The spaceship will carry three astronauts — Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao — to carry out the Shenzhou-16 spaceflight mission. Jing will be the commander, said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, at a press conference.
Shenzhou-16 is the second flight mission of China’s manned space program this year, and the first crewed mission after China’s space station entered the application and development stage.
The crew will stay in orbit for about five months.
The launch will use a Long March-2F carrier rocket, which will be filled with propellant soon, Lin said.
The monthly community work event was attended by guests who are in Rwanda for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) finals, which are scheduled to take place on Saturday. The finals will feature a face-off between AS Douanes from Senegal and Al Ahly from Egypt.
During the community work event, President Kagame familiarized the participating guests with the long-standing tradition of Umuganda in Rwanda.
Umuganda serves as a platform to unite people for various community development initiatives, such as promoting hygiene, planting trees, and improving infrastructure among others.
President Kagame expressed his gratitude to the guests for joining Rwandans in their community work efforts, emphasizing the significance of collective action for the betterment of society.
Led by a guide at the memorial, Evode Ngombwa, the employees delved into the chilling account of how the genocide unfolded in Bugesera, where massacres occurred even before 1994. The guide also illuminated Rwanda’s remarkable journey of resilience, recounting the horrific events that unfolded in the area, including the establishment of a camp where Tutsis were unjustly accused of espionage.
One of the darkest chapters in the genocide took place on April 15th, when Interahamwe militants ruthlessly killed Tutsis seeking refuge at Ntarama Church and massacred those hiding in nearby swamps. However, the narrative took a glimmer of hope on May 14th, when Inkotanyi soldiers intervened and rescued a small group of surviving Tutsis from Interahamwe attacks.
Deeply moved by the cruelty witnessed in the area, Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd and its management paid their respects to over 6,000 genocide victims laid to rest at the memorial by laying wreaths. The poignant act honored the memory of the victims, preserving their dignity and shaping Rwanda’s future.
Following the memorial visit, the employees engaged in a commemoration talk centered around Rwanda’s transformative journey. Josué Dushimimana, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd, emphasized the importance of remembrance in keeping the memories of the victims alive, restoring their dignity, and shaping the nation’s future.
Alain Ngirinshuti, the Chairman of Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd, offered words of comfort to the genocide survivors, assuring them that such a tragedy would never be allowed to occur again.
He urged the community to remain united and resilient, steadfastly preserving the gains achieved thus far. Ngirinshuti also called upon the youth to honor history and collectively reject the ideology of genocide.
Prior to their visit to the memorial, Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd, in collaboration with Kigali Golf Resort & Villas and the Rwanda Golf Union (RGU), organized the Kwibuka Tournament on May 13th.
The tournament concluded on a high note with a poignant tree-planting ceremony, dedicated to commemorating the memory of former golfers who tragically lost their lives during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Through their solemn visit to the Ntarama Memorial and their commitment to remembrance and resilience, the employees of Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd demonstrated their unwavering dedication to honoring the victims, preserving the nation’s history, and building a future free from the horrors of genocide.
During his time in Rwanda from 26-29 May 2023, Pauleta and his delegation, including four French media, will explore and immerse themselves in Rwanda’s vibrant culture and captivating tourist attractions.
Pedro Pauleta, a former Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain FC striker, is one of PSG’s all-time leading scorers and a fan favourite.
While in Rwanda, Pauleta will also visit the PSG Academy in Rwanda located at the Huye District, Southern Province and join a training session with academy players. The PSG Academy trains future talents and encourages young Rwandans to pursue football as a professional career. Pedro will be joined in Huye by Nadia Benmokhtar, Head of Paris Saint-Germain Academy & Esport (International).
During his stay in Rwanda, the PSG legend will learn about Rwanda’s history and enjoy iconic attractions and experiences, including: Kigali Genocide Memorial, Basketball Africa League Final at the BK Arena, PSG Academy in Rwanda- Huye District, Southern Province, Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Culinary and art experiences
Through the Visit Rwanda campaign, the Rwanda Development Board is working with Paris Saint-Germain to showcase the country as a premier tourism and investment destination in Africa and promote Rwandan tea and coffee. Rwanda and Paris Saint-Germain recently extended their partnership until 2025 after a fruitful initial three-year collaboration.
{{About Visit Rwanda}}
Visit Rwanda is the tourism and marketing initiative of the Rwanda Development Board, a government body responsible for fast-tracking Rwanda’s economic development by enabling private sector growth. Visit Rwanda works with local conservation, tourism, and development partners to create and market tourism experiences that benefit tourists, local communities as well as wildlife and ecosystems.
