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  • Five year ICT plan in services sector underway

    Plans to improve the services sector through the National Information and Communication Infrastructure (NICI) programmes are in progress. This was announced during a one-day conference that brought together officials from the Ministry of ICT along with stakeholders in the information technology sector at Umubano Hotel today.

    The plan follows the first and second NICI’s programmes, which dealt with environment and infrastructure, respectively. The Permanent Secretary in the ministry of ICT, David Kanamugire, highlighted that the plan would give a principle guide towards the country’s ICT programmes in the next five years, adding that the plan would also improve service delivery.

    “We want to make learning easier in schools, for instance, through the use of latest technologies like online studies. In banks too, we want to improve the network connection where one would conduct their transactions at ease, Mutuelle de santé should be automated where a patient can access their medical history in any health centre,” he remarked.

    He encouraged the private sector to work closely with the government in implementing some programmes since they also benefit their business. Kanamugire, however, noted that capacity building matters a lot saying that the private sector’s role was needed.

    “An investor in Kirehe District, for instance, can manage an IT centre and then the government would assist in maintaining the computers,” he alluded.

    Among the main clusters to be considered during the third NICI includes development of skills in ICT, and equipping the private sector with knowhow that enables competitiveness through new technologies. Community development would also be essential especially in transforming societies through improved access to information and services. This also goes hand in hand with e-government, which improves operational efficiency and service delivery.

  • Rwanda becomes first African country to provide free cervical cancer vaccination

    Rwandan girls aged 12 to 15 years have become the first in Africa to receive free vaccination against cervical cancer, while older women aged 35 to 45 will be screened and treated for the same.

    The initial three year comprehensive integrated cervical cancer prevention programme will be facilitated by MERCK, a research institute, which came up with the vaccine. the institute will work closely with QIAGEN staff who will conduct screening services in order to offer treatment among those affected.

    Speaking shortly after launching the campaign at Kanyinya Primary School in Nyarugenge District, the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, noted that Rwanda was proud to be the first African country to roll out free Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination for girls and screening for women. This is unlike other African countries where the vaccine is unaffordable to the majority due to high costs.

    She further advised that in order for children to maintan a high immune system, it was necessary for them to be immunised three times within a period of six months. Parents and teachers were also encouraged to report any cases of side effects the children might develop. The effects include mild headache, nausea and skin rash. 

    Reacting on the issue, Agnes Binagwaho the permanent secretary in the ministry of health commended the initiative adding that it was helpful since out of the 2.72 million women aged 15 years and older are at a risk of developing cervical cancer

    Mark Feinberg, the Chief Public Health and Science Officer at Merck Vaccines highlighted that his institution would donate more than 2 million doses of GARDASIL (vaccine) while QIAGEN would provide 250,000 Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) screening tests at no cost.

    Over 80 percent of cervical cancer cases occur in the world’s poorest countries, having a severe impact on the women affected, their families and communities. The program is expected to provide access to a comprehensive cervical cancer prevention to help reduce the burden of disease and improve public health outcomes and capacity in the country.

    If treated earlier, the cervical cancer can be completely cured, hence the need for earlier prevention.. The vaccine is appropriate for girls who are still virgins since the virus is passed through sexual intercourse.

     Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. Scientists have identified several types of the HPV virus though not all can cause cervical cancer.

    Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms. However the most common signs include bleeding when something comes in contact with the cervix. This leads to pain during sex which is a common feeling that later develops to vaginal discharge tinged with blood.

    An infected person can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for Rwandans to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer. 

  • Joy as Rwandan refugees from Congo Brazzaville meet their families

    Representatives of Rwandan refugees living in Congo Brazzaville last week met their families in Rwanda, 17 years, after the Tutsi Genocide that dragged them into exile. The visit is part of a wider government program to sensitise all the refugees to return home and take part in the development of their country.

    Mrs. Afisa Murebwayire, who is part of the group of four refugees, visited her family in Ruhango Sector, Muhanga District in southern Rwanda.

    She was excited and said she has been receiving false information about Rwanda but after the visit, she has a clear picture of the changes the country has undergone.

