The Head of State, who is also the Chairman of the ruling party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) made the remarks on Monday, while presiding over the party’s extended National Executive Committee (NEC), which was aimed at taking stock of the progress in fighting COVID-19 and asses economic recovery plans.
President Kagame said that the biggest challenge the country faces today is poor service delivery, not because of lack of infrastructure or means to provide good services but mainly because of a poor attitude that doesn’t give priority to urgency.
“We need to be doing things at the pace we need to develop. We need to do things faster and better. Mindset is very important,” President Kagame said.
“If you have everything required to provide services, why don’t you give it? Why do you need to wait another hour, another day to provide the service you should have provided?”
The head of state said it happens because of two reasons, one being the person who is supposed to give the service and is not doing so and the person who is supposed to get a service and does not get it.
“If you just accept things to be that way, you walk out of the room and go complaining on the way or you vent your anger elsewhere, you are part of the problem because you are not doing anything about it,” President Kagame said.
He urged the youth especially to be categorical in rejecting bad services and to also do something to address it rather than complaining.
President Kagame gave an example of a pregnant woman in Karongi district who lost her life and that of her baby due to sheer negligence because they could not trace her Mutuelle de Sante file yet she had paid her dues.
He said the woman was tossed up and down and told that they needed to address the issue regarding her records with the headquarters in Kigali and they asked her to go back home and wait, yet the woman had paid and needed a service urgently.
“It was not because she hadn’t paid. The problem was with the people supposed to give her a service. It was their mistake. They sent her back, later in the evening that same day, she died delivering. The baby died too. This is a true story,”
“Let us assume that she had other serious issues to address, first give her a service and settle whatever issue there is later,” President Kagame.
President Kagame said that what is unfortunate is that even the death of a person or people does not change anything people continue to go about their work with the same attitude, adding that it is the innocent people who pay the price; urging leaders to address issues around service delivery as soon as possible.
President Paul Kagame was on Monday, September 28, while addressing members of the extended National Executive Committee (NEC) of RPF-Inkotanyi, which took place at the party headquarters in Rusororo, Gasabo District.
“For years, we’ve had people requesting to be naturalized Rwandans. I keep telling leaders, I hope they agree with me, whoever wants to be one of us should be given the opportunity, as long as they want to make a contribution towards building our country,”
For Kagame, it would be shameful for any Rwandan to wish to belong somewhere else while many want to come here.
“I would not wish to be anyone else or from anywhere else. We must be proud to be who we are. Whoever wants to be someone else, that’s their problem. It would be shameful because there are people who want to be us,” Kagame said.
The president also referred to the hostilities of past Rwandan regimes that were against people, including Rwandans themselves and indicated that Rwanda today is different.
“We cannot say the country is full, like those before used to proclaim, therefore we could not be accommodated. That is not who we are. There is room for everyone, including those Rwandans who are still abroad,” the President said adding however that, accommodating people should not be interpreted wrongly.
“However, being accommodative of everyone should not be misconstrued to mean that we are submissive. It does not mean that some people are going to claim to be more important than everybody else. We are all equal and must be treated equally,” Kagame said.
Furthermore, President Kagame reiterated the values of a Rwandan leader and the dos and don’ts.
“Last time we met, we talked about corruption and other governance challenges that negatively impact Rwandans. This should not still be happening. When fighting a bad habit, we have to uproot it, rather than get to a point where it’s tolerable,” he said.
Kagame asked officials to work hard for the community they are meant to serve.
“Working for the wellbeing of Rwandans is a mandate that does not change under any circumstances. People should get what they deserve. We cannot be drawn back to where this country came from,” he said.
“For all our aspirations to be achieved, it will require effort of everyone, you and me. We may defer in ways we think or do things, but we have a common vision, building the nation. Everyone must make their contribution to move the country forward.”
President Kagame said that the government is doing all it can to ensure that life continues because when a business person isn’t able to trade, or children are not going to school, it becomes a problem not only for the people but also for the economy in general.
He said that whatever the government does is and should be for the wellbeing of Rwandans, something he said is a mandate that does not change under any circumstances.
“People should get what they deserve. We cannot be drawn back to where this country came from,” President Kagame said.
He said the ruling party will continue working towards achieving the goal but each and every Rwanda will have to play their part, especially young people, who he challenged to be solution seekers and stop pointing out where problems are in society without doing anything about them.
