The training held from Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th August 2023, is organized by the Legal Aid Forum (LAF) as part of the Dufatanye Kubaka Ubutabera (DKU) Activity, a project supported by USAID/Rwanda.
Lawyer Jean Paul Ibambe, Senior Capacity Development Officer at LAF, highlighted that the primary goal of this three-day training is to build and strengthen the capacity of justice sector professionals in effectively utilizing the Integrated Electronic Case Management System.
The training taking place at the Institute Of Legal Practice And Development (ILPD) is structured to enhance participants’ skills in navigating and utilizing the IECMS, aiming to reduce errors and associated consequences, and ensuring accurate and reliable data management.
Ibambe further emphasized that the specific objectives of this program include promoting professionalism among users to provide high-quality assistance to the public when using IECMS for filing complaints, increasing participants’ familiarity with IECMS features, and enabling them to utilize its functionalities efficiently.
Young lawyers who are serving as intern advocates at the Rwanda Bar Association have perceived this training as a valuable opportunity. They see it as a means to gain comprehensive insights into the use of IECMS and to equip themselves with essential knowledge and skills to become proficient in its application.
Kuete Kuete Cecile Alida, an intern advocate, expressed her thoughts on the significance of the training: “The significant role of IECMS within the Rwandan justice system is widely acknowledged. As a young lawyer, this training offers me a valuable chance to comprehensively understand this important system, empowering me with comprehensive knowledge and skills. This, in turn, allows me to master the system and greatly benefit my career.”
The IECMS has been operational since January 2016, and over the years, various institutions within the Justice Sector have adopted and utilized it for enhanced case management.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023.
During the event, Minister Biruta extended his sincere congratulations to Ms. Einat Weiss on her appointment as the ambassador of Israel to Rwanda. He took the opportunity to underscore the longstanding and fruitful bilateral cooperation between the two nations and expressed his optimism for further strengthening these ties.
Turning his attention to Mr. Naeem Ullah Khan, Minister Biruta conveyed his best wishes on behalf of Rwanda and reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to collaborate closely with Pakistan.
The historical connection between Rwanda and Israel traces back to 1962 when Rwanda gained its independence. Notably, in 2014, Rwanda set a precedent as the first African country to enter into cooperation agreements with Israel. Subsequently, in 2015, the Rwandan embassy was established in Tel Aviv, signifying the deepening diplomatic relationship between the two nations.
Rwanda’s diplomatic ties with Pakistan also have a rich history, dating back to July 1962. The countries have consistently collaborated across various domains, including trade and investment, cementing their enduring friendship.
As Rwanda continues to engage with the global community, these diplomatic interactions serve as pivotal moments to reinforce international partnerships and promote cooperative efforts for mutual progress.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday 16th August at Qasr Al Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Following the presentation of credentials to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Amb. Mirenge expressed his gratitude and commitment to boosting bilateral and multilateral collaboration between the two countries.
“It is a great honor to present to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, my credentials as Rwanda’s Ambassador to the UAE. I look forward to working closely with the UAE to take our bilateral relations to greater heights,” he stated.
The Ambassador conveyed to UAE President warm greetings of President Paul Kagame and his desire to further strengthen bilateral ties between Rwanda and the UAE.
UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Ambassador Mirenge and affirmed that UAE is keen to enhance the existing relations and cooperation to the next level.
Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates enjoy good bilateral relations with diplomatic presence in Abu Dhabi and Kigali since 2015 and 2018 respectively.
Cooperation between the two countries exists in the sectors of Trade and Investment, Education, Hospitality, Logistics, and multilateral fora, to name a few.
The helicopter had its 55th flight on Aug. 12, in which it reached an altitude of 10 meters and traveled 264 meters for 143 seconds, according to NASA.
The helicopter, named Ingenuity, arrived at Mars’ Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021, attached to the belly of NASA’s Perseverance rover. The helicopter is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another planet for the first time.
The helicopter was designed to fly for up to 90 seconds, to distances of almost 300 meters at a time and about 3 to 4.5 meters from the ground, according to NASA.
Taxi-moto operators are among the major road users that cause road accidents, which are sometimes fatal.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Operations, Vincent Sano, said that between 13 and 15 road traffic accidents involve taxi-moto operators everyday, resulting into at least four fatalities.
Last year, out of over 650 road fatalities registered across the country, 150 involved taxi-moto operators.
Some other 380 fatalities were registered on Rwandan roads between January and June, this year.
About 340 serious injuries were recorded in the same period injuring more than 4000 people.
DIGP Sano said that most accidents involving taxi-moto operators result from wrong overtaking, bad maneuvers, speeding, violating traffic lights, zebra crossing and pedestrian walkways.
“There is a big improvement in respect for traffic regulations, but even one life matter and should not be lost to reckless motorists. We still have motorcyclists, whose riding behaviours continue to put people’s lives at high risk.
