Tag: MainSlideNews

This morning in Kigali, President Kagame bid farewell to President Sisi of Egypt marking the end of his official visit to Rwanda.

Sisi arrived at Kigali International Airport Tuesday morning at 11:50AM from Tanzania to start his two-day official visit to Rwanda and the other two Sub-Saharan Africa countries.

He was accompanied by a delegation of Egypitian government officials. At the airport he was received by his counterpart President Paul Kagame alongside some senior goverment officials before inspecting a guard of honour mounted for him,

He then visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay respects to the more than one million victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

He was accompanied by Rwanda Minister of Sports and Culture, Julienne Uwacu, Minister of Infrastructure, James Musoni, and the Executive Secretary of Rwandas National Commission for the Fight against Genocide, Jean-Damascène Bizimana.
Sisi was guided through the memorials exhibitions by Honore Gatera, Manager of the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

During his tour, Sisi expressed his solidarity with Rwandans and shared his own memories of the tragedy of the Genocide before calling for peace.

At the conclusion of his visit, the President wrote a touching message in the memorial guestbook;

“We feel much sorrow as we remember the heroes and victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi. We emphasise that life should not be violated. We should live in harmony, support each other and focus on a dialogue of peace. We hope that mass atrocities like this will never happen again, and that peace will prevail around the world.
Later in the afternoon, he met and held discussions with President Paul Kagame after which a statement of new areas of cooperation was presented.

The two presidents said that their governments will strive to promote trade, joint investments as well as creating linkages between private sectors of both countries.
Sisi said that Egypt has a lot to offer as an investor and business partner for Rwanda and the East African region, eager to deepen commercial ties.

Kagame said that Egyptians do not need to apply for a visa to visit Rwanda and hope to welcome tourists and business people from Egypt to the country in greater numbers.
The two heads of state were speaking after holding talks at Urugwiro Village on Tuesday.

Sisi was also hosted to a state dinner.

The Egyptian leader began a four-African country tour on Monday with the first stop being Tanzania.

Ties between Rwanda and Egypt have been strengthened in recent years with both countries running fully-fledged diplomatic missions in their two capitals.

Rwanda Central Bank (BNR) has revealed that it will issue out a five-year Treasury bond worth 10 billion francs ($12.12 million) this August to fund infrastructure projects, IGIHE has learnt.

BNR said the bids for the bond, whose coupon will be determined by the market, will be received from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23 and will be on the Rwandan stock market on Aug. 29 for secondary trade. ($1 = 824.9700 Rwandan francs).

Rwanda has been issuing bonds as part of a blueprint to develop its capital market and to fund infrastructure projects.

The bank wants to reduce its dependence on aid to finance its national budget.

Zambia President Edgar Lungu has confirmed that he will attend President Paul Kagame swearing in ceremony which is due on Friday August 18th, 2017.

Zambia’s Foreign Minister Harry Kalaba confirmed the news when he said that President Lungu has already accepted the invitation from his counterpart, in the context of cooperation and trade.

“The visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss about different developmental issues, for the purpose of promoting common interests, and security within the Great Lakes Region.”

It is expected that President Lungu will leave for Kigali on Thursday August 17th, 2017.

President Kagame was elected for a third term in office after winning with a landslide victory in the recent elections held on August 4th. The swearing ceremony is expected to take place at Amahoro stadium; miscellaneous visitors are expected to attend, whether from outside Rwanda, Rwandans and friends of Rwanda.

At national level citizens will follow the ceremony at the village level via Radio Rwanda and television.

The National Police has issued a tough warning of severe consequences to whoever will be caught in such acts that involve vandalizing electric pylons and those selling them as scarp metals.

The warning follows a case in Gatsibo District where three suspects are being held at Kabarore Police station in connection with vandalizing public infrastructure.

