The international conference organized by Swiss foundation known as ‘WPC Foundation’ acts as a forum for discussion and reflection about the global economy and international relations.
Kagame is among participants of the conference scheduled from 1st to 3rd October 2021.
This annual conference revolves around debates gathering economic and political leaders, diplomats, representatives of civil society, experts and journalists from all over the world. It aims at reflecting, debating, and offering constructive solutions to major regional and international issues, in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance.
The World Policy Conference was launched in 2008, by Thierry de Montbrial, President and Founder of the French Institute of International Relations.
Harrison Mutabazi, the Spokesperson for the Judiciary has told IGIHE that the ruling was read on Thursday September 2021 at the headquarters of the aforementioned court.
Idamange, 42, was arrested on 15th February 2021 few days after featuring in series of talk shows aired on YouTube where she called on people to wage riots at Presidency Office.
She appeared in court for first time on 4th March 2021 for hearing on remand or release on bail.
The President made the revelation on Wednesday 29th September 2021 during an interactive session that followed the official launch of Rwanda- Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference.
During the session moderated by Benson Mbewe, Kagame responded questions on Rwanda’s partnership with renowned football teams on Europe to market the country’s tourism attractions through ‘Visit Rwanda’ campaign.
Arsenal and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) initially teamed up back in 2018 with Visit Rwanda becoming the Gunners’ official tourism partner, as well as the club’s first sleeve sponsor.
That contract was reportedly worth US$30 million over three years.
In 2019, Rwanda entered another partnership with Paris Saint-Germain based in France.
The partnership with Arsenal was extended this year but different people used different mainstream media and social media platforms to criticize the partnership saying the country is wasting money that would be used for other development projects.
Kagame said that people criticizing the partnership are not well informed.
“I don’t think those people know what they are talking about. The partnership we have with Arsenal has actually attracted more people who have brought to the country more money than we have given Arsenal. You don’t have to be a very sharp businessman. I am not one, but I think on this one, we got it right,” he said.
“I have seen some writings in the British papers, not written by Africans, but by those people there saying you know Rwanda is wasting our money because they give us aid. But even then, they are mistaken. If you give me aid, how do you want me to use it? Or why would you dictate to me how I use it. If you can give me 50 million and in using the 50 million, I am able to earn the country 300 million. Why would you blame me for that,” added Kagame.
After extending the deal with Arsenal, RDB announced that Rwanda’s tourism revenue by the end of the first year of the partnership increased by 17% to US$498 million in 2019 from US$425 million in 2018.
Leisure tourists from Europe increased by 22% and by 17% from the United Kingdom.
According to RDB, the renewed partnership will build on the gains made over the last 3 years and ‘contribute towards Rwanda’s economic recovery strategy following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the tourism sector’.
He made the revelation on Wednesday 29th September 2021 as he officially launched Rwanda- Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference.
The three-day conference bringing together investors from Zimbabwe and Rwanda is taking place at Kigali Convention Centre from Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th September 2021.
It is aimed at sharing expertize and opportunities from both countries to explore new avenues of cooperation in different areas of development.
As he addressed close to 200 Rwandan and Zimbabwean senior officials and business leaders attending the conference, Kagame said that progress does not come at random highlighting that African countries, particularly Rwanda and Zimbabwe, need to cooperate and work hard.
“Progress does not come easily, or without sacrifice. It requires hard work, dedication, and self-reliance. But self-reliance does not mean being alone. No country on our continent can prosper without cooperating within our region. We have to come together, pool our resources and knowledge, and reinforce one another,” he said.
Kagame also said that Rwanda and Zimbabwe have investment opportunities and urged participants to take advantage of it and put into action deliberations of the conference relentlessly.
The Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Zephanie Niyonkuru said that that the conference started yielding on the first day with the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the areas of Information and Communication Technology and E-Government, Agriculture and Livestock Development, Tourism and Business Events, Environment and Climate Change and another between the confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and Rwanda Private Sector Federation.
Apart from signed MoUs, Niyonkuru said that companies from Rwanda have explored investment opportunities in Zimbabwe and vice versa.
The project was launched one month ago in Mbyo Village of Unity and Reconciliation located in Bugesera district.
The village accommodates perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi, survivors and other Rwandans that lived inside and outside the country before and during the Genocide.
The societal healing program is a joint project between Rwanda and the European Union, implemented by Prison Fellowship Rwanda through Inter Peace, an international organization purposed to strive for durable peace.
