“This is to inform the public that after measles outbreak at Huye prison, the quarantine is now closed. The regular visit is allowed. Thanks to public and inmates’ relatives for their patience throughout the quarantine,” reads the statement released by Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS).
Measles outbreak caught some of Rwanda’s prisons at the end of last year leading to suspension of visits to inmates. Huye prison is among other prisons removed from quarantine last month including Nyarugenge and Ngoma prisons.
RCS indicates that 117 inmates were infected by the disease but no one of succumbed to the epidemic.
This agreement will primarily enable community members from Gakenke and Gisagara districts to use the Spark Microgrants approach to build capacity that will help them to overcome poverty through different projects funded by Spark Microgrants. The two districts join three existing beneficiaries including Rulindo, Musanze and Burera districts.
Following the agreements; Spark Microgrants has been testing this approach in all 24 villages of Rukozo sector in Rulindo district which have started implementing development projects worth 100 million. For instance, community members of Kivomo village were facilitated to found Twizamurane Kivomo’, a community bringing community members together for pigs husbandry.
They went through the process before receiving 5 pigs at the outset. Today, the number of pigs has risen to 35.
Spark Microgrants in partnership with Gakenke district have selected Kamubuga sector as the next beneficiary. The sector is inhabited by 23,000 community members of who 4,000 are from the first Ubudehe category.
Once in a village, Spark Microgrants selects and train community based facilitators on the model, upon completion of the training, they go back to their communities and share the acquired knowledge through participatory planning meetings. Each village of Kamubuga sector will receive Rwf 6 million to support their development projects.
The executive secretary of Kamubuga sector, Jean Bosco Nkurunziza has told IGIHE that they will make sure such projects are implemented successfully. “We have the duty of reminding community members of their role in the implementation of the project. I will be providing advisory services to ensure the projects bear fruits,” he said.
Spark MicroGrants was founded in 2010 with a novel approach to empower communities facing poverty to design and drive their own economic and democratic development. To date, they have partnered with over 210 villages across Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ghana with a 95% project sustainability rate.
The horticulture center of excellence, established at Mulindi in the City of Kigali through the cooperation between Rwanda and Israel, comes to strengthen the technical know-how of Rwandan researchers, extension agents and small and commercial farmers, through transfer of hands on skills among others.
During the inauguration ceremony on April 01, 2019, the Government of Rwanda and MASHAV also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) to promote the agriculture development in Rwanda through the inaugurated center of excellence.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana, said that this Horticulture Center of Excellence inauguration and new MoU signing are important milestones in the context of contributing to the improvement of horticultural production, and human capacity building in Rwanda through MASHAV’s expertise.
“This is in line with our fourth Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture (PSTA 4). As you may know, in this strategy, among others, we aim at raising production and profits per hectare through increasing agricultural yields and switching to higher value agricultural commodities, such as horticulture, animal products and fisheries,” the minister said. “In this regard, I would like to assure the State of Israel that the Government of Rwanda will continue to support the Horticulture Center of Excellence, especially as it contributes to the modernization of Rwanda’s Agricultural Sector in general and horticulture in particular.”
Ambassador Yuval Rotem, the Director General of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that this is the biggest project of MASHAV in Africa.
“We are making significant investments to be able to bring knowledge and knowhow to the people of here based on Israel experience, that hundreds of farmers and people who are dealing in agriculture in Rwanda will be trained and they are going to be in a position to have by far more quality, by far more quantity, and above all, it is going to bring more income to the people. This is exactly the kind of cooperation that we are looking forward to enhance,” the Israeli Director General said.
Journalist Robert Mugabe, the Great Lakes Voice editor is accused of defiling two girls including a minor.
It is alleged that Mugabe defiled girls aged 17 and 19, one of who he reportedly impregnated and attempted to give her crude abortion-enhancing substances.
He was arrested in September 2018 and released on bail by Kagarama Primary Court, in Kicukiro District on 8th October 2018. He was remanded again following the prosecution’s appeal.
Following the ruling to extend his remand by Kagarama Primary Court in February 2019, the accused appealed against the decision at Nyarugenge Court of Higher Instance.
During the hearing of his appeal yesterday, Mugabe said the court was prejudiced and disregarded his facts and violated some laws.
