Rutikanga’s demise has been confirmed by her wife who revealed that her husband breathed the last on Monday 11th July 2022 at 9:00 p.m.
It is said that the man who has been suffering from blood pressure, kidney complications and blood cancer died at home.
Rutikanga’s body has been take to the mortuary of Masaka Hospital.
The man who has been living in Ndera is survived by five children and her wife.
On July 4, the organizer of the camp — Broad Alliance Against Sanctions (BAAS), organized a demonstration outside the U.S. embassy compound while the Americans were observing their Independence Day.
“We’re demonstrating against the Americans for celebrating their Independence Day while we are suffering because of their sanctions,” said protestor Jesca Vhiyai, a BAAS member and mother of five.
The 48-year-old woman spoke out partly due to the agony afflicting millions of Zimbabweans from decades of sanctions imposed by the United States and its western allies. The anti-sanctions lobby BAAS said their camp set up on March 29, 2019, would only be removed when the sanctions are lifted.
{{Unremitting anti-sanction fight }}
The sanctions against Zimbabwe have been piled on since 2001, following a government decision to repossess land from minority white farmers for redistribution to landless indigenous Zimbabweans.
Though the Zimbabwean government said the land reform would promote democracy and the economy, Western countries launched repeated sanctions with little regard for the average person’s suffering.
Over the years, Zimbabweans have spoken out against the sanctions. BAAS is one of the staunchest. “So we are here to stay until they remove these illegal embargoes that they have enforced on our nation,” said BAAS spokesperson Sally Ngoni.
“We realized that most industries closed due to sanctions, meaning that sanctions are actually the major cause for all our other problems in Zimbabwe,” she said.
Ngoni said they would soon build an anti-sanctions village at the campsite, which will be molded along the traditional African huts in rural areas, adding that they want the Americans to “feel the pinch” by seeing firsthand how the sanctions have impacted the lives of the poor.
According to BAAS Chairperson Calvern Chitsunge, officials from the U.S. embassy have tried to bribe the group’s four leaders.
“They even offered us money,” Chitsunge said, noting the American staff have promised them each 100,000 U.S. dollars, a car and free accommodations at a location of their choosing.
“We said no. Paying us will not empower the 15 million Zimbabweans. Paying us will not change our industry,” he said. “We want our industry to function. We want our people to go to school. We want our people to seek medication which will be affordable.”
The U.S. embassy in Harare did not comment on the alleged bribe in its reply to Xinhua.
Linda Masarira, president of the Labour Economists and Afrikan Democrats (LEAD) political party, said sanctions have been used as a tool of economic warfare against Zimbabwe.
“It was an action that the United States of America decided to do on Zimbabwe to ensure that they make our economy scream, they make things hard for Zimbabweans and imply that black Zimbabweans, native Zimbabweans cannot do their own farming, or run their own economy,” she said.
{{Real pain for ordinary people}}
When asked about the impact of the sanctions, the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe directed Xinhua to a 2021 briefing by U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price in which he repeated that the sanctions target only 83 individuals and 37 entities, denying the Zimbabwean people as the targets.
However, the sanction-induced economic mire has inflicted a myriad of real challenges on Zimbabweans, especially amid an unprecedented global pandemic.
“The sanctions are slowing down our progress, inhibiting our economic recovery and punishing the poorest and most vulnerable in our society,” said Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Celia Rukato, founder of Chjaa Enterprises, a textile print and garment manufacturing company based in Harare, is one of the entrepreneurs suffering under sanctions.
Like many modern retailers, her brand promoting a Zimbabwean identity has utilized online platforms to reach a more extensive customer base in and outside Zimbabwe. However, payment options have been a problem due to Western sanctions.
“There are certain companies that are not allowed to interact or work with Zimbabwean-based companies,” she told Xinhua, citing U.S. firm PayPal.
“We have to make alternative plans that cause the customers to pay more for transaction costs or a middleman’s commission in a third country,” said Rukato, adding that these barriers have made Zimbabwe-based startups miss opportunities and funding.
