Before the dinner, Mafikizolo will participate in gorilla naming ceremony, locally known as Kwita Izina, taking place at the volcanoes foothill in Kinigi, Musanze District of the Northern Rwanda.
The two and their six-member supporting team have landed in Kigali this Thursday.
Mafikizolo and local Gakondo Group will perform at Igitaramo-Cultural Celebratory Gala Dinner to entertain a range of guests now in the country for the Kwita Izina.
Mafikizolo was last in Rwanda in July 2016. At the occasion, the duo entertained guests at the 27th Ordinary African Union Summit of Heads of State and Governments.
This Friday, 23 gorilla infants will be given names by high profile people.
They include RnB Star Alioune Damala Badara Thiam, aka Akon on stage; Legendary Arsenal and Cameroun footballer Laureano Bisan Etamé-Mayer, aka Lauren; and former Nigeria President Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo.
The 24 represent 30% of the 80-seat Lower House as provided for in the Constitution.
Each of the four country’s provinces and the City of Kigali gets a number of women seats depending on its population size.
Eastern, Southern and Western provinces receive six seats each. Northern Province and City of Kigali are respectively represented by four and two legislators.
NEC President Prof. Kalisa Mbanda announced Wednesday evening the preliminary results per each province and Kigali as follows:
{{Southern Province
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A 31,259 member voting council elected six legislators out of 62 candidates. Voter turnout stood at 87%. Winners are
Voters list had 33,059 people but 99.8% elected the following six out of 39 candidates:
1. Nyiragwaneza Athanasie 81.6 %
2. Mukarugwiza Annonciata 72.8%
3. Rubagumya Furaha Emma 71.3%
4. Uwineza Béline 70.6%
5. Mukamana Alphonsine 67.9%
6. Uwamahoro Berthilide 67.4%
{{Northern Province
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With 24,194 voters, turnout was at 95.9%. The following four were elected out of 23:
1. Murekatete Marie Therese 95.9%
2. Uwingabiye Solange 94.5%
3. Nirere Marie Therese 92.1%
4. Basigayabo Marceline 89.4%
{{City of Kigali
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Voting council of 9,658 elected two legislators out of 16 candidates:
1. Ndangiza Madina 87.2%
2. Kanyange Phoebe 84.2%
On the other hand, voter turnout stood at 93.04% in the legislative general elections held on Monday.
The seven-party RPF-led coalition won 74% ballots equivalent to 40 seats out of the 53 deemed to be shared among the parties and independent candidates.
Liberal Party (PL) and Social Democratic Party (PSD) respectively won 9% and 7% equivalent to five and four seats.
Each of Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and PS-Imberakuri won 5% ballots equivalent to two seats.
Eugène Mussolini won on Sunday to represent people with disabilities.
In the elections held on Tuesday for two youth representatives, Erneste Kamanzi and Clarisse Imaniriho won the seats.
For the first time over the last 24 years, two opposition parties have also entered the parliament.
They are Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and PS-Imberakuri. Each has secured two seats after winning 5% ballots as the minimum Constitutional requirement for a party or independent candidate to have a seat.
It is also the first time that 53 seats contested for in the general elections are shared among all 11 parties in Rwanda.
The preliminary results announced Tuesday indicated that the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and allied six parties won 74% equivalent to 40 seats.
Six parties in the RPF-led coalition have therefore shared 20 seats as RPF also takes 20. The six are PDI, PSR, PDC, PPC, UDPR and PSP.
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced that Liberal Party (PL) and Social Democratic Party (PSD) respectively won 9% and 7% equivalent to five and four seats.
Nobody of the four independent candidates won a seat. They all scored below 1% including the last year’s presidential elections, Philippe Mpayimana, who lost to then RPF candidate Paul Kagame.
Though RPF maintains absolute majority with 40 seats, it has lost one seat compared to immediate last term. PSD and PL have also lost two and one respectively.
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RPF electoral commissioner and spokesperson, Wellars Gasamagera told IGIHE Wednesday that the party is contented with the results.
