The launch of distributing trash-cans took place Tuesday, 05th June, as Rwanda joined the rest of the world to mark World Environment Day- a few days after the 2018 National Environment Week during which awareness was raised on dangers of single-use plastics.
Staff from Bralirwa started distributing the cans in Remera, Gasabo District, in the proximity of Amahoro National Stadium.
The event also attracted officials from Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) who commended the move as a creative solution towards plastic pollution in the country.
Speaking to IGIHE, the Head of Corporate and Communications department at Bralirwa, Fred Nyangenzi, said that the initiative is in line with the government’s commitment to eradicating plastic pollution in the country.
“This initiative aims at backing up governmentefforts of promoting environmental awareness. It will be easy to beat plastic pollution as bottles will be having a special trash can where they will be deposited and thereafter collected for recycling,,” he said.
“We have other partners whom we agreed to work with in this drive against plastic pollution. The partners will recycle the collected plastic bottles, into useful items,.” he said.
Often the best marketing campaigns are controversial and shocking and that is exactly what Rwanda Tourism has achieved. Even before a ball is kicked with their logo emblazoned on the Arsenal FC shirt, they have already generated press coverage around the world.
The controversy surrounds a three-year £30 million sponsorship of one of the most high profile and wealthiest teams in the world – a global football brand with a new manager for the upcoming season.
What is so controversial is that it could be argued as indulgent and a private passion from President Kagame, who is publicly an avid fan of Arsenal, while the country received millions in aid from other countries (£60 million-plus from the UK alone) and over 60% of the Rwandan population live in poverty.
Far removed from the genocide 25 years ago, Rwanda is a country rich in assets, welcoming more than 1.2 million tourists in 2017. Best known for its gorillas in the volcanic mountain region, it also boasts beautiful lakeside resorts and a national park, which is home to the “big five” game animals.
Unlike many areas of the world, Rwanda is said to be “generally safe” by the UK Foreign Office (FCO) with low crime rates. The economy is on the up and recent times have seen an influx of foreign investment into five-star hotels in the capital city and wider region.
There are three direct flights a week from Gatwick to Rwanda, which has driven an increase in visitors to the region with UK visitors growing by 20% in 2017. Indeed, tourism now accounts for over 12% of GDP, with over 100,000 people employed in Tourism-related jobs.
The aim of the sponsorship is to heighten awareness of Rwanda and grow visitor numbers to 1.7 million in the next ten years while growing tourism revenues to £800 million over the next six years.
While the sponsorship investment has sparked controversy, and many countries including Holland and Germany have called for an inquiry, the chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board has been very public and vocal to highlight that the investment has come from existing tourism revenues and not from government aid.
The UK government has also clarified that foreign aid is earmarked for specific development activity rather than using taxpayers’ money for sponsorship of a very wealthy football team.
While the sponsorship has created a significant division of opinion, my view is that this is an incredibly smart piece of marketing by Rwanda Tourism. Advertising is awash with destination management companies and tourism boards trying to entice potential tourists to visit.
What Rwanda has achieved is a significant cut-through and builds awareness globally through a single piece of sponsorship. In any business you have to invest money to generate revenue. Responsible tourism, eco tourism and the economic prosperity of locals have become significant concerns for travellers.
This campaign has already achieved a lot through PR alone. On the basis that the population of Rwanda receives the benefits of the tourists who come to enjoy their country and, over time, reduces the dependency on foreign aid, it could prove to be one of the most successful campaigns by any tourist board.
Yacoub Habib visited the site in Kanombe Military Hospital last week. The Rwanda Heart Centre for Excellence will train cardiothoracic doctors and will provide heart surgery and heart related services which have been requiring Rwandans to seek them from abroad.
Without giving the exact period, officials said that construction works will start very soon, and the centre’s operations will start by training medics that will work there.
Speaking to IGIHE, Health Minister, Dr. Diane Gashumba said that currently Rwanda has eleven cardiothoracic doctors, a number that is still low.
