Omicron variant was first reported in South Africa. At the time, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus variant to be “of concern” noting that it has a large number of mutations, and early evidence suggested an increased reinfection risk.
The Ministry of Health has reminded Rwandans to get fully vaccinated or obtain a third booster dose as soon as they are eligible, especially those aged above 50 or with underlying health conditions.
A total of 4,259,242 people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 6,925,192 received the first dose of COVID-19 since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program on 5th March 2021. Among others; 27220 have received the third booster dose.
Kagame has welcomed the new minister and expressed optimism that he will leverage on his experience to fulfill duties diligently.
He further stated that Gasana is familiar with security matters, considering his previous line of duty on which he will build to ‘continue performing well for the benefit of the country’.
The President also congratulated the new Minister and wished him well in his new responsibilities.
“I assure him of our collaboration and support,” he promised.
Among others, the Head of State highlighted that the country has made commendable progress in fighting this Covid-19 pandemic including vaccinating a big number of its population and reducing positive cases.
He however stressed the need to strengthen preventive measures as the festive season begins to unfold considering that fact that the pandemic has not yet been defeated. He said that the Ministry of Interior has a role to play as the country seeks to enhance response to the pandemic.
“When people meet in big numbers to socialize, they fail to respect the established preventive measures properly. The Ministry of Interior is also part of our lead institutions in fighting this pandemic, working together with the Ministry of Health as well as the Ministry for Local Government,” Kagame noted.
Gasana was named Minister of Interior on 10th December 2021 replacing Gen Patrick Nyamvumba who held the position for five months until April 2020.
Gasana once served as a legislator in the Lower Chamber of Parliament and was later named Director-General in charge of Internal Security at National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) prior to his new appointment.
The Ministry of Internal Security was once led by Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana for ten years before it was dissolved in 2016. It was re-established in 2019.
His predecessors include Jean de Dieu Ntiruhungwa from 2001 until 2005 when he was replaced by Christophe Bazivamo.
“Best wishes to my brother President Cyril Ramaphosa for quick recovery,” he tweeted.
Ramaphosa who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday 12th December 2021 is in self-isolation in Cape Town where he is receiving treatment for mild Covid-19 symptoms.
The statement released by the office of the presidency reads that Ramaphosa has delegated all responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week.
The President started feeling unwell after leaving the State Memorial Service in honor of former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier today,” the presidency statement said.
He is however “in good spirits” and is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service of the South African National Defence Force.
“President Ramaphosa says his own infection serves as a caution to all people in the country to be vaccinated and remain vigilant against exposure. Vaccination remains the best protection against severe illness and hospitalization,” adds the statement.
South Africa is among southern Africa countries where the new COVID-19 Omicron variant was reported recently.
According to CNN’s global vaccine tracker, over 25% of the country has been fully vaccinated, with an additional 5% partially vaccinated.
On his recent visit to four West African states, President Ramaphosa and the South African delegation were tested for COVID-19 in all countries.
The President and the delegation returned to South Africa from the Republic of Senegal on Wednesday, 8 December 2021, after obtaining negative test results. The President also tested negative on his return to Johannesburg on 8th December.
Ramaphosa has via twitter handle thanked South Africans for their good wishes and warned citizens to remain vigilant in the fight against the virus.
Busingye was appointed High Commissioner to the UK in August 2021. Prior to the new appointment, he had served as the Minister of Justice for eight years.
Four months following his appointment, Chris Bryant, one of UK parliamentarians has requested his country to reject Busingye’s nomination citing concerns linked to his involvement in the ‘abduction’ of Rusesabagina.
Bryant filed the request during a debate held at British Parliament which also recommended sanctions on other leaders from Sudan and Iran over human rights abuse allegations.
According to BBC, Bryant has recommended his country to reject Busingye’s appointment.
“In August last year, Paul Rusesabagina, the subject of the film [Hotel Rwanda], which many members may have seen, and a vocal critic of President Kagame … was drugged, bound and forcefully returned to Rwanda, where he has been imprisoned and tortured,” he said.
He further suggested that ‘Busingye should be on a list of sanctioned individuals, not of people to be escorted to Buckingham Palace to have their credentials agreed by Her Majesty’.
The parliamentarian also recommended sanctions on Colonel Jeannot Ruhunga, the Secretary General of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau.
UK based media houses have reported about the issue noting that Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has been advised to block the appointment of Rwanda’s top diplomat in London ‘over his central role in the kidnap and detention of human rights activist’.
“Mr Busingye was demoted by Rwandan President Paul Kagame after admitting that their government chartered a flight that led to the seizure of Paul Rusesabagina,” Daily Mail has reported.
