In accordance with the Security Council Resolution 2150 of April 16th 2014, which requires states to investigate, arrest prosecute or extradite in fulfilment of their international obligations to all other fugitives accused of genocide residing on their territory, including FDLR leaders, CNLG said that Dutch justice should extradite Ndereyehe as was done to other genocide suspects.
In November 2016, Dutch justice also extradited to Rwanda Jean Claude Iyamuremye and Jean Baptiste Mugimba.
Dutch courts have already tried Joseph Mpambara who was sentenced to life on 7th July 2011 for crimes he committed in Mugonero during the genocide.
Similarly, Yvonne Basebya Ntacyobatabara was tried in Netherlands and sentenced, on 1st March 2013, to 6 years and 8 months in prison after being convicted of crimes committed in Gikondo during the genocide.
Under the FDU-Inkingi, unregistered political, CNLG says that Ndereyehe publishes different press release denying the genocide committed against the Tutsi, preaches genocide denial and attacks the memory of the genocide by calling it a business fund.
In the Netherlands, CNLG says that Ndereyehe coordinates the activities of extremist groups of radical Rwandan exiles, nostalgic for an ethnic ideology that led to the genocide committed against the Tutsi in 1994
Charles Ndereyehe Ntahontuye is from Cyabingo commune in the former Ruhengeri prefecture, one of the fiefdoms of the former Rwandan regime.
In 1992, along with extremist intellectuals, including Ferdinand Nahimana, Dr. Eugene Rwamucyo, Dr. Jean-Berchmas Nshimyumuremyi and others, Ndereyehe created and led a criminal group called theCercle des Républicains Progressistes, which sensitized students to prepare for genocide in university campuses of Nyakinama and Butare.
Since 20 April 2010, Ndereyehe has been subject to an international arrest warrant issued by the Rwandan courts. He is also on the list of people wanted by Interpol.
Kagame was speaking Saturday in New Delhi, India in the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Founding Summit.
The alliance was launched at the Paris Climate Summit in 2015.
The Head of State said that the sunniest countries on Earth should not lack for energy. He said that the fact that they do is an unacceptable irony.
“It is fitting that more than half of countries that have signed and ratified the International Solar Alliance treaty are African,” he said.
“Solar power is part of the answer to climate change. To speed adoption and get environmental benefits, it has to be as reliable and affordable as other energy sources. We’re not just protecting the environment; we’re protecting people and their well-being,” he said.
To meet the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 targets, Kagame said that tremendous expansion in energy production is required in almost every African country.
The International Solar Alliance’s twin mission of facilitating technology transfer and innovative financing is timely, he added.
He urged that advances in solar energy production must be matched by the development of batteries capable of storing it and smart grids to distribute it to customers.
Using of the example of Rwanda, he said an 8.5MW solar power plant in Rwamagana has already helped to stabilise daytime power supply in Eastern Province. He said that the facility has also demonstrated that they can do much more.
“The one trillion dollars needed for solar investments globally in the coming years will obviously not come from governments alone. Public-private partnership is required. The International Solar Alliance’s proposed tools to mitigate credit risk send an important signal to the market that solar energy is a viable business,” he added.
He said, solar power will not address all of Africa’s energy needs, but it will continue to grow in importance as part of continent’s energy mix.
Kagame said that it’s important to continue to work together through the new institution and beyond, as a way to put collective resources and knowledge at the disposal of planet’s future.
The news of his death was reported, yesterday, Sunday.
Bishop Bimenyimana was born 22 June 1953, in Bumazi, Cyangugu.
He was ordained a priest on June 6, 1980; ordained to the sacerdotal class in Nyundo Parish; and was ordained as Bishop of Cyangugu on January 18, 1997. He was made an episcopal priest on March 16, 1997.
The tragic incident took place in the church located in Nyabimata Sector at around 12:00pm.
Nyaruguru District mayor, Habitegeka François confirmed the news saying that it struck 45 people in total.
“It struck 45 Adventist worshipers, of who 14 have been confirmed dead. But the number might increase,” he said.
The same incident happened yesterday.
“Yesterday, lightning also killed a young girl in Rusenge Sector. Lightning also struck 18 students and one of them who was in primary six died. Currently, his three colleagues are in Kigeme Hospital while 14 others were discharged,” he explained.
Mukarwego, 52, is a lecturer with nine years of experience.
