{Rwanda has been ranked third in Africa behind Mauritius (13th) and Seychelles (19th) in the ease of paying taxes.}
The ranking was done by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and World Bank Paying Taxes 2014: The Global picture report.
The report which compares tax regimes across 189 economies globally ranking them according to the relative ease of paying taxes has ranked Rwanda 22nd overall.
The report noted that Rwanda made paying taxes easier and lowered the tax burden in 2012/13, by introducing and enhancing electronic systems.
According to the report, at 36.1 Africa has the highest average number of payments of any region, but though it has a higher than average number of taxes, it is the lack of electronic filing in the continent which contributes most to the difficulty of paying taxes.
Rwanda is one of the three countries which introduced e-filing for corporate income tax, value added tax and labour contributions.
A taxpayer can now declare and pay taxes online through the e-filing and e-payment system by simply downloading a form from RRA website, fill in and send it to RRA by email. Several banks now receive electronic tax payments on behalf of RRA.
Already one of the most efficient economies for paying tax in the region, Rwanda reduced its time to comply by a further 21 hours due to the extension of its electronic filing systems. Since 2004, Rwanda has reduced its time to comply by nearly a third from 168 hours to 113 hours.
Also according to World Bank Doing Business in the East African Community (EAC) report for 2013, Rwanda has the highest tax compliance rate in the region—meaning fewer Rwandans and their businesses are likely to evade paying taxes.
Out of 185 countries surveyed globally, Rwanda is ranked number 25 in tax compliance. This means that not only is the country having the best tax compliance rate in the region, but also among the top 25 countries in the world where citizens see paying taxes as a civic duty.
Kigali — {Several armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have said they are ready to lay down their weapons, following the army’s defeat of M23 rebels. Since then, there has been a series of letters and declarations by other militias expressing their willingness to be demobilized.}
It has been two weeks since the M23 rebels fled from their last holdouts in Congo after coming under intense bombardments from the U.N.-backed Congolese army. Other armed groups in North Kivu province seem anxious to avoid the same fate.
Several of them are ready to give up their activities and demobilize, according to documents VOA has seen that apparently were signed by their leaders.
One of these documents appears to have been signed by leaders of the Mai Mai Kifuafua and Raia Mutomboki groups in Walikale territory – two groups that recently were fighting each other. Another comes apparently from the so-called Cheka group, which has been repeatedly condemned for human rights violations, and named as a priority target by the U.N.
Researcher Fidel Bafilemba, who works for the NGO the Enough Project in eastern Congo, told VOA the documents are genuine. He said they are authentic and were given to Enough by local government officials in Walikale, and were then confirmed by a Catholic priest who helped organize a peacemaking dialogue.
The signatories to one of the documents pledge to abandon all armed group activities and to join the army or return to civilian life, without conditions.
The other document from the Cheka does pose conditions, as it asks the government to integrate its fighters in the army and to recognize their self-proclaimed “ranks.”
There are said to be some 30 armed groups in eastern Congo. Bafilemba said most of the others also have pledged to demobilize, with some already partly integrated in the army, while others are disintegrating as their members desert.
{Germany is set to introduce a national minimum wage, conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday, giving in to a key demand by her likely centre-left governing partners.}
“The Social Democrats will not conclude negotiations without a universal legal minimum wage,” she said about ongoing talks to form a ‘grand coalition’ government since a September election.
She stressed that her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party does not agree with the step and added that she and her party would “try everything to prevent the loss of jobs through this measure”.
Merkel won September 22 elections but fell narrowly short of a governing majority, forcing her CDU and its Bavarian partners the CSU to enter into tough coalition talks with the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
In the talks, SPD chief Sigmar Gabriel, Merkel’s likely future vice chancellor, has insisted on the party’s core demand of a nationwide minimum wage of at least 8.50 euros ($11.40) per hour to help Germany’s growing army of working poor.
The SPD has promised to put any coalition deal up for a vote to its sceptical party base of almost half a million members, many of whom do not want their blue-collar party to govern in Merkel’s shadow, but whose consent would be needed.
