{{While the buzz of player transfers that have allegedly taken place continues to fill the media, FERWAFA has taken a surprise move and informed all the First Division teams that no player is officially transferred yet.}}
In an announcement posted on the FERWAFA website the secretary general’s office has warned all teams, “After reading and hearing what has been said, that some teams have signed different players, the federation would like to inform the public that this is not true. We would like to remind all First division teams that there are 22 days left for all transfers to be complete” the announcement continues.”
FERWAFA also declares that no foreign player will be officially transferred without showing the ITC card accredited by FIFA.
This announcement comes after several teams have publicly announced transfers of players. FERWAFA doesn’t recognize transfers until the bureaucratic procedures have been sufficiently complied to.
Every team is only allowed a maximum of 5 foreign players on the line-up for a game. The official transfer window closes on September 8, 2011.
{{The Gasabo district Mayor, Willy Ndizeye has said that according to the performance contract made for this year the target is single digit unlike the two digits that put the district to the 12th position. He said this during a press briefing held at the district headquarters Wesnday.}}
Ndizeye noted: “Our district jumped 21st position of last year through commendable improvements. This time we want to jump this position and either rub off second digit or emerge the best,” he said amidst thunderous applause.
Ndizeye said last year’s income generation for the district reached up to Rwf 4.4B with the progress of 39% and this gives the district, the first position in generating higher income among all districts. He further pointed out that this year’s target is expected to reach Frw 5.8billion.
According to the last year’s performances, different roads like Gishushu-Urwego-Controle (2.32km), Gishushu-UNILAK (4.58km) and a few others are under construction with the aim of reducing traffic jams that affects some places mainly Kisementi-Gishushu in the morning and evening hours.
The mayor also said the district harmonized land registration process which has been a big challenge by putting up a new system of electronic filing at the district land registration office to ease services given to the citizens.
In less than a year, the district is also coming up with the new system of video conferencing, a software for online meetings that helps to reduce travel related costs and time. The system will cost at least Rwf223M.
Other progresses reached according to Ndizeye are land consolidation, providing clean water, electricity, markets and health centers.
The anticipated total revenues that will be generated this year are Rwf 14, 787, 049, 927.
{{Rwanda is hosting a high powered international conference dubbed: “Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CAFRI)” mainly attended by senior Africa budget technocrats at Serena Hotel.}}
According Seebundhun Kresh, the Chair Person of CABRI from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Mauritius, the participants will explore the reasons and identify possible solutions for the national implementation challenges in particular.
Seebundhun said that delegates will exchange the ideals to create organizational structures that are most conductive to improve on public financial management.
“The main challenge to most countries is practical enforcement of budgets within legal framework.
“It’s also challenging to implement fiscal decentralization to improve local budgeting and service delivery in many African countries and this forum will participants to exchange practical experience to resolve the obstacles,” Seebundhun added.
The permanent Secretary ministry of East African Affairs Robert Ssali reasserted Seebundhun’s observations saying Rwandan budget technocrats will share knowledge on common challenges of budget implementation with their counterparts on the continent.
“Rwanda Achieved remarkable progress in public finance management in a relative short period and that is why we selected to host the 7th annual seminar. We should not cry for what we do not have and think that the happiest ones are those who have much, but rather we should appreciate the
little we have,” said Ssali.
He further said, challenges still remain but Rwanda will have an opportunity to share experiences with peers on how such challenges can be addressed, “The biggest challenge is that, donors influence our budget decisions which could be as a democratic process to our development,” Ssali told participants.
Germany International Corporation (GIZ) Representative help partner countries in technical and budget matters told {Igihe.com}, “it is essential for the African countries to meet and learn from each other how to manage the economy, as tax payers need to know how their money is well used,” he says.
Different countries face capacity building problem according to the requirements of donors, and priority setting in the implementation process of where to put the budget in the right position, he added.
Rwanda is a member CABRI, a professional network of senior budget officials from ministries of finance and planning in Africa with the mission to promote efficient management of public finances in Africa. Up to 27 member countries send delegations to attend the conference.
{{Rwandan businessmen have not been compliant to international standards for quality assurance, the Director General of Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe has said.}}
Cyubahiro was attending a three day Regional Conformity Assessment workshop on product certification practices to ISO members.
“The challenges we have is convincing businessmen to have their products certified to meet international standards that gives one credibility and access to international market because you become trusted,” Cyubahiro said.
The certification is done by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for quality assurance of products.
Though certified products are highly needed on the international market, only 43 products have been certified with ISO in Rwanda.
African continent has gone below 3% of international business and it is believed that lack of certified products on international standards for quality assurance is among the contributors.
The ongoing workshop in Kigali which will end tomorrow August 18, has attracted about 50 participants from 27 African countries involved in conformity assessment activities.
The workshop aims at providing latest information on understanding the ISO standards and guides that set out the internationally agreed practices on conformity assessment activities.
Another focus will be made in respect to product certification practices, associated standards, and to respond to issues of special interest to the region during the workshop.
The ISO 9,000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders.
The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization and available through National standards bodies.
