The decision is part of stringent measures taken by the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday 14th December 2021 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“Night clubs are suspended is is live band entertainment in other venues. Organized concerts will be approved on a case by case basis by Rwanda Development Board (RDB),” reads in part the cabinet communiqué.
The new measures follow the confirmation of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Rwanda.
Among others, the cabinet meeting has prohibited movements between midnight (12a.m) and 4a.m while all businesses must close by 11p.m while all arriving passengers must quarantine for three days at a designated hotel at their own cost. A COVID-19 PCR test will be taken upon arrival, and an additional test will be taken on day 3 and 7 at own cost, from the arrival date at a designated testing site.
Arriving and departing passengers at Kigali International Airport must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to the departure and should comply with health guidelines.
Public officers will continue at no more than 30% capacity. Employers are encouraged to limit staff to essential workers who interface with the public.
Private businesses are urged to continue at 50% capacity and must comply with COVID-19 preventive measures.
Among others, the cabinet meeting has resolved that, civil, religious and traditional weddings guests should not exceed 30% of venue capacity and must not exceed 100 persons.
The cabinet meeting has also resolved that services held at places of worship should not exceed 50% maximum occupancy.
The new measures will take effect nationwide starting December 16th 2021 for the duration of one month and may be reviewed anytime necessary upon health assessment.
All citizens and Rwanda residents have been urged to get fully vaccinated, frequently tested and encouraged to work remotely if and when possible while continuing to observe preventive measures.
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.
The ceremony took place on Saturday 11th December 2021 in Musha sector, Rwamagana district in Eastern Province where the company runs operations.
This year’s day was celebrated under the theme “Responsible mining for proper working conditions and environment protection.”
The Managing Director of Piran Rwanda, Lionel Sematuro has said that the company makes possible efforts to ensure workers’ safety is guaranteed and promote environment preservation.
“We have over 1150 workers including women [over 12% representation]. All of them are taken care of in accordance with legal provisions. So far, everyone is subscribed to Ejo Heza saving scheme,” he said.
“Piran attaches great relevance on environment conservation by restoring degraded land and planting as many as possible trees. In line with these efforts, we also want to plant 500,000 trees in the next five years,” he said.
Emmanuel Karemera, one of employees working with Piran Rwanda since 2014 revealed that the company helped him to lead decent life and feed his family.
“We have attained commendable progress where some of us have built houses. Our safety at work is guaranteed that our families are not worried. Besides, we also receive mattresses to sleep comfortably and other items to be paid in installments,” he said.
Rwamagana district vice mayor for economic affairs, Jeanne d’Arc Nyirabihogo thanked Piran for its contribution to improved residents’ wellbeing.
“We also thank you for subscribing your employees for Mutuelle de Santé and donating bicycles to those living in far distant areas. Keep up the good work to promote residents’ livelihoods,” she said.
Nyirabihogo also urged Piran to continue helping workers to make good use of earnings by instilling saving culture.
Piran Rwanda Limited started operations in Rwamagana district in 2014. The company extracts minerals in three sectors of Musha, Munyiginya and Mwulire.
In a bid to continue promoting improved livelihoods, the company plans to build houses for vulnerable residents in the aforementioned sectors.
Since 2018, Piran has planted 100,000 trees on 160 hectares.
Among others, 500 families in the surroundings of its operations have received fruit trees to fight malnutrition.
The ceremony held at Hôtel des Mille Collines on 11th December 2021 brought together leaders of all Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in Rwanda.
The Governor of Rotary Club District 9150, Edgard Cyr Tougouma also graced the event.
Dr. Jean D’Amour Manirere, the Assistant District Governor in Rwanda said that ‘the event encourages Rotary Club members to come with relatives [the wife, husband or children] who might be interested to learn and experience activities of the organization one has joined’.
Every participating Rotarian also had an opportunity to introduce his/her spouse and children.
This year’s event was hosted by Rotary Club Kigali Virunga.
The club’s interventions are entrenched on three pillars namely, community outreach, increasing members with the last being happiness and celebrations.
Throughout the year 2021, the club extended dental check-ups to 300 learners at Bright School in Muhanga, planted 8,000 trees in the districts of Bugesera, Musanze, Nyabihu and Gisagara among others.
“Every year, Rotary Club contributes to efforts geared towards tackling barriers hindering access to education among Rwandans. We are also proud that we are dinal stages to digitize Kigali Public Library to make it accessible upcountry,” Dr. Manirere revealed.
Rotary club is an organization purposed to bring together businesses and professionals to provide humanitarian services and providing support in addressing problems facing the world by combating illiteracy and poverty, contributing to the provision of safe water, handling disputes and fighting disease.
Rotary Club International was established 116 years ago. It is currently comprised of 1.2 million members from 200 countries.
In Rwanda, the organization has 188 members from eight clubs including Rotary Club Kigali Doyen, Mont Jali, Musanze Murera, Butare, Gasabo, Kigali-Virunga, Bugoyi Ibirunga and Rotary Club Kivu Lake.
Liquid ensured a seamless on-ground internet experience at the fest through this partnership.
The inaugural event led by the Ministry of ICT & Innovation was the first of its kind to empower local technology start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Hosted over the weekend on 11th December at Kigali Arena, the platform provided a rare opportunity for start-ups to attract the attention of both local and international investors.
Alexis Kabeja, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies Rwanda revealed that the company believes in partnering with the local government to provide and encourage the start-ups in the country to ensure that this ecosystem grows and attracts more talent.
“Entrepreneurs and start-ups haven’t reached their potential and therefore are still not adding as much to the local GDP compared to international economies. Good connectivity and access to digital technologies are the bedrock of a digitally transformed country,” he said.