“We are happy that voters have made their choice. We needed absolute majority and we have achieved that. We thank Rwandans who have again placed trust in us,’ he said.
PSD president Dr Vincent Biruta shared similar contentment over the results despite the party’s loss of two seats.
“We have no worries because it usually happens to have more or fewer seats in all elections. We shall examine our loss but it is even general as other parties have also lost seats. It is because new parties have ascended into the House,” he said.
Biruta said that new parties entry cements the openness of political space.
DGPR president Dr Frank Habineza said he is delighted to see his party enter the parliament.
DGPR was founded in 2009 but was allegedly denied to contest in 2013 legislative elections. DGPR’s Habineza contested for the presidency last year but lost with 0.48% votes.
Habineza said that his party is going to advocate on different issues as it pledged during the campaign.
“These elections take Rwanda to a better step. It was always RPF, PL, and PSD in the parliament but it has now changed for the better,” he said.
“Nothing will hold us back on our pledges; it is not an easy task but we shall lobby other parties in the House.”
Habineza said they will advocate for the revision of land law to scrap or at least reduce land taxes and strive to give back land to the citizens as opposed to the current status of leasing land with the state.
PS-Imberakuri president Christine Mukabunani said her first party’s representation in the parliament is a great achievement.
She thanked voters for the trust placed in her party and promised it will strive to deliver the pledges it made during the campaign.
Women have 49 seats equivalent to 61.2% of the 80-seat Lower House.
These include 24 women special seats, 19 out of 40 RPF seats, two from each of PSD and PL, one from PS-Imberakuri and Clarisse Imaniriho representing the youth.
Now in custody are Maximilien Turinabo, Anselme Nzabonimpa, Jean de Dieu Ndagijimana, Marie Rose Fatuma and Dick Prudence Munyeshuli.
Rwanda Public Prosecution Authority has announced in a statement that the arrests were executed on Monday upon a request by the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
The five suspects are expected to be transferred to the seat of the Mechanism in Arusha, Tanzania.
The IRMCT statement released Wednesday indicates that the alleged aim of the suspects’ efforts was to secure the reversal of Augustin Ngirabatware’s conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
Ngirabatware was convicted by the ICTR’s Appeals Chamber for direct and public incitement to commit genocide, instigating genocide and aiding and abetting genocide and gave him a sentence of 30 years of imprisonment.
The indictment in the Turinabo et al. case alleges that the five accused are responsible for contempt of court, incitement to commit contempt and knowingly violating court orders, and interfering with the administration of justice at the Mechanism and ICTR.
The Office of the Prosecutor alleges that Maximilien Turinabo, Anselme Nzabonimpa, Jean de Dieu Ndagijimana and Marie Rose Fatuma, directly and through others, offered bribes and exerted pressure to influence the evidence of protected witnesses in the Ngirabatware case.
It further alleges that Dick Prudence Munyeshuli and Maximilien Turinabo disclosed protected information regarding protected witnesses in knowing violation of protective measures ordered by the ICTR and Mechanism.
“I wish to express our gratitude to the Rwandan authorities for promptly executing the Mechanism arrest warrants and apprehending the five accused. The Office of the Prosecutor continues to enjoy excellent cooperation with the Prosecutor-General of Rwanda, Mr. Jean Bosco Mutangana, and other Rwandan authorities,” said the Mechanism Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz in a statement.
He said that his office is determined to fight all efforts to interfere with witnesses and the proper administration of justice, in accordance with the office’s mandate from the United Nations Security Council.
“We are fully committed to safeguarding the integrity of all proceedings before the Mechanism, ICTR and ICTY, in particular by ensuring the protection of witnesses. The confirmation of our indictment and arrests of the five accused this week are visible demonstrations of that commitment,” he added.
ICTY stands for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
IRMCT instruments state that anyone who is convicted with interfering with its justice shall face seven years of imprisonment maximum or a fine of €50,000.
