Musengimana Jean Damascene, CBC Managing Director said that Muyongwe was chosen as one of the regions with a coffee processing plant and the highest quality of coffee in Rwanda.
“We have informed coffee farmers that every time we sell coffee from their gardens and earn more than we expected, we will come back and give them a bonus per kilo sold. We do so to motivate them to improve the quality of coffee they cultivate. Coffee is the most traded commodity in the world and farmers who do the most backbreaking work should get as much profit.”
In 2015, in a contest that was organized by the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), Coffee from Muyongwe won the prize for best coffee quality with a note of 90.3%.
Civilise Jean de Dieu, the farmers’ representative in Muyongwe said that the bonus he has received will enable him to better treat his coffee and improve its quality.
“Besides solving my financial needs, the bonus I have received will enable me to treat my coffee trees and improve yield and quality.”
Coffee farmer, Kanamugire Francois Xavier thanked CBC saying that it is the first time he is going to receive a bonus on the coffee he sold.
“I sold 600 kilograms of coffee and received Rwf 48,000 in total. I cannot thank enough CBC for this initiative.”
Ntezirizaza Faustin, Muyongwe Sector Executive Secretary said: “The money they have received will enable them to save, subscribe for medical insurance, buy fertilizers and cover so many other financial needs.”
“It is in this regard that we would like to take this opportunity to deeply thank our highly esteemed buyer and friend, San Francisco Bay, that tremendously helped us in this great social initiative by purchasing our coffee at a generous price!” says Loic Rwagasana, a director at CBC.
Coffee Business Center was founded in 2002 and deals in coffee export. Its headquarters are located in Masoro, Gasabo district.
Fidèle Nzabonimpa and Selemani Kabayija were immediately set free after the verdict was pronounced. The jury was chaired by Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti after prosecution led by Cpt. Ambrose Baguma decided to drop all charges against the two Rwandans as New Vision announced.
The 9 Rwandans who were recently released include Rene Rutagungira, Herman Nzeyimana, Nelson Mugabo, Etienne Nsanzabahizi, Emmanuel Rwamucyo, Augustin Rutayisire, Adrien Munyagabe, Gilbert Urayeneza, and Claude Iyakaremye.
Among other accusations, the two Rwandans were on trial for the alleged abduction of Jackson Kalemera also known as Ndinga as well as Lieutenant Joel Mutabazi.
During the trial, prosecutor Capt Baguma stated he had received strict orders to drop all charges against Kabayija and Nzabonimpa.
“Your Excellency, President of the Jury and Excellencies Judges, since November 8th, 2019, the two Rwandans stand accused of illegal possession of firearms but I have received orders to drop all the charges.”
He did not mention who gave the orders or what was the reason behind acquitting the two Rwandans. Gen Gutti ordered their immediate release although the alleged crimes they committed are usually punishable by death.
Unjustified arrests of Rwandans have become recurrent in Uganda where they are denied trial but instead thrown in jail and tortured based on allegations of possessing firearms and being Rwandan spies. Some who are tortured are left permanently handicapped while others immediately die.
Rwanda accuses Uganda of financing anti-Rwanda armed groups and coercing Rwandans who are held in jails to join those groups or risk being murdered.
In a bid to mend the precarious relations between Rwanda and Uganda, a fourth quadripartite summit is scheduled on February 21st, 2020 where President Kagame will meet President Museveni at Gatuna Border.
On Friday last week, Sam Kutesa, Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs said that in order to solve conflicts between Rwanda and Uganda, Uganda acquitted 9 Rwandans who were accused of illegally possessing firearms.
“I am requesting Rwanda to show good faith as well and release the 50 plus Ugandans being held in Rwandan jails.”
Olivier Nduhungirehe, State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that there are 9 Ugandan prisoners who are serving their sentence in Rwanda and that they will be granted the freedom to meet Ugandan envoys as the law dictates.
“In accordance to the Luanda Memorandum of Understanding, Rwanda has dropped charges against 15 Ugandans and they were set free.”
The meeting of the Ad Hoc Commission between Rwanda and Uganda that was held on February 14th, 2020 agreed on 6 resolutions.
The first resolution states that both parties agreed to verify the number and status of nationals of either party detained in each other’s country and report it through a ‘Note Verbale’ in three weeks.
Both parties also agreed to protect and respect the human rights of nationals of either party.
The third resolution states that “both parties committed to finalize the Extradition Treaty to be signed in the presence of the Heads of States at the fourth quadripartite summit to be held at Gatuna/Katuna common border between Rwanda and Uganda on February 21st, 2020”
As for the fourth resolution, by February 15th, 2020, the Government of Rwanda will write a note addressed to the Government of Uganda about alleged destabilizing activities carried out by Anti-Rwanda terrorist organizations on Ugandan territory.
