Rwanda has ramped up vaccination efforts and continued to carry out research that would see the country administering the third vaccine shot and vaccinating people below the age of 18.
Among others, the Ministry of Health has revealed that 29 people caught COVID-19 out of 8346 sample tests while one person succumbed to the virus yesterday. The deceased is a man aged 73 from Gicumbi district.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
Dreams of becoming a farmer or teacher run up against tough conditions in a society deeply afflicted by unemployment and poverty.
Clement Kahindo, supervisor of a temporary shelter in Goma, capital of North Kivu province, goes through the list of problems.
His facility is managed by an NGO called Cajed, which works for underprivileged young people and currently accommodates around 40 children aged 10 to 17 recently extracted from armed groups.
“They are taught how to behave properly, to read and write. They do drawing, basket-making, gardening, the washing up,” he told AFP.
What about teaching them a trade? “We do that sometimes, but not so much,” Kahindo said. “We lack the funds.”
But he proudly pointed to the success of a young man who had been given a sewing machine and has since regularly visited with reports of his progress. Another runs a hairdressing salon.
Kahindo said many former child combatants were overwhelmed by the horrors they had witnessed in a part of the country that has been ravaged by violence for more than 25 years.
“They have seen killings, some of them have carried out killings themselves, like the teenager who was forced to tie people up and bury them alive,” Kahindo said.
The youngest children are “used for spying, cooking, water and firewood,” said Faustin Busimba, Cajed’s programme officer.
“A child who stays for two or three years in an armed group goes to the front.”
But in eastern DRC’s North and South Kivu, as well as Ituri province, the front line and the conflict itself can be volatile.
The causes of violence in this troubled region are often complex and overlapping, rooted sometimes in ancient grievances but also overlain with the activities of foreign rebel groups and ethnic militias.
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In the 1990s, child soldiers known as “kadogos” were numerous in the rebel army of Laurent-Desire Kabila, who overthrew president Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997.
According to a task force on children and conflicts led by the child protection section of the UN mission in the country, MONUSCO, and by UNICEF, 13 armed groups still feature on a blacklist for enrolling children. The DRC’s post-Mobutu army has been taken off the blacklist.
The number of child soldiers in the DRC is hard to estimate, although the tally runs into the thousands.
The causes of their enrolment vary, experts say.
Between 3,000 and 5,000 children become combatants each year, according to the MONUSCO estimate, and Cajed says that between five and 10 percent are girls.
Some of the children may be abducted by force, but others join voluntarily, sometimes to escape poverty, take revenge or bask in the supposed prestige that comes with their role, Cajed says.
The UN task force counted 2,253 children “separated” from armed groups in 2018, 3,107 in 2019, 2,101 in 2020 and 957 in the first nine months of 2021.
Some are recovered after a direct approach by MONUSCO to the commanders of the armed groups, others flee or are released during army operations against the rebel groups.
“In 2002, I was among the first children to be demobilised. I was 15 years old,” said Papy Miruho, 36, in Bukavu, capital of South Kivu.
He had spent two years in an armed group that he had joined to defend his community.
“My father had been killed,” he said, “and my mother went mad.”
Miruho was taken in by the Office for Voluntary Work in the Service of Children and Health (BVES), an NGO, which paved the way to studies and a degree in sociology.
After marrying and becoming a father, Miruho took to selling flour in Panzi on the outskirts of Bukavu to help make ends meet. He does not complain but would rather have work that is in line with his education and hopes.
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At the age of 13, Christian Mulindwa was coming home from school when he was kidnapped by an armed group. He managed to get away two years later and was taken in by the BVES.
In 2010, he and two other young people created an association which supports and employs mostly former child soldiers.
The work includes hairdressing and fixing computers.
“We had no standing in the community. We joined forces to boost our morale,” Mulindwa told AFP.
He admitted that his group had had many setbacks.
“People who were demobilised without getting the right support later took up arms again,” he said.
At Cajed’s base in Goma, four youngsters aged 14 to 17 are full of hope, preparing to rejoin their families in Masisi, farther north. Each has a “reintegration kit” consisting of a saucepan and a hoe.
Avril, whose name has been changed for the purposes of this article, is 12 years old. He fled the armed group that seized him.
While the four teenagers will leave, Avril will stay a while longer at the centre, where he likes to play football. One day, he said, he will be a farmer.
Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, Ampersand assembles and finances electric motorcycles (‘e-motos’ or ‘e-bodas’) that cost less to buy and operate, and perform better than the 5 million petrol motorcycle taxis in use across East Africa – all with up to 83% less carbon emissions.
The core of Ampersand’s business is the network of battery swap stations and fleet of batteries Ampersand builds and operates. This system allows drivers to swap batteries faster than refilling a tank with petrol and shields vehicle buyers from the high upfront cost of a lithium battery pack. Since its commercial launch in May 2019, Ampersand’s team has performed over 50,000 battery swaps, powering Ampersand’s fleet of 56 drivers for over 2 million kilometers.
