The statement released last night shows that 887 people have caught the virus while 946 recovered.
Kigali city continues to be the major hotspot of new infections registering 386 of new cases.
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 46 837 people have been tested positive of whom 31 137 recovered, 15 166 are active cases, 68 are critically ill while 534 have succumbed to the virus.
A total of 392, 832 people have been vaccinated since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation programme 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 campaign will also encourage the public to adhere to all COVID-19 preventive measures, as guided by the Ministry of Health.
Commenting on the partnership during the virtual launch event , Mitwa Ng’ambi, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer said: “Around the world, the fight against COVID-19 wages on and our only defence is strict adherence to the COVID-19 preventive measures as guided by our Ministry of Health. As MTN Rwanda, we thank the Ministry and all stakeholders for their efforts in the fight against COVID-19. We would also like to lend our voice once again, in support of these ongoing efforts to reemphasize the importance of wearing masks correctly and safely, as well as the need to adhere to all other preventive measures.”
In addition, MTN Rwanda announced a contribution of 20,000 face masks and 500 Oxygen saturation monitors as further support towards the ongoing public health needs. MTN Rwanda has also taken a step further to support 40 SMEs that are running e-commerce businesses by zero-rating access to their websites for MTN customers and granting them 3 months-FREE access to MoMo Biz (a digital platform that enables businesses to easily conduct end-to-end MoMo transactions).
Dr. Albert Tuyishime, Head of HIV/AIDS, Diseases Prevention and Control Department (HDPC) Rwanda Biomedical Center in attendance of the virtual event commended MTN Rwanda’s contributions.
“This initiative also stands as a plea to the general public to wear their masks properly in order to flatten the curve. COVID-19 has been proved to be transmissible through the air especially in confined areas, crowed and close-setting places. Currently, we are dealing with a more aggressive strain of the virus (looking at the clinical symptoms, severity and transmission rate), therefore by wearing that mask in the proper way, you save your life, the lives of your loved ones and your community at large. We can only truly defeat this pandemic by our combined efforts,” he noted.
Among others, MTN Rwanda will be offering its communication channels to the Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to disseminate important messages to the public on COVID-19 preventive measures.
“Partnering with MTN to communicate our messages will provide the extra push we need to broadcast the essence of not letting our guard down, we haven’t beaten COVID-19 just yet,” added Dr. Tuyishime.
The One More Push campaign will run for four (4) months and will be present on radio, TV, outdoor and digital media channels.
“The ‘One More Push’ campaign is a call-to action for all of us. What might seem as a slight change in behaviour by wearing masks properly, social distancing and washing hands regularly, is the daily inch needed to take us a step closer to winning this battle against COVID-19,” concluded Ng’ambi.
{{About MTN Rwandacell}}
MTN Rwandacell Plc (MTN Rwanda) is the market leader in mobile telecommunications in Rwanda. Since 1998, we have continuously invested in expanding and modernising our network and are the country’s No 1 network.
MTN Rwanda offers various services to subscribers, including innovative propositions such as personalised voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in mobile financial services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
The credentials were presented to President Denis Sassou N’Guesso at his Palace in Brazaville (the capital city) on Thursday 8th July 2021.
They also held discussions where Sassou N’Guesso commended existing relations between Rwanda and Congo-Brazzaville and hailed the contribution of President Paul Kagame to the development of African Union (AU).
He reiterated commitment to strengthen cooperation with Rwanda to promote both countries’ economy.
After conveying the message from President Kagame to his counterpart, Amb. Mutsindashyaka expressed willingness to maintain cordial relations and promote cooperation between the two countries in the areas of agriculture, livestock farming, agro-processing and tourism among others.
The statement released by the Government of Rwanda today reads that the deployment is a response to the request of the Government of Mozambique.
The Joint Force will work closely with Mozambique Armed Defence Forces (FADM) and forces from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in designated sectors of responsibility.
The Rwandan contingent will support efforts to restore Mozambican state authority by conducting combat and security operations, as well as stabilisation and security-sector reform (SSR).
“This deployment is based on the good bilateral relations between the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Mozambique, following the signing of several agreements between the two countries in 2018, and is grounded in Rwanda’s commitment to the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine and the 2015 Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians,” reads part of the statement.
{{Background}}
-* Beginning in October 2017, armed extremists linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) launched an insurgency in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique.
-* The group sometimes calls themselves al-Shabaab, although they do not have known links with the Somali al-Shabaab.
-* Mozambique Defence Armed Forces have been battling the extremists. Many civilians have been displaced by the fighting.
-* The militants have launched attacks, and in August 2020 seized the port town of Mocimboa da Praia.
-* Over fifty people were beheaded by terrorists in the province in April 2020 and a similar number in November 2020.
-* In September 2020, the ISIL insurgents captured Vamizi Island in the Indian Ocean.
