In a tweet he made Saturday, March 14, 2020, the president called for calm, focus and discipline, complying with safety guidelines that have been issued by the Ministry of Health.
“Rwanda has registered its first #COVID19 case. As emphasized by others, panic in this situation does not help. Focus and simple but effective measures are key to keeping each other and everyone safe,” he tweeted.
President Kagame also sent out a message of sympathy to the world where the virus has had ravaging effects. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families and their loved ones. We wish strength to the health workers on the frontlines & quick recovery to all patients.
The Ministry of Health Saturday announced that one Indian citizen has been identified to be infected with coronavirus, having arrived in the country on 8 March from Mumbai.
In a statement the Ministry says: “The patient did not show any symptoms of the disease on arrival, but on 13 March was tested positive. The patient is receiving medical care, responding well and has been isolated from other patients.”
The Ministry says its officials have traced d all the people and places the patient made contact with and carried out the necessary tests and measures to ensure the no other people have been affected and get the situation well contained.
“All people in Rwanda are requested to continue observing the precautionary measures issued by health officials and, especially, practice polished hygein, avoid crowds, wash hands regularly and share any information in case of suspicion on toll-free number 114″
Rtd Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde is a former minister in charge of security in Uganda. He was the only one who lost his ministerial post on the 4th March 2018 in a reshuffle made by President Museveni.
When Gen Kale Kayihura who was chief of Uganda police got removed from office and even got arrested on 13th June 2018, word spread that Lt Gen Tumukunde had a hand in it. That he accused Kayihura of working for Rwanda as a ploy.
At the beginning when Rwandan nationals in Uganda got arrested and tortured in 2017, Lt Gen Tumukunde seemed to coordinate the process, supposedly a long term plan by President Museveni of destabilizing Rwanda when anti-Rwanda rebel organizations including RUD-Urunana and RNC intensified their activities openly.
Lt Gen Tumukunde used to be Museveni’s, right-hand man. After one month and nine days out of cabinet, he vehemently proclaimed he wanted to warm the seat of president Museveni in which he has spent 34 years. That he wished to campaign in 2021 elections hence facing his former master.
On Thursday evening he got arrested; his home and office got surrounded by soldiers and police, the search was done and later he was taken to the Headquarters of CMI at Mbuya for detention.
Friday morning, Uganda police announced that he is accused of being a traitor following what he had said over television and radio, aimed at planting hatred among the population which bordered on criminality.
The statement goes on to state that he sought help from a neighboring country to help him remove the current government either through elections or otherwise.
The neighboring country implicated by the Ugandan police is Rwanda basing on what he said over NBS Television last week.
In the interview at the 59th minute, he asked what he would do to restore the estranged relations between Uganda and Rwanda.
In answering Tumukunde said: “Is the question about security? I think it is more than that. I think I follow what you also follow. This is a simple thing. If I were Rwanda I would interest in helping those who want to bring change in Uganda. The laws are clear, the problems we have, used to be between us and Kenya to the extent of deploying soldiers at the border. We had the same with Tanzania. This is the problem of leadership.”
He went on to say: “ Let me tell you what I want to continue putting out: there is no enough intelligence done. If there was enough intelligence done and I continue to tell whoever on the conflicting sides; if you are not strong in intelligence; If you do not develop your intelligence system as required, give it the capacity to know what is true or not, you end up always in conflicts.”
Gen Tumukunde said he did not want to involve himself in those problems. That he was not in government and did not want to be government spokesman.
Tumukunde’s lawyer, Alex Luganda, while commenting on his arrest said that his client did not involve Rwanda in the problems of Uganda.
He said: “Basing on what he said over NBS on 4th March, where he said if he were Rwanda he would help those who are for change in Uganda. He did not forment war at all. It is the Police trumping up charges.’
Tumukunde the great friend of Kayumba Nyamwasa
Rtd Lt Gen Tumukunde was up to 2018, minister of internal security. Kayumba Nyamwasa fled Rwanda when he was a darling of the Uganda Army.
Gen Tumukunde cultivated a strong bond with Kayumba and all his plans were made known to him. Word had it the intelligence of Rwanda got conversations that transpired between him and Kayumba confirming how much close they were.
In the court case involving the Rwandan Rutagungira René, who was a prisoner in Uganda, the name of Gen Tumukunde was echoed by Rutangungura’s lawyer, Aaron Kizza. He openly showed how Tumukunde then ministers in charge of security, tortured him so as to agree he had colluded with Gen Kale Kayihura in abducting some Rwandans living in Uganda.
