of the penal code.
If convicted, the duo faces a prison term of five to seven years and a fine of up to Rwf5 million.
The handover, which took place in Nyabihu District, Western Province, is one of 36 projects that the Government spent Rwf 1.5 billion on during the last fiscal year (2018-2019).
This is up from Rwf 741 million spent in 2017-2018. Overall park revenues reached over US$ 21.1 million (Rwf 19 billion) in 2018.
These projects have availed clean drinking water, milk, health centers, classrooms and housing to members of the communities living around the three national parks; Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, and Volcanoes National Park.
The program has existed since 2005 and over Rwf 5.2 billion has been spent on 647 community projects since.
Speaking to gathered residents of Nyabihu after the handover, Belise Kariza, the RDB Chief Tourism Officer said that tourism revenue share program helps improve the lives of communities living around the national parks and also makes them love the parks.
“Every year, these communities take ownership of the parks and their conservation more importantly and this is what makes our conservation initiatives succeed,” she said.
“This year, thanks to the collaboration with the local authorities, we were able to identify the vulnerable communities’ needs and are glad that the families will be drinking milk every day knowing that they earned it from tourism. It is also my hope that two years from now, the number of cattle we have handed over today will quadruple and benefit even more families,” added Kaliza.
The Governor of the Western Province, Alphonse Munyantwali thanked RDB for the revenue share program which has transformed residents’ livelihoods.
“When the revenue share program started, the communities surrounding the parks used to receive about Rwf 100 million. Today, the amount has grown to Rwf 1.5 billion, which is a big achievement. I appreciate the fact that today a person that used to set traps for animals in the parks is now able to get milk and other basic needs on a daily basis. Let’s continue protecting the parks so that our region can continue earning more from tourism which will improve people’s lives,” he said.
Every year, RDB uses 10% of revenues generated from tourists visiting the country’s national parks to fund projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of communities living around the parks.
The visit by the Joint-Task Force Commander was in line with the inspection of all units under the MINUSCA to assess their readiness, effectiveness and the challenges they encounter in the execution of their peace support mandate.
The delegation also included the JTFB Chief of Staff, Maj. Ahmad Abdel Salam Aladwan and Lt. Col. Ngom Aissatu, JTFB Gender advisor, among others
They were received by the PSU acting contingent commander, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Alex Fata.
In a brief presentation, SSP Fata highlighted the overview of the unit’s capacity, readiness and the challenges encountered since their arrival in Bangui in January.
’’We acknowledge the support and closeness that MINUSCA offers us in making our duties possible,” SSP Fata said.
’’We are always committed and keeping our steadfast efforts in accomplishing our duties,” he added.
He, however, highlighted the need for the elaboration of the standard operating procedures for the unit’s specialized tasks.
In his remarks, Brig. Gen. Bamoro commended the Rwandan peacekeepers for their “resilience and determination” and their impact on restoring peace and security in CAR.
“We appreciate the Rwandan peacekeepers for the resilience, teamwork, and discipline portraying the force personnel since you joined the MINUSCA mission,” Brig. Gen Bamoro said.
He added: “You have been performing your duties exceptionally and played a big role in the restoration of peace and security in CAR despite the challenging situations faced.”
He went on urging them to keep up the spirit of sacrifice, determination and he assured them that challenges raised will be addressed.
Rwanda started deploying Police peacekeepers to CAR in 2014.
PSU is one of the three Rwandan Police contingents currently serving under MINUSCA, each composed of 160 officers. Two other contingents serve as Formed Police Units (FPU)s.
The PSU is particularly in charge of security for CAR and UN high-profile officials as well as other special duties assigned under the JTFB command.
RDF men’s football has emerged the best overall team after securing 9 points and only losing one game, whereas the basketball side won all games and the women’s volleyball team scooped the bronze medals.
President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the closing ceremony of the EAC Military Games and Cultural Events 2019.
Also present at the ceremony was the RDF Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Patrick Nyamvumba.
President Kenyatta underscored that EAC Military Games and Cultural Event has become a fundamental pillar of regional integration.
