The event took place on Thursday 23rd December 2021 at the headquarters of APECOS in Gatenga sector of Kicukiro district.
APECOS Rwanda is a non-profit organization that helps children and orphans affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. It is dedicated to eradicate poverty of the aforementioned children through financial empowerment of their families as well as meeting their educational, clothing, medical, and nutritional needs.
Mayfair Insurance runs operations in different countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
After learning about the organization’s activities to promote the wellbeing of HIV/AIDS orphans , Mayfair Insurance committed to cater for school fees and shared lunch in celebration of the festive season.
Claude Bucyana, a business development officer at Mayfair Insurance Company Rwanda said that the gesture is organized every year to extend support and stand in solidarity with needy people.
“The company is not only involved in business operations but also attaches great relevance to supporting needy people. That is why we have decided to share Christmas lunch and provide school fees as a symbol that they are not alone,” he said.
APECOS began operations in 2005. Since then, it has helped over 1000 children through the provision of school fees, financial support to foster families, easy access to health services and psychological support.
The Deputy Country Representative of APECOS, Alphonse Ntwali thanked Mayfair Insurance Company Rwanda for the gesture and pledged to help them raise these children properly.
“The support comes in handy and strengthens our initiatives to support parents and their children. Sharing Christmas lunch with children restores their hope. We are very thankful for this gesture,” he said.
Mayfair Insurance Company Rwanda opened doors to Rwanda in 2017. It has so far opened branches based in Kicukiro, Magerwa, Nyabugogo, Rusizi, Musanze and Rusumo.
Dr. Ndiaye, who visited the Rwanda FPU-1 camp on Wednesday, also visited Rwanda Protection Support Unit (PSU 1-6) operating in Bangui, on Thursday, and thanked them for their selfless service.
He was received at the PSU base camp by the contingent commander, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Innocent Rutagarama Kanyamihigo, who briefed him on the contingent’s operations.
The SRSG and his delegation also toured various facilities of the camp, including RWAPSU level I Clinic.
SRSG commended the contingent for the high level of discipline and dedication they exhibit while conducting their peacekeeping tasks.
He echoed the same message against sexual exploitation and abuse.
“We appreciate your discipline and dedication, which define your exceptional peacekeeping duties. Remain focused and avoid Sexual Exploitation and Abuse or other allegations that may tarnish the good image of the Rwandan forces within peacekeeping missions,” said Dr. Ndiaye.
Rwanda Protection Support Unit is in charge of the protection of the SRSG, his two deputies, the Prime Minister of CAR, President of the National Assembly, Minister of Justice and the Head of MINUSCA Police Component.
They were paraded to the media on Thursday, December 23, at Nyarugenge District Police Unit offices in Rwezamenyo Sector.
Emmanuel Hakizimfura, one of the motorists paraded, admitted that he had taken alcohol before he was arrested riding his motorcycle.
“I was arrested on Monday, December 20, at Rwandex as I was returning back home. I had taken alcohol and I tested 2 millilitres of blood alcohol content,” Hakizimfura said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rene Irere, the spokesperson for the Traffic and Road Safety department warned motorists against such fatal road violations.
“Driving while drunk is among the major causes of fatal road accidents and Police has in the past conducted various campaigns to raise awareness against such human behaviours to save lives. These are some of the people, who have decided to keep deaf ears, which will not be tolerated,” SSP Irere warned.
He urged road users particularly drivers, to use the road responsibly and refrain from any behaviours and decisions that put them and other road users in danger.
The objective of this project is to support Rwanda’s short-run and long-term recovery from the pandemic and resilience to future pandemics by increasing access to broadband and selected digital public services, and strengthening the digital innovation ecosystem. The project has four main components namely Digital Access and Inclusion; Digital public service delivery; Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Project Management.
Commenting on the development, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana said: “The project will complement Government of Rwanda’s efforts in recovery and resilience to and post covid-19 pandemic and in implementing the National Strategy for Transformation, with a focus on the priority to establish Rwanda as a globally competitive knowledge-based economy”.
“This marks the first digital acceleration investment, the bank is making in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also the second project we are funding in region and both happen to be in Rwanda. We believe that these are first steps towards long term development relationship between Rwanda and the Bank,” AIIB’s Director General of the Banking Department, Mr. Najeeb Haider said
The Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Musoni said that the additional financial support from AIIB into the Rwanda Digital Acceleration Project is an encouraging step towards realizing Rwanda’s vision to become a digital economy.
“While we are already cashing in on past investments in ICT and leveraging existing digital infrastructure, this financing agreement is a timely commitment that will allow us to further develop our broadband market and enhance Rwanda’s digital innovation ecosystem,” he said.