She said that other than training local doctors, the centre is expected to provide modern services which will solve the problem of people who need to go for similar services in India, South Africa and France among other countries.
“The government needs to see this project started and solve the problems which people usually face and go outside the country,” he said.
Yacoub Habib hailed the Government of Rwanda for welcoming him and added that Rwanda deserves the centre.
“I was stunned with how everyone is willing to partner with us. This country deserves such a centre in order to protect and operate heart diseases like it is done in developed countries,” he said.
Figures from the Ministry of Health indicate that in Rwanda, there are 38,871 heart patients, of who 928 were operated while 1151 are still waiting for operation services.
The auction of the factory’s machinery slated next Monday to recover the balance on tax arrears amounting to Rwf6 billion allegedly evaded in the period spanning from 2012 to 2017 follows another one of March 28 in which the factory’s tobacco stocks amounting to 7,195 cartons were auctioned at Rwf512 million to Murado Business Ltd.
“As recommended by RRA and after reviewing the tax-establishing decisions given to Premier Tobacco Company Ltd; with an intention to recover tax arrears, the professional bailiff announces to the general public that there will be an auction of the machines used in processing tobacco belonging to Premier Tobacco Company Ltd on Monday 11/06/2018 at 10:00 am,” reads part of the statement released last week and signed by bailiff Védaste Habimana.
The auction of unspecified number of tobacco processing machines will take place at the factory located in Gikondo industrial area in Kigali and visiting the machines has started this afternoon.
Speaking to IGIHE immediately after the previous auction, RRA Commissioner General, Richard Tusabe had said that they would auction more Rwigaras’ properties to recover the balance of about Rwf5.5 billion tax arrears.
“If the money is not enough, we should seek where to get it. We shall get it from other properties,” he said.
At the tobacco auction, however, the Rwigara family was not contented with the Rwf512 million, saying it had a value of around Rwf1 billion. They said the auction was conducted illegally and had earlier tried to challenge the seizing of the tobacco stocks and other properties in Nyarugenge Commercial Court which ruled in favour of RRA.
Kagame was speaking Tuesday in Belgium at the opening ceremony of the 12th edition of the European Development Days.
This year’s European Development Days was organized under the theme, ‘Women and Girls at the Forefront of Sustainable Development: protect, empower, invest’.
“Women and girls constitute half of humanity. They are equal in ability in every way. Guaranteeing their equal rights is therefore common sense. Consensus on this point was reached more than a generation ago,” Kagame said.
Kagame said that countries are a long way from treating women with equality and respect things which continue to lag women and girls behind.
“Incidents from across the world continue to show that this problem cuts across regions and affects us all,” he noted.
He said that in the workplace or as public leaders, men expect to be judged on the basis of their character and ability alone contrary to how women are treated.
“It’s not enough for a woman to be as good or better than male counterparts. She must look a certain way, even be careful about her tone of voice. Failure to conform comes with a cost in terms of salary and career advancement, a penalty men don’t have to worry about,” he said.
Kagame said that women perform countless extra hours of unpaid labour every day. Organising social gatherings. Taking care of sick relatives. Maintaining the household and raising children.
“It is often said that working women have two full-time jobs. This is not far from the truth. These duties affect women’s careers, and serve as an implicit justification for promoting men faster,” Kagame added.
The recent World Bank study says that countries are losing $160 trillion in wealth because of the lifetime earnings gap between women and men.
The Head of State said that for too long, society has created a psychology that women are inferior and can only rise at the mercy of men, the norm which he said can no longer be tolerated.
Kagame urged that people should use different promotional campaigns towards impactful changes.
“ ‘He for She’ and ‘She Is We’ should not be mere hashtags, but expressions of our determination to make change really happen. Rights and outcomes are only equal, when treatment is equal,” he noted.
“Compensating women for where they have been disadvantaged is not enough. We have to truly level the playing field and make public pledges that raise standards and expectations going forward,” he added.
