To date, Rwanda remains Ebola-free. The Ministry has advised against unnecessary travels to Goma-Eastern Congo, following increasing number of cases confirmed in DRC, and requested that individuals who have recently travelled to an Ebola affected area to report to the nearest screening station and to report any suspected Ebola cases via the Ministry of health toll-free lines 114, police number 112 or to community health workers or the nearest health centre.
Among key prevention measures are frequent washing of hands with clean water and soap, avoiding contact with blood and body fluids, as well as items that would have come in contact with an infected person’s blood and body fluids.
Ebola is transmitted through blood and body fluids, including vomit, urine, saliva, sweat. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, joint pain, headache, diarrhea, skin rash, vomiting, red eyes, stomach-ache and bleeding through different body parts.
Rwanda has a detailed National Preparedness Plan in place and has trained health workers in early detection and response, educated communities about Ebola, vaccinated health workers in high-risk areas, equipped health facilities, and continues to conduct simulation exercises to maintain a high level of readiness.
Screening for Ebola symptoms at points of entry has been ongoing since the beginning of the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has been reinforced since the confirmation of a case in Goma.
An Ebola Treatment Centre was put in place and 23 isolation units are being prepared in hospitals in 15 priority districts. Ebola response simulation exercises are on a regular basis within the community, borders, airport and treatment Centre to test Rwanda’s preparedness in response to a case, which includes emergency Operations Centre activation, active surveillance, case management, and laboratory testing. About 3000 health workers in high-risk areas have been vaccinated as a preventative measure, including more than 1100 in Rubavu district.
To date, Rwanda has trained over 23,957 people including Doctors, Nurses, hospital staff, Community Health Workers, religious leaders, Red Cross Volunteers and security organs. Meanwhile, special ambulances are in place to handle any Ebola suspected case on time.
A total of 71 million of the world population are Hepatitis C patients according to a World Health Organization report.
In Rwanda, the disease is mostly reported among people aged over 50 and 60. Research carried out in 2018 revealed that 4% of Rwandans are Hepatitis C patients of whom the majority hail from Eastern and Southern Provinces.
The disease damages the liver leaving the patient is susceptible to cancer.
It can be transmitted through infected blood, sharp objects or at birth. Hepatitis C aggravates if the patient spends over six months without treatment.
In a bid to fight the disease, Rwanda launched a five-year campaign mobilizing everyone to contribute to the cause.
The efforts have been launched under the campaign dubbed ‘Rwanda Cares’ held at Kigali Convention Center yesterday to organize in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Private Sector Federation and Rwanda Interfaith Council among other partners.
Rwanda was the first country to make Hepatitis C drugs available at an affordable cost. The price was cut down from US $86 000 in 2012 to US $60 while the cost of diagnosis went down from US $30 to US $1.
Madam Jeannette Kagame said that Rwandans are blessed with good leadership that made screening and treatment easier.
She thanked partners for continuous commitment towards empowering Rwandan communities to have healthier lives.
“Your support towards the fight against Hepatitis C has led to significant achievements; 1,000,000 Rwandans already screened and 15,000 people treated and cured, as a part of our country’s 5-year control and elimination plan,” said the First Lady.
“The elimination of Hepatitis C is a fight that we are yet to claim victory over, but it is one that we can successfully accomplish, with the continued partnership of all stakeholders, from the public to the private spheres,” she added.
Rwanda targets to cut the number of Hepatitis C patients from 4% to 1.2% and enable access to treatment for 90% of patients aged over 15 years. A total of US $43.5 million was injected pumped in the campaign.
The support follows farmers’ demand for interventions that would help curtail persistent post-harvest losses.
The facility is located in Ndago in Kibeho sector with various components, namely; training halls, granaries for maize produce and horticulture, cooperatives offices, drying facilities and a maize processing mill.
The Mayor of Nyaruguru, François Habitegeko said the facility construction was in response to farmers’ demand for decent post-harvest handling interventions.
“We sat and sought ways of adding value to maize harvest and save farmers from suffering post-harvest losses. It is against that background that the plant was constructed,” he said.
The agronomist of Nyaruguru district, Thomas Mbonyisenge explains that the plant mills maize from the entire district.
“The plant has the capacity of processing 4 tons of maize flour. It gets the harvest in no short supply and has a wider market across the country supplying to schools,” he noted.
Mbonyisenge revealed that the facility was completed at Rwf 90 million while mills cost Rwf 42 million.
The plant employs six permanent workers and many others hired depending on available tasks.