Be a disciplined, focused and hardworking generation and do away with riding behaviors that put your lives and other road users in danger,” DIGP Sano said.
He pointed out that moto transport services contribute greatly to the national economy as source of employment, income, but added that it should portray a good picture of professional and disciplined taxi-moto operators, which goes with maximum respect for traffic rules and regulations.
“We need healthy people in Rwanda, who are safe from accidents. Police will continue to support and help you, where necessary, but it in-turn requires you to put safety first, be security sensitive and work with the Police to ensure safer roads for all,” the Deputy Police Chief said.
He further mentioned on the issue of lighting, which also contribute to accidents, and urged them to respect lighting regulations.
Regulations, partly, provides that headlights for motorcycles moving on the public way must be used every time and in all circumstances.
In operations conducted on Monday and Tuesday in City of Kigali alone to enforce lighting regulations, 237 motorcycles were impounded for lighting violations.
DIGP Sano reminded them to always have all the required documents such as driver’s license, transport authorisation and auto insurance, but warned against misuse of such awarded traffic related documents.
City Mayor, Pudence Rubingisa echoed on the impact that taxi-moto operators create in promoting tourism.
“In the last three months, we received many people visiting our country and used motos as the easiest means of transport. We also received groups that came to learn about taxi-moto management, how you operate in respect to traffic rules.
We have also had experiences where foreigners visiting Rwanda exchange contacts of motorcyclists that transported them while here, with their relatives and friends back home and when they also come to Rwanda they call the same moto operators because they offered the best transport services. This is the spirit required of every taxi-moto operator,” Mayor Rubingisa said.
He further mentioned other positive experiences where taxi-moto operators help foreigners visiting Rwanda in shopping and urged them to always be trustworthy.
The City Mayor urged them to subscribe to public medical insurance–mutuelle de sante–join cooperatives and work with security organs in fighting human behaviours that contribute to road accidents as well as fighting other crimes.
Taxi-moto operators raised, among others, the issue of limited parking lots, but the mayor promised that the issue was being handled to create many others in different parts of the city.
Hygiene was also at the centre stage of the meeting as officials challenged taxi-moto operators to also be hygienic.
The mayor said that each of the registered taxi-moto operator will be receiving at least two uniform jackets in the coming weeks.
The Acting Director General of RURA, Emile Patrick Baganizi said that the recent restructuring of the taxi-moto operators’ cooperatives, which were trimmed to five in City of Kigali was meant to streamline the moto transport services, respond to their concerns effectively and ensure service delivery.
Each of the new cooperatives; two in Nyarugenge District, two in Gasabo District and one in Kicukiro District are composed of five members of the secretariat and a disciplinary committee.
The equipment were handed over to beneficiaries on Tuesday, August 15th, 2023, during the graduation ceremony of the ninth batch at Kwigira Technical and Vocational Education Training School, located in Kigabiro Sector of Rwamagana District. The beneficiaries of this endeavor include 57 graduates specializing in tailoring, 41 in electricity, and 48 in culinary arts.
Aimable Twahirwa, the head of Kwigira TVET School, expressed that this year’s cohort had a distinct privilege. Unlike prior practices of only catering to tailoring graduates, each graduate now received equipment tailored to their specific field. Twahirwa underscored that the equipment distributed on graduation day would empower the graduates to set forth on fresh journeys within their respective domains.
Hamimu Nyiringabo, a culinary arts graduate, shared his ambition to establish an event and celebration-focused restaurant. He envisions this venture as a potential income source, not just for himself but also for others. “With the equipment I have received, I plan to start a restaurant. I will gradually expand my business, relying on blessings coming my way,” he remarked.
Placidie Mutuyumukiza, a tailoring graduate, intends to employ her sewing machine to craft clothing for various clients. She aims to source fabrics and produce garments that local community members can purchase, eliminating the need to journey to distant markets.
Afisa Musengimana, who successfully completed the electricity program, conveyed gratitude to the school for providing the equipment. He sees this support as a promising initiation of a new life phase, one that could lead to prosperity and job creation.
Ambassador Sheikh Saleh Habimana encouraged the graduates to remain united, forward-thinking, and goal-oriented. He advised them to maximize the use of their equipment, rather than selling them, to achieve desired progress.
Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi, the Mayor of Rwamagana District, emphasized the significance of acquired skills and equipment in propelling the youth forward.
He expressed hope that the graduates would steer clear of negative behaviors and instead strive for meaningful employment that bestows dignity and pride upon themselves and the nation. He urged them to employ their acquired knowledge not solely for personal growth but also to contribute to the holistic development of the country.
The youth underwent training with the support of the Umbrella for Vulnerable organization. To date, the school has trained 1000 beneficiaries through its programs.
