Following the visit, Kagame revealed that his visit to Kenya was productive.
“I had a brief but very productive working visit with President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi today morning. Now back home! I like it this way- 1hr to N’bi 1hr back to Kgl. 1hr+ discussion 1hr from airport to S/H and back to a/port. A lot was covered !!!:)” he tweeted.
Kenya State House has revealed that, during the meeting, President Kenyatta and President Kagame discussed a wide range of areas of cooperation between the two countries including trade and transport.
The two leaders also discussed emerging issues concerning the region and the continent.
On trade, President Kenyatta said Rwanda’s strategic position in the region makes it an important trading partner to Kenya especially as a gateway to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider Great Lakes Region market.
He welcomed Rwanda’s move to re-open its Gatuna border with Uganda, saying it will ease the movement of goods and people between the two neighbouring countries.
To enhance the bilateral trade between the two countries, President Kenyatta called on Rwanda to diversify its imports from Kenya and continue taking advantage of the improved services at the Port of Mombasa to facilitate the movement of goods.
Kagame was last in Kenya in February 2020 attending the burial of Daniel Toroitich arap Moi who served as Kenya’s President for 24 years from 22nd August 1978 to 2002 when he handed over to Mwai Kibaki.
Kenyatta’s latest visit to Rwanda was in March 2019.
Rwanda and Kenya enjoy cooperation in the areas of justice, trade, agriculture, education, technology and telecommunication as well as security among others.
Before the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, 30% of Rwanda’s imports were transited through Kenya.
Akamanzi is part of Rwanda’s delegation comprised of Government officials and members of the Private Sector Federation that attended Rwanda’s National Day celebrated on February 1st 2022 as part of the ongoing Dubai Expo 2020 in the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking to IGIHE, she has revealed that Rwanda participated in the international exhibition to market the country in terms of trade, investment, an addition to existing cordial relations between Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“First of all, we enjoy cordial relations with UAE and want to extend cooperation in many areas. We have come here to market the visibility of our country, trade, tourism and investment to many countries from across the world present here. That is why we are here,” Akamanzi said.
All the participating 192 countries are allowed to rent a pavilion or set up their own with unique features.
Akamanzi has explained that people visiting Rwanda’s pavilion receive explanation on investment opportunities available in Rwanda, the country’s digital advancement efforts and Visit Rwanda campaign among others.
“That is why we have come to showcase Rwanda’s attractions and available opportunities for investors willing to come to our country,” she said.
Each of the countries participating in Dubai Expo 2020 is given a day to showcase its uniqueness. On the visit to Dubai, Rwanda’s delegation is also expected to meet with investors from across the world participating in the exhibition.
The CEO of Bank of Kigali, Dr. Diane Karusisi has told IGIHE that the exhibition does not only provide a platform to showcase opportunities available in Rwanda but also an occasion to learn from others’ best practices to improve performance.
She revealed that Rwanda’s delegation interacted with different investors, which gives optimism that they might bring their investments to Rwanda in the future.
As she explained, there are many participants where some of them without information on Rwanda are desirous to know about the country.
“These discussions will lure some of them for touristic purposes as others bring their investment to help us develop our nation,” she said.
{{Capacity to host international events}}
Dubai Expo 2020 will run for six months from 1st October until 31st March 2022.
It one of biggest events that was expected to host more than 25 million participants.
Preparations of the exhibition expected to generate US$40 billion in profit took US$18 billion.
Akamanzi also underscored that Rwanda might be able to host similar events in consideration of set up infrastructures.
“We have built capacity to host mega conferences in Rwanda. We often hosted conferences at the African continental level but it is also possible for international events. The most important thing is to set up infrastructures reinforcing our capacity to host meetings. As far as I am concerned, we might be able to host similar events in coming days. We have capacity,” he noted.
The report of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) in 2019, ranked Kigali City, the capital of Rwanda, the second most popular destination for Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) events in Africa.
As of today, Iwawa has released a total of 27,300 graduates from 22 intakes since 2010.
Dr. Jean Damascene Nshimiyimana, the coordinator of the rehabilitation center has said that the courses offered at the center serve two purposes, to correct and reintegrate into the community.
Despite expended efforts, some graduates have been dragging themselves into abnormal behaviours prompting the Government to take them back to Iwawa.
