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Thousands of people, including several dignitaries and foreign leaders gathered on Sunday at Harare’s national stadium for the swearing-in of Mnangagwa.

President Kagame arrived in Harare for the event, this morning.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, of the ruling ZANU-PF party, won the July 30 election with 50.8% of the vote — just enough to meet the 50% threshold needed to avoid a run-off against main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3%.

Mnangagwa pledged to “protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans” in his oath.
The event was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa‚Tanzania’s President John Magufuli, RDC’s President Joseph Kabila, Zambia’s President and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta among many others.

Rwanda leads England which is at the 19th place, the United States of America 22nd, France 29th, Germany 38th, Japan 16th and China 60th.

Speaking to IGIHE, Rwanda Police Spokesperson, Theos Badege said that citizens’ trust came from the Force’s persistence in respecting law, maintaining security, among others.

According to the latest Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) Citizen Report Card, an annual publication which is produced to ascertain the levels of community satisfaction with regard to services, the net trust for the National Police, DASSO and Reserve forces was 98.1%.

Rwanda National Police continuously seeks to consolidate security gains, going beyond to put up modern methods of policing to make citizens understand their role in crime prevention, anti-corruption mechanisms; encouraging e-policing and infrastructure development, among others.

As shown in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International, Rwanda National Police leads the way among bodies fighting corruption in the country. Previous reports indicate that corruption perception in RNP went down from 15.5 percent in 2016 to 8 percent in 2017.

Since 2005, RNP officers also trained in peacekeeping to extend support to countries in need. About 1200 officers have been sent to Sudan, South-Sudan, Haiti, and others, for peacekeeping.

Finland, Switzerland, Singapore, Norway, and UAE in that order top the list of the most secure countries worldwide, according to WEF Report.

In the region, South-Africa and Nigeria are ranked as least secure countries as shown by its 118th and 123rd positions, respectively.

The pledge was announced by Minister of Defense, Gen. James Kabarebe in Kimironko as he participated in the monthly community work, Umuganda.

Gen. Kabarebe told the participants that President Kagame sent him to thank the residents for their commitment in building the nation as reflected in their massive participation in the monthly Umuganda.

“As you may see, the school was not in a good-shape. President Kagame made the Rwf5 million contribution in his capacity as a citizen. The money will facilitate Rwanda Defense Forces and citizens in constructing the school,” Kabarebe said.

Gen Kabarebe added that the Head of State had explicitly requested that the construction process does not take more than six months.

“And when the General issues a command, we carry out the orders. In six months from now, you will find the school standing with its new 18 classrooms,” Kabarebe assured Kimironko residents.

He added that with the partnership between Defense Forces, the district and residents, completing the project will be easily done.

Speaking to the press, Gasabo District Mayor, Stephen Rwamurangwa noted that with additional classrooms, there will be ample room for learners and an improvement in the study environment.

“The new 18 rooms will get the school in tandem with the Ministry of Education’s requirement of 45 students per classroom, reducing overcrowding and facilitate delivery of quality education,” Rwamurangwa said

Groupe Scholaire Kimironko has a student population of over 1000 children.

Ubudehe scheme categorises citizens according to their financial capacities.

PL made the promise on Thursday as it campaigned in Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts. The party is seeking seats in the parliament’s Lower House.

PL President Donatille Mukabalisa said the party will pursue programmes that alleviate poverty and help citizens graduate from categories to others on a higher financial stage.

She said their Members of Parliament (MPs) will strive to have adequate Ubudehe categories and ensure the vulnerable receive due support.

“That is something we shall follow up and make sure there are programmes aiming at taking people from one category to a better one,” said the former Speaker of the Lower House dissolved a fortnight ago.

The current four Ubudehe categories of Rwandans were drawn up in 2016. There are 376,192 households in first and poorest category. The category has 1,480,167 in 2016 equivalent to 16% of the country’s population.

The second category has 703,461 households comprised of 3,077,816 people equivalent to 29.8% of the population.

