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The 77.8km road linking the City of Kigali to the Rwanda-Uganda border of Gatuna was inaugurated yesterday.

Rehabilitation works on the road started in January 2012 and were completed in March at a tune of €62.1 million (about Rwf51.1 billion).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Gicumbi, yesterday, James Musoni, the Minister for Infrastructure (MININFRA), said the road will enhance the socio-economic transformation of the country.

He said, “This road is part of the efforts to connect Rwanda to the rest of the region. I think it has already started helping people in this area to improve their business cooperation with their Ugandan counterparts. This will enable our people to develop economically.”

“The completion of this road is a significant achievement in our regional integration process and cross-border trade as over 50 per cent of our imports pass through this road,” Musoni added.

Neven Mimica, the commissioner in charge of cooperation at the European Union headquarters in Brussels, said the refurbished road is an opportunity for Rwanda to boost business with the rest of the continent. The EU jointly funded the refurbishment of the highway with the Government of Rwanda.

“This road is part of the Northern Corridor. It does not stop only at Gatuna; rather it connects Rwanda with Kampala and Mombasa. I hope that it will play a key role in regional integration, in addition to improving business between Rwanda and its neighbours and reducing the cost of doing business in the country,” Mimica said.

“We will also provide another €20m grant to refurbish the Rusumo-Kagitumba road as part of our support for regional integration,” Mimica stated.

The Kigali-Gatuna road is one of the main routes linking Rwanda to the port of Mombasa in Kenya through the Northern Corridor.

Currently, 50 per cent of imports to Rwanda and Eastern DR Congo by road pass through the Northern Corridor (1700km) via the Kigali–Gatuna road.

According to MININFRA, the Kigali-Gatuna highway contributes to the economic development of the country by ensuring commercial exchange at the international level. The road connects to Burundi and the Congo.

The road’s average annual growth in future commercial traffic is estimated at eight per cent for light vehicles and four per cent for heavy goods vehicles, including 2-axle trucks, according to the ministry.

Gicumbi dwellers are optimistic that the revamped road will present enormous business opportunities.

Florent Mutwewingabo, a resident of Manyagiro Sector who used to smuggle banned brew from Uganda, said he would take advantage of the road to uplift his well-being.

“I am now 35; when I was about 20, I bought a bicycle that I used to transport goods from Gatuna to my village, Kabuga in Manyagiro Sector. But, after a few months, my bicycle got wrecked, which pushed me to engage in Kanyanga (illicit brew) smuggling and consumption. Having seen that Kanyanga was leading to recurrent conflicts in my family, I decided to give up the unlawful practice a year ago.”

“Now that the road is smooth, I will use my bicycle to transport goods from Gatuna to my shop, instead of paying someone else for the service.”

Jean de Dieu Kabera, a tea farmer in Manyagiro, said the previously pot-holed road had led to rejection of their produce at Mulindi tea factory.

He said, “sometimes our tea would be rejected due to dust. The buyers were telling us that it was too dirty and could not be processed lest it damage their machines. But since the road was refurbished, our tea is no longer being rejected.”

Of the €62.156 million used in reparing the road, €57 million was provided by the European Union, while the Government raised the rest.

The NewTimes

President Paul Kagame called malnutrition in the country a ‘self-inflicted’ challenge that needs leaders’ special attention.

He was speaking yesterday at the launch of the fourth edition of Rwanda Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey ‘EICV’ 2013/14 in Kigali.

The President stressed that failure to eliminate poor nutrition was a result of carelessness.

“I think, to some extent, this is out of our own carelessness, to some extent, self inflicted, and I have to tell our leaders here that we will have to pay attention to this; and make sure that we eradicate it because we have the tools to do that,” Kagame said.

The survey, commissioned by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), is compiled every three years.

It provides an update on the level of poverty focusing on poverty as measured in consumption terms.

The report also highlights other trend dimensions of living conditions captured in other surveys that complement and provide a holistic understanding of poverty and living conditions.

The findings showed that the prevalence of stunted children has gradually declined over time, to about 38 per cent in 2014/15, but malnutrition remains a significant challenge.

This, according to President Kagame, is preventable.

“I want to call upon you, and in some polite way, warning officials in charge to pull up their socks,” said Kagame.

“We see a lot of improvement in agriculture, you are aware of the cow per family, chickens running around in rural areas, you see vegetables, it’s about putting all that on a plate,” he added.

