Gachagua came to Rwanda for the YouthConnekt Africa Summit 2022 taking place in Kigali.
He was among other dignitaries that attended the opening ceremony on Thursday at BK Arena.
Gachagua was hosted at Urugwiro Village on the same day after attending the summit.
President Kagame was in Kenya last month where he attended the inauguration of President William Ruto and Deputy President Gachagua. The ceremony took place on 13th September 2022.
Rwanda and Kenya enjoy cordial relations built on cooperation in the areas of justice, trade, agriculture, education, technology, telecommunication, and security among others.
Before the outset of COVID-19, 30% of Rwanda’s imports were transited through Mombasa Port.
On Thursday 13th October 2022, Kagame also met with football legends from Africa who are in the country as part of their world tour ahead of Veteran Clubs World Championship (VCWC) due in Rwanda in 2024.
The legends’ tour aims to uplift the next generation of professional footballers on and off the pitch.
On Wednesday 12th October 2022, the football veterans participated in the opening of ‘Legends in Rwanda’; a promotional event aimed attracting global participation during the VCWC2024.
It brought together legendary football players including Roger Milla from Cameroun, Khalilou Fadiga from Senegal, Patrick Mboma from Cameroun, Ghanaian Anthony Baffoe and French national Lilian Thuram.
The event was also attended by government officials, members of the private sector and other sports personalities.
The Head of State made the call on Thursday 13th October 2022 as he opened the Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2022 that brought together over 9000 young people.
Kagame was the guest of honour at the summit which was also attended by the Deputy President of Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua who came to Rwanda for the first time after assuming office.
He highlighted that the important forum which was launched in Rwanda ten years ago, has become a powerhouse, bringing together thousands of young people every year, to contribute solutions, and learn from each other.
“Africa is not a ‘continent of problems’. Not at all. Yes, there are problems, but where don’t you find problems? The world over, there are problems. So we have to deal with our own problems, but we are not a continent of problems. At least, we must also, and as leaders, do our part to recognize that young people are equal partners in our development agenda,” he said.
The Head of State said that leaders have a duty to listen to the youth, and work with them. He also advised young people to work hard with a purpose, because its absence of it would make their efforts futile.
“Hard work, even if it is smart work as well, without purpose, is not fulfilling. Therefore, we must also bear in mind the purpose, who we are, what we want to be, where we want to go, and all that driven in our minds by having a purpose,” he said.
“May I add that, with that purpose, you can add a little bit of discipline. Discipline guides us, measures and lets us know the excesses we have to deal with, whether personally or at the level of society,” added Kagame.
Kagame asked the young people if they ever heard someone who became a looser because of discipline and reminded them that it helps to value what a person does.
“So, let’s try it a little bit in our daily lives. It will serve us well. It helps people think, put value to every step of their way. It guides us in the right direction. Whether it is politics, is a bit of discipline. Whichever part of life, it should involve a bit of that. Of course, everything in excess has its own problems. So again, I’m saying, just try even with a little bit, and we will be where we want to be,” he noted.
The President shared Rwanda’s resilience journey. He explained that the country was at its lowest point 28 years ago but people dared to dream big, to give themselves something to look forward to, every day.
To this end, Rwandans worked hard together to overcome division, provide justice, and build prosperity.
“For the past two decades, this vision has become Rwanda’s purpose, and the reason for everything that we do. I always want to thank the people of Rwanda for their understanding and embracing these principles that have taken us this far.
Whatever your purpose, do not get discouraged by doubts. Begin by not doubting yourself. Try to overcome that, and ultimately, you, your family, your country, and our continent, will be better off for it,” Kagame said.
YouthConnekt Summit is taking place for the fifth time since 2012. It was initiated by the Government of Rwanda in collaboration with partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
This year’s edition brought together young people from 22 African countries including Rwanda.
Rwanda’s Minister of Youth, Rosemary Mbabazi thanked President Kagame for relentlessly dedicating time to interact with the youth. She requested young people to take advantage of the summit to gain knowledge helping them to transform the African continent.
UNDP Representative in Rwanda, Maxwell Gomera delivered a touching and inspiring speech where he recounted the story of his mother who used to sell tomatoes to support her family.
His mother could not get the investment she needed for her business since no one would offer such opportunities at the time “Let alone to a woman,” Gomera said.
“No bank would take a chance on her, and it failed to grow to the potential it could have.
