The ceremony took place today at Kigali Genocide Memorial where 259,000 remains of genocide victims from Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge in Kigali city are laid to rest.
On 7th April every year, the international community commemorates the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi which took lives of over 1 million Tutsi victims in three months.
It is a time to remember victims, unite through the strength of the Rwandan nation, and renew the determination to build a prosperous future.
Before lighting the flame of hope that will last for 100 days, Kagame along First Lady laid wreaths at the memorial’s mass graves as they paid tribute to fallen Genocide victims.
The ceremony was held observing strict COVID-19 control measures including wearing of face masks, and keeping social distancing among others.
In attendance were the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Representatives from umbrella organizations of genocide survivors including IBUKA and AVEGA Agahozo.
After laying wreaths and paying tribute to genocide victims laid at the memorial, President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame have joined over 500 Rwandans and friends of Rwanda, gathered at Kigali Arena in observance of COVID-19 measures, for a ceremony marking the 27th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
This year, commemoration events will be held virtually in compliance with Coronavirus preventive measures. They will be aired on radios, televisions and other designated social media platforms.
On 26th January 2018, the United Nations declared 7th April as the international day for commemoration of Genocide against Tutsi.
She used to regularly visit the nearby health center to learn best feeding practices for a pregnant mother.
Like other mothers in Ngororero district, Mukamana says that parents should control births to ensure proper growth of children.
Mothers who spoke to IGIHE revealed that their children experienced malnutrition and stunting due to failure to control births.
Mukamana says that her child experienced malnutrition because she didn’t receive adequate nutrients as the mother got pregnant again before the child’s maturity.
“When births are not controlled, it is easier to get pregnant again which automatically puts lives of the child at high risk of stunting. The first born didn’t have health problems but the second child stunted because he was not mature by the time I gave birth to the third child. It took two months to improve the child’s health conditions,” she explains.
Mukamana said that the Government should help mothers to control births after delivery to avoid similar cases putting children at risks of stunting.
With the support of the Government, Mukamana’s child recovered that her children are now healthy.
“I gave birth at a time when I had another child under the red line facing malnutrition related issues. It took me much effort to nourish them with balanced diet. My thanks go to the Government for providing me with ‘Ongera’ flour that complemented breastfeeding to ensure my children stay healthy,” she said.
Ntawuhongerumwanzi Gaudence, another mother from Hindiro sector says she got pregnant when she had a 6-month baby. Her child suffered from malnutrition diseases that the nearby health center supported her with supplementary breastfeeding porridge flour among other necessary support to raise children properly.
“I used to eat pounded sweet potatoes which I also fed my child. I was no longer strong enough for hard labor to get money for varied foods. That is how my child started suffering from malnutrition diseases,” she explained.
After seeking support from health center, her child recovered and further trained on how to prepare balanced diet. Ntawuhongerumwanzi advised other mothers to control births to ensure they give birth to children they are able to raise and enjoy their rights to education, proper feeding among others.
“It becomes a serious problem when someone begets another child without means to take care of the first one. That is why people should learn from our experience and understand the relevance of controlling births,” she said.
The Director of Muramba Health Center located in Hindiro sector, Uwimbabazi Diane has explained that a mother who doesn’t control births after delivery might experience other associated risks.
“We regularly teach residents on birth controls. Sensitization is yielding that mindsets are changing. We have seen some cases where pregnant mothers have other children with malnutrition diseases. In such cases, we request them to come to the health center to learn how to prepare balanced diet. Considering long regular walks coming to the health center, they complete the training with a pledge to control births,” she noted.
Uwimbabazi highlighted those such mothers are often busy with children and have inadequate time to take care of their husband that it could in some cases trigger adultery.
“When births are controlled, a woman gets enough time to take care of children, herself and the husband. A child grows healthily because parents have enough time to take care of them when births are controlled for two years or beyond,” she advised.
The 6th The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in 2019/2020 shows that children stunting reduced from 38% of the previous five years to 33%.
