Gen Mahamat arrived in Rwanda on Friday 18th March 2022 where he was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta upon arrival at Kigali International Airport.
He is expected to hold talks with Kagame and visit Kigali Genocide Memorial before interacting with Chadians living in Rwanda on Saturday.
Gen Mahamat,38, took over from his father, Marshal Idriss Déby Itno who died on the battlefield fighting rebels hostile to his Government last year.
The Chadian Transitional Military Council established an interim cabinet comprised of 40 ministers and their deputies in May 2021.
Rwanda and Chad enjoy existing diplomatic cooperation. Rwanda’s interests in Chad are currently represented by Ambassador Stanislas Kamanzi with residence in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
In August last year, President Paul Kagame sent a message to Gen Mahamat, delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Biruta.
Details of the message were not disclosed but the envoy was sent to Chad after Kagame had hosted Abdelkerim Deby Itno, the Director of Cabinet and Special Envoy of the President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad on 6th May 2021.
Chad is among countries faced with insecurity due to the presence of rebel groups against established leadership which triggered the death of President Idriss Deby Itno who died last year on the battlefield after three decades in power.
The visit is held at a time when the Chadian Government continues to cooperate with partner countries to restore order.
Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport on 18th March 2022, he was received by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta.
Gen Mahamat will be hosted by President Paul Kagame at Urugwiro Village this and visit Kigali Genocide Memorial this afternoon.
On the second day of his visit, Saturday 19th March 2022, he is expected to meet with Chadians living in Rwanda.
Rwanda and Chad enjoy existing diplomatic cooperation. Rwanda’s interests in Chad are currently represented by Ambassador Stanislas Kamanzi with residence in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
In August last year, President Paul Kagame sent a message to Gen Mahamat, delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Biruta.
Details of the message were not disclosed but the envoy was sent to Chad after Kagame had hosted Abdelkerim Deby Itno, the Director of Cabinet and Special Envoy of the President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad on 6th May 2021.
Chad is among countries faced with insecurity due to the presence of rebel groups against established leadership which triggered the death of President Idriss Deby Itno who died last year on the battlefield after three decades in power.
The visit is held at a time when the Chadian Government continues to cooperate with partner countries to restore order.
The directive for activities producing noise pollution, prohibits loudspeakers between 10.p.m and 6.a.m.
The timeframe is of great significance to Muslims in Rwanda who usually use loud speakers to call followers to prayers five times per day.
These include the Adhan call at 4:30 a.m. reminding Muslims of prayers held 5:00 a.m. every day.
The Adhan lasts between two and five minutes.
The Minister of Local Government, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi has said that the decision does not only concern Muslims but also other religious denominations that annoy people during night hours.
“Worshippers must continue their activities being aware of their limitations to avoid nuisance to others. I saw some people registering Christians to attend prayers in the evening, home based fellowship groups and morning prayers. These activities are not prohibited. What is prohibited is doing it in the wee hours, and play instruments that might disturb people or cause noise pollution violating their rights as they sleep,” he said.
Minister Gatabazi has said that Muslim’s call to prayer was practiced for far too long.
He revealed that some people not concerned with the Adhan expressed concerns that they are extremely annoyed over related noise pollution.
“The decision was taken because there are people who continuously file complaints that they no longer sleep because they are disturbed by repeated call to prayers. This happens in different localities. Residents raised alarm about the issue. Perhaps, they were not understood as they rose concerns but it is their rights,” he said.
Noise pollution, according to National Noise Pollution Guidelines, is determined when sound goes beyond 80 decibel (db). Decibel is the unit through which noise is measured and sound becomes “physically painful” when it goes beyond 80db.
Often neglected, noise pollution adversely affects the human being leading to irritation, loss of concentration, loss of hearing, sleeping disorder among other ill effects.
Minister Gatabazi revealed that the decision is based on the environmental law established in 2004 as amended 2018.
The law No. 48/2018 of 13/08/2018 on environment in its article 43, states that; “Without prejudice to the provisions of the law determining offences and penalties in general, any person who causes noise pollution is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf500, 000.”
