In Kigali City, transport fare increased from Rwf20 per kilometer to Rwf22, a 5% increase and from Rwf19 to Rwf21, 7% for a passenger from one city to another.
According to RURA, the transport fare hike follows fuel prices increase, car insurance premiums and investments that have been put in place to improve transportation services in Rwanda.
The Head of Transport at RURA, Emmanuel Asaba Katabarwa said that the new prices will be implemented starting Monday 2nd April.
“Increasing fares of public transport is based on different changes in transportation sector since 2015, these include; fuel prices, speed governors, Cashless payment Tap&Go and car insurance premiums of public transport vehicles,” he said.
Transport fares were last revised November 1st 2015.
According to RURA spokesperson, Anthony Kulamba, the new changes consider the both people’s interests and investors.
“Hiking prices is not in the interests of investors only, but, it is in the interests of consumers for serving them properly,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of Rwanda Persons Transporters Association (ATPR), Eric Ruhumuriza welcomed the move saying that the price of their services had also gone high.
“We thank RURA for considering the level of investment in this sector. We have discussed it based on different new services that have been introduced and fuel prices that continue to increase,” he said.
According to RURA, they are also assessing prices for motorbike and taxi cabs and results from assessment will be made public in the not so distant future.
This marks a significant increase from Rwf6.8 billion in 2016.
The cooperative of security personnel; army, police and Rwanda Correctional Services Officers announced this in the general assembly on Thursday.
Zigama CSS Director General, Maj.Gen. Albert Murasira said that last year was good as they had targeted a profit of Rwf6.3 billion but they exceeded the target.
He attributed the increase to small expenditures as most of their activities are performed by cooperative members. He said that the profit came from providing many loans and good recovery process.
“We tried to use little money in expenditures like in operational process and their wage payments. We also provided many loans and invested in bonds which resulted in earning much profit than we expected,” he explained.
Last year, the cooperative provided loans amounting to Rwf145 billion.
In 2015, the cooperative cut the interest rate on loans from 15% to 13%, which Murasira said increased well-being of members and development of the cooperative.
Members who acquire loans of less than Rwf5 million pay at the interest rate of 13% while those acquiring more than that pay at the interest rate of 15%.
The Chairman of CSS Board of Directors, Dr. James Ndahiro said that the secret behind progressive performance improvementis based on ownership of all members and contribution towards their development.
In a controversial auction that left members of Rwigara family discontented, the court bailiff, Védaste Habimana sold the tobacco at Rwf512 million. The tobacco was bought by Murado Business LTD.
Of the Rwf6 billion the government wants to recover from the Rwigaras, about Rwf5.5 billion is still needed.
Speaking to IGIHE yesterday about the next to be done for government to recover the taxes, RRA Commissioner General, Richard Tusabe said that they will auction more Rwigara properties.
“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 yesterday, the Rwigara family was not contented with the value that was given to their properties. They said that the tobacco had a value of around Rwf1 billion.
The family rejected the offer and said that the auction was conducted illegally.
However, Tusabe emphasized that no law was violated in conducting the auction.
“Nothing we can do without following Rwandan laws; everything was done clearly, no procedure was ignored and no law was violated. Nothing that can prove that we violated laws,” he said.
Asked whether it was possible to suspend the auction as stated by laws when property owner is not satisfied with the value at the first day, Tusabe replied; “Let’s do our work, isn’t it?”
Yesterday Rwigara’s daughter, Anne Rwigara who is also the family’s businesses representative requested the court bailiff to stop the auction, but the court bailiff told her to go to court if they were not satisfied.
Auctioned yesterday are the stocks o tobacco that had been seized last year.
The auctioned stocks include different types of tobacco such as Premier Filter (5553 cartons); Filter Star (1033 cartons); Filter Star King (328 cartons); Premier Super Menthol (191cartons) and Filter Star Soft (90 cartons). Each carton contains 5000 pieces of tobacco making a total of over 35 million pieces.
Under the partnership signed Thursday, DFID will invest £500,000 during the period of 18 months.
Speaking at the signing event, RGB Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Anastase Shyaka said that the partnership will help them to successfully implement their responsibilities including good services delivery.
“This partnership will look at two important things; the first one is to help RGB implement its responsibilities, by making good services possible and imparting our activities in partnership with United Kingdom government. The second is to empower JADF which helps us in creating homegrown solutions,” he said.
He said that the partnership will bring positive impacts to the development of Rwandans.