Speaking in an interview with IGIHE, Mukarwego said that people with visual impairment are capable of reaching their full potential.
Mukarwego who got visual impairment in her childhood, had the first challenge that would have spoiled her future, was being born in refuge camp in Burundi. However, as luck was on her side she was supported by missionaries to join schools which were providing education to visually impaired children in Kenya. In Kenya, she studied primary and secondary school.
“It was not an easy journey because, after completing primary school, I joined a school without special care to children with visual impairment. But, I tried my best to catch up and performed well,” she said.
In 2008, she returned in the country, approached the Ministry of Education to find a job for her and was placed in UR/CE.
{{How she works?}}
“I prepare my lectures into Braille (a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired), but also have a person who translates them into normal letters and when I am teaching I project on the wall. I also use a student to change slides and I explain by using my reading from my braille notes,” she explained.
She says that at the beginning, different students from other classes used to join her class to see how a visually impaired lecturer teaches.
“They used to tell me that students from other classes come to see how I teach, but later on they found it usual and appreciated it,” she said.
{{How she attained PhD}}
Though she had been a lecturer, Mukarwego who was thirsty to study until she reaches the peak, in 2011, she started to apply for scholarship, though discouragements were a common occurrence.
“Even my boss at university used to tell me that they are no longer providing scholarships, but, I myself went to see the Minister of Education, he was Dr. Vincent Biruta by the time., I told him my problems and he asked me to leave him with my documents. Days later, they told me that my scholarship was approved and I chose to go to Kenya as there were people to facilitate me during my research,” she explained.
In 2015, Mukarwego was awarded a PhD and became the first woman with visual impairment to hold it in Rwanda.
“I was pleased by hearing that PhD in the category of visually impaired people was awarded to a Rwandan,” she said.
Mukarwego is now pleased of serving the country particularly in providing her contribution in education.
“I am very happy because I serve my nation, I teach children who will be tomorrow leaders of the country. I sometime encounter them and tell me that I taught them in KIE, former Kigali Institute of Education, now UR/CE” she said.
Mukarwego also is the head of women in National Union of People with Visual Impairment. She says that it pleases her to represent such category in providing ideas and lectures that benefits them.
She added that as the government has supported people from all categories, in line with promoting inclusive education, they should consider increasing equipment friendly with people with visual impairment. She says that the move will help persons with such problem perform well as normal persons.
“The reason behind having PhD is because I got basic requirements., if others were blessed to have such assistance even in vocational schools, they would develop themselves, a visually impaired woman would also develop,” she added.
The office expected to help Rwanda business community be able to pay for port charges in Kigali was launched by the State Minister in charge of Transportation in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, Tanzanian Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Prof. Makame Mbarawa and the Director General of TPA, Eng. Deusdedit Kakoko.
Speaking in the event on Friday, Minister Uwihanganye said that the decision to open a Liaison office in Kigali will stimulate business activities between the business people of Rwanda and the government as a whole.
“The one stop centre system will create confidence to our people since all port charges will not necessitate a business person to travel all the way to Dar es Salaal for clearance as all clearance will be done in Kigali,” he said.
TPA Director General, Kakoko explained that they decided to open an office in Rwanda in order to bring services closer to Rwandan customers and entice more customers to use Dar es Salaam Port.
He said that the office will benefit Rwandan business community to solve their problems from locally.
“The new TPA office will help Rwanda business community solve their queries and problems in Kigali instead of travelling all the way to Dar es Salaam. They will be able to make payment for port charges in Kigali and avoid the risk of carrying large sums of money to Dar es Salaam,” he explained.
In the near past, he said, there were complaints that Rwandan traders were being cheated, but added that the problem is going to become history.
“Also cargo monitoring will be done from Kigali and this will help speed up clearance as traders will have updated information on the status of their cargo,” he added.
Kakoko said that the office seeks to solve issues like port delays, theft, non-tariff barriers along the corridor and unscrupulous clearing and forwarding agents.
Tanzanian Transport Minister Makame said that the existing cordial business relationship between Tanzania and Rwanda in particular with TPA and Dar es Salaam Port, is because Rwanda is the third big user of the Dar es Salaam Port among the neighboring transit countries that use the port.
He said that the importance of the port and transport operations in promoting trade and economic development cannot be over-emphasized.