Merkel’s party favours separate pay deals by industrial sector and region, arguing that a national minimum wage would harm many small and medium-sized businesses and could force them to lay off workers.
A patchwork of existing pay deals has set minimum wages for a dozen industrial and service sectors, including cleaners, electricians and security guards.
Minimum wage levels are often higher in western states than in the economically weaker states of the former communist East Germany. Caregivers, for example, earn nine euros an hour in the west but only eight euros in the east.
Both Germany’s major parties aim to end their talks, which have been split into separate working groups, next week, with the aim of forming a government before the end of the year.
However, negotiators have said as many as 100 issues remained unresolved so far.
Merkel, meanwhile, insisted on her own party’s red-line issue of not raising taxes and stressed she wanted a halt to new debt by 2015.
She argued that balanced budgets help maintain investor confidence and global competitiveness and added that “Europe’s problem is that we’ve promised almost everything so far and have kept very little of it”.
Addressing a Berlin business forum organised by Munich newspaper publisher Sueddeutsche Zeitung, she said a grand coalition was “not the heart’s desire of politicians” but had resulted from the election outcome.
She said, as the talks have dragged on, that “we are not making it easy for ourselves — you can marvel at that every day”.
She said that “I too will have to consent to measures which I do not innately agree with,” mentioning the minimum wage as an example.
“The voters have neither given an absolute majority to the business wing of the CDU, nor the left wing of the SPD. Only both of us together will have the ability to govern.”
{A car bomb ripped through a packed food market north of Baghdad on Thursday, killing 27 people, as Iraq’s death toll for 2013 from a surge in violence nationwide capped 5,800.}
The attack occurred on Thursday in Sadiya, 65km northeast of Baghdad, a town in ethnically mixed Diyala province.
The bomb went off at about noon, in a neighbourhood populated mostly by Faylis, or Shia Kurds, the officials said.
Two police officers said witnesses told them that a man parked the truck containing the bomb in the market and asked workers to unload the vegetables before leaving the vehicle. The officers said at least 48 people were also wounded in the attack.
Two medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release information to the media.
{{ Spate of bombings}}
The blast in Sadiya struck a day after violence across Iraq, including a spate of bombings in Baghdad , killed 59 people and left more than 100 wounded, the latest in a protracted surge in violence nationwide.
{Australian visitors urged to avoid protests and remain extremely vigilant as anger over phone-tapping claims boils over. }
About 200 people marched on Thursday to the heavily fortified Australian embassy in Jakarta to demand an apology over the alleged spying, which prompted Yudhoyono to downgrade diplomatic relations with Canberra a day earlier.
“We are ready for war with Australia,” stated one of many banners carried by protesters.
Other protesters in the central Javanese city of Yogyakarta burned Australian flags in a show of anger, but the demonstrations were peaceful and smaller than police expected.
Australia earlier updated its travel advisory for Indonesia, the country’s second most popular tourist destination after New Zealand, urging citizens in the Southeast Asian country to avoid protests and “maintain high levels of vigilance”.
Yudhoyono appeared on national television on Wednesday to announce a freeze on military and intelligence cooperation, including over the controversial issue of asylum seekers.
Stirring the Indonesian outrage were reports quoting documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the former US National Security Agency contractor, suggesting Australia tried to monitor the phones of top Indonesian officials in 2009.
Regret expressed
Tony Abbott, the Australian prime minister, has not confirmed the spying or apologised, although he has expressed regret for the embarrassment the media reports caused to Yudhoyono and his family.
In a statement to parliament on Thursday, Abbott said he had received an official letter from Yudhoyono seeking an explanation for the spying reports and would respond “swiftly, fully and courteously”.
Hatta Rajasa, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for economic affairs, said the dispute had caused little economic impact.
“In the area of economy and business, our cooperation is continuing,” he said.
Gita Wirjawan, trade minister, said Indonesia was reviewing its trade ties with Australia, worth more than $11bn last year.
Indonesia is a major importer of Australian agricultural products, such as live cattle, while Australia is Indonesia’s 10th biggest export market.