Under the new penal code, noise nuisance carries a penalty of a fine not less than Rwf500, 000 and not more than Rwf1, 000,000.
In case of recidivism, the penalty is imprisonment for a term of not less than eight days and not more than one month and a fine of more than Rwf1,000,000 and not more than Rwf2,000,000 or one of the penalties.
“First of all, the law was passed but did not go into implementation. Secondly, established guidelines did not go into force. Thirdly, concerned followers came to us complaining. They inquired into why we are stopping them yet the law was discussed before it was passed,” Minister Gatabazi said.
“We finally realized that these people misunderstood the decision. It was not meant to halt prayers. No one intends to stop prayers for Muslims, Catholic Church believers and Protestants among others,” he added.
Gatabazi revealed that there are no restrictions for prayers in the daylight while the harmful call to overnight prayers is prohibited.
The decision to avoid noise pollution also concerns restaurants, bars and other businesses.
Mutabazi has been serving as board member in different companies including Equity Bank Rwanda which announced his death on 17th March 2022.
“On behalf of the Equity Group family, we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the Late Steven Mutabazi. May his soul rest in peace,” the lender has tweeted.
Mutabazi built his entrepreneurial business career in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. He studied Engineering at Monash University, founded and led two technology innovation companies for 20 years.
In between, Mutabazi held senior positions with Telstra Corporation (Australia), leading corporate initiatives to transform the company in the then newly regulated telecom market, and with Hewlett Packard Company, delivering internet and e-Commerce solutions in 12 countries of the Asia Pacific region.
Due to his passion to contribute to his county’s development, Mutabazi was invited to join the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in 2012, where over 6 years, he led the Government’s effort to establish a joint venture with KT Corporation for the rollout of Rwanda’s 4G LTE network to cover 95% of the population by 2017, and to establish the Kigali Innovation City (KIC) flagship initiative to position Rwanda as a pan-African technology and talent hub.
Mutabazi holds a Master’s degree of Engineering Science. He has over 30 years of experience in corporate governance, acquired as an Executive Board Member of the two companies he founded, and later as Chairman of Broadband Systems Corporation Ltd (6 years), KT Rwanda Networks Ltd (3 years), and the National Industrial Research and Development Agency of Rwanda (since 2015).
Steve was also a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
The academy was launched in 2018 to provide room for skills development to architects, engineers, and other engineering-related professionals.
Beneficiaries of the recent training were trained on using ‘Planswift’, a global award-winning software designed for digital quantity takeoffs and estimating which is believed to speed up the work of quantity surveying at 60% compared to the manual quantification and estimating process.
The training was organized to tackle difficulties facing quantity surveyors over lacking technology to ease their daily operations.
Through existing cooperation accreditation from Planswift owned by ‘Nziza Training Academy’, the academy invited a senior software consultant at Planswift, Saady Chohan to enlighten Rwandan quantity surveyors on the technology that makes their jobs easy, quick and accurate.
Saady Chohan is an official Planswift Expert in Asia, the Middle East, and African countries. The two-day training seminar which took place in Kigali was concluded on 14 March 2022.
After completing the training, the expert headed to IPRC Kigali to train students and lecturers from the option of ‘quantity surveying’ on the technology as part of existing agreement between Nziza Training Academy and IPRC Kigali.
The fund was created in June 2020 to mitigate effects of COVID-19 with Rwf100 billion.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday 16th March 2022, Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente said that more funds were pumped into the facility to increase the number of beneficiaries.
Dr. Ngirente revealed that the fund supported teachers, drivers, hotels and medium enterprises among others during lockdowns.
Beneficiaries of the fund launched in 2020 were given a three-year tenor.
Of these funds, Rwf42 billion was disbursed to 13 hotels across the country.
In public transport, the Government disbursed Rwf7.7 billion to 56 people to clear outstanding debts owed to banks and received additional support of Rwf11 billion.
The education sector also received Rwf13 billion funding distributed among 116 private schools including universities.
Among others, Rwf11 billion was disbursed to 156 companies from the private sector affected by COVID-19.
