In a statement on Monday, June 10, Meteo Rwanda Director General Aimable Gahigi said that parts of the Bugarama plain are expected to record higher maximum temperatures compared to other parts of the country, with temperatures ranging between 30°C and 32°C for the months of June, July, and August.
Eastern Province, Eastern parts of Kamonyi, Ruhango, Nyanza and Gisagara Districts, Kigali City will also experience warmer conditions with maximum temperature ranging between 28°C and 30°C. The parts of highland areas including the Volcanoes National Park are expected to record lower maximum temperature than other parts of the country and will vary between 22°C to 24°C.
On the other hand, the expected minimum temperature will range between 10°C and 18°C across the country, which is above the normal minimum temperature during the June, July and August season, which range between 7°C and 16°C.
The forecast shows that Musanze, Burera, Nyabihu and few parts of Rubavu and Gakenke districts will be cooler than the other parts of the country during the three-month period with the temperature varying between 10°C and 12°C. Additionally, parts of Bugarama plain, and most parts of Kirehe District and southern part of Kayonza District are expected to have higher minimum temperature ranging between 16°C and 18°C.
Rainfall
The forecast indicates that the country will experience normal rainfall during June and July across the country, and above-normal rainfall during August. The Met Department attributes this weather pattern to the neutral sea surface temperature conditions in the central tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans throughout the three-month period.
Rainfall ranging between 120-150 millimeters is expected over Rubavu and Rutsiro districts, most parts of Nyabihu and Musanze districts, the western parts of Ngororero District, and the northern parts of Burera and Karongi districts.
Rainfall ranging between 90-120 millimeters is expected in Nyamasheke District, parts of Nyamagabe, Ngororero, and Karongi districts, the northern parts of Rusizi, Gicumbi, Gakenke, and Rulindo districts, and the western parts of Ruhango and Muhanga districts.
Rainfall ranging between 60-90 millimeters is expected in Nyaruguru, Huye, Gisagara districts, most parts of Ruhango, Nyanza, Kamonyi, Rulindo, and Nyagatare districts, the northern parts of Gasabo District, and the western parts of Gatsibo District.
Additionally, rainfall ranging between 30-60 millimeters is expected over Kirehe, Ngoma, Kayonza, Bugesera, and Kicukiro districts, most parts of Gisagara, Nyarugenge, and Gatsibo districts, the eastern parts of Nyanza, Ruhango, and Kamonyi districts, and the northern parts of Gasabo and Rwamagana districts.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has frequently highlighted Yiwu’s significance on international stages, aptly calling it the “World’s Capital of Small Commodities.” His visit to the market on September 20, 2023, underscored this sentiment as he encouraged Yiwu to forge ahead with its “small commodities, big market” philosophy.
Yiwu’s market is a powerhouse in China’s export sector, trading with over 230 countries and regions. Impressively, 65% of its trade volume is attributed to foreign transactions. Each year, over 560,000 overseas merchants flock to Yiwu, and more than 21,000 foreign merchants have set up permanent bases in the city. The market has drawn the attention of major multinational retail groups such as Walmart and Metro, alongside over 30 prominent domestic chain supermarkets.
The market’s prosperity is not confined to its physical presence. Yiwu has seamlessly integrated online and offline commerce, fostering a thriving e-commerce sector with over 600,000 entities. It is the only county-level city in China approved by the State Council to establish a national cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone.
This digital innovation is complemented by the Yiwu Import Commodity Market and the Yiwu Import Commodity Incubation Zone, which have introduced 150,000 overseas products from over 100 countries, epitomizing the market’s slogan: “buying global goods and selling global goods.”
In September 2020, the State Council’s approval to expand the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone marked another milestone for Yiwu. The Jinyi area, one of the three expansion zones, is set to transform into a pivotal international small commodity free trade center, a hub for digital trade innovation, an inland logistics powerhouse, a manufacturing innovation showcase, and a crucial node for “Belt and Road” cooperation.
Yiwu’s story is one of continuous evolution and adaptation, making it a vital cog in the global trade machine and a beacon of China’s economic prowess.
