New patients were found in Kigali: 128, Kirehe: 13, Gatsibo: 10, Rwamagana: 6, Rulindo: 6, Musanze: 5, Rubavu: 5, Gicumbi: 4, Huye: 2, Nyaruguru: 1, Ngoma: 1 and Nyagatare: 1.
New COVID-19 infections continue increase whereby Rwanda has recorded 1402 cases and 22 deaths from 11th to 17th January 2021. The majority of new cases were found in Kigali City with highest figures of new infections which started increasing gradually towards the end of last year.
The Ministry of Health shows that 862 COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths were recorded in Kigali in one week.
Following the gradual increase in the City of Kigali, the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has closed nursery, primary and secondary schools from Kigali City and advised students to attend classes online.
In a statement released yesterday, MINEDUC explained that public and private schools are required to respect the decision effective from 18th January 2021.
Students in boarding schools will however stay at school while schools out of Kigali City will continue to operate in adherence to COVID-19 health guidelines.
These measures will be reviewed after two weeks upon health assessment.
Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus patient on 14th March 2020. Since then, 11 032 people have been tested positive out of 796 867 sample tests of whom 7363 have recovered while 3527 are active cases while 142 have succumbed to the pandemic.
The directive is announced 11 months after the Government of Rwanda has been handling COVID-19 tests and treatment for free.
With the decision, Covid-19 management will be integrated in the existing health management for treatment and will use health insurance schemes.
The latter allows health facilities to start billing, processing invoices and requesting compensation by health insurance.
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health in charge of Primary Healthcare, Dr. Tharcisse Mpunga has told IGIHE that insurance companies have accepted to cater for the cost of Coronavirus treatment as the pandemic has spread out across the country.
“Coronavirus has spread across the country; patients can now get treatment from various health facilities. We have already engaged with insurance companies operating in Rwanda which have expressed interest in catering for treatment cost. This will be helpful to people given that health facilities where they have been seeking medical attention for various diseases like Asthma and HIV are closer to their communities,” he said.
Previously, the cost of treatment of Covid-19 cases in public treatment centers was handled by the government and free for patients.
Dr Mpunga has explained that the decision to integrate Coronavirus treatment cost into health insurance schemes was taken due to extremely up surging cases.
“The Government has been catering for treatment cost for 11 months but financial constraints are apparently increasing that it cannot continue catering for total costs,” he said.
In September 2020, the Government of Rwanda initiated home based care to follow up COVID-19 patients from their homes. Latest figures from the Ministry of Health shows that 2800 people are attended to under this approach.
On 17th December 2020, the Ministry of Health authorized public health facilities across the country to conduct COVID-19 tests to facilitate rapid testing to a large number of people.
A total of 42 private health facilities across the country are allowed to use rapid diagnostic tests which are priced at not more than Rwf10,000.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March last year. Since then, 10,850 people have been tested positive out of 791,472 sample tests of whom 7193 have recovered, 3517 are active cases while 140 have succumbed to the pandemic.
The drainage collects waste and rainwater from homes in the sectors of Nyamirambo, Gitega and Kimisagara all in Nyarugenge, towards River Nyabugogo.
The drainage channel that had lacked sustainable management of water from the sectors surrounding the drainage would be clogged by too much water during heavy rains, hence destroying several properties including homes, merchandises among others in its surroundings.
Under the project design, Mpazi drainage channel will be expanded while two major bridges are widened to enable direct flow of drainage water into River Nyabugogo.
As IGIHE visited construction sites; Engineer Fidèle Tuyisenge, the Water and Sanitation Infrastructure planning Officer at the City of Kigali said that construction activities currently stand at 54%.
“Construction activities are underway at 54%. We are upgrading drainage channel linking two bridges in Nyabugogo. We initially had to build an elevated bridge with desired heights so that water can directly flow into River Nyabugogo appropriately,” he said.
Two major bridges on Mpazi drainage channel including one located near the area known as ‘Ku Mashyirahamwe’ and another one in the vicinity of ‘Poids Lourds’ will be completed at a cost of Rwf 7.9 billion.
Eng.Tuyisenge explained that construction activities were stalled by Coronavirus pandemic as some materials would be imported.
“We experienced shortage of steels that we used to import due to measures implemented to contain the spread of Coronavirus. Moreover, local factories were unable to meet the country’s demand including works at Mpazi drainage channel. This hindered smooth execution but we are currently on track,” he said.
Construction activities at Mpazi drainage channel provide jobs to 150 people every month.
Apart from Mpazi, Kigali city also plans to upgrade 40 drainage channels from Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge districts at cost of Rwf 30 billion.
