The Mass read on Sunday 2nd October 2022 coincided with the celebration of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus whose life was characterized by love and innocence.
It was attended by the Deputy Commissioner General of Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), DCGP Rose Muhisoni; RCS Spokesperson, SSP Pelly Uwera Gakwaya and the Director of Nyarugenge Prison, SP Augustin Uwayezu.
Cardinal Kambanda was accompanied by Bishop André Havugimana, the chaplain of Mageragere Prison which is part of the Centrale Saint Therese of the Child Jesus in Butamwa Parish.
Cardinal Kambanda told gathered congregants that God loves human beings but detest their sins. He asked them to allow the Holy Spirit to guide their steps and shun evil acts.
Using an example of an inspiring quote of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Cardinal Kambanda said that those willing to join the Kingdom of God should be willing to become like little children.
“We are little in front of God and need to respect what God teaches us,” he said.
Cardinal Kambanda requested inmates to look back to their past when they were little and innocent kids to restore that image and strive to build the nation instead of committing crimes.
During the Mass, inmates were taken through the parable of the Lost Sheep in the Bible included in the Gospels of Luke 15:1-7.
The parable of the Lost Sheep is about a shepherd who had 100 sheep but 1 of them wandered off and got lost. The shepherd left the 99 and went in search of the lost sheep until he finds it and celebrates its return.
The parable reflects how Jesus came to the world to save his sheep sinking into evil acts to return them to the ‘Father in Heaven’.
Speaking to IGIHE after the Mass, Cardinal Kambanda said that inmates are also stuck in crimes and need someone to help them get rid of them.
DCGP Muhisoni thanked the Catholic Church for its contribution to inmates’ rehabilitation programs to convert them into good citizens working with others to fast track national development.
The 2022 Singapore Grand Prix officially known as the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022, was a Formula One motor race held on 2 October 2022 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Marina Bay, Singapore.
The sporting event takes place over three days (usually Friday to Sunday), with a series of practice and qualifying sessions prior to the race on Sunday.
The Head of State has been in Singapore for a three-day visit since 30th September 2022.
During his stay in Singapore, Kagame delivered the ‘Majulah Lecture’ at NTU to close to 1000 participants in a session moderated by Prof. Subra Suresh, President of the academic institution.
He also witnessed the signing of a partnership agreement between the Government of Rwanda represented by the Ministry of Education and NTU allowing Rwandan students to get opportunities to study at university starting next year.
Rwanda and Singapore enjoy cordial relations. Both countries have partnership in the areas of investment, trade, education, rule of law, technology and air transport service among others.
The country’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong recently visited Rwanda during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in June.
It was his maiden official visit in Rwanda and Africa. At the time, Loong was also hosted at Urugwiro Village by President Kagame.
The motorcycle, TVS registration number RF 436H, was recovered from the suspected thief identified as Frederick Rusanganwa, 38, who was arrested red-handed in Gakoni Village, Kamabuye, Cell in Shyara Sector.
The Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, said that the motorcycle was stolen at about 6pm, in Ngarama Sector.
“The owner of the motorcycle had parked it in Kanzenze, Ntarama Sector, where it was stolen at about 6pm. Fortune enough, the motorcycle had a GPS. It was tracked and recovered in the house of Rusanganwa at about 8:30pm, located in Gakoni Village, Shyira Sector, where the suspect was also arrested. He was handed over to RIB at Ruhuha station,” SP Twizeyimana said.
The spokesperson reiterated the importance of installing GPS in motorcycles for easy tracking, when stolen.
In September and August, Police recovered two stolen motorcycles in Gatsibo District, where suspected thieves were also arrested.
Another motorcycle was recovered in July in Gahanga Sector, Kicukiro District.
Two other stolen motorcycles were recovered in January in Nyagatare and Bugesera districts, where suspected thieves were also arrested.
During dinner hosted on Saturday, the Rwanda bilateral force demonstrated cultural dance and martial arts as part of the event’s entertainment.
In his remarks, President Touadéra thanked Rwanda and President Paul Kagame for the support and collaboration with Central African Republic in maintaining security in CAR.
Rwandan Contingent commander, Col Egide Ndayizeye thanked Touadéra for the warm reception and also commended the good cooperation with CAR Armed Forces in ensuring the security of Central African Republic.
On the other hand, this has become an investment opportunity where investors continue to build more and more modern housing estates, which can be afforded by middle-income earners.
One of them is Village Umutuzo. Inaugurated on Thursday 29th September 2022, Village Umutuzo is a real estate that seeks to help people get rid of rental fees.
The first phase of this project has seen a total of 67 houses built in Gahanga Sector in Kicukiro District. The estate comprises modern buildings built under an innovative concept to settle a large population on a small plot of land.
The project is run by GiRiNZU, a French-Rwandan real estate developer founded by a French national, Stéphane Monceaux in collaboration with a female Rwandan, Jacqueline Wibabara to help individuals wishing to own modern homes in Kigali city.
This estate seats on two hectares and has three sections with different structures for people to buy houses of their choice.
The company has offers that range from Rwf35 million to Rwf120 million for houses and apartments from 2 to 6 bedrooms.
There are multi-storey houses comprising two bedrooms, a modern bathroom, a kitchen and a well maintained garden, built as bungalows. One of them costs Rwf35 million.