Category three has 1,267,171 households of 5,766,506 members equivalent to 53.7% of the population. Category four has 11,664 households with 58,069 people equivalent to 0.5% of the population.

The categories have caused public outcry with most complaining that they are in categories above their means. The categories are considered for the social protection schemes, for schools’ scholarships and community-based health insurance also known as Mutuelle de Santé.

Jean Mugabire, a participant in PL campaign in Karangazi Sector of Nyagatare District, suggest Ubudehe categories be ignored for some services such as university scholarships.

He said the categories exclude students in some categories from benefiting government support yet their families are not able to afford higher education costs.

PL also stressed on developing agriculture and livestock sector and empowering the cell level of local government.

The party has put forward 80 candidates for the 53 seats in 80-seat parliament. The 53 are also sought by an RPF-lead coalition of seven parties, four other parties apart and four independent candidates.

PL had five MPs in the last parliament term 2013-2018 while RPF and PSD had 41 and seven respectively.

Parliamentary general elections are slated for September 2-3 to decide on 53 seats. Other 27 seats for women, youth and people with disabilities will be decided on September 4.

Also known as Feast of Sacrifice or Big Eid, it is one of the two major festivals of Islam but considered the holier. The other is Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting.

Eid Al-Adha commemorates the Koran tale of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael but God offered him a lamb to sacrifice, ruling that no human life should be sacrificed in the name of God.

Among Christian and Jews communities, they believe that Abraham is ordered to sacrifice another son Isaac.

Rwandan Muslims have convened today at Kigali Stadium in Nyamirambo to offer prayers.

Eid al-Adha has come two days after the two million Muslims started annual Islamic pilgrimage in Mina and Mecca cities of Saudi Arabia.

The Holy pilgrimage started August 19 running until 26 with 79 Rwandans participating.

The Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Salim Hitimana, led the gathering in prayers at Kigali Stadium.

He encouraged the Muslim community to fight drugs especially among the youth and report drug dealers.

Mufti Hitimana also urged the congregation to play their role in bringing about upcoming parliamentary elections, come September 2-3.

Eid al-Adha compels all Muslims with means to slaughter cows, goats and other animals as sacrifice and distribute meat among disadvantaged around them.

Mufti Hitimana reminded all Muslims to share feasts with the vulnerable in observance of the sacrifice.

“This is a day of showing compassion and happiness that should always be reflected among the Muslims. You have to observe that, help the poor and share meals with them,” he said.

He said that Rwandan Muslims should not wait for foreign counterparts to give them animals to offer as sacrifice.

Today, Rwanda Muslim Community has offered as sacrifice 1,000 cows and 2,000 goats at the value of Rwf200 million.

Laurette Mugabo was part of the 2,000 young professionals convened for “Meet the President’ session at Intare Conference Arena in Kigali, Sunday.

The group of young people from across the country and the Diaspora presented a range of views and challenges to President Paul Kagame in an interactive session.

Ms. Mugabo said she had a problem about the ease of getting a job in Rwanda for the youth especially those from Diaspora.

“When we come here, it’s really hard to get jobs. If you don’t have connections, it’s technically hard to get them (jobs)… a connection of someone recommending you… a friend or relative recommending you,” she said.

“On top of my head, my older sister graduated from the University of Kansas and sat here for one and a half years until my mum had to pull a few strings, asked a few people.”

Mugabo said her sister applied for a job in different institutions including Rwanda Development Board recently where “they had to pull a few strings as well.”

The issue irritated President Kagame who said the nepotism must stop if it is the case in job recruitment.

“It sounds very bad to me. I want explanation about that,” said the Head of State.
Ingabire Marie Immaculée, the Chairperson of Transparency International Rwanda, has told IGIHE “what that young girl told the President is true, she wasn’t lying.”

The recruitment process in Rwanda starts with the institution announcing a job vacancy via internet platforms. Interested candidates apply and then sit for written and interview tests.

For application, people fill a form and send it to the recruiters via e-mail. The recruiting institution shortlists some candidates for tests.