Funded by Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA), Mpazi project will improve the resilience of the Nyabugogo area to flooding by enhancing the hydraulic conveyance capacity of Mpazi channel and Nyabugogo River. It will have a flood monitoring system as well as monitoring water flow within the Nyabugogo floodplain.
News about his death circulated today morning. He has died at the age of 57.
Speaking to IGIHE; Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, the Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, has confirmed that Dr. Kigabo died in Kenya.
“It is true that he has passed on. We are still trying to reach out to his family for further information,” she said.
Pastor Irakiza Rweribamba Isaac, the elder brother of late Kigabo has told IGIHE that Dr. Kigabo succumbed to Coronavirus which he caught last week.
Dr. Kigabo was also a board member of Economic Policy Research Network Rwanda (EPRN).
Thomas Kigabo Rusuhuzwa holds a Ph.D in monetary, finance and international economics at University of LYON 2/France and Masters in Applied Mathematics. He joined the National Bank of Rwanda in 2007 as Chief economist, after serving many years as Director, academic affairs and Rector of Kigali Independent University.
Kigabo has been teaching following courses at the same university but also at University of Rwanda and Jomo Kenyata University at bachelor, masters and PHD levels: econometrics, monetary economics, applied mathematics and microeconomics.
He has an extensive experience in research in different areas including monetary policy, financial inclusion, issue related to financial sector development, development economics and regional integration among others.
Kigabo supervised or co-supervised PHD students in Rwanda and in different universities in Europe.
As chief economist of the National Bank of Rwanda, Dr. Kigabo played an important role in formulation and implementation of monetary policy in Rwanda and Government of Rwanda economic policies as well as the development of financial sector. He also played important role in negotiation of policies with different stakeholders including the International Monetary Funds and the World Bank.
These freezers which will be used to store Covid-19 vaccines upon arrival in the country are additional to existing ones and have the capacity to freeze vaccines at minus 40 and 86 degree Celsius.
The purchase of new vaccines is a great milestone to Rwanda’s efforts geared towards containing the spread of Covid-19 and preparations to receive store and supply the vaccines which stands at 95%.
The fridges and other equipment that will be used to transport vaccines are located in Masoro, Kigali city.
Rwanda has already expressed interest in acquiring Covid-19 vaccines expected to be distributed effective March 2021.
The fridges will not only be used to store Covid-19 vaccines but also storing existing 12 types of vaccines for children and adults.
{{Rwanda to administer all types of Covid-19 vaccines }}
The fact that some vaccines require special temperature and storage conditions raised worries that Rwanda might not receive some types of vaccines that could be easily distributed.
So far, four coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines have reached the final stages of testing, and one of the frontrunners is making progress toward the goal of proving to be safe and effective.
Most of vaccines in the final phase of testing before approval and distribution are believed to build strong immune defense systems after double administration.
They are all subject to special storage and transportation conditions. Some require storage conditions with temperature ranging between 2 and 8 degree Celsius, while others require storage at zero degree Celsius or below.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate from Oxford University can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures, not needing the supercool storage the Pfizer vaccine requires.
Moderna vaccine manufactured in America is expected to remain stable at standard refrigerated conditions of 2° to 8°C for up to 30 days within the 6-month shelf life.
Pfizer or BionTech vaccine already in use in the United Kingdom set conditions for storage in standard refrigerated conditions of 70 Celsius degree while Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine can be stored under same conditions as AstraZeneca.
Health experts show that poor countries or majority of African countries might choose AstraZeneca with moderate storage conditions.
Speaking to IGIHE recently; the Minister of Health, Dr Ngamije explained that Rwanda might opt for AstraZeneca vaccine which is easily maintained like other vaccines already available in the country.
However, newly received freezers capacitate Rwanda to receive all types of Covid-19 vaccines as confirmed by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Julien Mahoro Niyingabira.
“It means that Rwanda has capacity to receive any type of vaccine. These freezers can store Pfizer vaccines which require special temperature conditions at minus 70 degree Celsius. We are now able to receive and administer all vaccines in Rwanda given that we already have capacity to store other vaccines including Moderna and AstraZeneca,” he has told IGIHE.
New refrigerators have capacity to store 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
In December last year, the Minister of Health, Dr Ngamije Daniel told IGIHE that Rwanda respected the 7th December 2020 deadline during which countries were supposed to h Rwanda has been allotted vaccine capable of covering 20% of the total population in the first phase.
The vaccines will be distributed by COVAX, a global initiative aimed at working with vaccine producers to provide countries worldwide with equitable access to safe and effective vaccine once licensed and approved.