ICTR sentenced Ngirabatware to 35 years in jail in 2012 but the sentence was reduced to 30 years in 2014 in the appeal trial by IRMCT. IRMCT succeeded ICTR.
In June 2017, IRMCT accepted Ngirabatware’s request for the appeal review which was set for February 2018. However, his counsel Peter Robinson withdrew earlier, putting off the review hearing until September 24.
Ngirabatware has got Diana Ellis and Sam Blom-Cooper as counsel and co-counsel to represent him in the review proceedings before the Mechanism.
The 61-year old was arrested in Germany in September 2007 and transferred to ICTR in October 2008.
The star arrived in Kigali Tuesday. His visit is in line with Arsenal-Rwanda deal dubbed ‘Visit Rwanda’ aimed at promoting the country’s tourism.
On Wednesday, Lauren met young boys and girls with dreams of playing football as professionals at Amahoro Stadium. He advised the youngsters and played football with them.
The English club legend continued his visit to the volcanoes Thursday to see the rare mountain gorillas.
Lauren will participate in gorilla naming ceremony, locally known as Kwita Izina, tomorrow at the volcanoes foothill in Kinigi, Musanze District of the Northern Rwanda.
The ceremony will see 23 gorilla infants given names.
In Arsenal, Lauren won FA Community Shield in 2002 and 2004, three FA Cup in the seasons of 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2004–05 and two Premier League cups including one that Arsenal won without losing a single match in 2003-04 season.
Another Arsenal legend Alexandra Virina Scott is also among tomorrow’s gorilla namers.
The retired English footballer played for Arsenal Women and made 140 appearances for the English national team. She also represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
Scott won with Arsenal Women five Premier League titles, seven FA cup, one UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2007, among other cups.
Among them are RnB Star Alioune Damala Badara Thiam, aka Akon on stage; Legendary Arsenal and Cameroun footballer Laureano Bisan Etamé-Mayer, aka Lauren; and former Nigeria President Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo.
The naming of 23 gorilla infants is taking place Friday in Kinigi, Musanze District.
The 14th ceremony, locally known as Kwita Izina, has come at the time gorilla population has increased to over 600 from 480 in 2010.
Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has announced that a number of politicians, artistes, conservation specialist, philanthropist, among others, are thronging into the country to give names to baby gorillas.
The ceremony also features two former Arsenal players as part of Rwanda-Arsenal deal dubbed ‘Visit Rwanda.”
{{Expected gorilla namers
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Crown Prince Sheikh Dr. Abdulaziz Ali Bin Rashid Al Nuami from the United Arab Emirates; he is nicknamed Green Sheikh for having dedicated his life to travelling and environmental stewardship.
Dr. Noeline Raondry Rakotoarisa, the Programme Chief of Capacity Building and Partnerships Section at the UNESCO.
Graca Machel, the former First Lady of South Africa and Mozambique. She is an international advocate for women and children’s rights.
Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam, an American-Senegalese singer, songwriter, businessman, record producer and actor of Senegalese descent.
Samba Bathily, a Malian philanthropist, Samba is CEO of Solektra International and co-founder of Akon Lighting Africa with international Akon and Thione Niang.
Alexandra Virina Scott: a retired English footballer who mostly played as a right-back for Arsenal Women. She made 140 appearances for the English national team and also represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.
Laureano Bisan Etamé-Mayer, commonly known as Lauren, is a retired Cameroonian footballer, who played as a right back for the Cameroonian national team and Arsenal FC. He was a member of 49-game unbeaten Invincibles team.
Strive Masiyiwa, a Zimbabwean businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder and executive chairman of diversified international telecommunications, media and technology group Econet Wireless and Econet Media.
Adrian Gardiner, a South African founder and chairman of Mantis, a family-run collection of privately-owned hotels, eco escapes and lifestyle resorts located around the world, with a large presence in Africa.
Michael O’Brien-Onyeka, the Senior Vice President of Conservation International for Africa, a non-governmental conservation and sustainable development organisation.
