While in South Africa, President Xi Jinping will co-chair with President Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue, Hua added.
Category: News
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Substandard products worth over Rwf100 million seized from market
The five-day operation code named USALAMA IX, started on August 14. It is a simultaneous regional operation conducted periodically since 2013, in all the Eastern Africa Police Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) member states in partnership with the international Police body, INTERPOL, targeting counterfeit or substandard foods and beverages, and other products, human and drug trafficking, smuggling and other crimes.
The seized substandard products, according to the operations report released on Saturday, August 19, by Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) and other institutions, include foodstuff such as meat, maize flour and honey worth over Frw36.2 million; illicit brews and beverages valued at over Frw13.2 million; and expired pharmaceuticals with an estimated value of over Frw1.4 million.
Others include illegally extracted and possessed minerals with an estimated value of over Frw18,5 million; outlawed polythene bags worth over Frw13.8 million; construction materials such as paint and electric cables valued at Frw7.5 million; electronic equipment including mobile phones worth over Frw1.8 million; as well as assorted liquor and beer brands, prohibited cosmetics, auto engine oil and other petroleum items, hair bleaching products, clothes, shoes, kanyanga (illicit gin) and narcotics especially cannabis.
At least 67 people were also arrested during the operations, including 29 Rwandans and 38 foreigners; manufacturers, companies and individuals were also handed fines totaling to over Frw43.7 million for operating with either no or expired license, poor packaging, substandard products, and operating in unhygienic places.
The RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police CP John Bosco Kabera, while addressing journalists at RIB headquarters in Kimihurura, warned of continuous operations.
“Selling fake or expired pharmaceuticals, foods, beverages or substandard construction material is being self-serving at the expense of people’s lives, which is also an act of causing insecurity,” said CP Kabera.
He added: “Why should someone invest in a business to poison people and to incur losses? When you are found in such unlawful and harmful practices, you will be arrested, face a prison sentence, fined and your shop, company or plant closed.”
Some seven production plants and three pharmacies were fined and closed for either operating illegally or breaching quality standards.
RIB spokesperson, Thierry Murangira said that some traders were selling expired products such as water and alcoholic beverages after covering expiry dates with new seals.
Some impounded products like Leffe beer, for example, expired in December 2022, but the manufacture date seals were counterfeited and given a new expiry date of up to December 2023.
There are those who were also packaging and selling poor quality auto engine oil, in Total Energies jerrycans and boxes.
“The government encourages people and particularly the youth to be innovative and to create jobs, but that should not compromise standards and quality or influence illegal operations,” Murangira said.
According to Dr. Eric Nyirimigabo, the Head of Food and Drugs Inspection and Safety Monitoring Department at Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (FDA), some plants were found operating without license, others had been closed due to standards but they continued operating; there are those that were counterfeiting production dates; as well as those operating in unhygienic areas or in places contrary to the awarded license.
Beatrice Uwumukiza, the Director General of Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA), urged traders and consumers to always check production dates thoroughly, to ask for receipts for easy tracing of unlawful practices in business.
She also reminded sellers to always display commodity prices as provided by law.
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Exploring some of Rwanda’s promising projects paving path to food self-sufficiency
The fifth Population and Housing Census highlighted that a significant 53.4% of Rwandans depend on agriculture. Aligning with the Vision 2050, Rwanda aims to transition 70% of its population away from agricultural practices and toward modern methodologies. To realize this transition, the Imbuto Foundation has taken proactive measures by organizing events like the ‘Imali Agribusiness Challenge’. This initiative fosters the empowerment of young individuals, encouraging them to embrace modern agricultural practices.
A prime example of such initiatives is the “Imali Agribusiness Challenge”, organized by the Imbuto Foundation in collaboration with Friends of Imbuto and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI). The competition showcased innovative projects with the potential to revolutionize the agricultural landscape in Rwanda.
{{Drones to revolutionize agriculture}}
Among the promising projects that caught attention is the “Rwanda Drone Innovation,” spearheaded by Patient Dukeshimana, Elysee Karemera, and Florence Ishimirwe Inkesha through their venture, Agrinet Rwanda Ltd.
This project focuses on employing drones for agricultural applications, including the precision application of fertilizers and pesticides. Moreover, these drones are meant to offer real-time crop monitoring, facilitating the early detection of potential crop diseases and enabling informed decision-making.
