President Kagame explained the reason behind the simultaneous resignation of Evode Uwizeyimana, the former minister of state for constitutional affairs and Dr. Munyakazi Isaac, the former Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education on February 6th, 2020 as well as Dr. Diane Gashumba who also resigned on February 14th, 2020.
Uwizeyimana resigned after accusations that he assaulted a woman after she asked him to go through the checkpoint as security protocol dictates. Dr. Munyakazi is suspected of corruption crimes and using his position to place a secondary school in the top 10 performing schools countrywide while it figured in the first 100.
Dr. Diane Gashumba lied to President Kagame about measures available to tackle the Coronavirus.
President Kagame said that one of the major reasons why the youth was invited to attend the retreat was for exposing those mistakes and learning from different ideas that will be shared throughout the retreat.
“You should at all cost avoid embracing deceitful ways. Don’t be like the three ministers who weren’t capable of executing what they were appointed for. It is still early for all of you to know your responsibilities, to grow, to learn about the development plans of our country. Rwanda will survive only if we learn to fulfill our responsibilities.”
The 17th National Leadership Retreat brought together leaders of different organizations and affiliated institutions in Rwanda as well as leaders of private organizations.
CHOGM is scheduled for June this year and will bring together Heads of States from 53 member countries of the Commonwealth.
The United Kingdom High Commissioner to Rwanda, Jo Lomas observed that Rwanda is on track to host CHOGM and that the country is investing enough in its preparation.
“New infrastructures are being built, personnel briefed and various institutions are ready to fulfill their part to ensure the meeting goes well. Preparing to host such a big meeting comes with challenges but Rwanda can handle them perfectly.”
Ambassador Lomas explained that the Commonwealth Secretariat and the government of Rwanda are closely collaborating in anticipation of CHOGM.
“In April 2018, the UK hosted CHOGM in London, Windsor. We, therefore, have the required expertise to support Rwanda as it prepares for the meeting.”
She said that CHOGM will be a platform for Rwanda to re-express its commitment towards development because some people still look at Rwanda through the 1994 genocide mirror and neglect the great strides the country has made ever since.
“Over the past 26 years, Rwanda has achieved so many great things and CHOGM will be an opportunity to showcase its potential for trade, tourism and investment activities among others.”
Lomas said that the Commonwealth is home to top emerging cities in the world and that CHOGM will allow to promote trade and investment as a means to drive economic growth, create jobs and achieve a much more sustainable future.
“Rwanda has an unexploited potential for investment and leads the way in innovative projects such as the Volkswagen plant. All that shows why Rwanda is suitable for trade and investment.”
During CHOGM, the position of Commonwealth Chair-in-office currently held by the government leader of the CHOGM host country will be transferred from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to President Kagame for a two-year term.
In January, this year, President Kagame attended the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London. Ambassador Lomas said that the summit opened opportunities for Rwanda to reassert its position in the Intra-Commonwealth trade sphere.
“During the UK-Africa investment summit, Rwanda launched a 3-year, fixed-rate bond worth $40 million at the London Stock Exchange. We are confident that during CHOGM, Rwanda will have access to new opportunities to reassert its position on the global market.”
Talking about ongoing projects between Rwanda and the UK, Ambassador Lomas said that the UK invested more than €11 billion to tackle climate change and that it has closely been working with Rwanda Green Fund, FONERWA in encouraging private-sector-led initiatives to respond to climate and environmental challenges.
In a communication to the press posted on Twitter, RNP stated that 38-year old Mihigo committed suicide at around 5 in the morning.
He had been in jail for 3 days as he was being investigated for the attempted illegal border crossing to Burundi, violating his conditional liberty terms as well as corruption.
Mihigo and Victoire Ingabire, founder of FDU Inkingi received Presidential pardon two years ago announced during a cabinet meeting which saw 2140 other convicts set free as well.
He had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attempt to assassinate President Paul Kagame and destabilizing the country by collaborating with Anti-Rwanda armed groups. Mihigo had served 5 years before he was pardoned.
On 15th and 16th February 2020, he was visited by his family members and his lawyer. Investigations are is being conducted to identify the reason behind the suicide.
