The deceased include two from Kigali and one from Rusizi respectively aged, 89, 71 and 61.
The statement released last night shows that new cases were found in Kigali: 37, Rubavu: 14, Gicumbi: 7, Muhanga:2, Huye:2, Musanze:1, Rusizi :1 and Gisagara:1.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March 2020. Since then, 7817 people have been tested positive out of 714, 431 sample tests of whom 6227 have recovered, 1518 are active cases while 72 have succumbed to the virus.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
The Program Director at Spark MicroGrants Rwanda, Albert Uwayo explained that they first carried out research to identify citizens’ plans to mitigate COVID-19 effects and later provided funds to deal with most pressing issues.
First of all, the organization carried out research to identify if citizens have enough information about the pandemic and preventive measures and supported the Government to implement mobilization by sending short messages to all citizens in its database educating them about COVID-19 and preventive measures.
Thereafter, after learning how the pandemic has affected their source of income and employments amidst struggles to feed families, Spark MicroGrants negotiated donors to help them get rid of these challenges.
As Uwayo explained, the funds helped Spark MicroGrants to support 135 villages covered by the organization countrywide.
“We initially provided Rwf 27,000 to each village to distribute COVID-19 preventive kits to beneficiaries including face masks and hand sanitizers,” noted Uwayo.
The organization also provided Rwf 900,000 funding to each beneficiary village to mitigate the pandemic’s effects that was utilized based on most pressing issues.
“They decided how to utilize the money because beneficiaries had cited different issues related to inadequate foods, lack of Mutuelle de Santé, lack of seeds,” said Uwayo.
He appealed on beneficiaries and Rwandans in general to continue adhering to instituted health guidelines and embrace saving culture to be able to deal with any emergencies.
Usually, Spark MicroGrants provides a platform whereby citizens form groups discuss profitable projects and later provides funding for implementation.
This project initiative works in partnership with the Social Economic Development Officer (SEDO), these are the ones that follow up people called ‘Inyenyeri’ meaning ‘stars’ elected by the village members to support them to run village meetings.
When the village has set up and become organized, those Inyenyeri help the village members through various brainstorming sessions project ideas that can help them to reach their goal; they spend six-month meeting and perfecting their project. After that Spark MicroGrants provides grants to the village to implement their projects and keeps working with that village for a period of three years.
Spark MicroGrants has been operating in Rwanda since 2010 with interventions covering Musanze, Burera, Gakenka, Rulindo and Gisagara districts.
As of last year’s figures, it had helped about 69.973 Rwandans.
Spark MicroGrants’ vision is to see a world where everybody lives with dignity and shape their own positive future.
Being a time to indulge, nothing spells decadence like a scrumptious Christmas brunch and the Kigali Marriott Hotel was surely able to deliver this to the best of everyone’s expectations.
Kigali Marriott Hotel went all out for the festive holidays with gourmet food, refreshing beverage stations, and fantastic live entertainment – as well as a giant, colorful sugar castle embellishing their lobby.
Descending to Soko Restaurant – where the Christmas Brunch was taking place, was a lavish experience on its own where thousands of twinkling lights and glitz were adorning the hotel’s magnificent lobby staircase.
An impressive buffet was set up to delight one’s culinary senses for the memorable occasion that was Christmas. After receiving your drink, you were welcomed to the buffet where expertly prepared meals from roasted lamb or turkey, stuffing, and much more awaited. On the dessert side, a variety of delicacies from pies, succulent pastries to Christmas pudding were some of the best highlights.
Kigali Marriott Hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Mohamed Merouiche, expressed his excitement at welcoming guests for the hotel’s Christmas brunch and noted that all the necessary health measures were undertaken to ensure that everyone experienced a fantastic, but safe Christmas brunch.
“A collection of distinctive dining and festive specials have been specially crafted by our culinary team in celebration of the festivities. This year’s celebration might be a little different than what we’re used to, but Christmas remains a time to celebrate together and we’re set to offer the best experience. We have taken all the necessary measures to ensure that everyone is practicing social distancing, and wearing their masks so as to ensure everyone’s safety.” He says.