In early June, The Herald newspaper reported that Andela, an international job placement network for software developers, had denied Zimbabwean national Michael Nyamande’s attempt to join the service because he resided in a country under U.S. sanctions.
“Sanctions are actually targeted at the ordinary men and women in the street, in the townships, in the rural areas,” said Obert Gutu, member of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and former deputy minister of justice and legal affairs.
Describing the sanctions as a weapon of mass destruction, Gutu said Zimbabwe has failed to build new roads, hospitals, clinics or even rehabilitate old infrastructure because it “has been denied access to affordable finance by international institutions.”
“Since 2002 when the sanctions were effected, this economy has never been the same again because the most deadly effect of sanctions on Zimbabwe was just to first and foremost paint Zimbabwe as a pariah state,” said Gutu.
Denford Mutashu, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers, said the sanctions had a devastating impact on the Zimbabwean economy and the competitiveness of local businesses.
“The business operating environment changed for the worse, and foreign direct investment ceased to flow into the country,” he said.
“We will not allow the U.S. to continue lying to the people of Zimbabwe that the sanctions are targeted,” LEAD President Masarira said.
{{Outcries for lifting sanctions}}
On a public occasion in March 2022, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said the country is reeling from the effects of sanctions. “Banks lost over 100 corresponding resources. We experienced massive loss of jobs, and we were unable to create jobs easily.”
The minister said foreign direct investment was 95 million dollars in the 1990s before plummeting to around 20 million yearly in the 2000s.
Given the distressing effect of the sanctions on the viability of businesses in Zimbabwe, there have been outcries against the economic punishment in and outside the country.
“You cannot do much when you are under a yoke,” said Mutashu, adding that some regard the sanctions as a new form of neo-colonialism.
“We should be seeing countries being able to determine and chart their own destiny according to their own traditional cultural, political, socio-political and socio-economic backgrounds,” Mutashu said, urging an immediate removal of the sanctions.
Led by President Mnangagwa, Zimbabweans embarked on a march to demand an end to foreign sanctions in 2019, which has gained support from various regional and international organizations.
In a statement released in October last year, Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat said the AU calls “for the immediate and unconditional removal of sanctions imposed against the Republic of Zimbabwe.”
The Southern African Development Community, a 16-country regional bloc, has designated Oct. 25th of each year as Anti-Sanctions Day since 2019 to show solidarity with Zimbabwe against illegal Western sanctions.
The United Nations special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures, Alena Douhan, also called for the lifting of the sanctions after her 10-day visit to Zimbabwe to assess the impact of the sanctions in October last year.
“Over the last 20 years, sanctions and various forms of over-compliance with sanctions have had an insidious ripple effect on the economy of Zimbabwe and on the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, including access to health, food, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and employment,” Douhan said.
Despite minimal progress with several individuals and state entities removed from the sanctions list, mainly by the European Union, Zimbabwe and its anti-sanctions fighters have never given up.
“We have seen some institutions such as the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe being removed from the sanctions list as well as some individuals,” said BAAS spokesperson Ngoni, who is confident that their efforts yielded some results.
“We can’t really say it was a direct result,” said Ngoni, “but it did contribute to the removal of those sanctions.”
The ceremony took place at Miraflores, the country’s Presidential Palace.
Apart from presenting credentials, Amb. Gatete also held talks with Carlos Rafael Faría Tortosa, the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Their discussions revolved around strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Venezuela enjoys cordial relations with Rwanda. Its interests in Rwanda are overseen by Amb. Jesús Agustín Manzanilla Puppo with residence in Nairobi, the Capital of Kenya.
Amb. Puppo presented letters of credence to President Paul Kagame in June last year.
After presenting credentials, he expressed delight to be in the Country of Thousand Hills and commended Rwanda’s economic progress and efforts to promote access to healthcare.
Amb. Puppo revealed that presenting credentials to Kagame was the beginning of a fruitful journey to strengthen bilateral ties that existed for 40 years.
Venezuela is populated by 28 million. It has the largest oil reserves in the world.
