The soldiers received a briefing on the new mission during a meeting with senior officials, including the Rwanda Defence Forces Army Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi and Commissioner Vincent B. Sano, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations.
The RDF Army Chief of Staff conveyed a message from President Paul Kagame, who also doubles up as the Commander-in-Chief of RDF, reminding the troops to maintain discipline and commitment to the crucial mission.
Nyakarundi emphasized that the forces currently deployed in the region were performing admirably and urged the troops to uphold the standards.
“This deployment underscores the strong bilateral relations between the Republic of Rwanda and Mozambique,” RDF said in a statement.
The Rwandan forces are helping Mozambique’s army fight militants who launched an armed uprising in 2017.
The insurgency began with the group expressing discontent over the lack of economic benefits from natural gas in the region, allegations of government corruption and marginalization of local communities.
However, over the years that followed the rebellion escalated with the militia employing violent tactics, including attacks on civilians and security forces and destruction of property, forcing the government to seek military support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2021. SADC forces started withdrawing last month as its mandate ends in July.
New attacks were reported in the northern town of Macomia on Friday morning. Confirming the attack, Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi said the country is battling ISIL-linked groups.
“Macomia is under attack since this morning. Fire exchange still continues,” Nyusi said, adding that the armed group fighters initially withdrew after about 45 minutes of fighting, but then regrouped and came back.
Early this month, RDF announced that joint Rwanda and Mozambique forces had made gains in neutralizing the militia insurgency in the country.
RDF revealed on May 5, 2024, that the joint security team had managed to smoke out and kill a majority of the Al-Shabaab terrorists hiding in Odinepa, Nasua, Mitaka, and Manika forests during a one-week operation that started on April 26.
Only a few insurgents are reported to have escaped the military onslaught during the one-week operation.
The United States Embassy in Tanzania has suspended key consular services following a widespread internet outage linked to a major fault on the subsea fibre connecting the East Africa region to the rest of the world through South Africa.
As a result of the network interruptions, the US embassy said its offices in Tanzania will remain closed to the public on May 14 and 15.
“All consular appointments on May 14 & 15 will be cancelled and rescheduled to a later date,” the embassy said in a statement.
During the period, the embassy noted that only the consular section would be open as scheduled for visa pick-up and handling of emergency cases for American citizens.
Kutokana na changamoto za huduma ya kimtandao nchini, miadi yote ya kikonseli Mei 14 & 15 itafutwa na kupangwa kwa ajili ya baadae. Kitengo cha konseli kitafunguliwa kama kawaida kwa ajili ya kuchukua visa na huduma za dharura kwa raia wa Kimarekani.
Tanzania was the worst-hit country in the internet outage that hit EAC members including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on Saturday.
Cloudflare Radar, which monitors internet connectivity, reported that Tanzania’s traffic had fallen to 30 per cent of expected levels since the network interruption was reported at 10 am on Saturday.
Nape Nnauye, Tanzania’s minister of information, communication and information technology confirmed the service disruption on Sunday, saying the cuts affected the SEACOM and EASSy subsea cable systems between Mozambique and South Africa.
The minister said the country would continue to experience low internet speeds until the technical problem is resolved.
“There are ongoing efforts to solve the problem,” he said. “As they continue to solve the problem, we will have very low access to internet and international voice calls.”
Internet service providers (ISPs) in Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda said they were aware of the intermittent internet connections and urged their customers to be patient while the issue is being addressed.
“To our customers, we would like to inform you that the technical problem with the Internet in East Africa has not yet been resolved. We are still monitoring it to provide you with normal internet services. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” MTN Rwanda said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Most ISPs, including Kenya’s leading telecommunications company Safaricom, said they had been forced to activate redundancy measures to keep their customers connected.
“We have since activated redundancy measures to minimise service interruption and keep you connected as we await the full restoration of the cable,” Safaricom said, adding, “You may, however, experience reduced internet speeds.”
Meanwhile, the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) assured members of the public on Monday that efforts by relevant players are ongoing to restore full connectivity.