“It is our duty as facilitators of transport and logistics to put in place the necessary infrastructure and superstructure to be able to offer efficient transport services and enhance competitiveness,” he said.
Dar es Salaam is the largest port handling over 90% of all the country’s total seaborne trade.
Both contestants confirmed to compete in elections scheduled on March 31st 2018.
The elections had taken place last year and incumbent Felicite Rwemalika run alone after the current president’s Vincent de Gaule Nzamwita withdrawal. However, Rwemalika did not manage to get minimum votes as she got 13 out of 52 voters.
Both contestants will start to campaign on March 12th until March 30th.
Nzamwita served as FERWAFA president since 2014 and the new president will serve starting from 2018 until 2021.
With forty years of experience in the profession as she started to teach in 1978s, Nyirabakunzi says that passion, determination and love of work has been the essence behind serving long period in education.
Lives in Nyamugari Cell, Gasaka Sector in Nyamagabe District, the mother of five started the job after completing high school at Ecole Technique Feminine (ETF) in former Kibuye Prefecture now Karongi District where she learnt tailoring, cooking and hygiene studies.
She started the job at Ecole Familiale Mushubi in Nyamagabe by training girls in tailoring, cooking, working in garden farm, growing vegetables, hygiene and reproductive health among others.
While speaking to IGIHE reporter when she was at work, the passionate teacher said that she loves her profession as it is the foundation of her good-living conditions with her family.
Married in 1983, Nyirabakunzi’s husband died in 1996 leaving the family five children. Becoming the single mother, Nyirabakunzi had to manage the job with raising the children. She says that her job contributed enough in raising her children by providing with them all necessities.
“So, as you understand I continued to raise my children by using the salary from education, I paid their school fees until one graduated in University at the same time with others in secondary school and enjoyed good life conditions. I love this job and I rely on it,” she said.
She said that being a teacher motivated her to inculcate good discipline to her children despite different challenges.
“In my minds was that teacher’s children should study and be well-disciplined to the extent that they become others’ role model,” she said.
{{Outstanding teacher award}}
Nyirabakunzi says that love of work and hardworking enabled her to fulfill her responsibilities and was rewarded a cow by Rwanda Education Board (REB) in 2015.
“I was blessed to get a cow as an award for outstanding teacher, it all started from the school where my colleagues selected me as the best employee, proceeded to the sector and the district,” she explained.
She says that being outstanding teacher in the district was due to her good behaviors at work, timely reporting, having bests performing students and collaboration with colleagues among other factors.
Behind education job, Nyirabakunzi practice acquired skills from high school by tailoring and making wedding cakes among other things that can earn some money.
{{Nothing worth than tutoring a child from scratch}}
Nyirabagenzi says that the first thing that makes her happy is to make a child into a high profiled person.
“The thing which made me happy is to raise a child and become mature, I have taught in every class starting from Primary one to six, it’s a pleasure to tutor children and see them becoming leaders; when you meet them they call you their teacher, it’s really please us,” she boasts.
{{Challenges}}
Though she uses all her efforts to raise children into right people, Nyirabakunzi says that teachers still face challenges like small salary compared to prices on the market. She calls institutions in charge to consider revising the salary.
The teacher of Elementary Technology Sciences (ETS) subject says that shortage of school materials hampers their job, and lack of enough scholastic materials among children deters teachers from providing intended skills as required.
They reviewed bilateral relations and ways of enhancing and developing them for the benefit of the two friendly countries, especially cooperation in the economic, investment and educational fields. They also discussed the latest developments in the region, UAE News Agency (WAM) reported.
Minister Mushikiwabo welcomed Shaikh Abdullah’s visit, emphasising Rwanda’s eagerness to strengthen relations with the UAE in various fields.
Shaikh Abdullah commended UAE and Rwanda special relations, pointing to the UAE’s keenness to boost cooperation with Rwanda.
It was on February 20th when the exercise to close down churches was launched in Kimironko sector of Gasabo District. On that day, 14 churches were closed down.
The exercise was not limited to Gasabo District as in few days later, it was extended to all districts in the City of Kigali, which, in a period of one week, saw a total of 714 churches closed down.
As it is not the issue of Kigali alone, the exercise has now reached all provinces and saw 139 churches closed in Rwamagana District of Eastern Province and nine were closed in Muhanga town of Muhanga District.
