The statement released last night also shows that 522 people have caught the virus out of 18 193 sample tests.
Rwanda continues to roll out COVID-19 vaccination program where 87 401 people were vaccinated yesterday.
A total of 577, 450 people have been fully vaccinated while 1,425,407 received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine 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.
Unlike the previous years that convened together thousands of participants including international guests, this year’s celebrations will be held virtually to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Ariella Kageruka, acting chief tourism officer at RDB during a press conference.
The event will take place on September 24, and will be the 17th of its kind held so far, according to Kageruka.
“This year, Rwanda is inviting the world to be part of the ultimate celebration of life, as 24 new baby gorillas will be named during the ceremony. Since the inception of this annual event in 2005, we have named 328 baby gorillas,” she said.
Kageruka said that this year’s baby gorilla naming celebration will showcase Rwanda’s conservation efforts, including the health of the mountain gorillas and the need to expand their habitat and how the livelihoods of communities have been improved while enabling wildlife conservation.
“The pandemic has emphasized the importance of building partnerships to support conservation even as tourist numbers dwindle. We appreciate our conservation partners who have joined us in this journey,” she said.
The baby gorilla naming event has become a major tourism ceremony in the small central African country. It has boosted efforts to conserve endangered mountain gorillas which have enabled Rwanda to tap tourism revenues hinged on conservation.
According to Kageruka, Rwanda recorded a sharp decline in tourism revenues last year, amounting to 121 million U.S. dollars. This was a sharp decline from the 498 million U.S. dollars generated in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourism activities were suspended for months due to COVID-19 in Rwanda before the country reopened the tourism sector in June 2020, with a sharp cut in the price of permits for tracking endangered mountain gorillas.
The previous events attracted thousands of Rwandans, members of the diplomatic corps, foreign dignitaries, sports personalities, philanthropists and conservation enthusiasts from across the world to participate in the baby gorilla naming ceremony at the foothills of the Virunga Massif, in Kinigi sector, Musanze district of Northern Province.
Kageruka also pointed out that through a partnership with Alibaba, RDB has been promoting Rwanda as a tourist destination to China.
“Through the partnership we have with Alibaba, we are continuing to look at how we can intensify our activities by hosting targeted travel media and trade from China that can allow us to penetrate the Chinese market better,” she added.
BioNTech, in its bid to become a “global immunotherapy powerhouse,” announced that it’s looking to build mRNA manufacturing sites in Rwanda and Senegal to support future production of the two vaccine hopefuls, the company said Friday.
The sites would provide “end-to-end vaccine supply solutions on the African continent.” Africa’s vaccine supply chain has come into sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, since low- to middle-income countries have had to wait for their first shipments of vaccines behind richer countries, which snapped up initial supplies.
Malaria is an acute problem for Africa. The continent experienced a disproportionately high rate of deaths due to the mosquito-borne illness in 2019, accounting for 94% of all reported cases and deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
BioNTech had previously expressed interest in taking its manufacturing to Africa when it first announced its intentions to develop a malaria vaccine in late July.
Friday, the biotech said it affirmed those plans in a meeting with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Senegal’s President Macky Sall and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
The company has already started evaluating the manufacturing capabilities in each country, BioNTech said. The decision to narrow its search to Senegal and Rwanda came after guidance from the African Union, the Africa CDC and the African Medical Agency, the union’s drug regulator still under formation.
The locations of the sites within each country, which have yet to be decided, will eventually co-locate with the WHO’s upcoming vaccine hubs, sites the organization has used against the coronavirus and influenza to transfer manufacturing know-how.
Developing an mRNA shot against malaria and tuberculosis won’t be an easy feat. While the global health community has set a 2030 deadline to squash those diseases, as well as HIV/AIDS, a lack of funding has hampered vaccine development, according to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation research.
