The Office of the President has announced that Kagame is expected to deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of the Summit.
The Summit was organized under the auspices of Republic of Congo Brazaville, Denis Sassou NGuesso who is also current President of the Congo Basin Commission.
Also at the attendance of the summit include different Heads of States and Morocco King, Mohammed VI.
At the Summit, the Heads of State of the Basin Commission and its main funding instrument, the Blue Fund, will seek mechanisms in line with the spirit of the Marrakech Declaration to take action.
Kagame was speaking yesterday in a one-on-one conversation with Mo Ibrahim on ‘Public services in 21st century Africa’.
The conversation was held during the last session after a full day of panel discussions focused on public services, good governance and effective leadership in Africa that took place under the three day Ibrahim Governance Weekend that has been taking place in Kigali.
The conversation with Mo Ibrahim revolved around different topics including Kagame’s plans on post-presidency, African Union Commission, Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area, Corruption in Africa and the International Criminal Court among others.
Speaking about African Union (AU) reforms, Kagame said that it’s all about changing mindsets, efficiency and how they do things.
“It is also about financing because the source matters. It’s not proper that we do not fund our own budget, because we can. If it’s somebody else funding, then you do their bidding,” he said.
On AU funding formula of 0.2% levy on eligible imports, Kagame said that 25 countries are already implementing and many more are willing. He said the formula is predictable and has automaticity around it. He added that those who haven’t understood are free to engage in a conversation about it.
Speaking about Africa’s Continental Free Trade Area, the Head of State said that it is part of the AU reforms, which comes out of realisation of need. He said that he is optimistic about the trade agreement.
“That 44 countries have seen the significance and some have even ratified it. It is encouraging. I am very optimistic about the trade agreement,” he noted.
Also in the conversation, Kagame was asked about the International Criminal Court, and said that initially it was supposed to cover the whole world but ended up covering only Africa. He said that Africans are being tried on the crimes committed with people from elsewhere.
“Right from its inception I said that the Court would be trying Africans. It’s not bad to try crimes, people have to be accountable. But the concern is in the process and whether justice would be seen to be served,” he said.
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Speaking on future plans, Kagame said that he has many things planned.
“I will try to be supportive to my successor so that they can take Rwanda further. I always fall back on my family for comfort, I want some time to myself, and have always wanted to go back to school,” he said.
Speaking about AU fight against corruption, Kagame who is also the Chairperson of the union said that they have to insist on accountability and punish the offenders.
“I happen to find slogans useful but we need to urgently move beyond this. What we have to do is to insist on accountability and punish offenders. Corruption is not limited to Africa,” he said.
On the future of Rwanda, the Head of State said that he wants the country developed ten times from where it is today.
“Looking back at where we were and where we are now, we would like to be ten times better going forward,” he said.
The Ibrahim Governance Weekend is a three-day event that convenes political and business leaders, representatives from civil society, multilateral and regional institutions as well as Africa’s major international partners to debate issues of critical importance to Africa.
The new move will go in place starting from Monday 30th where students preparing to sit for 2018 national examinations will start to register for exams.
The process will be facilitated by school head teachers, Sector Education Officers and Director of Education in Districts as well as Irembo officials.
Speaking to IGIHE, the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Isaac Munyakazi said that the service comes to fast-track the registration process and ICT promotion.
“First of all is to fast-track the process by using ICT, it facilitates us in coordinating numbers which are needed during examinations. We also need to reduce using of papers as ICT helps us keeping the records properly,” he said.
He said that they will not face internet issues as the process will be facilitated by school head teachers and sector education officers who have internet and computers.
“Head teacher have been trained. No need for students to go and seek machine to register themselves, it will be done at their respective schools,” Munyakazi explained.
The Rwanda Education Board (REB) Deputy Director General, Angelique Tusiime explained that Irembo staffs at districts will facilitate head teachers.
She explained that it will reduce the workload as previously, the registration that was being done on hard copies used to reach in REB and re-register them in computers which sometimes resulted in some mistakes like misspelling of candidates’ names.
National examination registration is the 86th service taken online after different services like land title transfers, registration for driving licenses, and official document application among others.
Kagame was speaking yesterday while attending the opening ceremony of a three day Ibrahim Governance Weekend meeting which is taking place in Kigali.
At the event that took place in Kigali Convention Centre, Mo Ibrahim Foundation awarded Former Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her outstanding leadership during her two terms in office.
Kagame congratulated Sirleaf for being selected as the 2017 Ibrahim Prize Laurette.
