Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Maraga described Rwanda’s polls as one of the most organized electoral processes he has ever witnessed.
“The electoral process was very orderly and peaceful. In fact, one of the best-organized I have ever seen. The organization was superb unlike in some places where elections are chaotic, rowdy, and noisy, even at the polling stations on polling day,” Maraga stated.
“My people gave me information from all the polling stations that there was no dancing, no noise in general, and it was very good,” he added.
Maraga’s delegation comprised 55 observers dispatched to different parts of the country on election day.
Apart from the EAC, other observer groups present during the elections included the African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
Others were from the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and the electoral mission of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF).
In a joint statement, the observers affirmed that the electoral, political, and security environment in Rwanda before, during, and immediately after the elections was calm and peaceful.
“The National Electoral Commission and other institutions responsible for managing the electoral process have so far discharged their duty diligently in accordance with the electoral calendar,” reads the statement.
The observers commended the government for the successful election and also congratulated the people of Rwanda for exercising their democratic right.
Partial results announced by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on Monday July 15, 2024 put President Paul Kagame in the lead with 99.15% followed Dr. Frank Habineza and Philippe Mpayimana with 0.53% and 0.32% respectively.
Landline home phones were a luxury in China back in the 1970s, when an average employee earned a few hundred yuan a month but had to pay a staggering 3,000 yuan for a new installation. Now, in 2024, new installations cost only 100 yuan ($13.8), while the average salary has increased to thousands of yuan.
The Chinese people can enjoy such drastic price cuts thanks to the country’s sci-tech development. In the 1970s, China relied on imported telephone infrastructure. With no key technology at hand, the price of a phone service was largely decided by foreign tech powers. Now, China is a major player in 5G, with companies like Huawei and ZTE being industry leaders.
China’s transformation from an underdeveloped nation to a global scientific powerhouse is a result of strategic planning and sustained investment. The cornerstone of this remarkable journey was the launch of the reform and opening-up policies in 1978.
Prior to this, China was mired in economic stagnation and poverty. Agriculture dominated the economy, characterized by low productivity and yields. Industry was underdeveloped, inefficient and heavily reliant on sectors like steel and coal.
Furthermore, the Cold War had limited China’s access to advanced technology and new knowledge in foreign countries.
Recognizing the critical role of science and technology in driving economic growth, China made a pivotal shift in 1978 with the holding of the National Science Conference. The country’s decision makers recognized science and technology as a “productive force” – a Marxist concept that drives the society forward. They embarked on a mission to rebuild the country’s research infrastructure, foster collaboration with global researchers and align scientific endeavors with national development goals. In 1988, China’s leadership further promoted sci-tech as the “primary productive force.”
In 1995, China formalized its commitment to science by declaring it one of the two keys of national rejuvenation. The government further solidified this priority in 2006 with the Outline of National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020), elevating innovation to a national strategy.
This strategic focus bore fruit. By the end of 2023, China’s research and development expenditure had skyrocketed over 200 times compared to 1991, reaching a staggering 3.3 trillion yuan ($460 billion). This massive investment fueled a vibrant innovation ecosystem, attracting and nurturing a burgeoning scientific workforce that grew ninefold to 6.35 million full-time equivalents by the end of 2023.
The results are undeniable. China’s intellectual output has soared, with over 4 million invention patents granted by the end of 2023 – an 80-fold increase from 1991.
China’s journey is a compelling case study of how strategic investment in science and technology can transform a nation’s trajectory. By prioritizing research, development and innovation, China has catapulted itself into the ranks of global scientific leaders.
Museveni was the first to condemn the gun attack that resulted in the Republican Party presidential candidate being rushed to hospital after being injured by a bullet in the upper part of his right ear.
Authorities confirmed that one person was killed and two others left in critical condition after the incident on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
“I condemn this despicable and cowardly assassination attempt that put his life and that of his supporters at risk. Such political violence undermines democracy ” Museveni said in a social media post 3 days after the shooting.
He also extended his condolences to the family that lost a loved one and to those injured in the barrage of gunfire.
“I wish His Excellency and all those injured a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” Museveni added.
Similarly, Kenya’s Ruto termed Saturday’s incident as “a shocking and heinous act”.