DFC’s US$9 million loan will allow Ampersand to scale up the number of electric motorcycles on the road in Rwanda and Kenya to several thousand by the end of 2022. The loan is part of DFC’s Portfolio for Impact and Innovation (PI²) initiative and contributes to DFC’s commitment to the U.S. Energy Compact and its target to address climate change with one third of its investments by 2023.
DFC’s facility builds on a US$4 million Series A round Ampersand secured earlier in 2021, which was supported by Silicon Valley investor Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF) and TotalEnergies.
DFC’s investment also builds on early-stage support Ampersand received from USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures (DIV), Rwanda’s Green Fund and the UK Government’s Frontier Technology Livestreaming initiative among others.
Commenting on the development, Josh Whale, Founder and CEO of Ampersand said: “We’re thrilled to have DFC on board with this historic investment, which is building momentum to electrify all of East Africa’s 5 million motorcycle taxis by 2030. DFC’s support underlines the viability and investability of electric two wheelers for mass-market customers in the Global South, and the importance of this market to reaching net zero. On the eve of COP26 in Glasgow we believe more bold, fast-moving and innovative funds like PI² are urgently needed.”
DFC’s Chief Climate Officer Jake Levine has revealed that the institution is proud to support Ampersand in their important and innovative work bringing e-mobility and electric motorcycles to Rwanda and Kenya.
“DFC is focused on making impactful investments in developing countries that will help communities progress and grow while simultaneously building resilience and prosperity for a clean energy future — this investment and the incredible growth that Ampersand has demonstrated in the market represents a great step in that direction,” she said.
At the time, details emerged that the skulls were taken for research purposes but the foundation did not disclose details about the origin and names of individuals whose remains are conserved in Germany.
The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation is a Federal government body that oversees 27 museums and cultural organizations in and around Berlin, Germany.
Germany colonized Rwanda between 1885 and 1916. Following revelations that Germany has the skulls in its museum, Rwanda made possible efforts to have them back.
Speaking to IGIHE, Amb. Robert Masozera, the Director-General of the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy has revealed that Germany expressed willingness to return these human remains pending discussions to determine the process under which the skulls will be flown back.
“We are seeking how to repatriate these human remains because they are willing to do so. The remaining task is about engaging discussions on both sides to determine the process under which it can be done and how these remains can be buried decently upon arrival,” he said.
Masozera explained that the country mulls establishing a memorial site where the skulls will be buried.
“They are our parents and forefathers. They deserve decent burial in a designated memorial site as we have made it a routine in our country. This is our wish but discussions are ongoing,” he said.
It has not been made clear if ancestors whose skulls were to Germany were killed or died of natural cause.
Masozera has explained that some details remain unknown because many people were flown secretly. He however expressed optimism that deep research might be helpful to identify their families.
The dates for repatriation of Rwandans ‘skulls are not known but Masozera revealed that Rwanda is ready to welcome them anytime.
Apart from Rwandans’ remains, Prussian Cultural Heritage revealed that it is also preserving over 60 skulls from Tanzania.
Last year, Germany has handed back to Namibia, the skulls of indigenous people killed by Germany colonialists more than 100 years ago.
The bones had been sent to Germany for now-discredited research to prove the racial superiority of white Europeans.
As Germany colonized Namibia, tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people were murdered in response to an anti-colonial uprising.
After losing the First World War, Germany was stripped of its colonies.
At the time, Belgium too over the control of Rwanda until its Independence in 1962.
Belgium also kept Rwandan cultural vestiges some of which have been returned.
For instance, the country handed to Rwanda archives and maps designed during colonial era indicating Rwanda’s wealth of natural resources.
Towards the end of last week, Belgium also handed over to Rwanda over 4000 sounds and traditional songs taken between 1950s and 2000s.
These archives were conserved by the Royal Museum of Central Africa.
The President was speaking on Sunday 31st October 2021, at the second session of G20 Summit focusing on ‘Climate Change and Environment’.
“The commitment to mobilize $100 billion a year for green transition in developing countries has not fully materialized, and there is no tangible action in this direction. This year’s G20 is an opportunity to recall that pledge. We need a delivery plan,” he said.
“The world’s largest economies contribute almost 80% of worldwide emissions. Africa is not the main cause of climate change, but we can and must be part of the solution, and we intend to do just that,” added Kagame.
The President also shared Rwanda’s efforts where the country has put a National Cooling Strategy in place to phase out the hydro fluorocarbons that contribute so much to global warming.
As he explained, the action is in line with the Kigali Amendment to the Montréal Protocol.
“Fully implementing this agreement is one of the most consequential actions that we can take to slow the pace of climate change,” said Kagame.
