These vaccines arrived at Kigali International Airport on the evening of Thursday 2nd September 2021 onboard Brussels Airlines.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccines manufactured from the United States of America (USA) are an addition to three more types of COVID-19 jabs which Rwanda has been administering. These include AstraZeneca from India, Pfizer from USA and Sinopharm from China.
Vaccines received today are part of 2,191,000 similar vaccines that Rwanda purchased through African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), an initiative by African leaders to spearhead fair and equitable distribution of vaccines on the continent.
The Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana who received the first consignment of Johnson & Johnson vaccines explained that they are distributed through an initiative of the African Union.
Officials revealed recently that Rwanda has been receiving at least 230,000 vaccine doses per week administered to various recipients countrywide.
Rwanda has scaled up vaccination efforts starting with Kigali City where at least 80% of dwellers aged 18 and above have received the first vaccine shot.
Dr. Nsanzimana has explained that received Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be rolled out to districts with high COVID-19 positivity rate.
Nderitu and her delegation arrived in Rwanda on 28th August for a visit to be concluded on 3rd September 2021.
Also present during the discussions were Fodé Ndiaye, the UN Resident Coordinator for Rwanda; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta and Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana who was recently named Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement.
During her visit to Rwanda, Nderitu held talks with different Government officials including Minister Biruta and representatives from umbrella organizations of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Nderitu also visited Rebero Genocide Memorial which is home to slain politicians killed during the Genocide for innate personality or beliefs which differed from the Government which prepared and executed the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
As she visited the memorial, Nderitu highlighted that the greatest honour to Genocide victims is to reflect on endured sufferings, recommit to build hope and prevent reoccurrence.
As per statement released today, the Government of Rwanda will provide the counterpart funding of US$ 800,000 for the project, bringing the total value of the project to US$ 7.9 million (approximately Rwf 7.9 billion).
The signing ceremony was virtually held in observance of the current health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The R/D was signed by Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning; Dr. Valentine Uwamariya, Minister of Education and Mr. Chon Gyong Shik, the Country Director of KOICA Rwanda Office.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Ndagijimana thanked the Government of the Republic of Korea for partnership ‘in this important project to enhance software skills development in Rwanda’.
“This support comes to support our National Strategy for Transformation Pillar, with a focus on making Rwanda a Globally Competitive Knowledge –based Economy”, he noted.
Minister Uwamariya also stressed that noted that the project will make Rwanda Coding Academy a center of excellence in Software Development to provide students with high quality practical skills as required by the software industry at both national and international level.
” This will hugely contribute to the national aspiration of making our country a regional ICT hub,” she noted.
“KOICA has three priority sectors in Rwanda, agriculture, education, and ICT, and this project cuts across the two important sectors, education and ICT,” said Mr. Chon Gyong Shik, Country Director of KOICA Rwanda Office.
“As the main development agency of the Korean government, through this project, we will contribute to the GoR’s education and economic development plans as well as the achievement of SDG 4.”
RCA opened in 2019, benchmarking the model of Korea’s Software Meister High School, with the goal of developing competent software developers who can promote industrial and economic development of Rwanda. Since its birth, the school has accepted two intakes of students totaling to 118. The third intake is slated for September this year.
With KOICA’s intervention, RCA will be equipped with high quality infrastructure and equipment as well as capacity to provide specialized education programs to students. It will ultimately benefit the students who are at the heart of RCA’s mission and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 4; Education for All.
Since 1991, KOICA has been implementing its grant aid programs in Rwanda, disbursing about USD 150 million through various projects and capacity building programs. KOICA Rwanda Office was officially opened in 2011.
KOICA currently has over 10 on-going projects in Rwanda in education, agriculture and ICT sectors. With the outbreak of COVID-19, KOICA also supported the Government in response to the pandemic by providing a mobile testing vehicle, walk-through testing booths and personal protective equipment (PPE) worth about US$ 1 million.
The lockdown is lifted following a drop in new COVID-19 positive cases.
Sectors permitted to go back to normal include Tumba and Gishamvu from Huye district and Byimana from Ruhango district of Southern Province. Others include Muhura, Kageyo and Remera sector from Gatsibo district as well as Rukara, Murundi, Nyamirama and Mwiri from Kayonza district in Eastern Province.