The prosecution explained that DNA test results to be conducted in German will be part of the evidence and for now he cannot be released because Mugabe denied more DNA tests.
The judge explained that the prosecution has rights to conceal results of DNA tests conducted before because the investigation process is a secret.
The judge ruled, Mugabe is accused of defilement which attracts over five years sentence that he cannot be released on bail because there is tangible evidence pinning him.
The two departments were closed by the Ministry of Education in January this year following the school’s failure to meet education standards instituted by Higher Education Council (HEC).
After the suspension, students and officials from HEC held a meeting during which was agreed that affected students will be transferred to other schools.
It was agreed that students in Medicine and Surgery would continue studies at the University of Rwanda (UR) while Medical Laboratory Technology would continue studies at UR, INES Ruhengeri, Kibogora Polytechnic and Catholic University of Rwanda.
A twitter user claiming to be a parent whose child studied at Gitwe wrote a message in which he tagged President Kagame requesting for intervention.
“Our children halted studies following the suspension of Medicine courses at Gitwe University. Concerned officials promised them transfer to the University of Rwanda but it is not yet done. We solicit your help, father of the nation so that our children can return to school,” he said.
The University of Rwanda has via twitter revealed that it is trying by all means to find places and didactic materials.
“UR is doing everything possible to receive Gitwe students based on their field of studies and performance to establish in which year everyone will be integrated and courses to be revised,” mentioned the tweet.
“We are also working with partners to identify requirements to teach students like lecturers, laboratories and hospitals in which they will conduct internships among others,” adds the tweet.
The Ministry of Education has also unveiled that it is following up the matter in partnership with concerned parties.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Rwanda (UR) in charge of institutional advancement, Dr Charles Murigande said some students in year 4 and 5 didn’t study all necessary modules that they will be obliged to attend courses in previous years or have the case handled as an exception.
“To be promoted to the next level in the medical department at UR, it is required to have passed every module with marks not below 60% while at Gitwe a student is required to have scored not below 50%. This is another problem we have to solve,” he said noting that it needs much vigilance to confirm admission for these students.
“We would have admitted them, had they been students in history or literature. They are however studying medicine. We have to be assured that they will have adequate skills to attend to patients when they graduate,” said Murigande.
The representative of students in medical department at Gitwe Amiel Nzayisenga has told IGIHE that they submitted all required documents to the University of Rwanda and asked to wait.
Nzayisenga said they were promised to attend missed modules to cover the gap before 2019/2020 academic year begins.
He however said that their colleagues in laboratory technology resumed studies one week after suspension. According to sources from the University of Rwanda, admission of students from Gitwe will double the existing number of students in medicine.
Before the new line, Bweyeye passengers from Kigali would be dropped at Kamembe and cover the remaining distance on motorbikes.
Rusizi district vice mayor for economic affairs, Leoncie Kankindi has told IGIHE that the new line will enhance residents’ progress.
“This will liberate residents from isolation. The buses will also enable residents to plan for businesses without interruptions as transport cost is reduced,” she said.
The Minister of State in charge of Transport, Hon. Eng. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye said that the new route is in line with renovation of Bugarama-Butare-Bweyeye and Pindura-Bweyeye roads connecting sectors neighboring Nyungwe National Park and installing lights on roads as well.
RITCO Ltd began operations in May 2016 taking over from the defunct ONATRACOM.
He was re-elected on 24th February 2019 with 58% beating four contestants including Idrissa Seck former Prime Minister who obtained 21%.
19 heads of states , three prime ministers and 53 envoys are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Sall scheduled on 2nd April.
The tenure will be short compared to the duration he served as he was elected president for the first time in 2012.
The 2016 referendum in the country came up with consensus to reduce presidential term limit from seven to five years. It is one of reforms he had promised citizens during his first presidential campaigns.
Macky Sall is one of African countries supporting ambitions of President Paul Kagame on national and continental level.
He was also present during the swearing-in of President Paul Kagame on 18th August 2017 at Stade Amahoro in Remera.
Jean-Claude Karayenzi, Managing Director of Access Bank (Rwanda) Plc who received the award on behalf of Access Bank as a group noted: “Financial Inclusion at Access Bank is a culture. We value empowering women at all levels internally and in all communities we operate in.”