“For all our aspirations to be achieved, it will require effort from everyone, you and me. We may defer in ways we think or do things, but we have a common vision, building the nation. Everyone must make their contribution to move the country forward,”
“We face challenges in different forms; in our communities, as a nation, in the region we live in or even at the global scale. Overcoming these problems requires working together. Rwanda is not an island,”
The president was straight to the point where he indicated that it belongs to everyone to pay taxes.
“For instance, we must fulfill our fiscal responsibilities. When you have conducted business, it is your duty to pay tax. We need the tax to build schools, roads etc. It is for the general interest, so whether you like or not, you must comply,” he said.
The Head of State said that he has no problem with being insulted or Rwanda being called a ‘dictatorship’ as long as long as they don’t interfere with the country’s right to defend its territory or determine its development course.
Talking of bad services, President Kagame said that the biggest challenge the country faces today is poor service delivery, not because of lack of infrastructure or means to provide good services but mainly because of a poor attitude that doesn’t give priority to urgency.
“We need to be doing things at the pace we need to develop. We need to do things faster and better. Mindset is very important,” President Kagame said
He said there is a tendency of people saying that ‘the machine is not working’, ‘come back tomorrow’, and ‘we don’t have this or that’, just to delay a service that must be given to a citizen.
“The issue is in people’s mindsets. If you have everything required to give a service, why don’t you give the service? Why do you have to wait for another hour, another day to give a service you should give, there and then?”
He pointed out that that mindset or attitude cannot be imported from anywhere but it needs people to proactively reject bad service.
“It happens because of two reasons -the person who is supposed to give the service and is not doing so and you who is supposed to get a service and you don’t get it and then all of us who become part of the problem,”
“If you just accept things to be that way, you walk out of the room and go complaining on the way or you vent your anger elsewhere, you are part of the problem because you are not doing anything about it,” President Kagame said.
He encouraged the youth especially to be categorical in rejecting bad services and to also do something to address it rather than complaining.
The 66 year old, arrived at the court premises in a RIB detainees van under tight security. Before attending the court proceedings, everybody was required to pass a COVID-19 test, and before passing the gate, there was someone checking the pandemic symptoms.
The Judge informed Rusesabagina that is suspected of 13 counts and asked him if he is pleading guilty but he refused to answer. Instead, he said that he has answered on every count during interrogation, before an investigator and a prosecutor.
However, he told the judges that he regrets the killings carried out by FLN belligerents in Nyaruguru, asking for forgiveness from the affected families and the nation.
The Proceedings
15:55: The judge says the hearing is completed and the Court is scheduled to pronounce on 17 September 2020 at 2:00 pm.
15:52: Rusesabagina was given an opportunity to speak and tells the court he has ailing health as proven by the three times he was taken to the hospital during the last two weeks, and assures the court that he will not escape once the provisional release is granted.
15:50: As for the bail, the Prosecution said that Mr. Rugaza did not know what he was asking for because during the interrogation he said that Rusesabagina is bailed out by a surety, and today he said that he would use a cash bond.
They said Mr. Rugaza should specify a cash bond bearing in mind the lives of the dead and the material damage. Prosecution prayed for his stay in custody.
15:30: Prosecution tells the court that Rusesabagina as a suspect, refusing to respond to each charge and saying he had no list of crimes while his lawyers had them, is evidence that he tried to avoid the interrogation.
The prosecution says the accused is mired into a lot of controversies, for though he said he regrets the FLN killings, his words are contrary as he is denying his role as the president of the MRCD, the mother organ of FLN.
The prosecution says it is not a question of whether he was sick or not, but the fact that he could stand before the court today for his trial means that he has been well treated since his arrival in Rwanda, treated, and taken to the doctor whenever he wanted.
The prosecutor says that while they were interrogating him, they had to suspend his interrogation so he could be taken to the hospital, therefore, being in custody cannot prevent Rusesabagina from accessing any medical attention he needs.
15:20: About the conversation between Rusesabagina and Twagiramungu, Mr. Rugaza said it should have been presented to the suspect so that he should answer on it. He insisted the defendant should be granted bail on account of his good conduct and that he had no prior convictions.
He said Rusesabagina was a good person, who had been given various awards as an honest person, therefore, the court should base on that to grant him bail.
15:00: The fact that the FLN has committed crimes, Rugaza said, should not be tied on Rusesabagina because the group was no longer affiliated with the MRDC, but that members of the group should be held accountable.
Rugaza said that in regards to the testimony of people injured in the FLN attacks and photos of the burnt vehicles, although Rusesabagina regrets, the court should consider whether any of their burns are related to the FLN activities.
