In 2018, the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) revealed that remittances from diaspora rose from US$ 98.2 million in 2010 to US$ 250 million within eight years.
In 2019, the remittances stood at US$261 million before plummeting to US$241 million in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic which put the global economy at a downturn.
The World Bank has also revealed that remittance inflows to low-and middle-income countries will reach US$589 billion, translating into a growth by 7.5% in 2021 compared to last year.
The contribution from members of diaspora have been helping countries to earn foreign currencies used by beneficiaries for improved wellbeing through access to education, healthcare, feeding families and building houses among others.
Despite the growth, high cost of sending US$200 across international borders is reported to have remained high, at approximately 6.4 per cent of the amount transferred which varies depending on the location of countries where the money is transferred.
Diaspora remittance inflows to Africa are also expected to reach US$45 billion translating into a growth by 6.2 percent this year.
A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual in his or her home country.
In 2022, remittance inflows are projected to grow by 5.5 per cent due to continued economic recovery in Europe and the United States.
The money was stolen on November 18, from one Jean Bosco Ruyenzi, a resident of Muhima Sector, Nyarugenge District.
It was recovered from the prime suspect identified as Jean Pierre Hakizimana, 24, who was located and arrested in Kinyinya Village, Mpanga Cell, Mukingo Sector in Nyanza District.
Hakizimana was a house-help for Ruyenzi.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire, the Southern region Police spokesperson, said that Police started searching for the suspect after the victim reported the alleged theft.
According to Ruyenzi, on Thursday, November 18, as they were at home, he sent his house-help Hakizimana in the house to bring him the money. That was the last time Ruyenzi saw his house-help and could neither find his money in a trouser, where he had kept it.
“When the victim reported the alleged theft and identified his house-help as the prime suspect, Police started searching for him untill he was located and arrested on November 20, in Kinyinya Village, Mpanga Cell, Mukingo Sector in Nyanza District, where he hails from,” SP Kanamugire said.
“At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of Frw494, 800 only. He had used the rest of the money to buy two new bicycles and household items, all which were also impounded,” he added.
Hakizimana was handed over to RIB at Mukingo station for further legal process.
Article 166 of the law determining offenses and penalties in general provides that any person convicted for theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six months or only one of these penalties.
Kigali Marriott Hotel is among hospitality establishments valuing customer loyalty through different programs and providing a favorable environment where workers feel at home as they contribute to the facility’s improved service delivery.
With dedication to maintain world class services, the five-star hotel throws an annual party towards the end every year to appreciate partners and customers for sticking to its services.
This year’s celebration took place on Friday 19th November 2021 where different partners of the hotel including financial institutions, tourism and transport companies gathered for a party organized to appreciate their loyalty.
The Director of Sales and Marketing at Kigali Marriot Hotel, Mohamed Derouiche has told IGIHE that the event coincided with the celebration of five years of existence in Rwanda.
“Today, we are celebrating for two reasons. First, we are concluding the customer-appreciation week. The event aligns with annual week dedicated to appreciate partners for their trust and staying with us throughout our operations. Secondly, we are celebrating five-year anniversary since we opened doors in Rwanda in 2016,” he said.
Derouiche expressed delight for the momentum occasion to meet with customers and partners in-person following COVID-19 related restrictions.
“It has been almost two years without holding similar social event to appreciate esteemed partners. We are glad to meet again. The event is mainly designed to thank customers for their loyalty. It serves as a good platform to interact with them and strengthens our bonds of unity,” he noted.
As Derouiche explained, Kigali Marriott Hotel has impacted Rwandans, people from different sectors to create connections and assured of maintained top-notch services.
“Marriott Hotel has had a great impact. We created connections between individuals from different sectors across the country and added value to tourism sector. We are mindful that the world is evolving and want to keep innovating to meet customers’ growing demand,” he revealed.
During the ceremony, customers received different gifts in appreciation for having chosen Kigali Marriott as their preferred hotel and having accepted to become its partners.
Kigali Marriott Hotel officially began operations on 4th October 2016.
Kigali Marriott Hotel is part of the Marriott chain of hotels and is comprised of 256 elegant rooms and suites; three distinctive restaurants including Soko Restaurant, the hotel’s signature fine-dining restaurant; Saray Spa which offers a collection of sophisticated therapies integrated with the healing practices of the region; a swimming pools; meeting spaces with unmatched options and flexibility; as well as stylish lounging spaces designed for guests of all ages.
