The humanitarian assistance consisting of 3,000 tents was handed over to Pakistan at a ceremony held at the Karachi airport.
Speaking on the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said that the Chinese government has expressed concern and sympathy to the people of Pakistan who have suffered from the disastrous floods.
“China and Pakistan are true friends and good brothers by sharing weal and woe. We have a fine tradition of helping each other and jointly coping with major natural disasters,” he said.
Addressing the ceremony, Pakistan’s Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan said that China provided a very timely and much-needed relief aid for the flood-affected people in Pakistan.
“On behalf of the government of Pakistan, we want to thank and appreciate our iron-brother China for coming to our aid in this hour of difficulty and trial as millions of Pakistanis have been displaced, their homes have been washed out and their livelihoods have been destroyed,” he added.
In addition, Chinese enterprises in Pakistan last Thursday donated a humanitarian aid of over 15.5 million Pakistani rupees (about 71,340 U.S. dollars) for the country’s flood victims at a ceremony held by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Islamabad.
The total death toll in Pakistan from this season’s monsoon rains since mid-June has risen to at least 1,136 along with 1,634 others injured, the NDMA said Tuesday.
The list has been released by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) via social media platforms where Mushikiwabo is among 15 namers that have been announced.
Other namers on this year’s list include Rwandan international referee, Salima Mukansanga; fashion designer and founder of Moshions, Moses Turahirwa and others from across the world including celebrities in football, music, film industry and renowned conservationists among others.
Mushikiwabo was elected as the head of the world community of French-speaking countries during the 17th Summit of Heads of State from Francophonie held in Erevan, Armenia in October 2018.
Following her election, Mushikiwabo took office in January 2019.
She recently confirmed that she is a candidate for the second term where she might lead the organization for four more years, once re-elected.
The organization comprises 88 member states and governments; of these, 54 states and governments are full members, 7 are associate members and 27 are observers.
Born on 22nd May 1961, Mushikiwabo is the fourth Secretary-General of OIF.
Prior to the post, Mushikiwabo held different duties in the Government of Rwanda where she served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009-2018), government spokesperson and Minister of Information.
She holds a master’s degree in Languages and Interpretation from the University of Delaware in the United States of America (USA).
The nationals including five women and four children were arrested on 22nd August 2022 after illegally crossing into DRC as they collected firewood in the plain separating both countries.
The nine Rwandans arrived in Rwanda through the main border in Rubavu District known as ‘La Corniche’ on Tuesday 30th August 2022.
The Mayor of Rubavu District, Ildephonse Kambogo has said that these Rwandans were released through cordial relations between leaders of Goma and Rubavu towns. He also advised residents against illegal crossing of borders.
“We liaised with leaders of Goma town to locate them. They brought them back home yesterday. As neighbouring towns, we signed cooperation agreements in different areas. This is a fruit of our visit to the town,” he said.
“We have requested residents nearby the plain to avoid illegal crossings. They have drawn a lesson from this situation because it has necessitated the country’s intervention to bring them back. They could even face serious problems,” added Kambogo.
The group’s total assets also increased by 16.8% to Rwf1.6 trillion (US$ 1,602.2 million) compared to the same period last year.
Net interest income grew to Rwf67.3 billion; with net interest margin decreasing to 9.5% from 10.9% in 2021. As at June 30th, 2022, BK Group Plc was adequately capitalized with Total Capital to Risk Weighted Assets at 22.8%.
Among others, shareholders’ equity increased to Rwf 296.5 billion, up 9.4% while liquid Assets by Total Deposits stood at 45.4% as at June 30th, 2022 an increase from 41.6% in the same period last year.
BK Group Plc is the mother company of four subsidiaries including Bank of Kigali, BK General Insurance, BK TechHouse and BK Capital Ltd.
{{Subsidiaries’ performance}}
{{Bank of Kigali Plc}}
On the side of Bank of Kigali, net loans and advances increased by 10.6% to Rwf1.0 trillion (US$ 988.9 million), client balances and deposits increased by 19.6% to Rwf1.0 trillion (US$ 1,000.2 million)
The bank also served 422,513 retail customers and 46,648 corporate clients; expanded the Agency Banking Network to 3,853 agents and processed over 1.8 million transactions worth Rwf314.4 million.
As at 30th June 2022, the lender had 68 branches, 98 ATMs and 3,099 Point of Sales (POS) terminals that accepted most international cards including VISA and MasterCard.
Among others; retail clients’ balances and deposits reached Rwf288.1 billion, corporate banking clients’ balances and deposits were Rwf 743.4 billion as June 30th, 2022.
BK Quick now has over 20,066 new registered customers as at June 30th, 2022; and has disbursed over Rwf1.2 billion.