Rwanda became a member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank a year ago and has so far accessed financing worth US$ 200 to fund two key projects which include Finance for Recovery and Resilience (the Economic Recovery Fund and the just signed Rwanda Digital Acceleration Project, which are co-funded by World Bank.
This milestone demonstrates another step in achieving the objective of developing forces with special force skills provided for by RDF leadership guidance.
The newly trained group demonstrated effective skills in special operations tactics, river and water crossing, military topography, combat engineering, airborne operations, shooting as well as hand to hand combat skills.
The graduation ceremony was presided over by the Army Chief of Staff Lt Gen Mubarakh Muganga on behalf of the RDF Chief of Defence Staff.
In his remarks, the RDF ACOS commended the graduates for their milestone achievement, commitment and discipline. He also appreciated the leadership of the training centre for their effort in forming the officers and men to meet RDF expectations.
He urged them to use the special skills acquired to protect the sovereignty of Rwanda and protect its people and keep the readiness, observe high discipline, ethics and core values of RDF as a legacy from their predecessors.
The overall best officer, Lt Robert Mugabe said that his success during the training was due to teamwork and emphasised he will use the acquired knowledge to fulfil future military career assignments.
Among others, 12 percent of the entire workforce was in the tourism sector directly and indirectly while more than US$60 million was earned from Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
As COVID-19 emerged in 2020, the tourism was among most hit hard sectors where revenues dropped to about US$121 million while revenues from MICE shrank to US$4 million. However, the year 2021 gives optimism for the situation to return to normal.
From January until November 2021, Rwanda earned US$134 million from tourism, translating into 19% growth compared to last year.
As at November 2021, arrivals at the airport also increased by 36% in 2021 compared to last year. MICE also increased by 50% this year.
Restaurants and hotels have not been left behind economic recovery where they have registered 62% and 32% in economic growth respectively.
Appearing in televised discussions on the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism and hospitality sector, the CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi has explained that the figures reflect how the sector is on the right path of recovery.
“If you compare with 2019 figures as the best year we have had ever, we are still not where we want to be but I think we are beginning to see signs that we are progressing well. The future is promising, Visit Rwanda continues to be a strong brand, on dairies of a lot of people who want to come and visit and continue to showcase the country to the world,” she said.
The General Manager of Onomo Hotel, Emile Nizey has observed that the economic growth was higher than expected in 2021.
As part of efforts to revive the tourism sector adversely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, Rwanda slashed gorilla trekking fees by between 86% for Rwandans and 67% for foreigner living in Rwanda.
Before the discount, gorilla trekking fees was US$1500 set in 2018 up from US$750.
Today, Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park costs foreign nationals $500, Rwandan citizens and foreign residents pay $200 while international visitors on chartered flights pay $1,500.
{{Why Rwanda removed three-day quarantine for specific visitors}}
The new guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 Omicron variant which is believed to spread faster obliges all arriving passengers to undergo three-day quarantine at designated hotels. The CEO of RDB, Akamanzi has however explained that the directive doesn’t concern everyone.
“When we announced our new regulations recently, we exempted tourists that are visiting national parks from three-day quarantine. It is not all tourists. I think it clear that it only concerns tourists visiting national parks.That is not all international tourists. There are many tourists coming to Rwanda for business dealings, conferences and visiting families. All those are categorized as tourists,” she said.
“The one that we are exempting from the quarantine is only a small segment of tourists visiting national parks. And why did we do that? This whole exercise of managing the economy in the pandemic context has required a very difficult, complex but continuous balancing effect.
You are balancing managing the health, making sure that you are really curbing down the spread of the pandemic but also want to encourage in a safe way as much economic activity as you can because we need the economy to run, we need lives but also livelihoods, “added Akamanzi.
Akamanzi explained that tourists visiting national parks have the least health risks which she attributed to different reasons.
“First of all, they are very few. Out of 500,000 people that visited Rwanda last year and 1.6 million visitors in 2019, only less than 20,000 visited gorillas. It is a very small number. If you look at those who visited national parks in Nyungwe and Akagera , it is about 6,000 in total ,” she revealed.
With Omicron variant, Akamanzi said that it is expected to be a small number.
Moreover, she explained that many of them are fully vaccinated or have even received the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
“Secondly, the survey that we have done shows that many of them are not just fully vaccinated but they also received the booster shot. You will find the demographic of the people that are coming to see our national parks, is usually middle to a little bit elder categories. These are people that will make sure they are fully vaccinated before their travel and have even the booster shots. So, the risk of contracting of spreading is a lot lower,” she revealed.
