The incident occurred in Gakukumbu village, Kabilizi cell, Rugerero sector, on February 01, 2024. Following the Hero’s Day event, rain accompanied by lightning struck the area in the afternoon.
The Executive Secretary of Rugerero Sector, Nsabimana Mvano Etienne, noted that the area is not typically prone to lightning strikes.
He emphasized the importance of caution during rainy weather, advising people to stay away from metal structures, avoid taking shelter under trees, and refrain from activities that might expose them to the risk of lightning strikes.
Initially, reports suggested that two people were killed by lightning in the sector. However, authorities later clarified that only one person died.
Prompt action by the district administration led to the grandmother being transported to Gisenyi Hospital for medical attention.
Global statistics indicate that lightning claims over 24,000 lives and injures more than 240,000 people annually. The Rwandan government urges citizens to avoid seeking shelter under trees during the rainy season and to refrain from using electrical appliances in such weather, as it heightens the risk of lightning strikes.
Additionally, public establishments like schools, churches, and other authorities are encouraged to install lightning protection measures to minimize the chances of lightning-related incidents.
According to Village Urugwiro, President Kagame and Sheikh Mohammed discussed various areas of bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and the State of Qatar.
Following this meeting, President Kagame met with Senator Mike Rounds, representing the state of South Dakota, and Senator Chris Coons, representing the state of Delaware in the U.S. Parliament. Discussions with the senators covered different collaboration areas as well as regional and global issues.
Accompanied by the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, President Kagame has been on a visit to the United States since January 31, 2024. They are participating in various activities, including Rwanda Day. On Thursday, they attended a ceremony organized by the U.S. government known as the ‘US National Prayer Breakfast.’
During this visit, the head of state met with other personalities, including David Beasley, former Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and former Governor of South Carolina.
President Kagame also held talks with Congressman John James, representing Michigan’s 10th congressional district, and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
On February 3, President Kagame is scheduled to meet with Rwandans and friends of Rwanda attending ‘Rwanda Day’ in Washington D.C.
Originally scheduled for January 12, this marks the third delay, with the latest rescheduling set for February 9.
The latest delay is triggered by a general meeting held at Nyarungenge Intermediate Court.
According to a statement signed by the President of Nyarugenge Intermediate Court, Mr. Adolphe Udahemuka, and posted in the usual premises of the court, all scheduled activities have been suspended.
The document also indicates that those in need of judicial services can request them through the electronic IECMS system used by the courts.
Kazungu, 34, from Kicukiro District in Kigali, was arrested by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in September 2023, facing 10 charges including murder, rape, and desecration of human remains.
The defense cited insufficient preparation time during the previous hearing on January 12, with the court supporting the postponement to ensure the defendant’s right to legal representation and adequate defense preparation time.
The trial involves individuals seeking compensation for their losses, and some were present at the court but were informed of the delay.
Reflecting on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Kagame shared how Rwanda lost ten percent of its population in three months due to a government’s directive to exterminate the Tutsi. Despite the immense tragedy, Rwanda has emerged as a peaceful, flourishing, and united nation, serving as a poignant reminder and a warning to the world.
Kagame explained the challenges faced in rebuilding a country after such a devastating event, emphasizing the importance of preventing the transmission of hatred to future generations. He recounted his own experiences, driven into exile at age four and growing up in refugee camps until 1990, when he returned to liberate Rwanda from ethnic dictatorship.
Stopping the genocide posed immense challenges, with survivors facing the impossible task of swallowing their anger and bitterness. Kagame acknowledged the need to break the cycle of violence, turning the urge for vengeance into a national program of unity and reconciliation.
Notably, the death penalty was abolished, and survivors were asked to forgive, a difficult yet crucial step in rebuilding the nation.
Despite progress, Kagame cautioned that the genocide ideology persists in the region, urging the international community to remain vigilant. Reconciliation, he emphasized, is an act of faith, envisioning a nation free of hatred and injustice and working towards that vision daily. Kagame also stressed the role of leaders in building trust and promoting unity, asserting that healthy nations prioritize reconciliation in both large and small matters.
In response to a call from Europe’s farming union, the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC), the farmers gathered at 11 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Place du Luxembourg in Brussels, where the European Parliament is located. The site is a kilometer away from the Schuman roundabout, where a special EU summit is taking place.
The protesters were understood to show their complaints about taxes, administrative overload, rising costs and cheap imports, and asked EU leaders for more help.
“Europe’s neo-liberal policies are overwhelmingly responsible for farmers’ distress: free trade agreements (FTAs), market deregulation, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) subsidies which are distributed totally unfairly, administrative overload, fake solutions such as senseless support for digitization, GMOs and carbon markets, and a lack of overall vision for a transition to more sustainable models of agriculture, to name only some,” ECVC said in a press release.
ECVC demands an end to FTAs linked to agriculture as well as giving up negotiations between the EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, fair prices for farm produce amid rising production costs, a redistribution of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) money per active worker instead of by hectare to better support small and medium-sized farms during their transition towards agroecology and sustainability, and a simplification of red tape.
Red tape imposed by the EU takes up to two full days to complete, which keeps farmers away from working on the fields, according to Belgian farmer unions FWA (Wallonian Federation for Agriculture) and UFW (Union of female farmers in Wallonia).
The CAP also imposes a strict calendar, regardless of the weather and other circumstances. This leads to soil degradation and poorer harvest and proves unsustainable, the Belgian farmers’ unions argue. They also ask for an indexation of the CAP budget, as it has been regularly cut off despite rising costs of living.
Representatives of the ECVC are expected to meet in the afternoon with European Commissioner in charge of European Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and with the cabinet of Charles Michel, president of the European Council, to discuss their demands.