For BioNTech, the company hopes to push its malaria hopeful into human testing by the end of next year. In tuberculosis, it started preclinical development for “multiple product candidates” against that disease as well as HIV after launching those programs in 2019, according to BioNTech’s second-quarter earnings presentation.
The company’s Pfizer-partnered COVID-19 vaccine has given it a hefty financial boost. BioNTech expects to rake in €15.9 billion ($18.7 billion) in Comirnaty sales during 2021 alone, likely launching the company among the world’s top 20 drugmakers by revenue this year.
The remains will be buried on Saturday 28th August 2021 at the newly constructed Kiziguro Genocide Memorial completed at a cost of over Rwf600 million.
Gatsibo district vice mayor in charge of social affairs, Mary Kantengwa has told IGIHE that the remains to be buried decently include 5000 exhumed from a mass grave nearby Kiziguro memorial and others relocated from a memorial located in Bugarura.
“The remains to be accorded decent burial include over 5000 exhumed from the mass grave, 254 remains to be relocated from Bugarura memorial and more 15 remains exhumed from different sectors,” he said.
Kiziguro is located in former Murambi Commune that was led by Jean Baptiste Gatete serving 40-year sentence in Arusha for Genocide crimes.
Kiziguro memorial accommodates 14,000 remains of Genocide victims killed in Murambi Commune.
These include Sylvestre Kabirigi, 64, Ildephonse Shakabuntu, 51, Alexis Ndabamenye, 41, and Cedrick Ishimwe ,18, who were caught red-handed mining cassiterite using traditional tools.
The Western region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that the suspects’ illegal mining practices were also affecting the environment.
“Residents in Bijyojyo cell reported that there are groups of people that conduct illegal mining activities in the area and wash minerals, especially cassiterite in water streams. In response to the information, the four men were arrested in the illegal act,” CIP Karekezi said.
He added: “During the operation, it was observed that they had also cut bamboo trees planted along the stream and their activities were causing soil erosion.”
The spokesperson thanked the residents for reporting the illegal mining acts and urged them to continue sharing information on anyone involved in unlawful mineral related practices and environmental degradation which in some cases result into loss of lives.
Last month, five people died in a concession in Ndaro Sector also in Ngororero District where they were conducting illegal mining activities.
Article 54 of the law N° 58/2018 of 13/08/2018 on mining and quarry operations, states that; any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
The statement released last night shows that 570 people have caught the virus out of 13 261 sample tests. The prevalence of new infections currently stands at 3.8%.
A total of 537,136 people have been fully vaccinated while 1,338,006 received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program.
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.
This follows separate operations in which scores of people have been arrested for driving while drunk.
In the latest operations, RNP arrested 16 people in City of Kigali, who were driving under the influence of alcohol. They were showed to the media on Thursday, August 26.
“I was involved in a minor accident, but I had taken alcoholic drinks. When Police tested the alcoholic content with a breathalyzer they told me it was beyond the maximum point (0.8),” said Shabana Ramadhan, a trailer driver.
Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Africa Sendahangarwa Apollo, the RNP spokesperson warned drivers against driving while drunk.
“Police does not prevent people from drinking but rather driving while drunk. When you drink avoid driving. Police will arrest any driver whose blood alcohol content is found to be above 0.8 milliliters, ” CSP Africa said.
While reacting on such vehement practices, he said that these are isolated cases attributed to individual characters but warned of severe consequences.
CSP Africa further cautioned that Police will not entertain those who claim that they are not drunk although they took alcoholic drinks.
“Police does not test the quantity of drinks you took; it measures if you are drunk or not. Claims that you took drinks but you are not drunk will not prevent you from being penalized if the breathalyzer detects that the alcoholic content in your body is above 0.8.”
Kagame arrived in Germany on Thursday 26th August 2021 to attend the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) Investment Summit.
The G20 Investment Summit is considered a unique opportunity to meet high-ranking representatives from business and politics.
The summit taking place on Friday 27th August 2021; will feature talks from entrepreneurs and politicians from Africa and Germany about the importance of good governance, investment opportunities in the Compact with Africa (CwA) countries and initiatives for trade and investments.
