A few days after the release of the construction plan of the basilica, Catholic Church representatives met with contractors on January 9th, 2020 to discuss when the construction will kick-off.
The Mayor of Nyaruguru District, Francois Habitegeko said that the project has already been initiated and that the basilica will be completed by 2021. “conception and initiation of the project are almost done and we anticipate that the basilica will be completed by 2021.”
The basilica will be built on Kibeho Holy Land which is renowned to attract thousands of pilgrims every year who come to visit the land in which Catholic believers say the Virgin Mary appeared, in the 1980s.
The construction activities are estimated to cost up to $70 million.
Through their Twitter account, Nyaruguru district administration called upon the private sector to invest in the hospitality sector especially in the construction of that will be located in Kibeho Holy Land that has been cited by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) as a tourist site.
Nyaruguru district administration also stated that the basilica will also include accommodation facilities for the thousands of pilgrims who visit Kibeho every year especially on the celebration of Assumption in August, which recalls the Virgin Mary’s journey to heaven.
On November 28th, 1981, Mumureke Alphonsine received the initial vision shortly after her admittance into Mère du Verbe High School in October 1981.
A year after, the Virgin Mary appeared to Mukamazimpaka Nathalie and Mukangango Marie Claire who also went to the same school as Mumureke.
The apparitions emphasized endless prayer and expiation, with the Virgin even instructing Mukamazimpaka to perform penances through the mortification of the flesh.
Mukangango, The Virgin told Mukangango instructed her that people should pray at the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows to obtain the favor of repentance.
Emmanuel Nivuguruzwa, 28, was paraded to the media at Remera metropolitan on Sunday.
He is suspected to have “fraudulently” registered an employment placement agency called ‘Isango ry’abeza business group limited’ through which he scammed the known victims so far, of over Rwf2.3 million in the last one month alone.
Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera said that late last year, Nivuguruzwa manipulated his friend (girl) to register the company–Isango ry’abeza business group limited–and to open a bank account in her name, which he was using for the scam.
It is said that Nivuguruzwa made the girl believe that the whole process was a prerequisite for her to get a job.
“Since then, Nivuguruzwa has been hanging job posters in different places in Kigali and taking Rwf12,500 from those who fell for his tricks claiming that it’s membership fees. None of the 70 people has ever gotten a job as he was promising them,” said CP Kabera.
“Apparently, the girl had no knowledge of the alleged company and its fraud operations as she was also waiting for the promised job. So far, we know Rwf2,310,800 which he defrauded the known victims.”
Ntivuguruzwa told journalists that he was promising them jobs in construction, travel agencies as drivers and in free trade zone as accountants and storekeepers.
One of the victims identified as Alfred Ngizwenimana from Mageragere in Nyarugenge District said that he was promised a job in free trade zone as a storekeeper, where he was supposed to earn Rwf270,000 as net monthly salary.
Nivuguruzwa had an office at Kinamba where he was directing people for registration and payment of membership fees.
Charles Iyakaremye, who reported the scam to Police, said that he was approached by Ntivuguruzwa late last year to be his agent.
Iyakaremye is a banking agent.
“He told me he has a job placement company and wanted me to be his agent since I have banking services, to also facilitate those paying the required fees,” said Iyakaremye.
“People started coming in big number and complaints from those who registered and promised jobs also kept coming; it became a serious concern and I suspected Iyakaremye to be a fraudster, which prompted me to report to the Police to find out the reality of the matter,” Iyakaremye added.
CP Kabera urged the public to be vigilant against people running scam companies and using varied tricks to scam unwitting people.
“We have arrested a number of people in the recent past involved in different scam activities. We urge the public to always report to law enforcement organs and other concerned institutions whenever they are promised any service or job either in Rwanda or abroad to erase any suspicions and avoid falling prey,” CP Kabera said.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) is a global platform for accelerating the world’s sustainable development.
The week brings together a unique fusion of policymakers, industry specialists, technology pioneers and the next generation of sustainability leaders. Through its initiatives and events, ADSW is a catalyst for sharing knowledge, implementing strategies and delivering solutions to drive human progress.
