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{{The value of East African total trade with the world doubled from US $ 17.5 billion dollar in 2005 to US $37 billion in 2010 expanding the share of its economy that is traded from 27% to 47%.}}

This is contained in” the state of East African report 2012’ deepening integration and intensifying challenges that will be launched tomorrow presided over by the east African community ambassador general secretary DR Richard sezibera and SID international president ambassador Juma mwapucha at Hilton hotel Nairobi Kenya.

The report is an update of the inaugural of the states of east Africa 2006 and compiles and analyses data across key economic, social and political indicators from the five member states of east Africa.

The report also shows that: the EA population growth grew by 24 million between 2005 and 2010 and is estimated to reach 237 million by 2030 with an increased population and population density the pressure on the region’s natural resources will intensify further.

Investment in maternal and child health are yielding are strong return as few mothers are dieing in child birth as more surviving beyond infancy.

However, malnutrition remains one of the difficult challenges as faced by the region as evidenced that one-third of Kenyan children are stunted as are over half of the children in Burundi.

The telecom revolution is leading to an emerging mobile economy. Mobile subscription in across EAC grew from 3 millions in 2002 to 64 million in 2010, catalysing innovations such as M- pesa that have helped deepen financial inclusion.

East Africans are now more wired than ever before with the majority connecting to internet through their mobile phones.

The world is paying close attention to the east Africa community and engaging with its increasing intensity and broadening scope.

It’s enjoying growth in direct foreign investment attracted by its natural resource endowment, growing economies and integrating markets, recent markets and discovery of oil and gas in the region, the deployment of Ugandan, Burundians and Kenyan troops to Somalia, the fourfold increase from 15dollar million to 60 million dollar in the counterterrorism funding to the EAC.

The arrival of 100 us military advisers to Uganda and AFRICOMS’ continued presence in the region demonstrates that EAC is a critical region from a global, geopolitical standpoint.

East Africa’s infrastructure deficit is a well document challenge and infrastructure is crucial if the region if the region wants to receive a full benefit of regional integration. An estimated 95% of east African cargo is carried by road.

This present significant difficult of 91% of east African road network is unpaved. This can be alleviated if investment is made in the region’[s underperforming rail section.

Recent attempts to revive the sector including$ 40 Million from china for the Tanzania Zambia railway and the $40 Million African development bank loan for the rift valley railways are positive steps.

{{Despite its late payment loan of Frw1,143,680,370 Last year in 2011, Umurenge Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) made a profit of almost Frw700,033,594.}}

This was announced by Nzabahimana J.M.V, the chief manager, who explained that the late payment of the loan was due to the loans given to teachers, who failed to pay on time and apparently are unable to pay back the loans.

However, he is happy of the remarkable achievement profit of Frw700 million.

He added that they are planning a new and modern way of sending and transferring money (cash express), which will start with the first ten role model sectors in the country.

{{Payment outdated in relation to the market price}}

Mukamuhoza Vérédiana, a headmistress at Nyabyondo Primary school in Burera District, says that it is the major obstacle that hinders them from developing.

She says, many teachers fail to get married because of poverty and inability to pay house rents.

A teacher makes a complete contribution of Frw10.000, and a monthly contribution of Frw2000, and insurance of Frw300 in case he/she loses a relative.

A teacher with working experience of 5 years is paid an amount of Frw 38.000. Frw 44.000 to a teacher with the working experience of 10 years. Teachers get the final payment after subtracting health and retirement insurance.

{{The Rwanda High Commission in Uganda and Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and CMU-R will be welcoming people to learn about Rwanda’s landmark partnership with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).}}

The event will be held today Wednesday 4th of April at Metropole Hotel, Kampala. CMU recently opened its doors in the heart of East Africa- Kigali, Rwanda.

CMU, one of the world’s leading universities in information technology and engineering, is the first U.S. research institution of this caliber to offer graduate degrees in Africa with an in-country presence and resident faculty.

In a region booming with technology innovation, this initiative intends to serve the East African Community and strives to produce the next generation of African innovators and technology leaders to support a competitive ICT industry in East Africa.

{{Police at Gakenke is holding a woman identified as Vestine Byukusenge who allegedly cut another woman using a razor blade accusing her of eloping with her husband.}}

Mukagasana Providence was cut several times on her face with a razor blade on April 2. The incident occurred in the District Gakenke. She is currently receiving treatement.

Byukusenge says she warned several times Mukagasana on the phone to leave her husband alone but to no avail until she decided to launch an attack.

The husband in question is a policeman at Gakenke district .

Vestine says she made the decision following an unbearable anger caused by her own husband with Mukagasana Providence.

Mukagasana is a local official responsible for the civil sector at Gakenke.

{{A building (commonly known as Petit Meridien) has collapsed at Kacyiru leaving 30 people buried under rubbles. The incident took place today at around 11 AM.

Only six people have been recovered from the rubbles and rushed to King Faisal hospital. The building has been undergoing demolition paving way for renovation.

The workers on the site at the top floor were not hurt however; most victims were workers demolishing the ground floor.}}

IGIHE Team is at the site….

{{Court has today rejected three of the four requests made by Leo Mugesera including the request to have his trial conducted in French language.}}

Among the prerequisites he requested for were: to be temporarily released, tried in French language and be given an additional time of one month to get preferable lawyers.

