On Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, activities to unearth the bodies started and so far, 28 bodies have been found.
Rubavu District administration urged residents to provide information about where other bodies were dumped during the genocide so that they can be properly buried and their cases brought to a court of justice.
Survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi said that there is a possibility that some houses were built above mass graves and that some people are still reluctant to provide information.
Segacaca Hassan, a survivor of the genocide confirmed that in former Gisenyi, some houses are built above mass graves.
“Most of our people were dumped in pits and many of them were women with children. It is a challenge to unearth bodies in mass graves in residential areas since it implies, we would have to pay for the destroyed houses. We are requesting for the support of the government to help us deal with this issue so that we can bury our families properly.”
Ishimwe Pacifique, Rubavu Vice Mayor Social Affairs said that caterpillar trucks will be used to unearthing bodies in the remaining mass graves.
“We have found 28 bodies so far including 24 adults and 4 children. We will continue to unearth the bodies so that they can be buried properly. Rubavu Airport is a rocky platform and the machines will be used to ease the work.”
During the annual genocide commemoration period, Rubavu residents are constantly recommended to give information about where genocide victims were dumped and it is rumored that some victims were never found and that others were killed and thrown or buried alive at former ‘Commune Rouge’ in Gisenyi.
On Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, some of Rubavu residents who were begged to provide information on where victims’ bodies were dumped said they did not recall the exact course of events during the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
In the past 5 years, several mass graves were discovered in Gisenyi including in 2015, a mass grave in front of Gisenyi Hospital where Tutsi victims were identified including late staff and patients who were killed during the genocide.
The verdict was pronounced Tuesday morning, January 7th, 2020 after finding them innocent of alleged different crimes including illegal possession of firearms.
General Court Martial Chairman, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti said that the suspects were acquitted as they have all been found innocent.
Among the Rwandans who were released are; Bahati Mugenga, Emmanuel Rwamuco, Augustine Rutisiri, Etienne Nsanzabahizi, Charles Byaruhanga, Claude Iyakaleme and Rutagungira René who was the first Rwandan to be abducted from a bar by Ugandan authorities on August 7th, 2017.
After he was arrested, Rutangungira was subjected to torture with machines that leave no physical marks including stun belts, a method of torture that Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) has been using for so long.
There was however no judgment read before court giving facts and omissions that were considered before acquitting the 7 Rwandans of their alleged crimes.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage told IGIHE that he had no further information on the case since their release was not communicated in advance.
The state minister in the Ministry of foreign affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe showed gratitude for the release of the seven innocent Rwandans but told the media that there are many other Rwandans still under captivity in Uganda. He said that what the Government of Rwanda wishes is for Rwandans being held unjustly to be immediately released.
The verdict is pronounced a few days after President Kaguta Museveni of Uganda sent special envoy, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare with a message to President Paul Kagame where the office of the president said the new developments in the Rwanda-Uganda conflict gave hope.
In a message he posted on his Twitter account towards the end of 2019, President Museveni said “Ambassador Ayebare was well received by His Excellency Paul Kagame and they had very fruitful discussions. Soon, the two sides will be taking decisive actions to end the tension. Uganda, I can guarantee, will do its share of the normalization of the relations between our two countries. I salute H.E Paul Kagame, the brotherly people of Rwanda and the people of Uganda.”
In a recent interview with Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), President Kagame said that Ambassador Ayebare was in Rwanda with the aim of finding common ground and solutions to the Rwanda-Uganda conflict but that what matters the most apart from discussions, is the implementation of resolutions.
Rwanda has been reproaching Uganda of arresting Rwandan citizens unjustly, torturing them and leaving some of them impaired for life. Uganda was also accused of supporting anti-Rwanda militias and terrorist groups including RNC and FDLR.
Since September last year, more than 100 Rwandans were chased from Uganda and 588 in total since the beginning of 2019.
Since January 2018, 1438 Rwandans were permanently chased from Uganda by Uganda’s CMI and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) of Uganda.
Uwiduhaye Rigobert receives me at Agati Library, Muhoza Sector, Musanze District, a library which he co-founded. It is at twilight. I find him putting final touches to a commissioned portrait of a woman. His hands splashed with strands of paint, we place two stools in the garden that surrounds the library, sit and chat about his career in painting.