The head of state who was opening the 17th National Leadership Retreat at Gabiro Combat Training Center also cited the misdeeds of the three ministers that recently resigned their ministerial posts.
He said Evode Uwizeyimana who was minister of state for constitutional affairs demonstrated disrespect for institutions and bylaws.
“Evode went to a certain place, found people in charge of security going about their work; he parked in a place where it is prohibited and he decided to by-pass the security checkpoint.”
He explained that when the female security guard accosted and tried to explain to him that he had flouted security procedures, he instead assaulted the guard on duty, shoving her down. “That is the response he gave to the security guard.”
President Kagame said it was on several occasions that Evode has demonstrated such uncouth behavior but his colleagues who knew about his anti-social behaviors kept quiet as he went on with wanton dealings.
Commenting on another resigned minister, Munyakazi Isaac, former minister of state for education in charge of primary education and private schools, the president said he sacked him because of his involvement in corruption practices. He said Munyakazi took a bribe of Rwf 500,000 to grade a school among the best ten yet it had not qualified among the best one hundred schools.
{{Dr. Diane Gashumba is a prolific liar}}
On Dr. Diane Gashumba’s departure, President Kagame said that she had become a chronic liar, which climaxed on the verge of the seventeenth retreat when he advised her to ensure all participants are checked for Coronavirus, which is becoming an international epidemic.
“One morning, I called different leaders advising that we should all be tested, myself inclusive. On several occasions, I had been told that all is set and we have enough test kits. Later, I was told it wasn’t important for us to get tested.”
The president said Dr. Gashumba had said that there are only 3500 coronavirus test kits so by using 400 to test those going for the retreat would be a big reduction.
It was however later discovered there were on 95 test kits as established by officers from the ministry of defense.
“After getting that report from the Minister of Health I called her to find out if it is true. On calling her, she started a long story, ‘you see Your Excellence, you got me wrong…”
Kagame advised leaders to be more steadfast in serving the public.
The Ad Hoc Commission resulted in 6 resolutions which were announced at around 9 pm the same day.
The meeting discussed Rwanda-Uganda conflict from its root and main accusations that Uganda illegally detains and tortures Rwandan Citizens and that Uganda supports anti-Rwanda armed groups and terrorist organizations.
The first resolution states that both parties agreed to verify the number and status of nationals of either party detained in each other’s country and report it through a ‘Note Verbale’ in three weeks.
Both parties also agreed to protect and respect the human rights of nationals of either party.
The third resolution states that “both parties committed to finalize the Extradition Treaty to be signed in the presence of the Heads of States at the fourth quadripartite summit to be held at Gatuna/Katuna common border between Rwanda and Uganda on February 21st, 2020”
As for the fourth resolution, by February 15th, 2020, the Government of Rwanda will write a note addressed to the Government of Uganda about alleged destabilizing activities carried out by Anti-Rwanda terrorist organizations on Ugandan territory. Uganda will respond to the issues that can be immediately addressed by February 20th, 2020 and further investigate the unresolved issues.
The Ad Hoc commission recommended to the quadripartite summit to consider normalizing the movement of people and goods between Rwanda and Uganda.
Finally, both parties agreed to resume collaboration between defense and security organs in order to improve national security.
Uganda Government officials who attended the Ad Hoc Commission included Sam Kutesa, Uganda Minister of foreign affairs, the high commissioner of Uganda to Rwanda, Olivier Wonekha, William Byaruhanga, Uganda Attorney General, Gen J.J Odongo Abu, Minister of Internal Affairs, Col Paddy Ankunda, permanent secretary in the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Patrick Mugoya and Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.
Rwanda’s side was led by Amb Nduhungirehe Olivier and included Col Patrick Karuretwa, the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye, Anaclet Kalibata, the Director General of External Intelligence at the National Intelligence and Security Services, Minister of Local Government, Shyaka Anastase and the high commissioner of Rwanda to Uganda, Frank Mugambage.
The project will assist graduates from the aforementioned high institutions in Rwanda to start their businesses and will allow a revised, more integrated curriculum as well as in-depth training for teachers. In a bid to promote technology, the project will introduce online learning as well as Masters and Ph.D. programs.