The three suspects are identified as, Jean Pierre Nsengiyumva, Evariste Hakiza and Laetitia arrested for vandalizing five electric pylons weighing over 500kgs that had been rolled out by NPD Ltd.

Of the three, Nsengiyumva and Hakiza were said to be the main culprits who could dismantle the pylons and sell into pieces to Urimubandi who deals in scrap metal business.

According to a report from police, the trio was arrested following complaints filed by NPD in regards to the disappearing pylons.

“Preliminary investigations led us to the two men who had vendalised five pylons. We arrested them along with the buyer Urimubandi,” said the Eastern Region Police Spokesperson Inspect of Police Jean Bosco Dusabe.

NPD has since valued the five pylons at Rwf 52 million but Nsengiyumva and Hakiza were selling a kilo at Rwf300 meaning they had sold the five pylons weight 500kg at just Rwf150,000.

Upon arrest, the two men admitted to have vendalised the pylons and said they had been sent by Urimubandi.

“Also, during the operation, we impounded FUSO RAA 962Y that we found carrying pieces of the dismantled pylons,” said the spokesperson who added that investigations are still going on to identify if no other public infrastructures have been damaged and also process the their files for prosecution.

IP Dusabe also issued a tough warning against vandalising public infrastructure and also hailed employees of NPD who hurriedly reported the case.
Such acts, he said, are punishable under article 406 of the penal code on “demolishing or damaging another person’s buildings.”

“These infrastructures are meant to improve the welfare and development of the people as well as facilitate doing business, so it should be guarded jealously by everyone. When one starts digging up electric pylons, then that person is endangering lives of thousands,” he said.

Police also warned of severe consequences to whoever will be caught in such acts, which, IP Dusabe said, affect the country’s development programmes and at times lead to loss of lives as some people are electrocuted while stealing the pylons.

Emmanuel Ruzindana , the head of security at NPD in the Eastern region said they pylons were being stolen at night and it was hard to identify how they were disappearing and that’s when they involved the police.

Officials from Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL), Gatsibo branch, said such illegal activities cost the government a lot of monies while serving the public becomes harder when infrastructures are vandalized.

The last case of ravaging public infrastructure was heard in April last year in Huye District where police arrested three men in connection with stealing underground electric cables connecting Huye mineral water plant in Ngoma Sector.

Rwanda and Congo Brazzaville have agreed to exchange criminal suspects and convicts.

The agreement between the two countries was signed in November 9th 2013, but the laws governing the process stipulate that the exchange must first be approved by the parliaments from both counties. Rwandan parliament approved the agreement.
Rwandan Chief Prosecutor, Jean Bosco Mutangana, said that approving the agreement is fundamental, which is a precursor to legal collaboration, most especially in countering criminals.

“Within the last ten years, we sent requests to Congo to extradite 15 suspects. We are optimistic that this agreement will speed up the process.” He added that the requested extraditions are suspects of having had a role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs in the Ministry of Justice Evode Uwizeyimana, said the treaty will expedite extraditing Genocide suspects who are in Congo Brazzaville.

According to Ministry of Disaster Management and Refuge Affairs, there are over 10,000 Rwandans in Congo.

Congo arrested two genocide suspects who are; Jean-Baptiste Gatete the former Bourgmestre of former Byumba and Ildephonse Hategekimana, the former soldier in the Ex-FAR. They were subsequently given a life sentence.

Djibouti Government has allocated more hectares of land to Rwanda, expanding from the 20ha allocated in 2013 to the current 60ha near the Autonomous Port of Djibouti and the Dubai World International Port.

According to the Minister of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs, Francois Kanimba Rwanda was invited to establish facilities in Djibouti’s 4,800 hectares of the new free economic zone.

Mr. Kanimba said Rwanda was still exploring investment plans to put the land to use.
The development follows President Kagame’s visit to Djibouti following a two-day state visit of his counterpart, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh to Rwanda in March 2016.

Rwanda offered ten hectares in Kigali Special Economic Zone to Djibouti.