Eventually, she had to give up on part of her dream,” he said.
He said he used to help her with her business but since she lacked the investment she needed; ‘her business stayed small, her dreams stayed small’.
Gomera emphasized that young people are facing the same challenges, just like his mother. “Like my mother, young people do not have the access they need. 42% fail to get that funding, these are the things we can solve with the right leadership.”
He proceeded to state how young people should be facilitated in getting investments to take their businesses to the next level since more than 80% in Africa do not reach the level.
The President of Senegal, Macky Sall who delivered remarks virtually said that the youth needs to be empowered as the future of the African continent.
He explained that his country allocates 26% of national budget for education and training aimed at securing the youth’s future.
The Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Rigathi Gachagua inspired young people attending the summit to take part in the decision making in all areas of life “Take your rightful place in decision making.”
On Wednesday 12th October 2022, the UN General Assembly condemned Russia’s declaration that it had annexed four Ukrainian regions.
The motion passed with 143 countries out of 193 members voting in favor and only 5 against. Meanwhile, 35 countries abstained from the ballot.
The five countries which voted against the resolution include Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria.
The majority of countries that abstained are from the African continent, in addition to China and India.
The African countries include; Algeria, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Eritrea, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Guinea, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Others outside Africa are; Armenia, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam.
Following the votes; Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the 143 countries which endorsed the resolution and expressed optimism that Russia will reverse the annexation decision.
This was after three people were arrested on Wednesday, October 12, in Gasutamo Village, Kivumu Cell in Gisenyi Sector where they were operating black foreign exchange trading markets.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Mucyo Rukundo, the Western Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO) said that all suspects were arrested at the border.
“Police in Rubavu District are in operations targeting people, who conduct foreign exchange trading illegally especially in Gisenyi town and at the border points of Grande Barrière and Petite Barrière,” CIP Rukundo said.
CIP Rukundo warned against such unlawful foreign exchange trade, which can also lead to money laundering and affect licensed forex trading.
Only licensed intermediaries are authorized to carry out foreign exchange business, in conformity with specific Central Bank regulations, under regulation N° 42/2022 of 13/04/2022 governing foreign exchange operations.
In article 29, operation of buying or selling foreign currency is prohibited, where at least one of the parties to the transaction is not a licensed intermediary.
In article 34, any violation of the provisions of this Regulation, and other related legal or regulatory provisions, shall be punished in accordance with the appropriate laws or regulations.
In addition, any person who sells or pricing goods or services in foreign currency contrary to the provision of this regulation shall be punishable by the seizure and confiscation of the amount involved in that transaction. The confiscated amount shall be credited on the Public Treasury account.
Article 223 of the law determining offenses and penalties in general, states that any person who, by any means, illegally sells or exchanges, national or foreign currency, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months and not more than two years or a fine of not less than Rwf200000 and not more than Rwf3 million.
In May 2024, football veterans from across the world will come to Rwanda to participate in the VCWC 2024. The tournament will be taking place in Africa for the first time.
In preparations of the tournament, a promotional tour dubbed ‘Legends in Rwanda’ kicked off in Kigali City on Wednesday 12th October 2022.
‘Legends in Rwanda’ tour seeks to promote the 2024 Veteran Clubs World Championship to attract global participation, mobilize the Rwandan and African to be part of the event, promote Visit Rwanda campaign and recruit business, institutional, operational and media partners as well.
The promotional tour was organized by the International Federation of Football Veterans (FIFVE).
The official launch of the promotional tour brought together legendary football players including Roger Milla from Cameroun, Khalilou Fadiga from Senegal, Patrick Mboma from Cameroun, Ghanaian Anthony Baffoe and French national Lilian Thuram.
The event was also attended by government officials, members of the private sector and other sports personalities.
As he addressed participants, the president of FERWAFA, Olivier Nizeyimana Mugabo said that the anticipated VCWC 2024 will coincide with Rwanda’s 30th Liberation Anniversary.
He explained that Rwanda is eager to host the tournament given that it has a mega project for the renovation of Amahoro Stadium to be completed during VCWC 2024.
“Amahoro Stadium will be completed in March 2024. It will be opened by Veteran Clubs World Championship. From 1994 to 2024, Rwanda will be hosting the 30th Liberation Anniversary. These veteran footballers will help to invite Rwandan diaspora in Africa and beyond to join us,” Mugabo said.