He requested leaders at all level to ensure that there is accountability for changing harmful societal norms.
{{Rwanda’s experience}}
Kagame said that Rwanda has instituted an insurance scheme that allows women to continue receiving their full salary during twelve weeks of maternity leave.
“Our approach all along has been to focus on the benefits that gender equality brings to society. As a result, no one feels they have lost something and the gains are sustainable,” he said.
This was revealed yesterday when PAC was receiving explanations from MININFRA and Rwanda Energy Group (REG) on the queries that were reported in the 2016-2017 Auditor General’s report.
Gishoma Peat Power plant construction activities started in February 2013 and were expected to have completed by May 2014. But, the project was delayed and finalized in 2017.
Only four months of operation were enough for the plant to stop due to lack of peat and water to use in production.
MPs said that the plant’s technicians had expressed concerns that the plant will not be productive, but their advices were refuted.
MP Cécile Murumunawabo said that they recently visited the plant, and technicians told them how they had repeatedly warned against the establishment of the plant due to low deposits of peats that should have been used in the production.
The technicians informed MININFRA through the report, but their concerns were not considered.
Murumunawabo added that before construction materials are sent to the site, again technicians wrote to MININFRA urging to transfer them to Gisagara District where they identified enough peat for power production.
According to Murumunawabo, MININFRA should file a report detailing the history of problems in Gishoma Peat Power plant and submit it to PAC so that other institutions in charge would refer to it to conduct follow-up.
According to MP Jean Thierry Karemera, the advice of technicians was not considered and whoever wanted to expose that the project was illegitimately implemented was threatened to be fired from the job.
According to MP Théogène Munyangeyo, the problem should not be explained by REG as MININFRA turned a deaf ear on advice from technicians.
“Losing Rwf40 billion yet technicians repeatedly requested their reports to be considered and others turned a deaf ear, what was the interest behind turning a deaf ear? The problem is not with REG, the ministry should be responsible. You were advised and you turned a deaf ear,” Munyangeyo noted.
PAC Chairperson, Juvenal Nkusi also emphasized that Gishoma Peat Power plant problems should be clarified by MININFRA.
MININFRA Permanent Secretary, Christian Rwakunda said that they are going to prepare a report on plant’s shortcomings and the procedures through which all decisions were taken.
The Auditor General’s report revealed that the plant stopped working in September last year after four months in operation and was producing 5.28 MW , far below the expected 15MW capacity by the time it completely stopped.
The Chinese delegation was welcomed by the Minister of Defence, Gen. James Kabarebe and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba among other Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) senior commanders.
The bilateral discussions reviewed the progress of the ongoing excellent military relation between the two countries and expressed the willingness to enhance and take it further.
In the discussions, Kabarebe emphasized that both countries have had good relations.
“Rwanda and China have always had good relations, so this visit is aimed at discussing ways of strengthening the existing cooperation,” he said.
The forces of the two countries maintain good levels of cooperation in terms of training and logistics.
The Chinese Head of Delegation, Zhang commended Rwanda for its efforts to advance peace and security in Africa through peacekeeping engagements.
“This is clearly a common interest for China and Rwanda alike”, Zhang said.
For its part, China has recently embraced multinational peacekeeping efforts by sending military and civilian personnel on peacekeeping missions in Africa.
Kagame and his delegation are in Belgium for the ‘European Development Days 2018’.
After meeting President Kagame yesterday, Mimica wrote on his twitter that a strong AUEU partnership needs strong partners.
“Delighted to welcome to Brussels President Paul Kagame. The EU fully supports the reform of the African Union that he is piloting. A strong AUEU partnership needs strong partners,” reads his tweet.
Kagame along with different cabinet ministers including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo; State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community Affairs, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe; Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana among others are in Belgium for the European Development Days starting today.
Kagame is also expected to speak at the European Development Days which will run under the theme ‘Women and Girls at the Forefront of Sustainable Development: protect, empower, invest’.
