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  • Ready, Set, Wibro!

    Forget your wireless network at home, office or Wi-Fi hot spots around the city. Kigali is now itself a wireless hot spot , thanks to the newly-built fibre optics infrastructure and base stations installed around the capital supplying the city with the latest wireless broadband technology known as Wibro, developed by Korean Telecom, a South Korea firm.

    In an age where technology is gathering staggering pace, Rwanda has had a head start with an astonishing 4G technology that provides high speed connectivity superior to the conventional 3G.

    The Wibro project, which had taken a whole year to complete, has an approximate coverage of 80 percent of the city making it accessible to almost everyone.

    “It is now awaiting the final processes of commercialisation before it can reach the market,” says the Division Manager, Mark Karomba at the Wibro Centre in Telecom House, a process estimated to be complete before the third quarter of the year.

    On inquiry about its advantages says. “This wireless broadband will provide users with a faster connection enabling them to enjoy the internet experience at a much higher level, be it on smart phones or even on the go with your laptop.”

    The interesting feature of mobility is a trademark of the Wibro technology that makes it even more convenient and flexible in terms of use, compared to other powerful technologies such as WIMAX.

    The project will operate in the public sector for a while before switching to the private sector. It will be under government control offering the service at an undisclosed tariff that is projected to be even lower than what other internet service providers are presently charging. “The goal of this is to widen the Rwandan market in terms of access to internet. By offering a cheap and accessible service, the penetration rate of internet within the population, which is approximately 2 percent, is bound to increase,” observes Karomba.

    Even though Kigali will be the hub of this broadband technology, a nationwide expansion is anticipated with areas such as Rwamagana, Huye , Rusizi, Rubavu already covered through the fibre optic networks.

    In addition to WIBRO, other service providers such as MTN and TIGO would continue to be operational. “Implementation of the project is not aimed at competition, but rather a much bigger and far-reaching goal that is expanding the Rwandan internet market. Few players will always keep the prices high but with the new addition of Wibro, prices will be cheaper for the service, making it accessible to more people thus fulfilling our aim of increased penetration,” says Karomba.

    The Wibro technology is a big step technological step that will not only provide the population with a much better internet experience but also allow institutions and businesses to operate efficiently. This would significantly contribute to other areas of the country’s development.

  • Should Rwandans participate in the Big Brother Africa Reality Show?

    This year’s edition of Big Brother Africa (BBA), the television reality show, is underway in South Africa without Rwandan contestants yet again. Surprisingly, countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, which are in the same region as Rwanda, continue to send contestants to the show. This raises many questions on why Rwanda continues to miss out on the show despite its buoyant local entertainment industry. IGIHE.com interviewed some prominent Rwandan artists to gauge their opinions. Below are their comments :

    Alpha Rwirangira, the winner of 2009 Tusker Project Fame (TPF).
    “Rwandans cannot participate in the BBA because there is no privacy in that house. According to the Rwandan culture, it is unacceptable to expose one’s privacy. People’s privacy is very important in Rwanda ; one cannot feel content when they see their daughters and sons exposing themselves in the name of gaining fame. ”

    Former Miss Kigali now Miss East Africa, Cynthia Akazuba
    “I cannot participate in the show because contestants are exposed to cameras everywhere in the house. Besides, Rwanda has its own culture. If other cultures allow nudity, it does not mean that we will do the same. We have our own culture which represents who we are ; it does not mean that we have to ape all the western influence.”

    Mani Martin, Singer
    “I would wish to see Rwandans take part in the BBA. I believe Rwanda has people who qualify to be in the show and I do not think that it is against the Rwandan culture. This is not true that BBA exposes housemates’ nudity. The exposure is among those caught in nasty acts. If you don’t do funny things in the house, when will the cameras capture you ?”

    Edward Bamporiki, film producer and scriptwriter.
    “Rwandans should take part in the BBA as long as they qualify. I believe that housemates’ nudity is exposed because they want it that way. BBA is like acting in a movie where you are asked to do things that do not reflect your real life experience.”

