The verdict which was initially scheduled on Friday 20th August has been postponed to 20th September 2021 at 11a.m.
Rusesabagina who was the President of MRCD-FLN terror group was arrested in August last year. He has been undergoing trial along with 20 co-accused terror suspects including Callixte Nsabimana alias Sankara, the former spokesperson for the terror group.
The suspects face charges including the formation of an irregular armed group, membership of a terrorist group, financing terrorism, murder as an act of terrorism, arson as an act of terrorism, attempted murder as an act of terrorism, and assault and battery as an act of terrorism.
The crimes were committed since 2018 when the aforementioned terror group plotted attacks to Rwanda which claimed lives of innocent residents in the Southern Province.
During trial proceedings, the Prosecution sought life sentence for Rusesabagina and 25 years for Callixte Sankara.
These Rwandans were handed over to Rwanda’s immigration officers at Kagitumba border in Nyagatare district on the evening of Thursday 19th August 2021.
The deportees include 20 men, 4 women and 2 kids who received emergency assistance and tested for COVID-19 upon arrival.
Twelve of these deportees who tested positive have been admitted at COVID-19 treatment centers while others are put under quarantine before joining their families.
Some witnesses revealed that they were detained at Matinda prison located in Mbarara where they endured torture before deportation.
Their deportation follows series of circumstances under which Ugandan officials have been dumping Rwandans at borders following days of torture in detention facilities accused of being spies yet they had traveled to Uganda to run businesses or visit relatives among other reasons.
Uganda has deported over 70 Rwandans under similar circumstances since the beginning of the year 2021.
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 that are posing a 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’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence continues with arbitrary detention of Rwandans who are subjected to torture in its facilities.
The vaccines arrived at Kigali International Airport in the morning of Thursday 19th August 2021 onboard Qatar Airways.
Rwanda has been administering other types of vaccines including AstraZeneca manufactured from the United Kingdom and Pfizer from the United States.
The government recently announced that discussions were underway to start administering Johnson & Johnson and other types of vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Rwanda also revealed that the country has been receiving at least 200,000 COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine doses per week rolled out to recipients countrywide.
The Sinopharm COVID-19 doses received today are an addition the first batch of 480,000 Pfizer vaccines Rwanda received last night from the United States.
In addition to frontline personnel including community health workers, Rwanda has started vaccinating Rwandans and residents aged 40 and above as well as priority risk groups including pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions and the elderly to whom vaccines are administered in their homes by mobile teams. So far, more than 950,000 people have been vaccinated since Rwanda began countrywide inoculation program on 5th March 2021.
It has been two weeks since the rebels were quelled from major strongholds in Mocímboa da Praia following intense fighting.
IGIHE has learnt that Rwandan and Mozambican troops have started offensive operations to rebels’ hideouts.
Mbau is said to be among remaining hideouts equivalent to 10 percent of zones previously held by rebels.
According to sources, the joint forces maneuvered through Mocímboa da Praia and Mueda to attack rebels in Mbau.
It is also reported that the operation conducted on Wednesday was preceded by air strikes to disperse the enemy before land attacks. ]
Apart from Mbau, other regions still under the control of rebels include Siri I and Siri II.
During the ongoing fight, liberated regions are left under protection of Police forces as soldiers advance to chase out rebels.
Rwanda started the deployment of 1000 troops of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to Mozambique, recently on 9th July 2021, to fight rebel groups linked ISIL.
The group sometimes calls themselves al-Shabaab, although they do not have known links with the Somali al-Shabaab.
The situation started worsening in October 2017 when armed extremists linked ISIL launched an insurgency in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique.
Since then, Mozambique Defence Armed Forces have been battling the extremists while many civilians were displaced by the fighting.
The joint operations between Rwandan and Mozambican troops have started yielding where different regions including Palma, Awasse, Mocímboa Da Praia, Quionga, Tete, Zambia, Maputo, Nhica Do Rovuma, Quelimane, Chinda and Mumu have been seized from rebels.