At the time Kizza told the court: “Who told you there are big names to me that I can not mention them? If my client tells me Brig Kandiho and Gen Tumukunde tortured him and imprisoned him contrary to the law in Mbuya military prison, so as to implicate Gen Kayihura and President Kagame.”
That in July 2019, Tumukunde was heard tarnishing Rwanda, saying Kayihura worked for Rwanda. That Rwanda interfered with the sovereignty of Uganda without giving evidence at all.
At the time he also said, “We taught Rwanda how to respect Uganda.”
Although there is now bad blood between Tumukunde and Museveni, they are related as Museveni’s wife is a cousin to Tumukunde.
Before being arrested on Thursday, 24th February 2020, Museveni had ordered he be deprived of the security personnel he had. It was immediately affected and hence the man of 61 years of age lost the security of 10 military men.
In the interview on NBS, Tumukunde blamed Museveni for what he did, saying it was not clear how he and his children had security and a General like him who fought for the country to the extent of getting injured on the leg didn’t. He emphasized should he get in trouble Museveni should be held accountable.
Gen Tumukunde becomes the second General, after Gen Kayihura, to be imprisoned on charges where Rwanda name the neighboring country’s affairs.
Renovated classrooms include 7 for primary education and 2 for kindergarten. At least 837 students go to Ruheru B Primary School.
Some students told IGIHE, the former classrooms had leaking ceilings and therefore they could not concentrate in class. They expressed gratitude after C. Dorman renovated the ceilings and screed the floors with cement.
Parents said the renovations will boost students’ engagement and learning and allow better grades.
Mukarugema Drocella, one of the parents said: “We are confident our children will get better grades now that their classroom environment has changed.”
Jean Bosco Seminega, Managing Director of Dormans Coffee said that the society’s vision crosses way beyond coffee roasting and exportation and that their focus is also improving the livelihoods of people in the areas they operate within.
“We do not just buy coffee from farmers and come back the following harvest. We also strive to provide farmers with better life prospects through activities such as building or renovating schools or training.”
Mukamana Claudette, Nyamasheke Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs commended C. Dorman for the initiative and said it is a smart approach to energize learning and allowing better outcomes.
Renovation activities started in November 2019 and students started using the classrooms by January 2020. The project cost an estimated Rwf 50 million.
The list, which was published on the Ombudsman website shows the convicts identities, type of impropriety committed, attendant penalties, current residence and names of their parents.
On the list are executive secretaries of districts, bank clerks, drivers, farmers, police officers and pastors among others.
Punishment for corruption include imprisonment from 1 to 8 years and money penalties according to the sum received. The list shows the lowest bribery involved Rwf 2000 while the highest involved a bank clerk at Bank of Kigali who accepted a Rwf 123 million bribe. He was found guilty and was sentenced to 7 years in prison and a penalty of Rwf 240 million.
Other major corrupt criminals on the list include a former employee of TIGO branch in Huye who embezzled Rwf 58 million. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison and a Rwf 116 million penalty.
A police officer on the list accepted Rwf 5000 and was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a Rwf 15,000 penalty.
There is also a former district executive secretary convicted for sexual extortion, sentenced to 7 years in prison and a Rwf 2 million penalty.
In a bid to completely eradicate corruption, the government of Rwanda has implemented strict measures including publishing the list of convicted corrupt criminals.
In 2018, the Transparency International Corruption Index ranked Rwanda third with a 56% note among countries that have successfully implemented measures to fight corruption.
In a statement, the Ministry says: “The patient did not show any symptoms of the disease on arrival, but on 13 March was tested positive. The patient is receiving medical care, responding well and has been isolated from other patients.”
The Ministry says its officials have trailed all the people and places the patient made contact with and carried out the necessary tests and measures to ensure the no other people have been affected and get the situation well contained.
“All people in Rwanda are requested to continue observing the precautionary measures issued by health officials and, especially, practice polished hygiene, avoid crowds, wash hands regularly and share any information in case of suspicion on toll-free number 114″
David Stilwell, the top U.S. diplomat for Asia, issued a “stern representation” to Ambassador Cui Tiankai a day after foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian tweeted the conspiracy theory.
“China is seeking to deflect criticism for its role in starting a global pandemic and not telling the world,” a State Department official said.