BK’s IKOFI wallet has also registered over 1,852 agro-dealers/agents and over 264,066 registered farmers as at 30th June 2022.
Commenting on the performance; Dr. Diane Karusisi, the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Kigali Plc said: “Bank of Kigali Plc recorded good performance in Q2 & 1H 2022; our loan book has not grown in line with expectations but we are seeing improvement in asset quality reflecting post-COVID recovery which allows us to record a solid 1st half performance. We look forward to a greater second half of 2022.”
{{BK General Insurance}}
BK Insurance registered a profit of Rwf1.5 billion as at the first half of 2022 compared to Rwf1.2 billion registered in the same period last year, representing 28% growth in profitability.
Gross premium increased to Rwf4.9 billion in the first half of 2022 from Rwf4.1 billion in same period last year; reflecting a 21% growth year-on-year.
Total assets decreased by 28% y-o-y to Rwf21.4 billion in the first half of 2022.
{{BK TecHouse}}
BK TecHouse registered a sales revenue of Rwf574.4 million in the first half of 2022 compared to Rwf486.9 million in the same period last year; representing a 18% growth y-o-y.
As at 30th June 2022, BK TecHouse registered over 2.8 million digital consumers where 2.5 million are from Agri-Tech; 301 thousand from Edu-Tech and 13 thousand from civil society and religious organizations.
{{BK Capital Ltd}}
BK Capital’s net operating income rose to 383 million in the first half of 2022; a 54% growth from the same period last year due to increased trading on the Rwanda Stock Exchange and sustainable growth in the fund management assets under management.
The Assets under management (AUM) for the Fund management business have grown to Rwf26 billion in the first half of 2022; representing a 49.7% y-o-y growth mainly driven by net inflow in Aguka Unit Trust Fund, which continues to attract new investments based on its value proposition.
Within the Brokerage Business, BK Capital increased bond and equity trading due to an overall RSE turnover growth of 157% and 250% y-o-y in bond and equity, respectively.
Béata Habyarimana, the Chief Executive Officer of BK Group Plc has commended the four subsidiaries’ performance and expressed optimism for further improvements in the second half of this year.
“Great results from all our subsidiaries; I am happy with what the Group’s management team has done in the first half of 2022. Our shareholders and investors will be happy with the sustainability of the Group’s results and financial position. Our Net income increased by a significant 24.5% y-o-y, while our total assets increased by 16.8% y-o-y. We remain focused on delivering higher value for our shareholders and plan to report even better numbers the second half of 2022,” she said.
{{About BK Group Plc}}
Established in 1966, BK Group Plc is a group company registered with Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and licensed under Law No. 08/99. Bank of Kigali is the largest bank in Rwanda by Total Assets, with 32.2% market share as at March 31st, 2022.
The Group has a short-term credit rating of A1+ and a long-term rating of AA-, with a stable outlook, from Global Credit Rating (GCR). BK Group Plc is listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange as well as the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Bamporiki previously served as the State Minister in the Ministry of Youth and Culture.
He was suspended from his duties in May this year owing to matters of accountability that were under investigation.
The Spokesperson of RIB, Dr. Murangira B. Thierry has told IGIHE that Bamporiki is facing corruption related charges.
“From 5th May, Bamporiki Edouard was under investigation over the crime of soliciting, receiving or offering a bribe. As of now, his case file has been transferred to the Prosecution,” he said.
Bamporiki’s dossier was handed over to the Prosecution on 7th July 2022.
Following his suspension, Bamporiki posted a message on his social media accounts admitting that he received a bribe and apologized to the President of the Republic.
Rwanda’s penal code stipulates that soliciting, receiving or offering a bribe attracts a sentence between five and seven years and a fine between three to five times of received or offered bribe.
For the last 2 days, RDF medical officers led by Lt Col Vincent Mugisha, the Chief of Civil Military Relations, along with TPDF medical officers have jointly treated 625 patients at Bagamoyo Hospital, 60 km, north of Dar es Salaam.
They provided free treatment in Dermatology, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Ophthalmology and Dentistry.
On Tuesday, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the United Republic of Tanzania, Maj Gen Charles Karamba visited RDF medical contingent involved in the EAC CIMIC week at Bagamoyo Hospital. After touring different departments, he hailed excellent work being done by the joint teams and urged the civilian and Armed Forces medical teams to continue performing to the best of their ability with the available resources.
While launching the exercise at Bagamoyo Hospital on 29th August 2022, the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) Air Force Commander, Maj Gen Shabani Mani emphasised that the CIMIC Week aims at enhancing cooperation and good relations between EAC Armed Forces and citizens.
This is the 4th EAC Armed Forces CIMIC Week involving military medics from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Similar events in the past have been held in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya in 2018, 2019 and 2021 respectively.
