The unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday around 2:00 p.m.
Alphonsine Mukangenzi, the Vice Mayor of Ruhango District in Charge of Social Affairs said that the children had been sent by their parents to cut grass to feed livestock when the drowning incident took place.
She further revealed that their bodies were promptly retrieved from the river. The children were laid to rest on Thursday.
Mukangenzi extended her heartfelt condolences to the grieving families, urging parents to exercise utmost vigilance in monitoring the whereabouts of their children to prevent similar tragic incidents from occurring in the future.
She emphasized the importance of keeping children away from hazardous areas and ensuring their safety at all times.
Al-Shabaab fighters took over the Gariley military base in Jubaland State, which was recently handed over by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) as part of the drawdown of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops.
Ibrahim Guled Aden, governor of El Wak District in the southern region of Gedo, confirmed that several people were injured in the fighting that finally led to the fall of the base into al-Shabaab control.
“Al-Shabaab fighters attacked our forces at Geriley base and captured it. They are in full control after defeating our forces who were in a small number, but we are working on plans to retake control of the base,” Aden said.
The Geriley military base, which is located about 12 kilometers from the border with Kenya, was handed over to the Somali security forces on June 29.
Last week, Mohamud Sayid Aden, deputy president of Jubaland State, expressed concern over the ATMIS drawdown in the region, describing it as a hurried plan.
ATMIS withdrew 2,000 troops by June 30, and another 3,000 is expected to be withdrawn in September in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2628 and 2670, which mandates ATMIS to also hand over security responsibilities in agreed areas to Somali security forces.
The communique of the meeting emphasized that Sudan’s sovereignty should be respected and there should be no foreign interference. It also voiced great concern over the ongoing military operations and the acute deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Sudan.
“A ministerial mechanism will be formed to formulate an executive action plan to end the fight and its first meeting will take place in Chad,” the communique read, calling on civil organizations and donor countries to fulfill aid and relief pledges to the war-torn country.
Leaders from Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Chad, Eritrea, the Central African Republic, and Libya, as well as officials of the Arab League and African Union Commission, attended the meeting.
They called for a permanent ceasefire that paves the road for reaching a political solution and transitional government in a peaceful way.
Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on April 15, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict.
African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said that negative domestic and foreign factors have exploited the situation in Sudan.
“We seek to end the Sudanese crisis and to stop the wave of displacement of the people,” he said, calling for returning to the negotiations table to reach a peaceful solution.
Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said a political path involving all the Sudanese factions should be found to stop the bloodshed.
Opposing foreign intervention, the pan-Arab body’s secretary-general said, “Sudan’s neighboring countries endure security and humanitarian burdens and have an important role in the coordination efforts to end the raging conflict.”
The repercussions of the fighting in Sudan resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the displacement of millions of its people to safer areas inside the country or in neighboring countries, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said.
“Egypt has received hundreds of thousands of our Sudanese brothers, who joined around five million Sudanese people already living on Egyptian soil for several years,” Sisi said.
The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan challenged agricultural production, which caused acute food shortages and led to the deterioration of healthcare and shortages in medicines and healthcare supplies.
Sisi called on all Sudanese parties to facilitate the access of humanitarian assistance and establish safe passages to deliver aid, stressing the significance of creating a communication mechanism during the conference in order to formulate an executive action plan that aimed at reaching a comprehensive solution to the Sudanese crisis.
Salva Kiir Mayardit, the president of South Sudan, said all of Sudan’s neighbors have faced flows of refugees who have put a strain on their social and economic resources.
Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki voiced rejection of foreign intervention in Sudan, adding “there is no justification for this in the current war.”
“Today’s summit is an opportunity to start joint work for securing the country, so each of the neighboring countries can cooperate with Sudan,” Afwerki added.
The ongoing war in Sudan has left more than 3,000 people killed and at least 6,000 others injured, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.
More than 2.8 million people have been displaced, mostly internally, since the conflict broke out in Sudan, according to figures released by the UN.
He made the disclosure on July 13, 2023, upon the completion of the Ingobyi Activity project, which aimed to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.
Dr. Nsanzimana also disclosed that the ministry intends to enhance the capabilities of health centers to perform Cesarean surgeries with minimal complications, thereby eliminating the need for long-distance patient transfers to referral hospitals.
Besides, the minister emphasized the reinforcement of primary healthcare services to decrease maternal and infant mortality rates. As a result of these initiatives, hospitals will primarily focus on complex cases, leading to a reduction in ambulance traffic transporting patients to hospitals.