“In these troubling times, I take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the democratic ideals we share with the people of the United States of America. I wish Donald Trump a speedy and full recovery,” he stated, while also extending sympathies to the other victims of the incident.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has since identified Trump’s attacker as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks, who was taken down by Secret Service agents, was a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of Butler, where Trump was holding his rally.
The young man shot at Trump from the roof of a shed outside the security cordon around the rally shortly after the former US president had started speaking.
At the time of the attack, the FBI stated that Crooks was not carrying any identification and had to be identified using DNA samples.
The 20-year-old worked as a dietary aide at Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. His job mainly entailed working alongside dietitians, dietary managers, and chefs to help prepare food for the nursing home.
Marcie Grimm, the administrator of the nursing home, said she was “shocked and saddened to learn of his involvement.”
Grimm mentioned that Crooks had no previous criminal record when he was hired.
Law enforcement officers said that the Crooks had requested an off from work on Saturday and had reportedly told colleagues that he had “something to do,” and he would be back at Sunday.
Background checks on Crooks revealed that he was a registered Republican voter. However, on January 20, 2021—two weeks after pro-Trump alt-right supporters stormed the White House—Crooks donated $15 to a grassroots Democratic group.
This year’s presidential election would have been his first voting.
President Joe Biden, who is seeking a second term in the forthcoming polls, has since also condemned the attack, stating that he was grateful Trump was “safe and doing well.”
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” Biden said in a statement.
Trump is running for a second, non-consecutive term in the November 5, 2024, general election after losing to Biden in the 2020 edition.
This comes shortly after Rwanda established its embassy in Pakistan and is expected to enhance cooperation in security, trade, health, and education between the two countries.
She presented the credentials on July 15, 2024 and becomes, the first Rwandan High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Speaking to Rwandan local media, Harerimana said that she has had discussions with President Zardari focusing on bilateral cooperation.
“The discussions focused on the cooperation and relations between Rwanda and Pakistan. We have had a longstanding relationship, but now we will particularly emphasize trade, health, education, and security,” she stated.
She added that President Zardari agreed to expedite the signing of agreements, including those promoting transportation between the two countries.
In addition, Pakistan has agreed to provide scholarships to Rwandan students for studies in Pakistan, particularly in the field of health.
On the same day, other envoys from Zimbabwe, Tajikistan, Argentina, Myanmar, Cambodia and Botswana also presented their letters of credence.
Rwandans elected their President and Members of Parliament on July 14, 15 and 16, 2024, following three weeks of campaigning. In an interview with a TV5 Monde journalist, Muyaya claimed that the elections in Rwanda were held in discretion and that no credible observers were present to monitor them.
He claimed to have only seen the RPF observer, not an observer from the European Union or any recognized election monitoring bodies.
In response, Nduhungirehe has rebuked Muyaya’ comments stating that Rwanda’s campaign and elections were largely calm, and peaceful unlike what happened in the DRC general elections on December 20, 2023.
He reminded Muyaya that elections in his country were marred by acts of violence and sometimes death, therefore he has not moral authority to criticize what happened in Rwanda.
“In the DRC elections, voting equipment was stolen in various places, some found in the homes of members of the ruling UDPS party, polling stations were vandalized, and citizens were prevented from voting,” Nduhungirehe said.
He highlighted constant insecurity and other political challenges in the DRC influenced by its government in which people including national army officers are executed due to their physical appearance.
On July 13, 2023, the spokesperson of Ensemble pour la Republique, the main opposition party in DRC was shot dead in his car in the capital Kinshasa.
Though the DRC government later said that this was a suicide, it was widely seen as a political assassination aimed at silencing political opponents in the country.
Overtime, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has portrayed himself as a violent person threatening to overthrow the government Rwanda or bomb its capital Kigali on several occasions.
Concerning the claim that “no reputable observation mission” was deployed in Rwanda during the elections, Nduhungirehe noted that several observation missions from five regional and international organizations, of which the DRC is a full member, were assigned in Kigali.
These include the African Union (AU), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), and the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF).
“I was therefore unaware that the DRC government still lived in a bygone era of intellectual and moral ‘bleaching,’ to the point of trying to discredit African organizations of which it is a member,” he concluded.