This was highlighted during the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, an event held on Friday, June 7, 2024, at Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Members of Rotary Club Rwanda visited Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi, where they were informed about the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, how it was planned and executed by the bad leadership, and how the youth in the RPF-Inkotanyi sacrificed to stop it.
After paying tribute to more than 250,000 victims laid to rest at this memorial, the Deputy Governor of District 9150 in Rotary Club Rwanda, Carole Karema, said that this is a good time to learn again as people who teach peace.
“We come to learn so that we understand the history, thus ensuring that genocide never happens again in Rwanda. Additionally, this involves teaching the younger generation to promote peace and reconciliation starting from Rwanda to the entire world because Rotary is present worldwide,” she said.
Karema further highlighted the role of Rotary in confronting genocide deniers.
“We should publicize what happened in Rwanda because we have a lot of evidences including survivors, footage, and more. Every three months we publish a magazine, so we must present the truth about what happened to confront genocide deniers,” she said.
Tom Ndahiro, a researcher on history and genocide who gave a talk during the event, emphasized that fighting genocide denial should be treated as another war to be fought.
He said, “Genocide denial is a very serious issue, and as Rwandans, we must take it upon ourselves, treat it as another war to be fought, and the young should know about it and fight it. Otherwise, the victim ends up being seen as the cause of the crime committed against them.”
Rotary Club Rwanda is comprised of 12 clubs including Rotary Club Kigali, Rotary Club Butare, Rotary Club Kigali Mont Jali, Rotary Club Kigali Virunga, and Rotary Club Kigali Gasabo.
Other clubs include Rotary Club Musanze Murera, Rotary Club Bugoyi Ibirunga, Rotary Club Kivu Lake, Rotary Club Kigali Senior, and Rotary Club Kigali Karisimbi.
Rotary Club is a non-profit organization that engages in charitable activities such as helping the underprivileged, providing clean water to citizens, fighting epidemic diseases like polio, and contributing to all activities aimed at developing society.
The 45,000-seat facility has been undergoing a facelift since August 2022 at a cost of $160 million. Turkish construction company Summa, tasked with expanding the stadium, whose initial capacity was 25,000, is expected to hand over the facility to the government before August this year, paving the way for hosting major events and tournaments.
Ahead of the formal opening of the stadium, photos and videos showing the transformation of the facility have been circulating on social media, gaining admiration from netizens across the African continent and beyond.
Besides the football turf with a cutting-edge hybrid surface, blending natural grass and artificial turf, Amahoro boasts an eight-lane track for athletics events, a paralympic gymnasium, and training facilities for football, handball, and volleyball.
The sports arena has also been fitted with various amenities, including VIP lounges, an Amavubi bar, dressing rooms, washrooms, coaches’ offices, a massage room, a changing room, and a FIFA office.
Additionally, there are rooms for match officials, a medical room, a doping control room, a staff management room, and a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Room, among others.
Kenyans, arguably the most vibrant online community on the continent, couldn’t help but marvel at the well-equipped, world-class stadium.
“Amahoro Stadium, right here under our noses, in Rwanda. Bwana kwani sisi tulifanyia Mungu nini (What did we do to God)?” Gabriel Oguda wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Amahoro Stadium, right here under our noses, in Rwanda. Bwana kwani sisi tulifanyia Mungu nini? pic.twitter.com/Rk6XBkkN23
“Amahoro Stadium in Kigali is just superb. Waiting to see how it will finally look once completed later in the year. {Kenya ni mdomo tu tunapiga} (Kenya we are just making noise),” Michal Okinyi opined.
Notably, despite ranking among the biggest economies on the continent and being the first in East Africa, Kenya’s promises to build world-class stadiums in recent years have remained just that—promises.
In yet another attempt to get it right, early this year, the government embarked on an ambitious project to build an ultra-modern facility earmarked to host some of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) matches.
The construction of the Talenta Hela Stadium, with a capacity of 60,000 seats, began in the capital, Nairobi, in March, with President William Ruto presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony.