During the bilateral meeting, IGP Munyuza expressed RNP’s commitment to further improve cooperation between the two law enforcement institutions mainly through capacity building and exchange of experiences.
RNP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Somali Police Force mainly in training, in 2011. Since then, 11 Somali Police officers have been trained in Rwanda, including six senior officers, who attended the Police Senior Command and Staff Course and five at the Intermediate command course.
“This is an opportunity for us to discuss as we endeavour to explore more areas of cooperation to include; sharing of information and intelligence in fighting international organized crime, and terrorism that continues to pose a threat to national, regional and international security,” IGP Munyuza said.
The visit, he added, paves way to establish more formal collaboration channels through which communication will be much easier especially while sharing information on matters of security.
“We are happy to share with you our policing experience. Rwanda National Police remains committed to cooperate with Somali Police Force for the mutual benefit of our countries’ safety and security,” IGP Munyuza reiterated.
On his part, the Police Commissioner for Somali Police Force (SPF), Maj Gen Abdi Hassan Mahamed, acknowledged the RNP’s “support in promoting security, peace-building and the rule of law.”
“Historically, the Somali Police Force was founded in 1943 but collapsed in 1991 as all other institutions of our country…but was re-established from scratch in the year 2000 after the reconciliation process that was done in Djibouti”.
Today, after a long struggle and the re-establishment, we can say that the Somali Police Force is functioning across the country to deliver Police services to protect citizens and their property,” Maj Gen Abdi said.
Over the last 15 years, Maj Gen Abdi said that the Somali Police Force has upgraded its capacity and has gained experience in dealing with terrorists and criminal networks.
He, however, added that although the new police force prides itself for its trustworthy service to the public, the threat of al-shabaab terrorists in the country and other transnational organized criminal networks continue to evolve.
Increasing the number of senior officers in Police Senior Command and Staff Course as well as tactical and junior officers, the Somali Police Chief said, will impact the future transformation of Somali Police Force.
“Somali Police Force is committed and needs extensive support from Rwanda National Police for its mandate and legal framework, which will lead to a safer and secure nation without fear, intimidation, abuse, violence or any other unlawful acts,” Maj Gen Abdi said.
During his week-long official visit to Rwanda, Maj Gen Abdi will tour various RNP facilities including departments and schools.
The training which kicked off on Monday 11th July 2022, brings together 18 participants from Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.
It is organized in partnership with the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) and the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR).
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Operations, Felix Namuhoranye, while officially opening the training, said that proliferation of small arms and light weapons fuel conflicts, undermines political stability, and has devastating impacts on human and state security.
“Sustainable development cannot be achieved in the absence of peace and security. One way of guarantying them is the control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which have been found to sustain armed conflict, instability, terrorism, cattle-rustling and other serious crimes in the region,” DIGP Namuhoranye said.
To prevent proliferation of arms, RECSA undertook different strategies which include the training on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and Arms Control.
To support these strategies, Rwanda National Police allocated a site at PTS Gishari for the construction of the specialized training centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
“We believe that this centre will help in enhancing capacity building of member states through regular training,” DIGP Namuhoranye observed.
Lt. Gen. Badreldin Elamin Abdelgadir, the Executive Secretary for RECSA said that RECSA has developed Best Practice Guidelines on Practical Disarmament to ensure that disarmament interventions are comprehensive, people sensitive and address the root causes of armament among communities.
“The tragedies caused by proliferation of small arms and light weapons in our countries continue to be a matter of concern. Armed violence cases dominate newspapers on a daily basis. Though the context and circumstances may vary, the lethal consequences have always been very devastating,” said Lt. Gen. Badrelardin.
The AU Commission Representative, Christophe Kayoshe noted that the training will illustrate how poor management of weapons have had a catastrophic impact on human rights and infrastructure.
He added that poor management of ammunitions contribute to the threat of proliferation.
This, Kayoshe added, requires to improve oversight in accountability and peace particularly after demobilisation, and how the weapons are controlled to prevent falling in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist groups.
“The issue of small arms and light weapons is a serious concern for conflicts on our continent where terrorist groups have accessed weapons in illegal means,” Kayoshe said.
