A statement from the presidency read: “The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankkwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, 12th April 2018, suspended from office, Pius Enam Hadzide; and the acting Director General of the National Sports Council, Hon. Robert Sarfo Mensah.
“This decision has been taken following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstance that led to the arrest of some sixty (60) Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences, in the on-going 21st Commonwealth Games.”
The sixty were found to be fake journalists after the Australian authorities reportedly asked them basic sports questions but they failed. They are believed to have obtained visas through illegal connections with the help of people in high authority.
The president has also directed that other top officials be recalled from the Games to assist the police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) into the matter.
Ghana’s situation was detected before the Games but other African countries are making the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the area of disappearing athletes. Cameroon have recorded eight such cases whiles five others from Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda have joined the list.
At the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, investment promotion agencies from nine regions across the world were awarded on Monday basing on feedback from a major investor already operating in the country and RDB emerged the second best in East African region after Ethiopia.
“In the case of Rwanda, the major investor that nominated Rwanda was AIF. This award is further evidence of Rwanda’s pro-business focus,” said RDB’s Chief Operations Officer, Emmanuel Hategeka, upon receiving the award.
Expressing the company’s pride in the award on Thursday, Amar Ali, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Improved Foods, appreciated Rwanda’s support to AIF for delivering its mission and encouraged other investors to take their businesses to Rwanda.
“We, at Africa Improved Foods, are very proud to have helped Rwanda win this award. To build and operate a world class facility like we have in such a short period of time would not have been possible without the strong support of the Rwanda Government and in particular the Rwanda Development Board. They have helped us deliver our mission of helping people maximize their potential through improved nutrition with affordable, high quality locally sourced foods,” reads Ali’s statement to IGIHE.
AIF recently emerged Winner of the Best Investor of the Year 2017 Award at the RDB’s 5th edition Business Excellence awards.
“Rwanda is becoming a key player in the African investment landscape, and we encourage other investors to come to Rwanda and see what can be achieved here,” added Ali.
From a market point of view, Rwanda’s strategic location offers the opportunity of a commercial centre to the neighboring countries. Its economy is growing fast in terms of industrialization, foreign investor participation and commercial engagement thus currently ranked second in Africa in the latest World Bank Doing Business report and 41st globally.
Over the last 15 years, Rwanda has implemented 52 pro-business reforms, the highest number of business reforms in sub- Saharan Africa.
AIM is the world’s leading gathering of the international investment community, leading academics and experts showcasing up-to-date information, strategies and knowledge on attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Widely known for its “Nootri” and “Shisha Kibondo” flour brand, Africa Improved Foods is a joint venture between the Government of Rwanda and a consortium of Royal DSM, FMO, CDC and IFC. The objective of AIF is to improve the nutritional status of the population in Rwanda and Africa as a whole by manufacturing fortified nutritious foods for vulnerable groups and consumers across East Africa.
{{Also read: [Rwanda awarded for attracting transformational Foreign Direct Investments ->http://en.igihe.com/news/rwanda-awarded-for-attracting-transformational.html]
[Best Investor of the Year AIF shares award worthy deeds, plans for 2018
->http://en.igihe.com/news/best-investor-of-the-year-aif-shares-award-worthy.html]}}
MTN’s large subscriber base, comprehensive distribution, innovative digital products and drive for mobile financial services are being linked with Ecobank’s trail blazing digital banking products to provide instant bank accounts and remittances through Africa’s largest bank by network.
The two entities, with an extensive footprint on the continent, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop this partnership agreement, which will allow them to innovate and enhance access to affordable financial services via MTN Mobile Money and Ecobank Banking services.
This includes; enabling Ecobank and MTN Mobile Money customers to transfer money between mobile money wallets and bank accounts, and leveraging of Ecobank and MTN’s assets to digitise international remittance, foster product innovation in the field of mobile saving and lending, and offer digital payment solutions to consumers, merchants and corporates.
