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Traffic month: Kaboneka calls for responsible road use

Local Government minister Francis Kaboneka has called on all road users and motorists, in particular, to have a collective responsibility to ensure sustainable road safety by respecting traffic rules.

Kaboneka delivered the message, yesterday, in Kicukiro District, where he officiated at the launch of the countrywide ‘Road Safety Month-2015,’ which is running under the theme, “Respect Traffic Rule: Save Lives.”

“Intense awareness activities calling for responsibility of road users, coupled with strong enforcement of traffic rules are required to change the way roads are used. There is need to disseminate more information about road safety programmes to overcome any form of ignorance that may be dangerous for road users,” Kaboneka told hundreds of residents, who turned up for the exercise.

He said the country’s development agenda is hinged on safety and security, thus, there is need to prioritise road safety education with a focus on challenges like drunk driving, speeding, negligence and driving cars with mechanical faults, which are among the major causes of road accidents in the country.

The event was also graced by the Mayor of Kigali City, Fidel Ndayisaba, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana, senior Police officers and associations of drivers, among others.

IGP Gasana noted that ensuring road safety is not a one-day event but should be a daily routine for road users.

“We cannot let accidents be part of our daily lives. That is why we consider awareness on road safety as a continuous process and not a once-a-year event. Police implemented a comprehensive plan of action to reduce road accidents by involving residents through community policing and ensuring professionalism of traffic officers,” Gasana said.

“As we aspire for a sustainable and peaceful country, let every road user promote self-discipline as their duty to the nation.”

Police statistics show that at least 200 people died and more than 300 were injured in road accidents between January and June.

In general, 34 per cent of the victims were drivers and passengers, 30 per cent pedestrians, while motor and peddle cyclists contributed 23 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.

The majority of the accidents were due to speeding, reckless driving, and using phones while driving.

‘Protect the youth’

Elsewhere, in the Western Province, the Minister in the President’s Office, Venancie Tugireyezu, also echoed the same message, but challenged leaders and elders to protect the youth as the future leaders of the country.

“You must respect Traffic Police at all times as they represent the law; violating their instructions is literally violating the laws. This is a moment for us to reflect on traffic rules; every citizen’s life is a treasure and very precious to the country, we cannot afford to lose a single life, we should always ensure safety of each other,” Minister Tugireyezu told residents of Nyabihu District.

Similar events were conducted in Eastern region (Kayonza District) presided over by the State Minister in charge of Transport, Alexis Nzahabwanimana, Northern region graced by the provincial executive secretary, Deo Kabagambe and Deputy Commissioner General of Police Stanley Nsabimana, while in the Southern Province, the event, held in Kamonyi District, was presided over by Governor Alphonse Munyentwari and the Deputy IGP in charge of Administration and Personnel, Juvenal Marizamunda.

The officials and Police officers engaged road users on road safety tips.

The event in all regions was marked with establishing and painting Zebra crossings, putting stickers with road safety message on vehicles and motorcycles and a road safety awareness walk.

The road safety month is an occasion to sensitise the public to become responsible road users, educate pedestrians on traffic rules and regulations and it will be enhanced by media programmes and community policing activities.

Special attention will be given to school children who will be educated and given road safety tips.

The NewTimes

September 8, 2015
Tourism takes centre-stage in week of Kwita-Izina fete

Preparatory activities in the run-up to Saturday’s 11th edition of the annual Kwita-Izina festival (gorilla naming ceremony) have kick-started in earnest.

The tourism flagship event has grown steadily over the years and has seen prominent dignitaries, celebrities and key tourism players attend the annual ceremony.

As part of the activities, last evening, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) was due to launch a wildlife exhibition at the Kigali Public Library that will run until September 6, while a community library in Bisate, Northern Province, constructed in partnership with Karisoke Research Centre and the Revenue Sharing Funds was also launched.
Other activities include a high level forum on wildlife conservation to be held in Kigali today. The conference is expected to include a business-to-business meeting (B2B) between local tourism operators and their international counterparts.

The main event, to take place at the foot of Volcanoes Mountain range in Musanze, Northern Province on Saturday, will feature Igitaramo, which is usually marked by Rwandan traditional dances, story-telling and cultural performances.