The lockdown is lifted one day after the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday 1st September eased COVID-19 restrictions where concerts and gaming activities have been permitted to resume.
Among others the cabinet meeting reduced curfew hours set to 10p.m through 4a.m in Kigali City and 9p.m through 4a.m in other parts of the country that are not identified as major hotspots for COVID-19 positive cases.
The cabinet has however set an exception for selected districts of Burera, Gicumbi, Kirehe, Ngoma, Nyagatare, Nyamasheke, Nyaruguru and Rwamagana with high COVID-19 incidence where curfew will apply between 8p.m and 4a.m with businesses closing by 7p.m.
Through a statement released today, MINALOC has reminded all Rwandan residents to continue complying with instituted COVID-19 containment measures.
Security officials and local leaders have been urged to oversee implementation of recommended directives to prevent the spread of the virus.
It is said that the artiste died last night succumbing to natural cause.
IGIHE has learnt that Jay Polly was taken to the hospital from Mageragere Prison and died upon arrival.
Jay Polly,33, was arrested recently at his home in Kibagabaga along with 11 people for violating COVID-19 preventive measures and illegal possession and abuse of marijuana.
Credible sources have revealed to IGIHE that the artiste along with three colleagues consumed illicit beverages in Mageragere Prison which resulted into side effects.
Other colleagues recovered but Jay Polly’s health conditions continued to deteriorate with bellyaches until he was taken to Muhima Hospital where he succumbed to related complications.
Jean Maurice Uwera, the elder brother of Jay Polly has also confirmed to IGIHE that he has died.
“Jay Polly has died. We heard that he breathed the last at Muhima Hospital. However, I was not aware of his sickness,” he said.
Jay Polly gained popularity as a rapper since 2008 when he joined Tuff Gang crew.
Some of his hit songs include ‘Ku musenyi’, ‘Deux fois Deux’ and ‘Akanyarirajisho’ among others.
In 2014, the artiste won Primus Guma Guma Super Star and has since then maintained popularity among Hip Hop fans.
In 2018, Jay Polly was handed five month sentence for assaulting her wife.
Following his release in 2019, Jay Polly resumed his music and released more songs that earned him fame.
In April 2021, he was arrested for drug abuse and remanded for 30 days. He has breathed the last before his trial in substance due on 2nd December 2021.
The suspects are identified as Samuel Nkundineza, 37 Janvier Mukunzi, 38, Charles Bariyanga, 29, Emmanuel Tuyishime, Rosine Umubyeyi, Emmanuel Muyirama, 19, and Elias Kamanzi, 20. They were all arrested separately in Nyarwamba Village, Muyogoro Cell in Huye Sector with the stolen bags of cement.
The Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire said that Police officers on night patrol first arrested the duo of Nkundineza and Tuyishime transporting seven bags on cement on bicycles.
“Nkundineza and Tuyishime were stopped at about 3am transporting four bags and three bags of cement, respectively. Nkundineza disclosed that he has been buying bags of cement from employees working with the company constructing Huye-Kibeho road and that he was also selling them to traders in Muyogoro cell,” said SP Kanamugire.
The suspects, he added, led Police officers to traders, who were buying the cement.
“36 bags were recovered from Umubyeyi, 13 from Bayingana and six others from Mukunzi. Muyirama and Kamanzi are the employees of the road construction company, who were stealing and selling the cement, who were also located and arrested later,” SP Kanamugire said.
Nkundineza disclosed that he was buying each bag of cement for Frw6, 000 and selling it at Rwf8, 000.
SP Kanamugire said the road construction firm has been reporting theft of their materials including cement, from their stores
Marcel Hodari, head of security for the construction firm, thanked RNP for recovering the cement.
SP Kanamugire said that investigations are still underway to ascertain if there are other materials that were stolen and other people involved.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Huye station for further legal process.
Article 166 of the law determining offenses and penalties in general states that any person convicted for theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six (6) months or only one of these penalties.
The penalty doubles, if the theft was carried out at night or by more than one person.
The statement released last night shows that 570 people have caught the virus out of 12 357 sample tests, 12 recovered while 33 are critically ill.
A total of 687,111 people have been fully vaccinated while 1,553,189 received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program on 5th March 2021.
The decision is part of resolution of the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday 1st August 2021 chaired by President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro.