Aged 24, Uwiduhaye Rigobert is a tall and calm young man with a well-built body. His art falling between abstract and realism, he is a semi-abstract painter. Living near the Volcanoes National Park, the subject matter of most of his pieces is animals for reasons of conservationism.
On conservation, he says, he paints images that elicit love for the wild. “It is not to mean that I will go and tell the poacher to not kill animals. But, at least, if I paint a deer, in a colorful way, he will love it and won’t kill it again.”
Uwiduhaye has always been devoted to art. He says, in nursery school, when classes used to be mainly about drawing and singing, he found himself leaning on drawing than singing. He remembers always being eager to volunteer to draw for his primary school teachers whenever they needed to draw something on the blackboard.
His love for drawing surged during his Ordinary Level studies. While applying for an Advanced Level combination of studies, he was faced with a dilemma between going for the arts or moto vehicle mechanics, which was his other area of interest proven by the fact that most of his early drawings were of vehicles. He even dreamt of owning his own automotive industry.
He applied for both combinations, putting École d’Art De Nyundo first and Moto Vehicle Mechanics (MVM) second. Before he could know which one he had been offered, his interest in pursuing art studies dropped.
“I started thinking, ‘I am already used to drawing. It is no use going for something I already know. Why not go for motor vehicle mechanics?’” he says.
Despite his now disinterest in the arts, when the results were released, he had been offered to study at École d’Arts. He resisted and struggled to find a school of motor vehicle mechanics.
He moved to Kigali, at Rwanda Education Board, asking for a change of schools which request was declined. He eventually joined École d’Art De Nyundo. He went there, still feeling disappointed and uninterested, only to reach there and be blown away by what he found in the school.
At the school were paintings that he could not believe had been drawn by the students. He realized that his knowledge of art was wanting and the school had a lot to offer.
His born-again character made him befriend all students in the school who seemed to be the best at painting, including Giraneza Tony, Iradukunda Patient, Ishimwe Daddy, Rwema Sam, and Toussaint.
Those taught him a lot of styles he did not know, but the lack of flexibility in the schedule of the boarding school made him afraid that it could chip away at his artistic spirit.
That same academic year, he and his friend Mugisha Paul, another rising painter in Kigali, decided to opt out of the boarding. In the school’s history, it was the first time students would be allowed to study while staying out of school.
The principal at first had refused, but the two students insisted until when the principal said, “You will keep paying the same school fees as boarding students.”
They accepted.
“And, I will only accept it if each one’s parents accept that they will take risks of whichever problem might happen to you,” the principal added.
After uneasily convincing their parents that it would be for their own good, the two students finally opted out of the boarding.
At a place where they stayed, they could use the internet to access and learn from extra content than that they got in the class. They would download tutorials by a landscape painter called Kevin Hill from YouTube and learn from them.
While staying outside the school, people started to employ them so much that Uwiduhaye made enough money to pay his rent, meals and school fees for himself. That was still in his first academic year at the school!
In 2017, after completing high school, the two had a dream to make an arts center. They based themselves in Ruhengeri, working from Uwiduhaye’s home.
They started giving free artworks as gifts to people, especially tourists. Those tourists would go on to spread the word about their art among their friends, people who would later commission their work on good prices that allowed Uwiduhaye to buy enough equipment and other materials he needed for the trade.
He first learned what it is to do a solo exhibition in 2017. He then started planning on hosting his own. He went into discussions with hotels around Ruhengeri, most of which rejected him, causing him to give up.
In that same year, he reached out to Virunga Valley Academy (VVA), an American international school in Musanze that allowed him to exhibit during their annual festival. There, he sold all twelve paintings he took there and got five commissions for other paintings.
He credits Matt Miller, the director of the school, and his wife for helping him grow his communications skills and confidence.
In November 2018, his first solo exhibition was held at took Crema Coffee Shop, Musanze District, and he earned $1300 from it, a half of which he invested in the foundation of the Agati Library, an initiative of a group of six young adults who grew up and live in Musanze District, namely Karekezi R. Patience, Umuhuza Denyse, Munyabuhoro Prosper, Mukiza Aime, Isangwe Sabine, and Uwiduhaye.