According to DFID Rwanda Head, Sarah Metcalf, United Kingdom has been supporting Rwanda development projects since 1994 and assured that the partnership will continue.
“The partnership signed today will particularly enable RGB continue to collaborate with non-government organisations,” she said.
DFID supports the government of Rwanda in different sectors through different projects in education, agriculture, social welfare, trade and business among others.
Ndayisaba was speaking yesterday in Kigali in the awarding ceremony of districts that have immensely promoted unity and reconciliation programmes.
The event took place at FAWE Girls School in Kigali, where over 1300 local government leaders are gathered for a three-day retreat.
Ndayisaba said that local government officials have the responsibilities to help people reconcile as they always meet them.
He said that Rwandans should be encouraged to uphold Rwandanhood by uprooting divisionism and ethnicity.
“People should uphold Rwandanhood than anything else. Ndi umunyarwanda (a programme which was initiated with the goal of building national identity and to foster Rwandan community that is based on trust and unity) should characterize us in our daily lifestyles. Other things like ethnicity should be left behind,” he said.
Under the competition that were coordinated by NURC about unity and reconciliation programmes and their implementation in all districts, Huye District of Southern Province emerged the best with 87% as Rubavu of Western came the last with 27.5 %.
The assessment was based on activities that were performed in 2016/2017 fiscal year.
Huye District Mayor, Eugène Kayiranga Muzuka attributed the achievement to people who understood the idea to construct the nation by embracing unity and reconciliation.
He said that they created unity and reconciliation groups and through groups people’s collaboration was vital in making them happen.
“Huye residents introduced unity and reconciliation groups in all sectors and schools as well; we invested possible efforts so that our children would grow up with Rwandanhood spirit. We also encouraged people to approach, comfort and support genocide survivors,” he said.
Under the competition, Huye came the first with 87% followed by Nyaruguru with 85% and Nyamagabe the third with 82 %.
The last three districts are Ngororero with 37.5%, Nyarugenge 36.5% and Rubavu 27.5%.
A Police statement says that yesterday, a joint team of officials from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Health, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other stakeholders carried out a physical verification visit to refugee camps housing Burundian refugees in Bugesera, Nyanza and Rusizi districts.
“As refugees gathered for the exercise, their leaders started to incite them to reject any assistance from these institutions,” the statement reads.
“As a result of instigating violence among fellow refugees, 33 ringleaders were identified and arrested. They include 31 at Gashora Transit Centre-Bugesera; one at Nyarushishi Transit Centre-Rusizi; and one at Muyira Transit Centre-Nyanza,” the statement reads.
According to Police, the incitement, an act punishable by the penal code, was endangering the lives of refugees in the camp, as well as that of officials.
Police say that now, the situation in all the camps is calm.
Early this month, over 2500 Burundian refugees entered in the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The refugees refused all food assistance processed from industries.
The ruling coalition, Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) on Tuesday elected Dr. Ahmed as a leader from the country’s largest ethnic group the Oromo. Being party leader paves the way for him to become Prime Minister once approved by the parliament.
“Made a tel call with Dr. Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia to congratulate him and through him entire EPRDF as well as people of Ethiopia for selecting him as able compromise PM yet to be confirmed by parliament soon!!,” Kagame said in a tweet.
Kagame congratulated Abiy on behalf of AU.
“As chairman of the AU, on behalf of other African leaders wanted to express our solidarity with the Ethiopian people and their leaders as they continue to find from within and among themselves solutions to the recent political problems they faced!,” the tweet reads.
“Looking very much forward to having Ethiopia continue to play its historical central role effectively and soon on our Continent!!” Kagame said.
Once approved, Dr. Ahmed will take over replacing former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn who resigned last month. Desalegn said that his resignation was vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy.
Kagame was speaking Wednesday to local leaders that are in Kigali for a three-day retreat.
The retreat brings together over 1300 leaders including Sector Executive Secretaries, District and City of Kigali Council Members, District Executive Secretaries, Provincial Governors and Executive Secretaries.
Speaking about persistent problems and leaders working from the office and end up without seeing those problems addressed, the Head of State said that they should seek solutions or provide explanations to the people.
“You should leave offices and reach people, discuss their problems and orient them. Sometimes people think that problems are there because the government does not care about them, but, that’s not the reason; there should be a response or clarification of the problem. That is our responsibility,” he said.
Kagame said that leaders should rethink about poor implementation of their responsibilities and then take decisions.