Uganda will respond to the issues that can be immediately addressed by February 20th, 2020 and further investigate the unresolved issues.
The Ad Hoc commission recommended to the quadripartite summit to consider normalizing the movement of people and goods between Rwanda and Uganda.
Finally, both parties agreed to resume collaboration between defense and security organs in order to improve national security.
After the third quadripartite summit that was held in Angola, President Museveni wrote on his Twitter account that “Uganda will do its part to ensure resolutions of the summit are implemented.
The training is categorized in 10 stages, with each stage allowing training for 80 staff for 5 days. By the end of the training, all 800 staff will have been trained.
At the official launch of the training, Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Niyonshuti, the Commissioner for Training and Development in Rwanda National Police (RNP) said that they will train staff from 10 in 17 security institutions across the country. He said that the training aims at teaching professionalism and good customer service.
CP Niyonshuti thanked RNP administration for organizing the training and the institutions in attendance for their will to improve staff skills and professionalism at work.
“We live in a time where crime prevails and we must adopt the appropriate measures to fight crime. Staff in security institutions should be able to check people, to identify criminal activities and to verify the authenticity of identification papers.”
He said that RNP will keep collaborating with security institutions in Rwanda and provide training for security to prevail.
“RNP is developing a curriculum to assist security institutions in fulfilling their responsibilities. I urge all staff who will attend the training to be attentive and apply what they have learned at work.”
Alexis Ruterere, the vice-chairperson of Rwanda Private Security Association thanked RNP for the initiative to train private security service providers.
“The knowledge we will acquire from the training will allow us to perfect the security services we provide. It will also allow us not to restrict ourselves to the Rwandan market and start offering security services in other countries as well.”
Currently, Rwanda counts 17 private security institutions with more than 26,000 staff members combined.
This is why SOS Children’s Villages Eastern and Southern Africa (SOSCV) and leading digital television operator StarTimes joined hands in 2018 to support youth empowerment.
SOS Children’s Villages is a non-profit organization that has been supporting children, young people and families since 1949 and are present in 26 countries in East & Southern Africa. Every year, they take care of thousands of children across the continent who have lost parental care or who are at risk of losing parental care.
In most countries, these young people are facing social and economic exclusion and face challenges when entering the professional world. In March 2017 SOSCV launched the YouthCan! initiative through which partners such as StarTimes provide youth with training and exposure to the professional world so they can transition successfully into professional life and lead independent lives.
The media group StarTimes has been growing very fast these past years, creating thousands of jobs on the continent. Luis Lu, StarTimes Vice-President in charge of Human Resources, explains that “StarTimes Group is committed towards empowering youth. They are the next generation of African leaders and they are eager to acquire knowledge and skills, but above all they are eager for an opportunity to show what they can do, that they can contribute. At StarTimes, through this partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Eastern & Southern Africa, we are humbly trying to give some of them this opportunity.”
Dozens of young people from SOS Children’s Villages East & Southern Africa programs have already interned at StarTimes in Africa.
In Tanzania, 19 year-old Rukia Zakaria Dahwa undertook a five months training as a Customer Care Agent. She explains that “it was my first internship” and “I learnt about good communication skills between workers and customers, to be active and work hard to meet targets. Although I am still pursuing my studies, I am sure the skills I got through the internship will help me find a job in the future.”
In Nigeria, Tina Odiah, 26, was hired as a full time staff after getting what was her first internship in a company.
“Before I didn’t know how to use many work tools like Excel. But when I started I realized it was a very important tool and I was trained on how to use it. Today I’m better at it and I also learnt how to behave in a formal environment. Later, there was an opening at the company I am sure I was selected because of the internship I did – that made me a better person.”
In Rwanda, Sonia Nishimwe, 24, explains that although her internship at StarTimes isn’t her first experience in a company, “it is the realest”. Working as a marketing assistant, “I am learning how to develop ideas that match with the working environment and also taking responsibilities of the work that am assigned to, learning how to deal with clients.”
In Burundi, Oscar Havyarimana learnt more than skills through his a two-month internship in StarTimes’ sales department, it gave him “the confidence to talk to people from different languages and background”. And that convinced him he could make his dream of creating his own business come true. “I am currently opening my own electronic shop.”
Since being launched, YouthCan! has established six global and more than 130 national corporate partnerships. During 2018, it reached out to 5,060 young people in 25 different countries, equally supporting boys and girls.
President Kagame explained the reason behind the simultaneous resignation of Evode Uwizeyimana, the former minister of state for constitutional affairs and Dr. Munyakazi Isaac, the former Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education on February 6th, 2020 as well as Dr. Diane Gashumba who also resigned on February 14th, 2020.
Uwizeyimana resigned after accusations that he assaulted a woman after she asked him to go through the checkpoint as security protocol dictates. Dr. Munyakazi is suspected of corruption crimes and using his position to place a secondary school in the top 10 performing schools countrywide while it figured in the first 100.