“It has helped in deepening and widening cooperation among partner states which resonates well with our efforts to build bridges of unity and fraternity within our region as well as our continent,” he said.
South Sudan will host the next edition of the annual military games in 2020.
He made the advice during talks organized by Panafrican Movement Rwanda (PAM- Rwanda) aimed at enhancing youth’s skills through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to drive African development.
The discussions took place at the headquarters of Southern Province on 21st August 2019 attended by over 700 participants of whom the majority was the youth from TVET schools.
Governor Gasana explained that the world is at a high pace of digital migration requiring everyone to embrace advanced knowledge and skills.
“The world has become a boundary-less. Someone might have taken my picture and sent it to Canada yet I am in Rwanda. To live better tomorrow will require advanced knowledge, skills, expertise, and equipment,” he said.
Gasana told the youth that education is not enough and reminded them to ensure they are able to apply acquired knowledge.
“We don’t have enough time to work slowly. We should be asking ourselves what we know and how are do we fit into implementation skills,” he said.
Governor Gasana urged the youth to strive to take the lead towards achieving the 2063 economic agenda.
The Commissioner for the youth at PAM- Rwanda, Shyaka Michael Nyarwaya said the discussions were meant to mobilize the youth and encourage them to take the lead towards the transformation of their country.
“We wanted to remind the youth that the development of the country should be founded upon us.
We, however, need specific knowledge and skills and expertise among Rwandan youth that can capacitate them to do great things or make cars and satellites, phones. When a Rwandan is able to make a phone, he/she won’t ask a job from the governor but rather will present his product (phone) and request for payments,” he said.
PAM Rwanda’s three years’ agenda encloses activities meant to encourage citizens particularly the youth to develop patriotism spirit for the nation and the continent, promote home grown solutions, promoting integration and security in Africa.
This has been revealed in a statement released today by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
UN also promised necessary support towards initiatives to advance peace, cooperation, and integration in the region and urged both parties to implement signed agreements in good faith.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the signing on 21 August 2019 in Luanda, Angola, of a Memorandum of Understanding between Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, with the aim of normalizing bilateral relations between the two countries,” reads the statement in part.
“He encourages the parties to implement the agreement in good faith, with a view to restoring friendly relations and cooperation between the two neighboring states, in the interest of peace, stability and sustainable development in the region,” adds the statement.
Dujarric revealed that the Secretary-General also recognizes the important role of Presidents João Lourenço of Angola and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in facilitating the signing of the Memorandum.
The statement further reads that the Secretary-General stands ready to support the momentum generated through this and other initiatives to advance peace, cooperation, and integration in the region.
President Kagame and his counterpart of Uganda, Museveni signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing to regional cooperation and security promising to end political turbulence between both countries on Tuesday 21st August 2019.
The pact was signed in Luanda, Angola during a quadripartite summit bringing together the host President of Angola João Lourenço; the President of Uganda, Museveni, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi and President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.
The signing was also witnessed by President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville.
It was the second quadripartite summit hosted by Angolan President; João Lourenço aimed at strengthening regional security and cooperation.
Precursors that followed the signing of agreements rose mixed reactions over Uganda’s decision to ban readership of some leading Rwanda’s online media from Rwanda.
The agreements were signed, two years after Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened.
Uganda has been deporting different Rwandans who accuse it of inhumane imprisonment and torture on false accusations by Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and rebel groups against the Government of Rwanda.
Over 900 Rwandans have been reportedly detained in Uganda which saw the Government of Rwanda advising Rwandans not to travel to Uganda for their security until the situation gets back to normal.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of conspiracy with rebel groups intending to destabilize state security.
Following the signing of the pact, Olivier Nduhungirehe, the state minister for East African Community in an interview told the media that all Rwandans who were illegally arrested in Uganda should be freed in the spirit of the agreement signed Wednesday in Angola before the government of Rwanda lifts the travel advisory on Rwandans traveling to Uganda.
The incident took place yesterday around 1 pm when six people entered the mining quarry searching for a colleague whom they suspected went missing inside.