The campaign that is slated to last two months, will be rewarding twenty-five (25) customers a week of which fifteen (15) will be existing customers who actively participate by borrowing and saving within the campaign, and ten (10) will be new customers who opt-in to MoKash and demonstrate the highest frequency of savings. Additionally, there will be monthly cash prizes awarded at the end of each month. The customer with the highest frequency of savings and borrowing will receive various cash prizes of up to three million Rwandan Francs (Rwf 3,000,000). Furthermore, at the close of the campaign, the customer with the highest frequency of savings and borrowing will walk away with a grand prize of five million Rwandan Francs (Rwf 5,000,000).
Essentially, TubiriMo campaign is based on the concept that the more you save and borrow the more chances you have of winning.
Chantal Kagame, Mobile Money Rwanda Limited Chief Executive Officer highlighted “We are excited to kick off this TubiriMo campaign, offering our customers and even those who hope to join, exciting prizes to those who save and borrow with MoKash. TubiriMo is a call to action to make it happen. Whether it’s a business you’ve been meaning to start but have been short of capital or if there’s a plot of land you’ve been eyeing, you can make it happen by saving or borrowing with MoKash. Essentially, this campaign is underlined by our overarching mission to empower our customers with affordable and accessible loans as well as saving solutions that enable them to achieve their goals.”
Winners will be called on a weekly and monthly basis by MoMo Rwanda through this line 07840000000.
Lina M. Higiro, NCBA Bank Rwanda Chief Executive Officer also highlighting “We are thrilled to launch this ground-breaking campaign, ‘TubiriMO’, which aims to empower individuals and businesses alike to unlock their full potential through MoKash. With TubiriMO, we are providing our customers with an incredible opportunity to turn their aspirations into reality. Join us on a journey of financial empowerment and stand a chance to win big. Through affordable loans and innovative savings solutions, we are committed to empowering our customers and enabling them to achieve their goals. Let MoKash be your catalyst for success.”
MoKash is a suite of banking products that are offered to MTN Mobile Money customers to enhance the MTN Mobile Money value proposition. Saving increases chances of being eligible for a loan or higher limits. Customers also earn an interest of seven per cent per annum (7% pa) and have access to credit at an affordable fee of nine per cent (9%) of the amount borrowed. To-date, the product has over 3.6 million MTN mobile money subscribers and has disbursed over Rwf 110Bn in short-term micro-loans, Rwf7.8Bn in retail deposits and Rwf 9.2Bn in outstanding loans.
{{About Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd}}
Mobile Money Rwanda Ltd is MTN Rwanda’s FinTech subsidiary, established on 27th April 2021 to provide and manage Mobile Money services in Rwanda. The company has about 4.5 milllion subscribers over 65,000 Mobile Money agents and over 230,000 MoMoPay merchants across the country.
The penetration of Mobile Money has seen a continuous rise with the enhancement of existing offerings such as MoMoPay, MoMo eTicketing as a digital user-friendly ticketing solution, Tap&Go payments for bus services, Bill Payments, International & regional Remittances, Bulk Payments, Electricity purchase, Payment of Government services, Bank Push & Pull, MoKash Loans & Savings, and more.
Supply chain disruptions partly caused by COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis have made it difficult for African farmers who feed the population on the continent to have enough access to inputs such as fertilizer, it said.
“But the continent cannot continue to be defined by these shocks. We must focus on developing and strengthening the entire value chain of agriculture to ensure food security,” noted the statement.
“The current and future effects of climate change are a wake-up call for Africa to reorient its agriculture development agenda. Many best practices that have transformed the African agriculture sector are available to learn from and scale up,” it added.
The statement also called for interventions, including country-specific technologies, climate-smart technologies, and diversifying farming systems to ensure a robust agriculture sector to withstand internal and external shocks.
Organized by the African Continental Free Trade Area secretariat and the UONGOZI Institute, the two-day forum, under the theme of “Promoting intra-African trade to unlock agricultural potential in Africa,” brought together former and current African leaders to discuss and exchange ideas on ways to address pertinent challenges facing Africa.
“We call on all pensioners of the armed forces, including officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers and all those who are able to carry arms, to go to the nearest military base to get armed,” Yassin Ibrahim Yassin said in a statement, adding that the move was intended to enable those people to defend themselves.
The statement stressed the Sudanese Army’s commitment to the humanitarian truce based on the moral responsibility to protect civilians and humanitarian aid, and accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of continuing its violations of the truce.
The statement described the clashes with the RSF as a “cities war” which has no time limits, stressing the Sudanese Army’s ability to defeat the remnants of the rebel force.
Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia and the United States announced that Sudan’s warring parties are complying better with a seven-day cease-fire agreement signed on May 20 in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.
According to the agreement, which was brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States and entered into force on Monday, the warring parties shall guarantee civilians’ freedom of movement throughout the country and protect them from violence, harassment, recruitment, or other abuses, as well as refrain from any violations of international human rights law. The parties shall also provide security guarantees for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies.
