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President Kagame made the remarks on Sunday during a press meeting with the RBA where he addressed a number of issues of national importance.

President Kagame said that over the past five months Rwanda has been successful in dealing with the COVID-19.

“This does not mean that it does not affect us as badly as others, but we are among the first in the world in terms of coping with this pandemic, preventing it from taking many lives,” said the Head of State

“In order for us to get that position in the first place, it came from the efforts of Rwandans; it didn’t just happen, it was people who did it. Yet all the economic aspects of human life were disturbed.”

President Kagame said the effects of Coronavirus will affect the economy of the country and the world as a whole, stressing that the government will continue to do its utmost to protect the lives of the people and their livelihoods.

“We need to ensure that life keeps going on, that we take decisions adapting to the situation. We want Rwandans to have a better life, not to be affected by this pandemic but also not to starve. Let it not be choosing between dying from the pandemic or from starving.”

He said that the government will continue to look for resources in order to preserve the life of the country.

President Kagame’s remarks came days after some Rwandans living abroad were spreading rumors that the Rwandan president was ill and may be dead.

Though the news was not given much value in Rwanda, it has continued to confuse minds among anti-government activists living abroad.

In an interview with the RBA on Sunday, President Kagame was asked if he had seen these reports saying that his health was deteriorating, and how social media could be used to prevent such rumors.

President Kagame said he heard news of his death too but did not give them much value.

“I found out recently, not only did they say my life was in bad shape but that I was no more. It’s too much. There is a proverb that says, ‘urucira mukaso, rugatwara nyoko’ (you wish death to your step-mother and it takes your mother instead)
[He laughed] I hope we don’t miss a lot of mothers because of these people spreading such things but life is life, even those saying that, I don’t know how long they will live on Earth, but even if they live for a hundred years, that hundred years will come to an end.”

At the forefront of spreading these rumors is Father Nahimana Thomas, who has been widely renowned for his negative criticism of the Rwandan government.
President Kagame said people should know how to analyze the authenticity of information they get from social media. He also warned Nahimana that he might find himself arrested for what all the falsehoods he keeps on spreading.

“What I would say to young people and other people is to know how to analyze, they should use social media to learn, talk to people, give information as they want but include an analysis, find out what can be posted on social media […] whether that priest or someone else, people live their lives; we cannot prevent bad people from living badly in such a way but you can distinguish what is good from what is bad; it will be useful.”

In addition, President Kagame said social media is usually a good way to get people to know what’s going on elsewhere. However, he said, there were those that abuse those platforms, so there was a need to find ways to prevent this misuse and instead promote its benefits.

Busingye made the commitment following social media complaints against use of excessive force by the police on social media over the last two weeks, following the shooting of two suspects, the most recent being on Friday, in Kimisagara, Nyarugenge district.

Police shot and killed a one Boy Munyaneza, a suspect who was detained at Kimisagara Police Station who allegedly attempted to escape from custody through Mpazi Ravine, prompting officers on duty to fire bullets at him.

The incident followed another one on Sunday, August 30th, in Zaza Sector, Ngoma district, in Eastern Province, in which a police officer shot and killed Evariste Nsengiyumva, who allegedly tried to fight police officers who were enforcing measures against the New Coronavirus.

Police got a tip off that Nsengiyumva and others were in a certain house, whose owner had turned into a bar, drinking past 7 pm.

When cops raided the house, it is alleged that while others fled or were arrested in the act, Nsengiyumva attempted to fight and disarm a police officer who reacted by firing. The incident enraged many who took to social media.

While addressing concerns of members of the public over recent cases in which unarmed misbehaving suspects are shot by police while attempting to apprehend them, Busingye said fatally shooting suspects is not lawful.

“The use of excessive or deadly force against unarmed detainees/suspects is illegal and inappropriate. We are working with @Rwandapolice and concerned institutions to reign it in through policy and operational measures, intensified accountability, training and effective oversight,” Busingye said.

Rwanda National Police (RNP) said it had arrested the officer involved while investigations into the incident were being conducted.

“Police has arrested the officer involved in the shooting of Nsengiyumva Evariste, a resident of Zaza sector, Ngoma district.”

“Investigations are underway to establish the circumstances of the shooting,” said the Police.

The City of Kigali has unveiled a new city master plan to be implemented from 2020 up to 2050.

The new master plan has been informed by public views thus revised one which was first designed in 2013

The new master plan introduces a flexible and incremental approach to city development as it seeks to accommodate 3.8 million people in 2050 from the current 1.6 million.

The master plan is guided by economic, social and environmental drivers.

The main features highlighted by the Vice Mayor of Kigali City in charge of Urbanization and Infrastructure, Ernest Nsabimana, in the new master plan compared to the previous one comprise of flexibility where one building can be used for different purposes.

