Different people have conveyed their happy birthday wishes to the president through different social media platforms.
Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, Governor of the Northern Province wrote on Twitter saying, “A very happy birthday to His Excellency President Paul Kagame, our role model, inspirational president, visionary and great leader. May God bless you abundantly. More candles Mr. President. Blessings to our First Lady and the entire family,” he tweeted.
Former education minister Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya tweeted, “Happy birthday your Excellency President Paul Kagame. May God continue to bless you and your family! Rwandan was blessed from the day you were born,”.
Popular musician and doctor Tom Close wrote, “Happy birthday to you Mr. President Paul Kagame. You are a giant of inspiration to all of us mostly the youth. We are glad to live in this era, at least we know that the present and future of our nation is assured. Long live our president,” he tweeted.
President who is also the Chairperson of the African Union was delivering a Keynote Address at the Opening Ceremony of the first Ordinary Session of the fifth Pan-African Parliament (PAP) underway in Kigali.
“Important changes are underway on our continent, and in the wider world, and we have to be ready to meet them. It is about getting our house in order, doing what is right for our people, and speaking with one voice to advance Africa’s interests. Working together is the only way to give Africa’s position the weight it deserves, in the wider geopolitical context. At the same time, illusions of moral hierarchy, that divided continents, and people are crumbling rapidly, as we have been seeing. Responsibility for Africa’s security and prosperity is firmly in our hands. We must meet the imperative of good governance, with innovations and solutions drawn from Africa’s rich experiences and cultures, even as we remain open to benefit from the best global insights,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame further stressed that the role of Pan African parliamentarians was key in speeding up the ratification of African Continental Free Trade Agreement, the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, and other key pillars of Agenda 2063, as part of their continued contribution to continental transformation.
As a new CEO, Sanday will be running all programs of EPD and implementing its new strategic plan while working closely with the board to craft, create a strategic pathway of the organization.
He comes with vast knowledge, skills and experience in the energy sector and business value creation in Rwanda. Since 2016 he joined EPD as project manager of Shell Foundation partnership, where he participates greatly in the off-grid policy formation, building traction with various stakeholders affiliated with the sector and advocacy of the energy sector. This has resulted in him gaining more experience in the sector and management of the association.
From 2011-2014, he served as a senior officer in Rwanda Development Board RDB as an Asset and Business management senior officer. Sanday was in charge of the privatization and M&E unit for Government assets where he gained experience in business and corporate value management practices.
He holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management in California, USA and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, USA and Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Hannibal La Grange College.
Sanday will play a vital role in realizing EPD’s vision of universal energy access to all homes in Rwanda and he believes that achieving such target in Rwanda requires a viable, vibrant and innovative private sector.
As an independent professional association, EPD coordinates constructive dialogue between the public and private Rwandan renewable energy sectors. By sharing information and advocating for a positive working environment for the private sector, they are supporting Rwanda’s government Electrification Goal of bringing 100% electrification by 2024.
EPD works with different stakeholders such as; The Private sector Federation of Rwanda “PSF”, Government of Rwanda “Ministry of Infrastructure”, “Rwanda Development Board” and “Rwanda Energy Group (REG/EDCL)”, International Development agencies such as Power Africa, DFID, EnDEV, GIZ, and more. All the above work together to address critical issues in the Energy sector and pave a way forward through which the sector can grow and thrive.
EPD has a membership of more than 100 private enterprises in multiple energy sectors including solar, hydro, LPG gas, biomass, biogas, methane gas and more.
EPD is one of the 5 associations composing the Chamber of Industry under the Private Sector Federation (PSF) of Rwanda. EPD focuses on advocacy of its members, encouraging collaboration and partnership for the development of the energy sector in Rwanda.
Every first and third week of the month, people from all walks of life and different parts of Kigali City converge in the communal sports at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) for different physical exercises.
Kagame rode a bicycle through Kimihurura and Kiyovu roads, after which he was received by other sportsmen at RRA.
He told participants that the activity is beyond just sporting.
“Turning up for Car Free Day isn’t only about physical exercises. We should uphold this culture and do even more to build ourselves and our country. Whenever we are working to improve our lives, we are also building our country.”
