Tag: MainSlideNews

{The Minister of Trade, Industry, and East African Affairs, Francois Kanimba, has appealed to the youth to take a tough stance towards conserving biodiversity to enable Rwandans sustainably benefit from the opportunities and wealth presented by natural resources.
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The Minister made the appeal over the weekend during the official opening of two-day conservation activities in honour of the 13th Kwita Izina that include Conservation and Tourism exhibition at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village.

The exhibition, held for the second time, was aimed at showcasing Rwanda’s achievements in conservation interventions and tourism related products and services.
It is also meant to serve as a trading platform for B2B and other networking opportunities specifically for tourism operations. It attracted youth, as well as other official from Ugandan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ethiopia among other countries
It is among the preliminary activities taking place before Kwita Izina scheduled for 1st September 2017 in Musanze district.

Kanimba said that the government of Rwanda allocates resources for conservation and called upon everyone to play a role in making conservation a success.
He said; “This activity organized before Kwita Izina helps partners in Rwanda and the region to meet in one place and show their activities. It enables them to exchange ideas, experiences, best practices and the best way forward. ”

Kanimba noted that the development of tourism must base on caring for the basic foundational infrastructures.

“During this Show, we have received different people including the person who constructed a boat which can be used on lake Kivu, we have examples of the former poachers, who have subsequently formed a cooperative society to become bee farmers and other jobs.”

The Ethiopian Minister of culture and tourism, Dr. Hirut Weldemariam told IGIHE that they have participated in the show to learn from Rwanda’s development in the sector of Tourism.

She said; “I Participated in this show as a way of increasing my knowledge, regarding the way Rwanda conserves biodiversity and its beauty in order to attract many tourists while developing the society in general.”

{With less than three days to this year’s Kwita Izina ceremony, Rwanda Development Board on Saturday hosted ‘KwitaIzina’ Gala Dinner at Kigali Convention Centre to raise funds for Gorilla conservation efforts ahead of the 13th Gorilla naming event due on September 1 in Musanze District.}

Attended by government officials, diplomats, conservationists and private individuals, over 500 tickets were sold for the ‘Gala Dinner’ with each ticket costing $120 (estimated Rwf 101,194), while ten guests paid over $1,000 (Rwf 843,284).

The night of dinner and wine, also included a spectacular music performance from local artist Ben.

The night also involved a successfully bidding action for Rwandair tickets to the UK, where the best two bidders accepted to pay $2,500 to $4,000 to spend a night in Bisate and Songa Lodge respectively.

BeliseKaliza, head of RDB-Tourism said the fundraising is meant to support conservation efforts in the country. “The target is not business oriented but to raise funds to support mountain gorilla conservation efforts and other related projects.”

This was the second edition of the ‘KwitaIzina’ Gala Dinner. Last year RDB raised funds for three projects; Imisambi Sanctuary ($101,000), Mountain Gorilla Skeletal Project ($180,000) and Community Eco-Lodge ($250,000).

{A delegation of 25 entrepreneurs from Indian is in Rwanda as part of a program to streamline the cooperation between the two countries. }

The 25 Indian entrepreneurs from different commercial sectors are expected to hold discussions and exchange knowledge in the field of technology with local entrepreneurs.

In February this year, India’s Vice President Hamid Ansari held talks with President Paul Kagame on different issues, including trade and promoting health sector.

During that time, a cooperation, India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme (IRIGP) was agreed upon between the two countries in the field of science and technology where India, and Rwanda’s National Industrial Research Development Agency (NIRDA), will coordinate the working relationship between the two sides. The delegation has already held discussions and exchanged knowledge in the field of technology with local entrepreneurs.

The Indian entrepreneurs have expressed willingness to play a role in the promotion of trade and investments in Rwanda, noted Munish Gupta, the advisor of IRIGP program.

He said, “The most important thing is the fact that both governments of India and Rwanda have the will to cooperate in the field of creating employment opportunities, opening companies in Rwanda and promoting the national economies.”

It is expected that the Indians will participate in the ongoing Trade show, taking place at Gikondo Expo ground from August 22nd- 6th September 2017.

Through this cooperation, it is anticipated that some of the Rwandan entrepreneurs will make a study tour in India, with the objective of promoting the culture of innovation and improving knowledge through applying modern technology.

The Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer , Clare Akamanzi, said that India is experienced in vital sectors that are important in enhancing development including agro-processing industries, pharmaceuticals and computer science among others.

This delegation has so far visited different institutions including Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Private Sector Federation (PSF), National Industrial Research Development Agency (NIRDA), Indian Embassy in Rwanda and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Community Affairs.

Between 2011-2016, Indians invested US$317millions in 66 projects, including Airtel, Zinc Hotel and Mahatma Gandhi University besides, Gisovu Tea Factory, Imana Steel, Sahasra and electronic Pvt Ltd among others.

{Thousands of Rwandans on Sunday celebrated the National Harvest Day commonly known as Umuganura with a focus on encouraging Rwandans to work harder to eradicate poverty and hunger.}

The annual event is celebrated beginning August 4th but for this year it was extended over the weekend not to coincide with other major events like the Presidential elections.
Umuganura is a traditional feast of the first harvest that was widely observed in ancient Rwanda.