Thomas Krulis, the Coordinator for Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) coordinator and CEO for Loto Investments.
Hong Liang and Xinyu Zhang, the celebrity couple are hosts of the popular online travel programme called ‘Lu Xing’ (On the Road).
Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, the Vice President for Flora and Fauna International- UK. He is an English celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer and campaigner on food and environmental issues.
Peter Riedel, the President and COO of Rhode Schwarz International, an international electronics group specialised in the fields of electronic test equipment, media as well as cyber-security.
Alexa Gray, is the representative of Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation. The foundation is a supporter and donor for the VNP Expansion Programme through the Africa Wildlife Foundation.
Michael Wale, the Group CEO of Kerzner International, a company that develops and manages luxury resorts, residences and integrated entertainment resorts.
Ambassador Peter H. Vrooman, the US Ambassador to Rwanda.
Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.
Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Nciza, the duo known as Mafikizolo, are three-time winners of the South African Music Award for Group or Duo of the Year.
Odette Nyiramongi, the proprietor of Paradis Malahide Resort, an eco-friendly hotel in Rubavu.
Rao Hongwei, the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China
Judith Kakuze, a former porter at the Volcanoes National Park, Judith is now on the Advisory Committee of the Volcanoes National Park Porter Association. In addition, she is a member of the Advisory Council of Kinigi Sector in Musanze District.
Jeannette Uwiragiye, in 2017, Jeannette graduated as the best female student in the Department of Forestry Conservation at the IPRC- Kitabi.
Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and PS-Imberakuri have each secured two seats in the Lower House, after winning 5% of the vote as the minimum constitutional requirement for a party or independent candidate to enter the parliament.
In the preliminary results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and allied six parties won 74% equivalent to 40 seats out of 53 contested for in the general elections.
NEC President Prof. Kalisa Mbanda said Liberal Party (PL) and Social Democratic Party (PSD) respectively won 9% and 7% equivalent to five and four seats.
Nobody of the four independent candidates won a seat. They all scored below 1% including Philippe Mpayimana who also scored below 1% in the last year’s presidential elections.
DGPR also contested for the presidency last year but its chairman and then candidate Dr Frank Habineza got 0.48% votes, losing to the incumbent President and then RPF candidate Paul Kagame who won about 99%.
Habineza and DGPR Executive Secretary Jean Claude Ntezimana are now heading to the 80-seat parliament in the next five-year term.
PS Imberakuri had also contested in the legislatives in 2013 but won no seat. And now, its president Christine Mukabunani and member Jean René Niyorurema are going to represent the party in the House.
Compared to immediate last term, RPF and PL have lost one seat each while PSD loses two.
Meanwhile, in the elections held on Tuesday for the youth representatives, NEC announced that Erneste Kamanzi and Clarisse Maniriho won the seats.
Eugène Mussolini also won on Sunday to represent people with disabilities.
Elections were also held Tuesday for 24 women representatives equivalent to 30% of the chamber of deputies as stipulated by the Constitution but NEC hasn’t yet announced the results.
President Paul Kagame has remarked that private sector must be at the centre of Sino-Africa cooperation for the two to realise their development targets.
Kagame was speaking Tuesday at the closing of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit (FOCAC 2018) in Beijing, China.
The two-day high level meeting was held under the theme “Toward an Even Stronger China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.”
“Long-term private sector-led investment in key sectors of production in Africa is essential. The concrete targets offered by President Xi Jinping in this domain are very much welcome and appreciated,” said Kagame alongside other Heads of State and Governments representing 53 African countries.
FOCAC concluded with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021).
The summit revolved around China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development.
President Kagame said that of particular importance is that the Beijing Action Plan is intended to boost Sino-Africa existing development frameworks.
“The Forum’s expanded cooperation areas will surely bring us closer to our goals. In today’s global political climate, it is even more important to reaffirm our commitment to an open international order characterised by peace, security, multilateralism, free trade, mutual respect and cooperation where everyone benefits,” he said.