The hotel has so far participated in different programs aimed at improving citizens’ welfare through constructing houses for disadvantaged people, subscribing the, for community based health insurance and joining Rwandans in community work among others.
The sporting event serves to make Kigali a green city while promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Rwanda’s Presidency has posted photos and short video on Twitter showing President Kagame along with the mayor of Kigali City, Prudence Rubingisa; the Minister of Sports and Culture, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju walking different streets including Car Free Zone as part of the bi-monthly sporting event held on Sunday 21st November 2021.
After participating, Kagame shared great moments of the exercise via Twitter handle.
“It was liberating to join Car Free Day today and walk the streets of Kigali after so many months of COVID-19 restrictions. See you all at the next Car Free Day,” he tweeted.
Car Free Day takes place every first and third Sunday of the month, bringing together city dwellers for physical fitness exercises.
The exercise started in 2016, aimed promoting healthy lifestyle among Rwandans and help them benefit from other health activities like screening for non-communicable diseases.
Car Free Day provides a platform to educate people on healthy lifestyle choices in general and creates awareness that roads are not only built for vehicles but also for pedestrians.
Among others, the mass sports helps to reduce air pollution.
Other 182 officers are from the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). The one-year 17th Police Basic Course intake include 450 females.
The pass out was presided over by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, who promoted the new officers to the rank of ‘Police Constable.’
It was also attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza, Governor of the Eastern Province, Emmanuel K. Gasana, Executive Secretary of NISS, Major General Joseph Nzabamwita, and the Commissioner General for Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS), Juvenal Marizamunda among others.
The new Police officers include 135, who are currently pursuing bachelors degree in Law, Information Technology, Languages and Professional Police Studies at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District.
Minister Ugirashebuja congratulated the officers for their courage and resilience throughout the training.
He urged them to use the acquired skills and knowledge, in working with other officers to add value to the RNP mandate, be driven by exemplary service while supporting the people and to prevent anything that can taint the image of the force.
Such training programmes, the Minister added, demonstrates the government and RNP’s will to build a professional and capable police force to effectively execute its policing duties of ensuring safety and security of people living in Rwanda and their properties.
“This emphasizes the fact that professionalism is a result of training,” said Minister Ugirashebuja.
He added that although RNP has increased its operations against corruption and related vices, gender-based violence, terrorism, and preventing road accidents, among others; this can be effectively achieved when there is strong cooperation and collaboration with the citizenry.
The Minister commended the impact of RNP in human security and community development activities.
The force has over the years constructed houses for the disadvantaged families, connected thousands of households that are far from the national electricity grid with solar energy, extended clean water to communities, paid medical insurance premiums for the vulnerable, constructed roads connecting communities as well as providing financial support to cooperatives, to mention but a few.
Minister Ugirashebuja urged the force to aim for exemplary service, respect the law and supplement the national development agenda to influencing positive thinking and actions in communities where they are deployed.
He commended the impact of RNP in ensuring homeland security, supporting international peace through peacekeeping missions abroad. He pledged the government’s continued support in capacity development to further enhance the force’s capabilities to provide sustainable security.
The Commandant of PTS, Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Niyonshuti said that the 12 months of basic training covered varied topics that were meant to develop capacity and skills such as public order management, Police operations, military sciences, road safety, drills and duties, law and community policing.
PC Odette Umutesi was awarded as the overall best student, PC Fiston Intare came second while PC Emmanuel King Kagabo was third overall.
Although pharmaceutical products are currently manufactured in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Morocco and Egypt, Africa currently imports more than 80 per cent of its pharmaceutical and medical consumables.
The shortage stalls the continent’s health sector yet there are untapped investment opportunities to streamline its efficiency while generating huge returns.
Today, Africa registers 375 plants manufacturing pharmaceutical products and vaccines for its 1.2 billion population. The World Bank’s report shows that the continent’s health sector needs an investment between US$ 25 to 30 billion to make health services more accessible.
As he attended Rwanda Global Health Summit 2021, the Resident Representative of Belgian Development Agency, Enabel in Rwanda, Dirk Deprez has emphasized that investing in Africa’s health sector is a profitable business that also contributes to the wellbeing of Africans.
