Speaking to IGIHE, the City of Kigali Council chairperson, Athanase Rutabingwa said that Nyamulinda submitted his resignation letter yesterday citing personal reasons.
“It is true, he cited personal reasons. City council shall meet soon to deliberate on his resignation,” he said.
Nyamulinda was elected by councilors including the Council of City of Kigali, representatives from districts and sectors within Kigali.
He took office in February 2017 replacing Monique Mukaruliza who was appointed the Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Zambia.
Kagame was speaking Tuesday in Kigali while presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed State Minister in Charge for Economic Planning in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Dr. Claudine Uwera, the Secretary General of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Col. Jeannot Ruhunga and the Deputy Secretary General of RIB, Isabelle Kalihangabo.
The Head of State assured new leaders on cooperation.
He reminded them on better performance of their responsibilities towards attaining their targets.
“When activities are not going well, we, as leaders should remind one another to work for improvement. Moreover, we serve Rwandans, when we don’t perform well, in a way that responds to people or the country’s expectations, people face challenges and this should not happen,” he said.
“I just want to remind leaders who already had responsibilities and others who are newly appointed to understand that we envision working towards benefits all Rwandans,” he said.
The head of State said that though there might be some imperfections, there should be limitations.
“Though you can’t get ten out of ten, it happens because we are human being, but there is a certain standard that we should not go below, for us like people who experienced the history of struggle we all know, we should continue to make people think in that way,” he said.
Dr. Uwera was appointed to MINECOFIN last week replacing Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana who was elevated to Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. Ndagijimana also replaced Amb. Claver Gatete who was appointed the Minister of Infrastructure.
Col. Ruhunga and Kalihangabo were appointed Monday to head the new formed investigation body, Rwanda Investigation Bureau.
The heads of the new investigation bureau were announced yesterday in a statement released by the office of the Prime Minister.
Ruhunga, a Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) senior officer holds a Master’s degree of arts in International Studies from University of Nairobi, Kenya.
He also holds a Master of Arts in Governance and leadership acquired from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in 2011.
He attended different courses from different countries across the World where he got diplomas and certificates in Criminal Justice, Criminal Investigation, intelligence and Counter Terrorism.
Prior to new appointments, Ruhunga served in different positions including being Military Judge, Lecturer of Criminology at the Institute of Lay Adventists of Kigali (INILAK). He also served as the Director of Criminal Instigations (J2 RDF), and Commissioner of Intelligence at Rwanda National Police since 2005 to 2009.
Ruhunga also served as the Commanding Officer of Maintenance Battalion Acting Chief (J4 RDF); Directing Staff at RDF Command and Staff College- Nyakinama and the Directing Staff Kimaka Senior Command and Staff College (Uganda) on EAC Directing Staf Exchange Program.
Since 2015-2016, Ruhunga was the Chief Instructor at RDF Senior Command and Staff-Nyakinama.
Until new appointments, he was the Acting Chief J2 at RDF headquarters.
The Deputy Secretary General Kalihangabo had been the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice since 2014.
She served in different positions like Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Legal advisory services in the Ministry of Justice since 2007 to 2014.
Kalihangabo also served as Judge to the High Court of the Republic since 2004 to 2007, and Judge to the Supreme Court, in the Department of the GACACA Jurisdictions which are responsible of the trial of the 1994 genocide presumed perpetrators since 2000-20004.
She holds a Master’s Degree in International Business Law from Queen Mary University of London which she got in 2012
RIB will be supervised by the Ministry of Justice.
As stipulated by law, the body has the mission of preventing and pre-empting criminal acts by identifying and investigating all kinds of physical or cyber-attacks.
RIB will also conduct investigations intended to identify, stop and dismantle existing or emerging criminal acts and cartels whose activities threaten or may threaten the country, people and properties.
The handover ceremony took place at the Prime Minister’s Office between Evariste Rugigana the new Director of Cabinet in the Office of the Prime Minister and outgoing Odette Uwamariya.