The electoral commission announced that the elections went smoothly. This was confirmed by various observers who monitored them. Partial results showed that Paul Kagame, the candidate of RPF Inkotanyi, received 99.15% of the votes, Dr. Frank Habineza 0.53%, and Philippe Mpayimana 0.32%.
The application period runs from July 17, 2024, to October 17, 2024. Jasiri is committed to understanding areas of non-consumption and leveraging deep insights to develop ventures that create new markets. The Jasiri Talent Investor Program offers hands-on support to fellows, guiding them from the ideation stage to the creation of operational ventures. The program provides comprehensive support, including funding, coaching, and strategic advisory services to minimize obstacles that hinder entrepreneurial success.
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Eligibility for the program requires applicants to be Ethiopian, Kenyan, or Rwandan, residing in their country or the diaspora. Candidates must be ready to pursue entrepreneurship full-time as a career and participate in a three-month Residential Intensive in Rwanda. Applicants should be well-informed and skilled in their professional fields, capable of identifying gaps and opportunities within their sectors of interest.
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Following elections held on Monday, July 15, 2024, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) revealed that Kagame secured a resounding victory with 99.15% of the votes.
“This election process, the campaign we conducted first, the voting, and the results that have just been released, mean something significant in a person’s life; it symbolizes trust, for which I thank you,” President Kagame said.
He emphasized that trust is not easily earned and requires time and consistent effort. “Trust is built over time,” he added.
Reflecting on his leadership and the journey he has shared with the Rwandan people, Kagame noted the importance of facing challenges head-on.
“With this trust and all these years we have spent together solving many difficult challenges, was there ever a time when you saw me at a loss for solutions? I am never defeated by challenges,” he declared, reinforcing his commitment to overcoming obstacles with the continued support of the nation.
“Even in the difficult situations we have gone through or will go through in the future, trust is the reason for it all. Trust makes me confident that together, there is no challenge we will not surmount.”
The partial results also indicated that other presidential candidates, Dr. Frank Habineza of the DGPR party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana, received 0.53% and 0.32% of the votes, respectively.
By Monday, 7,160,864 votes had been counted, with an expected turnout of over nine million Rwandans and 98% voter turnout.
NEC is set to announce provisional results on July 20, with the final results expected on July 27.
In a distinct fashion, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, vividly communicates the country’s reform goals and methods to audiences both at home and abroad.
The following are some examples.
VENTURING INTO THE MOUNTAIN DESPITE KNOWING THERE ARE TIGERS
In April 2014, Xi delivered a speech at the College of Europe during his state visit to Belgium.
China needs to “venture into the mountain despite knowing there are tigers,” as its reform has entered a “deep water zone” where tough challenges must be addressed, Xi said.
Ahead of a visit to Latin America about three months later, Xi once again invoked the expression to proclaim to the world China’s unwavering determination and courage in furthering reform.
“We will advance reform with the political courage and wisdom of ‘venturing into the mountain despite knowing there are tigers,’ and with great dedication to working hard and achieving tangible results,” he said.
PLAYING THE PIANO WITH ALL 10 FINGERS
In an interview with a Russian TV station in February 2014, Xi said that Chinese leaders must “play the piano with all 10 fingers,” emphasizing the need to plan for the bigger picture while keeping all moving parts in play.
Since assuming the Party’s top post in November 2012, Xi has made “coordination” a keyword in the CPC’s endeavors to deepen reform so as to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance.
Amid changes in the domestic and global landscapes, China’s reform is confronting challenges on an unprecedented scale, involving a wide range of complex issues.
“It is crucial to enhance the coordination and mutual support among reform measures, ensuring that reforms across different fields and sectors align and synergize to maximize overall effectiveness,” Xi said in his inspection tour of east China’s Shandong Province in May this year.
CLEARING THE CAGE FOR NEW BIRDS
During his tenure as Party chief of Zhejiang Province, Xi put forward the expression “clearing the cage for new birds” to shed light on the transformation of a relatively extensive model of growth in the eastern province, which boasts a strong private sector.
Since he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2012, Xi has made use of this expression on multiple occasions. In March 2014, when taking part in deliberation in the annual national legislative session with lawmakers from Guangdong Province, China’s economic powerhouse and a pioneer in reform and opening up, Xi used the expression to stress the importance of deepening reform in all areas and promoting structural adjustments.