“This is to inform all internet users of the undersea cable damage leading to internet disruptions. Users are encountering slow internet speeds due to congestion on remaining links.
“Please be patient as all is being done to restore full connectivity,” RURA said in a statement on Monday.
The young man was taken into custody by security officials On the morning of Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
The Deputy Mayor of Nyamasheke District in charge of Social Affairs, Athanasie Mukankusi, has told IGIHE that the young man killed his father on Sunday, but the information became known on Monday, May 13, 2024.
She said that after killing his father, the young man burned the body to eliminate evidence and then threw the remains into a latrine.
Mukankusi further stated that the mother of the young man was the one who discovered the act and immediately reported it.
She added, “The mother suspected that her son was the perpetrator because the old man had been missing for two days, and they saw his son burning something. Upon further investigation, they discovered that it was his father’s body he had thrown into the latrine.”
Mukankusi also mentioned that the young man had a property dispute with his father.
She added that after disappearing in the early hours of this Tuesday, he was arrested and is now detained at Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) station in Kanjongo.
When questioned about this possession, Barikana, who had already resigned from his position in the Chamber of Deputies, admitted he acquired the weapons while living with soldiers but forgot to return them.
Currently, Barikana is being held at the RIB Station in Remera while investigations continue to determine how he obtained the weapons and why he possessed them without legal authorization.
RIB has reminded the public that “owning firearms is governed by specific laws and any violation of these laws constitutes a criminal offense under Rwandan penal statutes.”
Barikana has been a deputy since 2013, prior to which he served as a Director in the Prime Minister’s Office between 2010 and 2013. From 2003 to 2013, he was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, and before that, he was the Prefect of Kibungo Prefecture from 1999 to 2001.
{{What does it take to own a gun in Rwanda?}}
In 2018, Rwanda revised its 2009 firearms law to reintegrate crimes and penalties that were omitted in 2012 and aligned with the constitutional requirements.
The National Police once told IGIHE that since 2018 [to 2022], no civilian in Rwanda has been granted a firearm license due to pending regulations. These regulations define the fees for a gun license, how and where one can acquire a gun, mandatory training for gun use, and the amount of ammunition allowed.
In 2022, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Rwandan Police stated that no civilian owns a gun as those who had them had returned them when the law was revised.
He mentioned, “It used to be done, but since the law was abolished, they returned them to wait for what the new law stipulates.”
When the law was revised, the then Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye, stated that the requirements to own or trade weapons in Rwanda are numerous and nearly impossible to fulfill.
He said, “I believe it is almost impossible. To trade, to show where you want to trade, it’s a Presidential Order that dictates how it should be done.”
{{Requirements for obtaining a firearm license}}
Owning a firearm, except for those allocated to the Rwandan Defence Forces, the Rwandan Police, and other legally authorized agencies, requires a written permit issued by the Rwanda National Police.
Carrying a firearm, except for those allocated to the Rwandan Defence Forces, the Rwandan Police, and other legally authorized agencies, is permitted with a written authorization from the Rwanda National Police.
{{The law grants a firearm license to an individual who fulfills the following}}
An agreement with the Rwanda National Police confirming that if provided with a gun, ammunition, and related items, they will not be used unlawfully,Travelers with a certification from their country stating the gun, ammunition, and related items are for their personal use, private security firms.
To be eligible for a firearm license, one must write to the Rwanda National Police explaining why they need a gun; be of good character; be at least 21 years old; have a medical certificate from a recognized doctor confirming they do not suffer from mental illness.
Additionally, they must have a certificate from the Rwanda National Police proving they know how to use a gun; not have been sentenced to imprisonment of six months or more; and show a legal firearm ownership and carrying permit for foreigners who possess it.
However, the Rwanda National Police may refuse to grant a firearm license.
An individual who meets these requirements can own one (1) firearm for hunting, sport, or self-defense. Those with a permit issued by the Rwanda National Police may own more than one (1) firearm.
