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At least 15% of the 15th intake are female

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye officiated the pass-out ceremony held yesterday and gave the new officers the rank of Police Constable.

The pass out ceremony was also attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza, Governor of the Eastern Province, Fred Mufurukye; Commissioner General of Rwanda Correctional Services, George Rwigamba; Prosecutor General, Richard Muhumuza; Secretary General of Rwanda Investigation Bureau, Col. Jeannot Ruhunga; and Deputy IGPs; Juvenal Marizamunda of Administration and Personnel and Felix Namuhoranye of Operations, among others.

“We are here today not only to support our Police but also to acknowledge and cement the existing relations and partnership. The parade, smartness, equipment, the men and women matching before us come from us to ensure peace, security and freedom, which lays a firm foundation for development and our country’s transformation,” Minister Busingye said.

He added: “There’s time when security was at its lowest; crimes against humanity, discrimination and ethnicity were the definition of work and governance in our country. The unity, security, peace, and development we have today were achieved at a cost of sacrifice, putting lives on the line and patriotism.”

Minister Busingye highlighted that security is guaranteed today while crimes are at the lowest like never before noting that this is how it should be and the way of life.

He observed that RNP’s participation in peacekeeping continues to define the country’s image on the international scene.

With about 1200 Police officers in various peacekeeping missions across the globe, Rwanda ranks the second Police contributing country and first female contributor.

“To Police officers graduating today, a lot is expected from you to supplement this journey of defining the safety and dignity of our country through teamwork and partnership with other Police officers and Rwandans to fight and prevent crime,” Minister Busingye said.

He thanked them for joining RNP to serve their country and for the resilience, sacrifice and commitment throughout the course, but challenged them not to engage in any malpractice that tarnish the image of RNP.

Minister Busingye pledged the country’s commitment in skills development of officers through training both locally and in other countries, and acquiring hi-tech equipment to ensure quality policing services

The Minister further acknowledged the force’s role in the country’s development through its human security programmes as well as empowering Rwandans through community policing to be custodians of the law.

Through the RNP human security programme, the force constructs roads linking communities, shelter for vulnerable families, provides medical insurance to the disadvantaged, plants trees as part of the country’s environmental protection programme, and has so far donated solar power system to about 4000 households located far from the national grid.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Vianney Nshimiyimana, the commandant of PTS, said that the Police Basic Training Course equips participants with use of arms, homeland security operations, peacekeeping, use of technology in crime investigation, law, community policing, disaster response, drills, physical fitness and other policing related duties.

The commandant also thanked the trainees for their discipline, respect, teamwork and resilience throughout the course.

He also thanked the government for support in quality training programmes.

The Presidential Order determining modalities for consolidation of memorial sites of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi for better preservation was issued on 27th May 2019.

The order stipulates that memorial sites for the Genocide against the Tutsi are permanent and shall not be moved. However, if deemed necessary and for their better maintenance, memorial sites for the Genocide against the Tutsi may be merged.
Under the said Presidential Order, when memorial sites for the Genocide against the Tutsi are consolidated, depending on specific history of a site from which a memorial has been moved, a sign reminiscent of that history must remain at the site.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), Dr Bizimana Jean Damascène has told IGIHE that the intention is to keep well-preserved memorials holding history and having enough space that can facilitate students to learn easily.
“There are some memorials built by individuals yet genocide memorials normally belong to the Government which preserves them. The Government wants to keep memorials that can be well-maintained forever within available means to preserve such history,” he said.

The agreements were held yesterday as President Tshisekedi hosted President Kagame and President João Lourenço of Angola Tshisekedi who were in DRC for national mourning ceremony of his father.

According to a communiqué released by DRC presidency at the end of the three leaders’ meeting discussions revolved around strengthening cooperation between the three countries.

The communiqué also stressed the importance of inviting other regional heads of state to the tripartite axis in order to find ways to eradicate the phenomenon of Congolese and foreign armed groups and other questions related to security of the states.

They also agreed to revive efforts to promote peace and security through the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), an inter-governmental organisation made up of twelve countries in the Africa Great Lakes region.

ICGLR member states include Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The three presidents also agreed to further promote efforts to expand economic exchanges and trade in line with the need for regional cooperation and development.