Ade Ayeyemi, Group CEO of Ecobank said: “The changing landscape of digital banking and mobile telephony is creating unique opportunities in the way and manner customers are served. Africa will need to digitise financial services to rapidly scale up client acquisition and patronage. MTN and Ecobank are taking the big step today at this grand event to support this agenda”
Further he reiterated that “Ecobank’s digital strategy has long been committed to ensuring transaction convenience for the market. We have made giant strides in our mission to ensure financial inclusion and today’s agreement with MTN will greatly accelerate the easy availability of banking services to the previously unbanked.”
Commenting on the collaboration, MTN Group President and CEO, Rob Shuter said:
“Partnerships between banks and mobile money operators are fundamental in the mobile money ecosystem, hence our long-standing partnership with Ecobank in many of our markets aimed at driving financial inclusion. We are excited to be taking this partnership to the next level as this latest development will spearhead innovative initiatives which will deepen financial access on the continent.”
The commemoration event took place in Paris, France on Tuesday.
Rwandan envoy in France described the presence of Audouard as a great step towards good relations between both countries.
At the event was also representatives of France presidency (L’Elysee) and Foreign Affairs Ministry (Quai d’Orsay) representative, Rémi Marechaux.
Speaking to IGIHE, the ambassador of Rwanda in France, Jacques Kabale said that the presence of France dignitaries is a great step towards good relations of both countries.
The event was also attended by representatives of France government, Members of Parliament, diplomatic corps and representatives of international organisations and different organisations like Ibuka-France among others.
“We appreciated their presence, we consider it as an act of good will and partnership between both countries,” Said Ambassador Kabale.
Kabale said that it is a small step that is being made towards good relations and hopes that they will bring good impact.
On April 7th when Rwandans started mourning week and 100 days of commemoration, France issued a statement comforting Rwandans during the commemoration period.
Zimbabwe media have reported that the government is keen to learn from Rwanda’s development model.
Akamanzi, arrived in Harare on Monday at the request of President Mnangagwa to share Rwanda’s experience
According to media, Hategeka was expected in Zimbabwe yesterday.
“Akamanzi is set to address Cabinet members, the private sector and civil servants on how Rwanda managed to attract huge foreign direct investment within a short space of time,” The Herald reported.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community of the Republic of Rwanda presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe and, with reference to the letter dated 29th March 2018 from His Excellency President Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, has the honour to confirm the visit of the top officials of the Rwanda Development Board, the chief executive (Ms Clare Akamanzi) and chief operating officer (Emmanuel Hategeka) during the week of 09-13 April,” reads part of the letter written to Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
{{How Zimbabwe President was impressed by Rwanda’s development model
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Speaking to The Herald on Monday, presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba said President Mnangagwa was impressed by the strides made by Rwanda on the economic front.
“When we went to the extraordinary summit for the signing of the Continental Free Trade Area in Kigali, one key question we raised bilaterally was, ‘How have you been able to raise so much FDI in so short a time and so successfully?’ and President (Paul) Kagame said, ‘I have an institutional home where investors arrive and are received and that is called the Rwanda Development Board and you are free to interface with its CEO’, and for a good two hours the President had a whole meeting with the CEO of the Rwanda Development Board,” he said.
“We discovered that this Rwanda Development Board is led by a CEO ‘deceptively’ because in reality this is a man or woman who is of Cabinet status and that person reports straight to Cabinet. The person has executive powers to provide answers and decisions to an investor regardless of fiscal consequences.
“He or she can decide to grant a waiver or tax holiday. He or she can give an environmental impact assessment there and then because Rwanda has done a national environmental impact assessment, which is enterprise based such that you don’t trigger the environmental impact assessment upon request.
“If they give you an area to operate from, before you start business, the land is available to you on 99-year lease; secondly there is electricity; three, there is internet facilities; fourth, there is water and a factory shell, which is designed to your requirements and you only move in with your capital, machinery and skills to set up shop under those conditions.
“All this was explained to the President and the ministers who accompanied him. The President went back to Kagame and said, ‘I have heard what your official has said, except, you have convinced the President and a few ministers’”.
“‘I want this person to come to Zimbabwe to address my Cabinet, private sector, parastatals, civil servants and everyone. President Kagame’s reaction was; ‘If I don’t give you this person you end up poaching, so, I will rather give you. You have requested for few days, but she will be in your country for two weeks during which she will have a soaking interface with your various echelons’.”
