Tag: HomeNews

{{Inspector General of Police (IGP) tour of Police units which took place across the country continued in the Eastern Province where he was inspecting police activities in the region.}}

According to the police statement, in his address to police officers at different District Police Units, IGP Emmanuel K. Gasana noted that it was imperative that the welfare of police officers improve.

He told police officers that with better welfare police will be able to fully focus on their duties and thus avoid getting involved in criminal activities such as corruption.

Several initiatives have been commenced to improve welfare of Police officers. For example the Police housing scheme in Gishali is aimed at providing non- commissioned police officers with houses.

Not only that, Rwanda National Police provides education opportunities to police officers to help them carry out their work. So far many police officers have benefited from this initiative.

“We are always thinking of police welfare and to that end we have also ensured that police force have enough equipment, ensure that police officers are settled and in comfortable working environment through the force balance program and we continue to think of other initiatives that would improve the lives of police officers,” IGP Gasana pointed out.

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{{Residents in Rulindo District, Northern Province have complained of forced maize growing saying that their area does not support maize growing.}}

Residents have requested the authorities to allow them instead to continue growing sorghum.

Residents here say that the maize crop need one to be having a wide parcel with good soils that are fertile, yet sorghum crop does not need such requirements and said to bring huge harvest.

Commenting on the issue, Justus Kangwagye, Rulindo District Mayor said, “a resident that know to calculate will can grow maize, beans among others that does not take long to mature, but growing of sorghum is to miscalculate.”

Kangwagye also added that many residents who responded to get maize seeds have now multiplied and that are responding positively to the move.

He also said that Sorghum takes long to mature and that its market is currently limited as compared to maize

Rafael Murasandonyi, the District Agronomist challenged the residents saying that the same soils used to grow sorghum can be used on growing of maize as well.

Murasandonyi explained that residents in this area are not used to growing of maize and that’s why they are resistant to Sorghum.

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{{After the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) announced new fuel prices fall to Rwf 940 per liter, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) is reviewing possible ways to reduce transportation fees.}}

Fuel had increased to Rwf 1200, then reduced to Rwf 1000 and now Rwf 940 but transport costs had remained static.

“We know the problem of transport costs but in few days we shall announce new tariffs that will be slightly down,” said Regis Gatarayiha the acting Director General of RURA.

Speaking to IGIHE.com, Gatarayiha said that on yesterday a meeting was convened with the transport companies’ representatives to discuss possible ways to put favorable costs for passengers.

This comes after passengers started complaining of the static transport fares as fuel prices dropped several times.

Kayitesi Jeannette of Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District said that transport fares from the city center to Kimironko should reduce from Rwf 200 to Rwf 150.

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{{Paul Rusesabagina of the film ‘Hotel Rwanda’, has asked Canadian government not to deport Leon Mugesera a Rwandan accused of helping to incite the 1994 Tutsi genocide.}}

In a letter to Canada’s immigration minister, Rusesabagina said he opposes Mugesera’s extradition to Rwanda where he says Mugesera risks being tortured.

“I implore Canada, cradle of human rights, not to deport Leon Mugesera but rather prosecute him on Canadian soil for his alleged crimes and under Canadian laws because if he is deported he will surely suffer the same fate as other prisoners,” wrote Rusesabagina.

Mugesera was scheduled to be deported last week but appeals to two Canadian courts and the UN Committee Against Torture earned him a reprieve.

He was taken into custody after falling ill last week and requiring hospitalization, while Canada considers a request to stay his deportation so that the UN can probe a claim that he faces persecution at home.

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{{Kigali City authorities in collaboration with security authorities have warned Me2u and airtime cards vendors who are not in cooperatives.}}

It is said that those who are not registered in cooperatives usually cause insecurity when they are being chased run away from police due to doing that business illegally.

Joseline Nyirahabimana, a TIGO vendor pointing a finger at her uniform said that they used to be chased by the authorities but later they stopped.

“The police used to run after every vendor but nowadays they are not running after us, maybe TIGO authority made advocacy for us,” said Nyirahabimana.

Jean Damascene Ntakirutimana another airtime vendor said ; “We are now free to sell our airtimes and Me2u, they have been chasing us but MTN authority made an advocacy hence putting us in cooperatives. MTN gave us all the necessities like ID, this umbrella and the uniform.”

Pierre Kalisa, Nyarugenge Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs said that unlike other vendors, MTN and Tigo airtime vendors around roads have cooperatives in which they are registered.

“Vendors with no cooperatives are to be chased by the security authorities because they cause road insecurity and congestion on other merchandizes,” said Kalisa

He added that the permitted vendors are those found in umbrellas for it must be an address without moving around in roads.

These claims are coming after local authorities and the police are hunting vendors of different merchandizes that have been sensitized to join common markets.

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{{Gilbert Niyonshuti the Executive Secretary of Kagasha Cell, Gatsibo District have been fired for the alleged corruption.}}

His sacking came at a time when residents had begun protesting over his corrupt behavior that frustrated them and the cell had unsolved land disputes.