Ingabire said there are gaps all along the recruitment process, making it possible for bribery and injustice. She says it starts with the job vacancy announcement and continues into tests.

“There was a case of a teacher who passed away in Gasabo District and the Sector’s Education Officer told the head teacher that they had found someone who wanted to pay Rwf300,000 to replace the deceased,” she said.

Angelina Muganza, the Executive Secretary of Public Service Commission, has told IGIHE that there are often problems in selecting candidates for the job tests.

The report of the commission indicates that among 23 issues identified in the country’s employment, some are about the recruitment of unqualified servants.

They also include malpractices in placing people in jobs before completing three years in their previous positions as required by the law.

Others were found in jobs without having presented the required academic documents.

“We cannot know why recruiters have chosen those servants but we tell those institutions that they were wrong in that recruitment,” said Muganza.

The commission also found cases where contracted recruitment consultants had close relationships with people who won the jobs, casting doubt on the recruitment.

The Presidential Order states that a candidate wins a job after securing 70% of the written and interview tests combined.

Muganza said they are reducing injustice in recruitment by avoiding candidates’ names on answer booklets and video-recording interviews during the tests.

Transparency International Rwanda suggests more efforts be put in encouraging people to report bribery as survey indicated in 2017 that graft was reported by only 15% of all who encountered the vice.

He was speaking during the ‘Meet the President’ session at Intare Conference Arena, where he met over 2,000 young professionals from across the country and the Diaspora.

Observing that drugs were dangerous to the individual’s health and to the health of the country, the Head of State told the Rwandan youth that they owed it to themselves to join hands and make sure the issue was squarely addressed.

“Why on earth would you want to get wasted?” Kagame remarked on drug abuse amongst the youth.

“The country is your family. When you’re not well as an individual, the country is not well. When the country is not well, you as an individual are not well,”

“If you’re not doing drugs as an individual, make sure even the person you call a friend, a relative does not use drugs. It’s your responsibility, do something,” Kagame advised.

{{Kagame encourages youth to innovate
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President Kagame further urged the youth to push themselves harder and make use of their brains, as the country was not short of problems and could use many innovative ideas, to deal with them.

“Ask yourself, what is it that I can do to address problems myself or the country is faced with. If you do not exercise your brain it dies. If you don’t succeed today, or tomorrow, there is no harm. Keep trying, you may succeed at the 10th trial,” President Kagame counseled.
He told the youth to look at failure differently, pick lessons and learn why it didn’t work out so to try something else.

“It does not come automatically; you have to work at it.” Kagame remarked.

On opportunities, the head of State cautioned the youth that there was no shortcut. He observed that his job was to work with the government and other institutions to make sure as many opportunities were created as humanely possible and that every Rwandan, no matter their background, can access them.

“There is no shortcut. I cannot promise young people that you will wake up and have a job. We are the ones who have to chase opportunities. Opportunities will not chase us,” he added.

“We want a country with the freedom to realize your aspirations to be whatever you want to be. But we have to remember that as you want to exercise your legitimate, legal freedoms, you have to make sure you are not infringing on someone else’s freedom,” Kagame told the youth.

Overall the session focused on key areas of health, education and exercising skills through innovation and creativity in building the country.

The announcement that was made over the weekend shows that the 2018/19 academic year will start with Students from these two UR branches, studying in Huye.

The development was further confirmed by Mike Karangwa, the Director of Communication at University of Rwanda who told IGIHE that; “All practicing journalists and Day students of Business and Economics will be relocated to Huye, while Evening students will stay at Gikondo.”

The school of Journalism and Communications used to be in Huye District, back in 2011. It was temporally relocated from there to Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) campus before being relocated again to the College of Business and Economics (CBE), Gikondo in 2016.

Paul Mbaraga, a lecturer at University of Rwanda’s School of Journalism and Communication, noted that the impending relocation of the School of Journalism and Communication, to Huye would greatly affect practicing journalists continuous learning programme.

“Most media houses that gave practicing journalists an opportunity to upgrade are established in Kigali,” Mbaraga said, emphasizing that media practitioners would no longer be able to access internship programmes and attachment to these media houses.