15:00: Mr. Nyambo, one of Rusesabagina’s lawyers said his client should be released and tried as a free man because he was ill and, if necessary, he should be restricted to a certain area since his traveling documents were seized.
14:45: As for the audio and video that the prosecution claims to have, he said he wanted to check and see if it was him or not. In regard to other written documents demonstrating that he sent money to people in FLN, he said he had no knowledge of some of them.
“I have personally regretted and apologized to the families of those affected and to the country,” he said, referring to the criminal activities committed in Nyaruguru.
14:40: Talking about the money he allegedly sent to Sinayobye, Rusesabagina said that he sent him three thousand euros because he “called me crying” and then sent him the money as a parent; that the money was not sent to the FLN.
In regard to the money his wife sent to Comoros, he said, was “sent to Sankara by my wife” because Sankara’s mother and his wife were neighbors in the same area. His wife allegedly sent Sankara money to help her child.
On the money he sent to Noel Habiyaremye, he said the same thing to the FBI and all investigative agencies. He said that by the time movie Hotel Rwanda was released, many Rwandans, refugees, thought that he had become a millionaire; that everyone sought him out individually, at that time he had not entered politics.
14:25: When asked if he pleaded guilty, Rusesabagina said he had discussed the allegations during the investigation and had responded to each case.
He said he would like to voice his thoughts as soon as the trial begins in substance.
“The questions I answered were not many, one is that I helped FLN, I said yes I helped FLN, I gave 20 thousand euros,” he said. The fact that he gave them the money and the used it for their killings, he said that it was not the agreement he shared with the FLN.
14:24: The prosecutor said that if Rusesabagina was released, he would escape justice based on the gravity of the crimes he is suspected of; also, he was arrested after a long search, so if he was released it would not be easy to find him again.
In addition, he is well-aware that Belgium investigated him the same as the FBI in the United States, with regard to financing terrorist groups, so keeping him behind bars looks to be the only way to prevent him from tampering with the evidence and pressuring witnesses, or to meet other suspects in Belgium for treason.
14:15: The prosecutor said 82 children that made statements and their testimony showed that they had been abducted and taken to militia services in violation of Rwandan and international law.
He said there were medical records showing that nine people had been killed in the FLN terrorist attacks in Nyabimata and Cyitabi Sectors and all of them had died as a result of the attacks.
14:00: The prosecutor said there were various documents provided to Rwanda by the Belgian Police indicating the amount of money that had been sent by Rusesabagina, which was provided by the Western Union.
Some of the money sent to Madagascar and Comores to Nsabimana Callixte and others to FLN fighters in the DRC.
13:45: As the serious reasons for Rusesabagina to remain in custody, the prosecution recounted every one of his 13 charges.
• On the charge of the formation of an irregular armed group or joining it: The prosecutor relied on a statement from the FLN stating that it was a group formed by the MRCD, made by its former spokesman, Nsabimana Callixte.
He talked about Rusesebagina’s footage where he and Twagiramungu Faustin were discussing on the FLN establishment, and a two-page document found in Rusesabagina’s computer in a search conducted by the Belgian police at his home in 2019.
Another reason the prosecution relies on is the statements of FLN soldier Col Nizeyimana Marc describing how the FLN was set up, Sankara’s statement, and Paul Rusesabagina’s statement confirming that he went to the FLN but did not create it.
• On charges of financing terrorism, the prosecution said the reason for keep Rusesabagina in detention was based on an interview with Wilson Irategeka on May 19, 2019, in which Irategeka accuses Rusesabagina of trying to divide the army [called farmers] with money.
This was based on the fact that Rusesabagina had sent Gen Sinayobye Bernabe three thousand dollars. It is also alleged that Rusesabagina’s wife sent 1,000 euros to Comoros, at this time the money was sent to Nsabimana Callexte alias Sankara.
13:30: The prosecution was given the floor and they are praying to the court that the accused be remanded in custody on the ground of all the crimes he is suspected of. He said the alleged activities of Rusesabagina began in 2009 when as the leader of the PDR Ihumure party; Rusesbagina approached Lt Col Habiyaremye Noel, formerly known as Banga Banza Lambert.
He was a member of the FDLR terrorist group, urging them to join him together with his FDLR fighters. The prosecutor said that Habiyaremye later went to Burundi and Rusesabagina kept sending him money. The money was alleged to form a military unit against the Rwandan government.