Dukeshimana emphasizes that the adoption of drone technology not only reduces manual labor costs but also significantly decreases the time required to cover extensive fields. These advancements hold great promise in contributing to increased agricultural productivity.
{{Transforming waste into fertilizer}}
Chantal Kamashazi, with her project under “Mind Valley Rwanda Ltd,” is addressing the issue of fertilizer scarcity in the Kayonza District. Her project involves the production of compost from cow dung, which is abundant in the Eastern Province due to a large number of cows.
Kamashazi with a Master’s degree in Agriculture from Korea, has mobilized local communities and created employment opportunities while addressing a critical agricultural need.
In Bugesera, another group is actively tackling fertilizer scarcity. Aline Nayituriki, Sylvestre Karorero, Bonheur Nshuti, and Patrick Rugamba, through their joint venture known as “Agri-ThinkTank,” have established a company focused on producing compost from garbage.
Their innovative approach, tested in the Rweru area of Bugesera District, has demonstrated remarkable results. Farmers utilizing their manure, named ‘Ongera Compost,’ witnessed a 30% increase in their agricultural yields.
To bridge the fertilizer supply gap, Rwanda is ambitiously working towards establishing the Rwanda Fertilizer Company Ltd in Bugesera, a collaborative endeavor involving the Agaciro Development Fund, APTC investor, and OCP Africa, a Moroccan company.
{{Mushroom farming and pineapple wine production}}
Gildas Kwitonda, through his company G-Proud Company Ltd, is taking a unique route into agriculture with his “Iby’iwacu Project,” focusing on mushroom cultivation. Based in Kigali City’s Bumbogo area, Kwitonda crafts mushroom substrates using crop residues and nutrient-rich components, generating up to 2000 substrates daily.
In Kamonyi District, a project by Marie Faustine Niyomubyeyi, Steven Munyantwaza Cyiza, and Sabine, operating under Vynes Ltd, is bringing forth Made in Rwanda wine made from pineapples.
This initiative not only aims to bolster pineapple farming in the region but also endeavors to reduce the reliance on imported wines while adding value to locally grown pineapples.
{{Innovative ingredients for culinary delights}}
“Volcano Green Invest Ltd,” established by Aime Rukundo, Kevin Ndayisaba, Belyse Uwineza, and Jeannette Kwizera, is making its mark by processing tree tomatoes and vegetables into a unique ingredient named “Tamarilo Jam.”
This versatile ingredient finds its application in bread-making and culinary preparations, providing a cost-effective option with an exceptional taste profile and nutritional benefits. The production hub for this ingredient is located in Musanze District.
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RDF does not exist to wage wars – Kagame
The Head of State was addressing soldiers who participated in the Combined Arms Field Training Exercise code-named “Exercise Hard Punch 04/2023”, that had been going on at RDF Combat Training Centre, Gabiro.
The Hard Punch exercise was last held in 2018. One of the objectives of the exercise is to test and assess the synchronised delivery of joint fires using various capabilities in a single operation.
The military drill also seeks to demonstrate the joint planning, synchronisation and coordinated employment of air power, special forces and offensive support group capabilities in supporting an infantry division to achieve a combat mission.
Speaking to soldiers after witnessing the final field exercise on Thursday, Kagame urged them on discipline.
“We are not an army that only protects the country, we participated in building it; we are still building it and we will continue to play our part. Discipline is the key to succeeding in our job. Discipline enables us to use our limited means efficiently allocating the little we have where it is most needed,” he said.
Kagame has however highlighted that discipline is not enough on its own but should be built on to enhance knowledge and capabilities.
“There is knowledge and understanding which helps build our capabilities. Because you can have discipline, but if you don’t have knowledge, education and training, that discipline itself will not get you anywhere without building on it,” he noted.
The President also commended the contribution of Rwandan soldiers in peacekeeping operations in different missions.
“RDF does not exist to wage wars, it exists to prevent wars and protect peace. You have shown this here at home, and abroad, in the many places where you have gone to lend a helping hand to those with whom we share a lot as Africans and to other friends who are in need of our help,” remarked Kagame.
Rwandan soldiers have been intervening in Cabo Delgado of Mozambique over the past two years to quell terrorists.
They are also present in the Central African Republic (CAR) under the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission or through bilateral partnerships.
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At least 6 killed in inter-clan clash in NE Kenya
Northeastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno confirmed the incident on Wednesday evening, saying the deceased were ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen while they were inside their vehicle.