The event was a hotbed of broadband activity as 100s of entrepreneurs competed to pitch their solutions to a panel of investors.
Rwanda ranks 38th (2nd in Africa) on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report, and such initiatives continue to ensure that the country not only retains but improves its attractiveness as an investment destination.
The government has numerous incentives to attract and empower local technology start-ups, and Liquid is proud to be chosen to help further develop the local economy, thereby ensuring that the country is a force to reckon with as Africa transforms into a digital economy.
{{About Liquid Intelligent Technologies }}
Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group present in more than 20 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Liquid has firmly established itself as the leading provider of pan-African digital infrastructure with an extensive fibre broadband network covering over 100,000 km.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies is also leveraging its digital network to provide Cloud and Cyber Security solutions through strategic partnerships with leading global players. Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a comprehensive technology solutions group that provides customised digital solutions to public and private sector enterprises and SMEs across the continent. https://www.liquid.tech/
The exercise which took place on Thursday 9th December 2021 is a result of fruitful collaboration between Rotary Club Kigali Virunga and Bright School aimed at promoting healthy living among learners.
The President of Rotary Club Kigali Virunga, Suman Alla has divulged that more efforts are being put in place to expand the partnership with Bright School in the near future.
“Apart from dental check-ups, we are planning to build new classrooms at the school, and a decent kitchen so that pupils can be fed at school,” he noted.
The legal representative of Bright School, Bill Whipple expressed delight to have witnessed the event during which learners were enlightened on causes of oral diseases and preventive measures.
He commended Rotary Club Kigali Virunga and UR-CMHS for partnership with the school.
“We are very excited to have awareness of oral diseases ad healthy guidelines extended to parents with children at this school,” he revealed.
“We voice appreciation to Rotary Club Kigali Virunga and the medical team which helped us during this exercise. We pray that future interventions will also be fruitful to address some challenges,” added Whipple.
The representative of parents with children pursuing studies at Bright School, Joseph Kabundi said that the gesture reminded them that children need regular check-ups.
“It is assumed that all everyone including the elderly and young people consult health workers when they are sick but this mindset is primitive. We need to seek medical attention before we get critically ill. It should be better if partners extend the support to other schools,” he enthused.
Donat Uwayezu, a lecturer at UR-CMHS who accompanied students to conduct check-ups explained that the exercise will be helpful to people with oral diseases and determine how children can be assisted to access healthcare.
“We shall dedicate time to share tips with parents. Besides, we can attend to beneficiaries with complications at our clinic,” he noted.
Rotary Club Kigali Virunga has been providing humanitarian services aimed at changing citizens’ livelihoods. It also provides support in addressing problems facing the world by combating illiteracy and poverty, contributing to the provision of safe water, handling disputes and fighting disease.
The cooperation pact was signed in Kigali between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza and his visiting counterpart of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Commissioner General Dieudonné Amuli Bahigwa.
The agreement was part of the bilateral meeting between the two institutions held at the RNP General Headquarters in Kacyiru and co-chaired by the two Police Chiefs.
CG Bahigwa and his delegation are in Rwanda since Sunday for a three-day visit.
The MoU binds the two Police institutions to join efforts against transnational organized crime and terrorism; smuggling and trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances as well as their precursors; currency counterfeiting and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Other areas of partnership include expertise and intelligence sharing, conducting joint or simultaneous operations, fighting against cyber criminality, human trafficking, organ trafficking and document fraud.
IGP Munyuza, while speaking during the bilateral meeting, said that the visit is a milestone in enhancing security cooperation between Rwanda and DRC.
“Our two countries are not only neighbours, but also brothers. Our region continues to experience a number of security challenges including Islamic jihadists, terrorism, drug trafficking, and smuggling among others, which requires us to establish strong cooperation and join efforts to combat organized, cross-border and transnational crimes threatening our region,” IGP Munyuza said.
He added that it is the primary responsibility of Police institutions to work closely together to ensure safety and security of the people, and pave the way for sustainable development of their respective societies.
“We need to create practical channels of sharing information and intelligence on crimes, conducting joint operations against criminals, and joint training to deal with the ever-increasing security threats and transnational crimes. This visit, therefore, provides another platform to discuss in detail issues affecting security within our two countries and how best we can work together to deal with them.”
On the signed Memorandum of Understanding, IGP Munyuza observed that it demonstrates shared intention to explore more formal arrangements in order to further enhance cooperation between the two Police institutions.
With CG Bahigwa, the current chair of the regional Police body—EAPCCO—IGP Munyuza reiterated Rwanda’s commitment to work with DRC Police and other regional Police institutions in establishing a joint operational unit in Goma, Eastern DRC, to collect information on terrorism activities in the region as resolved in the recent General Assembly in Kinshasa.
“Fighting violent extremism is a complex battle that no country alone can defeat. We are, therefore, compelled to neither give them a chance for their networks to grow in our countries nor a haven on our territory to threaten security in our region,” IGP Munyuza said.
On his part, CG Bahigwa noted that such cross-border partnership initiatives provide a platform to collectively ensure stability in the Great Lakes region.
“Thank you for the brotherly invitation to this friendly country with which we share the borders. Our Heads of State have laid a channel for us to explore and pool efforts together to make our countries safer for the people and development,” said CG Bahigwa.
He added that the signed cooperation agreement will impact in combating cross-border crimes faced by the two countries.
“The memorandum of understanding will create impact to the successful cooperation of our two Police institutions in fighting cross-border and transnational crimes. Nowadays, it is essential that Police institutions work closely to be able to confront emerging security threats collectively and effectively,” CG Bahigwa said.
During his stay in Rwanda, Gen. Bahigwa and his delegation will also visit other RNP facilities including the Police Training School (PTS) Gishari in Rwamagana District and National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District.
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.