Alphonsine Mirembe who had been the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, replaced by Doreen Kagarama also handed over and will be taking on services of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry in the Office of the President.
The new officials were appointed by President Paul Kagame last week.
Ngirente thanked Uwamariya with who they entered in the Office of the Prime Minister together in August last year.
He said that in past seven months, they performed several tasks together and made great strides in their responsibilities.
“When the government appoints you to serve the country, you serve it with your heart and determination. I thank her commitment to the job. There were very many tasks accomplished including coordination of activities, coordination of government programmes, collaboration with Ministries and parastatals. I thank her for the good show of performance,” he said.
Ngirente also thanked Mirembe, the outgoing Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, who received and guided the Prime Minister, Uwamariya and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Marie Solange Kayisire that were new in their respective offices. He said that she guided them in new responsibilities.
“We used to ask her everything and told us the way business is conducted. All activities went well and we wish her success in new responsibilities,” he said.
Uwamariya thanked the partnership in the team saying that in short period she served in the position, they attained several milestones especially in coordinating government programmes among other activities.
She tasked her successor Rugigana to ensure follow up on the completion of new Ministerial complex that will house Prime Minister’s Office and other ministries among other activities.
Rugigana had been working in the Prime Minister’s Office as the Economic Advisor in the past ten years. He promised to use his experience to deliver.
On his second day in Rwanda, Grandi met President Paul Kagame and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and East African Community Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo.
Through his twitter account Grandi said “I have learned much from my refugee experience”: Africa has in President Paul Kagame a visionary leader who understands the importance of innovative solutions to forced displacement. Grateful for an inspiring discussion with him and Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo.”
He also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial Center and paid tribute to over 250,000 victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi laid to rest there.
“Profoundly humbled to be in Kigali during the commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi. We must do everything in our power for this never to happen again anywhere in the world,” reads his twitter message.
{{Visit to Congolese Refugee camp}}
Yesterday, Grandi visited Gihembe Refugee camp in Gicumbi District. The camp hosts a number of Congolese Refugees.
Grandi who arrived in Rwanda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is expected to visit Burundi.
Speaking to the media yesterday in Gicumbi, Grandi said that he is visiting the region to look at diverse refugee situations and see how they can better respond to their needs.
“I’m visiting this region to look at various refugee situations and see how we can better meet the needs of the refugees, but also of the host countries and most importantly how we can find solutions for the problems of refugees,” he said.
In Gihembe refugee camp, refugees raised different issues including insufficient food rations, poor access to medication, dilapidated houses and access to education among others.
The UNHCR boss said that they are going to experiment new approaches like talking to World Food Programme about food. He said that they think that there’s need to increase the capacity for refugees to be self-reliant.
“They have been in this country for more than 20 years, and I think the time has come for them to have access to employment and of course to national services,” he said.
“To do that we need to strengthen national services, it is unfair to ask Rwanda to host these people and not to give enough support to the country. So, this is another purpose for me to be here,” he added.
Grandi said that for these refugees to return in their home country (DRC), UNHCR need to discuss it with DRC and Rwanda.
While in Congo he said, he discussed the matter with DRC President, Joseph Kabila. He said that it is important for people to return in their country, not only these in Rwanda but also Congolese Refugees in Zambia, Angola, Burundi and Tanzania.
“I told them that they have to create conditions on the ground that is secured as there are many security problems in Eastern DRC. We need to address these problems so that the people abroad can go back, which is what many of them want to do,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the AUC chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed the commission’s solidarity with Rwandans during the commemoration.
“We mark our solidarity with Rwanda and its people, we note that this solidarity was sorely missing when it was highly needed,” he said.
“I would like to highlight why we are here today, let us all be driven by the imperative to remember to draw lessons from our failure to prevent the Genocide, but also to remain vigilant at all attempts of revisionism,” he urged.
