The shop-turned-bar located in Agasengasenge Village, Cyarwa Cell, belong to one Christant Birori, 28, who was also arrested.
Bars are still closed while social gatherings are also prohibited as part of the national measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In Huye District, movements are prohibited between 6pm and 4am while allowed businesses are also required to close by 5pm.
The Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire said that the shop, which was hosting eleven people and drinking, was also operating during curfew hours.
“Birori had turned his small shop into a bar. Police and local leaders found all the eleven people in the shop taking alcoholic drinks, which is against the directives. It was also during the time when everyone was supposed to be at home,” SP Kanamugire said.
Five of those arrested are university students. SP Kanamugire advised the young people to set an example instead of exposing their lives to the virus.
The violators were educated on government directives and health measures, subjected to Covid test at their cost and fined for the violations. Local authorities also closed the shop.
Hidalgo who is currently President of the association, was accompanied by the Mayor of Kigali City, Prudence Rubingisa and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta as she met with Kagame at Village Urugwiro on Wednesday 21st July 2021.
Topics of discussions have not been mentioned but the visit comes at a time when Rwanda and France relations is at commendable pace following the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron in May 2021.
The 41st Congress of the Association of Mayors of Francophone Cities will be concluded with the approval of development projects worth US$1.5 million.
During her stay in Rwanda, Hildalgo has so far visited Nyandungu Ecotourism Park and signed cooperation agreement with the City of Kigali in the areas of culture, technology and innovation.
Hidalgo is the Mayor of Paris since 2014. Hidalgo previously visited Rwanda in 2019 where she paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi laid at Kigali Memorial.
The current water distribution policy in Rwanda shows that water is made easier when residents can fetch from 500 meters in rural areas or 200 meters in towns.
Despite the country’s ambitious target; Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) the only institution responsible for water distribution across the country has been mired in mismanagement and ineffective performance which is bound to affect the goal if no action is taken.
The issue saw parliamentarians summoning the Minister of Infrastructure, Amb Claver Gatete recently on 14th July 2021 to respond to queries related to the performance of WASAC and Rwanda Energy Group (REG).
Parliamentarians including Elizabeth Mukamana expressed concerns over old and ravaged water distribution networks that are not replaced as well as lost water believed to be among rampant problems that might hinder the target.
“How should we rest assured? What are areas of priority for Rwanda to achieve universal access to water?” she asked.
The concern was raised at a time when different parts of the country particularly in Eastern Province and parts of Kigali City often experience water shortage despite huge budget allocated for related infrastructures.
In a bid to address water scarcity in Kigali, WASAC invested over US$66 million for expansion and construction of new water treatment plants.
These include Nzove I, Nzove II and Nzove III. Each of the three plants was expected to produce 40 cubic meters per day but operated at 41% and 49% capacity between January and October 2019 as per General Auditor’s report.
Amb. Gatete explained that inefficient supply of water results from small networks and insufficient reservoirs.
He assured that there is plan to replace water supply networks with standard equipment along 568 kilometers in Kigali city and 1112 in secondary cities to be completed by the end of December 2021.
“It is not an easy task but we must be accomplished anyway,” stated Gatete.
According to the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), the revised Kigali City Water Supply Master Plan to be implemented until 2050 in partnership with Japan has been completed.
The latter is expected to facilitate budgeting for increased access to safe water among the population.
It is estimated that Kigali City will need 1,070,000 cubic meters per day by 2050.
Minister Gatete highlighted that increasing and upgrading water treatment plants is key for the target to materialize.
The quantity will be supplied from different treatment plants including Nzove (88,000 cubic meters), Karenge (102,000), Masaka (120,000), Nyabarongo (240,000), Gahanga (280,000), Rwesero (18000), and Rutonde (80,000) per day.
“Under this project, we plan to use large water pipelines and water reservoirs to keep uninterrupted flowing of water. We have created additional 900-diameter long water supply network from Nzove to Ntora to increase the current quantity by 87,000 cubic meters,” he said.
Water reservoirs are also expected to increase from the current 75 to 232 with the capacity of storing 118,589 cubic meters per day.
“With these efforts, the current volume of water in Kigali City will double. This gives optimism to address water shortage completely,” revealed Gatete.
It is expected that more 20,000 cubic meters from Nzove treatment plant will be supplied to Rugalika in Kamonyi district every day while water supply master plan in the remaining parts of the country will have been completed by November 2021.
Other water plants to be constructed upcountry include Gihira in Rubavu expected to produce 15,000 cubic meters, Moya in Rusizi, Mushongoro in Karongi, Muhazi in Gatsibo, Ngoma in Nyagatare, Sake in Ngoma and Busogwe in Nyanza among others.