The ISO 9,000 deals with the fundamentals of quality management systems including the eight management principles on which the family of standards is based with the requirements that organizations wishing to meet the standard have to fulfill.
{{Champion Investment Corporation (CHIC) boss Tharcise Ngabonziza has said regulating sugar prices is on course and soon the initial price of sugar will be attained and stabilized across the country.}}
The above mentioned CHIC is a registered company comprised of 67 Rwandan successful businessmen who have recently been tasked by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to devise ways of regulating escalating sugar prices.
Ngabonziza the CHIC chairman board of directors told {Igihe.com} in an interview that they have taken charge of the situation by buying all the sugar direct from Kabuye Sugar Works and selling it to retailers.
“What we have done is eliminating the intermediary traders because they would still want to obtain more profits and hence speculators emerging. We are selling it directly to retailers other than wholesalers and of course the situation has not yet normalized, the price of the sugar has now gone to Frw 1,000 but in some places it is at Frw 800,” Ngabonziza said.
He added,“we have also made a list of businessmen who will act as our agents in different business centers where final consumers can simply recognize and go for their cheap sugar”.
He further explained that the imported sugar from Tanzania and Uganda has also decreased from Frw 48,000 to Frw 41,000 and it is expected to decrease more.
Recently the government decided to waive 100% taxes on imported sugar from outside the East African Community bloc in a bid to reduce the escalating sugar prices.
Rwanda has also written to the member states requesting to waive taxes on imported sugar from outside the bloc and the decision is yet to be reached.
According to Francios Kanimba the Minister of Trade and Industry who called for a press briefing recently, Rwanda’s decision a head of member states joint decision aimed at getting immediate solution due to emergency situation that prevailed.
The escalated prices were due to the scarcity of sugar in the country which made wholesalers dictate their own prices.
Sugar from outside the region attracts Customs duty of 25 per cent and a VAT of 18 per cent. Sugar scarcity that caused its inflation has become a global issue, noting that several factors like floods in the world’s sugar production countries aggravating the problem.
Several factors have also affected world’s sugar production countries like Brazil, India and political instability in Egypt which resulted in low production of sugar with available huge demand in the new markets like South Sudan and DR Congo.
Sugar crisis is expected to prolong than the predicted period due to drought in East Africa Community bloc.
Rwanda is facing a shortage of around 30,000 tons of sugar with current consumption standing at an annual 40,000 tones which has been covered by imported sugar from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Malawi.
Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya together consume more than 1.5 million tons of sugar per annum.
Globally, consumption is forecast to grow at the rate of 2.19 per cent to 165 million tons of raw sugar.
However, world sugar production has been revised downwards in the recent past (2008/2009) to 149.3 million tons raw value.
{{President Paul Kagame yesterday evening appointed Teddy Gacinya as a new Senator.}}
In a statement released by the office of the President stating, “Gacinya has been made the new Senator replacing Aloysia Inyumba who is currently the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion”.
Gacinya will take the oath today August 17, at around 3pm, in the event that will be held at the Parliamentary Building.
Teddy Gacinya has been made a Senator to serve for just a year prior to the end of the term in office for most Senators because they are constitutionally mandated to serve one five year term that is not renewable.
President Kagame also appointed Alfred Gasana as the new Head of the Internal Security in the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).
This follows the July 13, this year reshuffle where Col. Dan Munyuza was made the Head of External Intelligence in NISS.
Lawmakers have also replaced late Aimable Nibishaka with Marie Josee Kankera while Amiel Semahundo replaced Alexander Ashinzuwera who was expelled from parliamentary seat recently under what the fellow Parliamentarians termed as “misconduct”.
The controversial legislator who had been elected to represent the youth through delegates electoral college tried to challenge his dismissal in court in vain.
{{Former global trouble spots previously disconnected from the rest of the world due to wars and conflicts are currently preferred as interesting destinations by holidaymakers.}}
Rwanda which was deversitated by the 1994 genocide has since transformed into a competitive touristic destination.
Exclusively speaking to {igihe.com}, Rica Rwigamba, Head of Tourism and Conservation at Rwanda Development Board (RDB), noted; “in our country there has been a lot of transformation as compared to the past, and today people walk freely in a safe destination, they come and have a great time because of hospitality and that’s why they are more interested in our country.”
Rwanda has recorded a 656% increase in searches as the country moves on from a traumatic past and this gives it an attractive environment to the holiday makers.
“Rwanda not only offers safari for a much cheaper price than more mainstream African destination but gorilla watching,” Louise Gray an Environment Correspondent in Britain says.
Destinations in the Balkan states like Serbia and Montenegro, that were once considered too dangerous because of civil war, are now offering a cheaper alternative to Greece.
Tourists are advised to always check the security situation before travelling with the Foreign Office.
Emma O’Boyle a Trip Advisor said British holiday makers are becoming more adventurous. “We’re seeing a rapidly growing interest in destinations like Rwanda and the Republic of Macedonia, showing that British travelers may be becoming more intrepid and looking for something different than the traditional beach holiday,” She said
O’Boyle added, “As Brits look for their next great travel experience, it seems destinations that only a few years ago would never have been an option are now being considered.’