Three talented entrepreneurs are now in the final towards becoming Rwanda’s next entrepreneurial superstar and the winner of The REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013. Meat-processing, fashion design and multi-media production are the businesses that will be competing for the award, bringing the winner 4 million Rwf, an airline ticket from KLM and free mentorship and training for six months.
Wednesday night was packed with excitement and high expectations, as nine highly talented entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to a jury of experts, competing to be this year’s winner of the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013, hosted by Educat and partners. The winner will receive 4 million Rwf courtesy of Fina Bank, an airline ticket from KLM and free mentorship and training for six months from Educat and their partner Grow Movement.
Herve Tuyishime from Paniel Meat processing Ltd, Dianne Dusaidi from Legacy45 Entertainment Ltd and Matthew Rugamba from House of Tayo are the three finalists competing for the award after giving strong business presentation to a jury of experts and a cheering audience at Heaven Restaurant last night.
[link to their profiles here: http://en.igihe.com/news/educat-releases-business-profiles-of-rwandan.html]
Andreas Noerlem Christensen, CEO of Educat, adressed the audience and the finalists at the event, stating that
“This week has been so inspiring for us, to get to work with such amazingly talented and hard-working business men and women, that you see in from of us tonight. We promise that we will not let go of any of you after this, but will keep working with you and your businesses. Tonight, no matter the outcome, you are all winners.”
For the past week, nine high-potential entrepreneurs have undergone intensive training, mentorship and coaching to boost their business and become Rwanda’s next top-entrepreneur. Yesterday it was time for them to pitch their idea to a jury of business experts and convince them to let them stay in the running-up for winning the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award.
Guest of Honor at last night’s event, Director General for Minicom, Mr. Alex Ruzibukira spoke at the event and underscored Minicom’s support to Educat’s work to strengthen entrepreneurship in Rwanda. “We are with you all the way, and look forward to continue working with Educat and supporting the important work you do”, he said when addressing the audience, the entrepreneurs and stakeholders at Heaven restaurant.
The jury was compiled of experts within business, entrepreneurship and private sector development, and they judged the entrepreneurs and the presentations based on criteria such as business concept, scalability, bigger impact, entrepreneurial DNA and innovation.
In the jury was:
Elena Sheja , Senior program manager, private sector development at Embassy of Sweden
Jean Claude Mutajogire Ishimwe, Head of Business Banking at Fina Bank
Theo Gakire, CEO and founder of Select Kalaos Media
Claire Jenkins, Executive Director at Grow Movement
Teta Isibo, designer and last year’s winner of the award
Akaliza Keza, CEO and founder of Shaking Sun
The winner of the REAL Fina Bank Award 2013 will be announced tomorrow during the official closing event of GEW at Rwanda Revenue Authority at 2pm.
Over 81.5% of Uganda’s working population is self-employed, a new National Household Survey 2012/2013 report indicates.
The survey findings that were released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) shows that the dominant source of employment is agriculture which takes up about 66.5% of the working population.
Vincent Fred Ssenono, a senior statistician at UBOS said that the trend is generally attributed to the high unemployment levels that have seen most people start up own businesses.
“When someone fails to get a job, they choose to start up their own businesses but these in most cases do not survive and therefore resort to agriculture which has seen so many entrants,” said Ssenono.
The report however, shows a decrease in the number of people engaged in paid employment from 21.5% in 2009/2010 to 18.5% in 2012/2013.
The report further shows a rather shocking detail on the various forms of labour the different gender groups are involved in.
According to the report, more women are engaged in care activities whereas their male counterparts are more engaged in economic activities. This trend can therefore be attributed to income inequality between males and females.
Statistics show that poverty levels dropped from 24.5% in 2009/2010 to 22% in 2012/2013 nationally which trend has been attributed to the improvement in agricultural productivity especially in central rural and the western rural areas.
“Previously, the contribution of agriculture to the country’s GDP has been on a downward slope but recently it registered an increment which directly affected the poverty trends in the areas engaged in agriculture,” said Ssenono.
{Police in Ngoma District has arrested a man by the names of Nzabonimana Abdoul, over stealing electricity wires in Kabeza village of Remera sector.}
Nzabonimana was arrested yesterday by the local security staff (abanyerondo).
