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  • Driving Tests for Illiterates Launched

    {{Over 1856 illiterate citizens from Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts participated in an oral- provisional driving test on Tuesday at the first ever special motor cycle driving test in Eastern Province.}}

    All the participants passed the oral test and later undertook practical riding tests.

    Traffic Police Commander, Chief Superintendent (CSP) Celestin Twahirwa said, “the new system of conducting driving tests was part of Traffic Police efforts to ensure road safety is maintained in all parts of the country.”

    The test was organized to facilitate people in Eastern province who initially operate motor cycles in their daily activities but, do not have driving licenses simply because they cannot read and write in order to undergo the normal driving exam.

    CSP Twahirwa noted that acquiring driving license by the illiterate will help them get registered by life insurance companies.

  • Felicien Kabuga: Special Evidence Hearing Concluded

    {{The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Tuesday concluded defence special evidence hearing for the most wanted genocide fugitive, Felicien Kabuga.}}

    “Special deposition for Kabuga was completed Tuesday and a total of six witnesses have testified for the defence,’’ Tribunal’s Spokesman, Roland Amossouga said Wednesday.

    Kabuga’s Duty Counsel, Bahame Nyanduga commenced fielding his witnesses on April 23, 2012.The prosecution’s special deposition hearing began on May 23, 2011 and was concluded on October 28, 2011.

    The alleged sponsor of the 1994 genocide is accused of 11 counts, including conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide.

    The special deposition hearings are being conducted to preserve evidence for future use if the fugitives in question were to be arrested.

  • Africa To Produce More Oil Than Middle East

    {{Very soon Africa will produce more oil than the Middle East as the continent becomes a focal point in global business.}}

    The remarks were made by Rwanda’s Commercial Attaché in DC, USA, Bonny Musefano while addressing students at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

    “Africa offers the highest return on foreign direct investment in the world, far exceeding all other regions,’’Musefano remarked.

    Musefano represented the Ambassador of Rwanda HE. Eng. James Kimonyo as the keynote speaker at the 7th Annual Symposium “Business of Africa” May 18-19, 2012 hosted by the African studies Center.

    Citing various business success stories in Africa, he said, this is the decade for Africa to shine.

    He passionately told of how Rwanda, a small, over populated country in the heart of Africa is the third easiest country in Africa to conduct business after South Africa and Mauritius and that Rwanda seeks to become a business hub for the wider great lakes region.

    Bonny further argued that Africa offers the highest return on foreign direct investment in the world, far exceeding all other regions. While petroleum products are the driving force behind those returns, other sectors offer impressive growth.

    “There is no reason why we should be the world’s suppliers of cheap commodities and yet remain a vast market dependent on the outside world for most of our consumable goods”.

    He was confident that when African countries address the problem of insufficient energy, improve transport network, easy access to good quality internet, enhance the business environment by reducing beaurcracy and good governance, Africa will out compete many continents in business endeavors.

    During the Question and answer session, Musefano attributed the success of Rwanda to the resiliency of the Rwandan people and the outstanding leadership of President Paul Kagame.

    He noted that Rwandese chose to look forward and restore the pride of their country. Rwanda has zero tolerance to corruption, consistent accountability mechanisms have been put in place, and investors feel secure to do business at home.

    He also attributed the success of Rwanda to vibrant domestic and foreign private sector which has steadily boosted Rwanda’s economy.

    Dr.Francoise Lionnet, the Director of the African Studies UCLA was optimistic that time had come for Africans to spearhead development strategies of their own continent.

    She acknowledged that part of Africa’s challenge was capacity development which has steadily improved and that Africa was now ready to compete on the global market.

    The two day conference was opened by entertainment from the World Arts and Culture department UCLA as well as Rwandan Students dancing group of California Baptist University.

    The African Studies Center at UCLA is one of the oldest and the biggest departments in USA with various academic disciplines that focus on Africa.

  • Rwanda Hosts 10th Annual Meeting of EAC Judges

    {{Rwanda is hosting the 10th Annual meeting of Judges and court clerks from the five member states of the East African Community. Rwanda is hosting this meeting for the first time after joining the regional bloc in 2011.}}

    The Three-day meeting is being held under the theme, ‘Universal Competence and Africa’

    Representing the President, Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi the Prime Minister officially opened the meeting saying that Univesal competence is the best way to deal with culture of impunity.

    Dr. Habumuremyi noted that many fugitives are hiding in different countries. He urged countries hosting such suspects to try them in their justice system or repatriate them to countries where they committed crimes.

    Angeline Rutazana a High court judge and president of the association of judges and court clerks in rwanda noted that Rwanda being new to the EAC bloc,the meeting will enhance Rwanda’s understanding of issues relating to Univesal competence.

  • World’s Tallest Tower Opens to Public in Tokyo

    {{The world’s tallest tower is the fabulous SKY TREE of Japan. It measures 634 meters into the sky making it the biggest new landmark. It opened to the public on Tuesday.}}

    Nearly 8,000 visitors were expected to take high-speed elevators up to the observation decks of the 634-meter (2,080-foot) tower to mark its opening.

    Some reportedly waited in line more than a week to get the coveted tickets for a panoramic view, though Tuesday ended up being cloudy in Tokyo.

    Skytree is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest tower, beating out the Canton Tower in China, which is 600 meters (1,968 1/2 feet).

    The world’s tallest structure is Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which stands 828 meters (2,717 feet). That’s in a different category because it’s a skyscraper, not a tower.