Some of the farmers growing maize from a 40-hectare marshland of Rwonjya crossing Nyagisozi and Cyahinda sectors said that the presence of the facility has encouraged them to grow more maize as they are assured of proper storage and market.
The order stipulates that the standard size of a plot of land for a residential house must be 300 square meters (m²) while the plot of land for construction of a 15-floor building should not go beyond one hectare.
Under the new order, a plot of land for the construction of a nursery school must not exceed 700 m²; 1.5 hectare has been designated for a primary school, 2.5 hectares for secondary school, 2.8 hectares for a complex school combining nursery, primary and secondary schools, 5 hectares for vocational training schools while the plot of land designated for the university buildings must not exceed 6 hectares.
Among others, the plot of land for 500 m² is designated for the premises of a health post, 1 hectare for a health center while private and public hospitals must not go beyond 5 hectares.
Churches premises are limited to 5000 m² while the plot of land for construction of commercial buildings will depend on cities master plan and other laws granting land sharing.
{{Exception for major investors }}
The Minister for Infrastructure, Claver Gatete said an exception was set for large investors coming to settle in the country with great activities promising to spur national development.
Investors will be allowed a larger size of land depending on the value of their investment in the country.
“We need magnates especially coming in to support us. For instance, Howard Buffet developed buildings on over 1200 hectares in Nasho […] set up livestock and crop growing zone, equipped Rwandans with outstanding skills and build roads. Such a person needs a large plot of land to settle in,” said Minister Gatete.
An investor bringing in activities with the value between Rwf 500 and 800 million will be allowed to build on a half-hectare land in rural areas under the new ministerial order.
When the investment ranges between Rwf 800 million and Rwf 1 billion, he/she will be allowed to build on a hectare and 1.5 hectare when the investment is over Rwf 1 billion in rural areas.
An entrepreneur with investment worth between Rwf 1 and 1.2 billion will be accorded a half hectare to set up in town.
The investment between Rwf 1.2 and 1.5 billion will be accorded to build on a hectare while an investor whose activities are valued at over Rwf 1.5 billion will be given 1.5 hectares in town.
Minister Gatete said that giving opportunities such investors are meant to encourage more to bring their activities contributing to national development and valuing their investment.
He reiterated that it is a better way of enhancing the effective management of land and exploitation.
Gatete revealed that setting the standard size of the land will also help settlement policy where they can build multi-floored buildings accommodating a large number of people than raising scattered stand-alone buildings.
The new ministerial order is based on a similar order released in 2016 concerning urban planning.
The visit was part of the IGP’s four-day official visit in South Sudan.
Rwanda maintains three Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingents of 560 officers, combined. They include two contingents of 160 officers each, operating in the capital Juba. One is commanded by Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Claude Tembo and the other is a female-dominated unit under the command of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jackeline Urujeni.
Another unit, a hybrid of 240 officers, is deployed in Malakal, Upper Nile State under the command of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Gatambira, where they are largely charged with the protection of camps for thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
IGP Munyuza commended the peacekeepers for the “good job” they are doing in the mission especially the protection of civilians.
He urged them to “uphold discipline and keep Rwanda’s flag high.”
The Police Chief urged the peacekeepers to enhance good working relations with their fellow peacekeepers, and the locals especially those who are under their protection.
IGP Munyuza also met with the UNMISS leadership including the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to UNMISS, Moustapha Somaire and Police Commissioner, Unaisi Bolatolu-Vuniwaqa and the Police Chief of Staff, ACP Barthelemy Rugwizangoga.
The discussions with the leadership focused on the good working relations between UNMISS and Rwanda National Police (RNP).
UNMISS Police Commissioner appreciated Rwanda’s contribution to peacekeeping and the “outstanding performance” of Rwandan Police peacekeepers in the execution of the UN mandate.
The UNMISS top officials appreciated Rwanda for recognizing the impact of women in peace-building and increasing the number of female peacekeepers.
RNP deployed its maiden FPU contingent to South Sudan in September 2015 and is now ranked the leading contributor with 589 Police officers in UNMISS as well as the leading female Peacekeepers contributing country.
The Rwandan Police peacekeepers in South Sudan also include 28 Individual Police Officers (IPOs) and the current Police Chief of Staff (CoS), ACP Barthelemy Rugwizangoga.
Ngirente made the appreciation yesterday as he officiated the opening of the 2019 Symposium of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) taking place in Kigali since 28th July 2019.
Established in 1965, the association comprises 41 banks that meet every year to discuss Africa’s economic integration.