“We have launched investigations to establish the cause of the incident. The police have already arrested one suspect who is aiding with investigations,” Otieno told journalists.
Otieno said the attack is suspected to be a revenge mission after another person from the rival clan was murdered.
He added that at least 10 people from either clan have been killed in the inter-clan clashes said to have been caused by a longstanding land scuffle. Residents said two of the victims of the attack were school students who were on their way home for a holiday.
“The six people who were killed were traveling in a vehicle but were stopped along by the attackers and all of them were executed, including two high-school students who were going home for the holiday,” a local resident who declined to be identified said on phone.
Tension remained high amid fears of retaliation from the affected group. Inter-clan clashes over pieces of land are common in Garissa County, with several people losing their lives and scores getting injured as a result.
Residents said the loss of communal grazing land to farming and environmental degradation has also fuelled conflicts in a number of pastoral areas across northern Kenya, noting that freedom of movement over large areas was a crucial element of the pastoralists’ dry lands resource management system.
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Airstrike kills 5 al-Shabab terrorists in central Somalia
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement that the self-defense strike which was carried out on Tuesday at the request of the Somali government was in support of Somali National Army (SNA) forces who were engaged by the terrorist group.
“Working with the Somali National Army, U.S. Africa Command’s initial assessment is that the U.S. airstrike killed five al-Shabab terrorists and that no civilians were injured or killed,” AFRICOM said in a statement.
The latest airstrike came amid intensified onslaught against al-Shabab since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared an all-out war against the militants in 2022. The airstrikes have largely targeted al-Shabab figureheads who are based in southern and central Somalia where the group still maintains a strong grip in some regions.
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Poachers kill 3 elephants, 5 zebras in eastern Tanzania
Edward Gowele, Rufiji district commissioner, said the elephants were shot dead between late July and mid-August and the five zebras, four antelopes and one buffalo were found dead after they were trapped in the Juhiwangumwa wildlife management area located close to the Nyerere National Park.
“A recent investigation by the Rufiji district defense and security committee, and wildlife authorities found carcasses of the animals snared in different parts of the wildlife management area,” Gowele told Xinhua in a telephone interview.
“The poachers had removed tusks of two of the three elephants,” said Gowele, adding that during the anti-poaching crackdown, one game ranger was wounded by the armed poachers.
He said the district defense and security committee has launched a manhunt for the poachers. “We have gathered intelligence in the area, and we managed to arrest one suspected poacher who is being questioned by the police.”
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Drone shot down by air defense near Moscow
The debris fell in the area of the Expocentre, causing partial damage to one of its pavilions, he said.
There were no casualties and the city’s emergency services were working at the scene.
According to Russia’s TASS news agency, a partial collapse of the outer wall occurred in one of the pavilions of the Expocentre, located on the Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment in Moscow. The collapsed area is about 30 square meters.
The nearby Vnukovo airport closed its airspace for planes, but reopened shortly after. According to the airport’s information board, six departures and eight arrivals were delayed, of which five flights were rerouted to other airports.
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ECOWAS defense chiefs meet to discuss plans for deployment of standby force to Niger
A two-day extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff opened from Thursday to Friday followed the directives by the leadership of ECOWAS at their last emergency session in Nigeria to discuss the political situation in Niger.
Opening the meeting, Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said despite the preparations towards the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force, the military option would be the last resort and all other options including the diplomatic resolution were still on the table.
Musah said the ECOWAS standby force was ready to move into Niger to restore constitutional rule should all efforts to end the impasse peacefully fail.
At their last extraordinary summit in Nigeria last week, the leadership of ECOWAS decided to activate the standby force in response to the recent coup in Niger, while underscoring their continued commitment to restore constitutional order in the country through peaceful means.
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Kagame attends RDF’s final field demonstration of Combined Arms Field Training Exercise
After attending the final field demonstration of the Combined Arms Field Training Exercise, Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed, Kagame interacted with men and women of the RDF including active and retired senior officers.
One of the objectives of the exercise is to test and assess the synchronised delivery of joint fires using various capabilities in a single operation.
The military drill also seeks to demonstrate the joint planning, synchronisation and coordinated employment of air power, special forces and offensive support group capabilities in supporting an infantry division to achieve a combat mission.
The exercise was also graced by the presence of RDF Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Mubarakh Muganga; Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda and cabinet members.
