The development has been announced during the daily update from the Ministry of Health. The two cases were obtained from 2,041 tests- the highest since March 14 when the country confirmed the first case of Coronavirus.
In total, the country has so far conducted 48,239 tests of COVID-19 since the outbreak.
As a result of strict directives in the fight against the COVID-19, Rwanda’s recovery cases have since May 11 surpassed active ones and the country has reported no deaths from the virus so far.
Rwanda recently eased COVID-19 lockdown and allowed some businesses to continue operations for two weeks, and the government is expected to give an update on the partial lockdown on Monday, May 19.
Meanwhile, citizens are still urged to abide by COVID-19 precautionary measures such as regular washing of hands and self-distancing and the wearing of face masks when in public or multi-family compounds.
“The arrest of Kabuga today is a reminder that those responsible for genocide can be brought to account, even 26 years after their crimes,” said Serge Brammertz, chief prosecutor of The Hague-based Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
“Our first thoughts must be with the victims and survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Advocating on their behalf is an immense professional honour for my entire office.”
Kabuga was indicted by the UN International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR) for Rwanda in 1997 on seven counts of genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution and extermination, all in relation to crimes committed during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Rwandan prosecutors say Kabuga was the chief financier during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The 100-day pogrom left at least a million Rwandans, the majority of them Tutsi, dead.
Kabuga held the purse-strings of hate media Kangura newspaper and RTLM radio, which incited ethnic Hutu to kill minority Tutsi, according to the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit (GFTU), a special team created in 2007 to prosecute the architects behind the ethnic slaughter.
The operation to arrest Kabuga was run by French authorities in conjunction with the IRMCT. It involved “a sophisticated, coordinated operation with simultaneous searches across a number of locations,” the French justice ministry said.
He was arrested him at 0530 GMT (8930am) on Saturday.
{{Patched ties}}
Rwanda government has for long accused France of complicity in the genocide and of frustrating justice for the victims since many of the suspects fled to the European country when the government of Juvenal Habyarimana fell in July 1994.
France has admitted it made mistakes but insists it never had a role in the massacre.
In April 2013, Pascal Simbikangwa, a former Rwandan army captain, became the first fugitive to face charges of complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity in a French court.
Simbikangwa, arrested in the French island of Mayotte in 2008, was a month later joined in the dock by Octavien Ngenzi, 58, and Tito Barahira, 64, two former mayors accused of playing a direct role in the massacre of hundreds of Tutsi refugees in a church in the eastern town of Kabarondo on April 13, 1994.
However, the current government of Emmanuel Macron has appeared more forthcoming with Kigali after several meetings with President Paul Kagame.
In May 2018, Macron hosted Kagame and then openly backed Rwanda’s Louise Mushikiwabo to head the world association of French-speaking nations.
Mushiwabo won the seat, Rwandan fugitives lost their haven. The arrest of Kabuga could send strong signals to the rest of the fugitives in France.
It is not yet clear if Kabuga will be extradited to Rwanda to face justice but Brammertz suggested that the suspect will be transferred to the custody of the Mechanism, where he will stand trial.
Rwanda’s Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit has issued 1,012 international arrest warrants for suspects in 32 countries.
Several are in neighbouring nations like DR Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. Others are further afield in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. And still others fled to Europe, North America or even Australia.
GFTU listed Kabuga on its top list. The other is Augustin Bizimana, a former defence minister believed to be hiding in DR Congo.
{{Who is Kabuga?}}
Félicien Kabuga was born in 1935 in Muniga, in present-day Gicumbi district, 30km from Gatuna-Katuna border. He was an extremely rich businessman who was closely allied to the family of President Habyarimana.
He was also the main financial contributor to and silent partner of Habyarimana’s party, National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development MRND, and led an extremist wing of the party.
When he bankrolled Kangura newspaper and RTLM radio, he reportedly used them for such fierce ethnic propaganda that the Information ministry was once compelled to order him to cease distribution of messages aiming at inciting inter-racial hatred.
In June 1994, confronted with the advance of RPF troops, Kabuga fled Rwanda. He first reached Switzerland but on receiving an order to leave, he then went to Kinshasa in DR Congo. He later hid in Nairobi, Kenya, until he found haven in France.
