On its 48th occasion the four day meeting opened today and will be closed on 26th.
The meeting is running under the theme ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World’
Kagame is leading a delegation comprised of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community Affairs Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo; Finance and Economic Planning Minister; Amb. Claver Gatete; Information, Technology and Communication Minister, Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa and Minister of Environment, Dr. Vincent Biruta.
Also among the team include, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Francis Gatare and the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Development Board, Clare Akamanzi.
The programme of the forum is built around four key objectives which are; driving economic progress, navigating a multipolar and multi-conceptual world, overcoming divisions in society and shaping the agile governance of technology.
President Kagame and the delegation he leads will be looking to showcase investment opportunities that Rwanda offers to investors and entrepreneurs from around the World.
According to the statement from the Office of the President, Kagame is also expected to speak at the Washington Post Foreign Policy Lunch 2018 as well as deliver the closing remarks at the Peace-building in Africa session.
Speaking to IGIHE, the Agriculture Communication and Information Programme Manager at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI),Ange Soubirous Tambineza said that Bagabe was suspended by the Cabinet Meeting of Friday 19th this month.
“It is the decision by the Cabinet Meeting as it is in their capacity,” she said.
However, Tambineza said that they were not given details behind his suspension as it is in the capacity of the body that took the decision.
“What matters is to have the institution well managed and impact the lives of farmers and the economy,” she said.
Last year, the Prime Minister suspended four top RAB officials including former Deputy Director General, Dr Daphrose Gahakwa , the Head of Land Husbandry, Irrigation and Mechanization, Innocent Nzeyimana, the Head of Corporate Services Division Violet Nyirasangwa, and the Head of Finance Theogene Bimenya.
Bagabe took over RAB management in October 2016 replacing Dr Louis Butare. Prior to being appointed in RAB, Bagabe had served as the Director General of Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).
In a statement from the Office of the Government Spokesperson, the government was responding to the rumors that have been circulating in the media saying that the government has signed agreements with Israel to receive African migrants from there.
However, the statement says that Rwanda is determined to contribute to seeking solution to the issue of migrants.
“In these times of global migration crisis, Rwanda wishes to reiterate its firm determination to contribute, as much as possible, to the issue of men, women and children who find themselves on the treacherous road of exile,” the statement reads.
The statement says that Rwanda’s position on migrants, wherever they may originate from, was informed and shaped by a sentiment of compassion towards African brothers and sisters who are today perishing in high seas, sold on the markets like cattle or expelled from the countries in which they sought shelter.
“Rwanda is ready to help in whatever limited way it could, by welcoming anyone arriving at its borders in need of a home, voluntarily and without any constraint,”.
“In reference to the rumors that have been recently spread in the media, the Government of Rwanda wishes to inform that it has never signed any secret deal with Israel regarding the relocation of African migrants. In this regard, Rwanda’s policy vis-à-vis Africans in need of a home, temporary or permanent, within our country’s means, remains open doors,” reads the statement.
Different drivers who spoke to IGIHE on the condition of anonymity said though they are not public workers, they wish to have written contracts and to be treated equally as other employees.
A driver who is in the job in the last three years said that he could not get access to a bank loan as he receives his salary in cash.
“I feel embarrassed when some people consider me as a rich person due to my job. How can you earn Rwf120,000 or Rwf100,000 and take care of a family in Kigali paying all necessities and rent?” expressed one of drivers who spoke to IGIHE.
He said that because he receives the salary in cash, he could not access bank credit which would help him establish other income generating activities.
“Nothing else I can do than staying as it is the only job I hold,” he said
Another driver said that they have different problems depending on personality of one’s boss, stating that the common problem is having a very ‘demanding job’.
“The first problem we mostly have is working extra hours which we are not paid for. We do not get a day off and also inequalities in salaries. Some of us get Rwf100,000 others Rwf150,000 and others earn Rwf200,000 per month while we do the same job,” he explained.
