According to MINAGRI, the disease caused by virus transmitted by mosquitoes first appeared in the province on May 18th.
The disease affects animals like cows, sheep, goats and humans. The ministry says that laboratory tests have revealed 80% of Rift Valley Fever virus in affected cattle.
In a statement, MINAGRI said that they have established groups of veterinaries to treat the affected cows. Currently, a total of 1638 have been treated and 1202 among them were cured.
In Ngoma District alone, the disease killed 66 cows and 168 aborted, in Kirehe 17 died while 159 aborted, in Kayonza nine died while 60 aborted and in Rwamagana seven died while 65 aborted.
According to MINAGRI, efforts to vaccinate cattle that have not been affected were intensified as well as treatment services were made available to cattle with the disease symptoms.
MINAGRI urges people not to consume uninspected meets and to report cases of the disease related symptoms to veterinaries.
Through his twitter account Kagame said that “Happy Eid al-Fitr to all Muslims in Rwanda, Africa and the world. May you and your families enjoy this day! EidMubarak!”
Eid al-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
In Rwanda the day was celebrated around the country and national event at Stade de Kigali in Nyamirambo where the Muslims were called upon to contribute in the battle against drug abuse among youth.
As part of Made in Rwanda and exports promotion, the government has waived taxes on importation of machinery, textile and leather products raw materials from 10-25% to zero tariff.
{{What they say}}
Monica Usaniwabo, the head of Unity Designers, a company that makes clothes, bags and other fashion handicrafts welcomed the budget saying that it incentivises manufacturers.
Usaniwabo’s company imports raw materials to make handicraft. She said waiving off taxes on raw materials will help them increase volume and quality for local and export markets.
“With the tax incentive, we shall produce high value products for both local and international markets,” she says.
For Olivier Benimana, Ben’s Jewellery and Clothing Ltd head, a jewellery, clothing and shoes making company, reduced cost of production will be a big boost to local production. “Importing raw materials and paying import duties would raise cost of the final product which forced price skyrocketing, so clients would prefer buying imported cheaper to the local one,” he said adding that the development comes to solve one of the challenges that have been haunting manufacturers.
Teddy Kaberuka, a local Economic Analyst welcomed the budget saying that it is in line with promoting locally manufactured products.
“As the economic cluster has taken 57% of the budget, it is clear that the government target is to advance economic development. This sector earns the country resources to run other projects,” he says.
{{Background}}
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana on Thursday read the 2018/2019 budget where the economic cluster covered 57% of the total budget and waived taxes on textile, leather imported raw materials.
Ndagijimana said that the government will develop industries and exportation where they have allocated there a total of Rwf253.5 billion.
He said that among priority activities in this sector include construction of industrial zones across the country, construction of four ports on the shores of Lake Kivu, continue with construction works of first phase of Bugesera International Airport, expansion of RwandAir activities, promotion of tourism with focus on hosting international conferences, raising coffee earnings to USD75 million per year, tea export earnings to USD82 million annually and flower exports by 34%.
Through the harmonization of custom revenues on imported commodities with neighboring countries, Ndagijimana said that the move will help the government to promote Made in Rwanda.
Representing the two airlines during the signing ceremony that took place Thursday was the State Minister for transport in Rwanda, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye and the Minister of State for Trade and Industry in Singapore, Koh Poh Koon.
According to RwandAir’s CEO, Yvonne Makolo, the deal presents an opportunity to foster Africa’s economic development through air transport, and enhancing cooperation with Singapore Airlines, which is experienced in the field.
“Signing this agreement is a golden opportunity in expanding our horizons in Asia. We now fly Mumbai and Guangzhou is a destination that is set for 2019. This will further deepen our cooperation with Singapore, whom we are sure to much learn from,” Makolo said.
The national carrier will be launching three weekly flights from Kigali to Lusaka on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, Tharman Shanmugaratnam who was accompanying the Singaporean Minister of State for Trade and Transport said that he was impressed by the clarity of thinking of the part of Rwanda. He further added that both parties will be sharing experience.
With the new agreement, Singapore Airlines and Rwandair, and subsequently Singapore and Rwanda, position themselves as pioneers of bilateral agreements for air services and promotion of Investments.
This was announced by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana while reading the 2018/2019 National Budget to both chambers of parliament.
Ndagijimana said that all raw materials to use in local industries will pay 0% import duties down from 10% and 25%.
Speaking in a press conference after reading the budget, Ndagijimana said that the government is providing incentives to business people.
“The production of textile is private business, what we do is to provide incentives like providing space in the Special Economic Zones and make the investment cheaper and profitable,” he said.