Health practitioners, patients with incurable diseases like blood pressure, diabetes and asthma among other respiratory diseases will be among the first group to be vaccinated in the first phase along with elders above 65 years and people whose line of duty puts them in a susceptible position.
Rwanda is currently in the process of identifying the targeted population.
At the time, Dr Ngamije explained that vaccine covering 20% of the 12.7 million people in Rwanda will be covered in the first phase.
“We are only allowed to access vaccine for 20% of 12.7 million people in Rwanda. But we are also mobilizing for funds so that we can raise the targeted quota from 20% to 60% at the least,” he said.
Dr Ngamije explained that the first batch of vaccine would at least be available towards the end of March this year and the access will improve gradually as manufacturers increase production.
Rwanda confirmed the first COVID-19 patient on 14th March 2020. Since then, 10 316 people have been tested positive out of 779 511 sample tests of whom 6974 have recovered, 3209 are active cases while 133 have succumbed to the virus.
Coronavirus symptoms include coughing, flu, and difficulty in breathing. The virus is said to be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Rwandans are urged to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines, washing hands frequently using soaps and safe water, wearing face masks and respecting social distancing.
It is reported that the fighting began early Wednesday at the entrance to Bangui, near its PK11 and PK12 areas and in the Bimbo neighborhood.
IGIHE has learnt that rebel groups supported by François Bozizé tried to cross the bridge connecting Bimbo area and Bangui but were repelled back by Rwandan peacekeepers deployed to safeguard the city in collaboration with other security forces.
A Rwandan peacekeeper died while another one was wounded during the intense fighting reported around 10am on the outskirts of Bangui.
As rebels were chased out, armed forces including Rwandan troops killed 37, arrested five and seized several weapons.
The spokesperson of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Lt Col Ronald Rwivanga has told IGIHE that rebels were repelled back by troops serving under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in collaboration with CAR armed forces.
“Five were apprehended, 37 were killed while several arms were seized,” he said.
Following the attack, RDF has mourned its fallen peacekeeper serving under MINUSCA and expressed condolences to friends and family.
“The Rwanda Defence Force is deeply saddened by the death of a Rwandan peacekeeper serving under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA, following an attack on 13 Jan 2021 by elements of an armed group opposed to the peace process,” reads in part RDF statement.
“RDF expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the fallen peacekeeper. RDF peacekeepers remain committed to the protection of civilians within the mandate of MINUSCA, and the other peacekeeping missions under which our troops serve,” adds the statement.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has called for action to ensure accountability for “heinous attacks” in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday that left a Rwandan peacekeeper dead and another wounded.
“The Secretary-General recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement.
Vladimir Monteiro, the MINUSCA spokesperson, said in a statement that ‘MINUSCA strongly condemns the attacks by the anti-Balaka, UPC, 3R and MPC coalition armed groups and their political allies, including former President François Bozizé.’
“The Mission holds them responsible for the consequences of this violence on the civilian population and stresses that attacks against peacekeepers can be considered as war crimes and prosecuted,” he said.
The Secretary-General also expressed concern over continued destabilization efforts by armed groups in the CAR.
He called on all parties to stop violence and engage in meaningful dialogue, and underlined the UN’s commitment to ongoing peace efforts.
Towards the end of last month, three Burundian peacekeepers serving under MINUSCA were also killed by armed groups during fighting that took place in Dékoa of Kémo Province.
On 2nd January 2021, Rwanda’s Special Forces in CAR peacekeeping mission killed several rebels intending to destabilize security in Damara County, 76 km away from Bangui. It was reported that rebels attacked Damara town in the wee hours, confronted CAR forces which failed to repel them back until nearby RDF soldiers intervened and killed over 30 rebels on ground while 2 of CAR soldiers died during the attack.
“The Rwanda Defence Force is deeply saddened by the death of a Rwandan peacekeeper serving under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), following an attack on 13 Jan 2021 by elements of an armed group opposed to the peace process,” reads in part RDF statement.
“The RDF expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the fallen peacekeeper. RDF peacekeepers remain committed to the protection of civilians within the mandate of MINUSCA, and the other peacekeeping missions under which our troops serve,” adds the statement.
Apart from the deceased, another Rwandan peacekeeper was slightly wounded during the attack.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has also called for action to ensure accountability for the coordinated assaults near the capital, Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR) that left a Rwandan peacekeeper dead and another wounded.
The UN mission in the country, MINUSCA, reported that some armed elements were killed, while others were arrested and weapons seized.
“The Secretary-General recalls that attacks against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement.