On his recent visit to Djibouti, President Kagame and his counterpart signed a number of bilateral agreements mainly in the area of trade and investment between the two countries including; air services, visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport holders, reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, the establishment of a joint commission and a protocol agreement on cooperation in ICT.

Although the date for President Kagame’ s Oath is not yet officially established, the Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou has confirmed his attendance for the swearing in Ceremony of Presidential Elect- Paul Kagame.

National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced the final results at 98% of the electoral vote. Since the announcement, different leaders have written to President Kagame, congratulating him on his re-election.

Through his twitter handle, towards the end of this week, Niger’s President Issoufou congratulated him for the victory, confirming his presence during the presidential Oath.

He said, “As well I am happy about Brother Paul Kagame’s good victory, thereby confirming my presence during his next Oath.”

President Kagame thanked Issouffou, and welcomed him, saying “Thank you Brother Issoufou Mahamadou. You are welcome to Kigali.”

A 66-year-old Issoufou last visited Rwanda in May for the Transform Africa Summit.
Rwanda’s constitution stipulates that the President elect must be sworn not later than 30 days after his election, and the oath must be administered by the President of the Supreme Court.

When President Kagame was taking an oath of office in 2010, over 10 Heads of State attended including; Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Joseph Kabila of DR Congo, the former President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore, Ali Ben Gabon Francois Bozize, the former president of Central Africa, Thomas YayiBoni Benin, Good Luck Jonathan, the former president of Nigeria, the former president of Kenya Mwai Kibaki, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, the late Bingu wa Mutharika Malawi, Late Rupiah Banda Zambia, IdrissDeby of Chad and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia the late MelesZenawi and Ellen –Sirleaf of Sierra Leone.

The President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi is expected in Kigali as part on a two day working visit to Rwanda according to the country’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Namira Negm.

While in Rwanda, Al Sissi will meet with Rwandan President Paul Kagame for bilateral talks, before continuing his journey to other African countries, including Tanzania, Gabon, and Chad. As per the announcement aired on Nile Television, Sissi’s visit is intended to enhance Egypt’s stature in black inhabited Africa, politically, economically and other interests which are beneficial to those countries.

President Sissi first visited Rwanda during the 27th African Union General Assembly which convened in Kigali in July 2016.

During his visit, Sissi explained to President Kagame about the urgency of his country’s wish to cement sustainable cooperation with African countries, which is hinged onto respect and free from interfering within other countries internal affairs.

President Sissi will be the first President to be hosted by President Kagame after re-election during the recently concluded Presidential elections.

Between 13-14 March 2015, President Sissi invited President Paul Kagame for Egypt’s Economic Development Forum that was attended by over 3000 international investors.
In March 2015, the government signed an agreement Metito company to develop bulk water supply plant to serve the country’s potable water requirements with over 40,000cubic meters of water daily which will solve water scarcity problems in Kigali City and Bugesera.

Ugandan Head of State Yoweri Museveni has congratulated President Paul Kagame after his re-election in a special message dated on August 8th.

Museveni expressed his delight and that of his country, that Kagame who he enjoys a cordial relationship with had been re-elected to a third term in office.

“It gives me a great pleasure on this occasion of your victory to extend to you, on my own behalf our very warm congratulations on your re-election as President of the Republic of Rwanda. I had already congratulated you by phone on the 6th August 2017.”

Museveni wrote in an official letter that; “Excellence, your re-election for a third term and landslide victory reflects the voice and will of the people of Rwanda. It is a clear testimony of the trust, confidence and hope they have in you and your leadership.

“By you winning 99% of the votes counted, the people of Rwanda have spoken! I also congratulate them on their active participation in the electoral process and the peaceful conclusion of the elections.”

Museveni further thanked his counterpart for the hard work done in the last two decades to rebuild Rwanda into a stable nation and how it has continued to register strong economic growth and development.