Because of the good relations between Rwanda and Burundi at the time, Habiyaremye was arrested and sent to Rwanda, where he then spoke about his cooperation with Rusesabagina.
Rusesabagina later worked with Gen Wilson Irategeka who founded CNRD Ubwiyunge. They later formed the FLN and were joined the RRM party of Nsabimana Callixte alias Sankara.
They added another party to the coalition, Rwanda Rwiza led by Faustin Twagiramungu; in order to work together. They all shared a common plan to overthrow the government in Rwanda. The plan was to be achieved by using force, the reason why they founded the FLN. The MRCD was a four-party coalition, with the FLN as its military wing.
13:15: After examining all the objections raised, the court ruled that the arrest of Rusesabagina in the Nyarugunga Sector which is in the territory of Kicukiro Primary Court, ordering the trial to proceed immediately.
13:10: The court is set to announce its decision on the objections raised by Rusesabagina’s lawyers. Both parties have returned to the waiting pending a hearing.
The 13 crimes of which Rusesabagina is accused of:
• Formation of an irregular armed group or joining it
• Financing terrorism
• Terrorism for political purposes
• Committing and participating in terrorist acts
• Giving orders in a terrorist act
• Membership of a terrorist group
• Conspiracy and incitement to commit a terrorist act
• Complicity voluntary murder
• Complicity in taking a person hostage
• Complicity in armed robbery
• Complicity in arson
• Complicity in assault or battery;
• Complicity in children in warfare or other military activities
11:05: The judge said the court would examine in private, which they will resume at 1 p.m., announcing decisions taken in regards to the objections identified by the defense lawyers.
10:50: The prosecutor said Rusesabagina could not be separated from the FLN’s actions because he himself said he regretted it when he was questioned by the prosecution. They said that Rusesabagina did not donate as to a charity when he sponsored the FLN, adding that during his interrogation he said, “I financed the FLN with 20,000 euros”, and that the FLN was not a charitable organization.
10:45: Me. Rugaza said the $ 900 Rusesabagina donated was not the money someone can use to attack the country.
10:40: The prosecutor said Rusesabagina admitted that he had acted as a Rwandan and there is no surprise that even as a foreigner can be prosecuted by Rwandan courts.
The prosecutor said Rusesabagina had every right to his freedom of speech, but when one goes on the radio or television and points out that the FLN, affiliate to the MRCD of which he was the rightful President started attacks in Rwanda, that should be called freedom of speech.
In addition, the fact that Rusesabagina acknowledged that some of the money he donated to the FLN was used to assassinate Rwandans, should not be considered a freedom of speech while supporting people who want to kill Rwandans.
10:35: As for Me Rugaza’s claim that Rusesabagina is in court as a Belgian, the Prosecutor stated that in his interrogation he admitted that he had Belgian citizenship and that anyone who committed a crime in Rwandan territory should be prosecuted regardless of his nationality. That means Rwandan courts have the power to prosecute him.
10:30: The prosecutor insisted that arguing on the jurisdiction of the court is unfounded because the law on the jurisdiction of the courts, the primary courts were the ones that had jurisdiction over the trial of detention and provisional release.
He said Rusesabagina had been arrested in the territory of Kicukiro Primary Court, and that is where he should be tried.
Regarding the fact that Rusesabagina had a building in Nyarutarama, the Prosecutor said the fact that he had bought the plot and built it did not mean that he lived in it or that he was arrested there. “It does not mean that he was living there at the time of his arrest, nor was he there at the time of his arrest,” they said mentioning that during the interrogation, Rusesabagina said he lived in Belgium.
10:25: His lawyer went on to say that Rusesabagina’s charges were not right because some were attributed to other political parties not his own, saying that everyone should be held accountable for his actions.
10:15: Rugaza said Rusesabagina had never set foot on Rwandan soil so as to be suspected of involvement in the 2018 crimes. He added that from 1996 to 1999, Rusesabagina had no citizenship, and at the time the documents he was using were given to him by the United Nations. It was in 1999 that he was granted Belgian citizenship.
Me Rugaza said the prosecution cited a meeting he had held in the United States, said that as a Belgian citizen, his country looked at what he said and found it to be a freedom of expression, so nothing he should be accused as a Belgian.
He said the FBI also in the United States called him and saw that the meeting he addressed itself was based on freedom of expression. With reference to the Rwanda Penal code of 2012, Rusesabagina shouldn’t be accused of anything because what he did was exercising his freedom of expression.