{{Genocide suspects transferred or extradited to Rwanda
Name From Date}}
-* Charles Bandora: Norway, March 2013
-* Jean-Paul Birindabagabo: Uganda, May 2017
-* Enos Kagaba: US, May 2005
-* Jean-Pierre Kwitonda: Uganda, November 2010
-* Jean-Claude Iyamuremye: Netherlands, November 2016
-* Emmanuel Mbarushimana: Denmark, July 2014
-* Jean-Marie Vianney Mudahinyuka: US, January 2011
-* Léon Mugesera: Canada, January 2012
-* Jean-Baptiste Mugimba: Netherlands, November 2016
-* Marie-Claire Mukeshimana: US, December 2011
-* Bernard Munyagishari: ICTR, July 2013
-* Léopold Munyakazi: US, September 2016
-* Jean de Dieu Munyaneza: Netherlands, March 2015
-* Augustin Nkundabazungu: Uganda, August 2010
-* Ladislas Ntaganzwa: ICTR, March 2016
-* Agnès Ntamabyariro: Zambia, 1997
-* Henry Jean Claude Seyoboka: Canada, November 2016
-* Jean Twagiramungu: Germany, August 18, 2017
-* Jean Uwinkindi: ICTR, April 2012
The awareness activities, according to RYVCP leadership, were initiated to supplement the government efforts and Rwanda National Police (RNP) in particular, to fight and prevent the spread of Coronavirus especially in business centres like markets and trading centres.
On May 15, awareness activities were conducted in different markets in Nyabihu and Burera districts.
Jean Baptiste Bunezero, the District Youth Coordinator for Nyabihu said that the outreach activities on their first day, were conducted in the markets of Kora, Gasiza and Gashusha in Bigogwe, Rambura and Rugera sectors, respectively.
“Our public awareness campaign aims at educating people that go to markets on safer and healthy practices as recommended by our government, to prevent them from either spreading or contracting Coronavirus,” said Bunezero.
He added “Traders and people who came to these markets were educated on how to wear face masks, those who don’t have them asked to acquire them first; how to wash hands and doing it regularly even in their homes and communities; social distancing and urging them to avoid unnecessary movements.”
The outreach activities, Bunezero said, will be expanded to other business centres in Nyabihu.
In Burera, the district youth coordinator, Gervais Ngemba said that they started the campaign in business centres in the sectors of Butaro, Gahunga and Kagogo.
“In partnership with the Police, local leaders and other security organs, we took the awareness campaign on prevention of COVID-19 to Gahunga, Rusumo and Mugo markts and many other places including trading centres,” said Ngemba.
“We want Rwandans to understand the importance of washing hands with soap, planning their shopping carefully to avoid unnecessary movements, social distancing and wearing face mask at any time they leave their homes,” Ngemba explained.
The youth volunteers are also measuring body temperature at entry points of markets and trading centres.
“Thousands of people who came to these business centres washed their hands, exercised social distance and went home with face masks.
We believe that continuous awareness will influence positive actions as recommended by our leadership for everyone to be safe from Coronavirus,” Ngemba said.
“We want to be the voice of our government in our respective communities because the measures are meant for us to stay safe.”
Rwanda National Police spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera commended the role of youth volunteers in security, health and development activities.
“Over the years, youth volunteers have been central to community policing; raising awareness on fighting and preventing crimes, supporting disadvantaged Rwandans in varied human security activities and the overall community security and development programmes,” said CP Kabera.
He added: “Raising awareness to influence positive attitudes on COVID-19 is, therefore part of of their usual actions of patriotism and individual responsibility which should define everyone to achieve the intended results.”
The youth group, which started in 2013, currently has over 300, 000 members across the country.
According to Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Marie-Gorette Umutesi, the Police spokesperson for the Central region, the suspect identified as Chantal Uwamaliya, 25, was arrested in Kanombe Sector for allegedly circulating counterfeit money amounting to Rwf25, 000.
“Uwamaliya is a telecom banking agent in Kanombe, she tried to fleece her fellow agents with fake currency notes,” CIP Umutesi said.
She added: “Her criminal actions came to light after one of her colleagues realised that a note of Rwf5,000 she got from her was counterfeit. When other agents also checked the notes they allegedly received from Uwamaliya, they found they were also fake, which prompted them to call the Police.”
The suspect currently detained at Kanombe Police station, claims that she was duped by a client, who gave her fake notes amounting to Rwf25, 000 in the denominations of Rwf5, 000, which she was trying to spend to avoid losses.
“Circulating fake money knowingly is equally a crime punishable by law,” said CIP Umutesi.