He added: “We adopt mechanisms to assist member states that are facing operations and capacity challenges through the support of weapons and ammunitions management capabilities, and to ensure that member states have ownership of weapons and how they manage them.”
Kayoshe further called for coordinated efforts in the region and among law enforcement agencies to correctively leave no room for terrorists to access arms.
The ceremony took place on Saturday 9th July 2022 in Kigali.
Suman Alla, the former President of Rotary Club Kigali Virunga has said that he held the position in challenging times and thanked members who helped the club to roll out its activities.
The President of Rotary Club is elected every year.
Prof. Rugege also serves as the Chancellor of the African Leadership University. He has been a member of Rotary Club for 50 years since 1972.
Prof. Rugege expressed delight for the new position and highlighted that he will draw emphasis on promoting activities meant to uplift the wellbeing of citizens.
He has been involved in different projects in the areas of education, health, hygiene and sanitation.
During his tenure, he wants to launch a Mobile Library with a view to promote the culture of reading among Rwandans.
“As you know, this is among continents where with no culture of reading. We have responsibilities to help African continent to promote the culture. That is why we need a mobile library,” he said.
As of today, mobilization of funds is ongoing to buy the mobile library. It will complement Kigali Public Library launched in 2012. The latter receives over 150 visitors per day.
In the health sector, the club will work with transit accommodation facility for cancer patients in Kinyinya Sector of Kigali City.
The club also seeks to continue working with schools to build hand washing facilities.
His brother, Prof. Sam Rugege congratulated the new leader and wished him all the best during his tenure. He revealed that Prof. Geoffrey was elected for his contribution to Rotary Club in different countries including Uganda, the United States of America and Rwanda.
Prof. Rugege is also hailed for his commitment to help the poor through Rotary Club and having dedicated his time to attend more than 10 international meetings of Rotary.
Rotary club is an organization purposed to bring together businesses and professionals to provide humanitarian services and providing support in addressing problems facing the world by combating illiteracy and poverty, contributing to the provision of safe water, handling disputes and fighting disease.
Rotary International was established 117 years ago. It is currently comprised of over 1.3 million members from more than 200 countries.
Rwanda has ten clubs of Rotary including Rotary Club Kigali, Rotary Club Butare, Rotary Club Kigali Mont Jali, Rotary Club Kigali Virunga, Rotary Club Kigali Gasabo, Rotary Club Musanze Murera, Rotary Club Bugoyi Ibirunga, Rotary Club Kivu Lake, Rotary Club Kigali Seniors and Rotary Club Kigali Karisimbi.
The officers promoted to Major General include Vincent Nyakarundi, the Head of Defence Intelligence; Willy Rwagasana, the Commander of the Republican Guard and Ruki Karusisi, the Commander of Special Operations Force.
RDF Spokesperson, Ronald Rwivanga has been also elevated from the rank of Colonel to Brigadier General.
The statement released by RDF shows that the appointment takes immediate effect.
Major General Vincent Nyakarundi was appointed as the Head of Defence Intelligence in 2019.
Both Nyakarundi and Rwagasana had been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in 2018.
Meanwhile, Karusisi Ruki had been elevated to Brigadier General in 2019 when he was appointed as the Commander of Special Operations Force.
Ronald Rwivanga had been also promoted from Lt Colonel to Colonel in June 2021. He was named RDF Spokesperson in December 2020.
The Head of State made the disclosure during an interview with a journalist of FRANCE 24, Marc Perelman held after the tripartite summit in Angola to seek a durable solution for the tension between Rwanda and DRC.
Kagame revealed that he wishes and hopes the recent discussions to be fruitful.
“I don’t think anyone is interested in tensions or conflicts or whatever crisis. So, it is on that backdrop that I am happy, that we even agreed to meet in Angola under the mediation of President Lorenzo, and indeed we had good discussions. I think both sides, at least, what I assessed to be, were looking forward to making progress,” he said.
“I hope so, that is what I think, that is what I want. Talking may not be good enough but it is what you need to start with. So, the fact that we talk, I think is good. And we can build on that for tangible results and I think this one in Angola is another step forward,” Kagame added.
