Superintendent of Police (SP) Evode Nkurunziza, the District Police Commander (DPC) for Nyanza, said that information about the alleged fraud was provided by a local resident, who saw Nshimiyimana sneaking and hiding the bales in a house.
“Police officers were deployed to search the said house where they recovered the four bales and arrested Nshimiyimana at the scene.
Nshimiyimana admitted to be the owner of the second-hand clothes and disclosed that he smuggles them into the country from Burundi, through porous border points,” SP Nkurunziza said.
The DPC commended the responsiveness of the resident, who provided the information on fraud, and facilitated the seizure of the goods and arrest of the suspect.
“Any business has to be conducted in accordance with the law. Smuggling and fraud are punishable by law and anyone involved in such illegal business will also face the law accordingly,” he warned.
He further observed that such illegal cross-border smuggling and unnecessary movements can fuel further spread of novel Coronavirus, and urged the residents to always report such unlawful and risky practices.
Under the East African Community Management Act, which is applicable in Rwanda, seized smuggled goods under article 199, are auctioned.
A statement from the Kigali City Administration said the market would be opened on Thursday, September 3, 2020. It goes on to say that before its opening, its management is required to develop “an efficient handwashing method, lines that show the imitators where to go and reduce the apparent density and be done by September 02, 2020”.
The market was closed at the same time as that of Nyabugogo known as Mutangana; but the City of Kigali has announced that due to the nature of the latter one it will “continue to close”. Traders and food buyers will continue to operate on at Giticyinyoni and at Nzove.
Although the Kigali City Market is about to open, it will be open to only 50% of the traders.
The markets were closed after the Ministry of Health said the increase in Coronavirus cases in the country was tracked from people in markets in the City of Kigali where it was largely due to the fact that people were reluctant to fight the pandemic.
There are now 4063 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in Rwanda; these numbers has increased in the last few days, wherein about eight days the country recorded 974 new cases.
The group came from eight different sectors in Kirehe, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said.
He added that they were at the time found congested under the rock at about 6PM, from where they were praying.
They included the majority 88 women, six men and 24 young people aged below 16 years.
“Information about the risky and prohibited gathering came from local residents, who called local authorities and the Police,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
“The group was made up of believers from different religious denominations, which came from eight sectors in Kirehe and converged in the bushy and rocky place.”
“Literally, they had violated all the standard and directed safety guidelines; such gatherings are prohibited, they came from different places and they were congested, no facemask and some of them were laying hands on others praying for them. 39 of them are from Nyamugari Sector, which is a COVID-19 risky zone in Kirehe,” the spokesperson explained.
CIP Twizeyimana warned against such inappropriate behaviors and actions, which can easily lead to the fast spread of the virus.
“This is not the time to engage in social practices and gatherings based on beliefs. It’s the period to listen to the safety instructions and abide by them to be safe from the pandemic and to protect others,” CIP Twizeyimana said.
In the early hours of Monday morning, Rusesabagina was shown to the media where the agency said he had been arrested with the help of international agencies.
The RIB said he was suspected of creating and leading armed terrorist groups, including the Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD) and PDR-Ihumure, operating in various parts of the region and abroad.
Rusesabagina has recently been charged with felony criminal including intimidation, arson, kidnapping, and murder of innocent civilians.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting on August 26, 2020 to ensure that the activities of the Public Sector will continue while respecting prevention measures of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that each level of government is required to employ no more than 30% of all employees, leaving others to work from home and later take turns going to the office.
The Minister of Public Service and Labor, Rwanyindo Kayirangwa Fanfan, addressed a letter to all Ministers, Secretaries of State, Director General of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Gas, on of August 29, 2020, indicating that something needed to be changed.
The decision was taken on the basis of an audit conducted at all levels of government from July 30 to August 4, 2020 to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 epidemic prevention guidelines, which indicate that “Only 38 out of 121 audited agencies complied with the required number at the time.”
MIFOTRA called on all government agencies to “publish a list of staff assigned to work in the office and home based workers and when the Department rules that take they will be taking turns, this will help the authorities to ensure that no more than 30% of the workforce in the office as mentioned”
“Suspension of the use of the fingerprint machine or the signature of the staff and any other means of controlling the spread of the pandemic, to control the productivity of employees, both office workers and home based workers” said Minister Rwanyindo.
She also urged them to continue to sensitize staff and government agencies to make better use of ICT in providing the services they need.
Kayirangwa urges them to “make it easier for Public Transport Workers to get to and from work, to return home at 03:00 PM so that they can reach their homes before 7:00 PM.”
Normally, government staff worked from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. MIFOTRA also called on the Ministry in particular to monitor the implementation of the COVID-19 epidemic prevention measures.
Foods, rice, cooking oil, maize flour, sugar, and salt, as well as hygiene items including soaps, sanitary pads, and masks, were provided to the families.
The beneficiaries include families with people living with HIV. The items were handed over to Kabuye Health Center in Jabana Sector which is regularly monitoring them.
Those who take antiviral drugs are among the most affected by Covid-19 and the medications they take require proper nutrition.
CSDI Director-General Leon Pierre, said they were already working in the Sector, seeking funding to provide them with food after realizing that their livelihoods had stalled.
It is an initiative of CSDI in partnership with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF, which already works with 30 health centers across the country.
Director of AHF in Rwanda, Dr. Brenda Kateera Asiimwe, said the support is in line with their plan to deliver food to people living with HIV in the health centers they work with.