This means that one house can combine commercial activities, residence, restaurants, office and others at once to ensure integration.

the new master plan will also promote the economy for small business; meaning that people in need of microenterprises have been considered by the master plan which will enable small businesses such as shoemakers, tailors and many similar small businesses to have places for doing their businesses as requested by Rwanda Development Board.

The master plan will allow small business people to have small offices in residential areas where people can occupy without going to hire big buildings and this is part of promoting micro-economy, small enterprises.

With walking and cycling lanes serving for recreation, there will also be public spaces for recreational purposes.

Moreover, the new plan, a minimum of houses per hectare will increase from 25 to 70 houses.

Protected agricultural land decreased from 66.8 percent to 55 per cent while developed areas will increase from 32 per cent to 45 per cent as the growing population will need infrastructure and housing.

The master plan also has integrated road use and master planning; this means that to construct Kigali ring roads and Bus Rapid Transit systems require to build roads for pedestrians and cycling lanes.

The master plan will help citizens access -at walking distance- basic infrastructures, business services, health facilities, religious infrastructure, restaurants, banks, motels, markets, schools and others where they can walk at least 400 meters.

This will also reduce congestion of people seeking such services in the Central Business District (CBD).

It will also allow improvement of unplanned settlements without necessarily relocating residents. Auxiliary residential units are allowed where a house owner can annex other small houses in smart ways that can help low income earners.

Though previous master plan recommended skyscrapers, the new one integrates medium height storey-buildings.

The new master plan has integrated wetland master plan where each wetland will have its own use including recreational wetlands

“In 2020, the Global Innovation Index (GII) welcomes two new members to its esteemed Advisory Board: Clare Akamanzi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, and Heizo Takenaka, the Director of the Center for Global Innovation Studies in Toyo University and former Minister of Japan,” reads the statement.

In 2011, an Advisory Board was established to provide advice on the research underlying the Global Innovation Index (GII), generate synergies at its stages of development, and assist with the dissemination of its messages and results.

The Advisory Board is a select group of leading international practitioners with expertise in the realm of innovation. Its members are from diverse geographical and institutional backgrounds and participate in their personal capacity. In 2020, the GII Advisory Board is comprised of 17 members in total.

Its members come from diverse geographical and institutional backgrounds and participate in their personal capacity.

Among the high profile figures members of the GII are the Director General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, Houlin Zhao, ITO Secretary General and Fabiola Gianotti, Head of European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

The GII report is co-published by Cornell University, a US-based Ivy League research university, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized UN agency.

The 2020 index is expected Wednesday, September 2, marking the 13th edition; it includes 131 economies, which represent 93.5 percent of the world’s population.

This edition, with the theme “Who Will Finance Innovation?”, sheds light on the state of innovation financing by investigating the evolution of financing mechanisms for entrepreneurs and other innovators; it is expected to also point out the remaining challenges – including in the context of the economic slowdown induced by the Covid-19 crisis.

With the support she received from FXBVillage SKOL program, she was able to develop a successful income generating activity of selling fruits and vegetables, her children returned to school, she joined a savings groups and created a kitchen garden that provided her with legumes. She affirms that she could earn $5 and could regularly save before COVID-19 crisis. It is with apparent happiness and pride that she narrates her story

‘’ ’My name is Marie Rose and I live in Gasharu cell, Nyamirambo Sector, the district of Nyarugenge of Kigali city. I am a beneficiary of the VillageFXB SKOL poverty alleviation program, which is now in its final year of implementation. I want to share with you my story of how the FXB SKOL program helped me to cope with the COVID-19 and take care of my family.

The pandemic that emerged in China was of little concern to us. Most people in Rwanda did not know anything about this disease. After spreading to Europe and other countries around the world, the rumor was that it did not affect Africans, we were wrong. From the first case in Rwanda, everything went very fast, we were put in quarantine, only essential services were still allowed, and our businesses suffered.

I am very proud to be part of the FXB -SKOL family. It is true that we went through a very difficult time during this COVID-19 crisis, but FXB had prepared us. In three years, I have received a lot of training that allowed me to cope with this situation.

In the first year, I received training in financial literacy, project management and was provided a start-up capital that allowed me to start an income generating activity of selling fruits and vegetables. We have also been trained and helped to grow a vegetable garden where I grow carrots, lamb’s lettuce, cabbage, beets and much more.

These vegetables are primarily intended to improve our own diet. I usually sell the surplus to the market, which allows me to increase my income. However, during the crisis I shared them with my neighbors who were starving.

FXB has taught us to adopt good hygiene habits. We built latrines, showers and a hand-washing station in front of our house. Everybody adopted the habit of regularly wash hands with soap. The government is sensitizing people to adopt good hygiene behaviors to protect themselves from coronavirus, whereas it is already part of our daily life.