Speaking to IGIHE, the Minister of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), Fanfan Rwanyindo Kayirangwa said that she is aware of the problem, but added that these drivers are not public servants as they are recruited by individual officials. She said that they should seek contracts from their respective employers.
“Whoever gives a job to a driver should give him a job contract as it is done to other employees, it is also their right to get paid from banks; their employers should facilitate them on this circumstance,” she said.
She said that sometimes drivers get mission fees when they take ministers to public mission, but said that the government could not provide with them all necessities.
The Director of Labour in MIFOTRA Alexandre Twahirwa told IGIHE that they have developed a feasibility study of job contracts that ministers should sign with their employees.
“We have developed a job contract form which they could edit based on their advantages. We have shared them with institutions in charge so that they will communicate them to ministers,” he said.
However, Twahirwa said that it will not be mandatory for every minister to use the contracts, as it will depend on their agreements with their drivers.
He urged drivers who don’t have job contracts and medical insurance to report their concerns to institutions in charge so that they can act on them.
“Rwandan nationals can enter the Philippines without a visa for a period not exceeding 30 days, provided that they hold valid tickets for their return journey or their next destination,” reads the announcement signed by the Filipino foreign affairs minister.
Just like Philippines, according to a brief by the directorate general of Immigration and Emigration, Rwanda granted a free 90 day visa on reciprocal basis to these coutries: Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Haiti, Senegal, Seychelles and Sao Tome and Principe. This is in addition to DR Congo, East African Community Partner States, Mauritius, Philippines, and Singapore.
The Philippine Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya currently oversees the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Rwanda.
The 2017 Tour du Rwanda title holder started eyeing the title after winning stage four of the competition and holding the yellow jersey on Thursday.
Unfortunately his teammates Valens Ndayisenga and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana dropped from the competition on the fifth stage after experiencing accidents.
However, the 23-year-old rider did not lose the zeal of winning the title as he started the last stage with 18 seconds ahead of the second rider on the general list as well as 38 seconds against the third.
The 994 kilometer competition that took place in Gabon started on Monday and ended yesterday. Areruya used 23hours 52minutes and 24 seconds in the entire competition and was followed by a German, Holler Nikodemus with a difference of 18 seconds. The third was a French, Gaudin Damien with 50 seconds after Areruya.
Areruya had also competed in La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2016 where he finished in 63rd position on the general list.
The products have been subject to a recall since December, after salmonella bacteria was discovered at a factory.
From its statement, Lactalis group stated that more than 12 million boxes of powdered baby milk were contamitated by the bacteria and immediately recalled the boxes in 83 countries, African ones included.
The Ministry of Health has requested Rwandans to stop the usage of baby formula milk and baby food products by Lactalis Group.
It says that after the investigation that was done by the ministry of health with the help of the Rwandan police and the Rwanda Standards Board, it was found that some of the recalled products were on the local market.
Those products are Milumel, Picot, Taranis, Delical. Specifically Celia Expert 1, 400g, Celia Expert 2, 400g, Celia Expert 3, 400g, Celia AR, 400g, Celia Digest 400g, Celia Mama 400g, Celia PRE 400g, Cereals CERELINE FRUIT 200g, CELERINE Multicereals 200g, and Picot Pepti Junior 2 years 460g and others of the sort.
The Ministry of health added that it was prohibited to order or sale the contaminated products.
Salmonella symptoms include severe diarrhoea, stomach camps and vomiting, and the illness -caused by intestinal bacteria from farm animals -is dangerous for the very young and elderly because of the risk of dehydration.
It is the third time that the group has recalled baby formula milk and baby food products of Picot, Milumel and Taranis.
President Paul Kagame and his Tanzanian Counterpart, President John Magufuli met a fortnight ago and agreed to construct a 521-kilometer standard gauge railway (SGR)line from Isaka to Kigali.
Both presidents directed ministers of transport from both countries to meet within two weeks to deliberate on how to implement the construction of the railway line.