10:09: One of Rusesabagina’s defense team, Mr. Rugaza David, began by saying that there were objections, referring to the jurisdiction of the Kicukiro Primary Court to try his client. He said that only the Primary court where the man lived had jurisdiction to try his cases of provisional detention and release.
He said that in 2004 when Paul Rusesabagina lastly came to Rwanda, bought a plot of land in Nyarutarama, so that should be considered as his residence. That means he should be sent to the Gasabo Primary Court and be tried there instead of in the Kicukiro Primary Court.
10:00: The court began by reading Rusesabagina’s profile, and when asked if the profile they read belonged to him, and he replied, “That’s right.” The judge read the crimes he is accused of and asked if he heard them, his response was “I heard.”
The judge said that Paul Rusesabagina is the son of Rupfure Thomas and Nyirampara Keiza, born on June 15, 1954, in Nyakabungo Cell, Nkomero Sector, Murama Commune, Gitarama Prefecture; it’s now in Ruhango District, Southern Province. He said he lives in Belgium in the Kraainem-Banlieu area of Brussels where he has Rwandan and Belgian citizenship. He is married to Mukangamije Tatiana and is a hotelier.
Rusesabagina was paraded in front of the media on August 31, 2020, RIB explained that he was arrested at Kigali International Airport and arrived in Kigali voluntarily, contrary to reports that say he had been abducted in Dubai. On the other hand, there are reports that Rusesabagina arrived in Dubai on August 27, 2020, at 7:10 p.m.
Unconfirmed reports say that he left Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai on a private jet of the Bombardier Challenger 605 of GainJet, late in the night and arrived in Kigali on Friday morning.
While reflecting on the security situation in the past week, Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera explained that most of the road accidents registered during this pandemic period occurs in the evening hours, when motorists and people in general, are racing against time.
“Majority of the fatal accidents registered last week happened between 5pm and 9pm. Some of them were due to speeding to beat time because someone did not manage well their time. Others were involved because they were driving under the influence of alcohol or just rush driving,” CP Kabera said.
Recent data by the Traffic and Road Safety department, show that in 1,826 road accidents that happened from March to August this year, 744 of them happened during an hour to the prohibited movement time.
This means that 40.7percent of the accidents happened in one hour against 59.3percent that occurred in more than 10 hours.
This, according to CP Kabera, indicates that reckless driving is still high when people are under pressure to be where they need to be before prohibited movement time, which he discouraged and advised on “proper planning and time management.”
He urged the public to plan and respect time, and to avoid anything that could result into an accident.
“We remind everyone to look back and remember the messages we gave them during Gerayo Amahoro campaign.”
When you drink do not drive, do not use a phone when driving, riding or crossing the road; always be extra attentive when on road because any reckless and irresponsible action can lead to a fatal accident, so use the road in harmony with every other road user,” CP Kabera added.
On respecting COVID-19 prevention measures, he said that the vast majority comply.
“It is not understandable how after six months, some people still can’t properly wear a mask, some are still found in bars, which are supposed to be closed, and other cases of varied violations,” he wondered.
He warned bar owners against violations including those who relocate them into their respective homes, which equally exposes their own families to the pandemic.
He further advised the youth to “do better on compliance” noting that they dominate the numbers of violators.
As of Sunday, September 20, Rwanda had 4,711 cases of Coronavirus, with 2,961 recoveries.
The Head of State made the observation on Friday, September 18th, while addressing a meeting of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development on the 10th anniversary of the commission.
President Kagame said that the first decade of the Broadband Commission has made a real impact by highlighting the transformational power of universal access to high-speed internet connectivity and smartphones.
“Ideas that seemed futuristic ten years ago are now mainstream; the next decade will be about using digital tools to speed up the recovery from the COVID pandemic and make up some of the lost ground on the SDGs.
“We must become better prepared for future global health crises. Equal access to education has been very uneven due to the remaining digital divide,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame thanked members of the commission for taking the time to join the meeting to share knowledge and experiences and for the dedication throughout their tenure serving the commission.
“Earlier this year, the United Nations Secretary-General launched a roadmap for an ambitious digital cooperation agenda. This initiative promises to further elevate the important work of the Broadband Commission, which has been made possible by the productive partnerships embodied within our diverse membership,”
“We stand ready to support the Secretary-General’s vision for digital inclusion as a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
President Kagame also recognized ten new Commissioners who include Erik Ekudden, from Ericsson, Filippo Grandi, from the UNHCR, Lacina Koné, the Director General of Smart Africa, Hyeonmo Ku from KT Corporation and Pekka Lundmark from Nokia.