Figures show that 10% of Iwawa graduate end up relapsing and go back into drugs that they find themselves back to the Island..
{{Inadequate follow up}}
Patrick Bugingo, one of graduates from the recent intake has said that the lack of follow up affects them.
“When we leave Iwawa, we are left to fend for ourselves. There is no follow up to know the situation we are going through,” he said.
Delinquents undergoing rehabilitation programs at Iwawa receive counseling and psychiatrists that help them along the rehabilitation process.
Speaking to IGIHE, Bugingo has revealed that they do not receive the same support after returning to respective communities.
The graduate who underwent rehabilitation twice at the center, says that continuously checking on their situation and providing counseling would have a significant impact.
“If possible there could be a follow up of the graduates at sector level by establishing committees in charge on rehabilitated delinquents. Besides, there can be regular meetings to share testimonies and assess how far we have gone with reintegration into the society,” Bugingo revealed.
He said that having assistance to develop own projects and put into practice the skills acquired at the center would be of great significance.
{{Officials speak pout}}
During the recent graduation of the 22nd intake at Iwawa, the Mayor of Rutsiro district, Triphose Murekatete said that they have identified the number of people who underwent the same program to help them reintegrate into the society.
“We are ready to receive and help them. Your families are waiting for you. You were like Saul when you came here but you have changed to Paul. As leaders, we are ready to help you put into practice the skills you have acquired,” she said.
The Mayor of Rutsiro has told IGIHE that a meeting with the graduates was convened this week.
“During the meeting, they will be provided with necessary equipment to implement their projects and put into practice acquired skills. Besides, graduates will be segmented into groups for easy follow up,” she noted.
During a recent interview with IGIHE, Fred Mufulukye, the Director General of the National Rehabilitation Service (NRS) explained that graduates dragging themselves into drug abuse are influenced by the society.
He revealed that the NRS makes possible efforts to help them but highlighted that there are lingering family problems that are bound to affect some of graduates after returning home which might push them to abuse drugs again.
Mufulukye also attributed the relapse to inadequate resources to make proper follow up.
The Iwawa Center is allocated the annual budget of Rwf527, 395,756 of annual budget.
It seeks to continue helping delinquents to reintegrate into the community to turn them into more responsible citizens contributing to national development.
The suspects were arrested red-handed breaking into a house in Ngugo village, Byahi cell, Rubavu sector, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi, the Police spokesperson for the Western region.
He identified the suspects as Emmanuel Niyomugabo, Shukuru Abdoul and Jean Damascene Ntirenganya.
“The three suspected burglars were trying to break into the house of the resident on Tuesday at about 3am. One of them had entered the house and two others stayed outside. The would-be victim called the Police reporting two men, who were outside his house at that time, but was not aware that one of them had already entered his house,” SP Karekezi explained.
“When Police responded to the call, the two men who were standing outside fled. When the third suspect came out of the house with a flat television screen, he gave it to police officers who were standing outside the fence thinking that he was giving it to his colleagues, that’s how he was arrested. He helped police officers to locate and arrest his two accomplices who had fled,” he added.
He said that Police also recovered other two stolen flat television screens from the house of Niyomugabo and traditional tools which they were using to break doors and windows to steal, including knives, hammer, and screw drivers.
The suspects along with the exibits were handed over to RIB for further investigation
Article 166 of law determining offences and penalties in general states that; any person convicted of theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) year and not more than two (2) years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six (6) months or only one of these penalties.
In article 167, the penalty for theft doubles if the offender committed the crime through burglary, climbing or possession of keys other than the owner; the theft is carried out during the night or the theft is carried out by more than one (1) person.
He was arrested at Nyamirambo stadium, Nyarugenge District where he had gone for provisional driving test.
Negative Covid-19 test taken with in the last 72 hours is one of the requirements for registered candidates to do driving tests.
RNP spokesperson, Commissioner of Police CP) John Bosco Kabera said that Niyoyita did not take the Covid-19 test.
“Police officers, who were facilitating the driving tests told Niyoyita to first go for Covid-19 test after he told them that he had not done the test,” CP Kabera said.
He added: “Niyoyita returned shortly after saying that he done the Covid-19 test but where Police officers checked the message they found it had been sent to him from another number registered in the names of one Adorathe Nyabyenda instead of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), which sends messages for Covid-19 test results. Niyoyita was immediately taken into custody.”
