Speaking at the event on Thursday, Ngirente said that the Government of Rwanda decided to eradicate stunting because of its negative impacts on sustainable development. He said that studies show that stunted children tend to be at greater risk of illness and death.
“The launch of this multi-sectorial programme on combating stunting includes three projects that will target districts with highest stunting rates in Rwanda and accelerate reduction of stunting,” he said.
The programme will play role in increasing coverage of high-impact health and nutrition intervention in 13 districts with high stunting rates.
Nyabihu district has the highest stunting rates with 59% of children have stunted growth.
Ngirente said that ending stunting requires cross-cut partnership and called on parents to embrace early childhood development programmes, family planning and awareness about first 1000 days of childhood.
He pledged government support to families with children who are highly affected by stunting.
“We shall not cease unless this problem is completely terminated. Rwandans achieved many things that were quite complicated. Terminating stunting will not conquer us,” he noted.
World Bank Group Country Director, Yasser El Gammal said that through good partnership with the government of Rwanda, they will continue to collaborate in fighting malnutrition which causes stunting.
“We believe that Rwanda will make it, as Rwandans have demonstrated that what is impossible elsewhere is possible here,” he said.
In April, Rwanda and World Bank signed additional funding of $23 million (about Rwf19 billion) for the project to fight malnutrition among children.
This was announced by the RCS Commissioner General, George Rwigamba yesterday when the Ministry of Justice and affiliated institutions were discussing the 2018-2019 Budget Framework Paper with the Parliamentary National Budget and Patrimony Committee.
He said that there is need to beef-up RCS force for greater efficiency. Based on international standards, Rwigamba said that one prison guard protects 20 inmates, or below that number, but, in Rwanda there are no exact numbers because prisons receive many inmates.
“We do not have standardized number because inmates increase against constant numbers of officers. Today, there’s order in correctional facilities because of the way we structured security and services inside prisons with reference to local administration structure,” he explained.
Rwigamba said that though in prisons they have administrative entities like sectors, Cells and villages which help providing quick response to problem that may arise, the small number of guards still affects them.
“This administrative process doesn’t solve the problem of guards shortage, they are very few, they don’t have time to rest based on different services like escorting inmates to court, hospital and in prison’s daily activities. Guards from day shift also return during the night, and that is their daily routine,” he explained.
He said that they are preparing to receive 287 new prison guards in July, but, the number is too low to solve the existing problem.
In December 2017, RCS revealed that Rwandan Prisons had a total of 64,757 inmates with 1694 prison guards.
Born in Bugesera District and now a second-year student in Civil Engineering Construction Technology at the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC Kigali), Nzirorera says he developed a passion for construction during his childhood and pursued it in secondary school.
With the encouragement of the college for innovation, Nzirorera found his skills insufficient to do anything new in Rwanda’s construction sector. He started online courses with Archystore in Madagascar in April 2017 and later with Harvard University in the United States. He did Lumion software and Twinmotion, the world’s best rendering tools.
Nzirorera, then, opened Golden Construction and Designing Ltd (GCD) in February 2018 and recruited a supporting team of seven including professionals and students in different construction-related fields.
“Something new I have brought into Rwanda’s construction sector is the use of walkthrough animation that Rwandans are currently looking for abroad. No one else is doing this here and if there is any, they are weak because all local big projects should not be going to foreign firms,” said Nzirorera.
“I am able to deliver any building design like Kigali Convention Centre and other world-class buildings wherever they might be in the world. I want to do more courses to improve skills about designing other structures like airports and stadiums. Meanwhile, I am trying to raise funds for redeeming my completion certificate at Harvard University.”
IPRC Kigali’s Vice-Principal for Academics and Training, Eng. Jean Claude Benimana, told IGIHE last week that the college decided to support Nzirorera with offices and a good computer because they found his work as important.
“We found his activities very important and decided to support him as we usually do for other students who show good ideas for implementation. We even want him to share skills with other students. We haven’t done yet a thorough evaluation of his work especially because that software he uses is not what we teach here,” said Eng. Benimana.
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In addition to some residential buildings, Nzirorera’s GCD Company has delivered a project of a world-class tennis stadium which is set to be the best in the East African region, according to Eng. Valens Habimana, the Secretary General of Rwanda Tennis Federation (RTF).
Located in IPRC Kigali in Kicukiro District, the tennis stadium project is owned by RTF and Workforce Development Authority (WDA).
“Nzirorera designed four tennis pitches in our first phase of tennis stadium. The second phase he also designed is about other facilities at the stadium such as lodges to host people who will be attending international competitions in Kigali. I found a talent in him especially because I am an engineer. He first showed me what he does and I showed him the project we had and I was surprised to see how quickly he understood it. That way of walkthrough animation he uses to demonstrate the design is really important,” said Eng. Habimana.
He said the first phase of the stadium has been completed at a tune of Rwf90 million and the federation is raising the funds for the second phase.