Mahamat said that there is a need to unite in paying respect to the victims and express the solidarity with the survivors.
“There is urgency to renew our determination that never again shall we allow such tragedy to occur,” he said.
He said that currently, Rwanda has succeeded because it sought and picked solutions from challenges faced.
Mahamat hailed the government for efforts in making reconciliation possible.
“I would like to pay tribute to the Rwandan government and people for making reconciliation their motto and the unity of the country the remedy to hatred. Rwanda has succeeded beyond all expectations,” he noted.
At the event, they also lit a light of remembrance
Kagame was speaking Saturday at Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre while opening the Mourning Week and the 100 days of commemoration of the 19994 Genocide Against the Tutsi.
The event was attended by different government officials, representatives of different missions in the country and representatives of survivor associations.
In his remarks, Kagame said that Rwanda will not stop commemorating atrocities that took place in the country 24 years ago.
He said that when history is revealed, people continue to understand the truth.
“The truth is necessary to found on towards development. We remember the truth, and those who don’t remember look down on it, but the truth will remain there,” he said.
“This is the 24th time we commemorate, but, it seems like the first time. Commemorating is to start afresh as we remember our nature, families, lives and the country; when we commemorate we go back in these times,” he reminded.
The Head of State said that commemorating remind Rwandans to face their history and noted that commemoration reminds Rwandans that when they don’t watch out same history could re-occur. He said that there are things need to be done to avoid re-occurrence of such history.
“Commemoration reminds that we Rwandans should take a lead in solving own problems. We own our history and our problems. Commemoration reminds us that bad history could come from away or others support us to cause it,” he said.
Kagame said that the history reminds Rwandans that foreigners could participate in falsifying them.
“What we could do is to continue to strengthening our institutions, economy, security and unity as we continue to construct Rwandan society. We should not get held by bad history,” he urged.
He added that the country continue to leave bad history behind through rebuilding, capacity building and development.
The event marking the beginning of the Mourning Week and the 100 days of commemoration is attended by President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame where they laid wreaths on mass graves.
Different officials attended the event alongside diplomatic missions representing their respective countries in Rwanda.
Also the representatives of genocide survivors organisations laid wreaths unto the graves.
At Gisozi, President Kagame and first Lady Jeannette Kagame lit a torch of hope.
Kigali Genocide Memorial is resting place to over 250,000 genocide victims.
This year’s commemoration is taking place under the theme “Remember, Unite, Renew”
The events continue with remarks from different officials.
Musoni was recently reported in a scandalous adultery incidence where he allegedly impregnated another man’s wife and wrecking the entire family.
In a statement signed by Prime Minister, Dr. Eduard Ngirente, President Paul Kagame replaced Musoni who has rarely appearing in public since the scandal was reported.
Gatete who replaced Musoni was also replaced in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) by former state minister for economic planning in MINECOFIN, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana.
Kagame also appointed Dr. Claudine Uwera, the State Minister for Planning in MINECOFIN; Evariste Rugigana the Director of Cabinet in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Also appointed is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry in the Office of the President, Alphonsine Mirembe; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Doreen Kagarama.
Yvonne Makoro was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of National Career, RwandAir.
Also appointed is Charles Karakye, the head of Government Action Coordination Unit (GACU) in the office of the Prime Minister; and Michelle Byusa teh Vice-head GACU in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Vrooman was appointed as envoy to Rwanda last October, replacing Erica Barks-Ruggles who had been in Kigali since December 2014.
He was sworn-in as new US ambassador to Rwanda on March 26. During his swearing-in, Vrooman said that he will work towards the strengthening of bilateral relations between both countries with an agenda focusing on inclusive education and activities promoting women and girls.
Vrooman has extensive diplomatic experience in the region. Prior to the new appointment, he served at the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia, as deputy Chief of Mission from July 2014 to August 2016 and as Chargé d’Affaires from September 2016 to July 2017.