    She said she would encourage other Rwandan refugees in Brazzaville to return home. Her father was equally emotional and shed tears of joy when he saw his daughter. “I’m happy,” he told IGIHE.com in an emotional tone.

    Murebwayire’s young sister Marie Shantal Kagoyire stays in Kibungo, East of Rwanda but she had returned home to see her elder sister. They were both elated. Kayogiye asked her sister to sensitise other Rwandan refugees to return home.

    More Rwandan refugees continue to visit their families to witness how safe the country is.

    This could lead to better understanding of why they should return, according to government officials.

    Families of some refugees have also requested them to return saying that the country is safe and is developing so fast.

    Jean Claude Rwahama, an official from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees commented, “Rwandans in Diaspora get false information about the country but those who visit will always tell the truth since they get first hand information”.

  • Learning from the past: Building the future

    Many people flock to the motivational and inspiring Kigali Genocide Memorial, operated by Aegis Trust. What many don’t learn on their visit is that there is an educational program running on this site that draws youth from around the country. Igihe.com’s Fiona Gasana learned about the educational experience when interviewing Mr. Jean Nepo Ndahimana, an education officer in Aegis Rwanda’s educational program that is delivered at Kigali Genocide Memorial. 

     IGIHE.com : What is the education program ?

    Mr. Ndahimana : The Aegis Education Program at Kigali Genocide Memorial provides secondary school students a one-day workshop experience. Our program is called ‘learning from the past : Building the future. The program provides an overview of Rwandan history related to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, including a tour of the exhibitions at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The program also provides a global perspective on genocide using various examples of genocide around the world to explore the causes of genocide and ways of prevention. Finally, the program looks forward, with a focus on critical thinking, problem resolution, working together to build trust among the Rwandans, all of these to achieve social cohesion.

    What is your correlation with the genocide memorial sites ?

     Currently the education program is delivered by Aegis only at the Kigali Genocide Memorial although there are plans to expand the program into all regions of the country and possibly across the borders. Our neighbouring countries have lessons to learn from Rwanda in order to prevent genocide. Visits to regional memorial sites could be incorporated into that outreach program.

    Could you tell us when the education program was put into action and whether it is a permanent program ? 

    The program began in January 2009 and is a permanent program of Aegis Rwanda.

    What are the main purposes of the genocide education ?

    The future of any society depends on its ability to understand and reconcile with its past. Education that provides an opportunity for young Rwandans to learn about their history in a safe and structured manner ; education that supports the values and skills necessary for an inclusive future ; and education that inspires, makes a significant contribution towards peace and security.

    What are the goals and objectives of the education program ? 

    The goal of this program is to focus on social cohesion for the Rwandan society. This is done by fostering values and behaviors that lead to a unified Rwanda. Genocide education explores the past with the hope that a deepened understanding will lead to a Rwandan in which such an event can never again occur.

    Who are the people responsible for creating and sponsoring the educational program ? 

    Credit for this program must be given to Aegis Trust but this program would not be possible without funding by DFID and CIDA. Aegis also developed the exhibitions currently on display at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, manages the Kigali Genocide Memorial site, hosts the Genocide Archive of Rwanda, and has a social program that assists orphan and widow genocide survivors. 

    Which organs do you work with to ensure you fulfill your goals and how do you collaborate ? What roles do these partners play in helping the centre achieve its goals ?

    We operate independently, but with much support within all levels of the educational sector. For example MINEDUC and CNLG are fully supporting our program. Very important to our success is the interest amongst school districts and headmasters in bringing their students to the program. Every year we host information sessions for chosen school districts, after which the headmasters sign on to bring a class. It is this commitment from the school officials that makes it possible for us to achieve our goal.

     Who are the members of the educational team and what are their duties ?

    We have two qualified secondary teachers who deliver the program in the classroom, and are also responsible for the day-to-day administrative tasks required to keep the program going. The educational team also includes the Country Director of Aegis Rwanda, Freddy Mutanguha who himself has a background in education and the CEO of Aegis Trust, James Smith to oversee the program and advise in education regarding prevention of crimes against humanity. 