The Head of State said that all leaders share the conviction that accountable governance and service delivery are the core responsibilities of government.
“Tonight is about underscoring that shared commitment,” he said.
“I would like to congratulate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her selection as the 2017 Ibrahim Prize Laureate. The committee’s choice recognises her achievements in leading Liberia through a particularly consequential period of its history,” he added.
Kagame saluted former President Sirleaf and said they wish the people of Liberia all the best in the years ahead as they build on the good foundation laid during Sirleaf’s tenure in office.
Kagame said that Leadership is both a privilege and a duty, adding that it is best measured in terms of concrete results that citizens can feel in their everyday lives as well as in the level of trust that they have in public institutions.
“During our time in office, we must work as hard as we can to do the right things for our people’s future no matter how difficult,” he urged.
He said that the focus of the Ibrahim Forum taking place this Saturday on public service in Africa and the civic contract, is entirely on target.
“This is where our energies should be directed and I am very much looking forward to participating in the discussions, together with many of you,” Kagame said.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was started by African billionaire Mo Ibrahim in 2006 with a focus on the critical importance of leadership and governance in Africa.
The launch of RwandAir flights to Abuja was attended by the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Nigeria His Excellency Stanislas Kamanzi, the Country Director of RwandAir Ibiyemi Odusi, A representative of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as well as stakeholders and friends of Rwanda.
Ibiyemi Odunsi, the airline’s Country Manager, Nigeria, said that the commencement of Abuja-Kigali route was part of the airline’s determination to expand its business to the nation’s capital.
“As an airline, we know that this is the political capital of the country and as Nigeria is expanding we have to be part of what it is doing”, she said
She expressed optimism that the airline would be able to achieve 80 to 85 per cent load factor on the Abuja route through efficient service delivery.
The Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Stanislas Kamanzi, commended the Federal Government, aviation agencies and management of Rwand Air in Nigeria for making it possible for the opening of Abuja route.
Kamanzi said the new route was a product of the long standing friendship between Nigeria and Rwanda, adding that the Abuja-Kigali route would deepen trade relationship between the two countries.
According to him, this is coming at the right time when Africa is moving toward integration and the fastest mode of transportation is through air.
“We look forward to growing trade and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Rwanda as well between East and West Africa.
“That is what we need for our people to tap the wealth of our continent,’’ he said.
RwandAir will now operate flights from Kigali to Abuja, four times in a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The move is part of a five year coffee business agreement partnership signed earlier this year, between Rwanda Farmers Coffee Company (RFCC) and the Global Food of USA, facilitated by National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).
The partnership was developed to support the “Beyond Fair Trade” business model of RFCC whereby farmers share in the value of each sales of Roasted coffee.
The Sales and Marketing Manager at RFCC, Eric Rukwaya, said that other significant trade volumes of roasted coffee by the RFCC were recorded in 2015 whereby seven tonnes (7Tonnes) were shipped to United Kingdom.
Last year, four and half tonnes (4.5 Tonnes) worth US$36,000 were sold to different international markets including German and South Korea.
“This year, we plan to Export a total of 40 tonnes expected to generate a total of US$ 320,000 (RWF 273,600,000).” Mr Rukwaya revealed.
Rukwaya added that with the acquired support of the Export Growth Facility (EGF) of the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) enabling export, Rwanda Farmers Coffee Company will continue to grow its Export market of roasted coffee.
The business partnership between Global Food and RFCC was negotiated since 2016 where the agreements include establishment of Global Food operational offices in Kigali and supply of over 36 tonnes of roasted coffee to USA. The deal of supplying roasted coffee in 2018 is estimated at U$ 306,000 (RWF 246,240,000) and is expected to grow in following years.
The partnership will not only increase foreign earnings for Rwanda but it will also to large extent support 5,452 coffee farmers (36% of which are women) and their families from 6 cooperatives in the country in the quest to improve their economic and social welfare.
The three-day event convenes prominent African political and business leaders, representatives from civil society, multilateral and regional institutions as well as Africa’s major international partners to debate issues of critical importance to Africa.
During their meeting, President Kagame and his counterpart Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, took note of the friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation between Rwanda and the Ivory Coast and reiterated their commitment to further strengthen their relations. They also gave an overview of African and international issues.
Ouattara arrived in Kigali, Wednesday night, on a three-day working visit. He was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community, Louise Mushikiwabo among other officials.
Over the past decade, GHC has worked under the leadership of President Kagame to recruit and train over 170 young advocates to bring change in Rwanda’s health sector.