In all those conditions he asked for, one has been accepted, and he has being accorded one month to get lawyers of his choice.

The presiding judge Murererehe Sauda, said that there was no noteworthy reason to be tried in French, since Mugesera left Rwanda at the age of 47 and spent only 20 years abroad, which explains the fact that he cannot be tried in French. The Kinyarwanda he understands is enough for him to be tried.

On the temporary release plea, the court completely rejected his plea, and said he had to stay where he is currently imprisoned until he is next summoned to the court.

On Mugesera’s unawareness of the allegations against him, Murererehe Sauda noted that many times he had been made aware of the allegations, and again, if he finds a lawyer, he will be let known all he wants to know about the allegations against him.

Mugesera will appear before court on 9th may, 2012.

{{About Frw 80 Billion has been injected into rice farming in Rwanda for the past five years.}}

Nobert Sendege, the Director General of Crop Production at MINAGRI says currently the country’s rice production is 71,000 tons of rice annually.

Sendege adds that 2400 more hectares of land will be available for rice growing in the country in addition to the current 9,000 hectares.

The government, World Bank, International Fund for Agriculture Development and African Development Bank have contributed the funds.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources says that Rwanda will produce sufficient rice by the year 2017, and that they are doing their best to increase rice production.

The Permanent Secretary at MINAGRI, Ernest Ruzindaza, said that by the year 2017, Rwanda will have become self reliant in rice production, thus exporting more to local and international markets and importing less.

“One of the strategies we will be using is buying new marchlands and restoring the existing ones to increase rice production.” He added that, the preparations are underway to cultivate 1,700 hectares of land at Muvumba marshland in Nyagatare District, Eastern Province.

According to Sendege, “rice production in the country currently covers 65% of the national demand.

In 2011, the production was at 55% and we believe that with modern agricultural tools and techniques we will not experience any shortage of rice by 2017.”

{{Rwandas Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo has told a meeting of Friends of Syria that “Though there is a vast distance to cover between Damascus and Kigali, Rwanda and Syria share the same experiences, and therefore Rwandese understand the plight Syria is facing’’.}}

Minister Mushikiwabo represented Rwanda at the second conference of friends of Syrian people after the invitation from the government of Turkey.

The first meeting was held in Tunisia in febuary, 2012 the conference explored human rights violations committed by the Syrian regime and showed their support for Syrian people.

The main opposition group in Syria alarmed the meeting that the government continues its human rights violations to its citizens.

The conference demanded the regime to put an end to its abuse and comply with its obligations to international law.

Minister Mushikiwabo told the meeting that Rwanda would not stand for the killing and inhumane treatment, stressing that all countries are obliged to honor rights of their citizens

“While it is true that the independence and sovereignty of States are fundamental to international relations, the fight and the right to live — the responsibility to protect — are even more critical for the survival of the community of nations”.

Minister Mushikiwabo quoted President Paul Kagame’s words at the height of the Libyan conflict to stress Rwanda’s position on humanitarian intervention: “No country knows better than my own the cost of the international community failing to intervene to prevent a State killing its own people.

Our responsibility to protect is unquestionable and this view is backed with the authority of having witnessed and suffered the terrible consequences of international inaction”.

The Minister demanded international cooperation to bring about a peaceful settlement in Syria, particularly those of neighboring nations, Turkey which does its level best, to protect vulnerable populations, even beyond its borders as demonstrated recently in Somalia.

The Conference was attended by 83 countries, mainly Arab and Western countries, together with international and eastern organization.

{{Leon Mugesera, a genocide suspect deported from Canada pleaded French language should be used in his trial process since the constitution permits it.}}

He made his second appearance before the intermediate court of Nyarugenge.
This resulted into a hot debate on both sides of the suspect and the prosecutor.

“Leon Mugesera used Kinyarwanda in his lethal MRND sensitization in 1992. Kinyarwanda is his mother tongue. There is no concrete reason for him to plead in french’’ said Ndibwami Rugambwa, the prosecutor.

The prosecution council added saying “the constitutional law stipulates that the accused can be questioned in a language he/she understands, not the language of his choice.’’

Leon Mugesra says that speaking Kinyarwanda does not mean that he understands it fully.’’ In relation to law, Kinyarwanda has specific and complex legal terms used in court that I am not conversant with’’.

Mugesera asked the court to let him use French in his trial and be given the right to talk to his family and his lawyers.

The court is due to decide today (Tuesday) on Mugesera’s request. He requested Monday for another postponement of his trial in order to prepare his defence.

“I need an additional month to make sure that my defence team is complete, so as to ensure that I am fully and properly defended,” Mugesera told the court.

Mugesera is being assisted by a Rwandan lawyer Donat Mutunzi However, said his team was supposed to consist of six Canadians, two Rwandans and an American.

Speaking in French, Mugesera told court that he had not yet been questioned and did not yet know the allegations against him.

Prosecution has not questioned him following his refusal to respond in Kinyarwanda, the Rwandan language in which he delivered the 1992 speech.

“In the judicial and scientific fields, there are some terms I don’t understand in Kinyarwanda,” said Mugesera, arguing the right to be questioned in a language he understands.