Xi called for efforts to advance industrial upgrading, give full play to the role of innovation in propelling progress, and embrace green development.
Three years later, also during the annual national legislative session, Xi mentioned the phrase again in a discussion with lawmakers from Liaoning Province, one of China’s earliest major industrial bases, emphasizing the necessity of replacing old industries with new ones amid the country’s economic transformation drive.
TWO WINGS OF A BIRD, TWO WHEELS OF A CART
Xi referred to the roles of reform and the rule of law in propelling China’s development as “two wings of a bird or two wheels of a cart” while addressing senior officials during a meeting in February 2015.
“Reform should be promoted under the rule of law and the rule of law should be enhanced in the process of reform. This is why we refer to them as ‘two wheels,’” Xi stressed.
ENGINE IGNITER
“If innovation is the new engine for China’s development, reform is the indispensable igniter,” Xi said in his address at the APEC CEO Summit held in Beijing in November 2014.
“To comprehensively deepen reform, we need to broaden the path for innovation,” Xi stressed in his address, pledging to enable the engine of innovation to run with full power.
China has reformed its talent evaluation system for years to boost creativity among sci-tech professionals. Provinces including Anhui, Shandong and Sichuan have introduced pilot programs to shift away from overemphasizing academic papers, professional titles, degrees and awards.
“In a new round of global growth, only reformers can advance, only innovators can thrive, and only those who reform and innovate will prevail,” Xi said.
A FAIR SHARE OF A BIGGER PIE
Addressing the G20 Hangzhou Summit in 2016, Xi used the metaphor “a bigger pie” to describe China’s development and stressed the necessity of “ensuring that people get a fair share of it.”
This is an answer to the question “for whom the reform was conducted.”
“We will resolve the most pressing problems affecting the immediate interests of the people to their satisfaction,” he said.
Achieving common prosperity is a basic requirement of socialism and an important feature of the Chinese path to modernization. Making “the pie” bigger while dividing it well has enriched both the theory and practice of common prosperity.
The U.S. women, who won team titles in 2012 and 2016, seem even more formidable, as Simone Biles has returned to superb form, winning the all-around world title in 2023 and taking a ninth national championship in 2024.
After the Tokyo Olympics, Biles took time to polish her signature Yurchenko double pike, upgrade her floor exercise, and recently produced a new dismount combination on bars.
But it’s not just Biles that makes the American team stronger. Reigning all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee and 24-year-old Jade Carey also stand out. Lee is known for her excellence on the uneven bars, while Carey is a valuable asset on floor and vault.
There are, however, quite a few notable contenders that may pose a serious challenge for the U.S..
China’s Qiu Qiyuan defeated Biles on the uneven bars at last year’s world championships, and is eyeing glory in Paris. “It’s competitive, but if I can finish it smoothly, I will have a chance to win the title,” Qiu said.
Qiu’s teammate Zhou Yaqin, with a brilliant display on the balance beam, is also a strong candidate for the Olympic title.
In the women’s team event, three athletes from each team compete on vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. “Vault and floor may not be our favorite,” said Qiu. “We hope to have consistent and well-performed routines to make up for the difficulty.”
Having a breakout year in 2023 by taking a first-ever team silver medal in the world championship, Brazil’s squad, led by Tokyo all-around silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, is on the hunt for an unprecedented Olympic team medal for the South American nation.
France’s women’s team, having never previously finished higher than fifth at an Olympics, is in contention for a medal after a strong showing for a team bronze at the world championships last year.
Paris 2024 Gymnastics Preview: U.S. women aim high, China, Japan vie for men’s title
Source: XinhuaEditor: huaxia2024-07-16 16:48:30
Gold medalist Simone Biles of the United States reacts during the awarding ceremony of women’s floor exercise final of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium on October 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team aims for more gold medals at the Paris Olympics, while China and Japan contend for the men’s titles.
BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — The United States’ female gymnasts are looking to secure several gold medals at the upcoming Paris Olympics, particularly in the women’s team event, which they lost to the ROC at the Tokyo Olympics, while China and Japan will be the main contenders for the men’s titles.