In addition, a teacher exchange program will be initiated that will allow students to acquire knowledge from different lecturers from European universities.
The project was sponsored by Erasmus +, a European Union programme for education, training, youth, and sport with a donation of € 900,000 (Rwf 900 million).
Through Erasmus +, young people can study, volunteer and gain work experience abroad, develop new skills, gain vital international experience and boost their employability. Teachers also have the opportunity to teach or train abroad, to develop their professional practice, build relationships with international peers, and gain fresh ideas.
The partnership will focus on promoting different disciplines including Food Science, Environmental Protection as well as Safety and Management and is expected to officially start on February 16th, 2020.
A tweet from the office of the Prime Minister announcing the resignation reads “Today, Prime Minister Dr. Ngirente Edouard received a letter of resignation from Minister of Health, Dr. Diane Gashumba. The resignation follows a series of habitual gross errors and repeated leadership failures on the part of the Minister.”
Dr. Gashumba resigns a few days after a Prime Minister’s order dismissing Mr. Gahungu Zacharie who was advisor to the Minister of Health for gross misconduct was issued.
The resignation also follows two others; Uwizeyimana Evode who is the former State Minister in Charge of Constitution and Legal Affairs and Dr. Isaac Munyakazi, the former Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education submitted their resignation letters to the Prime Minister on February 6th, 2020. It had been 5 years that no minister had resigned from their position.
Dr. Diane Gashumba is a professional pediatrician.She holds a Ph.D. in pediatrics and started practicing in 1999.
She was appointed Minister of Health on October 4th, 2016 replacing Dr. Agnes Binagwaho.
Prior to her position, she was the Cabinet Minister of Gender and Family Promotion in the cabinet of Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi.
She was also director general at Kibagabaga Hospital for 3 years.
Between 2010 and 2016, she worked with a USAID-funded child and maternal health project as “Senior Team Leader”.
Uyu munsi, Nyakubahwa Minisitiri w'Intebe Dr. Ngirente Edouard yakiriye ukwegura kwa Minisitiri w'Ubuzima Dr. Diane Gashumba. Uku kwegura kuje gukurikira amakosa akomeye n'imiyoborere idakwiye yakomeje kugaragaza.
The Rwandan delegation will be led by Minister of State in the Ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe while Uganda’s delegation will be led by Sam Kutesa, the Ugandan Minister of foreign affairs.
On February 2nd, 2020, President João Lourenço of Angola invited his counterparts Félix Tshisekedi (DRC), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) for a third Quadripartite Summit in Luanda. The meeting discussed security matters and regional cooperation.
It has been three years now that the tension between Uganda and Rwanda sparked. Rwanda accuses Uganda of imprisoning and torturing its citizens and also supporting anti-Rwanda terrorist groups and activities.
In March 2019, the Government of Rwanda warned its citizens to stop all travels to Uganda due to illegal incarceration and torture Rwandans who were in Uganda were subjected to.
During the third quadripartite summit, five resolutions were taken including releasing Rwandans who are held in Ugandan prisons, cutting support of anti-Rwanda terrorist groups, respecting and protecting Rwandan citizens as well as following up on the implementation of Luanda agreements through an Ad Hoc Commission.
Nduhungirehe announced the meeting with a tweet that read “Tomorrow, Friday, February 14th, 2020, the Ad Hoc Commission on the Implementation of the Luanda MoU between Uganda and Rwanda will meet for the third time, at Rwanda MFA, in Kigali. The full implementation of our commitments is key to the success of this process.”
Government officials expected to attend the meeting on Uganda’s side include Sam Kutesa, Uganda Minister of foreign affairs, the high commissioner of Uganda to Rwanda, Olivier Wonekha, William Byaruhanga, Uganda Attorney General, Gen J.J Odongo Abu, Minister of Internal Affairs, Col Paddy Ankunda, permanent secretary in the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Patrick Mugoya and Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.
Mediators include DRC Vice Prime Minister, Gilbert Kankonde Malamba and Angola Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel Domingos Augusto.
