Tag: HomeNews

{{Plans to construct the railway line linking Rwanda with Tanzania and Burundi are ready.This follows a declaration by Omar Nundu the Tanzania Minister of transport.}}

“All requirements for the building of a railway binding Tanzania and Burundi crossing Rwanda are already prepared.”

Mr. Nundu, says that the railway is an addition to another one which will be binding Tanzania and Uganda.

He admits that this will pass by Tanga-Arusha-Musoma (100km in the south) to Kampala instead of crossing Serengeti Park for the environmental protection reasons.

“We believe that the use of these railways will promote different domains such as agriculture, mining and a part of industry in general,”He said.

The Railway project was finalised in 2009. Construction will begin in 2014 and estimated to cost more than 4 billion U.S dollars.

{Source: Africa Review}

{{Rwandan students studying abroad through their Isaro foundation have launched a special week effective today aimed at establishing foundation clubs in schools to promote reading and writing skills.}}

The foundation collects books from other cultures and sends them to Rwandan students to read, as well as hosting essay-writing competitions encouraging them on their writing skills.

This encourages Rwandan students in primary and high school to get knowledge from different cultures around the world.

Rwandan students currently studying abroad are focusing efforts on expanding the foundation’s reach by encouraging more people to join their effort in helping Rwandan students.

The foundation in December 2011 sent a delegation of its committee to establish a national level base in Rwanda. The delegation was able to participate in join the Rwandan National Dialogue, and the National Career Day.

It’s also towards that expansion of its reach that the foundation delegation has dedicated a special week in the beginning of this new year from January 9th through January 13th which shall be called “Isaro Foundation week.”

During the week , the delegation will visit three schools including; Agahozo Shalom, Petit Seminaire Ndera and the Lycee Notre Dame des Citeaux and present Isaro foundation to the students and the school’s administration to encourage students to join the foundation, and to encourage students to create Isaro foundation clubs in their schools.

Also the foundation during the week aims at encouraging Rwandans wherever they are to support the foundation effort to help children in primary and secondary schools in Rwanda, to accomplish their dreams.

{{A female resident of Nyabisindu cell, Remera sector in Gasabo District has testified in church how she miraculously survived the recent grenade explosion.}}

Antoinette Mukabagema in her 30s narrated her story in a testimony during Sunday Prayers at Prayer Palace Church, Remera sector near Amahoro National Stadium. IGIHE.com reporter was at the church.

“I had lost my thermos flask so I went around the shops to buy a new one just in front of the shop where the grenade exploded. My conscience prevented me from entering the shop. So I stayed outside from where i asked for a new flask at a distance,” Mukabagema narrated.

She added, “I felt like I was afraid of something, I immediately left the area. After i had walked a few steps away from the shop, I immediately heard an explosion. I cried for help from God as I took cover with my child. The fragments flew over hitting the people in front us.”

“It was miraculous seeing how fragments flew past over us and hit people next to us. Others died while many were injured and rushed to hospital. This was the power of God that I survived,” Mukabagema added.

She Explains that she later woke up and ran to the nearby shop to hide in confusion while not understanding what had happened.

Recently two people died on spot and 18 others were injured when a grenade exploded at Marembo Village, Nyabisindu Cell in Remera, Gasabo District.

The injured were immediately rushed to various hospitals in Kigali, including Kibagabaga, Kanombe Military Hospital, Kacyiru Police Hospital, and the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK).

{{ENDS}}

{{The Executive Secretary of Muganza Sector, Rusizi district has said that the letter issued by his office cautioning local farmers against premature harvest of maize has been misinterpreted. }}

Oscar Nizeyimana the Mayor of Rusizi district in an announcement yesterday January 7, said that all farmers are allowed to harvest their maize, rice and the related crops.

Previously in a letter dated 27th December 2011 and signed by Mukamana Esperence an official of muganza sector in Rusizi district allegedly refrained locals from harvesting maize with intention to roast and or sell shall be punished with a fine of Frw 20,000 caught selling and Frw 10,000 found transporting such maize harvested.

The official in charge of communications at the district has responded to the allegations saying that the news released by leprophete website was misreported and are telling lies.

The news says that the district refused farmers from harvesting their maize from their farms.

{{Mushaija Goeffrey the Executive secretary of Rwamagana District has been suspended for three months during an extraordinary district meeting on saturday that held the decision.}}

Mushaija is accused of failing to submit a progressive report on good governance as prepared by the office of the ombudsman office. Rwamagana district has been a poorest performer among the 30 districts in the country.

The extraordinary meeting also held that three other district officials working in the district’s good governance office shall have ¼ of their salaries removed. Also another official was strongly warned.

Rwamagana Murenzi Alphonse the district committee chairperson said the officials had to be punished for they are solely responsible for the district poor performance record.