Under the project, residents resettled in the village were brought together to form different groups involved in different income generating activities namely; handcrafts of making pointed baskets, growing tomatoes and vegetables among others.
As they do daily activities, residents dedicate specific time for discussions to reflect on the past and tell the truth which helps to heal wounds.
It also is a moment for perpetrators to ask forgiveness and survivors to pardon offenders to promote unity and reconciliation as they continue to move together along their business growth.
The Chairman of Prison Fellowship Rwanda, Bishop John Rucyahana has said that the project is meant to promote efforts to heal wounds of Genocide.
“It is a new approach to heal wounds and engaging in profitable businesses at the same time. People have understood the relevance of such activities that we are running quite a number of vivid projects. We also involve the youth and have optimism that these activities will continue contributing to the healing process and improved wellbeing as well,” he said.
Rucyahana explained that the project is expected to reduce trauma, promote unity and reconciliation.
“These groups help to heal wounds because members interact and heal each other through their discussions at work. Besides, they share fruits of their work and make future plans together. It is a powerful medicine soothing their hearts to continue living, working together and discuss the dark past whereby offenders can repent, apologize as they move on with life,” he said.
The mayor of Bugesera district, Richard Mutabazi said that the initiative helps residents to live in harmony and consolidate gains in unity and reconciliation.
“This project came in handy to reinforce Rwandans’ efforts to uphold unity and understand that peace is attained through sitting together to reach common ground and go beyond to do income generating activities,” he said.
“Whatever we do, building infrastructures, peace and security cannot not last long when people turn against each other. Unity is a strong foundation upon which the sustainability of our achievements relies,” added Mutabazi.
Residents who received seed funding to implement their projects revealed that these initiatives not only give hope to spur economic growth but also help them to stand united.
Hilarie Niyongira, is a resident of Byimana village, Kimaranzara cell of Ririma sector.
She would often get isolated in the society and called ‘Interahamwe’ because her father’s role in Genocide.
“I grew up with stigma because neighbors used to call me Interahamwe but I have been integrated in the society that I live without isolation,” she said.
The management of Prison Fellowship Rwanda has revealed that the program will be extended countrywide depending on available means.
Prison Fellowship Rwanda (PFR) is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the government of Rwanda and its relevant agencies, local and international organisations as well as UN agencies to foster interventions that support psycho-social healing, peace building and reconciliation, restorative justice, crime prevention, human rights promotion and legal aid, intervening in emergencies as well as nurturing socio-economic empowerment in Rwanda in the wake of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and its aftermath.
Prison Fellowship Rwanda was founded on 01st July 1995, affiliated to the Prison Fellowship International in 1997. It was officially registered and recognized by the ministerial order no 037/17, of 23/10/2002, by the Ministry of Justice as a non- profit organization, published in the official gazette of the Republic of Rwanda in 2002.
Since 2014, Prison Fellowship Rwanda in partnership with Prison Fellowship International (PFI) have been supporting the children of prisoners by providing services and activities which meet the four most vital needs of children, namely education, safety, health, and spiritual engagement. A new and innovative program was launched in July 2021 as a result of seven years of field experience, and best practices developed to meet the needs of children with incarcerated parents through the implementation of the program entitled ‘The Child’s Journey’.
The program pairs each enrolled child with a trained Caseworker.
The three-day conference is taking place at Kigali Convention Centre from Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th September 2021.
As the conference kicked off, Rwanda and Zimbabwe have signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the areas of Information and Communication Technology and E-Government, Agriculture and Livestock Development, Tourism and Business Events, Environment and Climate Change and another between the confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and Rwanda Private Sector Federation.
The MoUs expected to promote trade relations have been signed today at the inaugural Rwanda-Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Conference.
The Conference, which will include business-to-business meetings between Zimbabwean and Rwandese private sector comes at a time when the country is diversifying its export markets and products as stipulated in the National Export Strategy, launched by President Mnangagwa in 2019.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Zephanie Niyonkuru has said that the agreement will further strengthen existing cooperation.
“Rwanda works closely with Zimbabwe in different areas of mutual interests. These include trade, investment, infrastructure, energy and air transport among others,” he noted.
Niyonkuru also expressed optimism that signed MoUs will take cooperation to greater heights.
The recently released report titled ‘Rwanda: Round Ups-Linked to Commonwealth Meeting’ reads that Rwandan authorities rounded up and arbitrarily detained over a dozen gay and transgender people, sex workers, street children, and others in the months before a planned The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that was postponed due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
The report shows they were held in a transit center in Gikondo commonly known as ‘Kwa Kabuga’.