The Symposium is aimed mainly at promoting exchanges among economic policy-makers and other participants. Discussions include appropriate strategies for sovereign debt management, drawing on lessons learned in Africa and other regions of the world.
The exchanges also focus on the challenges faced by African countries, with a view to keeping the public debt at a sustainable level, while financing the development agenda.
Fifty-four years ago, the Association of African Central Banks was established to promote cooperation in the monetary, banking and financial sphere in the African region.
It was also meant to assist in the formulation of guidelines along with future agreements between African countries. Since then, African economies have gone through significant mutations despite numerous challenges.
Premier Ngirente said that the growth path has generally been sustainable for the last two decades, amid economic diversification and financial sector development and played a critical role in addressing challenges.
As the global economy continues to evolve, at a higher pace, he said, policymakers and Central Banks are key players to address new challenges to ensure that Africa continues its transformation journey in line with the Agenda 2063.
“Currently, with the modern financial ecosystem, we are dependent on Central Banks to safeguard our individual country’s monetary policy and financial systems. They also help to set standards and protocols that make it easier to have intercontinental transactions of goods and services,” said Ngirente.
“Therefore, despite numerous challenges like recurrent commodity price shocks, other external shocks and external imbalances in some cases, African Central Banks have contributed to ensuring macroeconomic stability. Association’s role in bringing these central banks under the same umbrella to work together under a common goal should be applauded,” he added.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is aiming to create a tariff-free continent that can grow local businesses, boost intra-African trade, promote industrialization and create jobs.
Premier Ngirente said this is one of the many solutions that can come from a united Africa collaborating to address the health of the economy of the region.
“Further to this, countries and regions have signed different treaties, developed cooperation models in order to trade with each other, share knowledge, experiences, and support in solving various economic challenges. As policymakers, we should work towards implementing our commitments and treaties,” he stressed.
This year’s Symposium was organized under the theme “The Rising African Sovereign Debt: Implication for Monetary Policy and Financial Stability”.
The Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda and the Vice-Chairperson of AACB, John Rwangombwa said that Africa’s rising sovereign debt should be not be taken as a unique problem to Africa noting that many Global economies are facing the challenge of rising sovereign debt as data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows.
In 2017 sovereign debt in advanced economies was averaging 266% of GDP, while that of emerging markets was at 168 percent of GDP.
In the same year, the average public debt for the African continent was at 45 percent of GDP, with 19 countries above 60%, the then threshold set by the African Monetary Co-operation Programme.
“ Looking at the numbers, one would wonder why we had to dedicate a whole day discussing debt when Africa’s debt seems to be very low compared to that of the rest of the world,” wondered Rwangombwa.
“As central bankers, we intend to mainly focus on how rapidly increasing sovereign debts may affect the effectiveness of monetary policy as well as the financial stability in our economies,” he said.
Last week the IMF announced that it had revised downwards the global GDP growth numbers for the years 2019 and 2020 because of the likely negative impacts of the trade wars between the US and China plus the uncertainties surrounding Brexit.
It is against this background that Governor Rwangombwa said that Africans would suffer if they don’t cooperate.
“We have a saying in Kinyarwanda which literally translates; ‘when two elephants fight it’s the grass that suffers’. It would not be farfetched to say that if we Africans don’t put our act together; we will easily be the grass at the mercy of the feet of the two global giants fighting each other,” he said.
Abebe Aemro Selassie, the Director of the African Department at IMF said that the most acute challenge with respect to debt distress is being faced by countries that were hit by the shocking decline in oil prices and others.
“We need to think about how central banks can tackle high debt to GDP ratios in Africa,” he recommended.
The meeting also examined the status of the Auditor General’s report for the year 2017-2018 as well as the follow up on the issues of human security.
Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister emphasized that a performance contract that is not fully achieved is considered as a failure.
“Once you have planned to build a classroom, and after its completion, the later don’t accommodate students, then it will be useless since the classroom is meant to be used by students,” he said.
Speaking about human security issues, Ngirente called on all leaders to ensure that all the human security issues are dealt with, including; lack of classrooms which cause children to travel a long distance while going to school, lack of shelters, health and hygiene issues among others.
The Premier also urged that cases of embezzlement and mismanagement of public funds and resources be investigated, filed and prosecuted quickly to allow prompt recovery of the public funds.
Following the resolutions; Rwanda Agriculture Development Board (RAB), the Higher Education Council (HEC), the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR), the National Industrial and Research Development Agency (NIRDA), and the Workforce Development Authority (WDA), the branch of the University of Rwanda and Rwanda Academy of Language and Culture (RALC) are set to be moved to Huye District.