    Fred Kalisa, Movie Actor
    “BBA is against our culture and I can never do what is against our culture”.

    Dickson Rwiyamirira, Contact FM Radio Presenter and a Tusker Project Fame judge during last year’s auditions in Kigali.

    “Rwandans cannot take part in BBA because they are too shy and respect their culture. ”

     

  • Kobayaga trial resumes in US

    A teacher who admitted burning his neighbours’ homes during Rwanda’s 1994 genocide has told a Kansas jury he was like an animal without humanity.

    The testimony came Monday in the federal trial of 84-year-old Lazare Kobagaya. The Topeka resident is charged with lying to U.S. immigration officials about his role in Rwanda’s ethnic mass killings. Kobagaya has denied the charges.

    One of his former neighbours, Valens Murindangabo, returned to the stand to testify about the events of April 1994.

    He testified that Kobagaya told a mob of ethnic Hutus to burn the homes of Tutsi neighbours so they would not return.

    The defendant shook his head as Murindangabo testified that Kobagaya’s work was to make sure the houses were destroyed.

    Kobagaya, who lives in Topeka, is charged with unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship in 2006 and with fraud and misuse of an alien registration card. Kobagaya denies committing acts of genocide, and defense attorneys say they plan to call more than 20 witnesses from around the world, along with family members, to testify on his behalf.

    Prosecutors contend Kobagaya concealed that he had lived in Rwanda during the genocide and participated in the attacks and slaughter of hundreds of Tutsis. They say he lied during immigration proceedings in Wichita when he said he lived in Burundi from 1993 to 1995.

    If convicted, Kobagaya faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the charges. But the indictment also seeks to revoke Kobagaya’s U.S. citizenship, a move that would subject him to deportation. Family members have said they fear that could lead to his death.

    The Justice Department alleges that in April 1994 Kobagaya directed a gathering of Hutus to burn down houses belonging to the Tutsis. Prosecutors also contend he mobilized attackers and ordered and coerced them to kill hundreds of Tutsis.

    Prosecutors allege Kobagaya worked with Francois Bazaramba, a former Rwandan pastor who was sentenced last year to life imprisonment for committing genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.

    One of Kobagaya’s sons, Andre Kandy, said in April 2009 that his father was in Rwanda during the time in question as a Burundi refugee. His family also said Kobagaya was mostly bedridden while in a refugee camp. Kandy said his father speaks little English and probably misunderstood what was being asked during the U.S. immigration proceedings.

  • Erlinder might face law in Rwanda

    Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga has insisted that genocide denier, Peter Erlinder, might be summoned soon to answer cases related to both genocide denial and ideology.

    The American lawyer was recently declared unprofessional by the International Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha (ICTR), and his views as a defense lawyer at the tribunal were considered hoax.

    According to Ngoga, the latest developments add more credence to Rwanda’s efforts to summon the embattled lawyer. However, the chief prosecutor did not give a specific timeline for the summons but observed that there was progress.

    He further pointed out that due to Erlinder’s habit of ignoring court summons, Rwanda might use the Interpol to apprehend him, “We believe we have concrete evidence which makes it hard for him to escape justice.”

    Reacting to critics who argue that Victoire Ingabire’s case is lingering, Ngoga was quick to blame foreign countries like Switzerland and Belgium for delaying to handover some of the essential evidence. Even though there are less interests from concerned nations, Ingabire will still appear in court on 16 May 2011. “We believe we have enough evidence to start the case but in the meantime, we’re still finding ways of how evidence obtained by Switzerland and Belgium would be released soon.”

    He however pointed out that other countries like D.R Congo, Burundi and Holland have been cooperative. “Netherlands, for instance, has handed out evidence obtained from both witnesses and frequent searches in her house.