“Spreading conspiracy theories is dangerous and ridiculous. We wanted to put the government on notice we won’t tolerate it, for the good of the Chinese people and the world,” the official said.
Zhao, in tweets in both Mandarin and English that gained wide traction on Chinese social media, a day earlier suggested that “patient zero” in the global pandemic may have come from the United States, not the Chinese city of Wuhan, where cases were first reported in late 2019.
In a tweet made on their handle Friday, the Bureau has announced that investigations are underway and their cases will soon be forwarded to prosecution.
RIB is yet warning Rwandans that the law does not tolerate whoever commits the crime of violating and having sex with children
On its twitter handle it is stated: “ Due to the rapid spread of the epidemic of coronavirus, the EAC has postponed the meeting that was to take place on 21 March until further notice. Other meetings and activities that attract crowds of people have also been put on hold.”
Kenya is the only country in EAC that has so far announced a person with the virus. Other countries in the community have taken strong measures of defence including stopping activities that attract crowds.
This meeting is postponed for the third time after one that was supposed to take place on 30th November 2019 following the decision of one member state not to attend. It was rescheduled for 29th February but was also postponed because of lack of quorum.
In the meeting it was expected the leaders would analyze the report on the vision of the membership of South Sudan and also confirm what transpired from observation aimed at confirming Somalia as a member of the EAC.
They were also to consider allowing The Democratic Republic Of the Congo to join the community following its request in June last year.
RDC requested to join the community on 8th June 2019, in a letter addressed to the current chairman of EAC, President Paul Kagame.
The meeting of heads of state and government of countries making EAC has been postponed due to Coronavirus
On March 12th, 2020, Cogebanque officials handed over to MTN Rwanda 1000 smartphones in a bid to accelerate digital penetration in Rwanda.
The challenge was initiated on December 20th, 2019 by Mitwa Kaemba Ng’ambi, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer and has since then attracted pledges in cash or in kind from individuals, private and public institutions across Rwanda.
Apart from contributing to the ‘Connect Rwanda’ Challenge, Cogebanque is involved in various other initiatives aiming at promoting technology.
To ease financial transactions, the bank has established 27 outlets across Rwanda and availed Mobile Banking seevices to its customers which allows them to perform online banking tasks such as checking account balance, transferring funds and bill payments among others.
In addition, Cogebanque Savings Accounts allow customers to save in local or foreign currencies and customers can access money whether they are abroad or on the move through Cogebanque mobile banking platforms.
Currently, COVID-19 pandemic continues to hinder various activities around the globe.
In Rwanda, all public events and gatherings have been cancelled until further notice.
Recently the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US suspended the 2019-20 season games after Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell tested positive of the virus.
La Liga, Spanish Football League also suspended all its games after one player tested positive.
In a meeting with representatives of private institutions in Rwanda, Kamanzi declared CHOGM will not be affected by the outbreak of COVID-19. Automatic word wrap
“We continuously assess our preparedness in countering the virus and we are confident by the time CHOGM happens, COVID-19 will have been contained on an international level.”
She urged business owners to be prepared to host visitors by availing all types of payment options to ensure a seamless experience during their stay in Rwanda.
“We recommend hygiene of the highest level especially in restaurants and hotels.
Let us avoid all reports of food poisoning. Provide all types of payment options for visitors who don’t like walking around with money.”
CHOGM will be held from June 21st to June 26th, at Kigali Convention Centre and Intare Conference Arena in Rusororo while smaller forums will be held at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village commonly known as ’Camp Kigali’, Kigali Serena Hotel and Ubumwe Grande Hotel.
The meeting is expected to attract at least 1000 delegates from 54 member countries of the Commonwealth.
Business owners and other delegates will hold the ’Commonwealth Business Forum’ prior to the meeting from June 23rd to June 25th, 2020.
Robert Bapfakurera, Private Sector Federation (PSF) Chairman said CHOGM will attract more than 7000 delegates from private institutions and businesses and confirmed the attendance of 20 Heads of State during the ’Commonwealth Business Forum’
“Visitors will be consuming our products, sleeping and eating in our hotels and restaurants. We must be ready to offer them a seamless experience.”
Bapfakurera said that visitors should leave Rwanda with a brand new image as opposed to the dark history of genocide which is associated with Rwanda every time the country is mentioned.
It is expected that during CHOGM, investment agreements worth $700 million will be concluded.