The stadium is being constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation. The Ministry of Defence has been tasked with supervising the work to ensure the facility meets the required standards and is completed within the set timelines.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between the two countries’ judiciaries encompasses various aspects, primarily focused on sharing knowledge and best practices. This initiative aims to expedite the hearing and determination of cases and improve the overall quality of judicial services. Additionally, the MoU will facilitate peer-to-peer capacity-building exercises, exchanges, study tours, and institutional consultations.
{{ Importance of Knowledge Sharing
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Speaking to a local news outlet, Harrison Mutabazi, President of the Rwanda Judicial Officers Association, emphasized the importance of sharing best practices within East African countries. He noted that this exchange is crucial for improving local jurisdictions’ access to justice.
“We are thinking about benchmarking; that is one of the things we are going to be working on. For example, countries have started using electronic case management systems. In Rwanda, we are using them, in Tanzania, they are using them, and in Kenya too. So, Uganda can learn from us,” Mutabazi stated.
As part of the agreement, Rwanda and Kenya will collaborate in areas of common interest, particularly in academic, jurisprudence, and intellectual exchanges, as well as information and communication technology (ICT).
Rwanda’s justice system has undergone significant transformations in recent years, driven by new policies for criminal justice and alternative dispute resolution approved by the cabinet in 2022. These changes aim to shape legal proceedings and the justice system positively.
The criminal justice policy focuses on increasing the use of non-custodial mechanisms for handling detainees and convicts. Tools like GPS bracelets are being introduced as alternatives to custodial detention. Community service and fines have also been implemented as substitutes for detention in some cases.
Furthermore, the policy aims to make Rwanda’s prison system more corrective and rehabilitative by ensuring prison officers are equipped with the necessary knowledge to positively impact inmates. The goal is for inmates to acquire skills, knowledge, and a better attitude by the time they leave correctional facilities.
On the other hand, the alternative dispute resolution policy prioritizes non-litigation mechanisms for resolving conflicts. The justice ministry continues to encourage the use of mediators (Abahuza), conciliators (Abunzi), and arbitrators, reducing the reliance on direct litigation.
The village originally consisted of 183 households and 496 residents, covering an area of 0.99 square kilometers. In October 2004, Huayuan Village merged with nine neighboring villages, expanding its area to 5 square kilometers.
Further expansion occurred in March 2017 when it merged with nine additional surrounding villages, bringing the total area to 12 square kilometers. Today, Huayuan Village boasts 5,246 farming households, a permanent population exceeding 65,000, and over 50,000 migrants.
The turnaround of Huayuan Village began over 40 years ago with a strong focus on Party building, industrial development, business prosperity, improved living standards, and enhanced governance.
These efforts have transformed the village into a model of thriving industries, livable ecology, rich rural culture, effective governance, and prosperous living standards.
Recognized as a beautiful village exemplar and a pioneer of common prosperity, Huayuan Village has received numerous accolades. On July 1, 2016, the Huayuan Village Party Committee was awarded the title of “National Advanced Grassroots Party Organization” by the Central Committee of the CPC.
The same year, it was named one of the “Top 10 International Famous Villages in China.” In December 2019, it was selected as Zhejiang Province’s only comprehensive pilot for rural revitalization reforms. By October 2020, it was included in the fourth batch of small city cultivation pilots in Zhejiang Province, marking the birth of China’s first “village-level small city.”
Huayuan Village has also made significant strides in tourism. It is the first village in Zhejiang Province to independently create a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. It has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as one of the “Top 10 Excellent International Rural Tourism Destinations in China” and a “National Key Rural Tourism Village.”
Additionally, it is a 5A-level scenic town in Zhejiang Province. The village serves as a training base for village officials in China and an A-level observation site for new rural construction nationwide, earning titles such as “Number One Village in Zhejiang,” “The World’s Top Redwood Village,” and “A Role Model of China’s Rural Modernization.”
Economically, Huayuan Village is thriving. In 2023, it achieved an operating revenue of 72.5 billion yuan (over US$10 billion). The Huayuan Group contributed 42.7 billion yuan (roughly US$5.8 billion), while 3,035 private businesses generated 29.8 billion yuan (more than 4 billion USD). Villagers now enjoy an average annual income of 176,000 yuan (around 24,000 USD).