“Research carried out by World Health Organization shows that 99% of vaccines used in Africa are imported. Besides, the continent also imports 94% of pharmaceuticals,” he said.
“The continent’s pharmaceuticals’ market share is valued at US$28.5 billion expected to double in 2030. Investors should seize this opportunity in the areas of drugs and vaccine manufacturing. Governments, partners and financial institutions remain committed to support them,” added Deprez.
Dr Dhiren Thakker, the founder of Med Aditus International, a nonprofit corporation that aspires to be a positive force in creating access to medicine for underserved patients in Sub-Saharan Africa stressed that increasing drugs manufacturing plants is the only solution to tackle shortages and become self-reliant instead of sticking to foreign aids and imports.
“After realizing how Africans struggle to access health services, I wanted to make an impact and abandoned my job in 2019 to create a non-profit organization with a view to address the shortage of drugs in Africa. Today, we want to build pharmaceutical plants. Preparations are underway and we are considering Rwanda and Kenya as the first countries where our operations will begin,” he said.
Dr. Thakker also revealed that they mull introducing advanced technology in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and expressed optimism that it will create new jobs.
The Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana has said prioritizing investment in health sector is among lessons learnt from COVID-19 pandemic.
“We would request the Ministry of Finance or other financial institutions to provide funding to buy drugs or build a laboratory. The proposal would be okayed but told that building roads and schools would come first. Building schools is a good idea but the health sector should be given priority because it affects different aspects of life when things go wrong,” he said.
Health experts attending Rwanda Global Health Summit have also called for collaboration between different stakeholders for the continent to bridge the gap in health services.
They were arrested red-handed on Thursday, November 18, at about 8am, in Mubuga Village, Gakoro Cell, Rugera Sector with four metal posts.
The Western region Police spokesperson, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that the suspects vandalized roadside warning and traffic control signposts at the bridge connecting Nyabihu and Gakenke districts.
“A resident in Gakoro called the Police after realizing that signposts that had been erected on both sides of the bridge, were stolen,” CIP Karekezi said.
Some vandalised signposts were meant to caution people and motorists in particular about the bridge ahead while others were indicating the bridge weight limit of 30 tonnes.
“During the operations, Police recovered the metals in the house of Nkundabagenzi located about 100 meters from the bridge,” said CIP Karekezi.
Upon his arrest, Nkundabagenzi availed that the signpost metals were brought by Florent Niyigena the previous night and asked him to keep them, promising to pay him Rwf5,000.
Niyigena was also located and arrested. He admitted that they should sell the metals to dealers in scraps.
CIP Karekezi commended the role of the public in protecting public infrastructure.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Rugera station for further investigation.
Article 182 of the law relating to offences and penalties in general in Rwanda, “any person, who maliciously demolishes or damages in any way, in whole or in part of construction, building, bridge, dams, water pipes and their routes, railway rails or any other means of communication or electric power infrastructure, wells or any other constructions, which do not belong to him/her, commits an offence.”
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than three (3) years and not more than five (5) years with a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million
Kagame made the request following mixed reactions among members of the public complaining about low speed limits with accompanying speeding fines in Kigali city.
The uproar emanated from the recent changes where drivers with the speed above 40km/hr were slapped traffic fines.
As he delivered remarks at the celebration of Tax Payers Appreciation Day 2021, Kagame reminisced on the controversial speed limits which triggered mixed reactions and called on relevant institutions to make adjustments.
“I get updates through the media. I have been following up. The majority of you, got here by vehicles. You might have paid taxes along the road,” he said.
Kagame said, he is aware that people have been complaining about low speed limit that saw many of them fined.
“People have been complaining about excessive traffic penalties for speed limits and paying fines for going beyond 40km/h. That is the same speed as those of us who are used to walking,” he observed.
“I have spoken to National Police. The speed should not be so high that it leads to accidents, nor should it be so low that people never get where they are going,” added Kagame.
Before joining Radisson Hotel Group in 2016, Ndahiro held numerous positions in the hospitality industry, such as Crowne Plaza Hotel & Resort in Nairobi Kenya, IHG Hotel, Serena hotels where he worked for three different properties; Kigali Serena Hotel, Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, and Nairobi Serena Hotel.
With over ten years of experience, Emmanuel Ndahiro joined the Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Kigali as the Venue Manager before his promotion as the Convention Centre’s manager.