On Saturday, Infrastructure Minister, James Musoni was in Tanzania where he discussed with Tanzanian Minister of Works, Transport and Communications, Prof. Makame M. Mbarawa on way forward.
In a statement released on Saturday, both ministers reiterated their strong commitment to further strengthen the relationship for the mutual benefits of the two countries and their people and the commitment to realize the implementation of Isaka-Kigali railway project to reduce transportation cost, foster physical integration of transport modes, economic growth and improved social services in the sub-region.
After deliberating on key implementation issues of the project, ministers agreed to adopt the railway feasibility studies which were previously conducted in the two countries.
They adopted the proposed Project Delivery Method of Design and Build similar to that of Dar es Salaam-Morogoro and Morogoro-MakutuporaStandard Gauge Railway project for the purpose of uniformity of standards.
“The parameters used for the design of the ongoing project will be the same for the Isaka-Kigali railway Project,” reads the statement.
Also both ministers agreed to jointly mobilise funds for construction and each country will meet the cost of infrastructure in its own territory.
According to the statement, issues regarding train operations and track access shall be agreed in future separately.
Ministers also agreed on the proposal to adopt the setup of the existing Joint Technical Monitoring Committee for Dar es Salaam-Isaka-Kigali/Keza-Musongati project reduced to Tanzania and Rwanda.
“Ministers adopted the proposed timeline towards implementation of Presidents’ directives so as to lay the foundation stone by October,2018,” the statement reads.
The discussion was attended by different senior Government officials from both sides including Tanzanian Finance and Planning Minister, Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Minister. On the side of Rwanda was Amb. Eugene Kayihura, the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Tanzania among other officials.
Nsengimana started the new job last week after being appointed by President Paul Kagame who is also the Chairman of Board Members of the alliance.
Speaking to IGIHE, Nsengimana thanked Kagame for trusting him and giving him new responsibilities.
“I thank President Kagame for trusting and appointing me to the team that is representing Africa on the international scene in terms of ICT during the period of his leadership of the African Union Commission. I’m ready to use all my efforts so that ICT will be the solution to problems that Africa is facing and become limitless opportunities to youth,” he said.
Nsengimana was dropped from government recently and replaced by Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa.
Smart Africa is a framework for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SMART Africa Manifesto, designed to make it actionable. Currently, the Alliance is partnership bringing together all African countries adhering to the Manifesto represented by the African Union Commission, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Bank, African Development Bank, and the private sector among other organisations.
The 73-year old political pundit had also been in Uganda’s leading party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) back in 1980s when he had joined others to liberate Uganda from former dictatorial regime.
He was the Secretary General of RPF-Inkotanyi between 1987-1989, Commissioner in Charge of Political Mass Mobilization from 1989-1991, and Political coordinator 1991-1993. He also served in parliament’s chamber of Deputies between 2000 and 2003 before becoming Ombudsman from 2003 to 2012 when he joined the senate.
Last week IGIHE visited him at his home in Kicukiro District and talked about different issues including political matters and foreign affairs among others. Excerpts below,
{{QN: When did you first get interested and joined politics? }}
A: Sometimes you enter politics without any assignment. I remember when I was in secondary school in Uganda, in a refuge camp, there were political turmoils which I could follow especially on how they resolved their differences. I could also attend debates. At that time, there were countries like Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Salvador, Nicaragua, Angola and South Africa that were fighting for liberation and others fighting for removing dictators. I used to follow all what was happening and exchanging ideas with different people. Then, when our struggle started, I participated.
{{QN: You have been participating in Rwanda’s leadership style for so long, what is the secret behind her development?}}
A: Actually it is not a secret. When you have good leadership wishing for development, good political line, others come straight away. We were blessed to have a good leadership and good political line from RPF but also working in agreement with other political parties.
{{QN: People are satisfied with Kagame’s leadership and others wish him to lead for life. Can we say that we will have another leader like him?}}
When you have a good leader capable in all things, you can’t identify others. But as he will not lead for life, there are others unknown who are capable.