A total of 52,000 small and medium enterprises also benefitted from the fund with Rwf6 billion as at Friday last week.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana has explained that the Government acquired more Rwf100 billion after the initial fund was drained and plans to increase the funds by Rwf150 billion in the next three weeks.
“The fund is set to increase from Rwf100 billion to Rwf350 billion, more than three times. The move will help us along the journey to mitigate COVID-19 effects. The facility will help us maintain normal economic growth as it had been before the pandemic emerged,” he said.
Minister Ndagijimana said that the Rwf150 billion to be injected will be allocated to support new investments and the manufacturing sector.
On Wednesday 16th March 2022, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations and Commander of Land Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba concluded his three-day visit to Rwanda.
Before coming to Rwanda, Lt Gen Muhoozi revealed that the visit is part of efforts to mend relations between Rwanda and Uganda that deteriorated since 2017.
His previous visit to Rwanda was on 22nd January 2022, a move that was followed by the reopening of Gatuna border.
Later on, Rwanda reopened all land borders on 7th March 2022.
Following the second visit of Lt Gen Muhoozi, the Government Spokesperson has via Twitter handle revealed that there are pending issues to be resolved.
“Despite all the positivity and progress of the 2nd visit to Kigali by Lt. Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, there’s still need to pay attention to underlying unresolved issues, raised from the start, of known hostile persons bent on destabilizing Rwanda, still operating in Uganda,” she tweeted.
“Also pending is continued hateful media propaganda produced by Uganda-based individuals including Obed Katurebe aka RPF Gakwerere, Sula Nuwamanya, Gerald Tindifa, Robert Higiro, Asiimwe Kanamugire, etc. We patiently await action by Ugandan authorities on this unfinished business,” Makolo added.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday 16th March 2022, Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente also observed that there has been a progress towards mending ties with Uganda but insisted that restoring relations to normal is a process that cannot be finished in one day.
The report is dubbed “Rwanda: Wave of Free Speech Prosecutions”.
HRW has been banned on Rwanda’s land four years ago after series of false reports accusing Rwanda of abusing rights of targeted groups of people.
Before halting partnership with HRW in 2018, the organization released a report dubbed ‘All Thieves Must Be Killed “alleging that 37 people were killed by police officers, soldiers, reservists and members of the District Administration Security Support Organ (DASSO) in the districts of Rubavu and Rutsiro.
It was latter established that all aforementioned individuals were alive following the investigation carried out by the National Commission for Human Rights.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has for several times been criticized for making false reports motivated by political reasons.
The recently released report dubbed “Rwanda: Wave of Free Speech Prosecutions” indicates that Rwanda’s Judicial authorities in Rwanda prosecuted opposition members, journalists, and commentators on the basis of their speech and opinions.
In the report, Human Rights Watch cited cases of Dieudonné Niyonsenga – alias Cyuma Hassan, the owner of Ishema TV YouTube channel who was sentenced to seven years after he was found guilty of charges including forgery, impersonation, hindering public works and humiliation of national authorities and persons in charge of public service. The ruling on his appeal is expected on 18th March 2022.
HRW has also raised alarm for Théoneste Nsengimana, the owner of a YouTube channel dubbed Umubavu along with five individuals arrested with him in October last year, majority of whom being members of unlicensed political party dubbed ‘Dalfa Umurinzi’ founded by Victoire Ingabire.
Their cases are being handled by Rwandan courts where the individuals are accused of crimes including spreading of rumours aimed at inciting chaos and protests among the public.
Aimable Karasira, a former lecturer at the University of Rwanda was also arrested in May last year accused of crimes including of Genocide denial and instigating divisions.
He is among individuals appearing on the list HRW is advocating for along with Idamange Iryamugwiza Yvonne who is serving 15-year sentence after she was found guilty of crimes including incitement of public disorder, providing false information using digital means, and trivializing the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.
Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch has said that Rwanda should be put on pressure to release these people mentioned in the report.
“As Rwanda prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, scheduled to take place in June, the international community should take a stand and press the authorities to stop harassing, immediately release, and drop all charges against opposition members, YouTube commentators and journalists facing abusive prosecutions that violate freedom of expression,” he said.
Responding to the report via Twitter handle, the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has rejected the report noting that it is biased.
