The details emerge after he was summoned for interrogation on alleged forgery on Thursday 27th April 2023 where it was decided to hold him in detention while investigations continue.
He was suspected for the crime after posting a photo of his passport claiming that it was issued with his preferred gender of ‘female’.
RIB Spokesperson, Dr. Murangira Thierry has told IGIHE that drug abuse has been added to the crimes Turahirwa is being accused of after Rwanda Forensic Laboratory tests confirmed that he illegally used cannabis.
The fashion designer has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months.
Just a few weeks ago, he made a claim that he is permitted to smoke cannabis publicly, even on the streets despite the fact that the use of this psychoactive drug is illegal.
In January of this year, the fashion designer was also in the spotlight after a video surfaced on social media platforms showing him engaged in an intimate act with other men.
He later shared his photo with a caption ‘a prostitute in Paris’.
The two countries have a shared aspiration to improve the lives of their citizens, and President Kagame emphasized the need to create an enabling environment for Africa’s entrepreneurial youth.
As he said, the relationship between Tanzania and Rwanda continues to flourish.
“The seeds of Tanzania and Rwanda relations were planted decades ago, and they continue to bear fruit today,” he noted.
In August 2021, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania visited Rwanda to strengthen ties between the two neighboring countries. During her visit, agreements were signed in various sectors aimed at promoting social and economic growth for both nations.
Trade and investment are among the key sectors of cooperation between the two countries. Tanzania’s exports to Rwanda increased to $277.8 million in 2021, up from $60.1 million, while Rwanda’s exports to Tanzania increased to $2.2 million, up from $1.3 million in the same period. Rwanda primarily uses the port of Dar es Salaam for much of its inbound and outbound cargo through the Central Corridor.
Several popular Tanzanian businesses operate in Rwanda, including Azam Group, Bakhresa, and Matelas Dodoma, while Rwandan companies like Sulfo Rwanda and Pharmalab have set foot in Tanzania. Additionally, some of Rwanda’s submarine sea cables for IT infrastructure go through the port of Dar es Salaam.
Both countries have also committed to cooperate closely on border control and crime prevention, information and intelligence sharing on terrorism, and other transnational crimes. In 2018, they agreed on joint construction of a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Isaka in northwestern Tanzania to Kigali, which will facilitate movement of goods between the two countries.
President Kagame’s visit to Tanzania further strengthens the existing ties of friendship and cooperation between Rwanda and Tanzania.
As the two nations continue to collaborate on various fronts, they are well positioned to achieve their shared aspirations of improving the lives of their citizens and promoting economic growth.
Rwanda FPU1-9 of 140 officers commanded by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Venant Rubayiza, left in the morning to replace Rwanda FPU1-8, which returned home later in the afternoon after a successful one year tour-of-duty.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Costa Habyara, commissioner for counter terrorism, oversaw the rotation of the contingents on behalf of the RNP leadership.
He welcomed them back home and thanked them for upholding the values and image of Rwanda.
CSP Kalisa said that the contingent conducted various duties, including protection of civilians.
“Beyond our mandate, we also supported the people of Bangui through various human security activities such as giving them clothes, working with them in environmental and hygiene activities through Umuganda, supplying them with clean drinking water, and voluntary blood donation,” CSP Kalisa said.
Kaseya, who was appointed as the new head of the Africa CDC by the African Union (AU) Assembly in February this year, said in a statement that African countries are highly encouraged to strengthen vaccination programs to avoid losing the gains made by accelerating efforts.
African countries “need to make sure that none of our children are left behind from the full benefits of getting vaccinated,” said Kaseya, noting that over the last decades, vaccines have saved millions of lives, prevented serious illnesses and outbreaks, and reduced healthcare costs.
He, however, stressed a need to intensify these efforts.
According to Kaseya, many of the children who are missing out on routine immunization live across different settings, including urban areas, remote communities and populations in conflict settings. “The importance of strengthening routine immunization, reaching zero-dose children and achieving vaccine equity cannot be overemphasized.”
Kaseya said the African continent can register good healthcare outcomes if it can reach communities with routine as well as COVID-19 vaccines, integrating service provision and supplemental vaccination activities. And strengthening basic routine immunizations across the African continent will help protect individuals who are at higher risk, such as children, from contracting serious and sometimes deadly illnesses like measles, polio, and rubella.
“In accelerating the big catch-up, the call to action is to put a stronger focus on reaching the most vulnerable communities with integrated approaches that deliver multiple services,” he said.
The Africa CDC chief also stressed that such interventions will eventually ensure the protection of the African populace, strengthen health systems, and lead to the path to health and prosperity.
“It is important that we ensure access to essential health services and build resilient health systems that can adequately protect the African population from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Kaseya said.
He further underscored the COVID-19 pandemic’s unprecedented pressure on vaccine supply chains, primary healthcare systems, health workforces, and national budgets in Africa.
“Influx of Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad. UNHCR Chad and its partners … began preliminary registration (fixing) on April 25. 1,053 refugee families were registered, and 102 families of Chadian returnees were identified,” Castro said in a tweet Wednesday night.