Dr. Diane Gashumba lied to President Kagame about measures available to tackle the Coronavirus.
President Kagame said that one of the major reasons why the youth was invited to attend the retreat was for exposing those mistakes and learning from different ideas that will be shared throughout the retreat.
“You should at all cost avoid embracing deceitful ways. Don’t be like the three ministers who weren’t capable of executing what they were appointed for. It is still early for all of you to know your responsibilities, to grow, to learn about the development plans of our country. Rwanda will survive only if we learn to fulfill our responsibilities.”
The 17th National Leadership Retreat brought together leaders of different organizations and affiliated institutions in Rwanda as well as leaders of private organizations.
CHOGM is scheduled for June this year and will bring together Heads of States from 53 member countries of the Commonwealth.
The United Kingdom High Commissioner to Rwanda, Jo Lomas observed that Rwanda is on track to host CHOGM and that the country is investing enough in its preparation.
“New infrastructures are being built, personnel briefed and various institutions are ready to fulfill their part to ensure the meeting goes well. Preparing to host such a big meeting comes with challenges but Rwanda can handle them perfectly.”
Ambassador Lomas explained that the Commonwealth Secretariat and the government of Rwanda are closely collaborating in anticipation of CHOGM.
“In April 2018, the UK hosted CHOGM in London, Windsor. We, therefore, have the required expertise to support Rwanda as it prepares for the meeting.”
She said that CHOGM will be a platform for Rwanda to re-express its commitment towards development because some people still look at Rwanda through the 1994 genocide mirror and neglect the great strides the country has made ever since.
“Over the past 26 years, Rwanda has achieved so many great things and CHOGM will be an opportunity to showcase its potential for trade, tourism and investment activities among others.”
Lomas said that the Commonwealth is home to top emerging cities in the world and that CHOGM will allow to promote trade and investment as a means to drive economic growth, create jobs and achieve a much more sustainable future.
“Rwanda has an unexploited potential for investment and leads the way in innovative projects such as the Volkswagen plant. All that shows why Rwanda is suitable for trade and investment.”
During CHOGM, the position of Commonwealth Chair-in-office currently held by the government leader of the CHOGM host country will be transferred from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to President Kagame for a two-year term.
In January, this year, President Kagame attended the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London. Ambassador Lomas said that the summit opened opportunities for Rwanda to reassert its position in the Intra-Commonwealth trade sphere.
“During the UK-Africa investment summit, Rwanda launched a 3-year, fixed-rate bond worth $40 million at the London Stock Exchange. We are confident that during CHOGM, Rwanda will have access to new opportunities to reassert its position on the global market.”
Talking about ongoing projects between Rwanda and the UK, Ambassador Lomas said that the UK invested more than €11 billion to tackle climate change and that it has closely been working with Rwanda Green Fund, FONERWA in encouraging private-sector-led initiatives to respond to climate and environmental challenges.
In a communication to the press posted on Twitter, RNP stated that 38-year old Mihigo committed suicide at around 5 in the morning.
He had been in jail for 3 days as he was being investigated for the attempted illegal border crossing to Burundi, violating his conditional liberty terms as well as corruption.
Mihigo and Victoire Ingabire, founder of FDU Inkingi received Presidential pardon two years ago announced during a cabinet meeting which saw 2140 other convicts set free as well.
He had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attempt to assassinate President Paul Kagame and destabilizing the country by collaborating with Anti-Rwanda armed groups. Mihigo had served 5 years before he was pardoned.
On 15th and 16th February 2020, he was visited by his family members and his lawyer. Investigations are is being conducted to identify the reason behind the suicide.
The Prime Minister, Dr. Eduardo Ngirente also added a stinging comment thus; ”Something needs to be done otherwise in 15 years to come you may fail to find someone to appoint a mayor.”
Today, Rwanda has two public and 29 private universities. The president reflected on this in a panel discussion he shared with the Minister of Local Government Prof Shyaka Anastase, the Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire, the Minister of Trade and Industry Soraya Hakuziyaremye, and Dr. Donald Kaberuka.
During the panel discussion, Dr. Kaberuka spoke of the vitality of education. He added that in developed countries, a small number of students attend university, citing Germany.
President Kagame based on that and spoke of the big number of universities present in Rwanda.
“I don’t know the number of universities we have in Rwanda. [Prof Nshuti] Manasseh owns one.”
“For a program to be approved as a university, there are criteria it must fulfill. Basing on our direction, these cannot be considered as real universities. Why do we let this happen yet we know well that the programs do not deserve being classified for universities?”
President Kagame said that he has talked to the current and former prime ministers, asking them about the big number of universities, up to a point when he asked them for a list of the universities during a cabinet meeting.