In March 2019, Rwanda and DRC signed agreements to open airspace which saw RwandAir commencing flights to Kinshasa and vice versa.
Later in April 2019, RwandAir started operating three flights per week from Kigali International Airport to N’Djili International Airport in Kinshasa.
Recently in June 2021, both countries also signed three cooperation agreements on the promotion and protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion between the two countries as well as a memorandum on gold mining.
The anticipated launch of new flights to DRC is expected to further ease movements and give a significant boost to trade between both countries.
Operating from Kigali, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent.
With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 25 destinations across 21 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In a message released via Twitter handle today, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has shade light on the partnership extension demystifying reportedly misleading reports about the deal.
“After a successful start to the 3-year partnership with Arsenal Football Club, the Rwanda Development Board decided in 2019 to renew the partnership, which was then announced on 14 May 2021, during the launch of the club’s 2021/22 away kit,” reads part of the message.
Arsenal and RDB initially teamed up back in 2018 with Visit Rwanda becoming the Gunners’ official tourism partner, as well as the club’s first sleeve sponsor.
That contract was reportedly worth US$30 million over three years.
By the end of the first year of the partnership, Rwanda’s tourism revenue increased by 17% to US$498 million in 2019 from US$425 million in 2018.
Leisure tourists from Europe increased by 22% and by 17% from the UK.
According to RDB, the renewed partnership will build on the gains made over the last 3 years and ‘contribute towards Rwanda’s economic recovery strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism sector’.
“The partnership will also continue to leverage Arsenal’s expertise to develop football locally in Rwanda, with a focus on improving the quality of coaching at the grassroots level for girls and boys,” adds the tweet.
“We are excited to open Mihindi Café and campsite this Saturday. Planning to visit this weekend? Pass by the coffee shop for a coffee or a craft beer from Kweza Craft Brewery, who are partnering with us for the official opening,” reads the tweet.
Located in the northern part of the park, Mihindi Campsite expected to be opened on Saturday 21st August 2021 and will have a coffee shop known as Mihindi Café.
The park’s management has also revealed that 100% of the profits from sales at the coffee shop and camping will be reinvested back into the conservation activities of the park and subsequently help to reach self-sustainability target.
It was built upon the request of tourists who would not find all services needed in the northern part of Akagera National Park.
The northern part of Akagera is among most visited sites but had lacked infrastructures where tourists would stay for refreshment yet it takes approximately six hours to reach the southern part of the park which is home to several facilities for tourists.
The campsite is expected to accommodate 15 tourists per day. Children and adults spending a day at the camp will pay US$30 and US$50 respectively.
Mihindi is an addition to existing similar facilities including Shakani Campsite, Muyumbu Campsite and Mutumba Campsite.
Dr. Bienvenu was appointed to the position by the cabinet meeting held on 11th August 2021 chaired by President Paul Kagame.
The Senate approved his appointment yesterday during a plenary session after receiving a report from the senatorial Standing Committee on Social Affairs and Human Rights which also presented projections of Dr. Bievenu.
Dr. Bienvenu told the committee that he has expertise in drugs formulation and research beneficial to the country’s initiative to manufacture drugs and vaccines locally.
Dr. Bievenu pledged to fast track reforms aimed at revising guidelines for use of drugs in the country and draw attention to scrutinizing factories manufacturing drugs to ensure they meet international standards.
Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority was established by the law Nº 003/2018 of 09/02/2018 determining its mission, organization and functioning.
The mandate of the Authority is to protect public health through regulation of human and veterinary medicines, vaccines and other biological products, processed foods, poisons, medicated cosmetics, medical devices, household chemical substances, tobacco and tobacco products.
{{Who is Dr. Emile Bievenue?}}
Dr. Emile Bienvenu is a Pharmacist holding a Master’s degree (Pharmacology) from University of the Western Cape in South Africa, and a PhD (Medical Science) from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden in the area of Clinical Pharmacology. Dr. Emile combines research, academic and managerial skills.