Vladimir Monteiro, MINUSCA spokesperson, said in a statement that the attack was repelled by the peacekeepers, together with the Central African armed forces.
“MINUSCA strongly condemns the attacks by the anti-Balaka, UPC, 3R and MPC coalition armed groups and their political allies, including former President François Bozizé,” he said.
“The Mission holds them responsible for the consequences of this violence on the civilian population and stresses that attacks against peacekeepers can be considered as war crimes and prosecuted.”
The Secretary-General also expressed concern over continued destabilization efforts by armed groups in the CAR.
He called on all parties to stop violence and engage in meaningful dialogue, and underlined the UN’s commitment to ongoing peace efforts.
Rwanda Defence Force is one of the largest troop contributors to MINUSCA since 2014.
The man born in 1975 resides in Muyumbu sector, Rwamagana district of Eastern Province but runs businesses of selling African print wrappers in Kigali City. His merchandises imported from countries like China are wholesaled to different buyers across the country.
IGIHE has learnt that Kibyeyi has two companies registered to his names since 2016. These include Manual Trading Ltd and Imani textile Ltd but has six more companies which he registered to other persons including domestic workers.
He was heard in tax fraud cases at different times that Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) seized his goods in October last year for failure to pay taxes.
At the time, RRA seized 585 bales of made in China African print wrappers worth Rwf 4.3 billion.
The man is said to have opened six companies including two registered to potters, two registered under the names of his domestic workers, one registered to his wife and one registered to his aunt.
He is reported to have used identities of these workers which he presented to start companies in Rwanda Development Board (RDB) without informing owners. Kibyeyi imported goods on behalf of these companies but didn’t pay taxes.
IGIHE has established that one of his companies dubbed ‘Baze Company Ltd’ opened in 2019 was registered to a potter in Quartier Matheus, a commercial center in Kigali City.
The company owes Rwf 188 million taxes to the Government, an amount of money the potter has never possessed.
Nsengimana Martin, 33, is a potter who used to seek job from Kibyeyi. He is considered a business owner since Baze Company Ltd was registered to his names since 22nd October 2019.
“We knew each other as a boss and potter. We didn’t have special friendship. He would ask me to go with him or unload something from his car. I was not aware that Baze Company Ltd is registered to my names until RRA staff came to me. I hardly find food, but was surprised to be shown that I am registered owner of the company. I refused it,” he said.
Nsengimana has told IGIHE that Kibyeyi once asked for his identity card and took a photo of it without telling Nsengimana the reason.
“I used to ask him a job because he is a magnate businessman. He once asked me my identity card. He took its picture and returned it to me. He never gave me further details and I respected him as a boss,” explained Nsengimana.
After learning the company was registered to his names, he sought RRA support to get it unregistered to him.
The spokesperson of Rwanda investigation Bureau (RIB), Dr Murangira B. Thierry has confirmed that Kibyeyi was arrested on 11th January 2021.
“The accused is detained at Kimihurura RIB station. He is investigated for two crimes including illegal acquisition of another persons’ item and identity fraud,” he said.
Dr Murangira has explained that his files will be transferred to the prosecution in due course.
RIB has revealed that investigation has been launched against more business persons involved in tax fraud noting that people should stand against such vice lest they are held accountable.
With his decision, Francis gives women the right to act as readers and altar servers, assisting the priest during services or in administering Communion.
Although the move is far from the more significant step of admitting women to the priesthood, Francis said it was a way to recognize that they can make a “precious contribution” to the church.
The new law merely formalizes a role that women in many parts of the world, including Rwanda, have already been holding. But until now, they had been serving as acolytes and lectors as the positions are known at the discretion of local bishops or priests. In some cases, conservative bishops have made a point of enforcing male-only altar services, something they will no longer be able to do.
Speaking to IGIHE, the Archbishop of Kigali, Cardinal Antoine Kambanda welcomed the decision of Pope Francis highlighting that it will foster evangelization.
Referring to Coronavirus preventive measures that saw the Government imposing lockdown and ordering churches’ closure, Kambanda explained that laities have proven capability to contribute to church services where they took responsibility to teach children how to pray and led gospel celebration at home or elsewhere during and after lockdown.
“You understand that laities are getting more involved in leading liturgical services. At home, a child recognizes God, learns to pray, how to remain faithful and seek protection from God. These virtues are imparted by parents. In fact, family is the church’s foundation,” he said.
“Pope Francis wants laities to be involved in church’s activities to increasingly decentralize services to Christians. A priest might not be able to reach all patients who need sacraments but laities provide assistance,” added Cardinal Kambanda.
In a new edict, the pope formalized what in practice has been already allowed for years in many communities around the world.