Officials vowed to embark on a similar overhauled study that will inform strategic means and approaches to have the issue resolved.

According to Finance minister Claver Gatete, fighting malnutrition will require credible measures that will supplement ongoing national projects that aim to fight poverty and eliminate malnutrition.

“There has been commendable implementation of one cow per poor family (scheme), we have also been supporting school feeding at the primary level but this is not enough for malnutrition. What we are going to do from here is to consult and see what kind of measures as government, institutions and local government can be used to eradicate malnutrition,” he said.

Similar research conducted earlier by the UNDP, however, indicated that although the government had strengthened programmes to eradicate the condition, more money was yet to be raised to implement poultry projects for families.

Under the programme, people are expected to keep two hens in their home for eggs that will supplement several other government programmes like one cow per family; one cup of milk per child per day ,both at school and home on top of (Agakono k’ Umwana), a traditional pot set aside for children’s food.

Commenting on this, Lamin Manneh, UN resident coordinator and the country director of United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), said there will be need to teach the science of nutrition to make families aware of what constitutes nutritious meals.

Manneh said Rwanda’s ongoing projects on poverty will, under all circumstances, ultimately eliminate malnutrition.

He expressed optimism that a factory to produce nutritious foods, which is in the pipeline, will significantly enhance efforts to fight malnutrition across the country.

The last Cabinet meeting endorsed the Rwanda Nutritious Foods Factory, a joint venture between the government and a private company which will produce nutritious food for babies, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

President Paul Kagame today launched the fourth Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV4), which indicates that the country’s GDP has over the past two decades more than quadrupled.

Addressing officials present at the launch, President Kagame said that the findings, which were compiled by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, confirm the stories that are heard from Rwandans from different corners of the country.

“(From the stories) you hear message of hope, not desperation. There are many problems to deal with but there is an opening into the future,” said the Head of State, saying that the good result as established in the report, should stimulate determination to achieve more, rather than satisfaction.

He also took note of the significant growth of the spirit of entrepreneurship in the countryside, saying that this is an indication that Rwandans can forge a bright future for themselves and their families without necessarily having to come to cities.

“Ten years ago, almost none of the poorest 20 per cent of Rwandans owned a mobile phone. Today one-third of them do,” he said.

The report, which indicates that poverty reduced to 39 per cent down from 44 per cent during the previous survey, shows Kicukiro District with the lowest levels of poverty while Nyamasheke has the highest.

The good progress registered by the country, according to President Kagame, is informed by policy-making that is based on evidence, calling upon Rwandans to sustain the journey of transformation.

The survey, which was conducted between 2013/14, largely provides an account of estimates of the level and pattern of poverty and living conditions in the country during the reporting period.

The NewTImes

The Police Advisor at the UN Department of Peacekeeping Missions, Stephen Feller, has commended Rwandan peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR) for their professionalism and commitment in bringing peace and stability to the country.

He delivered the message last Friday during his visit to the Rwanda – Formed Police Unit (RWA-FPU) base in the capital Bangui, where he was received by the contingent commander, ACP Gilbert R. Gumira.

He was accompanied by the Police Commissioner for MINUSCA Luis Miguel Carrilho.

Briefing the Rwandan police contingent, Feller noted that it was a “big honour and pleasure to count Rwanda FPU” among the MINUSCA peacekeeping force, which has “promoted professional conduct and patriotism.’’

“Rwanda is a country that brings expertise to the UN missions not only through excellent skills of the police officers, but also the rich human and cultural values Rwandan women and men possess,” Feller said.

“This peacekeeping task is a challenge and it comes with overcoming obstacles on a daily basis – and I am grateful that Rwandan FPUs work in partnership with the residents to ensure that their mission areas are secure and at peace at all times.”

Rwanda was the first country to deploy a contingent of 140 police officers in September last year under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in CAR (MINUSCA).

They have been credited with several initiatives including the introduction of Umuganda (community work) in Bangui, as a homegrown solution to some of the socio-economic challenges the country faces.

The NewTimes

Newly- opened University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) Rwanda is expected to integrate development strategies into the health sector.

Owned by Partners In Health (PIH), an international non-profit organisation, the university was officially inaugurated at a function in Kigali on Saturday with 26 students admitted for the inaugural master of science in global health delivery (MGHD) degree.

Over 160 students had applied to join the new higher learning institution.

The university is rooted in the principles of health equity, incorporating the latest advances in education technology, according to officials.