Prior to the tripartite meeting, President Kagame was welcomed to the Presidential Palace in N’Sele by President Tshisekedi and First Lady Denise Tshisekedi.

DRC forests are home to Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) for over 20 years.

Within five year tenure, Tshisekedi is expected to revive DRC, Rwanda relations especially disarming armed groups.

Towards the end of 2018, Rwanda’s prosecution issued arrest warrant for Kayumba Nyamwasa and other ring leaders of rebel groups known as P5 or RNC organizing their activities in DRC forests to threaten Rwanda’s security.

The threat of non-state armed groups in the Great Lakes region remains active, with DRC’s forests still hosting both Congolese and foreign terrorist groups that threaten state and regional security.

The groups include Rwandan terrorist group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which is comprised of remnants of the genocidal forces that killed more than a million Rwandans during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Through collaboration with FARDC, the national army of the Democratic Republic of Congo, some FDLR commanders including Laforge Fils Bazeye, FDLR spokesperson and chief spy Lieutenant-Colonel Abega have been arrested and sent back to Rwanda to face justice.

They were arrested last year returning from Uganda in a meeting intended to threaten Rwanda’s security.

The medal is in recognition of their outstanding contribution to peace, safety and security in world’s new nation.

Those decorated include a female dominated Rwanda Formed Police Unit Three (RWAFPU-3) contingent of 160 officers deployed in June last year, and 27 officers serving as Individual Police Officers (IPOs).

The medal parade ceremony held in RWAFPU-3 based camp in the capital Juba was presided over by the UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of Secretary General (DSRSG), Mustapha Soumare.

The ceremony also attended by UNMISS Deputy Police Commissioner Brig Gen. Mutasem Aljadid Almajali, South Sudan Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), Lt Gen. James Pui Yak among any other high-ranking officials.

Mr. Soumare thanked the Government of Rwanda for the continued commitment to international peace and empowering women to be part of peacekeeping.

“Rwanda is the largest contributor of female police peacekeepers, which is a pride,” Mr. Soumare said.

He added: “Today, we recognize and thank Rwanda’s contingent of 160 police officers and 28 IPOs for their selfless service with UNMISS, I commend your dedication and commitment in one of the most challenging peacekeeping in the world.”

“The collective efforts of both Rwanda FPU and IPOs are essential to the success of UNMISS. It’s remarkable and a pride to see women standing with their brothers, an evident that your response to this appeal has been nothing short of world leading” he said.

In her remarks, RWAFPU-3 contingent commander Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Teddy Ruyenzi thanked His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda for “believing in women and to contribute a female FPU, and for having confidence in us.”

“We also thank the UN for recognizing the essence of women participation in peacekeeping operations and accepting the deployment of RWAFPU3 with a big number of female officers,” ACP Ruyenzi said.

She recognized the support, encouragement, cooperation and guidance rendered by all stakeholders to enable them fulfill their tasks.

RWAFPU-3 undertook varied peacekeeping responsibilities including providing security and protection to VIPs, ensuring safety and security for two civilian camps as well as supporting humanitarian activities.

Other special assignments include bio-metric registration and escort of primary and secondary school students from camps to Juba town for national examinations, and responding to security incidents.

Present in the courtroom were judges, prosecution, local and international media.

The prosecutor asked for remand of Sankara on account of 16 alleged crimes.

He was escorted by his defense lawyer Moise Nkundabarashi.

These include forming a rebel group, terrorism, murder, kidnap, genocide denial, arson, armed robbery, using forged documents, causing bodily harm intentionally, inciting hatred against the Government of Rwanda, developing foreign relations to launch a war among others.

The prosecution also alleged that FNL he was representing as spokesperson carried attacks in Southern Province killing nine and injuring 19 people.

The suspect pleaded guilty to all the charges

On attacks in Nyaruguru district carried by FNL, the terror group he was involved with and holding the title of spokesperson, Sankara accepted to have ordered attacks on public installations and security organs but claimed that he never ordered attacks on civilians.

Sankara regretted his involvement in the group that killed civilians.

“I apologize before the court and to all people affected by the attacks. May deceased people rest in peace. I also extend my apologies to Rwandans and the President of the Republic,” he said.