Tourism business partners such banks, community shops and tour operators in the Northern Province are also expected to exhibit at the event.

A Kwita-Izina tennis tournament and ‘Crazy Night of Gorillas’ event will also feature.

Genesis of Kwita-Izina concept

Traditionally, Kwita-Izina is a Rwandan ceremony of naming a newborn.

In a bid to raise awareness at the national and international levels about the protection of the mountain gorillas and their habitat, the former Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) launched the annual gorilla naming ceremony in 2005.

The ceremony’s main goal is to help monitor each individual gorilla and their families in their natural habitat. The naming ceremony was created as a means of bringing attention about the importance of protecting the mountain gorillas and their habitats in the Virunga Mountains in the north of the country.

Over the years, 189 gorillas have been named.

The names are important in the process of monitoring each individual gorilla in their families and habitat.

According to official documents, “since 2007, tourism has been the leading sector in foreign exchange earnings for the country.”

The government seeks to grow tourism revenues by 25 per cent per annum as projected in the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2.

Significance of Kwita-Izina

According to official documents, gorilla tourism is the country’s top foreign exchange earner.

In 2005, gorilla tourism fetched $26 million, but showed a sharp increase in 2011, bringing in revenue of $252 million.

Visits to the gorillas have also increased significantly over the years. In 2005, ‘gorilla tourists’ numbered about 10,500; however, the number has grown over the years to about 23,400 people in 2010.

Gorilla visits have created employment opportunities in the Virunga national park in form of guides, trackers, and anti-poaching agents.

A few private tour operators also offer community-based tourism activities such as village walks, banana beer production, and volunteer opportunities in local communities.

Contribution to tourism

Among other things, Kwita-Izina being the flagship tourism event has increased the sector’s relevancy remarkably.

Tourism generated $293.6 million in 2013, compared to $281.8 million in 2012, an increase of 4 per cent.

The industry continued to grow in 2014, when it generated $ 304.9 million, becoming the country’s largest foreign exchange earner.

A report published in April in this year showed an increase of 4 per cent in 2014 from $293.6 million generated in 2013.

Official documents show that 2014 had an additional 97,000 visitors, bringing the total number of visitors to 1.22 million, compared to 1.12 million visitors in 2013.

According to the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration, revenues from tourists who came into the country accounted for about 10 per cent of the tourism sector’s total revenues in 2014.

European tourists increased by one per cent, but American and Asia Pacific tourists decreased by 6 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, official figures show.

Other income-generating tourism projects include eco-tourism, mountain climbing, bird-watching as well as historical and cultural museums, among others.

Revenue sharing

Since 2005 when Kwita-Izina event was introduced, over Rwf800 million has been spent towards supporting various projects which benefit communities around the park, including infrastructure development such as construction of classrooms and distribution of water in communities, according to Prosper Uwingereri, the National Volcanoes park warden.

The money was also used to support vulnerable people, most of them who used to be poachers and were a threat to the wildlife.

The money from what was dubbed ‘revenue sharing’ between the Government and area residents – 5 per cent of what tourists pay – is used to support various projects which benefit communities neighbouring the park.

Uwingeri said local residents also are supported under various cooperatives, ranging from farming to arts and craft.

He also said RDB works with partners to support communities around the park.

The success of tourism has put Rwanda at the forefront of progressive conservation of natural resources. More efforts are also being put in conference tourism as the implementation of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) strategy continues to take shape.

Facts about kwita-izina

The gorilla naming ceremony was launched in 2005.
Over the years, 189 gorillas have been named.
According to official figures, gorilla tourism is the country’s top foreign exchange earner

September 3, 2015
Quest for cashless economy gets boost with electronic card fuel pump refill service

The Government’s efforts to promote a cashless economy and electronic digital payment systems have received further boost with the launch of a new campaign, “Fuel up with visa card,” to promote the use of digital cards in fuel purcahse at pump stations across the country.

The campaign, launched at Societé Petrolière (SP) in Rugunga, Nyarugenge District, yesterday, allows motorists with visa credit, debit and other prepaid cards to access fuel from Mt Meru, Engen, Source Oil, SP and Hash pump refill stations.