Currently, 86% of Rwandans are reported to have access to safe water.
The incident took place on Tuesday 20th July 2021 in Duterimbere village, Kirehe cell of Kabare sector.
The body laid on road bleeding was first seen by passers-by. It is said that the mother was stabbed with a machete on the head.
The Executive Secretary of Kabare sector, Léo Karuranga has told IGIHE that Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) immediately launched investigation which led to arrest of the daughter as one of suspects.
“It was observed that unidentified people might have attacked the old woman from the back and stabbed her with a machete on the head. She fell with face on the ground. After killing the woman, they placed a hoe by her side,” he said.
Karuranga explained that preliminary investigation confirmed that two children of the deceased had clashes with her over being unsatisfied with bequeathed small land.
“One of these children has been identified among major suspects. As per residents’ testimonies, the suspect threatened to kill her mother in less than a year when they conflicted in 2020 over land bequeathal complaints. Provided information has led to her arrest for further investigation,” he noted.
Karuranga revealed that the suspect has been handed to Ndego RIB Post as investigation gets underway.
Similar incident was reported in the sector last week when a man killed his neighbor with a bow and arrow.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region, said that Munyandera, who is part of the group that steals minerals in concessions, was at the time of his arrest found in possession of 1kg of beryl and other traditional tools, which the ring was using to extract minerals.
Beryl is a precious stone used to make jewelry or other adornments.
CIP Karekezi said that the arrest of Munyandera followed a complaint raised by the mining company that owns the concession, about a group of people that was stealing their minerals in the concession.
“Munyandera is part of the group of about seven men, who were sneaking into a beryl mining concession located in Mpara Village, Cyome Cell in Gatumba Sector owned by Ngororero Mining Company (NMC), where they were extracting and stealing the minerals. We are still searching for other six members of the group,” CIP Karekezi said.
He warned against such unlawful activities and called for more information on anyone that engages in these criminal and risky practices
“Mining is a regulated business conducted by licensed people or companies. It is also a hazardous and risky practice especially during the process of extracting minerals, which require professionals,” said the spokesperson.
The suspect was handed over to RIB for further legal process as the search gor his accomplices is still underway.
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 Rwf5million 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.
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 deceased include two women and nine men from Kigali city, Huye, Nyanza, Bugesera, Rusizi, Muhanga and Gicumbi districts.
The statement released last night shows that 906 people have caught the virus out of 10863 sample tests while 905 recovered.
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 59 141 people have been tested positive of whom 41 951 recovered, 16 513 are active cases, 69 are critically ill while 677 have succumbed to the virus.
The majority of new cases were found in Kigali: 182, Musanze: 84, Kamonyi: 78 and Burera: 71.
A total of 406,004 have been vaccinated since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation programme on 5th March 2021.
Sindayigaya, who was arrested on Tuesday, July 20, was at the time going to supply one of his clients in Rugarama village, Police said.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Police spokesperson for the Southern region said that Sindayigaya’s criminal activities were reported by members of the public.
“Residents had informed the Police that Sindayigaya is a drug dealer supplying retailers in Runda Sector. On Tuesday, they also called the Police after suspecting him to be having a new consignment of cannabis, and officers arrested him red-handed with 282 pellets of cannabis,” SP Kanamugire said.
The suspect told the Police that he got the narcotics from unnamed man at Giti k’inyoni in Nyarugenge District.
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Sindayigaya is a recidivist, who has been convicted twice for the same crime. He was first given a two-year sentence, which he served before he was also arrested again in 2016 and handed another three-year sentence, which he completed in 2019.
He has now been handed over to RIB at Runda station for further investigation as the search for his alleged supplier and other members of the ring, continues.
Cannabis is classified among the “very severe narcotic drugs” in Rwanda.
Article 263 of law No 68/2018 of 30/08/2018 determining offenses and penalties in general states that any person, who unlawfully produces, transforms, transports, stores, gives to another or who sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, commits an offence.
Upon conviction for “very severe narcotics,” the offender faces between 20 years and life imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rwf30 million.
Article 52 of the same law states that for felonies, recidivism occurs at any time when a person reoffends after conviction in a final judgment.
Every recidivist receives the maximum penalty provided by law and such penalty may be doubled.
The report on countries using Spyware was first published by The Washington Post and 16 other news organizations early this week indicating that 50,000 phone numbers are vulnerable to Spyware attacks.
Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group that can be covertly installed on mobile phones (and other devices) running most versions of iOS and Android.
Rwanda is among countries accused of using the spyware along with Mexico, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Togo, Morocco, India, United States of America (USA), Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
It is said that Rwanda might hack 3500 phone numbers using the technology.