A not-yet confirmed report suggests that President Paul Kagame may be decorated among heroes who played a big role in Uganda’s liberation war in 1986.}}

Placed source told IGIHE.com Kagame who will have a four-day state visit beginning January 22, will go Uganda on an invitation from his counterpart Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

Kagame has been invited to attend the highly celebrated event of January 26 in commemoration of Uganda’s National Resistance Army (NRA) guerilla army that toppled the Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa’s military rule.

Highly placed source said that honoring Kagame is a vow fulfilled of a promise President Museveni made in his recent visit to Rwanda that he will belatedly reward Kagame for “his role in NRA liberation war.”

“Kagame who head of intelligence is said to have been the first 27 NRA fighters,” the source said.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme, “Uganda, the Land of Opportunities: NRM’s contribution during the last half of the 50 years of Uganda’s independence,”.

On the other hand, Kagame has also honored his counterpart in Uganda, listed among heroes for his contribution in 1990 liberation war that stopped the 1994 Genocide.

President Museveni was in Rwanda 2009 attending the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) 15th anniversary celebrations at Amahoro Stadium, during which he was decorated with two medals.

One medal is in honour of his contribution to the RPF struggle that liberated Rwanda, while the other is in recognition of his campaign against the 1994 genocide.

{{ENDS}}

{{President Paul Kagame has arrived in South Africa to attend celebrations to mark the centenary of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress that begun with a golf tournament.}}

More than 100,000 people are expected over the weekend in the central city of Bloemfontein.

Other events include a candle-lit vigil at the church where the ANC was formed and a major political rally on Sunday, the 100th anniversary.

The ANC was founded to fight white minority rule, which ended in 1994.

ANC party secretary general Gwede Mantashe says Nelson Mandela, who led the party to power after the end of apartheid, will not be attending the ANC celebrations.

“He is not coming and we are not expecting him to come,”Gwede told South Africas public radio SABC. “He is in good spirits but very, very old.”

{{Farmers in Rwanda have been advised to put extra efforts on subsistence farming as a way of enhancing food security and also reduce on imports of cereals such as rice, beans, maize among others.}}

In order to achieve this, Francoise Kanimbla, the minister of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) emphasized that the ministry intends to strengthen cooperatives dealing with agriculture produce.

The support includes easing their access to credit, training farmers on latest technologies as well as supporting them with latest technology.

He added that the above strategies have worked well for some crops; rice for instance is progressing in several regions particularly in the eastern province, “We have enough rice in our galleries to sustain us for four years.”

Production of local food would also reduce on imports of the same hence reduction of food prices.

“Even though we import most of our foods from COMESA zone at no tax the transport fee still makes them costly,” he advised.

{{Congolese people are calling for urgent help following the intensified massacres that have left over 75,000 fleeing after 30 villages were burnt.}}

A statement released by the Hunde and Nyanga Congolese communities highlighting the situation on armed conflict and the dire humanitarian situation prevailing in the territories of Masisi and Walikale reads in part;

“We, the Hunde and Nyanga communities, are sorry to see that for months, the national and international community stand by and watch clashes between armed conflicts and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda , and the movement of weapons variously called , or sometimes Peoples Self-defense Movement or sometimes.”

The statement explains that the fighting began in February 2011 in Masisi territory mainly the Nyamaboko groups I and II. They ranged in Walikale territory during the month of November 2011 in the groups Walowa-yungu, Walowa uroba and Walowa-lLoanda.

A small fire, they extend into the body of Luberike, Ihana and Ikobo in Walikale territory and to the groups Banyungu, Buabo and Bafuna in Masisi territory. Thus, both territories Masisi and Walikale are of fire and blood.

These fights, although deadly, have not attracted the attention of those who would help improve the situation.

Abandoned to their fate, the populations are found in the forests where they think they find shelter, but they face a greater threat from their executioners.

During their flight, some females are raped and young people are killed, parts are cut using machetes. These conflicts today present a serious negative impact on the lives of people.

Scattered in the forests, IDPs are exposed to extreme weather and diseases. There are currently thirty more abandoned villages and more than 74.000 displaced persons, but without any assistance.

The current count of those fighting disease is 73 dead. Children, the disabled, the elderly and pregnant women are the first victims.

Since the war began, these people are never assisted. The humanitarian situation is becoming more and more catastrophic if action is not taken we risk a humanitarian catastrophe.

This is why an appeal is launched to get the attention of all people of good will to please help the needy.

To do this, we proceed with the collection of donations and assistance to displaced persons. All Congolese are invited to bring goods or money to alleviate the misery of our people. An ad hoc committee has been set up.

We want to take this opportunity to condemn the actions of the belligerents. We demand the immediate cessation of hostilities; ask the intervention for the protection of civilian populations by MONUSCO to enable everyone to return to their own community and the Congolese government to cope.