  • Rwanda expects to fetch U.S.$60 million in tea exports

    Rwanda
    expects to fetch at least $60 million from its tea this year buoyed by
    increased international commodity prices.

    Tea
    has become one of Rwanda’s main exports by value with its revenue increasing
    from $48.2 million in 2009 to $58 million in 2010. According to Rwanda Tea
    Development Authority, the value of tea has increased largely due to recovery
    of global prices while the volume has fallen slightly due to harsh weather
    conditions experienced from July to October last year.

    “The
    rains were so scarce during those months : The yields are expected to be less
    than those we experienced in the previous year. But because of slightly better
    prices we many get around $60 million this year,” the tea agency’s
    director general Anthony Butera said. Mr Butera noted that in the first three
    months of this year, tea earnings hit a record high of $8 million signaling
    higher revenue for the rest of the year.

    “If
    we can get that in the April, May June quarter, we may exceed the $60 million
    mark. Currently prices are at an average of $2.7 – $2.8 per kilogramme,”
    he said. Last year’s prices were $2.5-$2.6 per kilogramme.

    Mr
    Butera warned that productivity is still low with the output generally lower
    than elsewhere in the region.

    “Currently
    our average harvest is 7,000-8,000 kilogrammes of green leaf per hectare per
    annum compared with Kenya which can go up to 17,000 per hectare per
    annum,” he said. To boost productivity, Rwanda Tea Development Authority
    has set up a fertiliser fund mainly funded by tea factories and farmers to
    facilitate purchasing and distribution of fertilisers at subsidised prices. The
    authority’s target is to increase tea plantation yields to 9,000kg by the end
    of June. In addition, it is investing in encouraging tea growers to practice
    better farming methods.

    Currently, tea plantations cover 17,000 hectares. According to the 2008 Rwanda Tea
    Strategy, government intends to generate wealth by selling a high quality range
    of branded Rwandan teas with some added value through partnerships with new and
    existing buyers in Europe, US and the Middle East.

    Currently,
    Rwanda sells its standard teas in bulk form at auction, mostly to Asian buyers
    and a small but growing number of European and Middle Eastern buyers.

  • Hotel Rwanda

    “You can take the door off if you like, you’ll get better photographs.” Before I’ve even nodded my consent, pilot Jean de Dieu already has the door of the bright blue chopper in his hands. “Let’s hope it doesn’t rain,” I venture feebly as I assess the seat-belt situation.

    I’m on the tarmac at Kigali airport in Rwanda, about to get a lift to the Volcanoes National Park, home to the endangered mountain gorillas, in a Robinson R44 helicopter. “We get a lot of tourists who want us to drop them off there,” says de Dieu, as though he is running a taxi service.

    That Rwanda attracts the kind of tourist who prefers to charter a helicopter than make the long journey by road is testimony to the remarkable transformation the country has undergone since the 1994 genocide destroyed its infrastructure and its reputation. This is just the kind of tourist President Paul Kagame was hoping to attract when he began promoting travel to the region in 2003. By focusing on high-value, low environmental-impact tourism, Rwanda has attracted considerable foreign investment over the past few years, with a host of new openings aimed at the discerning tourist.

    The trend began in 2007, when Kenyan hotel group Serena, part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, took over the management of two properties and turned one into a five-star hotel in the capital Kigali and the other into a four-star property on the lakeside resort of Gisenyi. Then, in 2008, Governors’ Camp opened Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, right at the foot of the Virunga volcano chain and very close to the entrance of the Volcanoes National Park, prompting Virunga, the area’s original lodge, to undertake an extensive refurbishment. Last year a new lakeside lodge opened in Kibuye and a five-star property began to draw tourists to Nyungwe Forest, one of the largest remaining cloud forests in Africa. Visitors already seem to be taking note : revenue from international tourism rose 14 per cent last year.