With more than 3,500 books, the library has become a sanctuary for hundreds of kids.
His last solo exhibition took place again at the same place in January 2019 during which he met Kathy who asked for ten of his paintings to be exhibited in ‘Life in the Brush’, an exhibition which brings artists together in Kampala.
At some point, I ask him to show me one of his paintings of animals, and he quickly shows me seven pictures of different paintings. His paintings, colorful acrylics on canvas, are portraits of the animals’ faces. The paintings he shares with me show the animals as tender beings that invite friendliness and fun.
His art undeniably is conversational. One of the portraits of a giraffe, looks like a painting in which the painter had to first discuss with the muse different alternatives of her pose, a discussion which finally led to a masterpiece pose.
The giraffe is painted from a right-side view, and, with its mouth open, the giraffe looks happy and inviting the fun all his paintings invite.
In his calm voice, he says that apart from the individuals mentioned above, he receives no support from either the government or private sponsors.
He says, “Everything is on my own.”
Furthermore, he enthuses that art in Rwanda is gaining prominence.
“Nowadays, an ordinary man tells you that he bought red curtains and asks you which color he shall paint the walls, and that’s art. All people have gotten artistic minds. It is not like before when people would use things of completely different colors without trying to think how complementing colors can create beauty,” he says.
He currently lives off his painting business and plans to get his work positioned at a global stage and to found an art gallery to support exhibition of works by young artists.
The spokesperson of NDC-R, Ngabo Désiré, said that 25 people fell in the fight, including 4 women of NDC-R and the rest being FDLR rebels.
He said, “FDLR, together with CMC/Nyatura attacked our Katsiru post. The statistics of those who fell in the fights, on our side, are five women, others were wounded. It is difficult to tell the number of those killed by our soldiers, but they are above 25.”
He added that NDC-R cleared the FDLR from the zone and now the fights are taking place 6 kilometers from Nyanzale.
In 2014, President Kagame requested for the consolidation of all 416 Umurenge SACCO through the ‘Cooperative Bank’ project that was expected to broaden “financial inclusion” in the country, working through the Umurenge Saccos and increasing financial services in rural areas.
In February 2015, FinTech International Limited won the bid to consolidate all SACCOs but the project deadline ended without the completion of computerization and linking of SACCOs operations as it was expected.
However, after the project was handed over to IT experts in Rwanda, results are slowly but surely materializing where since January 4th, 2020, Rutunga district SACCO started benefiting from the program.
In an interview with IGIHE, Prof. Harelimana Jean Bosco, RCA Director-General said that the project is currently being managed by different institutions in Rwanda including RCA, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) and Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA).
“We have conducted a pilot trial in three SACCOs including Rutunga, Gisenyi, and Kanombe and if results are satisfying, we expect to start using the same model in all SACCOs by the end of 2020.”
RCA mentioned that it is difficult to estimate the value of the project since it is being managed by IT experts who already work in different government institutions. “This is a locally tailored initiative and no plan was elaborated to estimate the exact value of the project.”
Linking all SACCOs to a common computer system is expected to curb corruption practices that have characterized SACCOs in the past and guarantee safety to stakeholders who complained that the co-operatives were not in any way supporting financial inclusiveness.
Prof Harelimana said that after the computerization of SACCOs’ operations, most issues that were reported in the past will be completely solved.
“We expect quicker services and daily reports that will allow for complains to be immediately addressed.”
Umurenge SACCO was launched by the Government of Rwanda in 2009 with the aim of pooling savings for members and providing them with credit facilities at low-interest rates, therefore, promoting financial inclusiveness.
There are currently 416 Umurenge SACCO across the country. In 2019, SACCOs reported a 2.7 million customer base, assets worth Rwf 120 million and savings worth Rwf 60 billion.
Mutangana would soon after receive a phone call from someone, who identified himself as Eric Tuyisenge.
The caller told Mutangana that he had accidentally sent Rwf34, 000 to her phone and requested her to wire at least Rwf30, 000 to a phone account he gave her.