The harvest day is the first-fruit festival and one of Rwanda’s ancient royal rituals.

The celebrations of Umuganura were held in Nyanza District, Southern Province and attracted hundreds of people including Rwandan government officials and the private sector and citizens.

This year’s event was observed under the theme: “Umuganura, a foundation of unity and self-reliance.”

Speaking at the celebrations, Julienne Uwacu, Rwanda’s minister of sports and culture, said the event has evolved to become a national festival to celebrate the country’s achievements in social and economic development.

“This day gives Rwandans an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and focus on what needs to be done to find a lasting solution towards addressing malnutrition, poverty, and hunger in the country,” she added.

According to 2014 Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV) conducted by the National Institute of Statistics, poverty in Rwanda reduced from 60 per cent in 2000 to 39 per cent in 2014.

Rwanda targets to reduce poverty to 20 per cent and extreme poverty to zero per cent from the current 16 per cent by 2020, according to the ministry of finance and economic planning.

This year’s Umuganura celebration also was combined with President Paul Kagame’s’ landslide victory during the August 4th Presidential elections where most Rwandan voted for Kagame for another third term in office.

Minister Uwacu also noted that the celebration is an advantage this year because it has occurred when Rwandans are jubilating President Kagame’s victory during the elections.

{The City of Kigali has announced that with effect from today they will work with Rwanda National Police to enforce law that bars vendors from operating on Kigali streets.
The official decision was reached yesterday during a meeting between the Police, City of Kigali and government officials before it was communicated to the press at City Hall.
The Mayor of Kigali City Pascal Nyamurinda told the media that street vendors and other illegal businesses will be forced out with the support of the police and ensure that they operate only in established markets.}

“We are going to use whatever security organ that we have to make sure that we deal with these people. We have laws and regulations that need to be followed; those who don’t abide by them will be dealt with according to the law. We have been working with DASSO but the vendors have defied them,” said the mayor.

The new measures against “Abazunguzayi” as they are locally known, follows previous fruitless efforts to relocate them to established markets to prevent disorder, insecurity, poor sanitation, accidents, which they were causing, according to officials.

The illegal itinerant business practice has since continued on streets where they sell clothes, fruits and vegetables, among other products with some vendors vowing to carry on with the practice where they have in some cases been violent against law enforcers who try to get them off the streets.

One of the case in point reported by Police happened a fortnight ago where a mob of vendors in Nyabugogo bus terminal reacted violently against law enforcers wounded some of them as they ordered them to get off the streets.

RNP has also reported that it will base on the 2015 resolutions of the City of Kigali Advisory Council in its operations to ensure that the vendors operate in established markets, said ACP Badege.

ACP Badege said: “Majority of the street vendors are youth and women, who belong to a prime cluster with several economic empowerment program.”

“There are markets that were constructed in all corners of the city for those who were on the streets. Those who went to the markets were also given incentives. The Government has several women and youth financial empowerment schemes and has also prioritized job creation for youth under the National Employment Programme (NEP). Basically, there is no justification for someone to sell on streets, yet there are markets from which they can operate.” “We are coming in as law enforcers and to ensure that the law and bylaws are respected to ensure public safety and put an end to such violent behaviors that undermine authorities and cause public disorder. Our operations have already started; police officers are already on the ground,” ACP Badege disclosed.

He, however, clarified that there is no specific unit charged with preventing street vending, but rather incorporating it in the usual police operations.

According to the City of Kigali, so far, there are 14 markets constructed in different parts of the city that are meant to accommodate street vendors.

{Private schools proprietors are skeptical and worried about closure of their institutions due to the low registration of students that instead join government-aided schools.
The number of students registering in private schools started reducing in 2012 when the free nine year basic education program was introduced. }

IGIHE can report that so far thirty schools have already closed since the beginning of 2017. The director of College Nkundubrezi in Gakenke district, Samuel Batamba, told the press that currently, they have a diversity of challenges.

He said; ” The number of new students has drastically reduced, leaving the college in a sea of of debts, including salary arrears for staff and suppliers. We don’t know whether the school will ever reopen.”

Batamba says that they used to have about 800 students, a number that has since dwindled to 80 students as others enlisted in government-aided schools. In 2016, most of the private schools are said to have lost 2/3 of their students.

The Association of Privates Schools in Rwanda, 100-strong membership, says that most schools closed and others are about to follow suit.

The director of College de I’Espoir de Gasogi, Evariste Nsengiyumva, said that they are remaining with 500 students compared to over 1000 they had in 2014, leaving most of the school infrastructures idle.

“Currently there are dormitories that used to house students but are now empty,” he laments.

The deputy chairman of the association of private schools, John Gasana, has said that competing with government schools is hard since it requires a lot of investments like infrastructure, recruiting well-qualified teachers and purchasing modern equipment. The Director General of Rwanda Education Board, Janvier Gasana has told IGIHE that it is not possible for the government to assist private schools and advised them to instead to go back to the drawing board.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, there are over 1,575 secondary schools, among which 460 are government-aided, 620 are Catholic-based, 279 Anglican, 22 for Adventists, Islamic-based 16 and 178 owned by parents associations and and private individuals.