One of the factors contributing to maternity and infant mortality is the scarcity of healthcare professionals in Rwanda. A shortage of healthcare providers has resulted in a single doctor attending to multiple patients, leading to delayed access to healthcare for some individuals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum healthcare workers per 1000 people. However, only a few African countries reached the target, with the number sometimes dropping to one healthcare worker.
“The plan has been finalized and approved. We are going to increase the number of healthcare workers by four times over the next four years,” stated Minister Nsanzimana.
The plan encompasses the recruitment of nurses, midwives, medical laboratory scientists, and other healthcare professionals.
The Ingobyi Activity project was implemented in 20 districts across Rwanda, covering 325 health centers and 27 hospitals.
The initiatives included research to identify the causes of maternal and infant mortality, training for healthcare workers and community health workers in malaria prevention, equipment donations, and the establishment of toll-free lines that will remain operational beyond the conclusion of the project.
As a result of these interventions, infant mortality rates have significantly decreased from 177 in 2018 to 87 in 2022 and further down to 59 in 2023 at the health centers and other hospitals involved in the project.
Rwanda marked the 29th anniversary of its liberation earlier this month. Known as Kwibohora, Liberation Day is celebrated annually on July 4. The Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), ended the genocide in 1994 against the Tutsi that claimed more than 1 million lives in the country.
“After the genocide, the economy was in tatters with many Rwandans living in poverty,” said Gerard Rurangwa, a Rwandan economic expert, noting that “the situation has changed dramatically for the better.”
The country has experienced tremendous changes in terms of economic development, due to good governance, security and economic reforms, he said.
Comparing the government budget in 1995, when the country was dependent on donors’ funding, with that for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Rurangwa said the budget has increased by 90 folds to 5.03 trillion Rwandan francs (about 4.76 billion U.S. dollars) with 63 percent of it financed by domestic revenues.
Rwanda’s growth averaged 7.2 percent a year over the decade to 2019, while the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 5 percent, according to the World Bank.
This, Rurangwa said, gives the government confidence to map out its development path to become a middle-income country by 2035.
“The government’s commitment to delivering to the expectation of the citizens has transformed many people’s lives … many regional commercial banks have opened up branches in Rwanda and several industries have been set up, creating job opportunities for the citizens,” Rurangwa said.
The country’s economy was largely dependent on agriculture before the liberation. However, the manufacturing sector has been playing a bigger role in the past years, and the service sector has been on the fast track of development, contributing 47 percent to the country’s GDP in 2022.
Rwanda’s efforts in facilitating businesses, fighting corruption and maintaining security in the country make it attractive for investment, said Rurangwa.
Mukama Ngoga, another Rwandan analyst, said after the genocide in 1994, the government carried out reforms to revive the economy and fight poverty, which has promoted economic and social development in the country.
“The devastating impact of the genocide left the economy and all institutions in a fragile state, but with good governance, the economy was put back on track,” he said, adding that the government’s commitment to fighting corruption was another factor in attracting foreign investments.
According to the Rwanda Development Board, Rwanda attracted two billion U.S. dollars of foreign investments per year on average in the last three years, up from 300 million dollars in 2010.
These figures include over 7.2 million subscribers of MTN Rwanda and more than 4.4 million subscribers of Airtel Rwanda.
It’s important to note that these numbers represent the mobile phone ownership among a total population of 13,246,394 in Rwanda.
The data reveals that postpaid subscriptions increased from 168,243 in May 2023 to 169,697 SIM cards in June 2023. Additionally, prepaid subscriptions increased from 11,380,900 SIM cards in May 2023 to 11,545,285 SIM cards in June 2023.
The report states that as of June 2023, the Mobile Penetration Rate, which refers to the number of active SIM cards per the total projected population, has risen to 87.4% compared to 86.4% in May 2023.
In June 2022, the mobile penetration stood at 80.7%.
Regarding market shares as of June 2023, MTN Rwanda Ltd saw a decrease of 0.7 percentage points to 61.9%, while AIRTEL Rwanda Ltd experienced an increase of the same margin, reaching 38.1%. These figures reflect changes compared to the statistics from May 2023.
The increased mobile phone penetration in Rwanda has resulted in a higher usage of mobile devices for daily activities and cashless transactions.
In the fiscal year 2021/2022, the number of funds transfers through mobile payment channels increased by 58% from 196 million to 310 million transactions. The value of these transactions also rose by 41%, from Rwf4,707 billion to Rwf6,616 billion, as reported by the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) in November last year.