Mutangana was quick to go to the Mobile Money agent identified as Julienne Musabyimana, without verifying the message she had received, and told the agent to wire Rwf30, 000 to the phone account she had been given.
On checking, she noticed that it was just an SMS. The scammer had succeeded using Mutangana to defraud Musabyimana.
“People should beware that fraudsters employ different tricks to achieve their criminal purpose, and be extra vigilant. Always verify messages and phone calls you receive,” Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Hamdun Twizeyimana said.
BNR invited bids on behalf of the Government of Rwanda and set the interest rate at 11.55% per annum.
The bond is a benchmark bond and will be subject to withholding tax at the rate of 5% for all investors.
In July 2019, BNR had opened another 20-year treasury bond worth Rwf 15 billion which attracted the attention of bidders on a 141.03% rate with more than 80 investors in different sectors across Rwanda.
Treasury bonds pay a fixed interest rate on a semi-annual basis. This interest is exempt from state and local taxes but is subject to federal income tax. Bonds are a safe-haven investment for investors since payments are directly made into the owner’s bank account. Owners earn interest until the bond matures.
Bonds can also be given as collateral to the ban when the owner is requesting for a loan. The owner can as well sell back the bond to the capital market.
All bids will be submitted to the National Bank of Rwanda through any of the licensed commercial banks or Capital Market intermediaries. The market will open from Monday, January 20th, 2020 to Wednesday, January 22nd,2020.
@CentralBankRw would like to inform the public that on behalf of @RwandaGov there is a Reopen of 7-year T-Bond worth 15.0 billion.
The market will be open from Monday January 20, 2020 to Wednesday January 22, 2020
Jordan Foundation was founded by Vanessa Bahati, a Rwandan in November 2015, after receiving the devastating news that their fourth child, Jordan, was born blind and he would never be able to see.
Every year, Jordan Foundation receives 20 children suffering from impaired vision, are treated and those that recover are sent back to their homes.
Jordan Foundation’s CEO, Bahati Vannessa told IGIHE that in 2019 among the children they received, six are now ready to be sent to their families for they have recovered completely.
“The treatment was successful, six are healed and now we will be following up on them after they have returned to their families,” she said.
The treatment administration was concluded on 23rd, December 2019.
Children that have benefited from this program are now about 40 where in the first group two were sent to their homes and now the second group is releasing six.
The Jordan Foundation takes care of visually impaired children between the ages of 3-9, who come from poor families in Rwanda; offering them an opportunity to lead a normal life like other children.
In 2016, Vanessa Bahati, the founder of Jordan Foundation was among the youth that received awards from the First Lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, the CEO of Imbuto Foundation in the awarding event known as YouthConnekt Champions and Celebrating Young Rwanda Achievers Awards (CYRWA) that are scheduled every once in two years.
The police found cannabis on Sunday, January 5, 2020, in Kivumu Cell, Musanze District.
The spokesperson of the police in the northern province, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Alexis Rugigana said that it is the woman’s neighbors who gave the police a tip-off about her illegal trade.
He said, “Basing on a tip-off from their neighbors, police officers went to arrest the old woman and her son. When they reached the suspects’ place, the police officers met the son who carried on his back a bag that upon seeing the police officers he dropped down and ran. They opened the bag and found 889 pellets of cannabis. The police officers found the woman at her house with 3,451 more pellets.”
The spokesperson adds that the old woman was taken to Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Muhoza branch, and, meanwhile, the police are still looking for her son who is on the run.
CIP Rugigana thanked citizens who shared information with the police and asked them to keep the practice to help in fighting crime.
He also asked those who abuse drugs to stop it as it negatively impacts their health and it is a crime punishable by law. He said that drugs drive abusers into such crimes as rape, theft, and violence.
Ingabire has bagged about 25 years of wealthy experience, having started working at a tender age of 18.
The mother of three is the current Director of Human Resources at Kigali Marriott Hotel; previously she was occupying the position of Human Resources Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel & Kigali Convention Centre. This makes her one of the few Rwandan women to have been trusted with such an important position in two distinguished hotels in Rwanda.