“When we presented the project in the presence of Rwandan ministers and officials from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) a fortnight ago, they admired it and promised to support it. I presented the project and even foreigners were amazed to hear that a Rwandan can design such a project and put it in a self-explanatory way of walkthrough animation. It looked new to many,” noted Eng. Habimana.
“We have other Rwandans who can design that project but they don’t have those good ways of demonstration which doesn’t require the presenter to explain a lot. They do design but in our other ways.”
Other ways of demonstrating architectural designs include 3D and physical models which show a building in drawings while the objective of walkthrough animation is to give the object the physical properties as it would exist in the real world.
Nzirorera says the biggest challenge he is facing is about convincing people on what he can do because many say that they are designs he just copies from South Africa or other developed countries while others don’t believe that someone as young as him can deliver a great project.
“Others still question the skills of someone who acquired courses online. They think no one can be as competent as the one who physically attends the campus. I am trying to convince people by all means including developing designs that nobody is going to pay,” he says.
Nzirorera plans to keep expanding skills, offer training to Rwandans and make up a big team of competitive professionals who can design master plans of cities in Rwanda and abroad.
The multi-million dollar plant is being constructed in Special Economic Zone where the first phase will be completed in 18 months.
The biotech industry will have a diverse portfolio of over 100 essential medicines that will include general medicines and consumer healthcare products.
In the first year of operation, the plant is expected to employ over 100 local staff for them to be able to acquire skills and expertise about pharmaceuticals production.
Speaking to IGIHE, Health Minister, Dr. Diane Gashumba said that Rwanda imports 90% of drugs used in the country. She said that the plant will help the country close the gap for importation of drugs which costs much money.
“Drugs which will be produced here will be cheap and of better quality. The plant will also provide jobs to many people and facilitate availability of drugs on time. It happens that shipping drugs takes longer or some drugs get out of stock before ordered consignments are delivered to us,” she said.
She said that the plant will produce different varieties of drugs including antibiotics, pain killers, malaria drugs, tuberculosis drugs and HIV/AIDS antiretroviral drugs among others.
“They will produce all these types of drugs, but, they will need to follow international standards,” she added.
Gashumba said that every year, Rwanda spends at least Rwf30 billion to import, stocking and distributing drugs to different health facilities across the country.
“We spend at least Rwf25 billion for buying drugs. If we had more local plants, we would reduce the cost of imports,” she added.
Ministry of Health says that currently, four plants have expressed interest in producing pharmaceuticals in Rwanda.
Apex Biotech Ltd Managing Director, Dr Masroor Ehsan said that they will produce quality drugs as they will have decent quality testing measurements which follow international standards.
Rutagungira, a Rwandan citizen, was kidnapped by Ugandan security operatives in August this year, and held incommunicado at Mbuya military barracks for months where he was subjected to all sorts of torture before he could be produced to court.
Incarcerated at Makindye Military Prison, Rutagungira is jointly charged with eight other people including police officers in connection with kidnapping the former bodyguard of President Paul Kagame in 2013 who was extradited to Rwanda and sentenced to life imprisonment.
In a letter to the Country Representative of the UN Human Rights, the family through Kiiza and Mugisha Advocates, accuses Uganda’s security agencies of torture.
The lawyers’ letter shows that Mr Rutagungira has been denied visitation rights from his family, lawyers and medical personnel, a situation that has worried his family about the state of their relative.
“We therefore invite your good offices to take solid interest and strongly intervene in the matter so that you firmly demand an end to the said torture and other violations against the said Rene Rutagungira,” the letter reads in part.
Addressing journalists in Kampala, Mr Eron Kiiza the lawyer representing Mr Rutagungira explained that the move to seek the intervention of UN office followed the denial of the military court to hear his client’s application.
“Our client’s visitation rights have been denied yet the other suspects are allowed. His relatives, children, wife and lawyers have been blocked from accessing him at the prison and we believe this is a violation of his personal liberty and it is very painful for them,” Mr Kiiza said.
According to the petition, Rutagungira was arrested in August last year by soldiers attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) who subjected him to physical and mental torture including solitary confinement and death threats among other violations.
With the new destination, RwandAir will operate four times a week.
RwandAir’s 75-seater Bombardier CRJ-900 NextGen which made the career’s maiden flight landed in Cape Town last week.
Kigali-Harare-Cape Town is the 26throute of Rwanda’s career in Africa, Europe and Asia.
RwandAir has had Harare flights four times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
RwandAir South Africa Country Manager, Thembela Dladla said that opening Kigali-Harare-Cape Town route has been so long planned as Cape Town is destination sought by everyone on the continent.
Last year, RwandAir started London, United Kingdom flights and plans to enter Israel, New York, United States of America and Guangzhou, China skies in 2018.
The Official Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape (Wesgro) Chief Executive Officer, Tim Harris welcomed the introduction of new route saying that it will benefit Cape Town.
“We welcome the introduction of the direct route from Kigali via Harare to Cape Town. Not only does this facilitate improved business and tourism between the two Capitals, but further positions the Cape as a gateway to Africa,” said Tim Harris.