It will offer a two-year, part-time MGHD programme.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Minister for Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, who is also one of the senior lecturers at the university, said she was passionate about integrating development into the health sector.

“I am grateful that the term health equity is being used and applied which is a big step towards the development of the health sector in the country,” she said.

The university also intends to promote leadership, management and financial skills among students.

“The master of science in global health delivery programme will provide a one-of-a-kind learning experience fundamentally rooted in the principles of global health, epidemiology, global health policy, management, finance and leadership,” she added.

Dr Papias Malimba Musafiri, the Minister for Education, said he is optimistic the university will contribute towards the achievement of the country’s Vision 2020 in building science, technology and innovation.

“To unlock the continent’s potential, Africa must have well-trained science and technology professionals.

Leveraging opportunities in science and technology contributes to the building of capacities across sectors such as health, agriculture, trade and industry, infrastructure, environment and ICT, all of which are key to development,” he said.

Dr Paul Farmer, a co-founder of Partners In Health and one of the university’s lecturers, said it will take the institution a few years to become a world class university.

“Harvard University is one of the best universities in the world, but it took it 300 years to become the best. Given the level of development and resources that Rwanda has, I believe that we will live to see this university compete with the best universities in the world,” he said.

The private university is owned and operated by Partners In Health, and is supported by the Government of Rwanda, Harvard Medical School and several international experts.

Students will be taught by global health experts and will hold evening classes on Wednesdays and over the weekend. The schedule is meant to be friendly to working students.

Tuition fees for the MGHD will be $15,000 ($7,500 per year).

The first of two permanent UGHE campuses are under development in Butaro, Northern Province, according to officials.

The NewTimes

Rwandan teams have performed exceptionally well at the ongoing All-Africa Games taking place in Congo Brazzaville.

Cyclists have already struck gold in the men’s road race and bronze in the team time trial with the women’s beach volleyball side bagging bronze.

The men’s volleyball team has lost to Congo Brazzaville 3-1, but still stands a chance for a podium finish when they play the third place playoff today against the winner between Algeria or Egypt who are playing the next semifinal.

Cycling and volleyball are the two disciplines that have placed Rwanda on the sporting map.

The All Africa Games’ medals are a re-statement of the potential the country has in sports and with more support from the Ministry of Sports and Culture and local companies through sponsorship, a lot more can be achieved.

Rwanda is currently ranked sixth on the African continent in cycling behind Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Eritrea and Tunisia in that order, and all this is down to a project that started only eight years ago.

A keen eye on youth structures across the country and investment in facilities has played an important role in the success on display right now.

The cycling side trains all year round, from Monday, to Friday at the Africa Rising Cycling Centre in Musanze and continue their training programmes on the weekend at their homes when they are off to spend time with their families.

Both cycling and volleyball have brought on board expert coaches with massive experience from their earlier careers as players.

Jonathan ‘Jock’ Boyer, the first American to ride at the prestigious Tour de France in 1984, has played a very important role in getting the best out of the team, while Paul Bitok, the coach of the national volleyball side, has done a tremendous job to get Rwanda among the top five countries on the African continent in the last four years.

Their success has attracted sponsorship from local companies like Cogebanque and Skol for cycling sparking the creation of the Rwanda Cycling Cup that has unearthed talent from across the country.

More support from all stakeholders could make Rwanda a powerhouse on the continent.

The NewTimes

Rwanda National Police officers board a UN plane at Kigali International Airport en route to South Sudan, yesterday, for a one-year tour of duty under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Some 170 police officers were seen off by Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, Dan Munyuza. The contingent, headed by ACP Rogers Rutikanga, will be based in Malakal County, located about 500km north of the capital Juba. (Courtesy)

The NewTimes

The Supreme Court today accepted a petition from the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda to hear a case in which the party accuses the Government of breaching the Constitution by participating in the process that seeks amendment of Article 101 of the supreme law to allow President Paul Kagame a chance to run for another term in office.

The court set September 23 as the date for the hearing.

Green Party wants the Supreme Court to rule against the ongoing efforts to lift term limits from the constitution.

The petition was filed after more than 3.7 million Rwandans delivered petitions to both chambers of parliament asking it to initiate the process to lift the two-term restriction from the constitution.

Presiding judge Immaculée Nyirinkwaya said the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to handle petitions related to the constitution and could not delegate that role to any other institution.

Both chambers of parliament have since approved the proposed amendment to the constitution and paved the way for the establishment of a constitutional review commission.

The NewTimes