Audoin-Rouzeau made the observation on Tuesday 6th April 2021, few days after Duclert report that reviewed archives on France’s role during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi presented findings to President Macron on 26th March 2021.
The committee that made the report was led by historian, Prof. Vincent Duclert.
The report by French historians revealed that France bears “heavy and overwhelming responsibilities” over tragic history that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi which took lives of over 1 million victims.
The report also triggered reactions of other French soldiers who were deployed in ‘Opération Turquoise’ (a French-led military intervention in Rwanda since 1994) among other politicians who have been explaining the Government of the then French President, Mitterand disregarded for several times reports and evidences explaining that Genocide was under preparation in Rwanda.
France Inter Radio based in France yesterday aired a talk commenting on Duclert report in which a historian, Audoin-Rouzeau and female Rwandan survivor of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Jeanne Allaire Kayigirwa were invited.
Audoin-Rouzeau who was delisted from the committee making Duclert report said that showing the role of France during the Genocide against Tutsi ‘ is a great milestone’ filling the gap among French nationals denying genocide.
“The Presidency Office had all means to know and refuse the existence of ethnic groups in Rwanda. This means, they were able to prevent racial discrimination and divisive Government of Habyarimana. It kept a blind eye to killings that took place in 1990 and continued with participation of Government officials. Duclert is clear enough,”he said.
Audoin-Rouzeau explained that there are many countries that apologized for role during the 1994 Genocie against Tutsi like Vatican and highlighted that France should also follow the suit.
“I beseech President Macron to apologize on behalf of France. The president of the Republic should support this truth. Belgians apologized and Vatican did so. Why should France refrain from apologizing? The President of the Republic should do so,” he advised.
Jeanne Allaire Kayigirwa also emphasized that findings of the report are clear but criticized the statement that France supported Habyarimana’s Government blindly.
“It is a great milestone but the word ‘blind’ is not corresponding to the context. You cannot state that it was blind to provide support yet it was well known that Habyarimana’s Government was characterized by racial discrimination, preparing the extermination of Tutsis,” she said.
Kayigirwa also insisted that Macron should apologize for France’s role during the Genocide against Tutsi.
“We are awaiting his reaction. We ask him to hold a speech on 7th April, at the day he dedicated for commemoration of the 1194 Genocide against Tutsi in his country. The time is now for the President of the Republic to apologize to families of genocide survivors,” she observed.
This Wednesday, April 7, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda across the globe will come together to pay tribute to more than one million innocent lives massacred in just one hundred days, 27 years ago.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera called upon the population to “stand together against any form of action aimed at genocide ideology, negating and denial of the Genocide.”
“This is a fragile period when people are paying tribute to their loved ones they lost during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. It is time when we support and comfort the survivors.
We urge residents of Rwanda to desist and report any form of genocide ideology, threats, negation and denial, mocking genocide survivors and all acts aimed at influencing hatred and divisionism,” said CP Kabera.
Such criminal actions punishable by law can be reported on the RNP emergency toll-free line 112, WhatsApp line 0788311155 and all known Police contacts in districts as well as other RNP social media platforms.
“These are trying moments of remembering and paying tribute to loved ones, but it has again coincided with the the period when the country is still fighting Coronavirus pandemic, which requires maximum compliance with the safety guidelines,” CP Kabera said.
Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, commemoration activities will be followed on television, radio stations and other social platforms, from homes to prevent the spread of the virus.
“As communicated by the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), people will follow the commemoration events from their homes, visiting the Genocide memorial sites will be done in line with Covid-19 preventive measures with not more than 20 mourners. Let us remember as we also protect ourselves from getting infected with the Coronavirus, and for everyone to be safe.
Let us remember, unite an renew as we comply with the directives to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.”
The bales had been sneaked into Rwanda from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Two of the smugglers; Diogene Zirimunda, 50, and Simeon Nsengimana, 26, were intercepted at around 6pm in Kivumu, Gisenyi Sector of Rubavu District with eight bales of used clothes.