In a press release, the Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan Winde said that the route opens new opportunities for business and tourism sector.
“This route opens up new opportunities for business and the tourism sector. Rwanda is one of the fastest growing economies on the continent and Zimbabwe holds a lot of potential for development and we hope that by opening up access between Cape Town, Kigali and Harare, it will be easier to explore these possibilities,” Winde said.
RwandAir enters Cape Town few days after the Government of Rwanda and South Africa committed to revitalize the relations. When South Africa’s President Cyrill Ramaphosa was in Kigali in March for the signing of Continental Free Trade Area, he agreed to address challenges of visas for Rwandans entering South Africa territory.
Gatete was speaking yesterday in a press conference that revolved around the damage of Gatuna-Gicumbi-Kigali road and the process to restore normal traffic flow.
He said government assessment has established that repairs to damaged infrastructures will cost the government a total of Rwf24 billion.
“We assessed all damages and established that since we started experiencing heavy rains in November last year, infrastructures have been damaged and their rehabilitation activities will cost government Rwf24 billion. Facilities that require rehabilitation include; electricity infrastructures, building houses for families whose shelters were destroyed by the disasters,” he explained.
“We are mobilizing the funds; but the process does not stop with activities related to these infrastructures. People are being supported and roads are being rehabilitated, the activities are being done as we also prepare for the next rain seasons,” he added.
He said that over Rwf5 billion will be allocated to activities which need direct intervention like supporting people who have been affected by disasters.
The government needs Rwf9 billion to repair national roads and Rwf13 billion for feeder roads and bridges.
The 63km road will link Rulindo and Burera Districts and will be connected with that from Musanze District to Cyanika Boarder Post.
Speaking at the signing ceremony yesterday in Kigali, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana said that the road will ease business in the region, transportation and tourism.
“It will help us in transportation of goods, business and the flow of people. There are development activities that will use the road, like Butaro Hospital. In the region, there is construction of Global Health Equity (UGHE), it will be easy for people who will need these services,” he explained.
The road is also expected to facilitate tourists visiting touristic sites in Burera District and business people in cross-border trade.
Exim Bank Regional Head, Tarun Sharma who was representing the Government of India in the signing ceremony said that his government is proud of continued contribution to the development and welfare of Rwandans through project financing.
“We are happy to sign this loan; the vital subject for us is that all projects lead to the economic development and welfare of Rwandans. Project selection in Rwanda started from energy, agriculture, vocational skills and today is transportation,” he explained.
Base-Butaro-Kidaho construction works had started, but, the country continued to mobilise funding for finalization.
The State Minister in charge of transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye said that after getting financial means, the next step is to look for a contractor so that construction works will start in November 2018, to be implemented in a period of two years.
The loan recovery will take 25 years at an interest rate of 1.5%. Loan repayment will commence in five years.
Uwizeye said this on Tuesday while speaking to the media shortly after the discussions with Parliamentary National Budget and Patrimony Committee on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 and Budget Framework Paper 2018/2019-2020/2021 with Parliamentary National Budget and Patrimony Committee on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 and Budget Framework Paper 2018/2019-2020/2021
Kagame pledged different activities to people including roads, hospitals, and industries among other infrastructure.
Uwizeye said that since 2010, Kagame made a total of 312 pledges. Currently, a total of 248 have been implemented, 45 are under underway while 19 are yet to start.
She said that financial constraints hamper quick implementation of presidential pledges, but noted that they give them particular consideration.
“Pledges by president which are yet to be implemented were delayed by country’s modest financial means. There are many things which need money, but, we do our best to prioritise those pledges. When they are not attained in such fiscal year, we do our best to accomplish them in the following year,” she explained.
“The majority of 19 remaining pledges are in next fiscal year, the few remaining are caused by financial means, but we keep them in mind. We wish that they will all be completed in 2019-2020 fiscal year,” she added.
Worth Rwf1 billion, construction works for the facility was completed in November last year and official inauguration ceremony took place yesterday.
The launch of the facility coincided with the launch of the Integrated Maternal-Child Health Week which focuses on hygiene and nutrition.
Speaking at the event, Minister Gashumba said that the government has embarked on construction of health facilities near people, so as to avoid travelling long journey seeking health services.
Gashumba is optimistic that the facility will help reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.
“This facility is equipped with new materials for neonatal and maternal wards services, we believe that when medics serve with commitment and embrace good services delivery, the facility and materials will help reducing maternal deaths,” she said.
The facility has 100 patient beds and well-equipped room for premature babies.
Gisenyi Hospital Director, Lt Col Dr. William Kanyankore said that the facility will help reduce congestion in maternal wards.
“On a daily basis we receive less than 20 expectant mothers, those who undergo natural birth get discharged the same day, but those who endure C-section can spend five days, so as this facility is capable to receive 100 patients, we will no longer get challenged with space issues,” he explained.
In the hospital, patients have been so long claiming the shortage of patients’ beds.