President Mnangagwa has set Zimbabwe on a developmental path that includes attracting foreign investors, hence his popular mantra “Zimbabwe is open for business”.
When the genocide began on April 7, over 3000 Tutsi from Kicukiro sought refuge at a former technical school, Ecole Technique Officielle de Kicukiro (ETO), in the belief that they would be protected by the United Nations peacekeeping forces for Rwanda (MINUAR) that was based there.
MINUAR would however desert them a few days later, despite the tension that had built up as the Interahamwe militia and government soldiers had surrounded the school.
Following the departure of the UN troops, government soldiers and Interahamwe took control of ETO Kicukiro.
In the school, Tutsi were taken by government soldiers and Interahamwe to Sonatube to be murdered there but the then mayor of the city, Lt. Col. Tharcisse Renzaho, ordered that they instead be taken to Nyanza and killed from there because Sonatube was too visible was along the road to the airport.
The Tutsi were then forced to march back, all the way to Nyanza, amid a heavy downpour. Many had not eaten for a couple of days. Those too weak to walk were killed on the way. When they arrived at Nyanza, the militia asked them to present their IDs to ensure that no Hutu were among the group.
Mass killings then began and many of them were killed using machetes. The next morning, as the killers attempted to finish off those who were still alive, the Rwandan Patriotic Army soldiers arrived and rescued the few who had survived the massacre.
The educationists last put a little smile on their face in November 2016 when special statutes governing them were announced with some promotions and bonuses in its provisions.
New initiatives towards better teachers’ welfare are again in the pipeline, according to Dr Irenée Ndayambaje, the Director General of Rwanda Education Board (REB).
In an interview with IGIHE, the official has sent a message to teachers stating that government always minds them and recognises their contribution to national building.
“As I speak now, we have prepared initiatives which will benefit all categories of teachers. This is not just about pleasing them but I cannot announce the initiatives before they receive approval from competent organs,” said Dr Ndayambaje.
“Wait to see them coming in the near future. We are always looking for ways to uplift teachers’ welfare as it is in our responsibilities.”
He also assured teachers of benefits resulting from promotion and bonuses in the next fiscal year which opens in July, saying that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has already approved the benefits.
“I would also tell teachers that we expect a lot from them in order to build the country’s knowledge-based economy. Please do your best to help attain this target,” he added.
Article 33 of the Presidential Order establishing special statutes governing teachers in nursery, primary and secondary education, states that a teacher is entitled to promotion to a higher job level and salary increase after every three years on the basis of his or her functional and behavioural performance evaluation.
Teachers are also entitled to a bonus of up to 5% of their basic salary depending on their performance score starting from 70% while those below 60% are dismissed without any terminal benefits.
Speaking to IGIHE, the RDF spokesperson, Lt. Col Innocent Munyengango said that the attack took place yesterday.
“Yesterday our peacekeepers in CAR were given duty to protect and save lives of civilians who were attacked by an armed group as it is their mission, it took place in a region called PK5 in Bangui city. Our soldiers stopped the attack and saved people. But, unfortunately, we lost one soldier and eight injured,” he said.
“That is sad news to the country and RDF. We comfort the family of the deceased and all arrangements to repatriate the body are being processed so that he is buried in the country,” he added.
Munyengango said that these who sustained injuries are being treated and their conditions are improving.
Currently Rwanda has 960 peacekeepers in Central African Republic.
In CAR, Rwanda soldiers have, among others responsibilities, to ensure the security of the President, high government officials and other institutions.
The major highlight of the event was a testimony by Josephine Murebwayire, a 64-year-old widow who lost all her six children, a husband and two brothers during the 1994 massacres.
“On the night of 6th April 1994 when the plane that was carrying President Habyarimana was shot down, two soldiers and two Interahamwe came to our home. They demanded for money and before they left, they said that those coming to finish us were on their way,” she said.
On 7th of April, Murebwayire and her family sought refuge at Ndera Seminary school and this is where almost all her family perished.