    Rounding a corner, a collection of stilted bamboo cottages come into view, jutting out of the steep banks of the lakeshore. “That’s Cormoron lodge,” the driver tells me. “It opened last October, and is owned by a Belgian woman who used to be a racing driver.” I get them to pull up at the little jetty and climb up along mint-lined paths to the reception. Rwanda was a Belgian colony from the 1920s until independence in 1962, and owner Nathalie Cox has spent most of her life here. Deciding to stay the night, I get my own wooden cabin, which is spacious and comfortable and has a balcony from which I can see the red glow of Democratic Republic of Congo’s live Nyiragongo volcano. In the morning, the lake looks so inviting I can’t resist taking a dive off the jetty and then borrow a kayak to spend a couple of hours paddling around the islets off the coast, and shouting the occasional amakuru, or good morning, to fishermen in their wooden dugout canoes.

    Finally it’s time to hit the road and my driver turns up in a classic Toyota Land Cruiser to take me to Nyungwe Forest—an area of nearly 1,000 sq km teeming with wildlife, including colobus monkeys and chimpanzees. There may be potholes and endless twisting bends along the dirt road, but it is a stunning drive with the road snaking around the cliffs and the lake providing a dramatic backdrop. With the window down, the smell of eucalyptus wafts in, and the cries of local children who rush to the roadside to call “Muzungo, muzungo” (the regional term for tourist, from the Swahili word to wander aimlessly) and occasionally ask for pens or francs, but more often just wave and smile.

    Acres of tea plantations herald our arrival at Nyungwe Forest Lodge, which was built with a substantial investment from Dubai World Africa (a subsidiary of the Dubai’s state investment company). “That’s the helipad,” says my driver signaling a clearing up ahead. It seems that every lodge worth its salt has one. And then the building appears, an imposing structure of dark wood and stone walls. Staff are awaiting our arrival with cold towels and juice and we are escorted into a spacious lounge with stylish modern furniture, arty coffee-table books and a blazing log fire—the sort of place you might find in South Africa. I am then taken to my private chalet, one of many scattered widely among the tea plantations, with a private deck overlooking the forest beyond. The rooms are huge with kingly bathrooms and I can well believe that each one cost the rumored $1m to build and furnish.

    The lodge isn’t the only new opening in the forest : there is also a canopy walk, the first of its kind in the region, and I am keen to get there before it closes for the day.

    It’s a leisurely 20-minute stroll into the forest from the Uwinka Visitor Centre to the start of the walk. My guide points out epiphytic orchids, high on the trunk of a mahogany tree, and the blood-red leaves of the “welcome” tree. “When they fall, they create a red carpet,” he explains.

    The canopy walk itself doesn’t look too daunting from the ground. It is 90m long at its main section and 50m off the ground. I begin with cocky confidence, but as I get halfway across the main section, the vertigo kicks in. Below me, clouds are wisping up through the trees like smoke and from this height the canopy below resembles hundreds of heads of broccoli. I hold on tightly to the metal wire at chest height and try to look out at the horizon, rather than down. After all, if I can fly in a helicopter with no doors, this should be easy.

    This article originally appeared in Financial Times

  • Against all odds: Young crooner determined to succeed

    He is an unpretentious man from a humble background, and opts to keep his personal life private. Mani Martin, which is his name on and off the stage, does not know his place of birth which is why he perhaps avoids going into the details about his family.

    Martin, 22, says that he fell in love with music when he was six years old. He grew up listening to music by such renowned Rwandan crooners as Cecile Kayirebwa and Jean Paul Sambutu and hitherto, Martin draws inspiration from the two artistes.

    The young and talented artist, who has been singing for the last five years, has never turned his back to music. So far, Martin has released two albums with a third one due soon.

    He says he is optimistic that his music would feature in the international scene in coming days.

    When IGIHE.com asked his about the challenges he encounters in music, his answer was succinct, “The first problem is a low market for our music here in Rwanda.”

    He however explains that this does not stop him from producing his music no matter how little the money is.