In Karongi District of Western Province, a total of 625 churches were closed this week.
Affected churches are these found lacking basic infrastructure, fell short of hygiene, safety standards, no space for parking, have no legal licenses and those operating in residential houses among others.
Some church leaders and worshipers did not welcome the way the decision was implemented saying that they were not given ample time for preparation.
A Gasabo District resident who did not want his identification to appear in the media says the church helped him repent and abandon criminal practices.
“Before I joined this church, I was a sinner always committing adultery, a robber at Nyabugogo, but today I am respected in the church and the family, so where am I going to pray from?” He wondered.
Apostle Sarah Muhongerwa the head of Arch of Peace Church told IGIHE last month that if they had been given ample time, they would meet all requirements.
“If they had given us a certain period for preparation, we would put in place all requirements as we were in process to construct our church,” she said.
Another pastor, Rev. Emmanuel Ndikumana, the head of El Elohe Pentecotist Church said that his church was closed down when they were in the process of constructing toilets.
“They came telling us that we run short of standards and they closed down our church, we had no toilets but we were in the process of constructing them. The way they implemented the decision in not well thought out,” he said.
Among the affected churches are those of the Association of Pentecostal Churches in Rwanda (ADEPR) from different parts of the country.
Speaking to IGIHE, the spokesperson for ADEPR, Pastor Ephrem Karuranga said that it was time for the government to remind churches about the standards.
He said that they will continue to discuss with institutions in charge as well as putting in place all requirements so that they can be allowed to re-open.
“Those are existing directives that are being exercised. We are doing our best to meet standards, by paving the floors and putting in place rain water harvesting systems among others,” he said.
He said that he has no exact numbers of ADEPR churches that were closed, but added that they are many. He said that numbers always change as the exercise continues.
About the affected worshipers, Karuranga said that they gather in churches which were not closed.
“But, as many churches have been affected, we are trying our best to solve the problems,” he said.
According to him worshipers faced different challenges including losing where to congregate from. For the church, he said it is hard to put in place all requirements in a short period.
{{Civil Society backs the decision}}
Speaking to IGIHE, the Chairperson of Rwanda Civil Society platform, Jean Leonard Sekanyange said that they don’t have any problem with the exercise as it is in line with laws regulating faith-based organisations in the country.
“This is not an act against worshipers. It is not stopping religious oraganisations from operating, it is the infrastructure they operate from which lack some standards. It would have been a problem if it was banning religions in the country,” he said.
He said that for people to open up a church, they know all requirements and should not continue to appeal for time to put them in place.
“They have been warned at different times; we all know that they were requested to reduce noise pollution by installing sound proofs,” he added saying that lives of people congregating in one place should be given special protection against any possible calamities.
Sekanyange urges church heads to meet the required standards so that they continue to operate with the safety of worshipers well assured.
{{RGB says those affected should abide with laws}}
According to Justus Kangwagye, the Head of Political Parties and Civil Society Department at the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), for those affected and now putting in place all requirements should work closely with local government officials.
He said that some religious organisations opened up different branches, and did not consider having all standards as those available to the mother church.
“As they have the right to operate from all over the country, some of them go to open up new branches and forget to put in place some basic or crucial requirements like ensuring people’s security and installing water taps as the government requires. Musanze based church should have same standards as that of Kigali,” he explained.
Kangwagye urged those with no operating licenses to request them through online portal.
Article three of the Law No06/2012 of 17/02/2012 determing organization and functioning of religious organisations says that everone shall enjoy freedom of worship without a prior authorization. Freedom of worship shall be exercised in accordance with the appropriate legal provisions.
The Law says that to practice and show one’s belief in a religious-based organization of his/her choice shall be subject to legal provisions and shall not jeopardize security, public order and heath, morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
In article ten, religious-based organisations in their functioning and practices are requested to conform to laws of protection of public safety, health, morals and human rights.
The exercise to close down sub-standard churches is ongoing and will reach all districts in the country.
{{Fears}}
Some pundits have however pointed out the danger of leaving a big mass of people without being shepherded and therefore likely to slip into a dark zone of immorality that might breed crime.
“You may not be able to attach any physical or monetary value to the churches, but their enormous contribution towards building morals and social cohesion cannot be underestimated. So the abrupt closure of church structures is having a direct bearing on the morals of the populace,” says one of the worshipers that preferred anonymity.