The village hosts the world’s largest vitamin D3 producer, the world’s widest copper plate manufacturer, a leading new wall material producer in China, a high-performance copper foil producer, and the province’s most intelligent and automated new building material enterprises. It also boasts the world’s largest redwood furniture market, China’s largest precious wood trading center, and the country’s largest village-level hospital, school, shopping mall, and Ferris wheel.
Huayuan Village’s journey from an impoverished mountain hamlet to a thriving, modern community is a testament to the power of dedication, innovation, and community spirit. It stands as a shining example of rural revitalization and a model for other villages to follow.
Emmanuel Mutabazi bagged a bronze medal for Rwanda after finishing third, with a time of one hour, four minutes, and 27 seconds, during the 19th edition of the Global Elite Label men’s half marathon. Kenyan runner Francis Kipkorir Langat claimed the first position with a time of one hour, four minutes and four seconds, followed by his compatriot Leonard Kipkoech Langat who finished second with a time of one hour, four minutes and 24 seconds.
The winners were awarded $5,000, $4,000, and $3,000 in prize money.
In the women’s half marathon category, Emeline Imanizabayo was awarded a bronze medal after finishing the race in one hour, 14 minutes and two seconds. The gold and silver medals went to Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa Moseti and her compatriot Vivian Jepkogel Cheruiyot, who ran in 1:12:50 and 1:14:01, respectively.
It was a podium sweep for Kenya in the full marathon category, with Laban Kipngetich Korir, Cornelius Kibet Kiplagat, and Moses Mengich taking the top three positions. Kipkorir clocked 2:16:06 to lead the clean podium sweep, followed by Kibet (2:16:18) and Mengich (2:18:38).
In the female category, Joan Kipyatich and Florence Chepsoi Jepkosgei, both from Kenya, walked home with gold and bronze after running 2:33:27 and 2:39:34, respectively. The silver went to Ethiopia’s Abebayehu Meseret, who finished second in 2:36:08.
The annual sports event is organised by the Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) in partnership with the Ministry of Sports, to promote peace and athletic excellence on a global stage.
The 19th edition of the marathon attracted a total of 10,183 participants from 35 countries, including 4,001 foreign participants. This is the highest number of participants since the marathon’s inception in 2005.
Those who attended the event included Minister of Sports Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, Minister of Local Government, Jean Claude Musabyimana, Mayor of the City of Kigali, Samuel Dusengiyumva, and President of the Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF), Lt Col (Rtd) Kayumba Lemuel, among others.
Also present were First Daughter Ange Kagame and Clare Akamanzi, the CEO of NBA Africa, who participated in the 10-kilometer ‘Run for Peace’.
Maj Gen Ruvusha shared these insights on April 7, 2024, during the 30th commemoration of the Genocide Against the Tutsi at IFAK, a private secondary school belonging to the Salesian Congregation in Kimihurura, Kigali City.
He explained that on the second day of the liberation struggle, Maj Gen Fred Gisa Rwigema, who was leading the RPA, was killed, followed by other commanders in the subsequent days. This left the RPA in a precarious position, with the government of Habyarimana and his extremists believing they had won the war, as President Kagame, who could take over, was then abroad pursuing his studies.
Maj Gen Ruvusha detailed how President Kagame “immediately halted everything he was doing abroad and returned to the battlefield,” where he quickly changed the combat strategy. The situation was dire, and the government thought it had secured victory. Kagame’s priority was to revise the military strategy, withdrawing troops temporarily to regroup and plan anew.
“At that time, since the battle was becoming unfavorable and the government knew they were about to win, the priority was to change strategies. For the soldiers on the battlefield at that time, we had to retreat, for him to reorganize and plan new strategies,” he stated.
“Soldiers were hungry and exhausted because we had no ammunition, no guns without anyone to supply them. Besides, he gave orders to retreat from occupied areas so that we could rebuild anew,” added Maj Gen Ruvusha.
He said that the years 1990 and 1991 were times of rebuilding during which the government in power thought they had won the battle. However, despite appearing to be calm, there were actions they undertook, including liberating the Ruhengeri prison.