The law explains that owning a firearm in any form, except for those allocated to the Rwandan Defence Forces, the Rwandan Police, and other legally authorized agencies, requires a written permit from the Rwanda National Police.
Carrying a firearm, except for those allocated to the Rwandan Defence Forces, the Rwandan Police, and other legally authorized agencies, is permitted with a written authorization from the Rwanda National Police.
A firearm license, along with ammunition and related items, is renewed annually with a fee set by a Presidential Order.
The Rwanda National Police has the authority to temporarily or permanently revoke a firearm license and ammunition if they are used unlawfully or in a manner that could threaten public safety.
The law also states that no civilian is allowed to own weapons designated for state security agencies. Anyone owning a gun, ammunition, and related items cannot carry them without a permit. Renting, lending, or mortgaging guns, ammunition, and related items is prohibited.
When a lawful owner of a gun, ammunition, and related items dies, the Rwanda National Police retrieves them.
Nkombo island is one of the eighteen sectors in Rusizi District. This geographic feature makes it challenging for residents to engage in commerce with other parts of the country, as their only current option is by boat.
In this context, President Paul Kagame promised a second boat to assist the people of this sector in their trade with other regions.
This boat is being manufactured at the sole modern shipyard in Rwanda, Afrinest Engineering, located in Karongi District.
Alain Munyaburanga, the Head of Afrinest Engineering, stated that the construction of the boat is progressing well. “The work on the boat is about 80% complete. We are trying to finish it as quickly as possible so it can start operating,” he said.
This shipyard previously constructed a five-star hotel ship that offers tours for tourists on Lake Kivu. If there are no unforeseen issues, the second boat is expected to be completed within this year.
The new ship will have the capacity to carry 150 passengers and can also transport cargo, including six cars.
This boat will provide a solution for travelers between Rusizi and Rubavu, as it will reduce the travel time to four hours, compared to six hours by a regular passenger bus.
Abdul Djabar Ntahomvukiye, the Executive Secretary of the Nkombo sector, told IGIHE that the completion of this boat will be a significant relief for the Nkombo residents. The current boat can only transport 30 passengers.
“Once the new boat is operational, it will be a blessing as it will be able to transport 150 people along with their cargo. The existing service covers routes to Nkombo, Nyamasheke, Ishywa, and Gihaya, but there’s also a need for services that cover longer distances,” he said.
The Nkombo sector is home to over 18,600 people who primarily rely on agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishing.
President Kagame was received in Guinea by President Mamadi Doumbouya and senior government officials before retreating for a private meeting.
In a statement, the Office of the President of Rwanda announced that the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues aimed at strengthening existing productive bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and Guinea in various sectors, including digitization, trade, and investments.
President Kagame’s visit to Guinea Conakry was confirmed by the Office of the Guinea President on Sunday evening, in a communication inviting senior government officials, including National Security Council member Dansa Kourouma and Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah, to attend the welcoming ceremony at the Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport.
The visit comes nearly four months after Guinea’s Interim President, Mamadi Doumbouya, concluded a three-day visit to Rwanda, aimed at strengthening friendship and cooperation ties between the two countries.
President Kagame made a similar trip to Guinea from April 17-18, 2023, which resulted in the signing of an agreement on the creation of a joint cooperation committee between Rwanda and Guinea. The committee covers areas such as agriculture, ICT, education, mining, and security.
President Kagame and Doumbouya also witnessed the inauguration of a highway interchange connecting Kagbélen to Conakry that was named after President Kagame. The project was initiated to ease movement between major industrial cities and Conakry, as well as with neighbouring countries.
The commemoration, which took place on May 11, 2024, at the Genocide Memorial in ‘Place du Parc’, highlighted concerns that the international community has not done enough to apprehend Genocide suspects who still move freely across Europe and other regions.
The event was organized by a group of genocide survivors in collaboration with the Rwandan Diaspora of Mons and the City Administration.
André Bucyana, Chargé d’Affaires at the Rwandan Embassy in Belgium, recounted the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, outlining how it was planned, tested, and executed, with the present challenges including denial by those who distort its facts.