    The youth of Rwanda are the future of the country. How do you think they benefit from the education program ?

    The students are of the opinion that this is a program that is of benefit to everyone. By following the program they acquire knowledge and skills about the past of their country and help them to take their own responsibility at early age to shape their future and build a much more cohesive Rwandan society. They repeatedly suggest an expansion of the program, mentioning that it should be available to all the students in their school, to youth not attending school, to parents, and all other parts of society, including prisoners. They say that they learn things about their history that they didn’t know and that they feel more able to talk about this with others. One of our students said, “You are sensitising people to have the willingness to build the Rwandan community.” As mentioned earlier, the sessions are of one day in length and I think some of the activities have also been described. I could add that we also have counsellors on our staff, who prepare the youth for their visit to the genocide exhibition and conduct debriefing activities afterwards.

    Could you tell us if any of the students have personally benefited from any of the centres program ?

    Of course we have many examples of students who tell us how they have personally benefited from this program, one student for example told us that he wished he could have the opportunity to bring his mother to the centre, because the history he learnt at home about the genocide was very biased and ill informed compared to the teaching he receives here at the centre.

    How will the centre be working with schools ?

     Once the headmasters have signed up for the program, the school goes through a process of choosing students. Because space is limited, the expectation is that senior students with some leadership experience are given this opportunity on the understanding that they will take what they have learned and share with others.

    How is the education program helpful resource to the national curriculum ? 

    The education program is a resource that enables schools to provide an opportunity to focus on genocide education. Delivering the program at a memorial site and with the exhibitions as a resource, provides an opportunity not only for the students but for the accompanying teachers and head teachers who then are more equipped to address these issues in their classrooms.

    Could you elaborate on how the program helps in the development of the civic education curriculum ? 

    Civic education in Rwanda teaches children from a very young age that in order to have a peaceful nation, a country must first acknowledge its history both past and present and learn how the atrocities that happened here in 1994 can be prevented from ever happening again. However, I must say again our program sits besides the national curriculum but is not integrated into it. We are planning also to develop an outreach program that will provides in-service training to teachers with the hope that it will provide the sensitisationand the skills for them to be as effective as possible in teaching curriculum related to genocide and social cohesion.

    How does the education program contribute to peace and reconciliation in Rwanda ?

    By educating these students we are building a stronger and wiser generation in our country. These students will be the ones to make sure their country maintains peace and unity and reconciliation. We make a contribution by raising awareness about the consequences of exclusion and division with the objective to encourage social cohesion and reconciliation in order to prevent the most extreme version of exclusion Genocide.

    Recently, a case was reported of a man claiming that the people were not responsible for the genocide instead claiming this should have been apportioned on the Habyarimana establishment. How do you deal with instances of genocide denial like this ?

     We make an appeal to our students to open their minds to our history and to open their hearts to each other. We also focus on critical thinking – encouraging the students to think for themselves what they hear about the past and what they hear in the present – and we also hold a value on individual responsibility for actions.

    What challenges do you encounter ?

    Financial challenges are large to keep this program running and to insure its expansion. Also, it’s a challenge for schools to have funds to bring the students here.

    How successful has the program been up to this day, Could you name some of the achievements the education program has successfully implemented since it began ?

    Since the first classes in January 2009 we have had more than 5000 students come and we are fully booked for the upcoming academic term. The daily evaluations are always positive, with comments on the respect with which every student is received, on a welcoming environment and on how important the class was for them. In the last term of this year we are implementing a follow-up evaluation and we look forward to measure what has been the impact of this program in terms of social cohesion and trust among the students and we are expecting to complete this evaluation by the end of the year.

  • Government to put up cultural centre

    The government has announced plans to build a national cultural centre in Gahanga sector, Kicukiro district with construction works scheduled to start next year.

    The national cultural centre will be equipped with a library, stage performing theatre, movie theatre and exhibition stalls to display cultural products among others.

    “This will not only be a national theatre but a one stop cultural centre since it will be equipped with different cultural materials,” Jean Pierre Karabaranga, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Sports revealed.