-* On 24 March 2021, the militants seized Palma, murdering dozens of civilians displacing more than 35,000 of the town’s 75,000 residents.
He was appearing on the national broadcaster on Thursday to shed light on status of COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Government is making possible efforts to get vaccines. In the meantime, people are encouraged to continue adhering to instituted containment measures,” he said.
Dr. Ngamije explained that Rwanda awaits 3,500,000 vaccines to be acquired through existing partnership with Pfizer-BioNTech.
He said that delivery of these vaccines which started last week continues until December 2021.
“We have started receiving some of these vaccine doses but we are undergoing discussions to have remaining doses delivered sooner as per existing agreements,” he revealed.
“We also have agreements to receive over 2,100,000 vaccines from Johnson & Johnson, vaccine producer. We are waiting for confirmation of delivery dates but all expected doses won’t arrive before December,” added Dr. Ngamije.
Rwanda is planning to spend over Rwf4 billion to import oxygen plants to increase local production in response to the recent spike in coronavirus infections leading to hospitalisation.
Previously, Rwanda had seven oxygen plants with the capacity to produce 230 (50 liters each) cylinders per day and 7000 cylinders of oxygen per month.
Rwanda has so far vaccinated 392,003 people and targets to cover 60% of its population by June 2022.
He made the revelation on Thursday evening appearing on national broadcaster.
“Conducted sample tests prove empirical symptoms that Delta variant of COVID-19 has emerged in Rwanda. Even health workers following up patients closely reveal that newly infected people are showing severe symptoms than the ones experienced before. Some of the patients are reporting with severe headache, general fatigue and difficulties in breathing. They are all vital signs of the Delta variant,” said Dr. Ngamije.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first case of Delta variant was confirmed in India. The Coronavirus variant is said to be highly contagious than other variants including ‘Alpha’ that was detected for the first time in the United Kingdom, ‘Beta’ found in South Africa and ‘Gamma’ confirmed in Brasilia.
Health reports show that Delta variant is currently the most contagious version of the coronavirus worldwide as it spreads about 225% faster than the original version of the virus.
On 29th May 2021, Rwanda recorded 14 new cases and zero death. At the time, the country had registered 26,892 total infections and 352 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic emerged on 14th March 2020.
As new infections decreased, the country lifted some restrictions allowing wedding receptions and reopening of other activities.
On 7th June, Rwanda experienced a wave of new infections hitting 62 in one day and subsequently increased to 127 on 11th June and 622 on 21st June 2021.
Since then, new infections continued to rise on daily basis hitting over 700 and 900 cases.
The wave saw the country registering 18.147 new cases and 155 deaths in 39 days.
The suspects arrested on Wednesday, July 7, are identified as Jean Pierre Niyoyita, 28 and Fred Ntambara, 48.
The Police spokesperson for the Western region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that the impersonators were defrauding traders through threats and intimidation.
He added that they were demanding Rwf100, 000 from business people.
“They were guising as members of security organs enforcing the government directives on preventing the spread of Covid-19, and were threatening traders with arrests unless they give them money.
By the time of arrest, they had already defrauded three people of Rwf50,000, who were operating bars in Bwishyura Village, Nyarusazi Cell, Bwishyura Sector,” said CIP Karekezi.
The duo was also in the process of fleecing two other people of Rwf40, 000.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Bwishyura station for further investigation.
Article 281 of law determining offences and penalties in general states that any person, who claims to be attached to a legally regulated profession, a certificate, an official diploma or any other entitlements granted by a competent authority to a person meeting requirements set by a competent authority, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to an imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) month and less than six (6) months and a fine of not less than Rwf500,000 and not more than Rwf1 million.
In article 279, it partly states that any person who without tittle usurps public, civil or military functions or poses the acts of one these functions or falsely attributes to himself/herself the quality of a public official… commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender faces between two and three years in prison, and a fine of not more than Rwf300,000 but not more than Rwf500, 000.
In article 174, any person who by deception, obtains another person’s property, whole or part of his/her finance by use of false names or qualifications or who offers positive promises or who threatens of future misfortunes, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than three years and a fine of between Rwf3 million and Rwf5 million.
The statement released last night shows that 911 people have caught the virus out of 8350 sample tests while 984 recovered.
The majority of new cases were found in Kigali: 326, Rubavu: 70 and Nyamagabe: 63.
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 45 950 people have been tested positive of whom 30 191 recovered, 15 238 are active cases, 71 are critically ill while 521 have succumbed to the virus.
A total of 392, 077 people have been vaccinated since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation programme 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 goods which include those that were banned in Rwanda, were seized from two smugglers identified as Jean Pierre Uwiringiyimana, 29 and Victor Kageruka, 24, who were also taken into custody.