He highlighted the importance of remembering the victims, noting that it revives the painful memories for the survivors, while also praising their resilience and continuing recovery efforts.
“However, the path toward justice is still long, despite some trials that have occurred over the past 30 years, particularly here in Belgium,” he added.
Gilbert Dushimimana, the President of Rwandan community in Belgium known as DRB-Rugari, remarked that people should learn from the leadership of Rwanda to “continue to draw strength from the atrocities committed during the Genocide against the Tutsi” in order to help prevent such history from recurring.
Dushimimana also expressed gratitude towards the Mons administration for its continued support in remembering the genocide against the Tutsi since 2017, “up to the provision of a Genocide Memorial, demonstrating your solidarity with us.”
Nicolas Martin, Mayor of Mons, noted that the Genocide against the Tutsi was among the most rapid and widespread genocides, involving the mass slaughter of individuals from various backgrounds. He commended the unyielding spirit of the survivors.
“The sheer brutality of this genocide, when recounted, immediately reminds us of the survivors; thus, our efforts are intended to assist the survivors in continuing to live, regardless of the challenges,” he stated.
Ernest Sagaga, the President of Ibuka-Mémoire & Justice-Belgique, emphasized that remembering the Genocide against the Tutsi means honoring the lives lost even before the genocide commenced, reflecting on their horrors even though they had been assured protection by the international community, which ultimately let them down.
Sagaga also praised the Mons leadership for providing a space that includes the Memorial for those killed in the Genocide against the Tutsi and Belgian soldiers who died in Kigali on April 7, 1994, when the Genocide officially began.
The commemoration featured three segments, including a walk to remember, commemoration talks and testimonies at the “Hotel de Ville de Mons,” and a candlelight vigil in Jemappes, where testimonies were shared and photographs of lost and wiped out families were displayed, reflecting on the lives they led.
This event is part of a series of 30th-anniversary commemorations of the Genocide against the Tutsi that have taken place in various cities across Belgium, including Brussels, Liège, Namur, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Bruges, with forthcoming events scheduled in Antwerp, Charleroi, and Tournai.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania confirmed on Monday that the technical problem had not been resolved even as internet users continued to complain of frustrating low speeds.
More than 80 million internet users are reported to have been affected by the internet service outage that started at around 10:00 am on Saturday.
Rwanda’s leading telecommunication company, MTN Rwanda, said it was monitoring the situation to provide its customers with normal internet services.
“To our customers, we would like to inform you that the technical problem with the Internet in East Africa has not yet been resolved. We are still monitoring it to provide you with normal internet services. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” MTN Rwanda said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Airtel Rwanda users have also reported slow internet speeds on social media.
In Kenya, leading telco Safaricom confirmed that its internet services had also been affected following an outage on one of the undersea cables that deliver internet traffic in and out of the country.
“We have since activated redundancy measures to minimise service interruption and keep you connected as we await the full restoration of the cable,” Safaricom said, adding, “You may, however, experience reduced internet speeds.”
Responding to customer complaints on Monday the company said the problem was yet to be resolved.
“We are aware of the challenge, and request patience as resolution is ongoing.”
Airtel Uganda also said it was aware of the “intermittent internet service” linked to failures affecting the SEACOM and EASSy subsea cable systems.
Earlier, Cloudflare Radar, which monitors internet connectivity, reported that Tanzania was among the worst-affected countries with traffic falling to 30 per cent of expected levels.
Nape Nnauye, Tanzania’s minister of information, communication and information technology confirmed the service disruption on Sunday, saying the outage was caused by a fault on the cables between Mozambique and South Africa.
“There are ongoing efforts to solve the problem,” he said. “As they continue to solve the problem, we will have very low access to internet and international voice calls.”
Other countries that have reported internet service outages include Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar.
The competition aims to nurture the entrepreneurial and innovative skills of students starting from a young age. It lasts for six weeks, during which students face a variety of challenges in which they participate online using computers or smartphones. These tasks help them enhance their understanding of societal and global challenges, prompting them to think of inventive solutions.