The goal of the ADSW is to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive world through action while strengthening the UAE’s position as the global leader in sustainable development.
In the past 12 years, the participants have increased considerably where in 2008 countries that participated were 84 with about 11, 000 thousand individuals, a number that last year increased to 175 countries and about 38, 000 people.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 started yesterday on 11 and will end on 18 January. Throughout the week, participants will explore ways of how governments and businesses can unlock the potential for accelerating sustainable development through the adoption of innovative technologies and the development of new skills.
Mrs. Kagame was speaking on Saturday during the Young Leaders Conference, organized by the Rwanda Leaders Fellowship (RLF) with the purpose of bringing young leaders in senior positions to fellowship together, pray for the nation and share the Word of God.
The breakfast aims at bringing together senior leaders from different sectors for a time of mutual encouragement, edification around the word of God, reflecting on Biblical values and principles that encourage leaders to adopt the culture of patriotism, integrity, diligence and to think about the impact of their leadership to the society.
The event brought together people ranging from clerics to ordinary citizens, public and private sector officials who held discussions that focused on building healthy families for a healthy nation.
Through an interactive panel discussion, the participants looked at ways of fighting family breakdowns, the need for proper parenting, among other things that are needed in family life.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Kagame reminded the participants of how the tragic history of Rwanda demolished the family institution to the ground, leaving behind a sad narrative that could be turned around by people-centered decisions taken by the current government.
“I want to ask you a question as church leaders: What will you do to build on this foundation so that we will have a story that is different from what we had in the past?” she said.
The First Lady took time to encourage married people towards faithfulness, maintaining family values, and being exemplary to their children.
She urged for prayer in families, requesting spouses to pray for each other, encourage each other, and not be controlled by anger when making decisions and put God first.
Augustin Iyamuremye, the President of the Senate who was the guest of honor also weighed in on the importance of families in nation-building.
He called upon Rwandans to be united and work for healthy families, and a healthy nation, drawing lessons from the losses incurred in the tragic genocide against the Tutsi.
“Our country passed through divisionism that stripped people of their humanity to an extent that parents who had to bring up children for the country killed the young ones instead. We started the journey of building a healthy Rwanda by first bringing back the values that had been destroyed by the previous leadership,” he said.
Lambert Bariho, a pastor and director of Ellel Ministries Rwanda emphasized to the audience that the family is God’s idea and there is need to involve him in solving its challenges. He urged that many problems in families are caused by the sinful nature of man but there is hope in Jesus, who has overcome sin.
The minister who was responding to a tweet when asked by a Rwandan whether it is safe to travel to Uganda said that the ministry will inform the nation when it is safe for them to travel the neighboring country.
On Friday, 10th January 2020, a Twitter user Chris Munyakayanza asked if Rwandans were free to travel to Uganda now and tagged Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as well as Dr. Biruta.
Biruta responded that the Ministry will inform Rwandans when the tension will be completely eased out but that in the meantime, Rwandans are still not advised to go to Uganda.
In March last year, the Government of Rwanda warned its citizens to stop all travels to Uganda due to arbitrary arrests and torture of Rwandans who were in Uganda.
The unlawful imprisonment and torture was worsened by Uganda’s support to anti-Rwanda terrorist groups. Uganda agreed to address all these questionable acts as part of a Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda signed in Angola, Luanda in August 2019.
The Luanda agreements were aimed at effectively solving the tension between Rwanda and Uganda.
After the agreements were signed a few Rwandans were, chased from Uganda and dumped on border posts but more than 100 remain incarcerated in Ugandan prisons until now.
On Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over to Rwanda 9 citizens including the 7 Rwandans who were acquitted by the Military Court in Uganda. The seven Rwandans had been arrested on alleged charges of espionage. That gave to Rwandans a false sense of hope that the tension between Rwanda and Uganda was solved.