The farmers were joined by more than 30 civil society organizations, and have received the support of Green member of the European Parliament Saskia Bricmont.
“A fair income, a nourishing local agriculture, the end of unfair competition. For the return to working the land in a way that protects people and the planet. Environmentalists and farmers together to tackle social and climate challenges,” Bricmont published on social media platform X, with photos of tractors in the streets of Brussels.
Farmers in several other EU countries have taken to the streets as well. In France, protesting farmers blocked major roads around Paris earlier this week.
The Police Chief pointed out that Rwandans expect service excellence, professional character and discipline from their Police force, and that draws a line towards sustainable security and development.
He said that the force will continue to improve the well-being of officers through various welfare schemes, but warned against engaging in all sorts of malpractices, especially corruption, injustice and drunkenness.
CG Namuhoranye also called for teamwork, work with the people and to be part of community development activities.
Michel said that the additional 50-billion-euro support package for Ukraine was from within the EU budget.
“This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine,” Michel said, adding that “EU is taking leadership and responsibility in support for Ukraine.”
For weeks, EU officials have been trying to reach a compromise with Hungary to get an agreement on the four-year package for Ukraine which EU leaders failed to agree at a summit in mid-December.
The special EU summit on Thursday was scheduled to discuss the midterm revision of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework, assistance to Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, Michel said in an invitation letter to members of the European Council ahead of the summit.
Peter Agblevol’s brace in the second half was enough for the law enforcers to lift the trophy in front of the fully parked stadium.
APR FC opened the score through Nshimiyimana Yunusu’s header in the 13th minute but the law enforcers’ defense had a hard task to contain serial attacks from APR wings, to prevent further leaks.
Police had its double efforts denied by the APR goalkeeper, Nzila Pavelh on the stroke of the first half.
Peter Agblevol made no mistake, however, in the 75th minute to utilize Djibrine Akuki’s cross to nod in past Nzila to make it 1-1.
Attacks from APR from time to time in the second half yielded no positive results.
It was rather Agblevol’s last nail in the dying minutes of second period that put Police FC in command, after a quick through-in from Muhadjiri to midfielder Abed Bigirimana, who passed the gift of Agblevol to bury the ball inside the net, to make it 2-1.
APR FC and Police FC eliminated Musanze and Rayon Sport in the semifinals, on penalties.
This year’s Heroes Day was celebrated under the theme “Heroism among Rwandans, our Dignity.”
A special ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Africa CDC in the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday to mark the African Union (AU) autonomous specialized healthcare agency’s seventh anniversary.
The celebration, under the theme “A journey of action and commitment to safeguarding Africa’s health security,” highlighted the Africa CDC’s successes in supporting public health initiatives on the continent and strengthening the capacity of public health institutions in Africa to detect, prevent, control and respond quickly and effectively to disease threats.
Since it was established in January 2016 by African leaders and officially launched one year later, the agency has withstood various public health threats, ranging from the Ebola virus outbreak to the most recent COVID-19 pandemic, said Director-General of the Africa CDC Jean Kaseya.
“It’s a great pride to see our Africa CDC growing, thriving, and achieving more than what one has ever thought of in just seven years of its existence. As we reflect on our collective achievements, we are inspired by the impact created, the lives saved, and the resilience of our continent,” he said.
“As Africa CDC, we have relentlessly advocated for a New Public Health Order for Africa, emphasizing the necessity for a fundamental shift in our approach to public health on the continent,” he said.
“Our journey forward will be rooted in the foundational principles of the 5Cs — community, connectivity, capacity, collaboration, and climate. These pillars have not only anchored our progress but will remain the guiding light as we aspire to shape a New Public Health Order for Africa,” he added.
According to the AU, the occasion marked a significant milestone in the existence of the young organization since its establishment, witnessing transformative growth at the institutional, strategic, and operational levels.
Africa CDC, as a platform for strategic guidance and knowledge exchange among member states, is steadfast in its commitment to continental health security, the AU noted.
Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission Monique Nsanzabaganwa said the Africa CDC has been playing a critical role in the promotion of timely response to health emergencies on the continent.
“The results we can see today are significant, and proof beyond doubt that Africa CDC is well placed to carry out the mandates entrusted to it,” she said.
To mark the occasion, Africa CDC honored Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former chair of the AU Commission, and John Nkengasong, the inaugural director of Africa CDC, by naming the twin towers of its headquarters after them in recognition of their contributions to the establishment and development of the agency, respectively.
The Chinese-built Africa CDC headquarters, which is regarded as a flagship project in China-Africa public health cooperation, was officially inaugurated in January last year.
In November last year, the Africa CDC also unveiled a China-aided reference laboratory at its headquarters. It said the completion of the laboratory marks a milestone in its pursuit of a strong continental public health institution that will support AU members in improving disease diagnosis, surveillance and outbreak response.
AfDB Secretary-General Vincent Nmehielle told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the Asian nation has financed infrastructure projects through bilateral agreements with African countries as well as via multilateral development financial institutions.
“Overall, I expect the infrastructure projects to be able to open up economies in a way that enables the country to perform, if it is a road or bridge it makes movement of goods easier and this is a driver for growth,” he said during a media briefing on progress achieved in preparations for the 59th Annual Meeting of the AfDB that is scheduled to take place in Nairobi on May 27-31.
The meeting is expected to host about 4,000 delegates representing finance ministers from African countries, senior AfDB officials, development partners as well as the private sector.
Nmehielle added that finance from China has complemented funding from other foreign donors as well as domestic resources in reducing Africa’s infrastructure development gap that is estimated at 170 billion U.S. dollars annually.
China and AfDB jointly developed the Africa Growing Together Fund to finance development projects in Africa.