The article 269 of penal code states: “Any person who, fraudulently counterfeits, falsifies or alters coins or bank notes which are legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, notes issued by the Treasury with its stamp or brand, either banknotes or alike that have legal tender in Rwanda or abroad, or one who introduces or issues in Rwanda such effects or notes with knowledge that they are forged or falsified, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years.
CIP Umutesi warned against such fraudulent tendencies and called for vigilance and information on anyone they suspect to be behind these criminal acts.
Rwanda has been relatively unscathed by the pandemic so far, registering a few hundred cases. The country is gradually coming out of a nationwide lockdown and Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer Clare Akamanzi views it as a time to embrace a new digital future.
{{Q: How has your team adjusted?
A: }} We’re doing things we were not planning to do this year. All our efforts have gone into the mobilisation of the private sector to fight the pandemic – such as shifting manufacturing capacity towards the production of personal protective equipment, keep revenue streams open and protect jobs.
The sources of growth [in the future] are not going to be the same. We have to rethink how hospitality and tourism are going to recover. We will probably have to focus more on domestic tourism, adjust our agriculture policies to be able to provide food security. But information and communications technology (ICT) and digital inclusion, as well as e-commerce, will be boosted.
{{Q: How has your strategy evolved?
A:}} This is not a time to look for new investors. We have focused on maintaining communication with existing investors and investors that have already expressed a level of commitment in Rwanda, while we wait to resume investment promotion activities.
{{Q: Will investment promotion increasingly rely on digital services ?
A:}} Covid-19 will lead to a more digital society. At the Rwanda Development Board we are already providing many services digitally. Investors can register a local company and get tax certification online, they can also apply for a mortgage, an environmental impact assessment and an investment certificate digitally.
After the crisis is over, we should insist on keeping everything digital, thereby saving money on physical services. It’s a new way to connect with the world – a new normal. Marketing functions will be online, supply chain functions will be online. It’s been a good lesson for IPAs – like the Rwanda Development Board – on how to become more digital.
{{Q: What leadership have you provided during the crisis?
A:}} The most important thing is to keep communicating with staff, investors and other stakeholders; manage expectations, share information and keep people comfortable and engaged and committed.
Another important element is solidarity. We need to be transparent about the challenges we’re facing, but also emphasise that we’re in this together. It’s also important to be an advocate of the private sector to the government and a voice for the policy adjustments the private sector needs.
{{Q: What do you expect over the mid-to-long-term?
A}}: Countries around the world have come to realise they’re heavily dependent on others for supply chains, and this has led to a standstill. Many countries are now leaning towards more domestic supply chains. That’s not an option for every country though; a diversified supply chain base might be a more feasible option for them.
From an investment promotion perspective, it’s interesting to think of positioning Rwanda as one of those alternatives. We’re a landlocked country, right in the middle of the African continent. We’re not a manufacturing base for low-end products, but high-end electronics, mineral processing and jewellery. We need to think about how Rwanda can improve its proposition to investors willing to relocate.
In reaction to today’s arrest, Mechanism Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz stated:
The arrest of Félicien Kabuga today is a reminder that those responsible for genocide can be brought to account, even twenty-six years after their crimes.
Our first thoughts must be with the victims and survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Advocating on their behalf is an immense professional honor for my entire Office.
For international justice, Kabuga’s arrest demonstrates that we can succeed when we have the international community’s support. This result is a tribute to the unwavering commitment of the United Nations Security Council, which established the Mechanism to continue the accountability process in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
I would like to extend our appreciation to France and its law enforcement authorities, particularly the Central Office for Combatting Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide and War Crimes and the Office of the Procureur Général of the Paris Cour d’Appel. This arrest could not have been made without their exceptional cooperation and skill.
It is important to also recognize the many other partners whose contributions were essential, including law enforcement agencies and prosecution services from Rwanda, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United States, EUROPOL and INTERPOL. This arrest demonstrates the impressive results that can be achieved through international law enforcement and judicial cooperation.
Earlier this year my Office visited the Ntarama genocide memorial in Rwanda to honor the memory of the victims and renew our commitment to justice. Today’s arrest underlines the strength of our determination.
Kabuga was indicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1997 on seven counts of genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, persecution and extermination, all in relation to crimes committed during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Following completion of appropriate procedures under French law, Kabuga is expected to the transferred to the custody of the Mechanism, where he will stand trial.