    “At a moment, we cannot tell how long this process will take because the study is not yet done,” the Permanent Secretary explained, adding that once the construction process starts, it would not take long to be accomplished since it has been one of the major projects earmarked on the ministry’s seven year plan.

    The ministry observed that it was imperative to have such cultural centrers hence the plan to have at least one well equipped centre. He added that this was the first time the proposal featured in the ministry’s action plan.

    “We were not taking it as a big issue because we thought people would use other centres but we have now found it is necessary,” Karabaranga said.

    For many stage performers, it has been challenging since they had no special place to execute their activities which forced them to hire halls in private institution’s halls, which at times would either be too small, booked for other functions or too expensive to rent.

    “Most of the time, our performances are commissioned by other institutions and this is not because, we cannot have self-sponsored performances and deliver good and interesting messages to the people, but it’s because we have no facility specifically for such performances and this hinders our popularity and development,” Hope Azeda, Mashirika’s founder and Artistic Director told IGIHE.com in an interview.

    With the acting and the theatre scene still embryonic, few professional groups have managed to survive and this has led to slow progress of performing arts in the country.

    The Managing Director, Urunana Development Community, George Gahenda reiterated that lack of a cultural centre was a big hindrance towards their development, though they had tried to rectify the problem by moving to the local communities to deliver their message besides conducting radio shows. 

  • Food prices affected by other forces, not fuel increase-Traders

    As fuel prices continue to affect the East African region leading to political unrest in some of the countries, Rwanda remains unperturbed as Government delinks the cost of fuel to that of food items.

    In a recent interview, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Monique Nsanzabaganwa warns that oil products would always directly or indirectly affect other commodity prices but added that such a stretch should not exceed 0.4 percent to one percent increment arising out of an equal increase on fuel prices. The Minister however says that food prices are expected to remain stable.

    “It will depend on the behaviour of the market but food prices shouldn’t change, even last time when fuel process increased, they remained stable,” she says.

    On the lack of mechanisms to protect consumers, the minister though admits that there is no law to protect consumers’ interests against overpricing as local consumer watchdog Consumer Rights Association of Rwanda appeals to the government to give it more support to deliver on its mandate.

    According to the Acting Managing Director of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), Regis Gatarayiha, there have been ongoing discussions and negotiations with the business people not to rapidly increase prices of their products as they wait for the situation to calm down.

    Igihe visited various markets in Kigali including Kimironko, Nyabugogo, and Gikondo market among others to ascertain how the mounting fuel prices may have affected the cost of food.

    According to the survey, both traders and consumers indicate that there are various other factors like food deficiency that may have impacted on the increase of food prices. 

     “In recent days, the price of beans had increased to RWF 700 per kg but has since fallen back to RWF 600 per kg,” says Rosaria Mukarurinda, a trader in Kimironko market. She notes that inconsistent rainfall has led to a food shortage, that has in turn helped food prices to soar to levels high, a situation she says cannot be blamed on fuel.

    For Yeluminee Mukasindambiwe, who vends rice, groundnuts, sugar, millet flour, cooking oil among others, though there is a hike in fuel price, the major problem is a shortage of produce from farmers, who claim little harvest.

    “Increase in fuel prices is adding salt to an injury,” Mukasindambiwe says, adding that though food prices have increased, the situation cannot be compared to the neighbouring countries like Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

    According to the farmers that we interviewed, the price increase of food prices rose by a small margin among almost all food products. For instance, the price of a kilo of matooke rose from RWF150 to 170 per kg.

    Due to the fluctuation of food prices, many of the traders claim that they undergo a lot of challenges as. “We make very little profits but when we deduct taxes, rent and so forth, coupled with the soaring of price in food items, we get almost no profits but still we have to persist until the prices have stabilised,” says Marie Louise Kagoyire, a matooke and Irish potatoes trader at Gikondo market.

    A Kigali resident similarly echoes the concerns of the traders saying that they are often forced to reduce on the quantity of the food items due to price the increase.