In a similar activity on June 17,2018 President Kagame also attended communal sports and urged Rwandans to embrace it because it is good for the health.
“I can see both young and old people here. I would like to thank you for having attended these physical exercises. When you take good care of your body, the brain functions well too,” he said.
Car Free Day started on May 29, 2016, aimed at helping Rwandans do sports for good health while at the same time benefiting from other activities like free testing and advice on how to prevent different diseases.
The exercise is also aimed at teaching and making people familiar with the fact that roads are not solely built for just vehicles but people as well.
This helps in reducing traffic jam and air pollution.
Originated from the City of Kigali, other towns in the country have also started adopting it.
Mostly aged between 7 and 16, some of them are seen at quarry sites still dressed in their school uniforms engaged in different activities at the quarries.
Local residents say that most of the children have abandoned school while they (children) say they only go to quarries after attending school.
When journalists asked them why they abandon school for mine work , one of them aged 7 said it is because of hunger that they have chosen to look for odd jobs to get money they can use to buy food. They say they do not find enough to eat at home.
“What do you do when you come home back from school and find that there is nothing to eat?” one of the children IGIHE talked to was wondering.
Another said; “I study in P3. I went to school in the morning and when I returned, I found no food at home. So, I decided to come here to look for money,” he said.
However, because they are not able to extract minerals, the children choose to filter the remains.
They all say that none of them goes back without at least Rwf2000 at the end of the day.
The parents say that most of the children that work in quarries are those who became disobedient to their parents.
They also say that the children attend the quarries in the evenings, get drunk and are a threat to their security.
“We have a problem of small children who have abandoned school for mining but what is even so saddening is that they waste the money they earn by buying doughnuts and drugs after which in the evening, they disturb security,” one resident said.
Remera Sector Executive Secretary Marcelline Mukamana told IGIHE that authorities are aware of this challenge and they are looking for a sustainable solution.
“We know that problem but we thought that only adults work in quarries. They are doing it illegally. We usually send DASSO local security guards to prohibit and warn residents from that exercise because they don’t have the right to do it,” she said.
She further says that the quarries were previously exploited by ROKA Rwanda– the leading ore mining, processing and exporting company in the country, but their contract expired and there has not been another company to take over yet. This is why local residents started trespassing on the quarries, she explained.
However, she said that in collaboration with the District, there are two companies that have submitted bids for the quarry and may start exploiting it soon.
As for children that abandon school for Mining, Mukamana said they often work in quarries when they are back from school but the authority is going to do its best to solve the problem in collaboration with parents.
Rwandan law stipulates that any child below 17 years of age is prohibited from working in quarries.
When government officials toured the district to see how the buildings had been closed on September 24, Prime Minister Dr Edouard Ngirente alongside other ministers had said that this exercise was not thought through.
Huye District authorities had decided to close some buildings in Huye town, advising owners to revamp them and build storied houses, an act that was seen as malicious.
The district first closed houses in Cyarabu neighborhood. Four years of inactivity later, the second part of the town from the City of Kigali was also closed.
Among the closed buildings is the most popular “Faucon” whose closure attracted public criticism who suggested that it would instead be preserved because it is a artifact to Huye Town which was formerly Astrida during the colonial era.
Minister of Infrastructure Amb. Claver Gatete said that the owners were given a five-year deadline as they searched for means to build houses that are in line with the town master plan.
“We decided to reopen most houses belonging to private businesses. We also agreed that five years would be enough for them to have been completed rebuilding the houses and follow the updated master plan.”
Those who have different investments and other businesses in Huye town welcomed those decision and demanded that they be facilitated to find rehabilitation permits.
Colette Mukandekwe, a businesswoman in Huye Town said, “What we demand is that construction permits should be easily availed so that we can be able to rebuild as soon as possible.”
Minister Gatete also said that every communal work day, Huye town will be visited by government officials to check how far residents will have gone with revamping the houses.
Nyirasafari who was recently appointed to head the ministry, made the remarks as she closed the international tennis competition known as ‘Cogebanque Tennis Open 2018’, Nyirasafari told the press that building sports policies starting with children and resolving existing challenges is one of her priorities.
“I will approach those already in the sports sector and hear their perspectives so that we work together to address the challenges. I will also build on what others have achieved” she said.
