Providing false testimonies is among faced charges.
Rwanda’s penal code stipulates that providing false testimonies intentionally attracts a sentence between one year and three years and a fine between Rwf500,000 and Rwf1,000,000.
They are also accused of deviating witnesses helping the judiciary to deliver justice.The crime attracts between one year and two years jail term and a fine between Rwf500,000 and Rwf1 million.
The duo also faces the charge of producing a false statement or using forged document. If convicted, the suspects are liable to a sentence ranging from five to seven years and a fine ranging from Rwf3 million to Rwf5 million or one of these penalties.
The ceremony took place at the offices of the cooperative in Rwamitembe Village, Cyamuhinda Cell, Muko Sector of Gicumbi District on 11th May 2022.
The training was organized and facilitated by Sustainable Growers Rwanda on the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ generous support in collaboration with the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).
Sustainable Growers helps women coffee farmers to align their efforts with the government’s larger national goals to improve productivity, quality, and build market access for the coffee sector. The effective training, trade, and public-private partnership model promotes the economic inclusion of women farmers and their families.
Since 2014, Sustainable Growers Rwanda has worked in 13 districts and supported 77 cooperatives, 25 coffee washing stations, and 38,056 women coffee farmers, as direct beneficiaries. The farmers received training in teams of 15 led by women extension leaders.
The ceremony held recently was also attended by officials from Gicumbi District, the management of Women for Women Rwanda, Sustainable Growers and coffee farmers.
During the graduation ceremony, farmers received certificates of completion while those with outstanding efforts in best agricultural practices among others, were rewarded with different types of assets through ‘Wakoze neza Muhinzi’ program.
These include livestock (cows and goats), specific farm equipment (sprayers, pruning shears, pruning saws, hoes, fork hoes), basic home materials (mattresses, fabrics/ibitenge, radios, and phones).
The prizes include 1 cow, 167 goats, 77 mattresses, 30 hoes, 108 fork hoes, 53 radios and 131 phones among others worth Rwf18 million.
“Through our program called Premium Sharing Rewards (PSR), a program known as “Wakoze neza Muhinzi” in Kinyarwanda, we reward women coffee farmers for implementing Best Agricultural Practices “BAP” and adopting Government Initiatives such as Health Insurance, Establishing Kitchen Gardens, School Enrolment, Clean Home Latrines, and Ejo Heza.
PSR is an important pillar of our program because it is through this program that farmers are monitored and evaluated by our Monitoring and Evaluation team based on individual coffee plantations over a period of 12 months. For each of the training programs, farmers are given scores based on their performance and at the end of the year they receive a certificate of completion and incentives based on their performance as a way of motivating them”; said Mrs. Christine Condo, Sustainable Growers Executive Director.
“We have a heavy agenda to enrich women’s potential with skills and means. Their focus and discipline inspire me greatly. These initiatives impact positively on the entire life-cycle of their respective families and communities,” Mrs. Christine Condo added.
“The graduation festivities mark the accomplishment of a significant milestone by both the women coffee farmers and Sustainable Growers,” stated Lambert, the Sustainable Growers Director.
Mrs. Florence Niyomahoro, a coffee farmer and president of Mayogi Cooperative highlighted that working with Sustainable Growers has contributed to the growth of the cooperative.
“Today, the cooperative members have learned the coffee value chain from seed to cup. Not only do we have a well-managed cooperative, but our members also know all the techniques required to grow good coffee and to process different types of coffee among them Fully Washed Coffee, Honey, or Natural Processed Coffee,” said Niyomahoro.
“During harvesting time, we can cup our coffee using our cupping lab with the support from our professional Quality Control Manager as well as brewing coffee for either our guests or farmers using the coffee-making equipment that is available at the cooperative level. We have been able to do all this due to the support of Sustainable Growers. Thanks to Sustainable Growers, today our coffee can score 90+ SCAA which is categorized as presidential coffee,” concluded Niyomahoro.