Scores have so far been arrested at various driving test sites in different parts of the country, with altered Covid-19 test messages.
CP Kabera called upon the public to abide by all the rules governing the driving test process.
“It was clearly communicated that all candidates must first go for Covid-19 test with in 72 hours prior to the driving test, and have to present negative results before doing any driving test.
Unfortunately, we continue to see people, who engage in such criminal practices which will not be tolerated. Police officers are vigilant and anyone who tries such… will be arrested to face the law,” CP Kabera warned.
Niyoyita was handed over to RIB at Rwezamenyo station for further legal process.
Article 276 of the law determining offences and penalties in general states that any person, who in any manner, forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, or discharged obligations, commits an offence.
Any person who, with fraudulent intention, produces a false written document, causes to write false statements or produces a conflicting declaration, is considered to commit the offence of forgery.
Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years but not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
Kagame hosted the guests on Wednesday 2nd February 2022 at Village Urugwiro as Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed via Twitter handle.
The discussions were also attended by Rwanda’s Minister of Education, Dr. Valentine Uwamariya and the Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Zephanie Niyonkuru.
In July 2021, Coventry University Group appointed Rwanda’s former Education Minister, Prof. Silas Lwakabamba as Regional Managing Director for its new Africa Hub in Kigali.
The hub will be located in Kigali Heights, a mixed use development situated adjacent to Kigali Convention Centre.
Based in the United Kingdom, Coventry University was established in 1843.
Coventry University provides world-class education and concentrates on applied research.
According to the Guardian University Guide, 2020, the university has been ranked at 15th position in the UK. Apart from these accolades, the university has also received other awards for excellence in performance. The university campus is located in the middle of the city of Coventry.
The MoU was signed in Dubai in the morning of Wednesday 2nd February 2022 as Rwanda participated in Dubai Expo 2020.
During the ceremony, Rwanda was represented by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for EAC Affairs, Prof. Manasseh Nshuti while UAE was represented by Minister of State in UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sheikh Shakhbout Nahyan Al Nahyan.
Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Béata Habyarimana also attended the ceremony.
Rwanda and UAE enjoy existing cooperation in different areas including education.
Since 2002, the UAE through the Al Maktoum Foundation has supported Rwanda’s education by funding two secondary schools, the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Girls Secondary School for Sciences in Muhanga and the Hamdan Bin Rashid Kimisange Secondary School.
For the last at least 10 years, the UAE through the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation has also been 100% supporting the Islamic Secondary School for Sciences whose students have been performing well in national examinations.
Within the framework of joint action in order to support the education sector in Rwanda, the UAE Government provided scholarships to outstanding students in different UAE universities, through the UAE Technical Assistance Program.
Since 2018, 20 male and female students from Rwanda received UAE Government scholarships at the UAE University in the disciplines of Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry, and Computer Science.
Among others, 10 Rwandan students were given full scholarships to pursue bachelor’s degree programs at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University in 2019.
Both countries also enjoy cooperation in the areas of investment, trade, tourism and air transport.
Rwanda is among 192 countries that participated in the Dubai Expo 2020 running from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022.
The bakery located in Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro was officially inaugurated on 31st January 2022.
Participants of the event toured the bakery’s facilities guided by Vincent Malaize, the Executive Director of Chef- Bourbon coffee who took them through the technology to be deployed and modern equipment that will help to produce more than 35,000 bread and confections every day.
Dubbed Bourbon Bakery, the bakery will produce an assortment of more than 60 bread and confection types that were previously imported from Western countries particularly from France.
David Boudrot, an Executive Director from France with 25-year experience will be working with the bakery to produce products with great taste.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Bourbon Coffee Rwanda, Vincent Nzigira said that the idea to set up the bakery surfaced after realizing that quite a number of bread are imported yet it is possible to produce them locally.
“We sought how to make these imported breads, injected funds and hired an experienced chef. He is currently coaching Rwandans working at the bakery,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Zéphanie Niyonkuru commended Bourbon Coffee for increased investment highlighting that it will contribute to the tourism sector and jobs creation.
He revealed that more 200 jobs are to be created, an addition to 175 jobs created by Bourbon Coffee. Niyonkuru emphasized that the investment will bring high returns to the country.
He explained that tourists need enjoyable foods with great taste noting that the bakery will help to efficiently serve guests with high quality products.