    The Skytree will serve as a broadcast tower for television and radio, along with being a tourist attraction. It replaces the 333-meter-tall (1,092 1/2-foot-tall) Tokyo Tower — a symbol of Japan’s capital since 1958 — as the broadcast hub.

  • MTN Listed in ‘BrandZ ‘Top 100 Global Brands’

    {{Millward Brown one of the world’s leading research agencies and expert in effective advertising has announced that MTN brand is the first African brand to be listed (now being ranked No.88) on the ‘BrandZ Top 100 Global Brand’ listing.}}

    The announcement was made public Tuesday by Milward Brown.

    MTN has previously received a number of brand accolades. However, this is the most prestigious to date since it is the first time, an African Brand has made the BrandZ listing ever.

    The BrandZ listing is one of the most prestigious rankings that players in the industry follow closely on a global level.

    In March 2012 MTN moved up 12 places to the 188th position in the ‘Brand Finance Global 500’ grading, another valuable world brand ranking and maintained its position as Africa’s only company to be listed.

    The improvement in MTN’s brand value rankings reaffirms the mobile operator’s growing prominence and continued relevance in the lives of its 164.6 million subscribers across its 22 markets in Africa and the Middle East.

    In Rwanda, MTN is the market leader and has close to 3 million subscribers.

  • Investiment Promotion Agencies Less Responsive to Investor Inquiries

    {{Investiment promotion Agencies are reportedly less responsive to direct investor Inquiries than they were three years ago even as countries compete to attract investments.}}

    “Skilled investment promotion agencies can give economies a competitive advantage by helping investors choose a suitable location and set up operations that create jobs and promote growth.”

    According to the World Bank Group’s Global Investment Promotion Best Practices 2012 report, 80% of national investment promotion agencies are failing to respond to investor inquiries in the key sectors of agribusiness and tourism.

    The report assesed 189 economies’ responsiveness to investors. It found that that investment promotion agencies are less responsive to direct investor inquiries than they were three years ago.

    In the areas of inquiry-handling and website performance over the past two years, two regions showed improvement—the Middle East and North Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

    “In difficult times, governments may be tempted to cut funding for investment promotion. However, this can cost them opportunities to secure investments and jobs,” said Pierre Guislain, Director of the Bank Group’s Investment Climate Department.

    The report shows that limited resources need not be an obstacle to effectiveness.

    The report was produced by the Investment Climate Department of the World Bank Group (which includes IFC, MIGA, and the World Bank) and sponsored by ProInvest, a European Commission partnership program for the countries of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, and by the government of Spain.

  • Rwandans Living On Steep Hillsides to be Relocated

    {{Rwandans living on steep hillsides will soon be relocated to other safer places in a bid to protect them from falling victim to mudslides and other disasters.}}

    17 people have since died because of the problem of land slippage caused by recent heavy rainfalls.

    The Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has said that in a period not exceeding one year, the census of people living on steep hillsides will be completed and decent places found where they can live.

    Dr. Habumuremyi made the statement during a meeting held Monday with members of the Taskforce established by the Government, to prevent the impacts of disasters.

    The Government of Rwanda has implemented various programs aimed at adressing extraordinary disasters including those caused by heavy rainfalls.

    The meeting involving various authorities sought ways on how to implement the programs in order to limit the damage.

    The meeting focused on general measures necessary to put in execution to address the problem of flooding, protect infrastructure and manage land.

    Participants at the meeting also revisited the importance of meteorology in time of heavy rainfalls as those that knows the current Rwanda, the protection of the environment and population growth which is causing habitat inappropriate.

    The Prime Minister has thus established a special committee to accelerate implementation of the programs.

    The committee comprises of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Defense.

    Dr. Habumuremyi said census of all persons residing on the steep hills should be complete in one year for them to find a suitable place where they should live.

  • Tax Revenues to Hit $ 600 Billion

    {{The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning presented an outline of the analysis of the preliminary draft budget of the National 2012-2013 fiscal year.}}

    Appearing Tuesday before a parliamentary committee responsible for budget and finance management, John Rwangombwa said the budget is estimated at Frw1000,374,400,000.

    Rwangombwa explained the source of funding will be drawn from taxes collected from foreign grants and credits, tourism and others.

    In the first draft of the national budget 2012/2013, it is expected that revenue from taxes will be approximately $ 600 billion.

    The draft national budget, fiscal year 2012-2013 has generally increased from 182 billion from the budget for the year ending.

    Rwangombwa also explained how the budget was allocated, noting that this distribution was made on the basis of priority.

    He indicated that the budget items concerning in particular the acquisition of office equipment of public institutions and the central administration and travel expenses and training have been revised downwards.

  • Three Detained over Mismanagement of Public Funds

    {{Police has detained Kalisa Christopher, Executive secretary of Rubavu district, Bihingiro John, former Gisenyi Prison Boss and Mugume James, the prison’s accountant both accused of conniving to mismanage public funds.}}

    Prosecution alleges that the officials used fake documents to pay an entrepreneur who had won the tender to supply food items to the prison, for the job he never did.

    Kalisa Christopher is particularly accused of paying the entrepreneur 7 million Rwandan francs, while, the Prison boss, James Mugume, who was the entrepreneur, along with Bihingiro are facing charges of using fake documents to pay the contractor.

    Alain Mukuralinda the spokesman of the national public prosecution authority told Press that the men are currently facing two counts which are mismanagement of public finances, and using fake documents.

    He said if found guilty they could face prison sentences between 5 to 20 years.

    Subject to provisions of the law, the crime of mismanagement of public servants attracts between 5 to 20 years, while forgery attracts between 5 to 10 year prison sentences.