The ceremony will be held this Wednesday, August 31, at Israel Patrick Iyambo Police College, Windhoek.
On Tuesday, August 30, IGP Munyuza took part in a procession in the capital Windhoek, conducted by Namibian Police Force as part of the events organized to bid farewell to Lt. Gen. Ndeitunga, who is retiring after 17 years as Inspector General.
The procession was, therefore, organized for the outgoing IGP to bid farewell to the general public and to introduce the incoming Police Chief to Namibians.
Earlier on, IGP Munyuza met with both the outgoing and incoming Police Chiefs at the Namibian Police Force headquarters in Windhoek.
The interaction was also attended by the Namibian Deputy IGP for Administration, Maj. Gen. Anna-Marie Nainda, commissioners and senior officers of the Namibian Police Force.
Rwanda and Namibian Police forces have enjoyed cordial relations in different policing aspects, since 2015.
During this period, the two Police institutions have cooperated mainly in training programmes.
So far, 15 Namibian senior Police officers have graduated from the Police Senior Command and Staff Course (PSCSC) at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District. One Senior Police officer is also part of the ongoing 11th intake of the PSCSC.
Two other junior officers completed their Police Cadet training in Rwanda.
On the other hand, Namibian Police Band instructors trained the RNP band.
Fighting these non-biodegradable products is, therefore, part of Rwanda National Police’s (RNP) day-to-day operations in partnership with local authorities and the general public.
In an operation conducted on Sunday, August 28, Police in Nyagatare District arrested one Angelique Mukeshimana, 44, in Gikukuru Village, Kabuga Cell of Karama Sector in possession of 110 cartons (22, 000 pieces) of polythene bags.
Mukeshimana was apprehended as she sneaked the plastic bags into Rwanda from Uganda, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern Region.
“Police was tipped-off by a resident about Mukeshimana, who was trafficking plastic bags from Uganda through a porous border in Mukoki.
An operation was conducted and the suspect was apprehended in Kabuga cell with 110 cartons of plastic bags,” said SP Twizeyimana.
Mukeshimana was at the time heading to Ngarama to supply traders there.
SP Twizeyimana warned traders against selling and using the banned polythene bags, which pose ill-effects on the environment.
Use of non-biodegradable polythene bags is by prohibited in Rwanda under law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 relating to the prohibition of manufacturing, importation, use, and sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
Article 3 prohibits manufacturing, use, importation or sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 10, any person, who imports plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to the dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items, and to an administrative fine equivalent to ten times the value of those plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items.
In article 11, a wholesaler of plastic carry bags and single use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf700, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
In article 12, a retailer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf300, 000 and dispossession of those plastic carry bags and such items.
The campaign coincided with a community work in the district that saw residents, local leaders, security officials, partners and mining companies joining efforts to create diversions for water drainage and plant anti-erosion trees.
The Mayor of Rulindo District, Judith Mukanyirigira requested residents and mining companies to scale up efforts aimed at enhancing soil conservation.
“Nowadays, we are losing large quantities of soil due to erosion. We call upon land owners to create diversions for water drainage; plant trees and grasses to prevent erosion as it washes away the top layer of the fertile soil,” she said.
Mukanyirigira also urged illegal miners to stop such activities lest they face the law.
“Illegal mining is not only illegal but also puts individuals’ lives at risk. Residents must shun such practices and engage in other income generating activities,” she added.
Some of miners also expressed willingness to take the leading step to prevent erosion and minimize threats to the natural resource upon which a large segment of the population forces meal.
“All these rivers flowing into Nyabarongo through this area have their sources at the bottom of hills with steep slopes. We are building terraces to help us catch the soil and restore the area by planting trees. Fighting erosion is not the work of an individual but rather requires collective efforts because it has adverse effects the entire community,” said Sam Ryumugabe, an employee working with a mining company dubbed Trinity Metals which runs operations in Rulindo and Rwamagana.
Residents from Ntarabana Sector where the activity was held on Saturday 27th August 2022, pledged to scale up efforts to preserve land of the hills to contain erosion.
“Previously, there were no trees planted on these hills. The rain water would often wash away the soil and submerge our crops in farmlands along the banks of River Rusiga. The river also used to wash away our soil during floods. We have owned this problem that we feel motivated to intensify efforts to preserve these hills and monitor people carrying out illegal mining in these areas,” noted Jean Marie Vianney Furaha.
These viewpoints are underscored by visually impaired persons who completed university studies and underwent massage therapy training after failing to secure a job.
The training is offered by Seeing Hands Rwanda, an non-governmental organization with a mission to improve the social and economic wellbeing of people with visual impairments and their families.
The organization meets the goals by training them on massage therapy, providing jobs and other forms of support.