Akamanzi explained that the third reason is to revive the economy considering the fact that the small number attracts huge revenues than other travelers.
On average, Akamanzi underscored that a business tourist spends about US$200, a conference tourist spends about US$300 per day while a tourist visiting gorillas spends US$1300 a day which might reach US$6000 in one trip.
“You can achieve the economic input with few people and less health risks with this category of people compared to bigger numbers,” she said.
Despite the removal of the quarantine for the segment of visitors, COVID-19 test is mandatory where are required to go for PCR test on the first, third and seventh day of their stay in Rwanda.
The deportees arrived on Wednesday 22nd December 2021 around 3p.m through Kagitumba border in Nyagatare district.
Rwanda has received over 50 nationals evicted from Uganda since the beginning of December 2021.
These include 35 deported on 6th December, additional to more 42 Rwandans who arrived towards the end of November.
The recent deportation follows series of circumstances under which Uganda has been expelling Rwandans after enduring torture in its detention facilities accusing them of being spies yet they had traveled to the country to run businesses or visit relatives among other reasons.
Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened since 2017. Rwanda has been expressing concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being spies.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of hosting dissidents posing threat to national security.
In March 2019, the Government of Rwanda officially advised citizens not to travel to Uganda for their security following testimonies of over 1000 Rwandans tortured and deported from Uganda.
In August 2019, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame signed memorandum of understanding ‘Luanda Agreement’ in a bid to solve conflicts between both countries.
Despite efforts to sign the agreement between both heads of state witnessed by mediators including the President of Angola, Joao Lourenço and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation is still worsening as Uganda continues with arbitrary detention of Rwandans who are subjected to torture in its facilities.
The purpose of this event was to appreciate the work well done by Rwandan Security Forces (RSF) and SADC forces (SAMMIM) to help Mozambicans to fight against terrorists in Cabo Delgado.
The Chief of General Staff Admiral (CGS) Joaquim Mangrasse, who was the Guest of Honor delivered a message of solidarity to the joint forces.
“We are here to celebrate the achievements made by the joint forces, Rwanda Security Forces and also the SAMIM, because we the Mozambicans value the work done and we thank you all,” he said.
Brig Gen Pascal Muhizi who spoke on behalf of Rwanda Security Forces thanked the guest of honor for the invitation. He assured the CGS of his continued collaboration with the joint forces and other allies and partners in the journey to restore peace and stability in Cabo Delgado.
The participants were entertained by the Mozambican Military Band and a variety of Mozambican artists from Pemba as well as those from Maputo including Luisa Zélia Sebastiana da Graça Madade popularly known as “LILOCA”
The warning follows the arrest of 16 people in the night of Tuesday, December 21, who were visiting a Covid-19 positive person in Kicukiro District.
All the violators were subjected to Covid-19 test and three of them turned positive.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that these are intentional acts that lead to the spread of Covid-19, which will not be tolerated.
“There are some people, who are still undermining the national Covid-19 prevention directives and continue to put the life of others in danger. It is a shame to see such a big number of people mostly young, from different places, some who are Covid-19 positive but decide to hold a gathering,” CP Kabera said.
He thanked members of the public, who continue to support the enforcement against such violations through information sharing.
CP Kabera urged the public to strictly adhere to Covid-19 directives to avoid any associated consequences.
Julien Mahoro Niyingabira, Division Manager, Rwanda Health Communications Centre said that individual responsiveness is key to preventing the spread of the virus.
“The country can not get Police officers to protect every home or households with Covid-19 cases. Safety is an individual responsibility and that includes abiding by all the health guides including not visiting those in isolation or quarantine,” Niyingabire said.
Uwiringiyimana was arrested by traffic officers on duty in Kayove Village, Nyakarera Cell, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said.
“Traffic police officers, who were on their daily duties, stopped Uwiringiyimana to check his traffic related documents only to realize that the motorcycle insurance paper was forged, leading to his arrest over forgery,” CIP Karekezi said.
Uwiringiyimana allegedly scanned the insurance which expired on October 22, 2021 and changed the expiry period to April 22, 2022.
Uwiringiyimana disclosed that he had help from another person whom he did not mention, to forge the insurance permit.
“Sometimes people forget that such forgeries can be easily noticed, with the available technology and this will be dire to you,” CIP Karekezi said.
Any person who, with fraudulent intention, produces a false written document, causes to write false statements or produces a conflicting declaration, is considered to commit the offence of forgery.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years but not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