Sankara pleaded guilty on all charges and apologized to Rwanda and the President of the Republic for killings committed by the rebel group they had formed.

“I would like to acknowledge all committed crimes and apologize. Because as an intellectual in the field of law I am aware of the benefits and consequences of complicating and facilitating the judicial process. I am not ready to defend unfounded truths. There are crimes committed publically that even birds in trees can testify to. Thank you,” said Sankara.

His defense lawyer, Nkundabarashi Moise said his client made statements on alleged crimes and asked for his release on bail.

During the hearing, the prosecution asked that the accused be remanded considering a number of reasons including the fact that he would tamper with evidence.

The court pronounced the ruling will be read on 28th May 2019.

Sankara was arrested on 13th April 2019 but Rwanda confirmed his detention on 30th April 2019.

He was paraded before the media for the first time on 17th May 2019 at the headquarters of Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).

Kanyankole is accused of soliciting for and receiving illegal benefits in order to offer a service and favoritism when he was the CEO of BRD between July 2013 and December 2017.

The prosecution launched an investigation against him in 2017 leading to his arrest on 2nd October 2018 when his file was sent to court.

Kanyankole and co-accused Kalema Juvenal have appeared in Nyarugenge High Court for trial on alleged crimes.

Kanyankore appeared in court with his three defense lawyers including Butare Godfrey, Umulisa Alice, and Rukangira Emmanuel while the co-accused Kalema was represented by Gariyo Eric.

The trial started around 9 am when the judge asked Kanyankole and his defense lawyer to provide explanations on favoritism related to the loan worth USD $ 3,433, 200 offered to Trust Industries in 2017.

Kanyankole explained that by the time he joined BRD in 2013, the bank had 25% shares in the plant which had received loan three times.

It is said that the previous loans were used by the plant to buy machinery. When Trust Industries sought another loan, credit analysts said the plant was not qualified.

BRD as one of the shareholders with responsibilities to advice partners requested the bank to seek the loan from other banks which also denied offering the loan for various challenges. Following the failure, BRD offered the loan.

The prosecution alleged that it was illegally approved by Kanyankole.

Kanyankole has explained that there was no favor for the plant because he offered a loan that has to be refunded and done to protect the interests of the bank as a shareholder.

The prosecution explained that according to the bank’s regulations, a loan beyond Rwf 600 million has to be offered after its assessment by a team of credit analysts and handing it to the CEO of BRD. The CEO also has to present the proposal to board members for approval.

The prosecution alleged that the procedure was not respected because Kanyankole never presented the report to board members but rather released the loan immediately. The prosecution said this serves as evidence pinning Kanyankole for favoritism charges because he offered services that are not shared to other clients seeking loans.

Me Rukangira said that the prosecution doesn’t explain clearly if failure to comply with regulations of loan delivery relates to favoritism.

He asked the court to acquit his client that there was no favoritism while offering the loan because the case didn’t implicate two plants competing for the loan. Me Rukangira said the prosecution doesn’t show the loss incurred by the loan offered to Trust Industries.

On the other hand, Karema co-accused with Kanyankole for receiving illegal benefits in order to offer a loan to Good Harvest and Primary School denied receiving gifts saying they are forged accusations.

Karema’s defense lawyer, Gariyo Eric said his client should not be a victim of forged accusations and requested his acquittal.

The prosecution said provided explanations are enough to pin Kanyankole and requested the court to hand Kanyankole seven years sentence and pay Rwf 100 million fine. The prosecution also requested that Karema be handed five-year sentence and pay Rwf 100 million fines.

After hearing both sides, the court announced that the ruling will be read on 13th June 2019 in Nyarugenge High Court.

Cape Town is ranked first in Africa. Last year, Kigali was ranked third behind Cape Town and Marrakesh.

ICCA represents the world’s leading association in handling, transporting and accommodating international meetings and events.

The rankings, which were released by the ICCA on 13th May 2019, are based on the number of association meetings taking place regularly (annually, biannually), rotating between at least three different countries and with at least 50 participants.

Last year, Kigali hosted 26 association meetings. The association meetings organized by Rwanda included several high-level conferences such as the 4th Gender Summit that was held in March, the Mo Ibrahim Governance Weekend held in April, the GSMA Mobile 360 Series Africa held in July, the meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics held September, the Africa Smart Grid Forum held in October and the International Conference on Family planning that was held in December 2018.