During the tour, the veteran footballers will interact with different officials, investors and representatives from the Civil Society to increase awareness about the historical tournament.
In light of this; Veteran footballers will visit 11 cities including Johannesburg, Nairobi, Lagos and Abidjan in Africa; Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London in Europe as well as Washington DC, Ottawa in the United States and Singapore in Asia.
The Minister of Sports, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju requested participants to return to Rwanda after touring the world and ensure that the tournament leaves a legacy for future generations.
Legendary football players also delivered a talk revolving around the role of sports in development.
Once completed, the Amahoro Stadium being upgraded to international standards, will have the capacity to accommodate 45,000 people.
The new device is ideal for both home use and as a mobile hotspot for customers want to experience superfast 4G speeds.
Speaking at the launch recently, Airtel Rwanda Managing Director, Emmanuel Hamez said: “It gives me great delight to introduce this New, Portable, Superfast 4G enabled device at a reduced price of Rwf 25,000.
This device makes it possible for customers to enjoy our internet while on the move. This comes with a Welcome Stater Sim Card of 15GB, enabling the customer to start enjoying the device right away.”
The new device that is available across all Airtel Service Centers countrywide can use both a 4G and 3G SIM Card. It has a 3,000 Milliamp (mAh) Li-ion battery that can give a performance of up to 12 hours and can connect multiple internet users simultaneously.
The move will see customers initiate a reversal of own transfer without customer care involvement.
This is line with Mobile Money Rwanda’s commitment to offer its customers unmatched personalized services as enshrined in its overall mission.
The MoMo Self reversal will grant customers autonomy and flexibility to self-service and an improved experience in the digital age.
{{The reversal will follow the following simple steps to completion:}}
-* The approving account holder (the receiver of original transfer) will be notified about the reversal and can either approve or reject this reversal with User Approval operation.
-* If approved, the reversal transaction will be executed, and the amount will be transferred back to the sender.
-* The customer will enter the Momo pin code once initiating and approving the reversal
-* If rejected, the sender will be notified. The reversal amount will be reserved on the account of the receiver for 90days from the initiated date.
-* A transaction can only be initiated once for Self-reversal as per 1 transaction ID.
-* A notification to be sent to the initiator of the Self versal when found the transaction already withdrawn/transferred from the receiver’s account.
To initiate a reversal, a customer can dial *182*7# and follow the prompts to complete the process.
Commenting on the development; Chantal Kagame-Chief Executive Officer, MTN Mobile Money Rwanda said: “We are taking additional, deliberate steps to provide our customers with better transactional solutions. We are combining the power of technology and our innovative spirit to solve customer challenges.
MoMo Self reversal is just but a fraction of a better future for our customers. We look forward to a continued positive trajectory of offering timely and impactful solutions.”
{{About Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd}}
Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd is MTN Rwanda’s FinTech subsidiary, established on 27th April 2021 to provide and manage Mobile Money services in Rwanda.
The company has over 65,000 Mobile Money agents and over 85,000 MoMoPay merchants across the country.
The penetration of Mobile Money has seen a continuous rise with the enhancement of existing offerings such as MoMoPay, MTN m-Ticketing as a digital user-friendly ticketing solution, Tap&Go payments for bus services, Bill Payments, Bulk Payments, AgriTech services, Solar payments, Electricity purchase, Payment of Government services, Bank Push & Pull, MoKash Loans & Savings, and more.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing geo-political tensions and their impact on global output and supply chain disruptions, have led to global inflationary pressures for many Commonwealth members.
In her opening remarks, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, emphasised the important role that fiscal authorities play in tackling some of these challenges.
“The economic challenges facing us necessitate concerted efforts to develop viable strategies to revive and revitalise our economies for the benefit and well-being of Commonwealth citizens. To achieve the future we want, a future that leaves no one behind, global and regional collaboration remains imperative.
We need to acknowledge that while the rising cost of living affects everyone, it disproportionately affects climate-vulnerable, small, developing, and low-income countries. More needs to be done to provide inclusive debt relief and financial support for them all. Furthermore, there is also the need to strengthen debt management systems to contain public debt at manageable levels,” she said.
Several Finance Ministers stressed the need for policy support measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis as well as food insecurity, especially for member countries dependent on imports of basic commodities.