{{Rwanda’s stand}}
Following the story published by Daily Mail, the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has via Twitter handle revealed that the media house’s story is misleading.
“The Daily Mail and The Times are misinforming readers when the true facts are so easily verifiable. A reminder: Johnston Busingye, Rwanda’s high commissioner-designate to the UK, has served with distinction as Justice Minister and Attorney-General since 2013,” she tweeted.
Makolo went on to clarify that Rusesabagina was arrested over terrorism in an operation planned by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau and arrested in Kigali on an outstanding warrant for terrorism and related offences, in compliance with all domestic and international laws.
“The Government of Rwanda has made it clear on numerous occasions since September 2020 how & why Rusesabagina was tricked into coming to Rwanda. He has since been convicted & sentenced following a fair & transparent trial along with 20 co-accused of the FLN armed group which he led,” she revealed.
In September 2021, the High Court Chamber for International and Cross-border Crimes handed 25-year sentence to Rusesabagina after he was found guilty of terrorism charges.
Born in 1964, Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe is the founder and CEO of African Fashion International (AFI), an all-inclusive investment firm based in South Africa which develops entrepreneurs operating within the creative sector across Africa.
In 1989, she was married to Patrice Motsepe, ranked among top 1064 global tycoons with wealth estimated at US$2.9 billion.
She has been leading the University of Cape Town since January 2020 but her official inauguration was delayed due to COVID-19 related effects.
As he virtually addressed participants at the official installation of Dr. Precious on Friday 10th December 2021, President Kagame highlighted that the University of Cape Town is not only one of Africa’s finest universities, but also recognized around the world for excellence.
“Among its graduates, we count South Africa’s best and brightest, as well as many emerging professionals in my country and throughout Africa,” he noted.
The Head of State underscored that the time students spent on the University of Cape Town campus did not only enrich them academically, but also prepared them for a productive life of service after graduation.
Dr. Precious replaced Graça Machel, the wife of late Nelson Mandela who led the university from 1999 to 2019.
Kagame congratulated Dr. Precious on new appointment and commended her for being an inspiration ‘in her own right as a physician, philanthropist and an entrepreneur’.
The President further urged the university to create greater connection with the continent to support its initiative of deepening integration and unity.
Dr. Precious becomes the sixth chancellor of the University of Cape Town and second black woman holding similar position.
These women pitched projects including cattle, pig farming, boat repairing, coffee growing and milling business.
During the ceremony to handover 40 cows to beneficiaries, the Country Manager of C Dormans, Jean Bosco Seminega divulged that they have decided to support women considering their critical role to national development.
“Women play a critical role to the country’s progress. When they receive livestock, the produce is efficiently utilized to benefit the entire family. Women feel empowered in national development when they receive livestock,” he said.
Seminega expressed optimism that beneficiaries will take good care of received cows as they have made it a habit in coffee farming.
“Apart from providing compost used to increase coffee yields, a cow helps families to grow income. These cows will be milked to improve nutrition and help farmers obtain compost to fertilize coffee plantations. Besides, beneficiaries can also sell milk and offspring to earn a living,” he stated.
Nyamasheke district vice mayor in charge of economic affairs, Joseph Désiré Muhayeyezu thanked C Dormans for contribution to national development and urged beneficiaries to take care of cows and pass heifers to other members of the community.
The excited beneficiaries also pledged raise them properly and use compost to increase coffee yields.
“I am very delighted with the donation and thank Dormans for this great gesture. The cow will help my family to improve livelihoods and pass offspring to change neighbors’ lives too,” said Bernadette Uwitonze.
Furaha Nyiransabayezu, is another beneficiary who used to harvest 1600 kilograms of coffee. With the cow donation, she pledged to take advantage of compost to increase the produce to 2700 kilograms.
Nyiransabayezu also praised Rwanda’s leadership for being far-sighted to introduce Girinka program to transform citizens’ livelihoods.
C Dormans operates in four districts namely; Rusizi, Kamonyi, Gatsibo and Nyamasheke.
The company has existed in Nyamasheke for the past nine years where it contributed to improved livelihoods through cows and pig donations and infrastructure development.
Gasana once served as member of parliament and was later named the head of Internal Security in the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) prior to his new appointment.
The post has been vacant since Gen Patrick Nyamvumba was removed from office in April 2020.
The Ministry of Internal Security was once led by Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana for ten years before it was dissolved in 2016.
His predecessors include Jean de Dieu Ntiruhungwa from 2001 until 2005 when he was replaced by Christophe Bazivamo.
They are joining refugees and asylum seekers Rwanda has welcomed in the previous six batches.