The kids were not forgotten! Lively with Christmas cheer, Santa Claus was wishing the young a merry Christmas, as well as offering them wonderful gifts – a true testament to the hotel’s love for the festive season.
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.
[Click here for more pictures of Kigali Marriott Hotel’s Christmas Brunch Festivities->https://flic.kr/s/aHsmTuAjqv]
The United Nations has revealed that these soldiers arrived in CAR on Christmas Eve on board two aircrafts from South Sudan where they had been deployed for United Nations Mission in South Sudan (MINUSS).
This reinforcement is part of the implementation of the integrated plan to secure the presidential and legislative elections due to take place on Sunday. It aims to reinforce MINUSCA to respond to security challenges currently facing the Central African Republic.
“These additional peacekeepers will strengthen MINUSCA Force’s to reinforce security systems during elections, which consists, in part, of deploying troops in the electoral districts in support of the Central African defense and security forces,” said the UN mission in a statement released on Friday.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in CAR, Mankeur Ndiaye, welcomed these additional peacekeepers and expressed optimism for their contribution highlighting that ‘the professionalism of Rwandan peacekeepers is known to all’.
Mr. Ndiaye, who is also the head of MINUSCA, thanked the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, for having requested and obtained the authorization of the United Nations Security Council to urgently strengthen the current system of the United Nations’ peace operation in CAR as armed groups try to disrupt Sunday’s elections.
He explained that it is further proof of the full commitment of the international community alongside the CAR people for elections scheduled on 27th December 2020.
The 300 peacekeepers deployed are additional to force protection troops that the Government of Rwanda deployed to CAR last week under an existing bilateral agreement on defense.
The Ministry of Defense revealed that the previous deployment was in response to the targeting of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) contingent under the UN Peacekeeping force by rebels supported by François Bozize who was president between 2003 and 2013.
During an interactive session with members of the press at the occasion of delivering ‘State of the Nation Address,’ Kagame said, the country already has forces in CAR for peace keeping mission but the situation is changing due to upcoming elections.
“We have forces serving under UN peacekeeping effort in CAR. The country is in the process of carrying out elections, scheduled on 27th December. This is a good thing since it legitimizes leaders. There have been many armed groups that recently came together and made pacts, some under the former president Bozize leadership, where they invaded the country from the outside. Their aim was to disrupt elections, but we also learned that some of those rebels wanted to attack our forces. All because we have been uncompromised and forceful in ensuring that citizens were well-protected,” he said.
On Saturday 19th December 2020, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra accused former president of the country, François Bozize of planning a coup-plot to dethrone the Government in collaboration with armed rebels. However, the ex-president of the Central African Republic has denied the allegation.
Tensions rose after Mr Bozizé’s candidacy for this week’s national elections was rejected by the country’s highest court. The UN said on Friday it had deployed peacekeeping forces to the country. President Faustin Archange Touadéra has insisted the poll will go ahead, saying the presence of the army and UN peacekeepers means people have nothing to fear.
But opposition parties, including that of Mr Bozizé, have called for the vote to be postponed “until the re-establishment of peace and security”.
President Kagame said, there had been no confrontations to Rwanda’s forces in CAR peacekeeping mission amidst their mandate to protect civilians.
As he explained, the rules of engagement for recently sent forces are forcibly different from other forces’ rules due to being sent under a different mandate.
“In this particular case, we’ve had an agreement with the CAR government, in which the rules of engagement are different. Our additional forces will be able to protect citizens and our existing force already there, without being limited by other rules of engagement [UN],” said Kagame.
The President also underscored that there are police troops protecting civilians camps in CAR that are attacked sometimes. He said that forces sent under different mandate will reinforce security to ensure smooth elections and protect Rwanda’s forces against any attacks.
Rwanda has been a main contributor to United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) since it first deployed in 2014. MINUSCA’s Rwandan contingent is notably in charge of the security of Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera and the presidential palace.
The traffic offenders were paraded to the media on Friday, December 25, at the Metropolitan Police headquarters in Remera.
Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that their actions were also destroying public infrastructure, violating rights of pedestrians and leading to accidents.