“The sustained harassment of Rwanda by Human Rights Watch does nothing more than entrench negative stereotypes about justice and human rights in Africa,” she tweeted.
“The judicial system in Rwanda operates fairly and transparently in compliance with Rwanda’s laws, as well as our regional and international obligations. Everyone is equal before the law and no one is prosecuted for having political opinions,” Makolo added.
In September last year, HRW also released another report accusing Rwanda of abusing rights of transgender people, sex workers and street children.
At the time, Rwanda explained the rep-ort was a calculated attempt to harm a strategic sector of Rwanda’s economy with fabricated allegations.
The elections took place at Kigali Serena Hotel in the morning of Wednesday 16th March 2022 where Bafakulera was the sole candidate to the post PSF Chairman.
Andre Bitwayiki a contestant who had expressed interest for the position withdrew his candidature noting that Bafakulera’s experiences exceed his competencies.
Bafakulera is among prominent businesspersons in Rwanda with large investments in tourism and hospitality sector. He owns different hotels including Ubumwe Grand Hotel.
He also has investments in transport as well as trade of rice and cooking oil.
Among others, Jeanne Françoise Mubiligi has been elected as the first vice president of PSF with 73 votes beating her competitor Brian Ngarambe who got 50 votes.
The Chief Executive Officer of PSF, Stephen Ruzibiza has said that leaders ending their tenure have worked hard and supported the country to develop response to difficult times it went through.
Lt Gen Muhoozi came to Rwanda for three-day visit aimed at mending bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries that deteriorated since 2017.
On the first day of his visit to Rwanda on Monday 14th March 2022, Lt Gen Muhoozi was received by Chargé d’Affaires at Uganda’s Embassy in Kigali, Anne Katusiime ; the Commandant of Republican Guard, Brigadier General Willy Rwagasana and the Spokesperson of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Col Ronald Rwivanga upon arrival at Kigali International Airport.
He was received by President Paul Kagame on the same day. On the second day, Lt Gen Muhoozi who is also the first born son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni visited Kigali Genocide Memorial where he paid homage to victims of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi laid there and other facilities including Kigali Arena.
In Rwandan culture, cows represent a very significant symbol of friendship and are considered part of the best wealth a person can ever possess.
In Rwanda, cows were the only token that would be given for dowry or as a present to a friend. Even today, a cow is still considered the best present one can ever give a beloved one. Be it a wedding, graduation or a birthday party, cow giving makes the occasion more colourful and real.
It is not the first time Kagame gives cows to the family of Museveni.
On 31st July 2011, President Kagame gave cows to his counterpart of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who was on a visit to Rwanda.
At the time, Museveni was joining Rwanda for a community work to build a school for Nine Year Basic Education in Kanombe. Museveni pledged a contribution worth US$300,000 for completion of the school.
Towards the end of the same year, President Paul Kagame who was in Uganda was given 20 cows by Museveni.
The recent donation of cows to Lt Gen Muhoozi is a great symbol evidencing that efforts to restore bilateral ties to normal are yielding good results.
Lt Gen Muhoozi was last in Rwanda on 22nd January 2022 for talks with President Kagame.
Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened since 2017.
In March 2019, the Government of Rwanda officially advised citizens not to travel to Uganda for their security following testimonies of over 1000 Rwandans tortured and deported from Uganda.
Gatuna border was also closed in 2019 following Rwanda’s concerns over Uganda’s support to dissidents intending to threaten its security and series of arrests of Rwandans incarcerated illegally in the country.
Political analysts say that recent discussions with President Kagame have bore fruits leading to a step further towards restoring relations to normal.
Following the visit, Rwanda announced that Gatuna border connecting the country to Uganda would reopen effective from 31st January 2022 following the country’s willingness to address issues raised by Rwanda.
The move was followed by the reopening of all land borders on 7th March 2022.
Passengers crossing to Uganda are required to present different travel documents including Passport and Laissez – Passer.
The country has also requested passengers living far from the borders to present negative COVID-19 PCR Test Results. However, residents nearby the borders with Uganda are allowed to present Rapid Test.