Initiated in South Africa in 2019 by the Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropy, the program has been a significant influence in Rwanda’s educational landscape.
At the awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, for the competition’s fourth iteration, Sherry Uwase, the Marketing and Communications Director at Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies Rwanda (AGGPR), emphasized the significant effects the initiative has had on the educational sector in Rwanda over the past years.
“The primary benefit of these competitions is that they align with modern entrepreneurial education and future educational plans that focus on quality,” said Uwase.
“Our goal is for more schools to participate in these competitions, helping us reach our objective of equipping all students with entrepreneurial skills early in their lives and preparing them for the job market.”
This year’s competition, held from January 22 to March 6, 2024, presented challenges in fields such as construction, finance, tourism, commerce in Africa, mechatronics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The competition attracted thousands of students from 900 schools across all districts of the country, with 2,200 teachers aiding and mentoring the participants.
Olive Uwiduhaye, a student at G.S Kareba, won the grand prize, which included a trip to Akagera National Park and training in entrepreneurship.
“I am excited about the training I will receive, as there is much I expect to learn from it. The challenge related to artificial intelligence particularly inspired me to dream of becoming a significant female figure in this region, especially in Rwanda, with diverse knowledge. I also want to advance modern agriculture in my hometown of Nyabihu,” said Uwiduhaye.
Parfait Busabizwa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Culture, noted the value of such programs for the youth, as they instill a culture of entrepreneurship and nurture future entrepreneurs.
“Teaching them while they are still in school helps them discover their potential and create innovative job opportunities for themselves and their peers early on, fostering a love for it and fine-tuning their projects,” stated Busabizwa.
The Rwandan government, along with its partners and various organizations, continuously strives for the advancement of the country’s youth, launching numerous programs aimed at their development.
An example is the competitions organized by the Ministry of Youth and Culture since 2013, which have engaged over 2,000 young entrepreneurs, leading to the creation of 36,000 job opportunities for other youth.
As the fourth edition of the ‘Wavumbuzi Entrepreneurship Challenge’ concluded, students, teachers, and educational institutions received various awards, including cash and technological equipment such as computers.
The annual report indicates that in 2023, 32,853 deaths were documented in the civil registration system across the country, with non-communicable illnesses accounting for 46 per cent of the deaths, up from 45 per cent in 2022. The chronic diseases include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and schizophrenia.
The second-largest causes of death in the country were infectious and parasitic diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, and measles; maternal and perinatal causes, including maternal haemorrhage and birth trauma; and malnutrition, which represented 43 per cent of the deaths registered in 2023, down from 46 per cent in 2022.
Injuries from accidents accounted for 11 per cent of the deaths registered in 2023, representing an increase of 3 per cent from the 2022 statistics.
The report further shows that of the 32,853 deaths documented in 2023, 53.8 per cent occurred outside health facilities
Mortality statistics show a high number of registered deaths among males compared to females, with a sex ratio at death equivalent to 121.1 male deaths per 100 female deaths in 2023, almost the same as the result in 2022 (122.2).
In 2023, the Northern Province led with the highest number of registered deaths at 8,271, followed by Kigali (7,818), the Southern Province (6,819), the Eastern Province (6,135), and the Western Province (3,509). A total of 301 deaths were not attributed to any province.
In terms of districts, Gasabo District recorded the highest number of deaths due to its high population density, with 1,682, followed by Nyagatare with 1,552 and Rubavu with 1,465. Gicumbi District had 1,415, Musanze District had 1376 deaths, Bugesera District had 1305, followed by Gakenke District with 1242.
Other districts that recorded more than 1,000 deaths were Gatsibo (1,212), Kamonyi (1,203), Muhanga (1,194), Rwamagana (1,119), Nyamasheke (1,099), Rulindo (1,062) and Nyaruguru (1,049).
In terms of the age of the deceased persons, most deaths were recorded within the age bracket of five years and below, followed by persons aged 80 years and above. NISR attributed this trend to the high risk of death at early ages, particularly at birth.