Among other speakers include, Burkina Faso President, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré; Liberian President, George Manneh Weah and the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva among others.
The Points of Light awards recognise outstanding volunteers every day of the week – people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose story can inspire others to creative innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond.
Kamaliza founded ‘Solid’ Africa’ to support patients in Rwandan public hospitals.
She has grown the organisation from a small group of young professionals helping five patients, to a household name working with thousands of patients every day.
Under Isabelle’s leadership, ‘Solid’ Africa’ has become self-sustaining and runs four successful programmes providing financial assistance with medical and transport bills; water purification systems for clean drinking water in hospitals; public health initiatives; and daily meals for patients in need or with special dietary requirements.
She is currently overseeing the creation of an industrial kitchen to feed 1000 patients three times a day in four public hospitals across Kigali. Isabelle passionately believes in the importance of ‘giving back’ to the community and has inspired a team of 50 young people to volunteer alongside her team.
As part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London 2018, Her Majesty The Queen – as Head of the Commonwealth – is thanking inspirational volunteers across the 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond, by recognising one volunteer from each Commonwealth country each week in the two years following the summit.
By sharing these stories of service, the Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of our time.
Each Commonwealth Point of Light will receive a personalised certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. The award for Isabelle will be presented on 8th June at the UK High Commission Kigali by Jo Lomas, UK High Commissioner in Rwanda, as part of a Queen’s Birthday celebration.
“I am always filled with great emotions when our efforts are recognized, because even if often times I am the face of this movement, behind me is an unstoppable machine made of dozens of volunteers who were here from the beginning of this adventure and others who have joined even from other countries,” said Kamaliza reacting on the award.
“This award is another sign that we must be doing something right. With your continued support, we vow to continue our efforts and, in the coming years, to expand them to the whole nation and even beyond Rwanda, God willing. I thank you again from the bottom of my heart and please send my regards to Her Majesty The Queen,” she added.
The UK High Commissioner to Rwanda, Jo Lomas congratulated Kamaliza for the award.
“Congratulations to Isabelle Kamariza and Solid Africa for winning the Commonwealth Points of Light Award. Her Majesty The Queen has recognised Isabelle’s superb work in supporting hospitals and vulnerable patients across Rwanda. Hers is an excellent example of the difference leadership and community spirit can make. The British High Commission in Rwanda is proud to present this award for her tireless and noble work,” she said.
In a story published on our Kinyarwanda version, parents, teachers and the general public claimed that the dressing code and makeups for nowadays girls are inappropriate for primary and high school students.
Through his twitter handle, Nduhungirehe said that such claims are outdated.
“It is miserable that girls are always targeted due to their dressing code. This is not the problem with this era,” he said responding to the article.
He said that the problem is not with school girls, but men who always look at them and recommend how they should dress.
“The issue here is not the girls’ skirt, but the man who always looks at her, controls and suggests how she should dress. We need to stop this nonsense,” he noted.
The Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye resounded Nduhungirehe’s notion saying that “thank you minister, this self-instituted moral policing is uncalled for.”
Different people who reacted on twitter said that the issue should be looked at from culture and family values.
Hassan Kubwimana said that such dressing code is inappropriate and should change as well.
“On the road, people might not care of those dresses, but the problem is with teachers (male) and school boys, those dresses should be revised, they are inappropriate,” he said on twitter.
{{What MINEDUC instructions say?}}
Article 24 of the Ministerial Instructions no 001 of 10 May 2017 establishing guidelines for setting up general or TVET, nursery, primary or secondary school’s internal rules and regulations says that at the school, all students shall wear the style of clothing determined by the school.
“The female students must wear uniform of the school of size that reaches the level of below the knee but not being too long,” reads the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) instructions.
MINEDUC instructions say that the internal rules and regulations of the school shall determine how uniform should be won either for girls or boys.
Article 25 of the instruction says that the school should specify that to put sliding products into the hair, to make up nails, mouth, eyebrows, eyes and wear jewels among others is forbidden.