Others include Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, from Ghana, Dongyu Qu, from FAO, Andrew Sullivan, of the Internet Society, Mohammed Al-Tamimi from Saudi Arabia and Makiko Yamada from Japan.
The Broadband Commission was launched in 2010 with a view to furthering the campaign to accelerate the spread of the Internet worldwide. It is estimated that by 2025, about 35% of the population in poor countries will have access to fast internet, which is 65% in developing countries and 75% in the rest of the world.
Rusesabagina told the media on August 31, 2020, that he was arrested at Kigali International Airport and that he arrived in Rwanda willingly.
His arrest sparked controversy around the world, with some claiming he had been abducted, others saying the plane was hijacked and found in Kigali. There were also reports that on August 27, 2020, Rusesabagina arrived in Dubai at 7:10 p.m.
Reports indicate that he left Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai on a private jet of the Bombardier Challenger 605 of GainJet late in the night and arrived in Kigali on Friday morning.
In an exclusive interview with the New York Times, the 66-year-old said he took the plane thinking he was going to Burundi. He made the remarks on Thursday at the Remera Police Station where he was being held, along with his two lawyers, Mr. Nyambo Emeline and Mr. Rugaza David. It was a conversation he said he gave willingly and no one forced him to.
The conversation took place in Rusesabagina’s room where he is held from, where it was reported that it was clean, with a bed covered with mosquito nets. The suspect was wearing a trouser, a jacket, shoes, and a gold watch.
Rusesabagina told reporters about his arrival in Rwanda from Dubai airport.
He said that the private plane he boarded in was meant to take him to Burundi in Bujumbura where he had plans to engage with various religious groups at the invitation of the local pastors.
He arrived at the airport on August 29. Instead of finding himself in Burundi, he found himself surrounded by Rwandan soldiers, it’s when he realized he is not in Burundi but in a neighboring country, Rwanda, where he had last been 16 years ago. He says this surprised him.
Asked how he felt after he found himself in Rwanda, Rusesabagina replied, “Ask yourself how you would feel if you found yourself in the wrong place.”
President Kagame had recently announced that there was no kidnapping in the process of bringing Rusesabagina but he had willingly brought himself to Rwanda.
Rusesabagina was recently arraigned in court on suspicion of 13 counts and Thursday, the Kicukiro Local Court ruled that he should be remanded in custody for 30 days while the investigation continues, the decision was immediately appealed.
He told the New York Times he was innocent of all the charges against him. On the first day of his trial, he told the court that he regretted the FLN’s actions in killing civilians in the Northern Territories and apologized to those individuals affected and the country as a whole.
A few days ago, his family announced that they do not agree with the lawyers selected by the 66-year-old, and so they (family) appointed seven lawyers including one Rwandan.
Rusesabagina said he was the one who chose his lawyers and he is happy to work
with them. “I’m the one who selected my lawyers and I’m happy to have them. Only my family was not notified. ”
He said that although he is imprisoned, he has a high blood pressure problem, but the Rwandan authorities always send him doctors to take care of him.
“A lot of people come and talk to me. They also clean my room. They give me food. They are good people. Everything is fine so far. ”
In this interview, he did not explain what happened in Dubai and how he found himself in Kigali but he only said that all that happened when he was tired.
“I was taken to a place. I don’t remember where. I was tired, legs, face, I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know where I was. ”
StoryKast is targeting to support young people between the ages of 16 and 29 to showcase their skills through the photography profession. Besides the prizes, the company will help participants in the marketing of their skills.
The competition will start from 16 September to 16th November 2020.
Contestants will take photos of their favorite sites and panoramas that may include animals, landscapes, people-interactions or other activities in their reach with unique concepts that trigger awe among the viewers. The captured image will then be posted on the StoryKast website, (https://www.storykast.rw/capturerwanda) for review by experts’ who will appreciate and award marks accordingly.
The winning photograph must have a special meaning for Rwanda, a description that will show the person who photographed it.
All the photos have to be original and special.
Photographers should not have to look for expensive tools, because the competition will not focus on the capabilities of the equipment used, but on the technical, originality, and conceptual details of the photos.
Of course, there is a need for a clear picture, so that the judges of the competition will be able to get the points from the start.
For the winners of this competition, the prizes are very exciting. The first one will be awarded Rwf 300,000, the second one Rwf200, 000, and the third one Rwf100, 000.