French police arrested Kabuga in a sophisticated, coordinated operation with simultaneous searches across a number of locations
It is a photo taken during the Genocide against the Tutsi. Getty Images, a website that sells photos, said the photo was taken on June 12, 1994, in Gitarama by photographer Alexander Joe of AFP, the French Press Agency, although there was a lot of information provided by Genocide survivors.
It turns out that the soldier and the “Interahamwe” [as Getty Image called him] were together killing Tutsis while the Inkotanyi were fighting to end the Genocide. A few days ago a name was put to the photo.
The man in the photo is Ramadhan Muhire, who is still living in Zimbabwe, from Rukira in Ngoma. He is said to have played a big role in the massacre of Tutsis.
Muhire’s profile IGIHE was able to see was that he was the son of Gasekuru and Nyirabungura Thérèse, a former resident of Nyagasozi in Birenga. It has now been transformed into Amahoro Village, Nyaruvumu Cell, Rukira Sector in Ngoma District.
It is said that Muhire lived in Kibungo before the Genocide where he worked as a driver. He was an Interahamwe youth.
Many of the IGIHE interviewees agreed that he was the person who appeared in the photo.
One of Muhire’s neighbors told IGIHE that he knew him well and that he was the one in the most famous photo, he didn’t not only kill Tutsis but also looted a bag containing dollars in the économat in Kibungo and fled to Tanzania.
“He continued to Malawi. I heard he is living in Zimbabwe. That’s where he lives because even his relatives go to visit him, they come and tell us, he is a businessman.”
{{He cut me in the arm}}
One of the drivers who was working in Kibungo at the same time as Muhire, says that he knows him well because he once cut him.
“He once stabbed me. At the time, there was an Arusha negotiation and a signed the agreement, which the Interahamwe refused. They were protesting everywhere. They forced us on the way to go to the protest, to lift stones and block the road.
They took the Tutsis as cockroaches (nyenzi) and took them away to block the road with stones. That’s where he stabbed me and I still have the scar.”
{{He is a great man in Zimbabwe}}
“He is a trader in Harare City. He owns shops and factories and there are reports that he supports these groups in Congo where he acts as their coordinator in Zimbabwe,” One of the informants living in Zimbabwe told IGIHE.
IGIHE journalist found one of the members of the Muhire family at his shop in Kigali City, showed him a photo that is circulated and asked him if he knew the occupant.
He replied that he did not know him.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, CNLG, Bizimana Jean Damascène, told IGIHE that he had also heard reports that the person in the photo was Muhire but that “I have no evidence”.
Around the world, there are still people accused of involvement in the Genocide against the Tutsi but roam freely about. Apart from hiding, many are now engaged in the process to belittle genocide and even more so in pursuit of cooperation with insurgents in Rwanda.
The Rwandan prosecution has already issued arrest warrants for 1,144 people in 33 countries.
The report presents the AG’s findings and respective recommendations on matters which were identified during the execution of Financial, Compliance, Performance, IT and Special audits conducted during the period from May 2019 to April 2020.
The focus for the audits was on high risk entities and those that implement programs that are of national importance. Those include; 5 GBEs (RSSB, WASAC, BDF, SGF &RPC Ltd) and 10 boards.
Other entities audited include; twenty eight (28) local governments, sixty nine (69) projects, eleven (11) ministries, nineteen (19) central government entities and twenty-six (26) district hospitals. In addition, as it has been before, OAG participated in the audit of EAC and its organs.
“This year, unqualified opinion makes 33% of opinion on the audit of compliance with laws and regulations and realization of value for money while 55% of opinions are unqualified on Financial Statements. The number of adverse opinions reduced by 3% and 5% compared to the last year in compliance and financial audit respectively. This indicates that public entities are improving towards a better audit opinions as qualified audit opinions increased by 3% compared to the last year” the Auditor General told parliament.
However, this improvement in better opinions is significantly dominated by projects and Ministries& other central government clusters which made up 82% of unqualified audit opinions and 67% of qualified audit opinions. Boards and GBEs results are still undesirable yet they are responsible for executing key national programs which significantly impact on the lives of citizens.
Entities audited represent 80% of the reported Government Expenditure for the year ended 30 June 2019 compared to the 86.6% audited last year. This decrease of audit coverage recorded this year was due to the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted the availability of auditees.
The audit of 9 entities that were still work in progress by the time of tabling the current annual audit report shall be concluded once the situation of COVID-19 pandemic will be stabilized.