“Other events and gatherings [concerts, festivals, exhibitions, etc.] shall resume gradually for vaccinated and tested participants. Rwanda Development Board [RDB] will provide detailed guidelines,” reads part of cabinet resolutions.
It has been also resolved that gaming activities shall resume gradually in adherence with guidelines provided by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Among others, curfew hours have been set to 10p.m in Kigali City from the previous 8p.m.
In other parts of the country, movements are prohibited between 9p.m and 4a.m with businesses closing by 8p.m.
The cabinet has however set an exception for selected districts of Burera, Gicumbi, Kirehe, Ngoma, Nyagatare, Nyamasheke, Nyaruguru and Rwamagana with high COVID-19 incidence where curfew will apply between 8p.m and 4a.m with businesses closing by 7p.m.
The new measures take effect nationwide, starting September 2nd through September 22nd, 2021.
Citizens are reminded of the critical importance of complying with health measures including physical distancing, properly wearing face masks and hands hygiene.
One day before meeting with Pahor, Amb. Rwakazina presented a copy of credentials to Amb. Ms Nataša Prah, the Head of Diplomatic Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Amb. Rwakazina also represents Rwanda to Switzerland and non-governmental organizations operating in the country.
In 2019, she was appointed to represent Rwanda to World Trade organization.
Rwanda named the first envoy accredited to Slovenia in 2011.
It was the seventh graduation ceremony hosted by UR since it was created through a merger of seven public higher learning institutions.
A total of 8,908 students including 3,345 females graduated from the university’s six colleges. The university awarded five graduates with Ph.D. degrees while 385 graduates were awarded Masters’ degrees in different disciplines.
The ceremony held at Kigali Cultural Exhibition Village was hosted in hybrid format to adhere to ongoing COVID-19 preventive measures.
As she addressed her remarks, the Minister of Education, Dr. Valentine Uwamariya congratulated graduates for achieved milestone and urged the university to maintain excellence to depict Rwanda’s real image.
{{Full speech}}
Ms Patricia Campbell, Chancellor University of Rwanda
Mr. Paul Davenport, Founding Chair of the UR Board, and Members
Professor Lyambabaje Alexandre, UR Vice Chancellor, and Deputy Vice Chancellors
Esteemed and Distinguished Dignitaries in Your Respective Senior Positions
The UR Academic Senate and Other High Organs of UR
Faculty and Staff of UR
Graduating Students and your Beloved Families
All Protocols Observed, Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my utmost pleasure and honor to be here with you representing the Head of State and Government of Rwanda, in the celebration by the University of Rwanda at its Seventh Graduation Ceremony. Please accept my heartfelt and warm congratulations to you dear students together with your beloved families, for reaching a successful conclusion of the academic goals you have been relentlessly pursuing.
To the Chancellor, Board of Governors, Faculty and Staff of UR, I say bravo for this wonderful achievement of adding over nine thousand more intellectually empowered and capable people to the Rwandan, African and the world job markets. These graduands you are sending out today to form an additional part of the better skilled labor force in the in various industries are going to be the reason for more efficient world systems.
The 2021 Graduation is a ceremony like no other before, at least in the last 27 years of renewed Rwanda. Never before had we skipped a whole year without graduation, but owing to the global effect by the COVID-19 pandemic, that happened. We are here today when we should have been here a year earlier. Some will call it a time lost, while others will call it a time passed. Rwanda prefers to call it a time of learning and acquiring resilience necessary for living in an unpredictable world.
And what about at the University of Rwanda in particular – what have these rare times of great challenge been like to you? I know you have your pin point answers to this question, and there will always be enough time to reflect on what has been.
Nevertheless in my own observation from a far, I have seen you learn and do new things, to this day, thanks to COVID-19. I have seen the University of Rwanda fast track the implementation of plans and policies you always had, such as the consolidation of eLearning mechanisms.
The machinery acquired to facilitate and enhance eLearning and Teaching programs, the systems put in place, the trainings delivered, skills imparted, and the improvisations learnt are all going to stay and serve you better, those who will be at UR after you, and the country at large for posterity.
COVID-19 may have disrupted our revenue flows as a country for example, but it has also taught us the useful virtue of frugality. While it has delayed most of our plans, it has also taught us to be patient. Not forgetting that in a competitive world, the fast and more innovative have moved on and surpassed some, unfortunately at the expense of the slow.