He further remarked that agreements that the school had with media houses for capacity building will as well be affected.

“In Huye, we won’t be able to continue the cooperation easily. We can still do it, but it will be expensive for these practicing journalists.”

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Rwanda (UR) in charge of institutional advancement, Dr. Charles Murigande, recently told IGIHE that the relocation would not affect anyone as “there are other great media practitioners in Huye.”

“It’s not something that you forget,” said Annan, then-U.N. secretary general. “It’s an experience that, if you go through, becomes part of you, and part of your whole experience as a human being.”

In 1994, at least one million of Rwandans were slaughtered in a 100-day genocide, when Hutu soldiers and militias slaughtered members of the Tutsi ethnic group. At that time, Annan was chief of U.N. peacekeeping.

Annan left behind a complicated legacy when he died Saturday at age 80. A Ghanaian national, he would go on to become the first U.N. secretary general from sub-Saharan Africa. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate managed to in some ways to make progress in Africa in his time leading the U.N. and after, but many saw his failure to intervene in Rwanda beforehand as inextricably intertwined with his later accomplishments. (He also oversaw peacekeeping during the brutal Srebrenica massacre that left thousands of Muslims dead during the Balkans War.)

In 1994, the U.N. instructed Canadian Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire, who headed the U.N. peacekeeping force in Rwanda, not to intervene. Dallaire wanted more troops to quell the escalating violence, but instead most of them were withdrawn. In 2014, Dallaire wrote in a Washington Post column that “preventing this genocide was possible; it was our moral obligation. And it’s a failure that has haunted me every day for the last 20 years.”

As journalist Stanley Meisler wrote in Annan’s obituary in The Washington Post: “He and his aides worked behind the scenes to prevent the widespread killing in Rwanda, but they said the forces of ethnic hatred were too strong to temper. When the massacres erupted in the mid-1990s, the U.N. Security Council, led by the United States, did little to stop them; hundreds of thousands were killed. ”

Carl Wilkens is an American who was working for the humanitarian arm of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Rwanda when the genocide began. He refused to leave, even as the situation escalated dramatically. In a phone call with The Post on Saturday, he said that the U.N. initially provided a false sense of security for many Rwandans, who may otherwise have run. It was “an enormous failure that has always been a very, very difficult thing for me,” said Wilkens, who wrote a book about the genocide, called “I’m not leaving.”

“Every time, I thought are you kidding me? The person in charge of this enormous failure then gets made the secretary general of the U.N.,” Wilkens said. “That just really was a bitterness inside of me. I think it blinded me from any other positive contributions and achievements and reasons that he may have been selected for that position and then what he was able to accomplish.”

Annan acknowledged the U.N.’s shortcomings, saying in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, in 1998 that “the world failed Rwanda at that time of evil.” Meisler wrote in Annan’s obituary that he later “published long reports, chock full of classified cables, that detailed the United Nations’ mistakes in dealing with the massacre in Srebrenica during the Balkans war and Rwanda in the 1990s.”

In 2001, Annan shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the United Nations “for having revitalized the U.N. and for having given priority to human rights,” the prize’s website says, in addition to his work on “the struggle to contain the spreading of the HIV virus in Africa and his declared opposition to international terrorism.”

Annan is also widely credited with brokering a peace deal that put an end to post-election violence in Kenya in early 2008, after contested elections in 2007 sparked clashes that left hundreds dead.

Wilkens said that in the wake of Annan’s death, he now hopes to set aside some of his bitterness and take a more objective look at what the complicated leader accomplished after 1994.

“When I read about his death, I realized I was very much guilty of something that I think Rwanda has been trying to teach me, and something I think everybody should have a look at,” Wilkens said. “Are we always going to be defined by our worst choices? Our worst mistakes?”

{{Source: [Washington Post->https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/08/18/kofi-annans-legacy-was-complicated-by-rwandan-genocide/?utm_term=.d8733c3d0fa1]}}