The U.S. women, who won team titles in 2012 and 2016, seem even more formidable, as Simone Biles has returned to superb form, winning the all-around world title in 2023 and taking a ninth national championship in 2024.
After the Tokyo Olympics, Biles took time to polish her signature Yurchenko double pike, upgrade her floor exercise, and recently produced a new dismount combination on bars.
But it’s not just Biles that makes the American team stronger. Reigning all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee and 24-year-old Jade Carey also stand out. Lee is known for her excellence on the uneven bars, while Carey is a valuable asset on floor and vault.
There are, however, quite a few notable contenders that may pose a serious challenge for the U.S..
China’s Qiu Qiyuan defeated Biles on the uneven bars at last year’s world championships, and is eyeing glory in Paris. “It’s competitive, but if I can finish it smoothly, I will have a chance to win the title,” Qiu said.
Qiu’s teammate Zhou Yaqin, with a brilliant display on the balance beam, is also a strong candidate for the Olympic title.
In the women’s team event, three athletes from each team compete on vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. “Vault and floor may not be our favorite,” said Qiu. “We hope to have consistent and well-performed routines to make up for the difficulty.”
Having a breakout year in 2023 by taking a first-ever team silver medal in the world championship, Brazil’s squad, led by Tokyo all-around silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, is on the hunt for an unprecedented Olympic team medal for the South American nation.
France’s women’s team, having never previously finished higher than fifth at an Olympics, is in contention for a medal after a strong showing for a team bronze at the world championships last year.
In the men’s competition, 2021 world all-around champion Zhang Boheng of China, a long-time rival of reigning Olympic and world all-around champion Daiki Hashimoto, is set to challenge for his first-ever Olympic title.
Japan have also sent a strong team to join Hashimoto that includes NHK Trophy men’s all-around title winner Shinnosuke Oka. Finishing second in the team final at the Tokyo Olympics, Japan were crowned world champions in 2023 and are looking to repeat their success in Paris.
The gymnastics competition of Paris 2024 will run through July 27 to August 5.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said the suspect, identified as Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, was arrested on Monday morning in ongoing relentless efforts to deliver justice to the victims.
Khalusha was arrested at 3 am outside a club in Nairobi’s Soweto neighbourhood, where he had gone to watch the Euro 2024 football finals between England and Spain.
DCI boss Mohamed Amin told journalists in Nairobi that detectives narrowed down on the suspect after conducting forensic analysis of a mobile money account belonging to one of the victims, Josphine Mulongo Owino. Mobile money transactions conducted on the day she went missing pointed to the suspect.
Upon his arrest, the suspect led officers to his single-room rented house in Kware, located about 100m from the crime scene where bodies and other dismembered body parts were recovered.
A search of the house led to the recovery of crucial exhibits, including a machete and six Kenyan national identity cards for men, along with two belonging to women.
Other items recovered from the suspect’s house included 24 new SIM cards, eight smartphones, a laptop, nylon sacks, a pair of rubber gloves, a nylon rope, a pair of panties, and a female handbag, among other items.
Upon interrogation, the suspect gave the sleuths a chilling confession how he lured, killed, and disposed of 42 female bodies, including that of his wife, at the Kware dumping site between 2022 and July 11, 2024.
“The suspect alleges that his first victim was his wife namely Imelda Judith Khalenya whom he strangled to death before dismembering her body and disposing it at the site,” Amin said.
Khalusha told detectives that he killed his wife because she twice squandered the money he had given her to start a business.
“He told us that after marrying his first wife in 2022, he started for her a business twice but she squandered the business on both occasions. Out of bitterness he chopped her into pieces and dumped her at the quarry. Further investigations are ongoing” Amid remarked.
The suspect is also believed to have sexually assaulted his victims.
“Apparently he is a person full of vengeance and hatred and he had a special attraction for beautiful women, according to what he told us… We are dealing with a serial killer who has no respect or dignity for human life. He confessed to us that he had carnal knowledge with some of the victims,” Amin said.
Earlier, the police said that all the nine bodies recovered from the dumping site had similar injuries, indicating that the victims were killed in a similar manner. The bodies were wrapped in sacks.
Families with missing relatives have been urged to report to the authorities as investigations into the murders continue.
“We are likely to arrest more suspects because we believe he did not act alone,” Amin stated.