“In Rwanda, we have made amazing strides in achieving health equity, and we look with anticipation to the future. Our large and growing youth population reflects a great opportunity. GHC’s work recruiting and training young leaders with diverse backgrounds and skillsets has been critical to driving the health equity movement forward, so the Skoll Award is a win for all of us. The GHC team in Rwanda is excited to continue to work with our NGO partners and the Rwandan government to create a bright future where health as a human right is realized for all Rwandans,” said Jean Rene Shema, Global Health Corps’ Rwanda Country Director.
GHC’s official partners include Partners In Health, the Ministry of Health, MASS Design Group, Gardens for Health International, and many others.
“I am so grateful and proud of our team and all of our partners in Rwanda. This milestone is a testament to their hard work and vision. As we pause to celebrate our progress to date, we recognize that the Skoll Award for GHC is a validation of the power of young, African leadership. We’re so excited to leverage this Award to achieve greater impact as our fellows and alumni lead the charge to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare in the years to come,” said Barbara Bush, GHC’s co-founder and Board Chair.
The Skoll Foundation awards the prestigious Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship annually to a few transformative leaders whose organizations disrupt the status quo and drive sustainable large-scale change. Awardees are selected from among hundreds of candidates, and they undergo a rigorous, months-long due diligence process to assess their model and their achieved and potential impact.
Since 2009, GHC has recruited and developed a network of 170 innovative young leaders in Rwanda who are united by the belief that health is a human right.
A Kigali lawyer, Donat Mutunzi went missing on April 13th 2018 and later put into police custody on 19th where he was found dead Monday morning in Ndera Police Station of Gasabo District.
According to the Rwanda Investigation Bureau Spokesperson Modeste Mbabazi, Mutunzi was arrested last week allegedly for indecent assault with violence but committed suicide while in police custody.
Conveying their condolences, Rwanda Bar Association pledged support and assistance to the family and friends of late Mutunzi in these difficult times.
“After getting the devastating news of the death of our peer, the Rwandan Bar Association would like to condole and comfort family and friends in these difficult times”, reads a statement signed by the head of the association, Me Julien Kavaruganda.
The Rwanda National Police Spokesperson, CP Theos Badege, told IGIHE that Me Mutunzi was visited by his wife while in custody.
However, Valentine Ugirimpuhwe said she didn’t know of his late husband’s whereabouts from his disappearance to the time police informed her of his death in a phone call.
Badege said that around 4am on Monday, the time custody warders usually let detainees out for their personal hygiene, Me Mutunzi was found hanging in his cell.
CP Badege added that two bottles of Skol beer were also found in late Me Mutunzi’s cell, leading to the fact that he had spent the night drinking. He had smashed one of the bottles to shred the bedsheet into a rope he used for suicide.
Meanwhile, Rwanda National Police says will establish how the two alcohol bottles, which are prohibited were sneaked into his cell.
Mutunzi’s family says that he went missing on April 13th and had last been seen taking his children to school.
He served as an advocate for Dr Léon Mugesera who was extradited from Canada over genocide crimes. Mugesera was convicted and is serving life in Prison.
{{Related: [Lawyer commits suicide in Ndera Police->http://en.igihe.com/news/lawyer-commits-suicide-in-ndera-police.html]
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A statement from RURA indicates that the radio station has been ordered to complete the process of closing in two days from today.
The Revocation follows failure by Amazing Grace Christian Radio to comply with RURA’s instructions given after a sermon was aired by the Radio on 29th January 2018, in which a radio presenter Nicolas Niyibikora, repeatedly insulted women referring to them as evil. This broadcast followed a pattern of radio shows insulting other religious beliefs.
“The conduct of the Amazing Grace Radio violated article 21(4A and 4B) of Regulation No 004/R/MR-MCA/RURA/2017 of 30 June 2017 governing Broadcasting services in Rwanda, in regard to upholding public morality and Rwandan culture and values in general,” reads the statement from RURA.
Following the breach of the above regulations, RURA imposed sanctions against Amazing Grace Radio, which included making an apology to the public, by correcting the aired program, a one-month suspension of the radio and a fine of two million francs (Rwf2.000.000)
A letter was sent requesting an explanation for non-compliance after Amazing Grace Radio ignored RURA’s instructions. The reasons given in their response were found to be unsatisfactory.
Consequently, RURA has decided to revoke the license for providing broadcasting services and the radio communicating license issued to Amazing Grace Christian Radio.