They were at the time transporting the bales to Mbugangari market, in the vehicle registration number RAC 045K, which was also impounded.
Other two suspects identified as Eric Maniriho, 22, and Leonard Nyangoma, 42, in Ryaruhanga, Mubuga Sector of Karongi District with three bales.
According to the Western Region Police Spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the smugglers were intercepted as a result of police-public partnership through information sharing.
“Police received information from residents that there were bales of clothes stocked in the house of Maniriho located in Ryaruhanga trading center. When Police officers searched his house, they recovered three bales weighing 135kgs. Maniriho disclosed that the bales belong to Nyangoma and that they were to be taken to the market in Karongi the following day. Nyangoma was also located and arrested,” CIP Karekezi said.
To Zirimunda and Nsengimana arrested in Rubavu, CIP Karekezi explained that they parked the car in the garage in Gisenyi town, waited to hide in the dark of the night to smuggle them to Mahoko market.
“Police was already tipped-off about all their moves and they were intercepted at a roadblock as they transported the bales,” the Spokesperson said.
The suspects were handed over to Bwishyura and Gisenyi Police stations while the exhibits were handed over to RPU.
The majority smugglers, he said, use Lake Kivu especially at night.
In most cases, the smugglers include Rwandans and Congolese nationals. The latter smuggle the goods to the Rwandan territory and hand them over to the former before escaping back to to their country.
Under article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods and the vehicle used are auctioned while the driver is fined with US$ 5000.
The deceased include two women aged 68 and 79 as well as a man aged 61 from Kigali.
The statement released last night shows that 178 people caught the virus, 11 recovered, 4 are critically ill.
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 22 862 people have been tested positive of whom 20 705 recovered, 1843 are active cases while 314 succumbed to the virus.
A total of 348,926 people have been vaccinated since Rwanda began countrywide vaccination program on 5th March 2021.
The majority of new cases were found in Huye: 45, Nyamagabe: 36, Gisagara: 30, Ruhango: 17, Kigali: 11, Nyaruguru: 10, Karongi:5 and Rwamagana 5.
Beneficiaries include 150 families from Ngeruka and more 100 from Mareba sector who received food items including rice, cooking oil, maize flour, beans and sugar on the eve of Easter Sunday.
Every beneficiary resident received 5 kgs of rice,cooking oil and 5kgs of maize flour.
Byukusenge Emmanuel, a young boy from a beneficiary family in Ngeruka said the donations help them to make good preparations to celebrate Easter.
“It has been long without eating rice. We are delighted with received food items giving us assurance to celebrate Easter in style,” he said.
Mukahirwa Alice, a mother from Mareba sector said the food items are very helpful during Easter Holiday.
“I had not cooking oil and sugar among others. They have made my day great giving me more food items including maize flour and rice. They will help me to feed children on holiday with a variety of foods and rotate with rice that children have not eaten for quite some time,” she noted.
The executive secretary of Ngeruka sector, Rwasa Patrick has thanked partners for the support to residents highlighting that COVID-19 taught them to work hard.
“I would like to voice my appreciation to partners for keeping vulnerable residents on hearts and helping them to feed their families. Residents have been hit hard by COVID-19 but they pulled many lessons from it to work hard and make savings for emergencies,” he said.
The Representative from Oxford Africa Trust International Group, Adelice Umuhoza said the donation is part of their commitment to support the needy.
“With head offices in Nigeria, Oxford expanded financial services in Rwanda. We understand that it is our responsibilities to support the needy and impact Rwandans’ lives especially during this period when the World seeks to recover from effects of COVID-19. Apart from food donations, we also plan to finance Small and Medium Enterprises by the time we will launch microfinance institution,” she said.
Oxford Africa Trust International Group also donated food items to 50 vulnerable families in Rukiri cell, Remera sector, Gasabo district on Thursday 2nd April 2021.
Speaking to IGIHE; Dr Sandeep Goyal, a Dentist & orthodontist at Advanced Dental Centre in Kigali city has deeply explained side effects of finger sucking, how parents can help children and how it can be rectified if it has damaged teeth and the jaw.