Rwanda’s delegation is led by Amb Nduhungirehe and include Col Patrick Karuretwa, Principal Private Secretary to the President, Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye,
Anaclet Kalibata, the Director General of External Intelligence at the National Intelligence and Security Services, Minister of Local Government, Shyaka Anastase and the high commissioner of Rwanda to Uganda, Frank Mugambage.
Uwizeyimana who is the former State Minister in Charge of Constitution and Legal Affairs and Munyakazi, the former Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education submitted their resignation letters to the Prime Minister on February 6th, 2020.
Uwizeyimana resigned three days after he was accused of assaulting a security guard on duty at the entrance of the Grand Pension Plaza.
In a brief interview with IGIHE, RIB spokesperson, Marie Michelle Umuhoza said that the dossier of Uwizeyimana has already been submitted to prosecution.
“We have thoroughly conducted our investigation and have now relayed the case file to prosecution.”
The prosecution will then re-evaluate the case and decide if it proceeds to a court of law.
News that Minister Uwizeyimana had assaulted a woman appeared on Twitter last week with a tweet that narrated the incident. Uwizeyimana violently pushed the ISCO security guard after she asked him to pass through the checkpoint as protocol states. He refused and proceeded to push her down.
Three hours after the tweet went viral, Uwizeyimana tweeted an apology and said that he regretted deeply what he did.
“I deeply regret what happened. It should not have happened to me as a leader and public official. I already apologized to the ISCO staff and now I do so publicly and apologize to the public as well.”
However, his apologies were vain and many Twitter users who were outraged by his deed kept asking that he resigns from his position.
{{Dr Munyakazi still under investigation}}
RIB spokesperson, Marie Michelle Umuhoza said that Dr. Isaac Munyakazi is still being investigated for corruption crimes.
“We are still gathering evidence for the corruption crimes he stands accused of.”
IGIHE sources say Dr. Munyakazi Isaac is being investigated for forgery during the 2019 National Examination where he helped place a school which ranked in the top 100 best performing schools among the top 10 best performers at the country level. It is said that he did it with the help of Rwanda Education Board (REB) officers and that he received money from the school in question for that service.
Article 4 on the offences and penalties for corruption in the Rwandan penal code states that ‘Any person who solicits, accepts or receives, by any means, an illegal benefit for himself/ herself or another person or accepts a promise in order to render or omit a service under his or her mandate or uses his or her position to render or omit a service commits an offence.”
If found guilty of that crime, a penalty of three to five times the money received is applicable as well as not less than 5 and not more than 7 years’ imprisonment.
Dr. Munyakazi obtained his Ph.D. in Education Management while Uwizeyimana holds a Master’s degree in law.
Uwizeyimana was sworn in as State Minister in Charge of Constitution and Legal Affairs on October 4th, 2016 while Dr. Munyakazi Isaac was sworn in as Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education in October 2016.
Rwanda National Police spokesperson in the Southern Province, CIP Sylvestre Twajamahoro told IGIHE that 7 people died on spot while 8 were gravely injured and transferred to CHUK for treatment.
“The truck was carrying tree logs from Muhanga to Kigali. When brakes failed, the truck hit Coaster RAC 178 Z which was being driven by 38-year old Niyonsenga Manasseh. Six people aboard the coaster died instantly but Niyonsenga drove a few miles ahead during which he hit another car on his way and died too from the impact.”
He said that the people who were gravely injured were taken to CHUK for treatment while those who had minor injuries were treated on the spot.
“We have now opened all roads and traffic circulation is back to normal but we are still looking for Kaberuka to question him and identify the cause of the accident.”
Twajamahoro urged all drivers to regularly subscribe for motor vehicle inspection to avoid unnecessary road accidents and reminded them of the purpose of the ‘Gerayo Amahoro’ campaign which is dedicated to influencing a road safety culture.
{{Victims who were so far reported dead include:}}
Rukundo Theogene
Ntawushiragahinda Thacien
Irafasha Gervais
Dr. Eric Munezero
Mutesi Marie Louise
Ngendahayo Edouard
An unidentified 30-year old woman
Gravely injured victims:
Gaudence
Hategekimana Gratien