Female leadership and empowerment are positioned at the very crux of Access Bank’s long-term strategy as they constantly strive to inspire, empower and support women across all life stages in Africa.
In July 2014, Access Bank launched the W Initiative – a women-focused market programme with the primary goal of addressing the financial and non-financial, lifestyle and aspirational needs of women across three key segments: Women Professionals, Women in Business and Women with Family.
Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director of Access Bank quoted “We are not where we want to be yet but a recognition like this, reminds us of how much more we have to do to create a gender-balance world.”
Access Bank Group is made up of eight (8) African markets spanning Sub-Saharan Africa’s three monetary zones, the Far East, Middle East, Asia and the United Kingdom. The Bank will continue to invest in its operations and is poised to become the world’s most respected African bank.
Confirmed guests include Belgium Prime Minister, Charles Michel; The General Governor of Canada, Julie Payette; Benin president, Patrice Talon; president Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville, Djibouti president , Ismaïl Omar Guelleh; Mali president , Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the president of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou and the president of Tchad, Idriss Déby Itno.
Other guests expected in the commemoration include the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat and the president of European Union Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker; Morocco Prime Minister, the speaker of Swiss parliament, the advisor of Egypt president, France MP Hervé Berville, Nigeria vice president , Senegalese and Tanzania foreign affairs ministers, the representative of the UN General Secretary and the Minister of Defense in Madagascar.
Former heads of states including Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Tony Blair among others will also be present.
Nduhungirehe said that it is an opportunity to reinforce measures to seize and bring to court genocide fugitives though representatives’ countries don’t accommodate a large number of genocide perpetrators.
He said that Rwandans should uphold strategies to fight against genocide ideology especially among drawing an emphasis on the youth.
The move comes a few months after President Paul Kagame and the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged in September 2018 to open embassies in Rwanda and Israel so to boost diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations.
While at the Opening Ceremony which saw several High-delegates from both nations attending, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Richard Sezibera, observed that the move would heighten the already strong and good relations between the two countries.
“Our Partnership with the state of Israel is multifaceted. We are close in key sectors, such as the sector of Agriculture. Together, we have established a horticulture Centre of excellence, at Mulindi, which aims to promote our farmers. I look forward to the start of operations as soon as possible so as to maximize the benefits of this partnership that will change the lives of many Rwandan farmers,” says Dr. Sezibera.
“The cooperation between our two countries is very good. Now that both of our countries are represented through resident embassies, I am sure that we will be able to take this cooperation to new heights. Today’s official opening of the Israel Embassy in Kigali reflects a mutual understanding; that there is much more that can be done to the benefit of our respective countries,” Dr. Sezibera noted
On his part, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yuval Rotem, pledged that the new embassy would concentrate on fostering cooperation in areas of agriculture, tourism, and technology and innovation between the two countries.
“I can think of no other country which is as similar to us as Rwanda. We are both small countries, which suffered greatly. I believe it’s safe to say that we both have reasons for the ashes and horrors of our history. We are both countries which decided to put into use our greatest treasure- our people. We are both countries which believe that the future belongs to those who dare to dream; and we are willing to work hard to make those dreams come true. We are both countries that are ready to share our knowledge in progress with others believing that only through cooperation can we strive individually and as a family of nation,” said Yuval Rotem.
“Our Embassy in Rwanda will be placed for planting the seeds that will grow into a striving cooperation between our people; with respect to our current relations, so that they shoot to expanding for the benefit of both our nations and for the benefit of the whole Africa. We look forward to sharing our experience in innovation, technology and creativity with you,” he added.
The Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yuval Rotem, assured his country’s full support in sharing its experience in the areas of agriculture, tourism, innovation and creativity.
“It’s the first time in fifty years that Israel has a representative resident in Kigali. We took our time, but I promise you that we are going to make it up for lost time quickly and efficiently,” assured Rotem.
Among the different areas of cooperation that are expected to flourish from the cooperation is the aviation industry which will see RwandAir launching direct flights to Tel Aviv, and vice-versa. The move will boost tourism, trade and investment opportunities between the two nations.