Olga Ines, the director of StoryKast, told IGIHE that the competition has been designed to help children who are on vacation and others who have lost their jobs during these difficult times of Coronavirus, to continue their training, and have the opportunity to win money.
She added that the competition is the first of its kind in Rwanda, with a focus on helping people in this industry to be recognized and earn.
Olga encourages competitors to be authentic, original and avoid any reliance on third party skills other than relying on someone’s expertise to make it happen.
“One can use an important device [such as a camera] to take a nice picture which, anyway, may not necessarily be unique. However there is someone else who can use his or her phone and take a photo that has its own character, uniqueness, special message and style; different from other photos. So we will look at a person’s skills, rather than the device,” she added.
She said that they encourage the participants to use the tools that will make the uniqueness of their photos stand out.
The Capture Rwanda competition is being held for the first time, and StoryKast says it will organize the same on a regular basis, expanding to bigger prizes and categories of participants.
The president made the remarks on Thursday at a virtual conference on Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, as a partnership between countries and international organizations aimed at accelerating the balanced distribution of COVID-19 measuring instruments, drugs, and ‘vaccine.
President Kagame described ACT-Accelerator as one of the most important programs in the world today and thanked the agencies, including the World Health Organization, WHO, and the European Commission, which support the pillar on which this program is built.
He said that Rwanda and Africa are coping with the Coronavirus pandemic, saying that success or failure is based on building infrastructure that can help in sustainably tackling health problems.
He stressed that Rwanda is ready to cooperate with other countries so that this program can produce as much as it needs.
As various companies continue to search for Coronavirus vaccines, the process recently hit a snag as, during the final trial by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford in the UK, it was announced that it was put to a standstill after one of its test-takers in the UK got harmed by the concoction.
AstraZeneca said the suspension was “normal” in the event of a “rare illness”, and that a special analysis was needed to ensure a safe and secure vaccine.
The Chairman of the African Union, also President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, told the ACT Accelerator at the meeting that since the launch of the program in April this year it has been productive, and there are many expectations for the future.
He said it is important for Africa to participate in the Coronavirus vaccines being developed today.
“As long as one is still exposed to Coronavirus in the world, no matter how far we are, we are all at risk of re-infection with COVID-19. That is why we should strive to ensure that everyone is vaccinated and it reaches everywhere at once.”
Ramaphosa said countries should use existing infrastructure, conduct research that leads to a reliable and efficient vaccine, and the participating agencies are facilitated so that they are at least free from the risk of vaccination losses.
“We need to encourage people to take part in various vaccination trials,” he said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that while people are expecting more from the COVID-19 vaccine, once it’s available should be treated as public property, available to all at a low cost, “because COVID-19 does not care about boundaries.”
He called on countries to increase funding for the program. In the beginning, $ 3 billion was invested, but now needs at least $ 35 billion to expand, including $ 15 billion over the next three months.
The program launched in April 2020, brings together governments, scientists, businessmen, NGOs, philanthropists, and international health organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, Global Fund, Unitaid, Wellcome, WHO, World Bank and Global Financing Facility.
It is the agencies that have put together efforts to find a way to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, through support for the functioning and distribution of equal measures for the testing, treatment and prevention of the pandemic.
While speaking in Waramutse Rwanda (Good morning Rwanda), a morning talk-show on Rwanda Television on Thursday, September 10, RNP spokesperson CP John Bosco Kabera warned that anyone implicated or caught in such human rights violations will be held accountable.
The warning follows an incident recently in Gatsata, Gasabo District, where three community policing agents were seen in a video assaulting a local resident, whom they apparently accused of violating the government directives against COVID-19.
CP Kabera said: “We have arrested Ildephonse Sindayigaya, Jean Bosco Karangwa and Elisa Ndahiro, security members at local level, who appeared in a video assaulting Evode Tuyisenge on September 8, in Gatsata Sector of Gasabo District.
Those, who assault people under the guise of fighting the spread of COVID-19 will not be tolerated and will equally face the law for their inappropriate behaviours and actions, which are unnecessary and uncalled for.”
The three suspects are currently held at Gatsata Police Station pending further investigations into the alleged assault.
“Community policing partners like DASSO, Irondo (community night patrols), community policing committees and youth volunteers are playing a big role in supporting RNP to implement government directives meant to contain and combat the pandemic of Coronavirus,” CP Kabera noted.
He, however, urged them not to violate the law or misuse their powers to break the law at the expense of the people’s wellbeing and lives.