“They brought this list of universities, but they did not fulfill 10% of the criteria for being classified as a university. They showed that they are pressured by a lot of students, that this University of Kibungo is owned by priests. They based on that, instead of basing on education.”
He said that he always asks the prime minister to deliver a list of universities that need to be closed since they do not fulfill the requirements to be run as universities. He added that some of these universities play a part in slowing down the development of the country.
Donald Kaberuka said that education is so necessary that they need to verify the quality of what people learn from various institutions using scientific means.
Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente said that it is such a big issue since in 15 years to come you might try to find someone to be a mayor and fail to find one.
He said that they need to put enough effort into promoting technical schools, in reducing the number of simple universities and remain with only those that are very competitive.
In 2017, the ministry of education suspended 10 universities and university programs that were found lacking in delivering quality. Some were reopened after meeting the requirements.
The head of state who was opening the 17th National Leadership Retreat at Gabiro Combat Training Center also cited the misdeeds of the three ministers that recently resigned their ministerial posts.
He said Evode Uwizeyimana who was minister of state for constitutional affairs demonstrated disrespect for institutions and bylaws.
“Evode went to a certain place, found people in charge of security going about their work; he parked in a place where it is prohibited and he decided to by-pass the security checkpoint.”
He explained that when the female security guard accosted and tried to explain to him that he had flouted security procedures, he instead assaulted the guard on duty, shoving her down. “That is the response he gave to the security guard.”
President Kagame said it was on several occasions that Evode has demonstrated such uncouth behavior but his colleagues who knew about his anti-social behaviors kept quiet as he went on with wanton dealings.
Commenting on another resigned minister, Munyakazi Isaac, former minister of state for education in charge of primary education and private schools, the president said he sacked him because of his involvement in corruption practices. He said Munyakazi took a bribe of Rwf 500,000 to grade a school among the best ten yet it had not qualified among the best one hundred schools.
{{Dr. Diane Gashumba is a prolific liar}}
On Dr. Diane Gashumba’s departure, President Kagame said that she had become a chronic liar, which climaxed on the verge of the seventeenth retreat when he advised her to ensure all participants are checked for Coronavirus, which is becoming an international epidemic.
“One morning, I called different leaders advising that we should all be tested, myself inclusive. On several occasions, I had been told that all is set and we have enough test kits. Later, I was told it wasn’t important for us to get tested.”
The president said Dr. Gashumba had said that there are only 3500 coronavirus test kits so by using 400 to test those going for the retreat would be a big reduction.
It was however later discovered there were on 95 test kits as established by officers from the ministry of defense.
“After getting that report from the Minister of Health I called her to find out if it is true. On calling her, she started a long story, ‘you see Your Excellence, you got me wrong…”
Kagame advised leaders to be more steadfast in serving the public.
The Ad Hoc Commission resulted in 6 resolutions which were announced at around 9 pm the same day.
The meeting discussed Rwanda-Uganda conflict from its root and main accusations that Uganda illegally detains and tortures Rwandan Citizens and that Uganda supports anti-Rwanda armed groups and terrorist organizations.
The first resolution states that both parties agreed to verify the number and status of nationals of either party detained in each other’s country and report it through a ‘Note Verbale’ in three weeks.
Both parties also agreed to protect and respect the human rights of nationals of either party.
The third resolution states that “both parties committed to finalize the Extradition Treaty to be signed in the presence of the Heads of States at the fourth quadripartite summit to be held at Gatuna/Katuna common border between Rwanda and Uganda on February 21st, 2020”
As for the fourth resolution, by February 15th, 2020, the Government of Rwanda will write a note addressed to the Government of Uganda about alleged destabilizing activities carried out by Anti-Rwanda terrorist organizations on Ugandan territory. Uganda will respond to the issues that can be immediately addressed by February 20th, 2020 and further investigate the unresolved issues.
The Ad Hoc commission recommended to the quadripartite summit to consider normalizing the movement of people and goods between Rwanda and Uganda.
Finally, both parties agreed to resume collaboration between defense and security organs in order to improve national security.
Uganda Government officials who attended the Ad Hoc Commission included Sam Kutesa, Uganda Minister of foreign affairs, the high commissioner of Uganda to Rwanda, Olivier Wonekha, William Byaruhanga, Uganda Attorney General, Gen J.J Odongo Abu, Minister of Internal Affairs, Col Paddy Ankunda, permanent secretary in the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Patrick Mugoya and Ambassador Joseph Ocwet.
Rwanda’s side was led by Amb Nduhungirehe Olivier and included Col Patrick Karuretwa, the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye, Anaclet Kalibata, the Director General of External Intelligence at the National Intelligence and Security Services, Minister of Local Government, Shyaka Anastase and the high commissioner of Rwanda to Uganda, Frank Mugambage.