He added that taxi-moto operators have a bad attitude and behaviours of violating traffic control-lights, reckless maneuvers trying to overtake vehicles and riding on pedestrian pavements and green spaces, during traffic jam.
Ensuring road safety, he said, involves both education and enforcement.
“We have conducted awareness campaigns in the past years, targeting different groups of road users, including taxi-moto operators. During Gerayo Amahoro campaign, we had a whole month dedicated to educating motorcyclists, among others, on respect for sidewalks and green spaces. It is now time for enforcement,” CP Kabera warned.
“In some cases, motorcyclists fall down trying to climb pavements and knock pedestrians on sidewalks because of such inappropriate driving behaviours,” he added.
The spokesperson further noted that some taxi-moto operators do not have insurance, turn off lights especially when they are violating the curfew hours, in some cases leading to accidents.
“There is no gain in paying heavy fines for such preventable violations. All you need to do is respect traffic lights, not to ride on sidewalks or green spaces. A motorcycle should have insurance because it is your insurance that pays for the damage caused in case of an accident,” CP Kabera told motorcyclists.
Riding on sidewalks attracts a traffic fine of Rwf150,000, among other penalties.
Eric Nzayisenga, one of the arrested taxi-moto operators, regretted his actions which he said have put him in a “tough situation” of looking for money to pay the heavy fines.
“I have learnt a lesson. For a motorcyclist to raise such an amount of money… it is really hard especially when you acquired the motorcycle on loan like me. I hope all taxi-moto drivers have also picked a lesson from this,” said Nzayisenga.
He admitted that he knew that riding on pavements in wrong “only that we did not mind about it probably because no one had ever been arrested or penalised for it.”
To Yves Haragirimana, another arrested motorcyclist, the majority taxi-moto drivers have made it a practice to use walkways, especially during traffic jam.
“It is my first time to be in handcuffs for a simple thing that I can avoid. I must admit that most motorcyclists using pavements see it as something normal, but this is a lesson learnt,” said Haragirimana.
The motorcyclist who was also found in critical conditions is suspected to have attempted suicide after murdering the girl.
The girl’s body has been found in Gisasa village, Ngara cell, Bumbogo sector of Gasabo district in Kigali city.
The Acting spokesperson of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Dr Murangira B. Thierry has told IGIHE that RIB has started investigation.
“We have received information that people might have died inside a house. RIB rushed to the scene where he found a 23-year old man in critical condition, suspected to have attempted suicide using pesticides. A girl called Uwamahoro Denise was also found dead in the motorcyclists’ house. It is suspected that he was strangled to death,” he said.
The body has been taken to Rwanda Forensic Laboratory at Kacyiru for postmortem while the motorcyclist is receiving medical attention at Kibagabaga Hospital.
The statement released last night shows that new cases were found in Kigali:47, Rubavu:13, Nyaruguru:8, Gicumb:3, Ruhango:1 and Huye:1.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 case in March 2020. So far, 7743 people have been tested positive out of 712,257 sample tests of whom 6203 have recovered, 1471 are active cases while 69 have succumbed to the virus.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
Dr Nsabimana Ernest was appointed by the cabinet meeting of 14th December 2020.
Dr. Ernest previously served as Vice Mayor in charge of Urbanization and Infrastructure at the City of Kigali prior to his new appointment.
He replaced Lt Col Patrick Nyirishema who has held the position for six years since July 2014.
The handover ceremony took place yesterday in presence of RURA board committee.
The newly appointed Director General of Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Authority (RURA), Dr. Ernest Nsabimana has committed to improve efficiency in transport sector by fixing irregular fares, address issues related to hiked prices for water, electricity tariffs and maintain good reputation of the institution.
Dr. Nsabimana made the pledge to the Senatorial Standing Committee on Economic Development and Finance as the latter assessed the competencies of officials appointed by the cabinet meeting recently.
The areas of priority were revealed on Thursday during an extra-ordinary session of Senate that also approved seven heads of different institutions appointed by 14th December cabinet meeting.