“Days after I received a title deed for my land, Niyoshuti refused my ownership of the land and instead gave it to my rival, this was total injustice and I believe he was bribed,” said Esdras Sibomana one of the complainants.

The mayor of Gatsibo District Embroize Ruboneza, said that Niyoshuti was fired because he showed less capacity in dealing with issues in his territory.

“It’s true Kagasha cell has numerous cases ranging from land disputes to robbery and domestic violence,” he confirmed.

Ruboneza further pointed out that local leaders in the cell are going to be empowered to solve backlog cases in Kagasha.

He also advised residents to avoid being part of corrupt deals since it facilitated poor governance.

However, some residents are not satisfied with the expulsion of Niyoshuti but rather heavy want punishments against him.

“Firing him is not enough, how can someone who has been involved in gross corruption deals gets away without his mistakes being put to light,” said Ahishakiye.

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{{More than 700 Police officers are currently undergoing the United Nations Selection Assistance Test commonly known as SAT.}}

The test is a pre-requisite for all police officers before they are deployed in UN peace keeping missions.

To successfully pass SAT police officers undergo six tests including reading, listening, report writing, interview, driving and shooting.

Police officers are considered eligible for a UN mission if they pass all the tests with at least an average mark.

As for practical tests such as shooting and driving excellent knowledge is required.

According to the Director of Peace Support Operations at Rwanda National Police Superintendent Ejide Ruzigamanzi, SAT process is going on well without hitches.

“We expect all police officers eligible for the ongoing SAT to be done in two days,” Supt Ruzigamanzi said.

Assistant Superintendent Cosmos Anyan, the head of induction and training at United Nations Assistant Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) noted that the selection assistance team was received and handled well.

“We have had no problem at all and we are impressed with the way the whole selection process is going on. We intend to include this in our report,” Anyan said.

He noted that their primary responsibility was to help RNP select the best police officers to serve in United Nations Peace Keeping Missions. He was overall impressed with the level of performance.

AIP John Bosco Kagame, one of the police officers who underwent SAT said he was happy to pass the difficult test.

“I am delighted to that my institution gave me this opportunity. I intend to serve to represent my country well once my time to serve in a peace keeping mission comes,” Kagame said.

He advised fellow officers who didn’t make the cut to try once again and avoid panic during the exams.

As Kagame was over the moon, AIP Tom Rwibasira was disappointed with the results.
“Of course I am disappointed but it’s not the end of the world. Whether here or elsewhere, my objective is to serve my institution and country,” Rwibasira said.

Those who have passed will be put on a waiting list of UN mission opportunities.

Currently Rwanda has more than 400 police officers serving in peace keeping missions in Africa and Caribbean including Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

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{{Norwegian investors now in the country to attend a one-day seminar organised by Rwanda Development Board (RDB), has hailed Rwanda for setting up favorable environment of doing business.}}

They have described Rwanda’s investment climate as excellent for doing business comparing to many of the African countries in only 17 years post Genocide.

Rwanda Development Board had organized the seminar aimed at displaying the various business opportunities in the country under the theme ‘Develop and expand your Business –Networking and Financing Possibilities’.

The meeting was also organised in collaboration with the Norfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The Head of Investment Promotion and Information at RDB, Vivian Kayitesi, made a presentation on various untapped investment opportunities, including ICT, agro-processing, infrastructure, tourism, energy, mining, real estate and construction.

John Gara Chief Executive Officer of RDB said it was essential to provide adequate and first hand information to investors to help them understand specific areas of interest.

Gara also said the seminar was partly organised to facilitate local investors in private sector to interact with their Norwegian counterparts and share ideas on how to spur business.

He advised them to access funds from the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries.

Bjorn H. Eriksen, the Director of Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, highlighted various sectors such as energy, agro-business, communication and environmental sector that need to explore.

“There so many business opportunities in this country and its quite good that they have simplified the ways of investing here,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Thorbjoen Gaustads Aether, the Norwegian Ambassador, observed that the country’s investment climate was conducive, and hence hoping to explore business opportunities in Rwanda.

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{{About Rwf 2.6bn have been earmarked to fix Kigali City’s street lights, the senior official at Kigali city has said.}}

Alphonse Nzeyimana the Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Affairs said that this year street lights in Kigali city and its suburbs will be fixed.

“We intend to complete before the end of this year. All necessary requirements to fix the street lights are in place,” Nzeyimana said.

Nzeyimana said that the fixing the streetlights would take 41 kilometers on Kimironko-Zindiro Nyabugogo-Kinamba and Nyabugogo-Ruliba on your way to southern province and Remera-Kabuga roads.

Commenting the due exercise, Nzeyimana said the fixing of the street lights will also favour proper security in Kigali City.

He also said that it is also a tool that can increase social-economic activities as Kigali residents are facilitated to work for extended hours.

Nzeyimana says funds will come from central government and other stakeholders.

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