Rwanda is currently hosting over 3,000 delegates attending the Transform Africa Summit 2019 as well as the Africa Public Relations Association Annual General Meeting.

Reacting to the new ICCA rankings, the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Convention Bureau, Nelly Mukazayire said: “We are happy to note the new rankings and we are working incredibly hard on attaining an even better position through hosting even more association meetings. We believe that identifying and working with our local associations will help Rwanda perform better in ICCA rankings in the years to come.”

Rwanda recorded 38,745 delegates in 2018, up from 28,308 delegates in 2017.

Tourism is the country’s largest foreign exchange earner and MICE is playing a significant role in its growth, bringing in 20% of all tourism revenues.

Mukazayire said ‘MICE tourism contributed USD $56 million in 2018 and this year, we intend to increase it to USD $88 million.”

Commenting on the ICCA report, the Rwanda Development Board Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel Hategeka said: “These rankings are proof that our MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) strategy is generating value to Rwanda and act as an incentive to do even more.”

“ With close collaboration between Government and the private sector, Rwanda has been able to establish its self as a safe, secure MICE destination of choice due to deliberate enabling environment and investment in world-class MICE venues, accommodation facilities, connectivity options and open visa policy among others,” he added.

Rwanda is a preferred MICE destination due to its simplified visa process that allows nationals of every country in the world to get a visa on arrival in addition to its easy accessibility due to the multitude of flight options offering connectivity to Kigali and the rest of Africa through the national carrier Rwandair.

The presence of the range of world-class MICE venues such as the Kigali Convention Centre, the Kigali Conference, and Exhibition Village and the newly opened Intare Conference Arena, as well as the soon to be opened Kigali Arena continue to enhance Rwanda as a top MICE destination.

After the visit of Faure Gnassingbéwa of Togo to the recovering head of state recently on 7th May 2019, other expected visitors that have been announced including Mali president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and others who will head for Gabon on 8th June 2019 as the country marks 10 year-anniversary since Omar Bongo Ondimba passed away.

The visit will be a reinforcement of relationships with Gabon as president Ali Bongo Ondimba is recovering from a stroke. The latter returned to his country in January 2019 after opposition coup plot to dethrone him failed.

As announced by Jeune Afrique, President Keïta will visit Gabon after Ramadhan month.

The latter was a close friend of late Omar Bongo Ondimba and he once served as an ambassador to Gabon with residence in Ivory Coast between 1992-1993.

The Equatorial Guinea president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was also supposed to visit Gabon president on 9th May 2019 but postponed to unknown date following the death of his brother Antonio Mba Nguema who breathed his last in a hospital of Johannesburg, South Africa.

The office of the Gabon Presidency has not announced when Ali Bongo will resume office but highlighted that preparation of more visits are underway given that Ali Bongo Ondimba is the chair of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC).

Other expected heads of states include president Macky Sall of Sénégal and his counterpart of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.

The award was handed to Rwanda’s ambassador to Egypt, Sheikh Habimana Saleh during the closing ceremony of the International Festival for Drums & Traditional Arts on 27th April 2019.

The festival organized for the 7th time was held in different places including Saladin Citadel building in Cairo between 20-27th April 2019.

It attracted over 15,000 participants from different countries including Poland, Nigeria, Greece, Egypt, Mexico, Jordanie, Colombie, Armenia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Burundi, India, Saudi Arabia, Guinée Conakry, Sénégal, China, Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunda, Sri Lanka, Syria, and Palestine.

President Kagame was honored for his contribution to African Union Chairmanship in 2018.

During his President Kagame’s African Union chairmanship in 2018, the organization attained several achievements including the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) signed in Kigali in March 2018 that was ratified by 44 countries at the outset.
In November 2018, Kagame launched Africa Peace Fund with initial savings of USD $ 60 million and expected to reach $400 million by the year 2021, and possibly end decades of Africa’s dependence on external sources to maintain its own peace and security.

The award granted to president Kagame was signed by Egypt Sports Minister Dr. Enas Abdeldayem and artiste, Intesar Abdel-Fattah who launched the festival in 2012.