BNR further reported that transfers through mobile banking channels increased by 35% from 6 million to 8 million transactions. The value of these transactions rose significantly by 140% from Rwf917 billion to Rwf381 billion.
Besides, the number of mobile banking subscribers increased by 18% from 2,080,549 in June 2021 to 2,244,652, and Internet banking subscribers grew by 32% from 106,312 to 140,662 in June 2022. Active mobile payment subscribers also increased by 9% from 5,079,232 in June 2021 to 5,528,109 in June 2022.
In terms of the distribution of cashless transactions, transfers through mobile payment channels accounted for the largest share at 70%, followed by transfers via mobile banking at 26%. As for transaction value, transfer through mobile payment accounted for 51% of the total, followed by internet banking at 32%.
RIB disclosed that Mwenedata, 42, pulled the money using the Mobile Money (MoMo) code.
It is said that he transferred the funds to another individual and was apprehended in Nyakarambi Village of Kigina Sector in Kirehe District while initiating a withdrawal process.
Mwenedata is detained at the RIB Station in Kirehe, awaiting the transfer of his case files to the Prosecution.
Dr. Murangira Thierry, the spokesperson for RIB, emphasized that there will be no tolerance for any leader who utilizes funds entrusted to them for personal purposes.
He praised the collaboration of the residents in providing information and encouraged them to continue their efforts in reporting such incidents.
The article 10 of the law N° 54/2018 of 13/08/2018 on fighting against corruption stipulates that any person, whether public servant or any other agent in charge of public service or working within public organs, an officer or an employee of a commercial institution, a company or a cooperative, an agent of an individual, a religious-based organization or any other organization who embezzles for personal or someone else’s interests property, funds or securities entrusted to him or her by virtue of his or her office, or any person who uses for personal gains, the staff under his or her authority commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven (7) years but not more than ten (10) years and a fine of three (3) to five (5) times the value equivalent to the value of the embezzled property.
This support is part of the company’s Corporate Social Investments, demonstrating MTN Rwanda’s commitment to supporting Government priorities in health. The new C-section block will greatly enhance maternal and child health outcomes, ensuring safer deliveries and a decrease in possible complications for expectant mothers in the Bweyeye community and Western Province at large.
The Ministry of Health expressed its gratitude to MTN Rwanda and acknowledged the positive impact it will have on maternal healthcare in the region.
“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to MTN Rwanda for their contribution. This support will strengthen our ability to decentralize medical services to the health center level, saving the lives of mothers and newborns,” said the Minister of Health, Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana.
By partnering with the Ministry of Health on this initiative, MTN Rwanda aims to contribute to the well-being of communities and the reduction of maternal mortality rates.
Mapula Bodibe, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership and shared her vision for the project stating “At MTN Rwanda, we are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of all Rwandans. Our donation to the Ministry of Health for the construction of a new C-section block at Bweyeye Health Centre is a testament to our commitment to improving maternal healthcare. We believe that every woman deserves access to safe and quality care during childbirth, and we are proud to support this important cause.”
The new C-section block at Bweyeye Health Centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, ensuring the highest standard of care for mothers requiring surgical intervention during childbirth. The construction project will include dedicated operating rooms, recovery areas, and specialized medical equipment necessary for safe and efficient C-section procedures.
{{About MTN Rwandacell}}
MTN Rwandacell Plc (MTN Rwanda) is the market leader in mobile telecommunications in Rwanda.
Since 1998, the telecom continuously invested in expanding and modernising its network. MTN Rwanda offers various services to subscribers, including innovative propositions such as personalised voice and data offers with MTN Irekure.
The company is also the front runner in mobile financial services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
An office of the CMC equipment development department and a unit of Troop 92730 of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were given first-class merit citations.
Zhang Xiongwei, a professor with the Army Engineering University of PLA, and Zhang Jianning, a senior neurosurgery doctor and professor at the Chinese PLA General Hospital, were given third-class merit citations in defense-related science and technology.
During a recent parliamentary session, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente emphasized that resolving the reserve issue will ensure a seamless cooking gas trading business.
The Chief Operating Officer Jean Gashumba, MM & RGD, the implementing company responsible for the project, revealed that the project encompasses the construction of three gas reservoirs.
In addition to the gas tanks, the project will entail the establishment of water reservoirs with the capacity of storing 4,000 cubic meters, to be used during fire incidents.
Other components of the project comprise an office building, a gas unloading area, a gas refilling unit, a gas meter and parking facilities.
As an alternative solution prior to the completion of the large tanks, a smaller tank will be constructed and finished by the end of this year.