In a recent press conference, Minister Biruta noted that Uganda had started showing goodwill and released 9 Rwandan citizens but that more needed to be done including putting a stop to their support of anti-Rwanda terrorist groups like FDLR and RNC. He emphasized Rwanda’s commitment to ardently play its part towards resolving the current conflict with neighboring Uganda.
In an interview with NTV Uganda, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, President Museveni’s Special Envoy and Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that setting Rwandans free is a good step towards the resolution of the conflict. “Uganda has started honoring its part of Luanda agreements and intends to do more to completely solve the conflict with Rwanda.”
Responding to whether the recent release of 9 Rwandans was a sign border are soon to be opened, Amb Ayebare referred to President Museveni end of the year message on Twitter in which he said: “Uganda, I can guarantee, will do its share of the normalization of the relations between our two countries.”
The minister who was responding to a tweet when asked by a Rwandan whether it is safe to travel to Uganda said that the ministry will inform the nation when it is safe for them to travel the neighboring country.
On Friday, 10th January 2020, a Twitter user Chris Munyakayanza asked if Rwandans were free to travel to Uganda now and tagged Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as well as Dr. Biruta.
Biruta responded that the Ministry will inform Rwandans when the tension will be completely eased out but that in the meantime, Rwandans are still not advised to go to Uganda.
In March last year, the Government of Rwanda warned its citizens to stop all travels to Uganda due to arbitrary arrests and torture of Rwandans who were in Uganda.
The unlawful imprisonment and torture were worsened by Uganda’s support to anti-Rwanda terrorist groups. Uganda agreed to address all these questionable acts as part of a Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda signed in Angola, Luanda in August 2019.
The Luanda agreements were aimed at effectively solving the tension between Rwanda and Uganda.
After the agreements were signed a few Rwandans were, chased from Uganda and dumped on border posts but more than 100 remain incarcerated in Ugandan prisons until now.
On Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed over to Rwanda 9 citizens including the 7 Rwandans who were acquitted by the Military Court in Uganda. The seven Rwandans had been arrested on alleged charges of espionage. That gave to Rwandans a false sense of hope that the tension between Rwanda and Uganda was solved.
In a recent press conference, Minister Biruta noted that Uganda had started showing goodwill and released 9 Rwandan citizens but that more needed to be done including putting a stop to their support of anti-Rwanda terrorist groups like FDLR and RNC. He emphasized Rwanda’s commitment to ardently play its part towards resolving the current conflict with neighboring Uganda.
In an interview with NTV Uganda, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, President Museveni’s Special Envoy and Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that setting Rwandans free is a good step towards the resolution of the conflict. “Uganda has started honoring its part of Luanda agreements and intends to do more to completely solve the conflict with Rwanda.”
Responding to whether the recent release of 9 Rwandans was a sign that borders are soon to be opened, Amb Ayebare referred to President Museveni end of the year message on Twitter in which he said: “Uganda, I can guarantee, will do its share of the normalization of the relations between our two countries.”
Gen Kabarebe mentioned Ntawunguka in a discussion about Rwanda’s liberation war and stopping the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. One of the teachers requested Kabarebe to explain how he tried to convince Ntawunguka to come back to Rwanda.
In 2009, Gen Kabarebe was informed that Ntawunguka’s wife was a teacher and resided in Rubavu district and decided to pay her a visit in an attempt to convince her to tell her husband to come back home.
“We managed to talk on the phone that very day and I told him most of the dissidents had already come home including Rwarakabije Paul and Gen Gerome Ngendahimana.”
“I tried to reason with him telling him that given the fact that he went to an aviation school in France before joining FDLR, his skills were much needed in the country. I told him the children of Gen Murenzi who currently is a commander in RDF forces in Karongi received government scholarships and that his oldest son had already completed a Ph.D. in Microbiology. At the time, Gen Murenzi was still leading anti-Rwanda militias in DRC. I told him that we could pay school fees for his children as well and asked him why he was not willing to come back home.”
To which Gen Ntawunguka angrily responded, “I will come back to Rwanda the day no Tutsi soul will be alive.”
Gen. Kabarebe told the teachers that he answered him that if he was not willing to change his mentality, he would never be allowed to return to Rwanda.