“All security organs follow the law in the implementation of their duties and anyone whose conduct is viewed as inappropriate and use of unnecessary excessive force and contrary to the law, is individually held accountable,” CP Kabera emphasised.
The spokesperson, however, urged the general public to comply with the directives instead of being forced, and to exhibit appropriate behaviours when caught in an violations and lawlessness by following given instructions.
“Do not exhibit any violent behaviours when caught or implicated in any wrong-doing. Comply, go where you are instructed to go.”
In case of any abuse by Police officer, the public are urged to call 3511 (toll-free line), Inspectorate of Services and Ethics (ISE) on 0788311400 or Police Disciplinary Unit (PDU) on 0788311824
The letter is based on recent measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19, especially regarding how people should behave and the penalties imposed on those who violate Covid-19 prevention guidelines.
The Civil Society Organizations say that some measures are contrary to the decisions of the cabinet.
The cabinet meeting on August 26 passed resolutions to further strengthen measures for the prevention of the spread of Covid-19.
Among them was the resolution that “private (private) travels between the City of Kigali and other districts will continue to be carried out but in accordance with the regulations of the health authorities”.
Another resolution was that “public gatherings are prohibited, except for those who have permission and have not more than 30 people.”
The resolution further states that “the permission to host such meetings will be issued by the relevant authorities in collaboration with the RDB, and shall be based on the guidelines of the health authorities.”
The next day, Rwanda Development Board, RDB, issued a statement on August 27 aimed at implementing the directives issued by the Cabinet Decisions.
The statement said that the “applicants for the meeting permission should go through info@rcb.rw and inform the relevant authorities.” Also the reception area does not exceed 30% of the capacity of the reception hall.
The organizers of the meeting also should make sure that the participants should have a Covid-19 tests of not more than 72 hours, and pay a fee of $ 50 (Rwf48,442).
Shortly afterwards, on August 31, the City of Kigali also issued a directive, imposing sanctions on those who violate Covid-19’s proposed measures.
This also came after the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority, RURA, on August 28, declared that “no public buses or motorcycle are allowed to transport anyone to or from Kigali City”.
Non-governmental organizations say that these regulations are contrary to cabinet decisions, because, for example, RURA’s directive that private travels between the City of Kigali and other areas are prohibited, contrary to the Cabinet decision.
The organizations also say that some of these regulations are unclear, making implementation difficult.
Currently, it is alleged that the RDB’s regulations do not clearly define the meaning of “general meetings” or “necessary meetings” which must request for permission from the RDB and tests for COVID19 for all the participants.
They point out that the meetings and conferences referred to are only happening in hotels, rather than in public places such as in markets, in bus stations, and so on.
They also noted that the cost of Covid-19 testing, set at Rwf 48,442, is too expensive and Rwandans could not manage it every time they go to a meeting.
The organizations and their partners say they are also affected by the decision because they have suspended various meetings and activities due to lack of capacity to test each invitee.
They also observed the fines imposed by the City of Kigali on violators of the Covid-19 prevention guidelines are quite high, considering it is at a time when the pandemic has had a devastating economic impact.
They added that testing measures for each participant at a meeting or wedding is not the best way to deal with Covid-19, but that standard measures such as frequent hand washing, social distance and wearing masks would be the best solution.
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The NGOs said a directive that requires people to meet after getting permission is contrary to the Constitution and other international laws to which Rwanda is a signatory, especially Article 39 of Rwanda constitution, defining the right of assembly as passed in 2003, and amended in 2015.
They also said that measures for children under the age of two to wear masks were contrary to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
They also emphasized the need to focus on business, especially in hotels, as meetings and conferences are one of the main sources of income, of which ban will have devastating effects on post-Covid-19 recovery.
To address all these issues, these organizations have called for the establishment of a system to monitor all regulations in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, to comply with national and international law, and not to violate human rights principles.
They also said that regulations that violate human rights and should be removed, or revised. They requested that the guidelines set out in the RDB’s announcement and applying for permit at public meetings and testing the participants within 72 hours should be revised.
As for the City of Kigali’s prohibitive fines for Covid-19 prevention regulations violators, they demanded that they be removed forthwith.
They said the fines should be carried out to the fullest extent of the capacity of the citizens, and be approved after discussions with everyone concerned, including the public. Once approved, it must be announced through legal channels.
They stressed the need for the government to work with its partners as they learn about strategies to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, and to encourage them to step up their efforts to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, including hand washing, wearing face masks and observing social distance.