Rwanda signed agreements to host refugees stranded in Libya on 10th September 2019 with the African Union (AU) and UNHCR.
Rwanda made the commitment to host refugees from Libya in 2017 following revelations that thousands of people from across Africa were stranded in the country after their failure to reach Europe and subjected to slavery.
Rwanda committed to receiving 500 refugees at the head first of whom a group of 66 African refugees and asylum-seekers from Libya arrived in Rwanda at the end of September 2019 in the first batch aboard the airplane of Buraq Air.
As of today, 648 individuals, excluding the latest batch, have been received and 462 among them were resettled to third countries.
Refugees and asylum seekers hosted at the camp hail from different countries including Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tchad and Cameroun.
All the previous batches were all accommodated at Gashora transit camp in Bugesera district which previously hosted thousands of Burundian refugees since 2015 before they were relocated to other sites.
Recently, The Government of Rwanda, the African Union and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency signed an Addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) to continue evacuating refugees and asylum seekers from the State of Libya to the Republic of Rwanda.
The addendum, which extends the provision and legality of the ETM, will allow for vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers, many of whom have been trafficked and experienced violence in Libya – including detention in dire conditions – to be assisted.
By extending the agreement with immediate effect, it ensures that the operation at the ETM Centre Gashora, Rwanda, will continue until 31 December 2023. The facility will also expand its capacity to evacuate and accommodate up to 700 people at any given time, an increase from the current maximum capacity of 500 persons.
Under this agreement, the Government of Rwanda will continue to receive and provide protection and assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers and other vulnerable people at risk in Libya. They will be evacuated to safety in Rwanda on a voluntary basis.
Upon arrival, UNHCR will pursue durable solutions for the evacuees. While some may benefit from resettlement to third countries, others will be facilitated to return to previous countries of asylum, or to return to their home countries if it is safe to do so. Some may be given permission to remain in Rwanda subject to agreement by the competent authorities.
The deportees who arrived on 9th December 2021 through Kagitumba border in Nyagatare district were tested for COVID-19 and received emergency assistance upon arrival.
On Monday 6th December 2021, Uganda expelled 35 more Rwandans who arrived through the same border.
The recent deportation follows series of circumstances under which Uganda has been expelling Rwandans after enduring torture in its detention facilities accusing them of being spies yet they had traveled to the country to run businesses or visit relatives among other reasons.
Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened since 2017. Rwanda has been expressing concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being spies.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of hosting dissidents posing threat to national security.
In March 2019, the Government of Rwanda officially advised citizens not to travel to Uganda for their security following testimonies of over 1000 Rwandans tortured and deported from Uganda.
In August 2019, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame signed memorandum of understanding ‘Luanda Agreement’ in a bid to solve conflicts between both countries.
Despite efforts to sign the agreement between both heads of state witnessed by mediators including the President of Angola, Joao Lourenço and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation is still worsening as Uganda continues with arbitrary detention of Rwandans who are subjected to torture in its facilities.
Kagame made the call on Thursday at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) held in Doha, Qatar.
The summit was organized by Education Above All (EAA), a global foundation protecting the rights of children and youth to quality education.
It brought together different participants including Rwanda’s Minister of Education, Dr. Valentine Uwamariya.
As he delivered key note address virtually, President Kagame told participants that education should be considered as a pathway to help children grow with positive mindsets.
“Access to education is critical. Education is not just about memorization. It is about equipping children with the positive mindsets,” he said.
“If we are to see tangible results and ensure that we are building an effective and productive workforce, quality should also be going hand in hand with our objectives. Our partnership with Education Above All will be a catalyst for this,” Kagame added.
The fourth pillar of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Kagame also stated that the world cannot achieve sustainable economy without promoting education.
“Having every child educated, will attract further investments to equip our citizens with the necessary skills to compete in a global economy,” he noted.
“The Sustainable Development Goals, among them goal 4 on education, cannot be limited to wealthy countries. Otherwise, it will not be inclusive and equitable. I encourage other countries to join our efforts to ensure no child is left behind,” Kagame added.
The Head of State observed that having 98% of Rwandan children attending primary school is a great milestone noting that the remaining 2% should not be ignored to reach 100%.
Rwanda is among countries that have promoted inclusive education where education in primary and secondary schools is free.
Latest figures show that literacy rate in Rwanda stands at 73%.
During the summit, EAA launched partnerships with different governments aimed at to securing universal primary education under ‘Educate a Child’ program.
Partner governments include Djibouti, Zanzibar, Rwanda and Gambia to attain Zero Out of School Primary Children (OOSC). The focus is set to be on the most invisible such as those working inside homes, children with disabilities, and refugees.