She further said that she will focus on promoting sports among children as it was within her responsibilities as Minister of Gender and Family Promotion.
Nyirasafari said she will encourage parents to give their children time to play and compete because “ aside from being a source of happiness for the country in general, sports also influences children’s healthy and growth.”
Bayingana who has been president of Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) for more than 10 years was elected for this post during a summit in Paris, France at OIF headquarters.
L’Union Francophone de Cyclisme has been headed by Moroccan Mohammed Ben El Mahi since its inception on 9 November 2014.
Through his Twitter account, President of The International Cycling Federation David Lappertient congratulated Bayingana for the responsibilities he has been voted for and the outgoing president, Mohammed Ben El Mahi.
“Congratulations to Aimable Bayingana @Aima_Bayingana, the new President of the Francophone Cycling Union elected at this day’s congress at @FFCyclism. Thank you to Master Mohammed Ben El Mahi for presiding over this institution since its creation.” The tweet reads.
Bayingana’s victory follows Louise Mushikiwabo’s, former Rwanda Foreign Affairs Minister who was recently elected new OIF boss.
Meanwhile, in February 2017, Aimable Bayingana has been elected member of the governing committee of cycling in Africa for the second time.
Criminal cases increased most, occupying 65% of all registered court cases.
Prof. Rugege noted that pending cases are 24,783 and suggested that in order to address the challenge of backlog, minor crimes may be resolved by means of imposing fines or mutual agreements between the two parties.
He reported that courts were able to deal with 73,682 cases while in 2016/2017 they had dealt with 67 992 cases.
As for the integrity of cases adjudicated in Rwanda, Rwanda Governance Board revealed in the fifth Rwanda Governance Scorecard that citizens’ trust in courts stands at 85.8 % up from 78.3 in 2016/2017 while the level of trust in the turn-around time, from when a case is reported to when a judgment is read, improved from 77.7% to 89.7 %.
The reshuffle saw 11 women named among 19 ministers, 50% of positions went to women occupying 13 of 26 positions and reduced cabinet size from 31 to 26.
The swearing of the new cabinet was on Friday presided over by the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame who administered the oath of six new ministers including Prof. Anastase Shyaka who replaced Francis Kaboneka as the Minister of Local Governance and Dr. Richard Sezibera, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs replacing Louise Mushikiwabo who was recently elected Secretary General of the International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF).
Other new ministers include Maj. Gen Albert Murasira, the Minister of Defense replacing Gen. James Kabarebe and Solina Nyirahabimana who replaced Esperance Nyirasafari in the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion.
Soraya Hakuziyaremye was sworn-in as Minister of Trade and Industry replacing Dr. Vincent Munyeshyaka while Paula Ingabire replaced Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa at the helm of the Ministry ICT and Innovation.
The Head of State also witnessed the oaths of Dan Munyuza who was appointed the Inspector General of Police and Felix Ntamuhoranye who is the new Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations.
Kagame said people have abilities and talents but nobody alone can lead the country to achieve its needed development targets. “We have to collaborate and link activities and our energy in all we do and always work remembering we work for the country and its citizens, it is not for ourselves alone,” he said.
“Rwandans aspire to achieve a lot which is good when done fast. We should always understand this in that way. Everybody but mostly authorities’ contribution is required for the country to achieve its goals. That’s all we expect from new and current leaders,” he added.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Richard Sezibera thanked President Kagame for entrusting him with ‘heavy’ duties he hopes to fulfill inspired the commendable job done by his predecessor, Louise Mushikiwabo.
“They are big duties but we have the leader, who is experienced and firm in them, the President of the Republic. All what is done in this Ministry [of Foreign Affairs] are planned by the President. I believe that I will collaborate with others to build on the commendable job done by Louise Mushikiwabo.”
The new Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms. Soraya Hakuziyaremye told the media that it is a great blessing to be trusted to serve the nation.
“I am going to start working with the team and the entire government. Rwanda is fast developing but we need to keep working hard as other countries are learning from us to develop their economies. What I bring is to use what I studied from abroad. We will sit down and work with beneficiaries in a bid to speed up the development as the Head of State asked us,” she said.