I understood the importance of saving and planning. I am part of a Savings and Credit Group. The group members convenes every week and contribute an agreed amount, based on everyone’s ability, that serve as personal savings and are used to provide small loans to the group members.

It is also an opportunity to share life experiences and learn from each other. Our group is composed of 28 people and we were able to save $1,200 shortly before the COVID-19 crisis. This is already our second cycle.

A cycle lasts 12 months and, at the end, we share the profits that we use to expand our businesses or for other personal projects. For this time, our savings have helped us to cope with this challenging situation.

Even though we are going through difficult times, my family did not suffer too much compared to my neighbors thanks to my income generating activity and my savings. Additionally, my kitchen garden together with all the direct and indirect support I benefited from this program backed me during these hard times.

The FXB staff remained in regular contact with us remotely via phone and it motivated me. During these tough times, we have really understood the importance of the good lessons we benefited from FXB-SKOL program. My business and my savings have been my life jacket during the moments of turbulence. I thank SKOL and FXB for all the support’’ gratefully relates Marie Rose

The growth in the company’s interest rate on loans and advances increased by 21.5% compared to the same period last year.

The bank served over 352,000 retail customers and over 36,600 corporate clients and at the same time expanded its agency banking network to 1,951 agents as at the end of June 2020; the network processed over 1.7million transactions worth Rwf158.8 billion.

Operating income rose by 8.5 percent to Rwf64.6 billion; this was due to potential impact of Covid-19 and the significant increase in credit risk which largely affected the loan loss provisions. Non-performing loans increased to Rwf52.8 billion, while the non-Performing Loans ratio remained at 5.6 percent while the cost of risk increased to 4.6 percent from 2.7 percent at the end of 2019.

With the reduced business volumes and increased financial distress, the bank granted a grace period between 3 to 10 months to clients who sought moratorium. With the restructuring of loans, restructured facilities related to Covid-19 reached 37 percent of gross loans and advances.

BK Insurance registered a profit of Rwf1.4 billion in the second quarter of 2020 compared to Rwf1.14 billion registered in the same period last year representing a 22 percent growth in profitability (Year on year); the insurance arm profit was among other things driven by an increase in gross premium from Rwf2.4 billion in 2019 to Rwf2.7 billion in the second quarter of 2020 this is a growth of 12 percent.

At BK TecHouse, there was a growth in net sales by 6 percent year on year to Rwf515 million. Net Profit before tax stood at Rwf99 million; the group’s ‘youngest’ subsidiary BK Capital saw assets under management grow to Rwf9.2 billion as at the end of June 2020 from Rwf2.9 billion at the same time last year.

The BK Group CEO Dr. Diane Karusisi said that the second quarter was a turbulent period due to the effect of the pandemic on the economy.

“The second quarter was probably the most tumultuous period in a long time as the pandemic hurt economic activity across all sectors. We continued to deliver for our clients, employees, our communities, and shareholders beyond just business continuity. The growth registered in net loans and customer deposits shows that even in times of crisis, it is possible to pursue new opportunities,” she said.

She believes that the performance will improve in the coming months as the economy steadily picks up.

“As the Rwandan economy steadily picks up for the rest of the year, we remain hopeful to close this year with a much better performance than anticipated at the beginning of the pandemic,” she said.

Bank of Kigali, founded in 1966, is the first major bank in Rwanda with a 30.3% market share. It has 68 branches, 94 ATM units, 1,951 agents, all of which provide services to 352,996 individual customers and 36,684 companies.

The establishments are Cuppa Coffee in Downtown, Nyarugenge District, Cincinnati and Miami Family in Niboyi and Gikondo, respectively, both in Kicukiro District.

At Cuppa Coffee, authorities, on Friday, found 21 youngsters holding a birthday party in a congested room.

Birthday parties and other social gatherings are prohibited in this fragile period of COVID-19.

At Miami Family owned by one Emmanuel Minani, authorities found 14 people in a social gathering drinking at about 8 PM, the time when everyone was supposed to be home.

Nine people were also found drinking at Cincinnati bar owned by one Alphier Bizimana.

Bars are among the businesses that are still closed.

Innocent Iyakaremye, the manager at Cuppa Coffee regretted allowing the group of youth to hold the birthday party for their colleague at the facility.

Cuppa Coffee proprietor, Damien Sibomana wondered why his manager went against the clear directives.

“The government directives are clear and in addition to that, I also personally gave them instructions against any parties, to allow not more than 35 people inside, clients to wash hands before entering and to ensure that they sit according to the sitting arrangement organized in respect of social distancing,” Sibomana said.

He added: “We invest our money in these businesses and violating the given instructions can hurt the business. My manager probably looked at his interest but not the general interest of business and above all, the safety of the people.”