Niyonkuru encouraged members of the Private Sector to play their part to mitigate effects of COVID-19 to the economy.
After tasting breads produced by Bourbon Coffee, the Representative of French Ambassador to Rwanda, Quentin Dussart, commended the great idea noting that the breads produced locally have the same taste as the ones produced in Paris, the capital of France.
The Director of the Board of Bourbon Coffee, Mireille Karera thanked participants of the event and expressed optimism that the bakery will continue to grow gradually.
“Thank you all for joining us at the official launch of Bourbon Bakery. It is our absolute pleasure to host you, as we announce the transformation of Bourbon Coffee Ltd, dubbed Bourbon Coffee 2.0,”she said.
“We will be renovating all Bourbon Coffee outlets in the next few months. We want to create the feel of a “5-star” coffee shop that’s not just a coffee shop but a business club and a conference area, all at your disposition,” Karera added.
The Chairman of GPA Holdings Chairman said that the investment was meant to fill a gap.
“We thank all who were present in the launch of Bourbon Bakery. We saw a gap that needed to be filled, and it propelled us to invest in this new Bourbon. We will be glad for your continues support to Bourbon as you have always done before,” he noted.
Bourbon Coffee began operations in Rwanda in 2007 with a view to give Rwanda’s coffee a global visibility.
The company has expanded doors to many African countries and the United Stated of America (USA).
Bourbon Bakery plans to satisfy Rwanda’s market and export to regional countries.
The campus was built by an American television personality and comedian, Ellen DeGeneres renowned for his talk show dubbed ’The Ellen DeGeneres Show’.
DeGeneres was gifted with the campus by her long-time partner Portia de Rossi considering her love for Diana Fossey, a celebrated gorilla conservationists who died in 1985.
The campus opened on 1st February 2022 is expected to foster research and education on gorillas.
In a statement announcing the campus’s opening, DeGeneres who is in USA expressed delight to have achieved her dreams.
““Dian Fossey has always been a hero of mine, and so it’s been the honor of a lifetime to support this project,” says Ellen DeGeneres. “To see my name alongside hers on the walls of this beautiful campus, and to know I’m doing my part to protect endangered gorillas and continue Dian’s legacy, is simply amazing.”
When DeGeneres and her partner, Portia de Rossi, announced the creation of The Ellen Fund, a nonprofit that works to protect endangered animals, they also named the first recipient—the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
The opened campus will be home to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund which has been operating in Rwanda for more than 50 years through its Karisoke Research Centre, based in Musanze District, Northern Province.
The Fossey Fund is the world’s longest-running and largest organisation dedicated entirely to the conservation of gorillas.
It particularly works in areas of conservation of mountain gorillas and their habitat, scientific research on the gorillas and greater biodiversity of the region, educating the next generation of African scientists through working with Rwandan universities, and engaging local communities to increase their support for conservation.
Ellen and Portia’s lead gift enabled the Fossey Fund to move forward on an ambitious, 20-year dream project to build a permanent home in Rwanda aimed at accelerating their science and conservation work. The Ellen Campus, which is now open to the public, is the vision of the award-winning MASS Design Group and has been named one of Africa’s 10 most anticipated architectural projects.
Founded by the legendary Dian Fossey, whose life and ultimately death were portrayed in the movie “Gorillas in the Mist,” the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is the world’s largest and longest-running organization dedicated entirely to gorilla conservation.
Their work combines daily, boots-on-the ground protection and study of individual gorillas with people-centered programs aimed at training the next generation of African conservationists and addressing the basic needs of the people who share the gorillas’ forest home through food and water security, livelihood and education programs.
Feared by Dian Fossey to be extinct by the year 2000, mountain gorillas represent a rare conservation success story, with the population in the region growing from a low of 250 in the 1980s to more than 600 today.
“From the outset, the mission of this project has focused on creating a space to engage the many stakeholders in conservation—students, scientists, tourists, conservation partners, community members—to advance our collective goal of saving gorillas and, more broadly, the planet,” says Dr. Tara Stoinski, the Fossey Fund’s president and chief scientific officer. “It is our hope that people who visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus will leave inspired to make a difference, just as Dian Fossey did.”