Following the revelations, Ugandan media houses run articles that Rwanda uses Spyware to hack the former Chief of Staff of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Gen David Muhoozi; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kuteesa; former Prime Minister, Rugunda Ruhakana and the Joseph Ochwet, Uganda’s Director General of External Intelligence.
The statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Government’s Spokesperson, Dr. Vincent Biruta sent to IGIHE reacting to these allegations reads that they are rumours meant to misinform Rwandans and tarnish the country’s image.
“Rwanda does not use this software as confirmed in 2019. The country does neither possess such capabilities nor that technology. These are false allegations intended to tarnish Rwanda’s reputation internationally and mislead Rwandan residents,” reads the statement.
Rwanda refuted similar allegations in 2019 after Facebook Inc accused NSO Group from Israel of using Pegasus spyware to hack people’s phones.
At the time, it was said that the country targets opposition figures and human rights activists.
Speaking to the media in 2019, President Paul Kagame explained that Rwanda does intelligence on enemies highlighting that the country can’t spend money to use that technology deemed costly.
The day is observed at a time when different parts of Rwanda namely; Kigali city and seven districts including Burera, Gicumbi, Kamonyi, Musanze, Nyagatare, Rubavu, Rwamagana and Rutsiro are under lockdown effective from Saturday, 17th till 26th July 2021 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
In a message sent via Twitter handle, Kagame reminded Muslims to adhere to containment measures as they celebrate.
“Wishing a joyous Eid Mubarak to all Muslims celebrating Eid Al-Adha in Rwanda and across the world. Let’s continue to stay safe throughout celebrations with family and loved ones as we fight this pandemic together,” he tweeted.
Ahead of the celebration, Rwanda Muslim Community (RMC) urged Muslims to pray from homes while those from districts not put under lockdown were advised to participate in prayers respecting 30% of occupancy.
Eid al-Adha, which in Arabic literally means the “festival of the sacrifice”, commemorates the Koran tale of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael but God offered him a lamb to sacrifice, ruling that no human life should be sacrificed in the name of God.
The day is marked with the sacrifice of an animal; usually a goat, sheep, or cow, and the distribution of the meat among neighbours, family members and the poor.
Flying to the destination was very much awaited by Rwandan community abroad who express sentiments of gratitude as they narrate seamless experience enjoyed while traveling to their mother land in the comfort of RwandAir’s aircrafts.
IGIHE recently visited Zaventem Airport in Brussels on Saturday 17th July 2021 where Rwandans and foreigners converged awaiting flight with RwandAir.
These include passengers heading to Rwanda, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bangui in Central African Republic (CAR) and Accra in Ghana.
With nostalgia for their homeland, many Rwandans met at the airport wore branded T-shirts bearing seemingly slogans evoking memory of their native land.
These slogans written in Kinyarwanda include ‘Inkotanyi ni ubuzima’ translated as Inkotanyi is life and ‘Rwanda Nziza’ translated as Beautiful Rwanda among others carrying significant message for Rwandans.
With great joy, simply because they are flying home with RwandAir, they revealed that RwandAir is an icon, flag and symbol of dignity which induces pride to them wherever they are.
Christine Uzamukunda is one of Rwandans living in Europe whom IGIHE met at Zaventem Airport.
The mother, who frequently visits Rwanda every year, has been travelling with RwandAir since the carrier launched flights along the route Kigali-London-Brussels.
Like other Rwandans, Uzamukunda expressed delight as she narrated how comfortable it is to fly onboard RwandAir.
“I am glad to see RwandAir continuing to operate smoothly, Rwandans standing up to show love for Rwanda and support their brand amidst the difficult situation of COVID-19,” she said.
“It induces pride to Rwandans and the country. We are experiencing difficult times where it is uneasy to make flights but you can see how passengers are crowded to fly with RwandAir. This evidences how the flight carrier enriches their experience,” said another passenger, Erneste Musengimana.
Excellent services, warm hospitality among other support received at the airport won his heart to travel always with RwandAir.
Maxime Prevot, a parliamentarian and the Mayor of Namur City in Belgium is among passengers met at the airport awaiting flight to Rwanda to attend the 41st General Assembly of mayors of Francophone cities (AIMF).
Apart from attending the meeting, the mayor visiting Rwanda for the first time observed that it is also an opportunity to learn from the country’s tragic history that led to the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
He plans to visit Kigali Genocide Memorial and the memorial site of 10 Belgian soldiers killed by troops of the then President Juvénal Habyarimana on 7th April 1994.
RwandAir’s Bruxelles-Londres-Kigali route is among destinations with a large number of passengers mainly Africans from the diaspora visiting their home land.
RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent.
With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years.
The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
