The executive secretary of Murundi Sector, Benon Gashayija has told IGIHE that the child was washed away trying to pick a shoe that was lost in a waterway.
“After yesterday’s heavy rain stopped, a child returning home from school was washed away trying to retrieve his shoe that fell in a waterway as he crossed at a bridge,” he said.
Gashayija disclosed that his colleague returned to school and informed teachers and members of the administration. They rushed to the scene and found the child dead in few meters away from the bridge.
Gashayija urged parents to prevent children from playing around water bodies and the school administrations to develop proactive measures and accompany children during the rainy season.
Rwanda accommodates nearly 80,000 Congolese refugees who fled insecurity more than 20 years ago but their government has remained silent on their problems.
When M23 rebel group resumed fighting with Congolese Army (FARDC) in 2021, DRC started accusing Rwanda of being behind insecurity in eastern part of the country and put it forward as the major concern instead of addressing issues that pushed its citizens to flee to Rwanda.
As he delivered remarks after presiding over the swearing-in of the new Senate President on Monday this week, President Paul Kagame said that Rwanda has been blamed for DRC’s problems but insisted that it is time to show how it is not Rwanda’s business.
“We are going to ensure that everybody realizes that it is not Rwanda’s problem. And starting with saying, those who think this is Rwanda’s problem and not Congo’s, first remove these Congolese from here. Those who coming in every day just on the actions of the government and institutions, you will tell me, ‘the government is not functioning properly, this or that but this is still none of my business,” said Kagame.
Following his speech, some media houses misinterpreted the message and reported that ‘Rwanda won’t accept Congolese refugees any longer’ while others ran stories indicating that ‘Rwanda may expel Congolese refugees’.
This comes at a time when violence against some ethic groups is ongoing in DRC where there is fear of possible Genocide against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities.
Meanwhile, Congolese refugees in Rwanda have been staging protests demanding their government to respond to their concerns.
During an interview with BBC, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Alain Mukuralinda underscored that Rwanda will continue to receive all refugees crossing fleeing to the country.
“Rwanda respects international norms and abides by laws protecting refugees. Besides, it is part of the country’s culture to welcome all people coming to us as mentioned before,” he noted.
“We will continue to accept refugees and keep pushing the international community and DRC Congo government […] It is surprising that we have never had Congolese government taking into consideration problems of its citizens hosted here over the past 20 years yet Burundi sent officials in the past few days to visit different camps and mobilize Burundian refugees to return home,” added Mukuralinda.
Mukuralinda explained that Congo did not show willingness to do so but is only concerned with Rwanda and M23.
“When the problem is not addressed from its roots, it will take five or ten more years,” he said.
“To make things clear, Rwanda will neither reject refugees nor evict them. They will only return when they feel their security is guaranteed,” added Mukuralinda.
As at May 2022, Rwanda registered 127,369 refugees including 76,968 from Congo equivalent to 60.43% and 49.859 Burundians equivalent to 39.15%.
The beneficiaries are from Umunini Village, Ruhimbi Cell in Gishari Sector. Also donated to the same families are cattle spray pumps and tick control medicines.
Jean Bosco Bazatsinda, a father of four and one of the beneficiaries said that the cow will support his family and other community families, who will benefit from its offsprings.
“I thank our president, Paul Kagame, who brought Girinka (one-cow per poor family). Lives of many Rwandans have been changed because of Girinka. I will look after it well so that my family and the community reaps from it as well” said Bazatsinda.
“This cow will be provide manure to increase our agriculture production, and milk for our children. Cows in Rwandan culture, is a blessing, partnership and togetherness,” he added.
The mayor of Rwamagana District, Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi observed that the RNP community development projects define a people-centred policing.
“Police ensures the safety and security of Rwandans and their property, and goes extra miles to improve the livelihoods of the people; that’s a feat that should be rewarded with strong collaboration to fight and prevent crimes to ensure sustainable security,” mayor Mbonyumuvunyi told hundreds of residents of Gishari.
The PTS Commandant, Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Niyonshuti thanked the residents for their community policing spirit in fighting and preventing crimes.
“Police cannot be everywhere, but you cover those gaps through community night patrols, neighborhood watch and real time information sharing,” CP Niyonshuti said.
He asked those who received heifer to graze them well to support their families and to benefit others.
Girinka programme initiated in 2006 by President Paul Kagame, is a home-grown initiative existing within the national social protection initiatives to reduce poverty, and improve livelihoods through increased milk consumption and income generation; improving agricultural productivity through the use of manure as fertilizer and promoting unity and reconciliation among Rwandans.
A poor family receives a heifer raises it and when she gives birth, the first female calf is given to another poor family and the process continues.
Recently, the PTS also paid medical insurance premiums for 1000 Gishari residents.
During the month dedicated to community development activities known as ‘Police Month’, in December last year, the RNP connected 278 households of Gishari Sector with solar energy, constructed two houses for two vulnerable families and an Early Child Development Centre (ECD).
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), the country’s air transport regulator, said flight Number TK606 hovered in the Ugandan airspace for more than an hour.
“As a precautionary measure, the flight hovered in the Ugandan airspace before landing safely at Entebbe at 08:52 a.m. [local time],” the aviation body said in a brief statement.
“The aircraft is being checked for airworthiness before resuming the flight,” UCAA added.
Ahimbisibwe Rugaju, Kanungu Deputy Resident District Commissioner, in a statement on Monday said two elephants strayed out of the park on Sunday and destroyed acres of gardens before the residents started chasing them back into the park.
“However, as the elephants moved towards the park, they came across the deceased while he was guarding his potato garden near his homestead where he was killed instantly,” Rugaju said.
According to Rugaju, the residents have been complaining about stray animals destroying their crops despite the government promising to put a fence around the park.
“The residents have since threatened to kill wild animals when they are sighted in their gardens since the Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers have failed in their duty to drive the animals back to the park whenever they attack,” Rugaju added.
He however urged the residents against harming wildlife and to always work with park authorities to ensure that the animals are returned to the park.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva told reporters during a press briefing in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, that the refining capacities of the Port-Harcourt refinery which is currently under rehabilitation, and the Dangote Refinery under construction, as well as the modular refineries in the country, will see the end of the importation of petroleum products with their combined production.
To ensure the local supply of petroleum products, the government takes a 20 percent equity stake in the Dangote Refinery, the official said, adding that it also takes a 30 percent equity stake in each of the modular refineries in the country.
Bilie By Nze is responsible for forming a new government. He will replace Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda who was appointed the same day as vice president of the Gabonese Republic, a post vacant for more than three years.
Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, 56, held the position of Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Energy and Water Resources. He had been working alongside Ali Bongo Ondimba since March 2012 when he was promoted to political adviser and spokesperson for the Presidency of the Republic.
At the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and other senior officials welcomed 269 tourists from the Chinese city of Xiamen, who were greeted with flowers and gift bags.
The increase in the number of tourists entering Thailand from China and other countries is a good sign for Thailand’s tourism sector, generating income and creating jobs for the people which contributes to the country’s economic recovery, Anutin said.
A total of 15 flights from China accommodating about 3,465 passengers were expected to arrive in Bangkok on Monday, he said.
The Thai government expects about 300,000 Chinese tourists to visit Thailand in the first three months of this year.
Also on Monday, Anutin said that visitors would not be required to show the evidence of vaccination, but travellers from the countries that require RT-PCR testing on their returns would be required to have health insurance coverage, including COVID-19, before entering Thailand.