Chairing this year’s meeting, the Honourable Dr Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning from Rwanda said: “I am happy that today, one of the issues being discussed is tackling inflation from a fiscal policy stance. Fiscal authorities have important roles to play in combating inflation but not in isolation of the central banks. These fiscal tools should cushion the effect on vulnerable households and businesses, helping them to cope with the rising cost of living and cost of doing business; as well as safeguarding food and energy security.”
Focussing on a theme of ‘A Road to Economic Recovery: A Macroeconomic Perspective’, Ministers discussed the recommendations based on the following topical issues: Fiscal measures to tackle inflation, A Fiscal Framework for Resilient and Sustainable Development; and Managing elevated debt amid economic uncertainty.
Among Commonwealth nations, average inflation rose from 4.1 per cent in 2021 to an estimated 6.6 per cent in 2022. However, Commonwealth small states have experienced larger increases, with inflation doubling from 2.7 per cent in 2021 to 5.4 per cent in 2022.
{{Some key recommendations outlined in the meeting include:}}
-* {{The provision of fiscal support: }} Well-designed and carefully targeted fiscal support to reduce the negative impact on growth without adding significantly to inflation.
-* {{Provide support to address supply chain disruptions: }} Efforts must be directed at tackling the bottlenecks that are causing supply chain disruptions.
-* {{Re-examination of fiscal rules:}} a need to review the existing fiscal rules to assess their relevance in the current economic environment of persistent exogenous shocks;
-* {{A call for effective debt management and promotion of debt transparency}}
Ministers had frank discussions regarding the inflationary pressures facing their countries and considered the recommended measures that need to be taken to cushion the effects of inflation and boost economic growth.
Ministers also called for a holistic review of the fiscal rules since they are no longer relevant and do not reflect the extraordinary and peculiar economic conditions of today, which include ‘triple crises’.
Ministers welcomed the IMF’s newly introduced tool, the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, which is aimed at helping low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries build resilience to economic shocks. However, they urged the IMF to put in place realistic and practical eligibility conditions, particularly for small and vulnerable countries.
Charting the way forward, the Ministers agreed to establish a Commonwealth Working Group which provides an integrated advocacy strategy and solutions in addressing economic challenges.
{{About Commonwealth}}
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.5 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.
It spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-two of our members are small states, many of which are island nations.
The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights.
the bloc’s work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations.
The Commonwealth admitted Gabon and Togo as its 55th and 56th members respectively at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2022. Prior to this, Rwanda was the last country to join in 2009.
The Customer Service Week is celebrated in the first week of October every year.
The tree planting exercise took place recently on 8th October 2022 in Ayabaraya Village, Ayabaraya Cell, Masaka Sector of Kicukiro District in the City of Kigali.
The area is often hit hard by drought during the dry spell. The majority of planted trees are Eucalyptus.
Speaking after the tree planting exercise; Managing Director of Equity Bank Rwanda PLC, Hannington Namara urged residents to take good care of them given that the environment contributes largely to improved humans’ health.
Beatrice Cyiza, the Director General in charge of Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment reminded residents on the many benefits of trees and requested them to preserve environment.
“Planting trees, preserving the environment has a direct positive impact on our health. Our good health also goes hand in hand with the economy where you can seek services from Equity Bank Rwanda PLC to prosper,” she said.
Beatrice Mukamana, one of residents who participated in the tree planting exercise commended the bank for joining them and expressed optimism that they will provide relief during the dry spell.
“It is our responsibility to protect these trees. It is apparent that they will mitigate climate change effects and increase rainfall which is rare in this area,” said another resident identified as Alphonse Nteziryayo.
Equity Bank Rwanda PLC plans to plant 5 million trees by 2025.
The goods smuggled into Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), included 100kgs of second-hand clothes and 60kgs of shoes.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Mucyo Rukundo, the Western Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO) said that three other accomplices fled during the operation.
“It was a group of four people, who were intercepted at about 10:30 p.m after they crossed into Rwanda, following information provided by a resident in Bugeshi Sector. One of them, Tuyishime, was arrested but his three accomplices dropped their luggage and fled back to DRC,” said CIP Rukundo.
Tuyishime said they were hired by a trader operating in Mahoko trading centre to smuggle the second-hand clothes and shoes from DRC, for Frw3,000, each.
CIP Rukundo warned against illegal cross-border and fraud. He lauded the impact of the public in fighting smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is also subject to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax and a likely imprisonment of between six months and two years
In article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is also applicable in Rwanda, smuggled goods are auctioned.