Four of them died immediately of asphyxia while two others survived and narrated the ordeal.
The four bodies have been retrieved from the mining site but it has not yet been established whether the colleague was inside the quarry.
Police spokesperson in Western Province, CIP Emmanuel Kayigi has cautioned residents against illegal mining.
“The incident took place in a Wolfram mining site which the district had closed. Six people entered to search for a missing colleague and experienced oxygen deprivation. Four died while two others who survived are admitted at Kabaya Hospital,” he said.
Recently, another mining site in the Mwulire sector, Rwamagana district collapsed and killed 14 people including 7 men and 7 women.
At the closing ceremony of the medical practice at RMH, Brig-Gen Ephrem Rurangwa, the RDF Chief of logistics who presided over the event on behalf of Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff noted that the Medical Readiness Exercise was an opportunity to share experience that shall cement the existing bilateral cooperation between the Defence Forces of the United States and Rwanda.
“What you have been doing here is a process that not only improves the experience of our medical military doctors but it also fits into the general framework of Exercise Shared Accord. This is also an opportunity to cement the existing partnership between our Defence Forces,” he said.
Reinforcing the existing partnership between Rwanda and the United States was also echoed through the closing remarks by the acting Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Rwanda Mr. Tony Pate.
He underscored that the medical exercise conducted by the military medical professionals strengthened the strong partnership between the Government of Rwanda, the US, and Partners.
“Medical exercise such as this one plays an essential role in maintaining the health and mentality of the soldiers that ensures regional security”, he said.
The Exercise Shared Accord 19 Co-Director, Brig-Gen Lapthe Flora said that the US Army Africa value working with Rwandan Professionals.
“We value every opportunity to train and work with Rwandan Medical Professionals”, he said.
For the last two weeks, Medical Professionals of the Two Defence Forces have been working jointly at RMH departments of orthopedics, ICU (Intensive Care Unit), obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine and dental.
The warning follows separate operations in the recent past where illegal distilleries have been destroyed in Rwamagana, and owners arrested.
The latest case involves one Jean Baptiste Bagaragaza, a resident of Rubona Sector in Rwamagana, who was arrested Wednesday with over 400 liters of the illicit substances known in the area as ibikwangari.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said that Bagaragaza was reported by his wife, who had tried in vain to advise him against the unlawful act.
“Bagaragaza has been distilling illicit substances for a while, and his wife tried to advise him not to start an illegal distillery at their home and using harmful raw materials to make ibikwangali, but he refused. This prompted the wife to bring the matter to Police attention,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
“Indeed when Police officers reached there, they recovered over 400 liters of ibikwangari, which Bagaragaza had already distilled. He was immediately taken into custody,” he added
The seized illicit substances were publicly disposed of while the suspect was fined Rwf100, 000.
Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) instructions provided a penalty of between Rwf50, 000 and Rwf500, 000 to anyone caught distilling or selling illicit brew.
RSB specifies that “only food-grade processing aids recognized as safe for human consumption shall be used during the manufacture.”
Other standard requirements include labeling as a prerequisite; the name of the products, physical and postal address of the manufacturer; net contents in milliliters or liters; ethyl alcohol content; date of manufacture and expiry date; storage instruction; statutory warnings; and list of ingredients in descending order.
CIP Twizeyimana said that such illicit substances are the source of insecurity, and urged residents to maintain the community policing spirit of sharing information on anyone distilling or selling such harmful drinks.
The concert is scheduled for 31st August 2019 in Basak Saray Bådehavnsgade 57, 2450 København SV building in Denmark.
Sentore was invited through Rwanda’s embassy in the Nordics including Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway in collaboration with the Rwandan community in Denmark.
The artiste will depart from Rwanda next week heading to Denmark where the concert will take place.
Sentore held the last impressive concert dubbed ‘Inganzo Yaratabaye’ on 5th July 2019 in Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village and left great excitement among concert-goers.
He has previously released a song dubbed ‘Imbere ni heza’ loosely translated as ‘the future is bright’ inspiring people to be optimistic for the future endeavors. The song was produced by Made Beats.