Among the intercepted goods include 11 cartons of non-biodegradable polythene bags, 42 pieces of movit lotion, 24 weighing scales, 51 rolls of electric cables and 33 packets of Supermatch cigarette.
The Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire said that the goods were sneaked into Rwanda from Burundi.
“Police acted on a tip-off from residents that Uwiringiyimana and Kageruka would be smuggling good into the country from Burundi. On Wednesday at about 4pm, they crossed into Rwanda on a motorcycle with a sack of electric cables called Senegal, which are banned in Rwanda,” said Kanamugire.
Police officers, he added, trailed them to a house located in Uwimpundu Village, Muhembe Cell in Karama Sector where all the goods were recovered and the two suspects taken into custody.
The suspects disclosed that they intended to smuggle the goods to Muhanga town to supply one of their customers.
SP Kanamugire commended residents for sharing information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
He also warned against “unnecessary and cross-border movements” which leads to the spread of Covid-19.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Huye station for further legal process.
Under article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods and an automobile used in smuggling are auctioned, and the driver is fined of US$5000.
{{Tax fraud}}
A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is subject to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax.
Manufacturing, use, importation or sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items are prohibited under article 3 of law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 relating to the prohibition of manufacturing, importation, use, and sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items in Rwanda.
In article 10, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 11, a wholesaler of plastic carry bags and single use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf700, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags.
The extraordinary summit of heads of state of December 5, 2020, adopted the instruments marking the launch of reforms, and, officially, the AfCFTA project agreement is now implemented from January 1, 2021, for countries that have already ratified.
Under the AfCFTA, the states that have ratified the agreement will agree to strongly liberalize their trade. The products of these lines (90% of tariff lines) are treated as non-sensitive and will have to be liberalized over a period of 10 years for the least developed countries (LDCs) and of 5 years for the other countries. Customs duties applicable to products on tariff lines considered sensitive (7%) will be subject to tariff dismantling of 13 years for LDCs and 10 years for other countries. And 3% of tariff lines are excluded from tariff commitments. They will not be liberalized.
According to experts, the AfCFTA does not plan to suppress the achievements of the regional economic communities. In the case of the EAC of which Burundi is a part, there are certain commitments that must be negotiated as a block rather than just one country. “At the EAC level, we have set up a customs union with a common external tariff. To do this, we need to submit bulk pricing offers. As a result, such offers have already been submitted to the AfCFTA secretariat,” notes Chrysologue Mutwa, Director General of Commerce.
{{The background}}
The initiative to create a free trade area in Africa dates from the 1960s. Indeed, Kwame Nkrumah, the first Ghanaian president spoke in his book (Africa must unite) (Africa must unite) of (Union of African States), and the adoption of a common economic strategy in 1963. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) also was created 1963, but the ideas and the will were not shared.
As supporters of federalism such as Kwame Nkrumah and those inspired by an (Africa of States) with Senegalese President Léopord Sedar Senghor at the head split, the OAU eventually became an organization with the goal of cooperation and the idea of integration was put aside.
In 1980, the Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa, known as the Lagos Plan of Action, was developed to find solutions to issues relating to the continent’s self-sufficiency.
Africa was facing a crisis due to global economic shocks, such as the 1973 oil crisis and the Lagos plan of action came as a response to the structural adjustment programs of the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Despite the Lagos Action Plan, the African continent continued to experience growing economies in debt.
{{The Abuja Treaty spells out a gradual and phased regional integration ː}}
– The first phase IS to strengthen the existing regional economic communities (RECs) and encourage the creation of other communities over a period of five years;
– The second phase would be to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers in the trade of RECs over a period of eight years:
– The third phase is the creation of free trade areas, and customs unions by and in the RECs over a period of ten years; The fourth step would be the creation of an African common market,
– The fifth step would be the creation of a monetary union with a single currency and a Pan-African parliament in four years;
– Finally, over a period of five years, the free movement of people, goods and capital must be concretized followed by an African monetary fund. Based on the Abuja Treaty, the integration process is expected to be completed in 2028.
Meanwhile, the Abuja Treaty has encouraged the creation of several RECs. More than fourteen RECs are recognized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (in English Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) among others.
The continent’s integration project remained on the table of African leaders, with the arrival of the African Union (AU) in 2002. In October 2008, leaders of SADC, COMESA, and EAC announced the start of discussions on a tripartite free trade agreement.
The tripartite thus became a launching pad for the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) and on June 15, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa, discussions began and the AU SE summit focused on a single point which is intra-African trade. In January 2015, the continent set a new goal, in line with its integration project (Agenda 2063).
The latter remains the strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next fifty years and is titled (Africa We Want). Among the major projects of the program are the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African passport and the free movement of people demonstrate this Pan-African desire to unite, a will, and a vision that dates back a century. It was in January that the President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, was tasked by his peers to lead and complete the process of negotiations on the ZLECAF project.