“First of all if you take time and reassess yourself on why you don’t fulfill your responsibilities or why they always remind you about what you should have done, it helps to change cultures, mindsets or working conditions. You should challenge yourselves on what to change to serve people better,” he said.
Kagame said that when they fail to assess themselves, the result from poor working conditions affect people.
“We will not keep you there doing things which can cause loss or bad effects to other people, you must be held accountable about it,” he said.
The auction took place at Gikondo at the ‘Premier Tobacco Company Ltd’ premises on Wednesday.
The court bailiff Védaste Habimana opened the auction asking price of Rwf433,727,966 and the tobacco was finally bought by Murado Business LTD.
At the auction was Anne Rwigara, late Assinapol Rwigara’s daughter who is also in charge of the factory’s operations and his brothers.
The family was not contented with the value that was given to their properties. They said that the tobacco had a value of around Rwf1 billion.
Anne Rwigara requested the court bailiff to suspend the auction as stated by law when property owner is not satisfied with the value at the first day.
Anne said that they still have the case filed at Nyarugenge Commercial Court, requiring for suspension of the auction.
“It is not necessary to sign a cheque. A case has been filed in court to stop this auction and as you know today at 2:00pm there is a hearing. As you also know that property owners are allowed to reject the value when they are not contented. We as Rwigara family reject this offer,” she said.
The court bailiff told the family that the auction was conducted legally and if they are not satisfied they should go to court.
“I’m the one heading the auction, we are not in the court, if you have any concern about the auction go to court. I have nothing else to argue with you,” he said.
The stocks of the tobacco were seized last year by Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) to recover tax Rwf6 billion arrears that they claim the factory owe the government. Auctioned were different types of tobacco including Premier Filter (5553 cartons); Filter Star (1033 cartons); Filter Star King (328 cartons); Premier Super Menthol (191cartons) and Filter Star Soft (90 cartons). Each carton contains 5000 pieces of tobacco making a total of over 35 million pieces.
{{Origin of the auction}}
RRA has repeatedly said that it approached Rwigaras asking them to pay arrears but the family turned a deaf ear.
Richard Tusabe, RRA Commissioner General, told the press last month that the auction was delayed by the fact that The Rwigaras also owe huge debts to different people and banks, among other reasons.
Previously, the Rwigara family had filed a case in the Commercial Court of Nyarugenge in January 2018, accusing RRA of illegally seizing its bank accounts and assets, claiming that RRA’s acts had prevented their tobacco factory from recovery but the court ruled in favour of RRA.
The family’s lawyer, Janvier Rwagatare, told the court that the Premier Tobacco Company’s computers, books of accounts and warehouses had illegally been seized by RRA, leading to the factory’s stalling in operations.
He said raw materials used to make cigarettes were decomposing in the warehouse because of lack of access and requested the court to order RRA to withdraw all seizure orders. He added that the factory had lost all clients after being out of business for seven months.
However, RRA lawyers Clement Gatera and Bajeni Byiringiro argued that the assets including books of accounts, computers and finished tobacco products had been seized legally following the company’s failure to clear arrears.
The judgment made on 5th February ruled that RRA had seized the factory legally and dismissed the case. The family’s business representative Anne Rwigara said the decision would be appealed but IGIHE has not learnt of the appeal so far while the 30-day maximum period for appeal has expired.
Born in the city of Agaro in Oromia, Abiy comes from a mixed Christian-Muslim family. He joined the OPDO in the late 1980s. His military days saw him serve and rise to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, where he also took part in the UN peacekeeping mission to Rwanda.
Composed of four ethnically based parties, the EPRDF and its allies wield unchecked power in Ethiopia and control all seats in the parliament, which must confirm the new prime minister
As leader of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Abiy is set to take over from Hailemariam Desalegn, who announced his resignation last month.
The decision to elect Abiy as party leader was made behind closed doors by 180 EPRDF elites at the end of a week-long meeting.
A former minister of science and technology, Abiy was became a soldier in the now Ethiopian National Defense Force in 1993 and worked mostly in intelligence and communications department. In 1995, after the Genocide against Tutsis, he was deployed as a member of the United Nations Peace Keeping Force (UNAMIR), in Rwanda.
Abiy will be the first Oromo prime minister in the 27-year rule of the EPRDF, which has presided over years of rapid economic growth in Africa’s second most-populous country despite growing unease both at home and abroad with its authoritarian governing style.
Beyond just marking an ethnic milestone, many Ethiopians are hopeful Abiy will change the ways of the party, which assumed power in 1991 after routing the communist Derg junta.