The initiative, according to Francois Kanimba, the minister for trade and industry, would help promote efficiency and a cashless economy.
It could also play a critical role in reducing the risk and cost of transaction, thus making the industry more profitable, the minister added.

“As part of the campaign, we will reward the first 1,800 motorists who embrace the initiative and will continue to work with all the stakeholders to ensure that the vision of driving digital payment systems is a reality,” Kanimba told The New Times.

The number of debit cards has increased by 22 per cent in recent past from 532,157 in June last year to 654,349 in June this year.

Equally, credit cards, according to central bank, increased by about 135 per cent, from 1,562 to around 3,675, during the same period.
Maurice Toroitich, the KCB Bank Rwanda managing director and chairperson of Rwanda Bankers Association, said increasing the number of card holders will help promote a proper functioning of money markets across the country.

“Embracing electronic payment systems does not only enhance efficiency but also creates more business opportunities through increased trade volumes and proper data collection and management systems,” said Toroitch.

However, he expressed concern over lack of a strong awareness campaign to promote digitisation of banking systems among consumers.

Lucy Mbabazi, the Visa Rwanda country manager, said such campaigns are a win-win undertaking for both the consumers and service providers requiring only incentive to keep the momentum.
Mbabazi said the initiative will see customers rewarded with up to five litres of free fuel for every Rwf20,000 worth of fuel consumed using visa card.

“We want to make paying for fuel and other commodities at fuel stations as convenient as possible,” she said.

Fuel dealers welcome the initiative

Claudien Habimana, the managing director of SP, said using visa cards and other credit cards will help reduce the risk of cash management on retail sites as well as make the industry more competitive.

“The ultimate profit from such a campaign is better fuel management systems that will reduce on the cost of transactions, thus growing the industry,” Habimana said.
The government is looking for partnerships with the private sector to increase revenue from oil and petroleum products.

The plan is to increase the capacity of the country’s fuel reserves while strengthening its involvement in petroleum and other related products re-export business, serving neighbouring countries, including Burundi and DR Congo.

September 3, 2015
Kagame Holds talks with Episcopal Conference of Rwanda

President Paul Kagame over the weekend received a delegation of the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda led by the council’s chairperson Bishop Smaradge Mbonyintege.

According to a statement from the Office of the President, the meeting discussed how to strengthen collaboration between the Church and government, in order to improve the wellbeing of Rwandans.

“The President commended the Catholic Church for the long standing relationship and pledged continued government support,” reads part of the statement.

The Catholic Church, which has invested in health and education, runs 131 schools, 105 health centres and nine hospitals across the country.

Mbonyintege doubles as the Bishop of Kabgayi Diocese.

The delegation also included Archbishop Thadee Ntihinyurwa (Kigali), Bishop Philippe Rukamba (Butare), Bishop Jean Damascène Bimenyimana (Cyangugu), Bishop Célestin Hazikimana (Gikongoro), Bishop Servilien Nzakamwita (Byumba) and Bishop Vincent Harolimana (Ruhengeri).

Established in 1980, the council is the official assembly of all Catholic Bishops in Rwanda and is comprised of nine dioceses; Kigali, Kabgayi, Butare, Gikongoro, Cyangugu, Nyundo, Byumba, Ruhengeri and Kibungo.

July 20, 2015
Rwanda: Is ADEPR meddling in Political Affairs

Throughout this week just ending, this website has reported a series of events chronicling the case of the request for the revision of the Rwandan constitution.

All Rwandans even the International community just knew that the Rwandan Parliament passed a green card to change the constitution, a step that will give President Paul Kagame the right to be a Presidential candidate after 2017.

The parliamentary vote came after millions of Rwandans petitioned the parliament requesting the constitutional amendment as they want Paul Kagame to remain their president despite the end of his mandate in 2017.

Among those who submitted their requests include ADEPR Church.

Can a person be astonished to see a religious institution mingling in the political affairs like ADEPR did?

IGIHE’s reporter met with the coordinator of the evangelical activities of the ADEPR who just responded to this question regarding their take on the revision of the Constitution of Rwanda:

“Nobody can say that ADEPR meddles in political affairs because a person is said to intrude in the case when he is not part of that case. But here National Politic also looks at the religious institution “, Pastor Ruzibiza Viateur told IGIHE earlier this week.