The aim is to attract attention to engage even more German companies in the CwA markets and enhance their investments.
Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed via Twitter handle that Kagame also held talks with other leaders including the President of Senegal, Macky Sall; the CEO of kENUP Foundation, Holm Heller and Sabine Dall’Omo, the CEO of Siemens South Africa ahead of G20 Compact with Africa Summit.
Since 2000, EIB has been supporting different development projects in Rwanda aimed at transforming citizens’ livelihoods and advancing economic growth.
In 2018, Rwanda signed Rwf46.8 billion financing agreement with EIB signed to build waste water treatment plant and public sewage network in Kigali City.
At the time, Maria Shaw-Barragan, Director of the European Investment Bank said that the investment to transform wastewater in Kigali would benefit Rwanda and Rwandans for the coming years.
She explained that the construction of Kigali’s first wastewater network and treatment plant would improve health, reduce pollution and carbon emissions, and make Kigali an even better place to live and work.
The European Investment Bank plans to back kENUP Foundation’s initiative to fund projects meant to manufacture vaccines in Sub-Sahara African countries.
Recently, the CEO of kENUP Foundation, Holm Keller visited Rwanda as part of preparations paving the way for vaccine manufacturing in Rwanda.
The G20 Investment Summit is considered a unique opportunity to meet high-ranking representatives from business and politics.
The summit taking place from 27th August 2021; will feature talks from entrepreneurs and politicians from Africa and Germany about the importance of good governance, investment opportunities in the Compact with Africa (CwA) countries and initiatives for trade and investments.
The aim is to attract attention to engage even more German companies in the CwA markets and enhance their investments.
So far, twelve African countries that have joined the Compact with Africa initiative include Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia.
The event is organized by the Sub-Saharan Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) and the German-African Business Association (AV), in cooperation with the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and will take place in a hybrid format on Friday 27th August 2021.
The G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) was initiated in 2017 under the German G20 Presidency to promote private investment in Africa including, in infrastructure.
The CwA’s primary objective is to increase attractiveness of private investment through substantial improvements of the macro, business and financing frameworks.
It brings together reform-minded African countries, international organizations and bilateral partners from G20 and beyond to coordinate country-specific reform agendas, support respective policy measures and advertise investment opportunities to private investors.
The initiative is demand-driven and open to all African countries.
Dr. Bihira who served for different banks in Rwanda has been currently heading a microfiance known as African Agency for Development and Environmental Project (AFADE).
He was arrested on Wednesday 25th August 2021.
IGIHE has learnt that Dr. Bihira, 61, has been mobilizing people to buy shares in AFADE promising them quick profits.
It is said that the latter lured members of the public with promises to conduct feasibility study for their projects free of charge and provide loans through Kanani Project affiliated to AFADE.
“I am among people whom he fleeced money. I have evidences. We made contributions which he embezzled to solve his problems,” a witness has revealed.
It is said that unwitting members of the public contributed Rwf16, 000,000 at different times but never received anything despite claims for their money.
The Spokesperson of RIB, Dr. Thierry B. Murangira has confirmed that Dr. Bihira is held in custody over illegally obtaining another person’s property.
He also reminded the public that the institution won’t tolerate anyone involved in such fraudulent acts.
“RIB reminds all members of the public to be cautious in case they are promised quicker profits. They should be far-sighted and make thorough deductions to confirm if the promise can be fulfilled,” he noted.
The suspect, Dr. Bihira is detained at Kacyiru RIB Post as investigation is underway to file his case to the Prosecution.
Clause One of article 174 of the law determining offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, defines fraud as deception, obtaining another person’s property, whole or part of his/her finance by use of false names or qualifications, or offering positive promises or threats of future misfortunes.
Clause Two of the same article provides a term of imprisonment of between two and three years, and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million but not more than Rwf5 million, upon conviction.