     He says that he could do a collaboration with an upcoming artist as long as they share similar interests.

    Mani Martin appeals to the media to help develop the music industry in the country. He further calls upon the government to shore up the music industry and ensure that local music is archived for posterity.

  • Police spokesman warns against graft

    Rwanda’s zero tolerance to corruption can be illustrated by
    the recent incidence of corruption in Kanombe, Kicukiro District of Kigali,
    where a primary court judge, Lillian Maombi, was apprehended after being caught
    in a malevolent act of bribery.

    In an exclusive interview with IGIHE.com, the spokesperson
    of the Rwanda National Police, Mr Theos  Badege, said the incident
    should serve as an example to all individuals from the average citizens to
    those occupying high positions in government institutions that corruption
    should be avoided and prevented.

    “Its heavy a crime, it’s a bad principle, it’s a way of
    hindering the progress and development that we are undertaking and also a
    blemish to the judicial system in our country,” he observes.

    “In this nationwide sensitisation of anticorruption, we
    wish to suppress the idea that power lies in those who are able carry out these
    activities of bribery and deceit. True power lies in abiding by the law. We
    should use this unfortunate occurrence as an example that there is no one above
    the law, be it those who facilitate in establishing it, such as
    judges. Most importantly, we should not be afraid to notify or report to
    the authorities in case of any malevolent activities like these,” the Police
    spokesman reiterates.

    Rwanda has demonstrated outstanding dedication in fighting
    against corruption. It is a principle that all citizens should continue to
    embrace to sustain development and responsibility to protect and preserve the
    rules that govern us.

    And the battle has had rewarding results. A survey
    conducted by transparency international in 2010, showed Rwanda to be the least
    corrupt country in East Africa by a considerable margin. Incidents of bribery
    are so low with a prevalence of 6 percent compared to neighbouring countries
    such as Uganda and Burundi that range from 30 percent.

    This impressive fact can perhaps be attributed to the
    nationwide anti-corruption drive and divulging of cases of corruption by citizens.

  • Rwanda’s tourism income rises sharply compared to 2010

    The first quarter results of Rwanda’s tourism sectoral performance were released, and the earnings confirmed by government sources are in the region of US$56 million, compared with a figure of only US$43 million last year.

    Visitor arrivals also went up by an astonishing 32 percent compared to the same period in 2010, underscoring the successful efforts by Rwanda to market the country abroad and confirming Rwanda as an emerging destination in Eastern Africa.

    Sources contacted in the tourism industry attribute the success of the first three months of 2011 to a greater variety of tourism products and destinations, with one citing the Nyungwe National Park’s canopy walk, which since its commissioning last year, has already entertained thousands of visitors. Further, forests are being considered for conversion into national parks and lake-based tourism activities are also now taking hold, offering yet more to see and to do when visiting Rwanda. New “birding routes” are also set to be launched later this year, allowing visitors to see the wide variety of bird life resident in “the land of a thousand hills. ”

    The generous visa regime has also been cited as a key factor in attracting more and more visitors every year, with a number of important source countries not needing a visa at all, which sets Rwanda apart from all her East African partners.

    In a related development, the theme of this year’s “Kwita Izina” gorilla naming festival was revealed, which is “Community Development for Sustained Conservation.” Twenty-two baby gorillas born since the festival last year will be formally named on June 18, and hundreds of extra visitors will be coming to Rwanda to participate in this event, which will be accompanied by a series of guest lectures, workshops on conservation and community relations, and sporting events designed towards the annual celebration.

     

  • US professor to testify in genocide suspect’s case

    A United States Professor Scott Straus, who lectures at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, would serve as an expert witness in a genocide case involving genocide suspect Lazare Kobagaya. This is the first genocide to be carried out in US soil. Straus’ extensive knowledge of genocide and African politics has landed him as an expert witness in the trial of Kobagaya who is charged with ordering mass murders during the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

    The trial will take place in Kansas, where 84-year-old Kobagaya now resides, marking the first criminal prosecution in the United States to require proof of genocide, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

    Prosecutors allege Kobagaya illegally obtained United States citizenship by lying on his citizenship application, where he denied participating in the genocide.