In 1992, negotiations began, and it seemed they were going well. However, Maj Gen Ruvusha noted that what showed Habyarimana’s side did not want peace accords and was preparing for genocide was the killing of Tutsis in areas like Kibirira and Bugesera in 1993.
He revealed that the reason the RPA resumed fighting, even though negotiations were ongoing, was not because they didn’t want negotiations, but rather to show the existing government that they did not want the killings to continue.
He said Habyarimana and his accomplices had previously planned the genocide and were merely waiting for a trigger, which they found on April 6, 1994, when the plane was shot down, and the genocide immediately began throughout the country.
Maj Gen Ruvusha emphasized that President Paul Kagame, who was leading the fight, asked the RPA soldiers under his command to pay any price necessary to stop the killings, regardless of the challenges they could face.
As they started the struggle to stop the genocide, Maj Gen Ruvusha said, they encountered various obstacles, although these did not prevent them from continuing because they had ‘a true and just cause to fight for’.
President Kagame sent troops to Kigali, but the goal was not to capture the city, rather to stop the killings. Additional troops were also sent across the country to stop the killings wherever they were happening.
“Among all those activities, there were challenges. Firstly, throughout the journey, from near the border spreading across the entire country, we had no helicopters to quickly transport soldiers to rescue people. We had no vehicles to move quickly to save people. The vehicles we had were our feet,” Maj Gen Ruvusha explained.
Another challenge was that the RPA forces were slightly over ten thousand, while the enemy forces had around fifty thousand. This was not an easy situation but Maj Gen Ruvusha highlighted that “where there is will, discipline, purpose, and truth, you can defeat even ten people without clear reason they are fighting for.”
During the fight, they were also searching for those who were being hunted and hiding to rescue them. In some places, they required extra time to ensure they did not leave anyone in the hands of the enemy, making the journey longer.
Maj Gen Ruvusha also decried the support of the United Nations to Interahamwe militia in fleeing and providing refuge in camps.
He praised the bravery of Rwandans, many of whom, despite being weak from fleeing and hiding, helped rescue others. Maj Gen Ruvusha also acknowledged those who, despite not being targeted, chose to protect those who were hunted and refrained from participating in the atrocities.
Speaking during her swearing-in ceremony at State House in Juba, South Sudan, on Friday, June 7, Nduva said strong economic integration would encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation.
“Your Excellencies, in promoting peace and security, a secure East Africa is the foundation upon which we can build lasting prosperity,” the new SG stated amid concerns that the conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) [threatens security in the Great Lakes region->https://en.igihe.com/news/article/amb-munyuza-warns-fdlr-poses-significant-security-threat-for-great-lakes-region].
Nduva took the oath of office during the 23rd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Heads of State that was held virtually and chaired by Salva Kiir Mayardit, the Chairperson of the Summit and President of South Sudan.
Nduva, who comes from Kenya, is the first woman to become EAC’s Secretary General.
She disclosed that advanced social development would also be a priority for her with special attention being given to empowering women and youth who are the backbone of the society in the region.
The new SG will also prioritise infrastructure development in the region, stating that the sector will require innovative financing solutions and strengthened public-private partnerships (PPPs).
“To promote climate resilient growth, we will continue addressing the pressing challenges of climate change collectively as a region. This includes promoting green energy, sustainable agriculture, conservation efforts and resource mobilisation as a bloc,” she added.
She emphasized that improving coordination between various organs and institutions would be crucial for fulfilling the mandate.
The new SG also promised to promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity within the Community.
Nduva replaces Peter Mutuku Mathuki who was recalled by Kenya in March 2024 and redeployed as the country’s Ambassador to Moscow.
Prior to her appointment as SG, Nduva served as the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Performance and Delivery Management in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi.
The Rwanda Classified project coordinated by Forbidden Stories, a platform run by Freedom Voices Network, alleges widespread silencing of local journalists. However, seasoned Rwandan journalists, who spoke to IGIHE, had no kind words for the faces behind the narrative.
Kigali Today journalist Edmund Kagire who has been practising in the local media for the last 17 years said the malicious accusations are not new.