“Today we have helped CSDI deliver food and other items to the community but we are usually working with 30 Health Centers. We are also supporting them to deliver food to those affected by Covid-19 especially those with HIV and other people in need. ”
One of the recipients of the grant said it has come in handy because the ARV drugs they take need a person to eat well.
The donation is valued at $ 12,000 (over Rwf11.6 million).
The grant was delivered on August 28, 2020, to help farmers get the current crop growth season 2020 C in full swing.
Yara’s representative in Rwanda, Peter Ngugi, said they would help farmers to ensure that at least the growing season ends when they have planted as planned.
“Today the world economy is in turmoil yet agriculture is the source of livelihood. When neglected we end up starving. In this regard, we have provided these additives to make it easier for maize and rice farmers to cultivate on time. ”
Dr. Karangwa Patrick, Director of the RAB said the grant was made at the right time.
“It’s great support that Yara has given farmers. We’re very grateful to them for supporting the maize and rice farmers,” he said.
Some representatives of the farmers’ cooperatives who attended the event told IGIHE that they were very happy with the support provided.
Kayitesi Francine, the head of the COMSS Cooperative in Kicukiro District, who had a smile on her face, thanked Yara for their support as they coped with the effects of Coronavirus.
These cooperative leaders also say that many farmers have already realized the importance of using industrial fertilizers.
Murwabashyaka Simon, a member of the KORIKA Rice Cooperative in Gasabo District, said that 95% of their cooperatives have already learned about the importance of industrial fertilizers.
“Before, there were those who thought it was a waste of money for them. They have come to realize the difference now.”
Statistics show that in Rwanda about 70% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming. This suggests that disrupted agriculture could have a serious impact on the country’s food security.
The Sunday statement, August 30, 2020, shows that new patients have been identified in “Kigali: 170 (Kigali market cluster), Rusizi: 5, Rubavu: 2”
So far, 16 people have succumbed to the virus while active cases are now 2,086.
Due to the increasing number of new infections, the number of active cases has exceeded the number of recoveries.
Health authorities in Rwanda say that by helping Coronavirus patients to be treated in their homes, about 46 have recovered.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty breathing. It is transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are required to continue complying with government regulations, especially with frequent washing of hands and water and soap, wearing masks when leaving home or in public.
The minister said the death, reported Friday, was an 81-year-old woman.
On August 28, 2020, 70 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 caused by Coronavirus out of 5,159 tests taken, bringing the total number of infected to 3,742 while three have recovered bringing the total number of recoveries to 1866.
The number of new cases in the City of Kigali was 54, seven in Rusizi, three in Nyamasheke, three in Rubavu, two in Kirehe, and one in Musanze.
Currently, 1,860 are the active COVID-19 patients in the hospital who are receiving day-to-day care.
“The death toll stands at 0.4%, while the rate of infection is 1.4%,” the minister said.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije, recently suggested that if no action is taken in the next 30 days, Rwanda could lose about 25 people.
“We have seven patients who are very ill, including a 22-year-old,” he said.
DCF is a non-profit organization offering humanitarian assistance to the needy, the sick, and those facing other serious health problems. The family was founded by Kabanyana C. Keitsia in Rwanda around 2005.
In May 2018, DCF approached 123 farmers from Kamabuye Sector and 139 from Rweru Sector in Bugesera District, helping them set up irrigation, land consolidation, and capacity building, according to DCF Director, Habimana Olivier.
“DCF supports these farmers towards realizing timely and profitable farming,” he says.
Habimana told IGIHE that the organization has received $ 25,000 in funding from the GEF Small Grants Program, a project under the auspices of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); and Bugesera District with a grant of Rwf15 million.
The two-year project was intended for both Rweru and Kamabuye groups.
According to Laure Kananura, coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Program, the grant was extended to help farmers till their land continuously even during dry periods. The project provided farmers with solar-powered systems. After seeing the productive activities of the farmers, Bugesera District also supported them.
Director of Agriculture and Natural resources of Bugesera District, Jean Damascene Sijyenibo, said they chose to advocate for the DCF because they saw a change.
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Before the DCF’s help, members of the Duterimbere group said they used to do traditional agriculture and was difficult for them because while watering they used watering cans to serve big farm expanses.
A member of this group, Ahishakiye Venantie, said: “We used to use a watering can. Because I am old, I used to water in a small place and go back home. It was very frustrating and the yield was low. ”
Duterimbere Director Musabyimana Peninah also said that watering was difficult at first but now they have been provided with DCF technology to make it easier.
He also commended the Bugesera District administration for increasing its energy efficiency. “When we started working with DCF we used to grow on four hectares and now we have grown to 14 hectares,” he said.
The farmers testify that the return on investment per unit area has tremendously increased.
Emmanuel Uwimpuhwe, a member of this group, said: “Before we used to earn about Rwf100,000 from agriculture but now it is Rwf500, 000 and without difficulty.”
Kananura finds that the fact that Bugesera District is pleased with what DCF has done in collaboration with GEF SGP / UNDP and its commitment to expand the project, is a matter of great pride. He finds that this partnership is important for the development of the community.
The DCF is also involved in other charitable activities such as paying health insurance for the needy where it has paid more than 10,000 since 2005, helping school dropouts to return to school, providing hygiene items to teenagers, among others.