Beth Gatonye, the founder and legal representative of Seeing Hands Rwanda says that the idea surfaced after realizing how many of people with visual impairments lead hard life owing to rejection by some employers regardless of their academic background.
As she says, the organization was created with a view to increase employment opportunities specifically through training to provide high quality professional massages to members of the community.
The massage therapy provided by visually impaired persons was introduced in 2017 even though many would not trust their services initially.
Despite societal bias, Gatonye sees their potential in a different perspective. If they are well trained, Gatonye attests that visually impaired persons can work as professionals that offer high quality services that some of people with normal eyes can’t do.
Considering the extent at which trained individuals offer massage therapy with great perfection, Gatonye stresses the need to break barriers hampering opportunities for persons with visual impairments to unleash their potential because ‘disability is not inability’.
She explains that most employers focus on their disability side, hence prompting them to question their productivity at work.
“When you are visually impaired, other parts of the body develop strong capacity. These persons working here are visually impaired but their hands can see. They can make money using their own hands. They are very professional in massage therapy. They are never distracted at work and use their time efficiently,” said Gatonye.
Considering their courage and professionalism at work, Gatonye observes that disability should not be an excuse for employers to reject people with visual impairments.
Josiane Mukayiranga started working with Seeing Hands Rwanda in 2019 after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Rwanda.
“I learnt that this organization receives visually impaired persons for training on massage therapy for free. I was a fresh graduate from the University of Rwanda but had not yet got a job. I acquired all the necessary techniques within six months because we learn by doing,” she revealed.
Mukayiranga says that she has learnt different techniques and continues to upgrade her skills.
They do not have regular clients but their job helps them meet basic needs in daily life.
“Many people have not yet understood the relevance of massage. We do not receive clients regularly yet increasing income has to go hand in hand with clientele. However, this profession which is not unusual helps us survive,” she affirms.
Ruth Iradukunda, is a graduate from the School of Journalism at the University of Rwanda. She joined Seeing Hands Rwanda six months ago.
Even though the profession doesn’t generate huge amounts of money, Iradukunda says, it helps them become self-reliant and meet basic needs instead of begging.
“We do not earn handsome income but the impact of what we do goes beyond meeting our basic needs to extend support to our families. However, some of our clients still have primitive understanding that visually impaired people cannot perform any activity successfully,” she discloses.
“There are people harbouring negative mindsets that people with visual impairment can’t do anything. Other parts of the body complement each other to perform a particular task. That mother has proved that our hands have a great potential in providing for a visually impaired person and others,” adds Iradukunda.
{{Long journey ahead}}
Gatonye says that she has trained 50 persons including 10 university graduates who had no jobs.
She emphasizes that lacking job opportunities after graduation, discourages their brothers and sisters from advancing their education.
Gatonye also reveals that the organization has got connections with new partners to train beneficiaries on detecting breast cancer which she believes will increase opportunities for visually impaired persons who seem to be isolated in the community.
It is uneasy to teach a visually impaired person because it requires much practice and rehearsals. However, Gatonye explains that they learn fast as they are not exposed to many distractions. Within two years, she said, they can master different techniques of massage.
Part of generated income is shared among beneficiaries while the rest is used to pay teachers and buy equipment in case they do not receive funds from donors.
Gatonye urges the general public to avoid primitive understanding and stop stigmatizing people with visual impairment because they deserve a dignified life and respect like other members of the community.
The negative mindsets toward such people, she says, has seen some people denying them some services. She points out some cases where motorcyclists refuse to give them a ride with assumptions that they don’t have money to pay. Among others, Gatonye said that some landlords do not accept people with visual impairments yet they have money.
Gatonye discloses that she was isolated at different times over working with visually impaired people and requests people to shun such negative mindsets.
“There are instances when I was denied a house for rent because I work with visually impaired people. We have graduates from journalism but no one accepts to give them an employment opportunity. We have ICT professionals but no one trusts them,” she noted.
The issue was also pointed out by Callixte Ikuzwe. He is visually impaired but studied Assistive Technology used by people living with disability.
He currently works with Seeing Hands Rwanda.
“You can hardly find someone to trust you in the society. People only see you in the aspect of disability. In some cases, employers let you sit for job entry exam but with much worries. Mindsets are still primitive. People think that people with disability can only work with organizations giving priority to these persons. It should not be taken into that perspective because they are able to contribute to national development in different ways,” said Ikuzwe.
He requested the government to up efforts aimed at advancing inclusion of persons living with disabilities at the labour market.
Courses at Seeing Hands Rwanda begin at 9:00 a.m. When a client needs services, one of trainees designated on rotational basis is obliged to stop class and attend to him or her.
They go for break at 1:00 p.m. and return to class at 2:00 p.m.
Due to limited resources, beneficiaries are not accommodated the center that they return home at 4:00 p.m. everyday.