Currently the Chairman of African Union, President Kagame urged the FOCAC participants to remain focused on the resolutions adopted yesterday.
“If we remain guided by the spirit of the 2018 Beijing Summit, I have no doubt that we will have even more good results to celebrate at our next gathering in Africa,” he remarked.
The two-phase roundtable meeting was chaired respectively by Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, the co-chair of FOCAC.
But little has been known among Rwanda residents of the access to Bollywood and more Indian content on locally available platforms.
ZEE Network —global entertainment giant— has made it possible for anyone with subscription to DStv, Canal+, Kwese TV or StarTimes to watch Bollywood movies, novellas and more content on ZEE channels at no extra cost, according to Harish Goyal, Chief Executive Officer in charge of Africa and Asia Pacific at ZEE TV.
Bollywood is the Indian cinema industry known globally for its state-of-the art movies appealing to various categories of people—young and adult, female and male—among others.
Speaking to IGIHE Tuesday in Kigali, Goyal said there are six channels available in Rwanda for 24 hours per seven days in English on different platforms and in French on Canal+.
The English channels include Zee World available on DStv channel 166, Zee
Bollymovies on DStv channel 114 and Kwese TV channel 155 and Zee Bollynova on Kwese TV channel 150.
Zee Magic in French is on Canal+ channel 51 and WION (World Is One News) bringing latest and breaking world news in politics, business, sports, lifestyle and more on Kwese TV channel 731 and on Kwese Play.
There is also Zee Cinema International, one of the most popular movie channels in Asia, which is available on StarTimes channel 507.
Zee World also launched last Sunday the Swahili audio track for its popular series: “Twist of Fate,” which returns for the second season. The Swahili track on Zee World is available in seven regional countries via DStv channel 166 and GOtv channel 25.
{{Why Rwanda?
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Goyal was in Kigali as one of the speakers at a three-day continental business conference. He said it was his first time in the country as his office is based in South Africa.
“Rwanda is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa; a lot is happening, investment and development. It is also a country of young citizens. For these millennials, the content that we bring really fits with Rwanda,” Goyal said of the ZEE TV interest in Rwanda.
“Rwanda is an important market. We are bringing these programmes in English and French targeting the mainstream audiences in Rwanda.”
The CEO in charge of ZEE operations in 70 countries said their extensive research indicated that there is a cultural resonance between Indians and Africans, more so Rwandans.
The similarities are mainly in the fact that both people in India and Rwanda love music, dance and colourful dresses.
“We show storylines that appeal to Rwandan people. Again, all ZEE TV content is three generation-oriented. This means that grand parents can sit with their grand children and children while watching ZEE channels,” said Goyal.
“Our relationship with Rwanda has just begun. I am confident that this relationship will grow and get strengthened further in the coming time. We are definitely looking at Rwanda as a very important market in Africa, not only in the East Africa.”
He invited Rwandan viewers to try the ZEE channels.
“I am sure that if you give us five minutes, you will like our channels for the rest of your life.”
With over 1.3 billion viewers in 173 countries, India-based ZEE Network has got 40 channels in India and outside of India.
ZEE is the world’s largest aggregator of Bollywood and Indian TV content with 242,000 hours of Bollywood content and a production of fresh 100 hours of content every day.
In Africa, the network has 12 TV channels that reach over 50 million viewers.
Speaking to IGIHE, Hajj Djamilu Murangwa, a pilgrim, said that the journey had been very fruitful for him and will do all he can to share what he had learned with her fellow Muslims.
“I am going to sow seeds of love in my friends because love and patience are what I saw, characterizing most of Muslims from Mecca,” Hajj Murangwa said
Hajjat Mukande Sauda aged 72, assured that it had been a successful pilgrimage and it was not only going to impact him but also his fellow brothers and sisters.
Sauda also revealed that they had a chance to visit holy places such as Mohammed’s birth place and where he was anointed as a prophet.
According to Islamic faith, making the pilgrimage by an Islamic faithful earns a man the title of Hajj while a woman is referred to as Hajjat.