The multi-acre, eco-friendly facility adjacent to the Volcanoes National Park includes three main buildings—the Sandy and Harold Price Research Center, the Cindy Broder Conservation Gallery and the Rob and Melani Walton Education Center—as well as housing for visiting students and researchers. An extensive ‘living laboratory’ has been created on the former agricultural site through the planting of more than 250,000 native plants and the inclusion of green roofs, water harvesting and a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment.
“The Ellen Campus represents a huge expansion of our teaching and laboratory spaces, enabling us to not just increase but transform our programs to study gorillas and their critical forest habitat and bring educational opportunities to early career African scientists and members of the local community,” says Felix Ndagijimana, the Fossey Fund’s director of Rwanda programs.
The Ellen Campus is also designed to support Rwanda’s ecotourism sector. Managed by the Rwandan government, tourism to see the gorillas plays a critical role in providing revenue for the park as well as supporting local communities through employment and revenue sharing.
Visitors to the Ellen Campus can immerse themselves in an interactive, educational exhibit located in the Cindy Broder Conservation Gallery.
Designed to tell the story of mountain gorilla research and conservation from Fossey’s time to modern day, it includes original, never before displayed artifacts from Dian Fossey’s almost two decades of living amongst the gorillas, stunning visual effects through a 360 degree immersive experience, as well as augmented and virtual reality and numerous engaging, edutainment opportunities to learn more about the science and, most importantly, people behind the conservation success of mountain gorillas.
Support from numerous generous donors contributed to the project, including actor and conservationist, Leonardo DiCaprio, who named the 360 degree theater for his mother, Irmelin DiCaprio, and a computer lab for his father, George DiCaprio.
“The Ellen Campus demonstrates how new infrastructure can be a boon for conservation and species protection,” said Michael Murphy, founder and executive director of MASS Design Group. “With prioritization of local labor for construction, furniture created by Rwandan artisans, and environmental stewardship, the campus will inspire a generation of conservation activists in Rwanda. It also signals to global conservationists new ways to bind ecosystems and communities to one another.”
After launching Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in 1966, Dian Fossey was killed in Rwanda in 1985.
Construction of the campus cost more than US$14 million (over Rwf14 billion). More than 2300 Rwandans got jobs during construction of the campus.
The Southern region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Theobald Kanamugire said that one motorcycle belonging to one Ngirabakunzi, was stolen in the night of Sunday, January 30, after they broke into his house where it was.
“The motorcycle has a GPS and it was tracked and recovered in the house of one Jean Paul Muhigana located in Kabagesera village, Kabagesera cell, Runda sector, Kamonyi district, but Muhigana was not home at the time,” said SP Kanamugire.
Muhigana’s wife, according to SP Kanamugire, claimed that the motorcycle was brought to their home on Monday morning by two unidentified men.
“His wife argued that the two men came to their bar with the motorcycle, where they took some drinks for Rwf20, 000, failed to pay and left the motorcycle with as collateral and that they would come back with the money to collect it, but investigations are still underway,” SP Kanamugire added.
On the same day, in Rebero village, Kibinja cell, Busasamana sector of Nyanza district, two suspected thieves identified as Ephron Mundanikure, 38, and Valens Mazimpaka, 29, have also been arrested after they were found with another stolen motorcycle TVS.
According to SP Kanamugire, the suspects were apprehended due to information provided by taxi-moto operators in Busasamana sector.
“The taxi-moto operators got suspicious of Mazimpaka, who was operating and transporting passengers on the motorcycle only at night, prompting them to report to the Police. Police swiftly conducted an operation and found the motorcycle, which was previously reported stolen, parked at the home of Mundanikure and the duo was taken into custody,” SP Kanamugire.
The motorcycle was reportedly stolen in Nyamagabe District. According to Mazimpaka, he was given the motorcycle by a man whom he only identified as Emmanuel. He added that he was operating at night because he did not have the required traffic documents.
Mundanikure and Mazimpaka were handed over to RIB at Busasamana station for further investigation while the search for Emmanuel is still ongoing.
Article 166 of law determining offences and penalties in general states that; any person convicted of theft is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) year and not more than two (2) years and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf2 million, community service in a period of six (6) months or only one of these penalties.
In article 167, the penalty for theft doubles if the offender committed the crime through burglary, climbing or possession of keys other than the owner; the theft is carried out during the night or the theft is carried out by more than one (1) person.