In the current year, there has been a significant increase by 51% in irregular expenditure in form of unsupported expenditure, partially supported expenditure, wasteful expenditure, unauthorised expenditure and funds diverted or fraudulently utilised amounting. This year we have Frw 8.6 billion from Frw 5.6 billion in the year 2018.
Other cross cutting findings identified during audits include cases of delayed and abandoned contracts, continuing cases of idle assets; stalled projects. These problems, according to the AG, need adequate attention since they may threaten smooth implementation of National Strategy for Transformation (NST1).
The Auditor General also noted in his report that the level of implementation of his recommendations has deteriorated by 5% in the current audit. 44 % of recommendations were fully implemented compared to 49% implemented in the previous year 2018.
“With a continuing low rate of implementation of recommendations, I call upon public entities to recognize the audit reports as a management tool meant to enhance their improvement of PFM country system” The Auditor General pleaded.
“I recognize that the audit would be of little value if recommendations are not implemented to address issues highlighted in audit reports” he added.
European countries are among the most heavily affected. At the time of writing, five of the six most-affected countries are in Europe.
And yet, even as Europe is fighting to bring COVID-19 under control at home, it is also playing a leading role in building global solidarity.
Even as we are physically distancing as individuals, we need to pull together collectively as actors on the world stage.
The European Union and WHO share a commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and countries around the world. Standing together as a global community is particularly crucial now, because we are all in this together as the disease knows no borders and does not discriminate. As long as it affects some of us, none of us is safe.
To support the global response to COVID-19, the European Union and its Member States recently put forward a Team Europe package, which is growing to be well over €23 billion. Of course, Team Europe will be delivering parts of its response to the coronavirus pandemic with the United Nations.
Like in so many crises, the most vulnerable suffer the most, and they must be our focus. The EU is supporting the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan with €30 million in new funding to strengthen emergency preparedness and response in countries with weak health systems or which are affected by humanitarian crises.
In addition, the European Commission, WHO, and partners from around the globe have also teamed up to launch ‘The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator’, to speed up the development, production and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics for COVID-19, so that all people have equitable access to these lifesaving products.
Building on this historic commitment, the European Commission hosted a pledging event on 4 May at which more than 40 countries came together to pledge some €7.4 billion to support research and development for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
But our partnership extends well beyond the current crisis.
The pandemic exploits the gaps and inequalities in health systems, underscoring the importance of investing in health workers, health infrastructure and systems to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
Strong health systems are the best prevention not only against outbreaks and pandemics, but also against the multiple health threats people around the world face every day.
And yet, on current trends, more than 5 billion people will lack access to essential health services by 2030 – including the ability to see a health worker, access to essential medicines, and running water in hospitals.
Even when services are available, using them can mean financial ruin for millions of people.
These gaps don’t only undermine the health of individuals, families and communities; they also undermine global security and economic growth.
That is why the EU has contributed €102 million to the Universal Health Coverage Partnership with WHO, supporting health system strengthening in 115 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Central and South East Asia.
The world spends around US$7.5 trillion on health each year – almost 10 percent of global GDP.
But too many countries spend too much of their health budget on managing diseases in hospitals – where the costs are higher and the outcomes are often worse – instead of promoting health and preventing disease at the primary health care level.
The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually recede, but there can be no going back to business as usual.
As we work on responding to this pandemic, we must also prepare for the next one. Now is an opportunity to lay the foundations for resilient health systems around the world.
Investments to strengthen health infrastructure and workforce are the only way to avoid future global health crises like the one we are facing now.
If we learn anything from COVID-19, it must be that investing in health now will save lives later.
History will judge us not only on whether we got through this pandemic but on the lessons we learned and the actions we took once it was over.
{{Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General
World Health Organization}}
{{Jutta Urpilainen
Commissioner for International Partnerships
European Commission}}
The Minister made the remarks in a press conference on Friday which was also attended by State Minister in charge of the East African Community, Prof Nshuti Manasseh.
Dr. Biruta said that there are significant improvements in Rwandan-Ugandan relations despite some negative acts of violence against Rwandans.
“We have been talking to Uganda for days, we have been talking to Angola for days through teleconferencing,” Biruta said.
“We have a list of Rwandans who will be released from Ugandan prisons, we are checking to see if they have been convicted of crimes […] and we are still looking to find out how they were arrested,” he said.