Abdelhakim Yessouf, the Manager of the Special Assistance Division at the Cooperation and Capacity Development Department of the Islamic Development Bank, headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, graced the graduation ceremony. During the event, he announced the bank’s commitment to fund the establishment of the ICT Training Centre in Rwamagana, with construction set to commence before the close end of 2023.
This initiative follows the bank’s prior funding to Agaciro ICT Training Centre, in Kimihurura Sector of Gasabo District in Kigali City.
“UNSMIL calls for immediate de-escalation and an end to the ongoing armed clashes. Violence is not an acceptable means to resolve disagreements. All parties must preserve the security gains achieved in recent years and address differences through dialogue,” UNSMIL said in a statement.
The mission also reminded all factions of their responsibility to “preserve the prevailing relative stability and to create a conducive environment for holding elections to fulfill the aspirations of the Libyan people”.
Clashes erupted in parts of Tripoli later on Monday between the 444 Brigade and the Special Deterrence Force, following the reported arrest of a powerful 444 Brigade commander by the force.
The High Council of State and the House of Representatives, the parliament, condemned the clashes and called for an immediate end to the violence.
The Ministry of Health announced that it had received distress calls from civilians stranded in clash areas in Tripoli, and called on the warring factions to allow medical emergency teams to safely access the areas to save the civilians.
Libya has been witnessing violence and insecurity ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011.
A statement issued by the US Department of State reveals that Blinken also briefed Kagame on the recent visit of Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland to Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, where she met with President Felix Tshisekedi.
Tshisekedi held discussions with Nuland on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Afterward, Nuland told the media that the talks centered on security issues in eastern DRC. During this time, she also announced a US$48 million contribution from the US to provide assistance to citizens in eastern Congo.
These discussions come in the wake of repeated statements by the DRC asserting that Rwanda is plotting aggression against it, an accusation firmly denied by Rwanda. Rwanda vehemently dismissed these claims, asserting that such statements by the DRC are merely attempts to justify potential attacks on Rwanda.
The DRC has alleged Rwanda’s involvement in supporting the M23 rebel group, a charge consistently refuted by Rwanda. Rwanda frames the clashes between the Congolese Army and M23 as an internal conflict and advises the neighboring country to address its internal issues internally, rather than externalizing them.
Simultaneously, Rwanda accuses the FARDC of backing, arming, and fighting alongside the genocidal militia group known as the FDLR.
It’s important to note that the DRC has previously provoked Rwanda on multiple occasions and, in collaboration with the FDLR terrorist group, launched rocket attacks on Rwandan territory.
Moreover, Congolese fighter jets have trespassed into Rwanda’s airspace on three separate occasions since 2022.
During the conversations with Kagame, Blinken conveyed the US support for a diplomatic resolution to the tensions between the two nations and urged both sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation.
A recent United Nations (UN) report indicated that the DRC supplied weaponry to armed groups, including the FDLR, to join forces with the Congolese Army (FARDC) in their battle against the M23.
The institute has set up a Center of Excellence in Rwanda, where 15,000 security personnel from the region have been trained by retired members of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) and Rwanda National Police (RNP).
Rwanda’s Presidential Office has disclosed that Romeo Dallaire was hosted at Urugwiro Village on Tuesday, August 15th, 2023 but did not mention topics of discussions.
During his visit, Dallaire, who served as the United Nations forces commander in Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, paid tribute to over 250,000 Genocide victims interred at the Kigali Memorial.
Having been in charge of UN forces in Rwanda between 1993 and 1994, and having witnessed the unfolding Genocide, Dallaire requested permission to intervene, a plea that was ultimately denied. He chronicled his experiences as a UN commander in Rwanda in his 2003 book “Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda.”
Following his retirement, the former Canadian senator has dedicated himself to humanitarian endeavors, advocating for military veterans and actively supporting the prevention of using children in armed conflicts.
Public vehicles are required to have interior lights on when in operation at night while lights for motorcycles moving on the public way must be used every time and in all circumstances.
The enforcement comes a week after Police conducted a countrywide campaign to educate and remind motorists on the mandatory traffic rules on lighting.
Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, the RNP spokesperson said that lighting is also key to road safety and the security of passengers in public vehicles at night.
“It has been observed that lack of interior lighting in public vehicles, motorcycle lighting at all times and the general headlights at night contributes to road insecurity in one way or another.
These operations are, therefore, meant to fight anything that impedes road safety and to show the public what affects their security on the road,” CP Kabera said.
During the operations, it was observed that some vehicles’ interior lighting was not functioning. The same was for some motorcycles which were found with faulty headlights.
CP Kabera advised drivers and motorcyclists to always check the lighting system before hitting the road.
“There is no ground for a driver to give any excuse that I made a mistake, forgot or even that there are lights on the road,” CP Kabera cautioned.
He warned that these are continuous operations and advised motorists to adhere to traffic rules and regulations, including lighting.