He said that after the government of Rwanda raised taxes on imported second hand clothes, the move has created domestic demand for Made in Rwanda clothes, and the government is negotiating with producers and new investors to increase production as the market is available.
“What we have to keep in mind is the volume and price because if they are expensive, people may not be able to buy. So, we are focusing on new affordable clothes as well as the volume,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rwanda’s 2018/2019 budget is Rwf2,443.5 billion, which is Rwf328.2 billion higher compared to Rwf2,115.3 billion in the 2017/18 budget.
Among priority areas, Ndagijimana said that they expect to construct sustainable economy through fast-trucking the development, promoting private sector, knowledge based economy and industrial development where the government has allocated a total of Rwf1389.5 billion, covering 57% of the whole budget.
Government targets to create a total of 216, 217 new jobs, a process which will take Rwf46.7 billion.
On social welfare, the government allocated a total of Rwf668.2 billion, 27% of the budget. The government has allocated a total of Rwf401.5 billion, 16% of the to good governance sector.
At the same occasion, Ngirente also launched of National Research and Innovation Fund which is part of the National Strategy for transformation 2017-2024.
By discussing on how to promote collaboration between the academia and industry, Ngirente said that the symposium will complement the efforts of the Government of Rwanda in identifying key thematic areas and corresponding strategies to support Rwanda’s drive to knowledge based economy.
“It will also advise on how as a country, can efficiently build research and innovation capacity taking academia and industry collaboration,” he said.
On National Research and Innovation Fund, Ngirente said that the fund comes at moment in which Rwanda is working towards becoming a competitive knowledge-based economy.
“The fund will serve as a major research funding vehicle through which the government of Rwanda will support research and research based innovation activities,” he said.
Ngirente said that the rationale behind is to address key needs and tap into identified opportunity towards national growth and competitiveness.
He said that the government will continue to support research and technology with particular emphasis to link young innovators with the labour market.
The Executive Secretary of National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), Prof. Manassé Mbonye said that they have been encountering challenges during the research process, but is optimistic that the fund will solve them.
“There are activities that should be in place to be able to use technologies and skills in national development. We should have a good plan of our requirement,” he said.
He said that they need to conduct research on climate change for them to normalize agriculture among other sectors of the economy of the country.
They are, however, credited for promoting financial inclusion in Rwanda from 21% in 2009 to 92% with 40% in Umurenge SACCO alone in 2018, making Rwanda top Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Prof. Jean Bosco Harelimana, the Director General of Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA).
He told IGIHE on Tuesday that slightly over Rwf700 million is still missing from Umurenge SACCO’s coffers after recovering Rwf1,027,504,492, adding that 100 cases involving the cooperatives’ staff and accomplices are pending in courts while 25 cases have been tried since last year.
With 535 outlets, Rwf66 billion savings and Rwf12 billion share capital currently, Umurenge SACCO employs 3,029 people and 45% are women.
Prof. Harelimana said that the Central Bank (BNR) and RCA embarked on an inspection last year which has reached 169 Umurenge SACCO’s outlets, pointing out malpractices with 125 filed to courts.
“The inspection pointed out many challenges in Umurenge SACCO’s operations. There is a high rate of fraud and embezzlement; poor management of loan and other financial products; high rate of non-performing loans; mismanagement of members’ funds that leads to mistrust; non-compliance with laws, policies and internal guidelines in place,” he said.
Umurenge SACCO non-performing loans’ rate is at 16% now and stood at 12.9% in 2017 yet BNR allows a maximum of 5%.
Prof. Harelimana added that the inspection is behind the many cases reported last month whereby two former employees of Ndego SACCO were sentenced to eight years in prison and fined with Rwf9,767,420, two arrested for either embezzling or mismanaging Rwf55.3 million of Murundi SACCO in Kayonza District and two Nemba SACCO employees arrested for either embezzling or mismanaging Rwf15,811,500, among other cases.
Those currently facing the justice also include local leaders, other opinion leaders in their communities and two RCA employees for involvement in Umurenge SACCO’s malpractices.
{{Computerisation, cooperative bank as a solution}}
Reiterating the importance of Umurenge SACCO in promoting Rwandans’ welfare, Prof. Harelimana said the government has decided to improve their operations and management by making services computerised and creating a cooperative bank to oversee the outlets’ operations around the country.
“There are serious loopholes in the operations because SACCO’s services are using analog methods, with handwritten records. It is easy for the tellers to intentionally record Rwf500,000 for someone who deposits Rwf5 million and steal the balance. Making SACCO computerised will solve this problem and we want to start a cooperative bank by 2020 which we can’t have with the current manual operations,” he said.