Castro had earlier estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 people from troubled Sudan have fled to Chad and stated that a joint mission conducted with the World Food Programme, UNHCR, the UN Children’s Fund, and Chad’s national commission in charge of refugees was working to “assess urgent needs and agree on response plan.”
The UN warned last week that the new arrivals will be entering a situation marked by “soaring” humanitarian needs and “chronic” underfunding, because “there was no funding for food assistance beyond this coming May” in Chad.
The crime is related to a photo shared on social media on Wednesday 26th April 2023, showing a passport labeling him as a feminine person.
RIB has revealed that the picture of the passport shared on social media was forged as confirmed by Rwanda’s Directorate-General of Immigration and Emigration.
“Turahirwa Moïse has been summoned by RIB for interrogation on forgery following the confirmation by the Directorate-General of Immigration and Emigration that the passport was falsified,” Dr. Murangira Thierry, the Spokesperson of RIB has told IGIHE.
The shared photo shows that the passport with the letter ‘F’ (Feminine) on the slot of gender was issued in 2021.
Besides, the photograph does not show the passport’s number.
Before he was summoned, the post triggered mixed reactions among social media users who raised doubts about the authenticity of the passport.
Upon his arrival in the country, Kagame was received by Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
Kagame then proceeded to State House Dar es Salaam, where he was received by President Suluhu for a tête-à-tête meeting to be followed by a bilateral discussion with members of both delegations.
The two Heads of State are expected to address members of the press. Kagame will also attend a dinner hosted in his honor. Suluhu last visited Rwanda in August 2021.
Kagame will conclude his visit to Tanzania on Friday, April 28th, 2023.
Rwanda and Tanzania renewed their commitment to cooperation, through bilateral agreements signed in various sectors for the social and economic growth of both nations.
The Head of State arrived in Dar es Salaam of the United Republic of Tanzania in the morning of Thursday 27th April 2023 from Zambia where he attended Transform Africa Summit 2023.
Upon arrival in the country, Kagame was received by Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
During his visit, Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed, Kagame will be received at State House by his counterpart of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan for a tête-à-tête discussion before joining members of both delegations for a bilateral meeting.
The two Heads of State are expected to address members of the press.
Kagame will also attend a dinner hosted in his honour. Suluhu last visited Rwanda in August 2021.
Rwanda and Tanzania renewed their commitment to cooperation, through bilateral agreements signed in various sectors for the social and economic growth of both nations.
During Suluhu’s stay in Rwanda last year, both countries signed four agreements in the areas of information and communication technology, immigration, education and regulation of medical products.
The Institutional Support for Digital Payments and e-Commerce Policies for Cross-Border Trade Project (IDECT) will evaluate policy gaps in the digital trade and e-commerce ecosystems of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Republic of Congo, São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The project will see to the implementation of regional training and capacity-building programs focusing on cross-border e-payment and e-commerce for governments, private sectors, and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).
These programs are expected to reach 600 participants, with 60% being women and youth. Additionally, a certified gender-sensitive e-learning training program addressing the unique challenges faced by women in digital trade and e-commerce, will be developed and disseminated to 2,500 participants, of whom 60% will be women.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday, 25 April, a day ahead of the 2023 Transform Africa Summit which takes place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from 26-28 April.
African Development Bank Director General for Southern Africa Region Leïla Mokaddem, described the IDECT as a pivotal step towards strengthening Africa’s digital trade and e-commerce landscape.
“This initiative will bolster the development of harmonized e-payment policies, capacity building, and gender-sensitive frameworks, ultimately fostering a digital trade ecosystem that generates employment opportunities across the continent,” she said.
Lacina Koné, CEO of Smart Africa, said: “The IDECT project demonstrates our commitment to fostering digital transformation and economic growth in Africa. By addressing policy gaps and promoting gender-sensitive training, we are laying the foundation for a thriving digital trade and e-commerce ecosystem.”
{{About the African Development Bank Group}}
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution.
It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.
The Head of Military Intelligence in Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi was part of the delegation.
As Burundian Presidency revealed, Ndayishimiye received Rwandan delegation on 26th April 2023.
Mending relations between Rwanda and Burundi took formal shape after Ndayishimye took office.
In 2020, the two countries initiated efforts to normalize their relations, which had been strained due to an attempted coup in Burundi in 2015.
In July 2021, Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Edouard Ngirente, participated in Burundi’s Independence Day celebrations.
Later in January 2022, President Ndayishimiye conveyed a message to President Kagame through the Burundian Minister in charge of East African Community Affairs, Ezechiel Nibigira.
In December 2022, a Burundian delegation, led by Lt Gen Andre Ndayambaje, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, visited Rwanda for a three-day campaign to encourage over 50,000 refugees who had fled to Rwanda in 2015 to return home.
In September of the same year, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Vincent Biruta, met with his Burundian counterpart, Ambassador Albert Shingiro, on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States where they discussed issues related to bilateral ties and the normalization of relations between the two countries.