This is who you should be. Rwanda wants you graduands, the younger and the older, to grow into no-excuse performers and leaders, no matter the circumstances. We would like to put on the armour of resilience and consolidate the spirit of no-retreat in the face of unusual circumstances.
In a setting where there many scenarios beyond our control, we must remain standing. Rwanda likes to be a country which punches above its weight, all in the spirit of doing the best to be the best we can. It is a call on Africa to emulate and to join hands. The world is fast teaching us unkind lessons that we had better build capacities to fend for ourselves. Whether in Afghanistan, or the southern and central parts of Africa, lessons are all over to learn from. Our country is always at the forefront and ready to lend a hand where we should and can.
We learnt from 1994 that neglecting those in need is an unforgivable sin. Rwanda was a victim of neglect, and would never want to watch idly as the world suffers neglect. These are noble values the President of the Republic never tires to impress up on us as a nation. They are the human values I urge you on his and the country’s behalf now to wear on your sleeves and make them part of your daily lives.
The Rwanda and Africa we want will only be built by people ready to stand with others in well calculated solidarity, through hard work and sacrifice, always willing to put in an extra hour of service, going the extra mile and doing all this while observing the highest levels of integrity.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, let us always remember that UR is the only Public University of Rwanda. This beautiful name is rich with the meaning of attachment and representation. There is no other academic institution in the country which should look more like Rwanda than UR. And if we see sense in this notion, and if we agree that Rwanda always sees itself as capable of doing more within the available means, then UR should adapt an exactly similar spirit of believing in doing exactly that and willing to do exactly that. The Government of Rwanda which is more than willing to render necessary support.
We have great confidence in as well as expectation from the UR leadership. Government will continue to empower the University of Rwanda in all meaningful and relevant ways. The deal is that as we give you more, you return even much more, in the spirit of doing more with less, and punching above our weight. We want and should see more of the image of real Rwanda in the University of Rwanda, because the University of Rwanda by far raises more children of Rwanda than any other academic institution in Rwanda.
UR is Rwanda’s pride, and so may it bear Rwanda’s perfect similarity. Government will always do best to find resources for doing the right things in accordance with the noble vision to be a leading university nationally and globally. Commitment to the highest standards of academic excellence for lives of service, leadership and solutions is the yardstick UR will be constantly measured against. God bless the leadership and everybody involved as we together as Team Rwanda sail on. The strong belief we all should share is that we can.
Congratulations once more to the Chancellor, Board of Governors, Faculty and Staff and most importantly to you beloved, our graduating students, together with your families. Go have memorable celebrations while observing the COVID-19 health guidelines.
Thank you for your kind attention.
{{Remarks by members of UR management}}
{{Message from the Chancellor – University of Rwanda }}
Finally you completed your academic journey despite the huddles. Now it will not matter anymore that the COVID-19 put on hold our study plans for a year. Because despite the delay in our schedule, we have managed to make it through to the rewarding end always envisaged, degrees in hand, all we worked for. With utmost pleasure, I say congratulations to you all esteemed University of Rwanda 2021 graduands.
You are already part of a special history of resilience. When the pandemic struck the world almost two years ago, Rwanda almost one and a half years ago – when in March 2020 all schools in the country, and indeed almost the world over, closed and you went home to academic stagnation, nobody knew the time it would take to get back. While the optimistic thought it would last only a few months, the pessimistic feared it could go on for years. The God given compromise now looks to have been one year. And we can thankfully take it in and move on as children of special times.
Let this be a moment of reflection for you. I would like to draw your attention to the good things you might never have had the chance to learn this early in your academic and professional lives were it not to be for corona virus. The intensive online classes experience for students and faculty, the improvisation of technology, learning and teaching equipment, the patience with school administration, government, families and with each other, are all good.
Difficult times will always yield resilient products. Meaning that in case any of you was viewing self as unfortunate to have been the lot affected by the unusual times, let me make the reminder that you are the lucky ones instead. This world as we know it offers better opportunities to those who make the best out of seemingly bad situations, than those who are quick to have self pity, consumed in lamentations over situations they could do little or nothing about. There is no doubting that you are better prepared to take on the world than you would have been if you finished school during normal times.
I have been keenly following Rwanda the country, paying close attention to the various decisions government has made over time. There is a tremendous lesson to learn, of doing so much from seemingly so little, including for example the outstanding involvement in peace keeping missions in Africa. If you can go from here and emulate that spirit, only the sky would be the limit of what you can achieve with your degrees.