“What we saw is a regurgitation of the same accusations, the same things only that they come with different sort of language. But at the end of the day these are the same accusations differently dressed and endorsed by one of our own, who left the country the other day,” Kagire said while referring to investigative journalist Samuel Baker Byansi at the centre of the Rwanda Classified project.
He added, “Everybody knows what he is up to and people have been responding to him and him being part of the project. I don’t know if it’s a positive for the authors of the report, maybe they could have done a little bit of research to find out his history and track record. He is not one person you are going to rely on. If you look at his tweets a few years back, not more than two years ago, they portray a totally different image of what he says Rwanda is.”
While acknowledging that there were areas to improve, he insisted that over his nearly two-decade career, he has never been coerced by the powers that be to drop a story.
“We are not saying Rwanda is a bed of roses they say even a bed of roses has thorns. The media, just like any other sector in Rwanda, is a work in progress,” the scribe noted, adding that Rwanda was a target of propaganda from foreign actors with vested interests.
“I think when you are a bit progressive in what you are doing people pay attention and some people might not be impressed by the progress you are making and they try to stain it. In a way, it’s a good thing. I think it keeps us in check. It’s not just the media even the government gets all those sorts of reports. They have been resilient, they have carried on. Even as journalists, we have to be resilient in the midst of all these accusations.”
Marie Louise, a journalist with Intego News, believes most foreign journalists have a distorted view of Rwanda. She attributes this to a lack of understanding of the country’s complex social context and its painful history, particularly the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The horrific event, which claimed the lives of over a million people, was the culmination of decades of ethnic tensions fueled by Belgian colonial rule.
“If you are in a country, you need to understand the context, the society, and the culture. If you combine all of this, you know what to do as a journalist. Because always, when you are in America, you can say you are independent. When you reach here in Rwanda, you can say you are not independent because of the different fields of operations,” she said adding that she has never received threats from “officials” in the current administration to kill a story.
Rwanyange Rene Anthere, the Managing Editor of Panorama, highlighted the importance of journalists practising self-censorship when handling extremely sensitive topics that could cause harm to society. He insisted, however, that he could not be subject to censorship by the state.
“In the line of my career, no one has told me or forced me to drop my story,” he stated.
Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) is the body responsible for media self-regulation in Rwanda.
The institution is charged with enforcing the journalistic code of ethics, acting as the primary and highest adjudicator of complaints against the media, representing the broader interests of journalists, and defending media freedom and media consumers in general.
Mugisha Emmanuel, the Executive Secretary of RMC, told IGIHE that since the establishment of the media policy in 2011, the institution has made huge strides in bringing order in the crucial sector.
“Where we are today as media, there is a leap that we’ve made, basing on the existing laws, the existing legal frameworks, basing on the existing infrastructure, basing on the school of journalism that we never had before, that we now have, basing on different engagement initiatives that I’m telling you about, like that one whereby we initiated, we initiated that session where we have media and security organs meet to discuss. This is what we need to improve so that we can do our service to the public better and also contribute to nation-building. It’s nowhere across the globe,” Mugisha said.
Mugisha dismissed the Rwanda Classified stories as fake news, insisting that the claims made in the reports were not anchored on any facts.
“When you look at what is being spread in those media houses and what the 50 people and the 17 media houses met, they were discussing about. In my view, they lack verified facts about what they’re saying. If I would put it in one word, that is fake news. That is misinforming…Maybe people are judging us from where they sit and not with our own context. That is very wrong,” he said.
“Let them come, investigate, do their own stories. Don’t sit wherever you sit and agree that this narrative they want to spread about Rwanda and confuse the whole world because you have the platform. Media isn’t supposed to be used like that. Media has ethics that govern how to feed the public. If you don’t follow that, then you’re becoming a misinformer, you’re becoming something else, not a journalist.”
Poking holes in Samuel Becker’s perspective about the Rwandan media environment, Mugisha noted, “Maybe if they can come up with facts that are verified, with authentic sources, and they publish whatever they are saying without bias, with objectivity, and not subjective to harming ABCD, I think their stories can be given credibility. But as of now, I doubt.”