He said that RCA and BNR are doing data screening in Umurenge SACCO to collect data that will help with the computerisation of operations which will see the outlets consolidated to allow members access services wherever they are in the country.
The plan has been there for long but Prof. Harelimana said that they were disappointed by the contractor who had to develop the software but has failed and RCA terminated the contract last week.
“We are looking for other people who will give us home-grown solutions for SACCO. Software development may take a year and we shall, thereafter, start to put them in all outlets in 2019 to make a way for a cooperative bank. I encourage all citizens to use SACCO products to improve their livelihoods. There is no shortcut from poverty to wealth; these micro-finance institutions are the way to go for those with poor means,” noted Prof. Harelimana.
He assured Umurenge SACCO members of the security of their funds because all financial institutions are insured and cautioned those trying to embezzle the cooperative’s funds, saying that they will face the law.
According to NEC, the process begins Wednesday 13th and runs until July 25th. It will take place starting 7:00am to 5:00pm.
For a potential independent candidate to be eligible to compete for a seat in parliament, according to the electoral code, they should have 600 signatures of voters supporting the candidate.
Members of Parliament elections are due September 2nd to Rwandans living abroad and September 3rd to those in the country.
For an independent candidate to be able to secure a seat in parliament, they should at least earn 5% of the votes of total voters.
Kagame is in Russia for the opening of 2018 World Cup ceremony.
According to Russia’s Office of the President, Putin said that he was pleased to welcome Kagame to Moscow.
“Our Foreign Minister has visited you recently. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. I am very pleased that we have this opportunity to talk about the development of our relations,” reads the statement by Russia’s Office of the President, the Kremlin.
“I hope you will have an interesting and pleasant time in Moscow during the 2018 FIFA World Cup”
Kagame thanked Putin for welcoming him and for the invitation to Russia as well as participating at the FIFA World Cup.
“I want to congratulate you also on Russian Independence Day as well as the hosting of the World Cup,” the statement reads in part.
“Also I am happy that our relationship has so far lasted over 55 years. I am happy about that and look forward to strengthening our relationship further,” Kagame said.
Kagame said that Rwanda had a very good visit by the Russian Foreign Minister, Mr Lavrov.
“He came with a delegation to Kigali. We are happy about that. We want to build on that momentum for strengthening our relationship which we want to continue to take further,” he said.
He thanked Putin for the support and the cooperation by Russia to different fields that are very useful and productive to the development of Rwanda.
“These are the areas of education, training, defence cooperation as well and other areas. And we are looking forward to having the private sector work in Rwanda and look forward to hosting some of them from Russia to see the areas in which we could do investment and business,” Kagame elaborated.
Titled the ‘NASRwandAir Limited’, the joint venture will be the exclusive lounge management company at Kigali International Airport (KIA), according to Tuesday statement released by a media relations’ consulting firm in Africa and Middle East, APO Group on behalf of NAS.
In the agreement, NASRwandAir is tasked with the construction and development of two new lounges at KIA.
The RwandAir Dream Lounge dedicated to the airline’s premium passengers and an arrivals’ lounge.
The venture will also take over management of the existing NAS Pearl Lounge in the departures area which caters to other airline passengers as well.
“The NASRwandAir Joint Venture is part of many initiatives RwandAir is putting in place to upgrade its business class service across its value chain, from dedicated areas at its town offices to fast-track and quality services at airports, upgraded amenities and full-flat bed seats in our wide-bodied aircraft,” commented Yvonne Manzi Makolo, Chief Executive of RwandAir.
“Business class passengers are extremely important to us and we have chosen to partner with NAS due to their track record in delivering results to premier customers,” she added.
The different lounges at KIA offer arriving and departing passengers an opportunity to relax, refresh and enjoy a meal before heading out of the airport or onwards to other destinations, the statement says.
For those wishing to catch up on work, the lounges are also fully equipped with Wi-Fi and business services. NASRwandAir will also extend meet and assist services to passengers at the airport allowing for smoother passage through check-in and immigration processes.
“By partnering with RwandAir, one of Africa’s fastest growing airline, we have reaffirmed our commitment to the aviation sector in Rwanda. Rwanda, as a country has demonstrated remarkable development and is an important geography for NAS in Africa. As we grow our footprint in the region, we continue to drive efforts to bring high quality international services into the country and further contribute to its growth,” said Hassan El Houry, Group Chief Executive Officer of NAS.