    The U.S. Justice Department alleges Kobagaya directed mass burnings of Tutsi homes and killings of hundreds of Tutsis, in addition to ordering the murder of any Hutu women married to Tutsi men.

    Prosecutors are bringing in over 20 Rwandans to serve as witnesses for the case.

    Political Science Associate Professor Straus would not comment on the specifics of the case, but said he expects to testify sometime next week.

    According to the United Human Rights Council, 800,000 people died in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

    If convicted, Kobagaya faces deportation and up to 10 years in prison.

     The octogenarian Rwandan is accused of lying about his role in the 1994 genocide in his home country to secure US citizenship.

    Kobagaya, a diminutive man with a graying mustache, on Tuesday this week, walked with a cane into the Wichita courthouse accompanied by a half-dozen family members.

    He listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, although he introduced himself at the start of jury selection in English, saying : “My name is Lazare Kobagaya.”

    The case is being heard in a Kansas federal courtroom because Kobagaya moved here in 2005 to join family members.

     But prosecutors allege Kobagaya lied on his December 2005 citizenship application by denying he had participated in the genocide and falsifying other aspects of his background.

     US immigration and citizenships forms routinely ask applicants if they have ever persecuted another person because of their race or social group, and also probe whether the applicant has committed any crime for which they have not been prosecuted.

     If convicted of lying on his citizenship application, Kobagaya faces deportation.

     Numerous witnesses are being brought to the central state of Kansas from Africa to testify about the events from April through mid-July 1994 when an estimated 800,000 people, most of them Tutsis, were killed in Rwanda.

     “I will tell you, some of the evidence is going to be pretty grim and disturbing,” US District Judge Monti Belot told potential jurors, adding that several witnesses are “people who actually participated in genocide.”

     Potential jurors questioned Tuesday said they had little or no knowledge of Rwanda or the events that occurred there nearly two decades ago.

    The indictment says most of those who were killed belonged to the Tutsi ethnic and social group, while most of the killings were carried out by members of the Hutu ethnic group.

     According to the indictment, Kobagaya was a wealthy Hutu who lived in southern Rwanda. It is alleged that he organized and incited violence against Tutsis on several occasions, including ordering Hutu to burn Tutsi homes, murder hundreds of Hutu who had tried to flee the violence, and kill Tutsi women who had married Hutu men.

    Kobagaya’s defense attorneys have argued in court papers that their client’s name never turned up in lists of genocide suspects compiled by independent sources in the aftermath of the violence.

     It was not until he gave a statement on behalf of another Rwandan convicted of genocide by a Finnish court that he was targeted by US investigators, the defense attorneys say.

     In addition to denying that he participated in genocide, Kobagaya told immigration officials that he had lived in the African nation of Burundi from 1993 to 1995, the indictment states.

     Kobagaya’s family declined comment during a break in the proceedings.

     Two translators are also being used in the courtroom as interpreters for many of the witnesses, just one of many complications that Belot said could cause the case to last for eight to 10 weeks.

    Meanwhile, the Government on Wednesday hailed the
    arrest of one the key genocide suspects, currently on trial before Wichita
    (Kansas) in the United States, saying this is a “landmark in fight against
    the culture of impunity” and a clear messages to all “genocidaires
    who are still hiding in several western nations. ” “Arresting
    this key genocide suspect (by U. S. justice) whose hands are stained with the
    blood of thousands of innocent people is a historic and unforgettable
    moment,” said prosecution spokesman Alain Mukuralinda Mukuralinda.

    Rwanda has made an extradition request to the U. S. justice, the
    spokesman said. “We hope that after years and
    years, justice will be finally served” Mukuralinda told the media in Kigali.