He explained that after the death of former FDLR commander in chief, Mudacumura Sylvestre in September 2019, he was replaced by Ntawunguka. However, he said that his days were numbered. “There is no way you can thrive with genocidal ideologies.”
Gen Kabarebe told History teachers that the greatest enemy of Rwanda is discrimination and that they should champion values of unity and reconciliation to be able to achieve everything the country stands for.
“We need to be vigilant just so the vice of ethnic discrimination that led us to dark times don’t invade us once again.”
He retold Rwanda’s history of colonialism, discrimination, and power shifts which led a society that for so long lived in harmony to separate into two adverse fronts and the Hutu majority planning and executing the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
With the objective of returning to Rwanda and liberating the country from the government’s forces, Tutsi exiles in Uganda formed a military wing (RPA) and stopped the genocide.
“Rwanda’s infrastructure and the economy suffered greatly through the genocide. It was not an easy battle but through RPF Inkotanyi determination and the leadership of President Kagame, we liberated the country.”
Gen Kabarebe said that he has been working with President Kagame for 34 years now and that his commitment towards the betterment of the country never changed.
“We are lucky to have a leader with an unwavering commitment to developing the country.”
History teachers who attended Itorero said they learned valuable lessons from Gen Kabarebe and that they will reiterate their commitment to put aside all differences and join hands in developing the country.
Uwizeyimana Olive, a History teacher in Nyarugenge district said “As the old saying goes, if we don’t learn from our past, we are doomed to repeat it. We will do whatever it takes to inculcate values of unity and reconciliation to the children we teach.”
Itorero training for teachers was organized by the Ministry of Education in partnership with REB and NIC. It brought together more than 1600 high school teachers at Mater Dei, College du Christ Roi and College Louis de Montfort schools in Nyanza district.
MINAGRI coordinates activities related to agriculture and animal resources as well as operations of affiliated institutions including Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) and the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) among others.
The relocation is part of the City of Kigali urban plan aimed at improving the ecological functioning, aesthetics and recreational potential of the wetlands.
Due to human activities in wetlands including conversion to agriculture, human settlements and commercial and industrial activities, the flood and pollution abatement capacity of wetlands is reduced.
MINAGRI will, therefore, relocate its activities not only in Kabuye but also in several wetlands of the city including marshlands in Gasabo district, Ndera, and Jabana sectors. So far, Jabana SACCO and another house that hosted a rice farmers cooperative have been relocated.
Musabyimana Jean Claude, MINAGRI permanent secretary said that relocation activities from Jabana, Gasabo, and Ndera wetlands will only take three weeks and that the ministry will proceed to relocate its activities from Mulindi marshlands. He mentioned that the only activity that will not be affected by the relocation is silkworm farming.
In order to tackle the problem of flooding and rehabilitating wetlands ecosystem, starting December 14th, 2019, the City of Kigali urged industries operating in the wetlands to relocate their activities. Urban wetland rehabilitation will contribute towards global mitigation of climate change and promote carbon sequestration.
The City of Kigali only counts 7222 activities in wetlands including houses, industrial and trade activities which degrade the wetlands ecosystem. So far, over 3600 properties have been relocated.
The Henley Passport Index is the only passport index that is based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) data, enhanced by extensive in-house research and updated regularly throughout the year.
In 2010, owners of the Rwandan passport could travel to 39 countries without a VISA but the latest IATA update shows can travel to 59 countries without prior visa approval.
That made the Rwandan passport move up from the 87th place on the list of powerful passports in 2010 to the 83rd place in 2020.
Visa-free travels have significant importance to global trade, global politics, and global economics. Rwanda is the only country in East Africa that has added as many destinations in the past 10 years. Kenya has added 6 destinations, Tanzania 9, Uganda 7 and Burundi 12 compared to 2010.
In the past 10 years, Rwanda has signed diplomatic agreements mainly to facilitate trade and removed VISA requirements for countries including Qatar, Singapore, and Indonesia. Improvement of the Henley Passport Index implies global importance in the sense of trade and geopolitics. It also facilitates Rwandans to travel to different countries especially for studies with no excessive requirements beforehand.
The Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration recently informed an improved VISA regime allowing travelers to receive a 30-days Visa upon arrival without prior application and pay a prescribed Visa fee.
Moreover, new electronic passports are being issued as instructed by the EAC technical specifications and IATA regulations. The electronic passport will counter attempts of forgery and identity theft as it cannot be tampered.
Owners of regular passports are required to reach out to the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration to exchange their passports with electronic ones by July 2021.
{{The top five passports of 2020 and the number of visa-free destinations:}}
1. Japan (191)
2. Singapore (190)
3. South Korea (189)
3. Germany (189)
4. Italy (188)
4. Finland (188)
5. Spain (187)
5. Luxembourg (187)
5. Denmark (187)
{{The least powerful passports in the world include:}}
North Korea (39)
Nepal, Palestine (38)
Libya (37)
Yemen (33)
Somalia, Pakistan (32)
Syria (29)
Iraq (28)
Afghanistan (28)
Twabugabo was arrested on Wednesday in Gatumba Sector after police found him employing an 11-year old boy to mine coltan and cassiterite in a concession located in Kamisiga Cell, Nyenyeri Village.
“At about 2 pm on Wednesday, Police responded to information about people who were mining illegally. Some of them run away but Police managed to arrest their boss—Twabugabo—and rescued the boy,” said Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kayigi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region.
“Besides being a minor, it was within the time when the boy was supposed to be at school. He is a pupil in Primary Four at Ecole Primaire Miduha. The boy was carrying soil from the concession to filter coltan and cassiterite in the nearby water stream. Twabugabo was paying the boy Rwf400 per day,” he explained.
“This is child exploitation, violation of child rights and a barrier to holistic child development, which is criminal and punishable by law.”
Article 6 of law No. 71/2018 of 31/08/2018 relating to the protection of the child defines a child as “any person under eighteen (18) years of age.”
Article 6 of the law regulating labor in Rwanda, prohibits subjecting a child below the age of 18 to any form of works, which are physically harmful to the child; work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in confined space; work with dangerous machinery, equipment, and tools or which involves manual handling or transport of heavy loads; work in an environment which exposes the child to temperatures, noise levels or vibrations damaging his/her health; work for longer hours or during the night or performed in confined spaces.
Law N° 58/2018 of 13/08/2018 on mining and quarry operations, stipulates that; “any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a license, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, he or she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two months and not more than six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
CIP Kayigi warned the public against unlawful mining activities and using minors in any activity that amounts to child labor, and called for information sharing on such illegal acts.
The title of the first class was “My friend, Maize” which introduced the growing process of maize to give an insight into the order of nature to the students.
The IPYG Youth Empowerment Project aims to foster young people as peace advocates who can practice and spread peace with the values of cooperation, diversity, respect, and forgiveness.
The purpose of the IPYG Youth Empowerment Project shares the value of the UN SDGs, especially “Quality Education”, and embraces the principles such as nonviolent culture, world citizenship, respect for cultural diversity, and contribution of culture to sustainable development.
Bosco Boro James, deputy director of Junub Open Space who hosted the project said, ”When we taught students about the concept and purpose of youth sovereignty projects, they paid great attention. The content of education is interesting and beneficial, so if we introduce it to other school teachers and continue to proceed, the achievement of the education will be greater.”
Also, one student who participated in the class said, “I reflected in the course of maize’s growth into a person’s life and thought about how to express love and treat others. Other students were able to get together not only to learn practical knowledge through education but also to make peace. I want to get the next round of training as soon as possible.”
The South Sudan civil war, which began in 2013, has left more than 400,000 people dead and about 4 million refugees. Also, the civil war has destroyed basic social infrastructure and left food problems and traumas.
In order to solve the social problems and mental trauma caused by the civil war, the IPYG, an affiliated organization of HWPL, will continue to carry out the Youth Empowerment Project in cooperation with the schools and youth organizations in South Sudan.