The Executive Secretary of Gicumbi District, Moses Kirenga thanked Sustainable Growers for training farmers and handed over prizes.
“I thank Women for Women and Sustainable Growers for close collaboration with different institutions and promoting Rwandan woman. I also want to extend my appreciation to Rwanda’s good leadership for making these efforts possible for the interests of citizens,” he said.
Kirenga urged farmers to take advantage of received training to promote coffee as one of cash crops to grow their income.
The ceremony will continue in more districts of intervention including Gakenke, Kayonza, Nyaruguru, Rusizi and Nyamasheke until 2nd June 2022.
Wanted for his role in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, Mpiranya was a presidential guard commander during the Genocide.
UN prosecutors recently announced that he died in Zimbabwe where he fled years earlier, following pulmonary tuberculosis.
He was buried in a cemetery near Harare under an alias, with his family and associates carefully hiding his death.
In a statement released on Sunday, Zimbabwe has refuted media reports that it sheltered the Genocide fugitive.
“The Government of Zimbabwe wishes to clarify some recent media reports that are circulating insinuating that the Government was harbouring the most wanted Rwandese fugitive, Protais Mpiranya,” reads part of the statement.
“Contrary to a smear campaign peddled by both international mainstream media and social media seeking to portray Zimbabwe as aiding, abetting and hiding a fugitive, the government of Zimbabwe actually assisted the UN Prosecutor in the identification of Mpiranya.”
Mpiranya was indicted in 2000 by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on eight counts of genocide including complicity in genocide, murder, extermination, rape, persecution, other inhuman acts constituting crimes against humanity, and murder.
He was accused of killing Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, 10 Belgian peacekeepers charged with protecting her and several prominent politicians, as well as their families and servants.
It is said that Mpiranya fled to Cameroon following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In 1998, he returned to Zaire and joined the second Congo war siding with President Laurent-Désiré Kabila with intentions to fight Rwanda.
While in the country, Mpiranya worked with Zimbabwean troops supporting Kabila and later sought refuge in Zimbabwe where he found shelter towards the end of 2022.
Sources reveal that Zimbabwean leaders facilitated him to enter the country along with close allies.
Mpiranya run businesses including transport company carrying goods and people using two vehicles bought from minerals stolen in Congo.
His business did not succeed and according to acquaintances, he health started deteriorating due to poverty.
Mpiranya lived in a standalone villa the first year upon arrival in Zimbabwe but was later hit hard that he was obliged to share a villa with other tenants.
Investigators revealed that Mpiranya used to meet with top leaders on the rehime of President Robert Mugabe who led the country from 1987 to 2017. Mugabe died in 2019.
IRMCT revealed that Mpiranya fell critically ill suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis in 2006 where he was admitted at West End Hospital in Harare.
He died on 5th October 2006 and buried outside Harare under false names of Ndume Sambao.
IRMCT report released between 1st July 2020 and 30th August 2021 indicated that the collaboration with Zimbabwe progressed well unlike the situation at the leadership of Mugabe.
The report revealed that the country’s Prosecution increased collaboration with Zimbabwe and commended the country’s support.
The statement by Zimbabwe indicates that officials had cooperated with investigators seeking Mpiranya, setting up a joint working group, helping to finance the research, sharing investigative reports as well as summaries of interviews with suspects.
“It was the Government of Zimbabwe that authorised and participated in the exhumation of Mpiranya’s remains when it was suspected that he was the one buried under a false name, Ndume Sambao,” the statement added.
The government further said that Zimbabwe would never harbour criminals and welcomes the result of DNA samples taken from the fugitive which “closes a sad chapter in the history of Rwanda and allows the country to move on”.
The suspects were arrested red-handed mining Wolfram using traditional tools in Rukopfu stream.
The Western region Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Bonaventure Twizere Karekezi said that the suspects’ illegal mining practices were also affecting the environment in the area.