God bless you with abundant courage as you dare to go, and accompany you all the way to different fulfilling life destinies. The world has been waiting for your arrival on the stage of service, so go and give it your all now that you are fully equipped with relevant knowledge. Congratulations again beloved.
{{Message from the Vice Chancellor – University of Rwanda}}
This is a memorable day for many reasons, to several people. To every graduating student, it is a day of invaluable milestone in young academic lives that can only continue to grow from here. To your families, it is a moment of celebrating with their loved ones who just made it to the club of degree holders. To the university of Rwanda, this a time like no other as it symbolizes delivery of yet another huge contingent of employable minds to national and global markets which need your skills. And finally to Rwanda and government, it is a proud moment when the return on a noble investment into higher education is to be savored.
Esteemed graduands, while this marks the conclusion of an important phase, we are to be quickly reminded that it doubles as the beginning of another. Over the last few years you have been undergoing transformation that is not to be an end in itself. It is for enabling you to play enhanced roles individually and collectively in social, economic and political transformation of our countries, continent and the world.
A few years ago you arrived at the University of Rwanda with one goal: to study and complete, then return to the open world and be reabsorbed into different slots with boosted capacities to build in a better way. So go and be that which you have been trained to become: mature people, more responsible, grown and capable citizens ready to and capable of adding value to society. Be determined to take something valuable back to your communities and governments, as well as bringing back something to this University of Rwanda for continuity and furtherance of institutional excellence after here.
On your mind, ladies and gentlemen, from today onwards, should always be the question: what and how am I to contribute towards the betterment of my world? Let the resilience gained from the hard times be of benefit to you as you answer that question in a tangible and meaningful way. Go and contribute towards a more secure, prosperous Africa and a fair world.
As Vice Chancellor I am honored to have you as my first graduating students. I have enjoyed working hard with a valuable team towards this day of accomplishment. I look forward to leading them well in the future with genuine effort to raising higher the bar of our University’s academic and administrative aspects, vying for a place in the higher echelons of world ranking.
As you immediately become alumni, the University of Rwanda would like to maintain a friendly and active relationship with you for mutual gain. Giving back in one way or another is something you will find quite rewarding. I promise, the administration shall stay very enthusiastic and ready to engage as a way to provide you with the opportunity to give back, be it intellectually, or financially. But first you will need to go put your newly acquired skills and networks to the best use possible. Africa is waiting. Congratulations once more. (END)
{{Graduation message from Chair of the Board of Governors}}
Today as we confer on you the academic honors you have worked so hard for over a long and challenging period, dear graduating students, it is my privilege to join in your celebration of the outstanding achievement and congratulate you warmly. I and the other members of the Board of Governors certainly share in your joy. This once in a lifetime milestone which puts smiles on your faces as you reflect on attainment of your degrees is highest among the moments we always look forward to.
Special thanks I would like to extend to the Vice Chancellor and his entire team, both the academic and administrative, for a job done tremendously well. It is because of an impressive level of commitment on their part to help students succeed against all odds that this cohort is proudly graduating. In spite of the setbacks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Rwanda was only delayed in holding this graduation, but was never going to be deterred completely. It is all thanks to team UR under the good leadership of Professor Lyambabaje Alexandre. Congratulations.
President Paul Kagame once said that it is his “purpose to develop a country, to empower its population. It’s from that same population that will emerge the man or woman who will succeed me. And they will be chosen based on the consensus that they have the capacity to lead the country.”
You can and should take this message to make it literally yours, esteemed graduands. Now that you have been empowered with the knowledge necessary to impact the social transformation we all crave and are involved in its process, what remains is your inner determination to put to good use that knowledge. Let each one of you always act like a leader in your field of operation. Indeed it is from among you that Africa’s and world leaders will emerge.
To the Government that unreservedly supports University of Rwanda, much appreciation. Without solid Government support it would have been impossible for UR to remain standing as an institution of academic excellence during these difficult times. Through thick and thin the University made it to this auspicious occasion and august convocation. We look forward to consolidating the spirit of always offering value for money from the invaluable investment into our noble institution.
On the Board of Governors behalf, I sincerely say well done to the students, staff and government of Rwanda. Together we made it. Congratulations once again.