    “When we go to the market hoping to buy, for instance, 50 kgs of posho and find that the prices have been hiked, we reduce on the quantity and purchase little according to the little money we have in our pockets and compared to the income one has,” Vincent Dusabimana, a resident of Jari Sector, Gasabo District, who had come to Nyabugogo food market explains.

    For Pierre Bizimana, the increase in food prices is dictated by a decrease in production. He says that he used to purchase 50kgs of sweet potatoes per month but has since reduced this to 30kgs due to this predicament..

    On her part, Jeanne Mukakamanzi, who used to purchase 25 kgs of rice for her family says, “I just quit from buying rice because of the price increase which keeps worsning. I will be buying posho until the prices stabilise ,” Mukakamanzi says.

  • Non tariff- barriers still a challenge to business community

    The Ministry of Trade and Industry in conjunction with the Private Sector Federation has produced an assessment on the status of Non- Tariff Barriers (NTBs) in the region, which shows that removal of NTBs especially along the Northern and Central Corridors are taking slow progress.

    However, in the northern corridor, progress has been recorded at border posts, which are no longer highlighted as a major barrier by truck drivers. This has likely been the result of introducing One-Stop Border Posts and 24hour 7day operations which avoid duplication of clearance procedures as well as reducing congestion and overnight delays.

     The report suggests that focused attention must be made to other persistent NTBs and not focused solely at improving border procedures. Weighbridges, for instance, remain a cumbersome, time-consuming process that nearly always results in hefty bribes being paid. Corruption also remains a real concern for firms, who face a significant addition to transportation costs as a result. Other NTBs identified suggest that the harmonisation and revision of tonnage regulations in particular must be considered by Kenya and Uganda in the near future.

    Whilst notable progress has been made by the Mombasa port in introducing measures to improve and expedite clearance of cargo such as 24hour 7days operations and a One- Stop Centre for key procedures, consultations with the private sector indicate that Rwandan exporters are still not experiencing the large improvements purported by officials. It still takes two weeks for Rwandan cargo to clear, with local shipments often clearing much quicker.

     Traders along the Central Corridor face similar problems but suffer to a much lesser extent from extortionate corruption than the Northern Corridor, with total bribery payments estimated at around US$20. Yet, significant NTBs exist along the route and have, in some cases, worsened since Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation conducted its baseline study in 2008. Particularly of note is the increase in the number of weighbridges encountered in Tanzania from five in 2008 to the eight currently observed.

    This is seen as a contradiction in respect to an agreement by Partner States aimed to eliminate NTBs and refrain from introducing additional ones. The increased time added to journeys is a significant cost to importers and exporters. Customs checks and police roadblocks are also an unwarranted hindrance.

    The Border Post at Rusumo, for instance, lags behind than other Border Posts in the region and is particularly poorly equipped and closes as early as 6pm due to the reliance on solar power. Additional NTBs, such as, time sheets and transit licenses further complicate the journey, and the risk of highway robbery is such that many drivers refuse to continue driving at night due to risk of theft.

    Dar es Salaam port has made some improvements in introducing competition to container management. However, customs procedures remain lengthy and the modernisation and automating of operations needs to be increased to ensure cargo clearance is expedited. Capacity is still limited in dealing with the demand for cargo handling facilities.

    Concerning the Bujumbura route, there are very few Rwandan trucks that travel to Burundi. Clearance on the Rwanda-Burundi Kanyaru Border Post does not take long, and the Gasenyi Border operates a ‘One Stop Border Post’ and the result is relatively quick. Nevertheless, the infrastructure at the port is still minimal. The port is rarely congested, mainly as a result of low demand. The Port has a capacity of 500,000 tones but the port does not handle even half of that. While driving along the Kigali- Bujumbura road, there are no roadblocks ; customs check points or weighbridges identified. 

  • Ambitious music producer aims to open radio station

    He is one of the most experienced producers in Kigali and is presently a renowned connoisseur of the local music industry. .IGIHE.com’s Dianah Mutimura caught up with the famous and ambitious producer popularly known as ‘JP’.
     