Ingabire was born in the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, from where she pursued her primary and secondary education in Literature, with focus in philosophy and Latin.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Universite Libre de Kigali (ULK), and she will soon be completing her Master’s program in Business Administration with focus in Human Resources at the Adventists University of Central Africa.
Growing up, Ingabire was very passionate about reading and writing and she always pressed her parents to tell her bedtime stories; this passion turned into her becoming an author of two books that are now on the market.
In the past 25 years, she has worked with nine employers. She joined Kigali Marriott Hotel on the 10th, December 2018 after a stint of two years with Radisson Blu.
Ingabire told IGIHE that she has not yet fully explored the depths of Human Resources Management but she is steadily walking the path towards the same.
She shares the journey of her career, giving insights and advice to those interested in working in the hospitality industry.
{{IGIHE: could you share with us your journey as a professional in this field?}}
{{Ingabire: }} I got my first permanent job in the Ocir Thé where I worked as a secretary in the Human Resources Department, after my temporary job with WFP. After six months, I relocated to what was then the Electrogaz working in the stores of Electrical and Plumber Equipment.
I was later appointed to different positions at Eletrogaz in Finance department, Human resources, Archives, and credit department among others.
Nine years later I was introduced to Global Fund, then left and joined UNICEF for a temporary contract as a Junior consultant working with a team that was studying the most effective way of removing children from the streets, and the Management of Excellence.
{{When did you start Human Resources Management as a career?
}}
It was in 2005 when I joined Rwandamotor, which was my first time working as a Head of Human Resources. I worked there for eight years and a half; I learned a great deal as it gave me time to get familiar with all Human Resources Functions.
I left Rwandamotor when I joined Plan International, then Radisson Blu & Kigali Convention Centre in 2016. That is when I was introduced to the hospitality Industry.
{{How did you join Kigali Marriott Hotel?}}
I joined Marriott as the Senior Human Resources Manager and after five months I was fortunate enough to be promoted to the Director of the Human Resources Department. I have 25-years working experience, 15 of which are in human resources management.
I do not shy away from change. I have worked in many places and in a way I think that you can’t grow if you are not curious about how other places operate.
{{
What benefits have you got working for two of the best hotels in Rwanda? }}
Working in five-star hotels opens many doors, and also teaches you a great deal. It is not easy but I have gained a lot of experience, from work ethics to dealing will all sorts of people. It is indeed a great experience!
{{How does it feel being the link between employers and employees?}}
The person in charge of Human Resources has to look at industrial relations from two perspectives in the process of making two parties work mutually for optimal results. You have to remain impartial at all cost; delivering great service to both parties. Understanding employee’s feelings, putting yourself in their shoes so as to solve their problems better; and also thinking as the business owner and finding the best solution even though there are times you cannot please everyone.
This is no easy task, but that is our responsibility. When you have executed well your work it makes your decision making easier.
{{After working hours what else do you love to spend time doing?}}
After I have taken care of my family, I enjoy writing. I have already published two books; the first was published in 2012 it is called ‘Le Bonheur Retrouvé’.
I first thought that writing was reserved to a certain kind of people, until I wrote something and shared it with my brother and he was impressed. Six months later my book was placed in the Multicom Publishing House and was accepted there and published. In 2018, AfricAvenir Editions in Cameroun read the book and decided to buy it as well made its second publication.
My second book was for children with the title ‘Urukwavu Rwanjye Rwiza’ meaning my beautiful bunny; it was published on the market by School Books Distributors (SBD) in 2016.
{{What is your advice for those that are interested in working in the hospitality Industry?}}
Working in the hospitality sector is good; you find great satisfaction even as you welcome a guest, and of course the thrill of meeting new people every day. It is an industry full of opportunities, growth and not limited to one country but global.
{{What are your plans for the future in this area?}}
I see far beyond where I am right now; I still have so many things to do. I want to progress so much so that as I retire I will have gotten experiences not only from here at Kigali Marriott Hotel but elsewhere around the world as well. Also would like the opportunity to share my experience and inspire the youth as something I do before retirement.
Patience and teamwork are the foundation of all that I have achieved so far and I believe that anyone can do it if they work with commitment.