According to the head of Kabeza village,Uwamaliya Valentine, local defenses arrived at the scene and found the electricity wires dug out and stolen.
That night as they continued searching, they came to find Nzabonmana in possession of the electricity wires and digging equipments; charges that the suspect rejected and claims his innocence.
He added, it is not the first time “I am being charged of this crime, but every time I survive the case in front of the court”.
In an interview with IGIHE, the executive secretary of Remera sector, Mukarukundo Victoire, confirmed that “It’s the 4th time electricity wires being stolen in the area where this man was arrested”.
She added that stealing of electricity wires that pass through the ground is getting to another stage whereby, these wires are sold in Kigali after being stolen from rural areas.
She calls upon the residents to tighten security in order to arrest and stop these immoral acts to take place in that area.
{The twelfth session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties is set to open Wednesday in the Netherlands amid a deep rift between African and Western countries. After African diplomats last week failed to get the UN Security Council to defer the trials of Kenya’s top two leaders, they now plan to ask in The Hague for an amendment to the International Criminal Court’s founding statute.}
The ICC has charged Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto with crimes against humanity committed in their country during post-election violence in 2007-2008. “We are optimistic”
Two or three lines in the Statute of Rome are particularly problematic for African countries, which accuse the Court of conducting a kind of “racial hunt” against them. “Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person,” states Article 27 of the ICC’s founding treaty.
“We are going to the state parties meeting at The Hague to present the AU proposal for amendment of the Rome statute and are optimistic of a positive consideration,” said Kenyan Foreign Affairs Secretary Amina Mohamed, as quoted Monday by Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper. She said African countries hope to persuade 122 members of the Assembly to support their move. Apart from Kenya, 33 other countries have ratified the ICC’s Statute. Non-African countries that have done so include France and the UK, whose abstentions last Friday contributed to the UN Security Council’s failure to approve deferral of the Ruto and Kenyatta cases.
{{“Crucial court”}}
The idea of immunity for sitting heads of state is of course strongly criticized by African and international human rights organizations. In a joint communiqué published on the website of Human Rights Watch, these organizations sound the alarm.
“Immunity for government leaders before the ICC is contrary to the basic principle that no one should be above the law,” said Georges Kapiamba, president of the Congolese Association for Access to Justice. “We should not deny justice to the victims and their families because their tormentors hold high political positions.”
“Human rights abuses by governments and armed groups remain one of the biggest challenges confronting people in Africa,” said George Kegoro, executive director at the International Commission of Jurists-Kenya. “Ideally, domestic courts will ensure justice for these crimes, but the ICC serves as a crucial court of last resort when they are unable or unwilling.”
{{Plan B}}:
According to the Kenyan press, the country’s authorities are going to The Hague with a Plan B. If they do not obtain amendment of Article 27, they may request another amendment which would allow the Kenyan President and his deputy to attend their trials only by videoconference. The ICC Appeals Chamber has already decided that absence from trial cannot be systematic. Ruto, who has been on trial since December, has already participated via videoconference, unlike his boss, whose trial is due to start in February.
Deputy President Ruto is from the Kalenjin ethnic group, whereas President Kenyatta is Kikuyu. The two ethnic groups clashed in deadly violence in late 2007 and early 2008 during which the two accused, who have now formed a powerful alliance, were active in two opposing coalitions.
Educat and their partners, Fina Bank and KLM, proudly present the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013- finding Rwanda’s next entrepreneurial superstar!
10 high-potential Rwandan entrepreneurs will undergo one week of intense training and mentoring during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2013 to kick-start their businesses and get the chance to become Rwanda’s next shining entrepreneurial superstar.
The winner of the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013 will receive: 4 million Rwf cash price from Fina Bank, 1 airline ticket, courtesy of KLM, 6 months of free mentorship provided by Grow Movement, a spot at Educat’s REAL Business Accelerator, a six months program to boost their business even further and 6 months of free internet provided by Airtel
The second place finisher will receive a KLM flight ticket and access to the RBA program, and the third place finisher will receive free access to the RBA program.