Following the release of the report; the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has via Twitter handle refuted the accusations noting that they are part of planned and unfounded allegations meant to tarnish the country’s reputation.
“HRW’s report on Rwanda is a calculated attempt to harm a strategic sector of our economy with fabricated allegations. The sabotage won’t work because the allegations are not true. Rwanda does not discriminate, in law, policy or practice, against sexual or gender orientation,” she said.
HRW has been banned on Rwanda’s land three 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 has for several times been criticized for making false reports motivated by political reasons.
The deportees were dumped at the border on Monday 27th September 2021 around 6p.m.
These include four women, four men and six children who were arrested in Mbarara.
Upon arrival in Rwanda, the deportees were tested for COVID-19 and received emergency assistance.
Their deportation follows series of circumstances under which Uganda has been expelling Rwandans after enduring torture in its detention facilities accusing them of being spies yet they had traveled to the country to run businesses or visit relatives among other reasons.
Nine more Rwandans were deported from Uganda last week through Kagitumba border.
Among others, Uganda recently handed over bodies of two Rwandans killed in the country last month.
The deceased include Theoneste Dusabimana, 52, hailing from Rubaya sector and Paul Bangirana, 47, from Kaniga sector. They were respectively killed on 30th August and 1st September 2021.
It is said that murderers dispossessed them of their valuables before killing them in Kabale district.
Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened since 2017. Rwanda has been expressing concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being spies.
Rwanda also accuses Uganda of hosting dissidents that are posing a threat to national security.
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.
In August 2019, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame signed memorandum of understanding ‘Luanda Agreement’ in a bid to solve conflicts between both countries.
Despite efforts to sign the agreement between both heads of state witnessed by mediators including the President of Angola, Joao Lourenço and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation is still worsening as Uganda continues with arbitrary detention of Rwandans who are subjected to torture in its facilities.
Located in Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro, the company started in 2016; producing a variety of dairy products including yogurt, fermented milk, fresh cream, butter, ghee and other products for children and adults.
Masaka Creamery Ltd produces Masaka Yogurt (made of straw berry and vanilla) in pack sizes of 100; 150, 250, 400 and 500mililiters, 5 liters respectively as well as Masaka Yogurt (Natural) available in five-liter packages.
Other products including fermented milk are also made available in different pack sizes meeting consumers’ demand. The company also produces one kilogram Greek Yogurt, Fresh Cream, Mascarpone and Butter (salted /unsalted) and Cow Ghee.
The CEO of Masaka Creamery, Julie Igiraneza has explained that the company decided to change packaging materials (bottles) to bring innovations meeting customers’ satisfaction.
“We have made improvements in packaging materials but the product remained the same. It aligns with existing ambitions to continue innovating to meet the growing consumers’ demand,” she said.
Igiraneza assured customers that the quality of their products remains uncompromised and urged them to continue buying from different shops.
“Customers should not worry of the changes. The content remains the same. We just wanted to create a unique identity on the market,” she revealed.
Yvette Uwase, sales and marketing officer at the company has told IGIHE that making improvements was inspired by the idea to innovate and facilitating consumers.
“ It is of critical importance to bring innovations when you are delivering products to different customers to meet their satisfaction. It is under this context that we introduced new packaging materials,” she he said.
Uwase explained that the new design is more appealing than the previous one and reassured customers of continuous efforts to bring high quality products adhering to standards.
Masaka Creamery Ltd is Rwanda Standard Board (RSB) Certified which confirms the company adheres to standards.
The company also distributes its products to upcountry consumers, in Nyagatare, Rwamagana and Kayonza districts in Eastern Province, Rubavu district in Western Province, Rulindo and Musanza in Northern Province as well as Muhanga, Ruhango and Huye in Southern Province.
For more details, contact 0789911244 , email us on info@masakacreamery.com or visit social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@MasakaCreamery).
IGIHE has learnt that Masabo breathed the last in the morning of Monday 27th September 2021.
He died at King Faisal Hospital where he has been receiving medical attention.
Masabo served as the headmaster of LDK since 2000.
The school is located in Kiyovu cell, Nyarugenge sector of Kigali City. It was established by French Government in 1974 and handed over to Rwanda in 1982.
With ordinary level and upper secondary classes, LDK has so far graduated 6000 students including boys and girls.