His service philosophy is to strive to exceed guest expectations, invest in his team’s growth and create an environment that excites them.
The facility’s management has revealed that Ndahiro makes Every Moment Matter to guests by creating a proactive team that enjoys taking care of all events guests at the Convention Centre.
“It is all about details and attitude is everything” and make sure that all employees have the same attitude and do not accept the status quo and strive every single day to improve our product,” reads part of the statement announcing the appointment.
Rob Kucera, the General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre and District Director East Africa has congratulated Ndahiro on his new position and wished him every success.
“There is always an opportunity for those who set goals and work towards them with passion, commitment, dedication, training, and resilience. And that is what Ndahiro has been doing the past 5 years at the Kigali Convention Centre,” he said.
{{About Radisson Blu}}
Radisson Blu is the largest upper upscale hotel brand in Europe and delivers a positive and personalized service in stylish spaces. By paying close attention to small details that make a big difference, Radisson Blu inspires unforgettable experiences with every stay.
Its hotels and resorts provide a full range of innovative products and services, delivering genuine and relevant guest experiences with a distinctive Yes I Can! attitude.
Radisson Blu hotels can be found in major cities, key airport gateways, and leisure destinations. Guests and professional business partners can enhance their experience with Radisson Blu by participating in Radisson Rewards, a global loyalty program offering exceptional benefits and rewards.
Radisson Blu is part of Radisson Hotel Group, which also includes Radisson Collection, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.
He delivered the message on Thursday 18th November 2021 during interactive session in which he took UoK students through youth empowerment programs in the UAE.
Amb. Alqahtani explained that UAE has put much effort in promoting youth inclusiveness as a segment of the population considered the backbone for national development.
He pointed out an example of Shamma Al Mazrui who joined the cabinet at the age of 22. Among others, the youth account for 75% of the taskforce in UAE’s Ministry of Education and are assigned more decision making positions.
The Ambassador highlighted that his country has also established a fund to support youth-led projects and created platforms bringing together the youth to exchange ideas on areas of interests paving the way for their progress.
After taking them through his country’s efforts in youth empowerment, Amb. Alqahtani said that the Government of Rwanda also has ambitious targets to the same cause and called on UoK students to maximize available opportunities.
“I should not leave without mentioning that the Government of Rwanda also has such opportunities. It is up to the youth to grab them. I would like to encourage students and the university’s management to tap into such opportunities and maximize benefits collaboratively because working together will undoubtedly yield big,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Kigali, Prof. Gustave M. Tombola thanked the UAE Ambassador for sacrificing his time to interact with students.
“We are privileged to have hosted the Ambassador. His visit is of great significance as he comes for the second time. He has reminded us on available opportunities for the youth that need to be fully utilized,” he said.
Prof. Tombola revealed that the university is ready to work with the embassy to advance youth empowerment.
Amb. Alqahtani last visited the university in November 2020.
The Dean of Students at UoK, Julius Twahirwa said the discussions were very insightful noting that they are ready to tap into the huge opportunities.
“It is a great honour to receive the Ambassador from a developed country. We have leant a lot from his tips. We have pledged to follow his advice to achieve our aspirations and contribute to national development,” he noted.
UAE has been partnering with Rwanda to advance quality education over the years.
Since 2002, the UAE through the Al Maktoum Foundation has supported Rwanda’s education by funding two secondary schools, the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Girls Secondary School for Sciences in Muhanga and the Hamdan Bin Rashid Kimisange Secondary School. Students from these schools have been performing well in national examinations.
For the last at least 10 years, the UAE through the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has also been 100% supporting the Islamic Secondary School for Sciences whose students have also been performing well in national examinations.
Within the framework of joint action in order to support the education sector in Rwanda, the UAE Government provided scholarships to outstanding students in different UAE universities, through the UAE Technical Assistance Program.
Since 2018, 20 male and female students from Rwanda received UAE Government scholarships at the UAE University in the disciplines of Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry, and Computer Science.
Among others, 10 Rwandan students were given full scholarships to pursue bachelor’s degree programs at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University in 2019.
The UAE has established an excellent and diversified system of higher education in a very short period.
Founded in 1976, the UAE University led higher education in the country. Since then, the UAE currently has 76 public and private institutions of higher education and they include universities, colleges and vocational & technical institutes, both local and international campuses, such as the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University, New York University and American University of Sharjah.