Nyarugenge District Executive Administrator, Emmy Ngabonziza emphasized that any business found operating contrary to the safety guidelines will face severe consequences, including closure.

“Parties or social gatherings are prohibited; it’s our role as local leaders in partnership with Rwanda National Police and hospitality establishments to ensure that everything is done in compliance with the directives,” Ngabonziza said

“Most of these social gatherings are organized or involve the young people, who, as we know, are among the majority infected with COVID-19. We, therefore, urge the young generation to value and protect their lives by ensuring maximum compliance.”

He further mentioned the role of parents and guardians to educate their children on the pandemic and the safety guidelines to prevent them from engaging in such risky events.

Some of those found holding a birthday party are as young as 15 years.

Owners or managers of hospitality establishments, he said, should take the lead to ensure that nothing contrary to the directives is conducted in their facilities.

RNP spokesperson, CP John Bosco Kabera cautioned that the “warning period is over; it’s time for immediate action to violators.”

“The directives are very clear and have been elaborated even to those who seem not to have understood them. We ought to know that the pandemic is still in our midst and it kills.

Social events or gatherings are prohibited, bars are closed, everyone should be home by 7 PM, wearing of facemask is not an option when you leave your home. It is now time for immediate repercussion to errand violators but not just issuing caution,” CP Kabera said.

He took time to also warn those, who might use their private vehicles and motorcycles to transport people out of Kigali at a fee, and contrary to the directives, to other parts of the country.

“Any vehicle or motorcycle found transporting people beyond Kigali, contrary to the new directive, will be impounded for a long time and driver or rider severely penalized,” CP Kabera warned.

He advised the public on proper planning to avoid unnecessary movements, adding that those who brag for violating the directives or post their photos on social media platforms are not doing any good but rather influencing bad attitudes and actions especially among the young people, which will not be entertained.

The training was organized by the University of Rwanda and Media High Council that Christophe Hitayezu, a Journalist and Pandemic Media Mentor at Internews asked Ewen MacAskill to explain how Rwandan journalists can still investigate and present their stories just by the use of their smartphones.

“The great thing about mobile phone these days is that you can pretty much do everything, you can take a video, edit it and have it uploaded in less than 30 minutes.” Said MacAskill “in the wide world, almost 70% of the population follow news using their phones; and what they are doing is watching videos. Mobile journalism is where the future is, and all you need is a smartphone.”

“Before, we used to carry heavy camera and sophisticated equipment when going on field that can be quite intimidating in different areas; yet it was found that when you are using your phone in recording, people are willing to share information with you,” he added.

MacAskill said that mastering the technique is not the only purpose of the Mobile journalism (MoJo) program; he explained that with all the techniques every journalist has to also remember that every new has a structure of storytelling.

At the beginning of the year 2020 the Mobile journalism (MoJo) competition was started worldwide and Ewen MacAskill was among the mentors for Thomson Foundation.

The MoJo training that organized by UR and MHC have been conducted at Musanze District last Week from Monday to Friday, and brought together 23 trainees.

“When we asked people to send in stories, quite often they would send nice videos, but they were not connected to the news. You know having Mobile journalism technique is only one half, the other half is having an understanding of what the news story is,” said MacAskill.

In the middle of MoJo course, the COVID happened. As part of the course people were asked to go out and do news stories on video and then send their edited program. MacAskill was one of the judges, but because of COVID-19, it was difficult for people to go out and do their interviews, so all their original plans have to be abandoned, and people had to produce stories in the new COVID19 environment.

MacAskill said that during those times some people responded well “Just because of the COVID, it doesn’t mean you can’t do interesting stories … you don’t take risks, don’t break the law and you can still produce interesting stories,” he said.

MacAskill said that COVID-19 should not be an excuse for people to stop being good journalists because the pandemic has affected everybody in the world, “You should always be producing stories. There is a huge appetite everywhere for stories about the COVID-19,” he said.

Ewen MacAskill is the former defence and intelligence correspondent for The Guardian having worked for the UK media organization for 22 years.

He played a key role in reporting the revelations from computer analyst whistle-blower Edward Snowden about the mass surveillance by US and UK intelligence agencies. He has received a number of prestigious awards for this work and was a member of the Guardian team who, along with the Washington Post, received a Pulitzer Prize in 2014.

During his career with The Guardian he held a number of senior editorial roles including Washington bureau chief, diplomatic editor, and chief political editor.

Before joining The Guardian he was political editor of The Scotsman.

Ewen has worked on a number of projects with the Thomson Foundation and is acting as a mentor for participants on the Thomson Foundation digital and multimedia summer course. He is also assisting participants from the Journalism Now e-learning programme on investigative journalism techniques.