“Police had credible information about groups of people that conduct illegal mining activities in Rukopfu stream where they also wash and filter minerals, especially Wolfram. Police conducted an operation on Saturday and caught eleven people in the stream mining using traditional tools,” SP Karekezi said.
“We observed that these unlawful mining activities were affecting the environment, causing soil erosion but also destroying people’s fields,” he added.
The spokesperson warned against such illegal activities and urged the public to continue sharing information on these unlawful acts.
The suspects were handed over to RIB at Rubengera station for further legal process.
Article 54 of the law N° 58/2018 of 13/08/2018 on mining and quarry operations, states that; any person, who undertakes mineral or quarry exploration, exploitation, processing or trading without a licence, commits an offence.
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term of between two and six months and a fine of not less than Rwf1 million and not more than Rwf5 million or only one of these penalties.
The court also orders confiscation of any seized minerals or quarry in storage, trading or processing without a license.
The aim of the visit was to convey a message from the President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi Jacinto to the people of Macomia and Rwanda Security Forces. He said that the President highly appreciated and commended the important role and contribution of RSF in bringing peace and security in Mozambique by fighting Terrorists in Cabo Delgado Province.
The IGP and the District Administrator met and spoke with over 800 people of Macomia district gathered at the Chai RSF HQs. These people had already been sensitized by the Rwanda Security Force to return to their homes in Chai Township where they fled 3 years ago due to terrorists’ attacks which scattered thousands to bushes.
The local population appreciated and commended RSF leaders for defeating terrorists and creating a secure environment in Chai Township for the local population to return to their homes. They also revealed that there were over 3000 people in the surroundings of Chai.
However, they said that they faced multiple problems such as lack of food and medical service. The District Administrator promised to work with International Humanitarian organizations to provide the needed humanitarian relief.
Rwanda Security Forces have been deployed in Macomia District since 30th March 2022, in Joint Operations with FADM and SADC/SAMIM against terrorists based in Chai forests. Since the operations started in Macomia, a number of local population have returned to their homes in different areas including Owasse, Diaca village and Mocimboa da Praia City.
These villages and Towns were a stronghold of IS-linked Terrorists group (Ansar Al Sunna Wa Jammah) locally known as Al Shabaab before being defeated and fleeing in disarray to Chai forest in Macomia District where they are being pursued by the Joint Forces.
Mutsindashyaka presented letters of credence on Friday 13th May 2022. He also oversees Rwanda’s interests in other countries including Congo Brazzaville, Cameroun, and Equatorial Guinea.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba was last in Kigali in 2018. At the time, he held talks with his counterpart of Rwanda, Paul Kagame on the future of both countries’ relations.
Ali Bongo has been attending different summits in Kigali. He was also among Heads of State who attended the swearing-in of President Paul Kagame after re-election in 2017.
Rwanda and Gabon enjoy existing cooperation through air transport where RwandAir operates flights to Libreville, the capital of Gabon.
Gabon is rich in natural resources. It also has timber-rich and extensive forest resources.
Members of Rwanda’s Private Sector plan to cooperate with colleagues from Gabon to run businesses in the country to promote Made in Rwanda and create new jobs.
Rwanda and Gabon signed cooperation agreements in 1976 that were revised in 2010.
The decision is part of resolutions of the cabinet meeting held on Friday 13th May 2022 at Village Urugwiro chaired by President Paul Kagame. The meeting reviewed existing health measures regarding COVID-19.
“All measures remain in effect and will be reviewed after one month upon health assessment,” reads part of a statement released by the Office of Prime Minister.
Cancelling the mandatory wearing of face masks is among eased measures of the meeting.
“Wearing face masks is no longer mandatory. However, people are encouraged to wear masks indoors. The public is urged to get frequently tested while continuing to observe preventive measures,” adds the statement.
As COVID-19 emerged, Rwanda was among countries that rushed to implement preventive measures. The country had made the wearing of face masks mandatory since April 2020.