“On 11th of April 1994, hundreds of Interahamwe militias descended on us butchering us aimlessly, all my six children, my husband and two brothers died on spot. As I was socked in a pool of blood with wounds all over my head, killers left me thinking that I was dead. A few days later, RPF soldiers came to my rescue, took me to their base in Byumba for protection and treatment,” Murebwayire recalls.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya Ambassador James Kimonyo thanked United Nations for recognizing what happened in Rwanda in 1994 as genocide against a particular group.
“I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the United Nations General Assembly for finally adopting resolution recognizing that what happened in Rwanda between April 7th and July 1994 was Genocide against the Tutsi,” he expressed.
The envoy challenged members of diplomatic corps to act more swiftly in fighting against genocide denial and bring perpetrators to book.
“Many perpetrators who committed this heinous crime in Rwanda are still at large in your respective countries. Rwanda has done its part by sending the indictments to different countries seeking their extradition. If we are really serious about our collective pledge of fighting the culture of impunity, I humbly call on you to support us in making these individuals face justice by either extraditing them to Rwanda or at least take them through domestic prosecution though we would prefer the trials to take place in Rwanda where crimes were committed,” he said.
“I would like also to mention the issue of trivialization and denial of genocide. I know many European countries have enacted stringent laws to fight holocaust denial. Without comparing the magnitudes of the two crimes, we call upon these countries to enact same laws to fight the denial of other genocides including the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda,” Kimonyo added.
Speaking at the event, Kenya’s Amb. Macharia Kamau, Principal Secretary in the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade who was also chief guest lauded Rwandans for their fortitude and resilience after the tragedy that befell the country 24 years ago.
“On this day of remembrance, Kenya joins People of Rwanda to honour the memory of the victims who perished in the genocide, and, salute people of Rwanda especially the survivors for their tremendous courage and resilience in their unyielding journey of healing, reconciliation and national recovery. We laud Rwanda’s astute leadership and resolute political will which has been at the centre of the transformed governance and socio-economic fabric of the Rwandan Society,” Macharia said.
The event was characterized by testimony, songs and poems.
In the lead-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London on 19-20 April, Queen Elizabeth II – as Head of the Commonwealth – is rewarding inspirational volunteers across the 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond.
By sharing these stories of service, the Heads of Government meeting will celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of our time.
Mary Balikungeri is s a devoted activist for women and girls’ rights especially those affected by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. She is the director and founder of ‘Rwanda Women’s Network’ and an activist for the rights of women and girls, particularly those affected by war and conflict. The network is dedicated to improving the welfare and rehabilitation of women in Rwanda, working with over 52 grassroots associations across 13 districts of the country to support 4,000 women. Mary supports the psychological, social and medical needs of over 500 female survivors of sexual violence each week.
She also raises awareness of gender-based violence through community initiatives which have been replicated in four centres around Rwanda, impacting over 11,000 people.
“I am deeply honored and humbled for this outstanding recognition by Her Majesty the Queen and the Commonwealth. I am extremely grateful for all the people who have made this journey worth acknowledging. I therefore dedicate this award to the many women of Rwanda who have trusted me with their vulnerability to help rebuild their lives; funding partners and the ‘Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN)’ staff for working tirelessly to support our vision and transform the lives of women and communities. I hope that our work continues to inspire people from different walks of life to make a different in their respective communities.” said Mary Balikungeri
Jo Lomas, British High Commissioner to Rwanda acknowledged Mary Balikungeri’s outstanding volunteerism and dedication to helping vulnerable women following the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis.
“The Queen is recognizing Mary’s devotion to helping over 50 grassroots associations across Rwanda, catering for over 4,000 people. Mary’s efforts have also contributed to the establishment of 20 Women’s Safe Spaces around Rwanda which provide for over 500 women per week, including victims of gender based violence. The British High Commission in Rwanda is proud to present this award for her tireless and noble work. ”
Each Commonwealth Point of Light will receive a personalized certificate signed by The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. The award for Mary Balikungeri will be presented later this month during a reception at the British High Commission in Kigali.