Muhanga District will be the home for the Rwanda Cooperatives Agency (RCA) and Rwanda Management Institute Rwanda (RMI).
Nyagatare will host a branch of the University of Rwanda while those to be relocated to Musanze District include the National Itorero Commission (NIC), the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), and the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) added to an existing branch of the University of Rwanda in Busogo.
The National Rehabilitation Service (NRS) will be relocated to Karongi District, the Forestry Authority will be moved to Ngororero district while Rusizi will keep a branch of the University of Rwanda.
Speaking to journalists in a post-cabinet meeting yesterday, the Minister for Infrastructure, Claver Gatete said the relocation was based on the duties of these institutions and how they associate with host cities.
“For instance, Huye will host RAB, NIRDA, HEC, and WDA all related to education. Putting them together enables to complement one another. It is a cultural, historical and research place. Research in these domains cannot harmonize if they are far from concerned schools,” he said.
He explained that moving some institutions to other areas not part of secondary cities is meant to promote inclusive development.
“You cannot set up infrastructure in the same cities. The development needs to go beyond non-secondary cities,” said minister Gatete.
He said the relocation will spur economic growth in secondary cities in line with promoting inclusive development, improve services to citizens and reduce expenses whether these institutions operate in Government or rented private buildings.
Minister Gatete explained that an inspection is underway to analyze the terrain and requirements that first relocations shall take place in December this year.
The relocation is part of the resolutions of the 15th Leadership Retreat of 2018 aimed at supporting the development and expansion of secondary cities.
The six secondary cities include Musanze in Northern Province, Nyagatare in Eastern Province, Huye and Muhanga in Southern Province, and Rubavu and Rusizi in Western Province.
The concert will take place at the parking of Amahoro Stadium on 17th August 2019. It is the fifth concert of Iwacu Muzika Festival 2019 following previous concerts held in Musanze, Rubavu, Huye and Ngoma towns.
Many local artistes got the opportunity to promote their talents and were joined by François Nsengiyumva upcoming star known for his hit ‘Igisupusupu’.
Singers released by the East African Promoters Ltd to feature in the final concert that will be graced by Diamond include Intore Masamba, Senderi International Hit, Safi Madiba and Marina who performed in Ngoma concert, Queen Cha and Amalon who recently performed in Rubavu concert, Bull Dogg who performed in Huye and Bruce Melody who sang in the first Iwacu Muzika Concert held in Musanze.
Sintex and Bushali are upcoming artistes selected to feature in the grand finale.
The entrance ticket is Rwf 15,000 in VIP seats booked earlier while the price will increase to Rwf 20,000 on the same day of the concert. A ticket for an ordinary seat is sold at Rwf 5,000.
It will be the third concert graced by Diamond Platnumz in Rwanda following the previous one held in 2017 in Nyamata featuring Morgan Heritage.
Sheikh Hitimana made the call on Tuesday while addressing Rwandan Muslim students studying in Saudi Arabia, in a meeting held at the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Headquarters in Kacyiru.
He reminded them that they are ambassadors and they should reflect Rwandan values especially when they meet different people from other countries all over the world.
He noted that to prevent radicalism, the young people should share information about such tendencies to security organs to quickly curtail the development of extreme radicalization amongst Rwandan youth.
The Mufti reiterated that radical Islamic groups often target students for new recruits to their criminal cause, and urged them to be part of the security framework to fight and prevent such violent extremism.
He wondered why someone would take another’s life with impunity because of belief differences.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Denis Basabose, the Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism in RNP mentioned that exposure to extremist teachings could lead youngsters into radical groups and that as students; they should take the mantle to discourage such acts of terrorism.
Islamic radicalism, he said, erodes Rwandan values and preventing the “evil against human rights and a threat to security and development” should be a collective action.
“Don’t associate with people who want to mislead you into radical Islamic terrorism, condemn jihadists -such a thing is for evil-minded people that use the Islamic name for their selfish and criminal ends… extremism is against the Islamic faith,” CP Basabose told the Muslim students, urging them to be “good Rwandan ambassadors.”
Ismail Karekezi, one of the Rwandan students studying at Madina University in Saudi Arabia, hailed Rwanda National Police for engaging Rwandan young Muslims in these serious matters of security and patriotism.
Karekezi observed that such meetings remind them of their responsibilities in building their country instead of destroying it and carrying the Rwandan image abroad. He promised to share the acquired information with their colleagues to deny allegiance to extreme ideologies.