The second category consists of one-storey houses, with three bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom and a landscaped garden. A house under this category costs over Rwf74 million.
The third category, which is more costly, consists of houses with four bedrooms, a living room, two bathrooms, a modern kitchen and a large garden. Each costs Rwf120 million.
Village Umutuzo is built of bricks. Construction activities were executed by quite a large number of employees, majority of whom being Rwandans.
These houses are equipped with household furniture such as beds, chairs, tables and more.
Those who want to own these houses are encouraged to link up with the company for direct payments or seek loans from respective financial institutions to own houses.
One of the founders and president of GiRiNZU, Stéphane Monceaux, said that he once came to Rwanda and saw a government with good plans to settle the people which inspired him to build modern estates.
“We are a company which is unique and highly innovative at a global level. We build urban villages which are very sustainable where we would be happy to see our children live. We worked with the City of Kigali to be able to build houses like these that will house a large number of people and on a smaller land,” he said.
“With our team made of local architects and engineers, we reinterpret the living atmosphere to create a Rwandan solution that brings Umutuzo [comfort],” added Monceaux.
Jacqueline Wibabara, a co-founder and vice president emphasized that they are committed to building affordable houses, and to support the government’s plan to settle the population decently.
She also said that the company has prioritized women empowerment where it seeks to reach 50% of women representation in hiring process at all levels in the years to come.
Wibabara disclosed that they consider lowering prices to help people with various economic backgrounds own a decent house easily.
The Mayor of Kigali City, Pudence Rubingisa, praised the initiators of this project, saying that this program will support the national policy of settling people on small land.
“The fact that the city has gained the houses in this village and the others being built under GiRiNZU project is a great achievement. These houses are offered at a moderate price encouraging many people to buy them,” he said.
“We have a national policy to improve housing in order to resettle a large number of people on small land to ensure efficient use of land in accordance with the master plan and environmental preservation measures. So, this project came in handy,” added Rubingisa.
The Ambassador of France in Rwanda, Anfré Antoine, praised the collaboration between the French national and the Rwandan woman, which led to the project beneficial to many people.
GiRiNZU has another project to build two urban villages in Gahanga, on two and more than three hectares respectively.
So far 85% of the houses in ‘Umutuzo Village’ have been purchased.
Sadiq Dudishe, the spokesperson of the Somali Police Force, said Farhan Mohamoud Adan, Banadir regional police commissioner, was leading the operation which was taking place in Basra at the border between Banadir and Middle Shabelle regions.
“Terrorism is a threat to life. We will never be diverted from our objective of ensuring the security of the country and the elimination of terrorism,” Dudishe said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
The police said the operation in Basra began at around 11:30 a.m., local time, and the Somali National Army (SNA) forces faced no resistance from the terror group which is fighting to topple the internationally recognized government.
Witnesses said Adan’s convoy ran over an explosive device that had been planted by the extremists along the road to Basra.
Al-Shabaab terror group claimed responsibility for the latest attack despite facing increased offensive from government forces in the recent past.
Heading a group of military officers, Traore declared in a broadcast statement the suspension of the constitution and of the charter of the transition, the dissolution of the government of transition, and a curfew from 9 p.m to 5 a.m.
He also announced closure of the country’s borders until further notice, and suspension of activities of political parties as well as of civil society organizations.
Traore said he would convene all forces of the country to elaborate a new charter and to appoint a military or civilian president for Burkina Faso.
Gunshots were heard in Ouagadougou Friday morning, and access to the presidential palace, the public television and certain strategic points in the city were blocked by soldiers.
Shortly afterwards, the Burkina Faso presidency issued a statement calling on people to remain calm and saying negotiations were underway to restore “calm and serenity.”
In an address on the occasion of the 56th Anniversary of Botswana Independence Day in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said despite the heavy weight of the challenges that for most parts of the last two years the restricted movement of people, there are still some things worth celebrating.
Masisi told a handful of the audience that thronged the country’s National Stadium that the fanfare and jubilation that accompanied the marking of Botswana’s National Day in the past has this time been replaced by the grim events that are still fresh in the memories of many.
“Who would ever forget, especially the perilous months of July to September 2021 – when we lost many of our fellow citizens to the COVID-19 pandemic,” rhetorically asked Masisi.
He said many families are hurting, as a result of losing a loved one or close relative, a friend or neighbor due to COVID-19.
By far, Masisi said a greater number, especially women, those in the hospitality industry and the youth who are dominating the service sector, were hit the hardest economically by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and the necessary measures deployed to mitigate its impact were not helped by the global energy crisis that followed the immediate outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said.
“The resultant rising cost of living was experienced in many households just as the promise of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine was starting to pay dividends,” said Masisi.
Botswana has so far reported 326,286 COVID-19 cases, with 2,781 deaths.
Figures from the Ministry of Health indicated that more than 70 percent of the southern African country’s population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccination campaign began in March 2021. While 200,000 of those between the ages of 12 and 17 have received at least their first dose, 35,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 have received their first dose.
This September 2022, SKOL walked its talk and paid the full school year for Grave who has grown up and been enrolled in a nursery school starting from this year’s school calendar.
Christine is thankful to the Mr. Ivan, SKOL’s CEO for having kept his word and allowed her son to attend school.
This is allowing her to reduce her financial burden and have time to focus on working while her son is at school.