But, it doesn’t matter if they cannot be like him, but, at least there should be many others with capabilities that can work and continue well with national development programs. But we never know there might be others capable like him, but had no opportunity to showcase their potentials.
The main thing is to empower institutions with devoted leaders. Although they could not be good as the previous one, they continue to collaborate until they succeed. When you are lucky, you can get a leader with same qualities as his, but if they are contrary, you can have good institutions and things continue.
{{QN: Based on history, some people say that Rwanda needs a leader with military background…}}
A: Usually there are civil discipline and army discipline. Our soldiers have both.
All Rwanda soldiers have civil discipline, wish for development and good politics but retain army discipline. Ours have both. Our cadres are ambitious but have no army discipline.
{{QN: If Kagame had refused to continue to lead, was RPF prepared for another candidate?}}
A: Do you think that in millions of RPF members we can fail to choose a candidate? If other political parties got candidates, why not RPF? There are many people who can provide their candidacy but when you have a good leader, you cannot let him go.
{{QN: Which role can you say other political parties are playing in Rwanda’s leadership?}}
A: I don’t judge political parties on what they should do…. So, why do we have multi-party politics? It is because all people should not have common understanding, though you can all have one vision which is development.
For Rwanda, people compete during the elections and know that there is a forum to bring them together in building the nation, than raising conflicts. You share leadership.
For a party like RPF we can’t go beyond 50% in government positions and other parties occupy the rest.
{{QN: What do you think about foreigners who claim that Rwanda does not give space for opposition?}}
A: Did they lose space? During Twagiramungu’s (Former Prime Minister) period, he came saying that he was opposing, he competed and failed; and others followed suit. All that is due to two things.
First of all they want us to work as they do, that is their mistake, thinking that we should work like them. The second is that they don’t want to wait until they see how we work and tell us where we are wrong or right. They should see whether everyone has the right to compete.
As you have witnessed, the mayors who wanted to obstruct a candidate during the electoral race were arrested because they had no right to prevent him from expressing himself.
{{QN: In your political career, what made you spend sleepless nights?}}
A: There are many things which made me spend sleepless nights; the first in all is losing our army commander during the launch of RPA struggle. But, when the genocide started, I also deeply lost sleep.
We were wondering; we came in Rwanda to fight and end injustice. People were dying as a result of injustice. After the liberation struggle, some people celebrated.
For us, we didn’t celebrate because we ended the war with dead bodies scattered all around the country; many had fled to DRC, instead of staying and we build the nation. When you see that all things had been destroyed and national coffers had nothing, you could not be happy.
I became happy afterwards when leaders started to work, built the foundations and gained dignity. But, economic struggle is ongoing.
{{QN: Rwanda’s liberation struggle started in Uganda when both countries were friendly, but today there are problems in diplomatic relations. What do you think is behind?}}
Maybe Ugandans thought that as we came from there, they should continue to lead and direct us yet we did not need to be led by them.
They say that we depended on them during the liberation struggle, but we fought for ourselves. We supported them more than they supported us. Much as they supported us, today we should have our independence.
When they see how our things went well while theirs are well too but not as good as we do, this make them feel jealousy.
It is small things that arise, whether from that jealous and these factors that they wish to be ahead of us and our haters use such gaps and want to fight us. The likes of Kayumba’s RNC and French profit from that gap. We don’t need things that can cause political catastrophes. But such things are there.
{{QN: There are RPF members who divert from party objectives and President Kagame talked about them recently, what do you think is the cause?}}
A: When we were fighting, we had the the zeal of liberating our country, but maybe some of our colleagues knew that they were going to liberate themselves not others. They thought that there were going to serve themselves than serving others or the country.
Those diverting, are those who want to serve themselves before serving people.
{{QN: What do you say about different religions being established everyday?}}
A: I wish the more they augment, the more sins would reduce… if they Pray one God, for me if churches were like four or five, they would be enough. But, now you find more than 30 churches in one sector. You find between 30 and 25 in a sector without a doctor or an engineer.