Following the Luanda summit in Angola, Congolese Army (FARDC) continues to fight M23 rebel group which has captured many areas.
DRC government has not stopped accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 claiming that it is the reason why the rebel group did not lay arms down.
President has said that there are different parties in a fighting where they are all concerned with the ceasefire.
“In fighting, there are different parties involved. It is not one party. Talking about cease fire, refers to parties fighting. It is not M23. It’s M23 and those fighting against them,” he said.
President Tshisekedi recently warned of a war with Rwanda if ‘it continues provocations’.
President Kagame has said that Tshisekedi didn’t inform him about the possible reaction face to face.
“He didn’t tell me but I saw it in the Financial Times. But I am just saying, for me, I don’t so easily and carelessly anticipate war or even look forward to it. So, let’s put that aside.The reason we were in Angola is to make sure that any misunderstanding, any conflict, tension is resolved amicably not through fighting,” he revealed.
The Head of State also revealed that he is always surprised that people rush to accuse Rwanda of involvement in DRC conflicts. He was responding to the journalist who asked him about recent report by US embassy in Congo that Rwandan soldiers are in DRC.
“Rwanda is accused by the US or anybody but they are silent deliberately, I guess, on issues of FDLR that have been there for the last 25 years. You would imagine when you hear people say those things you have just mentioned. It is as if Rwanda is just a trouble maker that went into Congo, started a war. […]
They are even silent about the bombings of our territory by Congolese Army, they are silent about infiltration in November 2019 of this FDLR who entered into the Northern part of our country and caused mayhem. If we are talking about provocations, how do you decide to shell across the border into the population?” he wondered.
{{M23 is not a Rwandan problem}}
Kagame has said that Rwanda doesn’t support M23 highlighting that the rebel group doesn’t have roots in Rwanda.
“It is a long story. First of all, M23 is not a Rwandan problem and these are not Rwandans. And we don’t need them for anything. Second, the history of these M23 people is well known, has been discussed with President Tshisekedi himself, the government of Congo and so on. These are not people who came from Rwanda. How Congo makes that problem of M23, a problem of Rwanda is something I cannot understand,” he stated.
The President said that problems of DRC are complex and involves many parties where singling out one and attach it to Rwanda is disregarding the truth.
He pointed out an example of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel outfit comprising masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the shelling by FARDC on Rwandan territory and the support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
“This problem was there in 2013 or 2012. Now it is back ten years after. What do you think went wrong? I would ask anyone to tell me why these problems, which are actually in my view, can be addressed very easily,” Kagame stated.
“Why does it go on for ten years, and it comes back? In fact, some parts of it, have been there for the last 25 years and the international community, everybody have spent so much money talking about solving these problems based in the Congo. And yet, we have it again in 2022. Do you really see that Rwanda is the problem in that? Can’t anybody see that the problems lie elsewhere?’ he wondered.
Those who turned up for prayers at the stadium were joined by 24 parliamentarians from different countries who are in Rwanda for Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly.
Eid al-Adha, which in Arabic literally means the “festival of the sacrifice”, commemorates the Koran tale of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael but God offered him a lamb to sacrifice, ruling that no human life should be sacrificed in the name of God.
The day is marked with the sacrifice of an animal; usually a goat, sheep, or cow, and the distribution of the meat among neighbours, family members and the poor.
The Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Hitimana Salim has said that Eid Al Adha is a feast of great significance which induces joy.
He added that the day should be an opportunity to spread love and adhere to commandments and Abraham obeyed God.
Sheikh Hitimana also requested Muslims to share foods with friends and vulnerable people.
Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, the Vice Speaker of the Lower Chamber of Parliament also attended the prayers along with counterparts from Francophone countries.
“They came to attend Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly taking place in Rwanda an expressed interest in joining us during this prayer. So, we made arrangements for them to participate,” he noted.
Saley Sahadatou, a parliamentarian from Niger has expressed delight to have celebrated Eid Al Adha along with Rwandans.