These include Dr. Nsabimana Ernest , the Director General of RURA; Dusenge Byigero Alfred, the CEO of Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC); Gashumba Jeanne Pauline, the CEO of Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), Vincent Munyeshyaka, the CEO of Business Development Fund (BDF) and Félix Nshimyumuremyi, the Director General of Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA).
Others include Dr Rose Mukankomeje, the Director General of Higher Education Council (HEC) and Paul Umukunzi, the Director General of Rwanda TVET Board (RTB).
As they interacted with the Senatorial Standing Committee on Economic Development and Finance, these leaders committed to deliver on efficiency and fix existing gaps.
The Director General of RURA, Dr. Nsabimana Ernest expressed readiness to improve efficiency in public transport services, address the problem of inadequate infrastructure, buses, and roads for public transport as well as fixing irregular public transport fares.
He also expressed interest in providing solution to higher tariffs for water and electricity and telecommunications services experiencing network problems.
The new facility employs RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), an advanced laboratory technique for testing for diseases by detecting the presence of their genetic material in the body.
Such testing methods are considered as the ‘gold standard’ for the detection of some viruses and is characterised by high sensitivity and specificity.
Rwanda is among few countries to set up such a COVID19 PCR lab within an international airport.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije has said that the development aligns with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“Setting up a laboratory at the airport is meant to help us continue delivering better services to incoming passengers. We have observed that incoming passengers have increased nowadays yet quite a number of them are COVID-19 positive. Doing tests from hotels and taking them to national laboratory would take time. With the facility, we wanted to take tests here making it easier for us to follow up everyone’s results,” he said.
Dr Ngamije explained that the laboratory is equipped with technology helping to identify who have not yet got results and update them on reasons for the delay.
“We sometimes use ‘pooling system’ making it necessary to attend to every sample test. The result for such person might be delayed,” he noted.
Rwanda already had National Referral Laboratory used for different tests including COVID-19.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that as Rwanda, like the rest of the world, is still faced with the deadly COVID-19, it requires changing attitude and actions in the festive season celebrations.
“As you start or plan for the festive celebrations, remember that the pandemic of COVID-19 is still in our midst; we are seeing many daily infections and people are still dying. As we have seen, the virus affects and kills all age groups and it is spread by the people,” CP Kabera said.
On December 23, the Ministry of Health reported 87 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the number of cases still active to 1369. A total of 66 COVID-19 related deaths have so far been recorded in Rwanda.
“The situation demands from us all to change our festive celebration lifestyles in line with the health guidelines for everyone’s safety. Avoid unnecessary movements, abide by the health guidelines if you have to move. The guidelines include wearing facemask properly covering the nose and mouth, washing or sanitizing your hands regularly, social distance, avoiding the tradition of hugging or shaking hands, and in case of celebrations of any kind, do it at your home with internal family members; don’t invite other people from outside.”
According to the spokesperson, Police and other entities in local government, health, community policing groups and the general public are working together to ensure maximum compliance with the national health guidelines and for the violators to be penalized accordingly.
CP Kabera said: “Everyone should be home by 8pm. For this to be possible you should plan ahead, anticipate the time your activities will take so that by 8pm you’ll be home already; prioritize what’s important and do it on time so that 8pm won’t find you on the road; make sure any trip you take allows you to be able to reach your home before 8pm; we all don’t have to use the same routes when there are alternative routes you can use to avoid traffic jam; If you use public transport, make sure you get to the bus park early so that you can avoid overcrowding.”
Movements in Musanze District are prohibited between 7pm and 4am.
He further warned against holding house parties, operating bars or relocating them into homes.
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CP Kabera further advised against movements which can lead to further spread of the pandemic.
At least 109 new infections were also reported on December 22, with cases registered in City of Kigali and other 15 districts including six out of seven districts of the Eastern Province. One COVID-19 related death was reported on the same day.
He, however, called upon motorists to respect traffic rules and regulations such as regulating speed as well as adhering to COVID-19 preventive measures.
Public transport vehicles are required to operate at 50 percent capacity in compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures.
CP Kabera further reminded organizers of religious services that places of worship operate once a week with no more than 50 percent of maximum occupancy, except in Musanze where attendance is at 30 percent maximum occupancy.