It is their right to form these churches but they would be regulated so that they don’t hamper political serenity.
{{ QN: What is your church?}}
A: I don’t have a church. As the God is everywhere why do we need to go to church? I usually tell priests that westerners took God from homes to Churches. For Rwandans, God used to be in everyone’s home, but it was taken to Churches.
When there is marriage to attend I go to Churches and for burial the same in order to respect rituals. I was born in a Catholic family and used to participate in church services and had some responsibilities. In Uganda when I was 20 years I started to question them.
{{QN: What kind of Rwanda do you wish?}}
A: When a Rwandan is able to find meals and eat three times a day, access to education in all levels, access to medication and get healthcare to all sicknesses and get money for everyday needs as well as savings.
{{QN: Migrants continue to be a problem and USA president Donald Trump recently used improper remarks reffering to African Countries. What will be the end of this problem? }}
A: Where is Trump’s origin? His family doesn’t originate from America. Migrants have been there all the time. In America there were white Indians, all these other white people came from other places.
Previously, westerners had stable economy and needed frica but because they, too, have many unemployed people, they don’t wish to accommodate more people. Even these people going in Europe are not poor, imagine how much it costs them to reach Libya. Crossing through the sea it requires them to pay $10,000. Don’t you know people who left banking jobs and other occupation in Rwanda and went to Canada?
{{QN: In Politics there is a time when a person goes to retirement, when do you expect yours?}}
A: In public services, I have gone beyond the timen when I was supposed to have been retired. But, in politics when you are an ambitious person, you don’t need to go to retirement. You retire when you are dead. You need to participate in public discussions, contributing ideas and handle problems.
I stood for country liberation which is a process with different phases. We are yet to reach there. Why do I retire when I’m still capable of working? But the government can say, ‘we don’t need to pay you, you are too old you should go’, there I can understand.
For me in politics I can stay unless people say they are tired of me. Even when they get tired of me, I can go in the village and continue working towards my targets which I’m yet to complete. They are stopped by death. I don’t expect to retire unless I’m sick. Why should I retire? An ambitious person doesn’t retire, he dies.
{{QN: In Rwanda, there are many sports clubs and games. Which team do you support? }}
A:We are among founders of APR FC during the liberation struggle, so it is mine. But, when one of local team is outside the country, I support it. Be APR FC, Rayon Sports and Kiyovu because they represent the country.
{{QN: What about Foreign champions?}}
A: I used to support Liverpool in 1974 but when it was suspended for four years after their hooligans killed over 130 in Belgium, I started to support Manchester United till now.
I am also a fan of FC Barcelona because I like their game setting, they play well. In countries I like Brazil as they play like Barcelona and sometimes Germany.
{{QN: Which players do you like in those teams?}}
A: There is no player who attracted me the most in Manchester United though I support them. I liked Keegan but today I like Lionel Messi of Barcelona.
{{QN: Which kind of music do you like?}}
A: When I was young, I liked Rock&Roll, in songs like Tist, Reggae of Bob Marley but I got old I like these Cecile Kayirebwa which are soft.
{{QN: Where do you like to go for vacation? }}
All of Rwanda is good. Whenever I reach and find a good place, I sit and stare. I can even sit on the veranda of my house and see the beauty of Kigali.
{{QN: How do you spend your day when you are not at work?}}
A: Sometimes I read a book, when I don’t have a book I use my phone internet, watch a movie or TV news. In the past I used to play Basketball and Volleyball. I have a bicycle at home, when I wake early in the morning I ride for ten minutes.
{{QN: Have you written any book?}}
A: I have not written any book.
{{QN: As we wind up our discussion, some people say that you have over 100 grandchildren and over 50 children,…}}
It is a lie, I have one biological child, I adopted others after the genocide. I adopted many children after the genocide. As a leader, you need to be a role model to others, as we were encouraging people to adopt children, we had also to do the same.
Later I had more than 30 people in my home, most of them have completed studies, and some of them are married. Today I have one child whom I adopted when he was a one month baby.