“The pontiff, therefore, has established that women can accede to these ministries and they are attributed by a liturgical function that institutionalizes them,” the Vatican said.
It also stressed, that these roles were “essentially distinct from the ordained ministry,” explaining that this new step towards women’s equality within the church should not be seen as a precursor to women being ordained as priests – something feared by many conservative Catholics.
The new decree, called “Spiritus Domini,” modifies the Code of Canon Law to establish that women can have access to these ministries and that they are recognized through a liturgical act formally instituting them as such.
The pope said many bishops from around the world had said that the change was necessary to respond to the “needs of the times.”
In recent years the church has struggled in some regions to recruit new members of the all-male priesthood.
Francis specified that he wanted to welcome recommendations which have emerged from various synodal assemblies, writing that “a doctrinal development has been arrived at in these last years that has brought to light how certain ministries instituted by the Church have as their basis the common condition of being baptized and the royal priesthood received in the Sacrament of Baptism.”
The Motu proprio edict was accompanied by a letter addressed to the prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, in which Francis explained the theological motivations behind his decision.
The pontiff wrote that “within the spectrum of renewal traced out by the [the 1960s’] Second Vatican Council, the urgency is being ever more felt today to rediscover the co-responsibility of all of the baptized in the Church and the mission of the laity in a particular way.”
Pope Paul VI was the pioneer of reforms placing women in liturgical services since 1963. Later on, his successors gradually appointed women in Catholic Church’s decision making positions.
An under-18 adolescent is considered by the law as a minor and is limited to accessing sexual reproductive health services without parents’ or guardians’ consent.
Rwanda’s 2020 report on human rights shows that 11.6% teenagers were provided with contraceptives while 15,656 unexpected pregnancies among teenagers were recorded last year between January and August.
The Government of Rwanda has been assessing the issue of unexpected pregnancies among teenagers depriving them some of basic rights like education.
As he appeared to the parliamentary chamber of senate in November 2018, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente said that the study was underway to seek how teenagers can be allowed to use contraceptives as one of solutions to reduce unexpected pregnancies.
Health Development Initiative (HDI), a non-governmental, non-profit organization based in Kigali that empowers communities to lead healthier lives by providing access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services reveals that the requirement for adolescents to access contraceptives in presence of parents impedes the reduction of unexpected pregnancies.
Dr. Aflodis Kagaba, the Executive Director of HDI says that requiring parents to escort teenagers seeking contraceptives is still a challenge to the youth.
“The fact that under 18 teen is required to go with the parent at health facilities can be destructive because the society rests on differences that some parents might lose trust to children. If laws are revised, and extend awareness among the public that contraceptives doesn’t necessarily concern spouses would reduce such worries,” he said.
Dr Kagaba explains that people thinking contraceptives would trigger increased sexual relations and cause side effects to teens have inadequate information.
“People consider the negative aspects because they don’t have enough information. Health care professionals assist teenagers differently considering their age brackets,” he said.
Dr Kagaba says establishing centers with trained health care professionals assisting adolescents in reproductive health would be a great contribution.
Yvette Nyinawumuntu, the executive director of Save Generation Organization, a local non-government organisation dedicated to promoting and advocating for children and women’s rights has also told IGIHE that the current law poses difficulties to people seeking reproductive health services.
“Escorting teenagers for contraception services is a hindrance. Sometimes, adolescents have secrets that they fear to reveal to parents. The culture of educating children on reproductive health within families is also getting decimated. Primitive mindset is still a barrier for teenagers to access improved reproductive services. The situation will get boost, if a parents understand that helping daughters access such services is among consider primary responsibilities,” she says.
Nyinawumuntu explains that every parent should interact with children and develop the habit of educating them on reproductive health, thus creating the bond of friendship that children will be free to tell the truth.
She underscores that revising the law on human reproductive health and training stakeholders would be a step further to improved reproductive health services.
“We want the law to be revised and organize trainings to all stakeholders. We are advocating because parents need to interact and take care of children so that they grow with full knowledge on reproductive health. Parents will also understand that escorting children for such services is a responsibility,” says Nyinawumuntu.
Some adolescents told IGIHE that contraception is a good service for them but expressed concerns that girls fear to involve parents into private life.
“Providing teenagers with contraception services is a good program. It was implemented to help us but it is very difficult to engage the family for such support. Allowing adolescents to access such services without parents’ permission would be commendable,” says Ishimwe Clémentine aged 16.
In December 2020, the Ministry of Health revealed that discussions were underway to seek together how adolescents between the age of 15 and 18 can be allowed to access contraceptives without consulting parents or guardians.