Trip Advisor also pointed out that, the world’s largest travel site, has seen an increase of almost 50 per cent in searches
For Macedonia as holidaymakers seek out lakeside beaches and ancient sites. The main attraction of holidays in previously off-limit destinations is the price.
Bosnia Herzegovina, that has seen a 39 per cent increase in searches, offers cheap ski-ing holidays.
There is also an interest in looking at the history of cities like Sarajevo, where tourists can still see the spots where mortar shells landed.
El Salvador, that has seen a 28 per cent increase in searches as the state becomes safer, offers exotic beaches and surfing for much less that more well known South American destinations.
Other destinations that have overcome wars in the recent past include Croatia, Cuba and Vietnam.
However some countries do not remain popular for long. Libya that was enjoying a boom in tourists coming to see Roman ruins is now off limits again and Syria, that was a popular for short breaks to Damascus, has been hit by civil unrest.
{{Information reaching {Igihe.com} indicates that Consumer prices in country’s urban areas rose to 7.14% in July as food prices climbed, especially in vegetables, meat and non-alcoholic beverages. The Inflation accelerated from 5.82% in June.}}
According to a consumer index report issued by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) today, Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by 1.14%, while transport and education costs went up during the period as well.
It is also noted that the increase of 1.14% in prices of Food and non-alcoholic beverages is primarily attributable to the price increase of 1.87 per cent of vegetables, 2.5% of Non-alcoholic beverages and 0.45% of meat.
“Local goods increased by 6.62% on annual change with a monthly change of 0.47%, while prices of the imported products increased by 9.20% on annual change with a monthly change of 0.12%, while prices of the fresh products had a positive annual change of 8.25% between July 2011 and July 2010,”according to the report.
The majority of economic analysts point the sharp rise of Inflation to poor food harvests and higher prices of oil in the region.
{{Barbara Panther is a Belgian performing artist with roots in Rwanda but musical style that can only fairly be described as a smorgasbord of different influences that range from pop and jazz-funk to Latin and African beats though she refuses to confine herself to a single sound.}}
Born in Rwanda, Barbara left for Belgium during the 1994 genocide and has never settled since. Her nomadic lifestyle has taken to Vienna where she spent a year in a dance school and to Berlin where she was attracted by the unique electronic music.
“I believe that if you don’t grow mentally in a place anymore it is time to move,” she is reported to have said in an interview with thequietus.com.
Barbara’s artistry transcends music and singing. She describes herself as a “free spirit” feels like she “took the risk to be free, which is not something many people dare to do.”
Her free-spiritedness releases her from the harnesses of religion and the bondage of a specified lifestyle.
Her self-titled debut LP features a mixture of completely different sounds which all come together to fit perfectly. The sounds are completely liberated from the expected norm of syntax and convention.
“I don’t have this systematic thing of ‘this belongs here and this is the way you speak’. I believe that I have the freedom to find my own words. If for me it makes sense and it sounds good to my soul,that is the way it’s going to be,” she said in an interview with The Guardian.
Barbara Panther’s creative instinct can be seen in her videos Empire and Moonlight people in which she captivates the viewer’s attention with a concoction of creative genius experimentation accompanying an equally intoxicating melody.
She has also worked with the talented producer Matthew Herbert on her album.
The Rwandan history of genocide plays a role in the influences of Barbara Panther and a subject of the themes in her album. These influences along with the combination of experiences in her life are subtly expressed because of her desire to “take something on which is universal in my lyrics and everybody can understand and relate to.”
While each of her songs is unique and has a special message, recurring themes are those of evolution of the poor to overcome the rich and her longing for mental freedom for everyone who is still oppressed by convention, religion and enchanted lifestyle.
To know more about Barbara Panther news, music, and philosophies please visit: www.barabarapanther.com
{{Alpha Rwirangira yesterday arrived at Kigali International Airport after being crowned as tusker all stars where he attracted a huge crowd of fans a fact that explains his emerging as one of the winners in Nairobi.}}
After a great night of performances, Alpha came first followed by Davis Ntare from Uganda and Peter Msechu from Tanzania.
The mesmerized artist joined his fans in Rwanda where the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture organized a home coming party for Alpha.
During the performances, Alpha performed ‘Songa Mbele’ a song he featured the Tanzanian artiste AY, while Msechu performed a song entitled “Relax”.
According to the judges, Uganda’s Caroline’s Swahili song “poza” was ranked as the best of the night but this could not stop Alpha to be crowned.
The winners will perform alongside international musicians Usher Raymond and Keri Hilson at the “Tusker All Stars Concert” to take place at Carnivore Grounds on August 20, in Nairobi.
Rwirangira refuted Claims some days back by some journalists that he refused to participate in the East African Music Awards (EMAs), because he did not want to be recognized as a Rwandan artiste – but instead a Tanzanian.
Alpha said that They were trying to get him down and damage his reputation.
Alpha Rwirangira, born in 1986 in Mwanza, Tanzania to a Rwandan Father and Tanzanian Mother, has more than 10 tracks so far and an album entitled “One Africa”.
He was among the contestants who were selected per their popularity and career during and after their stints at Tusker Project Fame.