Politics concerns us all

Ruzibiza explained that politics is not far from the religious institutions.

He said ADEPR works in different sectors which include Development, Evangelization, Leadership, social and many others.

Ruzibiza added “ADEPR has no problem with the state because the later does not preclude our belief.”

“We also support the vision of the president of the Republic because many of what is enshrined in that vision also are included in our duties as church, for instance to support needy people among many others.” Said Ruzibiza.

July 18, 2015
Crystal Telecom Ltd listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange

Crystal Ventures, with the approval of the Rwandan Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE) started the trading of Crystal Telecom Ltd shares on Thursday, July 16; the market price per share was Rwf145.

Jack Kayonga, Chairman of Crystal Telecom Ltd said “This is an opportunity for those who missed out on the initial offer to purchase shares of Crystal Telecom and therefore indirectly own a share of MTN Rwanda, our largest and most successful telecom operator’.

The Executive Director of the Rwanda Capital Market, Robert Mathu said the capital markets are an ideal source of long term funds and has urged other companies in the country to seek long term funding from the capital market.

He stressed that “The capital market promotes efficiency in capital formation and allocation; it provides the platform that enables companies to raise capital for financing new projects.”

Celestin Rwabukumba, CEO of the Rwanda Stock Exchange (RSE) said “This being the first private sector offer in Rwanda, we look forward to the impact that the trading will have on our stock exchange. Investors who missed out on the first offer may now engage authorized selling agents.”

Subsequent to the close of its IPO offer period on June 5th, the offer was fully subscribed with over 2,300 orders totaling in excess of 123% of the shares on offer.

July 16, 2015
Rwanda’s Economy to grow by 7.4% in 2016

KIGALI, July 15, 2015 – In the new Rwanda Economic Update (REU) launched today, the World Bank projects an economic growth rate of 7.4% in 2015 and 7.6% in 2016. With the projected growth rates, the World Bank projects Rwanda’s poverty rate to decline from 63% in 2011 to 54% in 2016, thus moving approximately one million people above the poverty rate.

Rwanda’s growth rate recovered from 4.7% in 2013, the lowest growth since 2003, to 7.0% in 2014, the report says. Private and government consumptions led the recovery, which is reflected in the accelerated growth of the services sector. However, fiscal policy has become less expansionary in recent quarters. On the other hand, developments of the monetary sector have been supportive to the economy. Bank lending has recovered to the pre-aid shortfall level. “Low inflation rate and appreciation of real effective exchange rate (i.e., exchange rate adjusted by inflation and relative importance of trading partners by trade values) is favorable for the accommodative monetary policy to support the economy through financing” says Yoichiro Ishihara, Senior Economist and Task Team Leader of the report.

Analyzing the possible impacts of the oil price decline on Rwanda’s economy, the report observed positive impacts in both inflation and imports. Transportation prices (including gasoline) declined by about 4%, which brought down the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI). On energy imports, prices started to significantly decline in November 2014, resulting in energy import values drop of 20-40% until April 2015.

According to the report, for Rwanda to achieve high and sustainable growth, the medium term investment is critical. Although Rwanda’s GDP investment of 24% is slightly higher than the average of low/medium income countries, it is still mostly financed by foreign savings, including aid. Increasing domestic savings in the next several years is difficult. It is therefore imperative to find alternative domestic and external financing sources. “Workers remittance and foreign direct investment are potential sources, as they have steadily increased without significant volatilities in the past several years” says Carolyn Turk, Country Manager for Rwanda.

The development of the financial sector in Rwanda is essential in financing development, for two reasons. First, the financial sector contributes to economic growth and government revenues and supports the mobilization of domestic savings, especially through improving access to finance in the medium to long-term. Second, the financial sector facilitates domestic and foreign debt financing and investments and access to international capital markets.

While commercial banks are still the most important source of financing in Rwanda, their investments are constrained by the maturity of their liabilities, which consist mainly of local short-term deposits. “As the banking sector has limited capacity to provide long-term financing, domestic, regional, and international institutional investors, such as pension and insurance funds, are natural candidates for investing in long-term projects” says Gunhild Berg, Financial Sector Specialist.