For the next three days you can meet the ten talented, cool and innovative entrepreneurs here on igihe.com
Check out more about the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013 om www.educat.dk and don’t forget the big pitching event, Wednesday November 20th at Heaven Restaurant at 5 pm, where the ten entrepreneurs will show who has what it takes to become Rwanda’s next entrepreneurial superstar.
Educat business profiles
Name:{{ Chantal Mujawajambo}}
Business: {{Hero Shop}}
Do you want to be a hero? Take a fresh smoothie!
Hero Shop was developed out of a desire to sell fruits and vegetables in a non-traditional and more interesting way. Hero Shop smoothies always use fresh fruits and vegetables, and are made fresh in front of the customer, who has the opportunity to choose from a list of smoothies or to create their own.
Name: {{Chance Tubane
}}
Business: {{Tohoza.com}}
Share, Search & Find useful advertisements on Tohoza.com
Tohoza.com is an online platform for advertising jobs, goods, and services. Tohoza.com receives over 9,000 unique visitors per day and has over 10,000 likes on Facebook. The company was founded by Chance and her brother Patience in 2011 as a joint venture combining their skills in communication and IT, and with the idea to develop their country via a contribution to connectivity within Rwanda and East Africa more broadly.
Name: {{Madari Herberton }}
Business: {{South Alpine Farm}}
AT SOUTH ALPINE FARM WE DO BUSINESS AS WE TOUCH LIVES.
South Alpine Farm produces high quality eggs for the Rwandan market.
The company’s aim is to become the premier source for eggs and chickens in Rwanda, as well as to create jobs throughout the country.
{{Name: Matthew Rugamba
Business: House of Tayo}}
Rwandan-born, African inspired and Globally aware
House of Tayo produces locally made and African inspired men’s and unisex accessories. The idea was conceived in 2011 out of frustration towards the general perception of Rwanda held by those who were unfamiliar with the country. House of Tayo accessories are created to render a feeling of pride and quality, and they empower the local community and contributes to income generation by using the services of local tailors and cooperatives.
M-Ahwiii Ltd. believes that ICT is a key driver for socio-economic development to fast-track Rwanda’s economic transformation and delivers custom ICT solutions that transform lives, business, and the economy at large. They specialize in providing customer care tools that enhance service delivery in health facilities and other public institutions, and in providing a platform for farming organizations and cooperatives to exchange information on markets and funds.
Meat Meat was created due to a high demand for white meat in a country with few sources. Rabbit meat production is a fast growing business that can help people at all socioeconomic levels due to the low cost of initial investment. Rabbit meat is also very healthy and will provide a healthy source of nutrients and protein that is accessible to the whole population.
{{Name: Diogene Gold Rwema
Business: RWEDIGO}}
RWEDIGO is a bakery specializing in the production of healthy bread, and soon, pure fruit juices. It aims to increase the nutritional status of the population through access to breads containing high levels of nutrients and minerals, and to provide jobs to the local population. Diogene developed his recipes through training in Argentina.
{{Dianne Dusaidi
Business: Legacy 45 Entertainment Ltd.}}
Stay tuned, stay entertained
Legacy 45 Entertainment Ltd. is a multi-media production company based in Kigali that focuses on content development for film, television, radio, and news media. They also develop commercials, documentaries, and coverage of special events, and aims more broadly to give Rwandan’s a platform through which to tell their stories.
{{Colombe Ituze Ndutiye
Business: INCO}}
Traditional design with a modern touch
INCO is a fashion label based in Rwanda. It combines traditional styles with a modern touch. INCO’s creations range from apparel to accessories, and are available through retail as well as custom. INCO’s mission is to promote and expand the fashion industry in Rwanda; to raise awareness of the talents and gifts within Africa, which haven’t been fully discovered, particularly in Rwanda.
We aim to educate people about our African heritage with diverse range of creations.
The idea for Paniel Meat Processing was conceived via training through BDC Rwanda and the desire to start a business where capital is easily attainable. The company started by producing pork products but quickly expanded to other types of meat. Today, Paniel supplies hotels and supermarkets with high quality products, and contributes to the community via partnerships with local farmers and by making healthy meat products more accessible.