Dr. Goyal has said that finger sucking is a usual habit among children that it starts affecting the jaw after three years.
“Finger sucking is normal for a child but it causes side effects if the practice spans for over three years. It starts damaging teeth at this stage and can be harmful if parents do not seek assistance from a dentist,” he said.
Dr. Goyal explained that sucking fingers for over three years damages jaw bones, misaligns and prolongs teeth out of month, and affects nasal respiratory tracts.
Dr. Goyal has however revealed that such anomalies can be corrected.
“When someone has misaligned teeth to the extent that it causes speech impediment, the problem lies in bones structure. We bring them to normal using orthodontics braces. We also conduct surgery to correct the anomaly in case braces are not helpful,” he noted.
Dr. Goyal said that there are unusual braces made from laboratory placed in the mouth of children in age brackets between 8 and 10 to stop misalignment.
He advised parents to try their best to discourage children from finger-sucking addiction to avoid such side effects.
Dr. Goyal reminded parents whose children experienced side effects emanating from finger sucking to seek assistance from accredited dentists to properly rearrange teeth to stop speech impediment and stigma related to misalignment.
Advanced Dental Centre has all it takes to assist patients with longstanding expertize and specialists in teeth rearrangement. It also has specialists in charge of treating other teeth and mouth problems including bad breath, tooth decay, tooth extraction, brushing, and whitening.
The expert says that people should put down the idea that dental care is expensive but go to the Advanced Dental Centre as they work with various insurance companies, RSSB, MMI, and others and it works all day of the week.
For advice on how to take good care of your teeth and medical care call the experts of the Advanced Dental Centre on 0789313200.
The incident took place on Sunday 4th April 2021. It is said that the man had wrangles with a cohabiting wife aged 21.
According to sources, the man killed the child and hang himself after learning that the wife had sired the baby with another man.
The executive secretary of Mageragere sector, Ntirushwa Christophe, has told IGIHE that the man decided to kill the child and kill the child after suspecting her wife of unfaithfulness.
“It is said that the wife had been impregnated by the time she cohabited with the husband who not aware. It is also said that the wife recently had sex with another man which continued to fuel the husband’s anger until he committed suicide,” he said.
Ntirushwa explained that these details were revealed by the brother of the deceased.
The bodies were taken to Kacyiru Hospital for postmortem.
He appealed to residents to report disputes on time for local leader’s interventions.
He made the call yesterday on Monday 5th April 2021 as he met with local leaders, opinion leaders and development partners from respective sectors of Ruheru, Nyabimata, Muganza and Kivu in Nyaruguru district, Southern Province.
Minister Gatabazi reminded them that new COVID-19 cases are on high rise particularly in Southern Province and asked them to remain complaint to avoid whatever that could lead them to lockdown.
“Southern Province is the current major spotlight for new COVID-19 infections that it requires residents to up efforts in respecting instituted preventive directives. I have seen residents without wearing face masks along the road while others wore face masks when they arrived here at the meeting ground. It shouldn’t go that way. Face masks are not worn only in meetings. It is meant for protection whenever in public,” he said.
Gatabazi reminded them not to wear face masks only fearing local leaders or police officers but rather should be a routine whenever they leave home.
“Considering the current new cases in Huye, Gisagara and Nyaruguru among others, you need to think deeply about the situation and take action because it might lead to lockdown if the situation persists,” he noted.
Participants of the meeting pledged to increase efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
“It is apparent that we have been complacent in Southern Province. It is time to take action to intensify preventive measures to contain surging new cases,” said Venuste Bimenyimana.
Recently, the Government set specific measures in Southern Province following revelations that it has become the major hotspot for new cases. This saw the Government setting curfew hours from 7pm to 4am in Ruhango, Nyanza, Huye, Gisagara, Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts compared to other parts of the country where curfew hours were set from 9pm to 4am.
The statement from the Ministry of Health released last night shows that 173 of 202 new COVID-19 infections were found in Southern Province.
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.