    IGIHE.com : who is jp ? Could you tell us about your background ?

    JP: My name is Jean Paul Gatsinda ; I was born in 1982 in Kicukiro in Kigali city. I completed my secondary education at ETO Muhima and completed my IT degree at KIST. I am the third born in a family.of six children though my parents passed away.
     
    Why do you call yourself JP ?

     JP stands for my name Jean Paul. I wanted something which could be easy for people to pronounce. When I was living in Kampala, Ugandans would fail to pronounce my name, which forced me to call myself JP from my original name. 
     
    How long have you been a music producer ?
     
    I have been in the music industry for over ten years now ; I started in 2003 till today.
     
    What kind of music do you produce ?

    I produce different types of music, because I know how to play different instruments such as the guitar, drums, and piano. This gives me the opportunity to be able to produce any music ranging from R&B, rap, Lingala and so many others. Generally, I produce any song which comes my way.
     
    Are you single or are you currently in a relationship ?
     
    Yes, I am dating a special lady in my life and this year, we are getting married. I am very grateful to have her as my fiancée because she has been patient with me for over four years. 
     
    How many artists have you produced in your career both in Rwanda and abroad ? Could you name these artists ?
     
     The list of artists I have worked with is endless, but I can try to mention a few for you. Some of the most famous ones here in Rwanda include Miss Jojo, Kitoko, Rafiki, Miss Shannel. Outside Rwanda, I have worked with Professor J and Ray C, who are both from Tanzania.  
     
    Can you tell me how it was working with Miss Jojo ?

    Miss Jojo is a nice person in music and outside music. When you are doing a song with her, she’s so nice because she always wants to learn new things and listens to advice. Despite her great music career, Jojo is great person with a great sense of humour. I really love working with her. 
     
    What is considered more valuable in being a record producer, education or experience ?

    Being a producer does not need education as you think because it’s a talent. But you need to always read different books about musical instruments and be updated on today’s technology. 

    What are the chances for advancement in the music business and within what timeframe ?

    The chances are very small especially in Rwanda because the music industry here doesn’t have great resources or funding. Most of the time, producers have to sponsor themselves which hinders the advancement of our careers. Personally, this took me ten years.

    When you first started out, did you always work as a producer, or did you start out as something else first ?

    I started as musician in a Congolese band where I played the keyboard and the base guitar at times. From there henceforth, I worked with Makoma during their trips around Africa, and when they left, that is when I started a studio.  

    What would you say the job of being a record producer includes ?

    The job of being a record producer needs someone with ambition, determination, an open mind and focus.

    Could you give us a detailed account of your day to day activities ?

    Actually, during the day, I don’t have too much to do because most musicians record their songs at night, so I can’t know my schedule because it keeps changing.  

    Have you ever worked with other producers ? And who would you consider leaders in the field ? And who inspired you to become a producer ?
    Yes I work with other producers. I have so far worked with Steve Jean the famous producer in Uganda and in Rwanda I am working with DJ little and DJ B. in East Africa. As a leader, I would consider Steve Jean of Uganda. My inspiration comes from international producers like Stevie Wonder and Dr Dre. 

    How do you see the music industry in Rwanda ?

    The music industry is doing very badly. Our major problem is the artists’ lack of creativity. They copy international styles of music, not their own. Am not only talking about the artists, even producers. We are not doing a very good job and that is why we are going to have a meeting with RDB to look for ways of developing our music to reach an appreciative and competitive level. 
     
    What kind of problems do you encounter in this business ?

    Firstly, one of the major problems I encounter is dealing with artists who ignore their contracts after becoming famous. Many of them become a huge disappointment.

    What do you think is the solution to these problems can be ?

    I always give artists that fail to keep up to their contracts a second chance because life goes on and these big companies should allow us producers to advertise because we have all the capability. Why should we see sign posts which portray outside models yet we have our own models ?

    Where do you see yourself in the future ?

     I will be big because I have very many constructive ideas. As I am speaking to you now, I just finished a plan to open a radio station by the end of this year. I think in a few years, I am going to be really famous around East Africa.