Source: World Bank

July 16, 2015
U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues expected in Rwanda

The U.S. Department of State has announced that Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell will be in Rwanda at the end of her travel to Asia and Africa.

The State Department said in a statement released Monday that Catherine Russell will travel to Asia and Africa from July 16 – 27.

Ambassador Russell will accompany Dr. Jill Biden on a trip to the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, and Laos from July 16 – 22 to focus on a range of issues related to women and girls, including women’s economic empowerment and girls’ education.

She will then travel to Kenya from July 23 – 25 to participate in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, which will include a day focused on youth and women entrepreneurs.

While in Kenya, Ambassador Russell will meet with entrepreneurs, investors, and members of civil society to discuss how to economically empower women and address the unique challenges women often face in starting and growing a business.

Ambassador Russell’s trip will end in Rwanda from July 26 – 27.

She will visit the State Department-sponsored WiSci Camp for girls that focuses on science, technology, engineering, art and design, and math (STEAM).

As part of the Let Girls Learn initiative, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, the three-week camp will bring together 120 adolescent girls from eight African countries and the United States to learn valuable skills in the STEAM fields.

The girls will practice analytical problem-solving and creative, critical thinking while immersed in a rich cultural exchange.

July 14, 2015
Rwanda ranked 7th most efficient government globally

Rwanda has been ranked the eighth most efficient government globally in the Global Competitive Report 2014-2015.

The latest report, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on its website, puts Rwanda ahead of Malaysie, Switzerland and Luxembourg, which are placed eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.

The report ranked the Qatari government as the most efficient, followed by Singapore in second place and Finland in third.

Other governments that made it to the top 10 are Hong Kong (fourth); the United Arab Emirates (fifth) and New Zealand (sixth).

The WEF evaluates the efficiency and competitiveness landscape of 144 of the world’s governments based on, among others, the wastefulness of government spending, burden of regulation and transparency of policy-making, to produce an overall global ranking.

“The efficiency of government has a significant bearing on a country’s competitiveness and economic growth.

“Excessive bureaucracy and regulation, a lack of transparency, and inadequate legal frameworks all impose additional costs on business and impede expansion,” the report said.

The report ranked Venezuela as the least efficient government globally, below Italy, Argentina, Lebanon, Libya and Croatia.

The other countries ranked in the top 10 least efficient governments are Angola (seventh least efficient), Chad (eighth), Mauritania (ninth) and Serbia (10th).

July 14, 2015
MasterCard foundation to award students’ scholarship to Rwanda

Rwanda is launching a partnership with the Mastercard foundation whereby the latter will be sending its beneficial students to study in Rwanda.

“We have been sending our children to study abroad. We want now to study a framework where the Mastercard foundation can award their beneficiary students with scholarship to study in Rwanda,” has said Albert Nsengiyumva, State Minister for Technical and Vocational Education in Rwanda.

Nsengiyumva said, Rwandan schools have got required quality to host international students.

This partnership was part of the discussion between Reeta Roy, CEO and president of the MasterCard Foundation and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame at village Urugwiro today.

“We have realized that this country has ambitious targets in both education and financial inclusion and we want to bring our contribution in these domains,” has said Roy.

Mastercard Foundation was founded in 2006 in Toronto, Canada to create education opportunities and financial inclusion in developing countries, mostly in South Saharan Africa.

Valued at $ 10 billion worth of assets, the Foundation has committed $ 50 million for Rwanda since 2014, for education, access to finance and entrepreneurship.

Of this sum, $12.3 million will be spent on a-10 year scholarship project, under the Forum for African Women Educationalist- Rwanda (FAWE).

It intends to enable 1,200 girl students from vulnerable families to complete quality secondary and university education.

Over $ 5 million is dedicated to provide secondary school students from poor communities with technical skills for the next 3.5 years. The project will be implemented under Akazi Kanoze, an initiative which supports youth entrepreneurship.

Also, $ 7.5 million intends to equip the youth in rural areas with agricultural skills, while $ 4.3 million will help facilitate access to finance and training of smallholder farmers.

While meeting the president, Roy was accompanied by MasterCard Foundation Board members, including Jendayi Frazer, the former US secretary of State for African Affairs.

Stay Tuned Africa

July 13, 2015