Rwanda bans mandatory use of face masks at a time when efforts to fight the pandemic are yielding good results.
Figures from the Ministry of Health released on Friday indicate that only seven people out of 6702 sample tests were confirmed positive.
The reduction is linked to the number of Rwandans who have been already vaccinated. So far; 9,028,849 people have received the first dose of COVID-19; 8,494,713 received two doses while 4,371,568 have received the booster dose.
Rwandans have been reminded to get full vaccinated to access public places including public transport.
The cabinet meeting reminded people that getting fully vaccinated means having two doses and the booster one when eligible (administered three months after the second dose).
Arriving passengers at Kigali International Airport must present a negative rapid test taken 72 hours prior to the departure.
An additional test will be taken upon arrival at own cost.
“Departing passengers at Kigali International Airport must present negative rapid or PCR test [depending on requirements at destination] taken 72 hours prior to departure. All departing Rwandans must be vaccinated,” adds the statement.
Rwanda cancels mandatory use of face masks following other countries including USA, Ghana, Ireland and France.
The former army officer who was arrested on 11th May 2022, has been living in the Netherlands since 1998. Rwanda had requested his extradition for his involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
In 1994, the man was an officer of the gendarmerie in Rwanda. It is said that he played a prominent role in the killings of Tutsis in Kigali and Mugina in Kamonyi District.
Karangwa is suspected for involvement in the planning and execution of Tutsi killings in Mugina, including by supplying weapons to militias that killed Tutsis.
The man and his accomplices are also said to have led some 80 Tutsis that had managed to escape the killings at a parish in the area to a house that was subsequently set on fire. The man is said to have supplied the fuel.
Sources reveal that the man had chaired a meeting calling for Tutsi civilians to be attacked and killed. He is also alleged to have played a part in the assassination of the mayor of Mugina.
Karangwa received an asylum status in the Netherlands in 1999. Because of his suspected involvement in the Genocide, the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Department (IND) decided in 2013 to revoke his Dutch citizenship, which he had been granted in 2002.
This decision was challenged in court. On 11th May 2022, the Dutch Council of State dismissed the appeal against the revocation of his Dutch citizenship on its merits, thereby removing any impediment to his arrest and ultimate extradition to Rwanda.
Upon his arrest, it was agreed that the suspect will be brought before the examining magistrate in The Hague on Friday 13th May 2022.
Tanzania’s Presidency has revealed that the message was delivered by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta who was received by Suluhu at in Dar es Salaam on Friday 13th May 2022. Topics of discussion have not been revealed.
Dr. Biruta was accompanied by a delegation including Rwanda’s ambassador to the country, Maj Gen Charles Karamba and others as he met with Suluhu.
Rwanda and Tanzania enjoy cordial relations and cooperation in the areas of politics, infrastructure, economy and security.
Tanzania is considered a major development partner where over 70% of Rwanda’s imports and exports are transited through.
In August last year, President Suluhu came to Rwanda during a visit which left more cooperation agreements signed between both countries.
Kicukiro Primary Court has taken the decision on the request of the Prosecution.
As the hearing began, the Prosecutor requested the session be held behind closed doors for security of witnesses and abused victims.
Ishimwe has however maintained that the hearing should not be held behind closed doors because his arrest and faced charges were made public.
Ishimwe said that he should be granted his rights in the court case by having proceedings held in camera.
His defence lawyer also objected that the request of the Prosecution has other motives behind not for the sake of witnesses’ security. She revealed that the Prosecution’s reasons pushed forward should be ignored on the basis of being unfounded.
She further explained that her client cannot threaten security of witnesses because he is arrested.
After hearing both sides, the presiding judge ruled in favour of holding the session in camera and asked the crowd including journalists to step out for the hearing session to continue.
Ishimwe, the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Backup which organizes Miss Rwanda beauty pageant was arrested recently accused of sexual abuse.
He faces three charges including rape, soliciting or offering sexual favours, and harassment connected to sexual relations.