He has been serving as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences. He also served as University Director for Innovation since 2017 prior to new his new appointment and as Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research.
Previously at National University of Rwanda where he served as Lecturer, he has been the Executive Secretary for the University Research Office for six years (2002 to 2008). Dr. Emile also served as External Examiner at Muhimbili University of Health & Allied Sciences in Tanzania until 2016. From July 2011 until May 2013 he was the Head of Medical Procurement Division at Rwanda Biomedical Center. Since 2009 to 2020, Dr. Emile is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) for which he is a Member since 2002. He also served as Member of the Board of Directors at Rwanda Military Hospital (2012-2018).
Dr. Emile research focuses on therapy optimization based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenetic considerations, especially for HIV and TB co-infection. He is the Country Principal Investigator of a 5-year EU/EDCTP funded research project (2018-2023) focusing on Pharmacovigilance in East Africa. Dr. Emile authored a number of papers in peer-reviewed international Journals over the past 7 years and is a Reviewer for a number of peer reviewed Journals.
Dr. Emile is also an expert for hospital Drug & Therapeutic Committees (DTCs). He provided technical assistance as a resource person to the Ministry of Health in Rwanda (2006) in formulating the first editions of the Standard Treatment Guidelines and Drug Formulary.
Dr. Emile combines his pharmacology research with commitments in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Among others, he completed a research attachment at McGill University in Canada (2008), where he contributed to the project “The alternative modeling of Intellectual Property Systems in biotechnology innovation”.
Dr. Emile has been serving as the Country Principal Researcher for “StArfrica – Startup Germany-Africa”, a 4-year German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs funded project (2020-2024).
The road had been closed since the ISIS seizure of Mocimboa da Praia a year ago.
Reopening the road was possible, because the joint command of the Mozambican and Rwandan forces put an alternative bridge across the Quinhevo river on national road R782.
According to a report in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, the bridge, built of metal and timber, can bear vehicles with a weight of up to 60 tonnes. It will facilitate the movement of motorised infantry in operations to clean out terrorists from other parts of Mocimboa da Praia district.
A team from the National Roads Administration (ANE) visited Mocimboa da Praia on Sunday to assess the requirements for a more thorough intervention to improve the road.
Previously the main link to Mocimboa da Praia and its port was along road N380, which is currently impassable due to terrorist destruction of another bridge.
Further north, in Palma district, people displaced from their homes in Palma town by the ISIS raid of 24 March, are beginning to return, according to a report in the independent newssheet “Carta de Mocambique”.
The security provided by the joint Mozambican-Rwandan forces has made it feasible for some residents to return to their homes in the town. Since late March many of them had been living in the resettlement town of Quitunda, which was initially set up for workers of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project run by a consortium headed by the French oil and gas company, TotalEnergies.
After the terrorist attack, Total withdrew all its workers, and people displaced from Palma town fled to the relative safety of Quitunda.
One of those who returned to Palma town, Aruna Nchute, told “Carta de Mocambique” she had seen no signs of any new fighting in the town. Others are more cautious and prefer to stay in Quitunda, or make their way to the provincial capital, Pemba.
When the Secretary of State for Cabo Delgado, Antonio Supeia, visited Palma last week, he guaranteed that the government is committed to restoring normal life to the town, starting with the re-establishment of public services.
There are also reports of displaced people begin to drift back to the towns of Macomia and Quissanga.
The incident took place today morning around 9a.m.
Witnesses have told IGIHE that the fire outbreak emerged as workers welded metals and quickly caught mattresses.
“The fire gutted the facility when welders joined metal parts. Flames spread to mattresses which immediately started burning uncontrollably,” said Uwase Clarisse.
She revealed that encouraging workers at the furniture market to own fire extinguishers would be helpful in case similar incidents occur.
Another witness identified as Selemani Habimana has said that mattresses should be sold separately from the main business workshop to avoid similar incidents.
As fire gutted the furniture workshop, police rushed to intervene with five firefighting trucks.