The book launch took place at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village [KCEV].

‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’translated as ‘I, the Last Tutsi,’ is a 187-page book featuring real-life experience the author endured during the genocide which left him orphaned after losing family.

Habonimana who was 12 during genocide saw his relatives killed in his face. During the genocide, he lived with Interahamwe and went with them as they attacked and killed Tutsi on different occasions.

He was born in former Mayunzwe sector, Tambwe commune in Gitarama Prefecture currently in Ruhango district, Southern Province.

He starts the book with a narration of how genocide began in the area ten days after killings of Tutsi had started in other parts of the country.

In the book, the author recalls names of victims killed on the hill in the area called ‘Nzaratsi’ currently nicknamed as ‘Calvary hill’ reflecting an old man Sebuyonde Leonard who was killed on it and put on the cross.

The author narrates how they kept hiding until Interahamwe took them to be killed at the Calvary hill.

This is where he got inspiration calling the first part of the book ‘Calvaire’ (Calvary).

Habonimana currently has 4 children. His father Célestin Ruhigira and his uncle were killed in before him while his mother Odette Mukankuranga and brothers were thrown in a toilet in his presence.

Habonimana dedicated part of pages of the book with a song as a way to reflect how his parents loved and trusted God.

“I reserved a large part of the book for a song because many of them were Christians and went to Heaven. My mother had faith in God in her life. She was thrown in a toilet singing ‘Nyiribambe ndaje unyakire’ (I am coming to you Merciful God) and ‘Nimukomere bagaragu ba Nyagasani’ (Be strong servants of the Lord) songs,” he told participants of the book launch.

“My mother had a Holy Bible. They deprived her of the Bible before she was thrown in the toilet. I got extreme sorrow because I wished she would die with her bible” added Habonimana.

On 64 and 65 pages, the author talks about the rape of women and depicts Inkotanyi as a soldier who sacrificed his life to stop it.

Habonimana said writing the book was meant to help future generations understand the history of the country.

“I will depart but testimonies will always exist. I preferred to write as a potential a living testimony to be used by the world in future centuries. I am sure that Charles will live forever because of the book,” he revealed.

Habonimana decided to write history after meeting Daniel Le Scornet in France when he was invited to provide testimonies.

Daniel Le Scornet from France in Argenteuil, author of different books including ‘Bisesero, Les Héros de la Résistance’ said that it was possible to stop genocide. “I know that French soldiers were present but did not intervene at the right time when their support was needed. There was a possibility to stop genocide,” he said.

Inspiration for the name ‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’

Habonimana got inspiration of the book’s name ‘Moi, le dernier Tutsi’ from the fact that he survived amidst being on the list of targeted Tutsi to be killed.

He said that on 23rd April 1994, Clotilda the wife of teacher Gerard became the first Tutsi killed in Mayunzwe.

The author explained that he lost his entire family on 24th April and left with her sister Uwanyirigira Yvonne.

After killings became intense in the area, his family fled to a friend called Kanyamashokoro but nieces of the host called Interahamwe to kill them.

“We were taken from the home to the Calvary hill. They killed my father and uncle with a truncheon hit. After seeing that I asked them to kill me at once with a machete hack. That request made me the last Tutsi. Sebuhuku who led Interahamwe during attacks said ‘I find someone we have been looking for. You remember that we agreed to find a female and a male Tutsi to be kept and killed later appropriately, hang them so that future generation will know how a Tutsi looked like’, ”recalled Habonimana.

Habonimana, 36, was the only one who survived at the Calvary hill and was taken by the leaders of Interahamwe attacks for domestic work.

The author thanked RPF Inkotanyi soldiers for rescuing him and asked everyone to take part in making Rwanda a safe country.

His book starts with portraying Rwanda as a hopeless country and concludes portraying the resilience journey and rebuilding of Rwanda.

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG), Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana said others should emulate the initiative of Habonimana to write history on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and other persecutions endured before the genocide.

Moi, le dernier Tutsi is written in French and was released on 21st March 2019 in a ceremony that took place in Paris. It is expected to be translated into other languages to reach a wider audience.

The book is currently available at Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi and in Ikirezi Library at a cost of Rwf 18,000.