In its latest update on the situation in Sudan on Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration said that the conflict in Sudan has forced more than 1.36 million people to flee their homes, including nearly 320,000 who have escaped to neighboring countries.
Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the RSF in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo, representing the RNP leadership, emphasized the significance of the training in reinforcing the force’s peacekeeping efforts. He highlighted the fruitful partnership between UNITAR and RNP, emphasizing that Rwanda National Police aims to contribute to peacekeeping missions for the betterment of the region and beyond.
CP Munyambo reiterated the importance of maintaining a competent, disciplined, skilled, and professional police force through regular training. He emphasized that this commitment aligns with the objective of achieving full operational capacity in mission areas. The CP reminded the trainees that the course has enhanced their capacity in peacekeeping operations training, urging them to effectively apply the skills acquired.
Eliane Maisonneuve, one of the UNITAR trainers, expressed gratitude to the trainees for their active participation throughout the course and acknowledged the support provided by the RNP leadership. She emphasized the continual learning process for trainers, highlighting the importance of learning from one another as facilitators.
Reflecting on the course, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Eugine Mushayija highlighted the diverse methodologies and modules that contributed to shaping them into effective trainers. ACP Mushayija expressed confidence in the skills acquired during the training and pledged to apply them in their respective training schools and programs.
Through the successful completion of the UNITAR course, Rwanda National Police continues to enhance its peacekeeping capacity, ensuring the development of competent trainers capable of meeting international standards in multinational peacekeeping operations.
The development has been confirmed through a statement released by the Ministry of Health.
Over the past seven years, a total of 67 Rwandan patients were transferred overseas for kidney transplants, incurring an estimated cost of approximately Rwf900 million.
By establishing a program to conduct these procedures domestically, Rwanda aims to not only save significant financial resources but also enhance the quality and efficiency of its healthcare system.
According to the Ministry of Health, this initiative is poised to provide a sustainable solution that meets the growing demand for specialized medical services within the country.
The newly launched kidney transplant program at KFH this week, will operate on a monthly basis, with the visiting surgical team collaborating closely with the local team for the next two years.
This collaborative effort aims to transfer knowledge, skills, and expertise to the local specialists, enabling them to independently manage and sustain the program in the long run. By empowering local medical professionals and nurturing their capabilities in complex care procedures such as kidney transplants, Rwanda is building a self-reliant healthcare system that can cater to the needs of its population effectively.
KFH operates subspecialty fellowship programmes through the University of Rwanda’s School of Medicine and Pharmacy.
These programs, focusing on nephrology and renal transplant surgery, aim to increase the number of health professionals trained in highly specialized areas. By investing in education and professional development, Rwanda is nurturing a pool of skilled medical experts who can contribute to the ongoing advancements in healthcare within the country.
King Faisal Hospital, a multi-specialist quaternary hospital, stands as a beacon of excellence in Rwanda and the region. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a highly skilled medical team, and a patient-centered approach, the hospital is dedicated to providing world-class medical services. With the successful implementation of the kidney transplant program, KFH further solidifies its position as a leading healthcare institution, capable of delivering specialized care that was previously only available abroad.
The leadership at King Faisal Hospital has extended its gratitude to the Government of Rwanda for its extensive support in the health sector, which has made this significant undertaking possible. By investing in the healthcare system and supporting initiatives like the kidney transplant program, the government demonstrates its commitment to improving the well-being of its citizens and providing them with accessible, high-quality healthcare services.
According to Reuters, Kayishema was presented before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Friday May 26th where he was remanded in custody at Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, pending possible extradition to Rwanda. The court has adjourned the case to 2nd June.
Kayishema, who had been one of the world’s most wanted genocide fugitives, was arrested on Wednesday May 24th, 2023, in Paarl, South Africa, as a result of a joint operation involving the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) Fugitive Tracking Team and South African authorities.
He stands accused of orchestrating the massacre of approximately 2,000 Tutsis, including women, men, children, and the elderly, at Nyange Catholic Church during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. It is alleged that Kayishema directly participated in the planning and execution of this atrocity, including the procurement and distribution of petrol to set the church on fire while the victims were inside.
When this initial attempt failed, Kayishema and others reportedly used a bulldozer to collapse the church, burying and killing those seeking refuge. Over the following two days, Kayishema and accomplices supervised the transfer of bodies from the church grounds to mass graves.
The investigation leading to Kayishema’s arrest spanned multiple countries across Africa and elsewhere, in strong cooperation with many national law enforcement and immigration agencies.
During his flight from justice, Kayishema utilized many aliases and false documents to conceal his identity and presence. He further relied upon a network of trusted supporters, including family members, members of the ex-Forces Armées Rwandaises and ex-Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda, and those aligned with the genocidal Hutu Power ideology.
Kayishema was located and arrested through an analysis-driven investigation exploiting multi-source evidence with both traditional and leading-edge methodologies.