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer entered into force on 1st January 2019, following ratification by 65 countries.
It is expected to help reduce the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), and thus to avoid global warming by up to 0.4°C this century.
The need for the Amendment emerged from the 1987 Montreal Protocol process, which controls ozone-depleting substances.
With HFCs’ use as an alternative to ozone-depleting substances in cooling equipment, their role in warming the atmosphere became a greater concern.
In 2016, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol adopted the agreement on HFCs at the close of the 28th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 28) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Governments agreed that it would enter into force on 1st January 2019, provided that at least 20 Parties to the Montreal Protocol had ratified it.
The statement released last night also shows that 17 people have caught the virus out of 16 893 sample tests, one recovered while three are critically ill.
A total of 1,990,105 people have been fully vaccinated while 3,809,747 received the first dose of COVID-19 since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program on 5th March 2021.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
The one-day training was conducted on Sunday 31st October 2021, at RIB Headquarters in Kimihurura, Gasabo District. It is part of the RNP initiative to equip different institutions in Rwanda with basic skills against fire emergencies.
Trainees were equipped with separate skills to fight fire and to conduct fire cases related investigations including fire chemistry, fire behavior, classification of fire and extinguishing media and causes of arson and fire in general.
Other disciplines tackled include precaution safety measures on cooking gas, definition of fire investigation, fire investigation goals, and skills required for an investigator in the field of fire science.
Assistant Commissinoner of Police (ACP) Paul Gatambira, the Commanding officer for Fire and Rescue Brigade said that the investigators were first trained about fire chemistry to be aware of fire causes and components.
“It is important to understand the components and chemistry of fire if you are to create impact in prevention and response to related emergencies. You need to know types of fires and firefighting techniques as well as safer ways to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas in homes.
These are some of the skills and knowledge that were extended to the RIB investigators to help them both in their duties and back in their respective homes,” said CP Gatambira.
He added: “This training was designed specifically to equip them with investigation priorities upon arrival at the scene in regard to witness safety, examination, evidence collection and analysis and establishing the cause and origin of fire.”
CP Gatambira explained that fire investigations require advanced skills and knowledge in fire science to build the case and facilitate the justice process.
These activities held on Saturday 30th October 2021, included cleaning and medical services at Marché Miskin in 5th Arrondissement and Marché Petevo in 6th Arrondissement.
The community work aims at sharing the practice of ‘Umuganda’ as one of the homegrown solutions aimed at uniting people and help the community to protect their environment.
After community work Rwandan peacekeepers provided medical care to the local population. The health services included medical screening for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, obesity, and other diseases such as malaria where rapid tests were performed, and treatment provided to those who were positive.
The Mayor of Bangui Capital City, Emile Gros Raymand Nakombo thanked Rwandan peacekeepers for their support in protecting civilians and participating in cleaning and protecting their environment.
“The community work conducted today, is a lesson borrowed from Rwanda and will contribute to our country’s development,” he said.
The Rwabatt8 Contingent Commander Col Augustin Migabo urged the local population of Bangui to adopt community work concept (Umuganda) as a solution to ensure a clean and safe environment.
In the latest operation conducted in two separate operations in Huye District on Friday and Saturday, Rwanda National Police (RNP) in partnership with local leaders arrested three people in Amahoro Village, Kimana Cell, Tumba Sector with counterfeit money amounting to Rwf40, 000.
One of the suspects, Maurice Ndahayo, 24, was found with forged bills amounting to Frw30,000. The duo of Eric Kabandana, 22, and William Rukundo, 20, was arrested with fake money amounting to Rwf10,000.
According to the Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the suspects were apprehended in partnership with local leaders following a tip-off by the would-be victims.
“Police received information on Friday October 29, at about 3pm on a man (Ndahayo), who was attempting to defraud a mobile money agent in Amahoro Village. Ndahayo had defrauded the mobile banking agent, who deposited Rwf30,000 at his mobile account and paid six fake bills in the denominations of Rwf5,000. However, the agent realized that the bills were fake and reported to the Police, leading the search and arrest of Ndahayo,” said SP Kanamugire.
He added that on October 30, Police also received a call from the same village about two men, who had paid two fake notes in the denominations of Rwf5,000 at a local bar where they had taken alcoholic drinks.
“Police responded swiftly and arrested Eric Kabandana and William Rukundo at the scene.”
SP Kanamugire said lauded the increased vigilance against fraudsters circulating counterfeit money.
The suspects and counterfeit money were handed over to RIB at Ngoma station for further legal process.
Article 269 of Law No 68/2018 determining offenses and penalties in general states; any person who, fraudulently counterfeits, falsifies or alters coins or bank notes which are legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, notes issued by the Treasury with its stamp or brand, either banknotes or alike that have legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, or one who introduces or issues in Rwanda such effects or notes with knowledge that they are forged or falsified, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than seven years.
