Tag: MainSlideNews

{The National Police Traffic and Road Safety department has called for vigilance to protect and ensure the safety of all road users.}

The call was made by the spokesperson for Traffic and Road Safety department, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Emmanuel Kabanda, who explained that some motorists breach traffic rules and regulations especially in the ongoing presidential campaigns, calling it “an intolerable malpractice.”

“The campaigns or any other events do not replace laws; they are organized and conducted in consideration of other legal and safety instruments, and traffic rules and regulations are among those legal tools that ensure that people are safe on roads as they enjoy their electoral rights,” CIP Kabanda said.

“Every vehicle should be used for its purpose and with all the requirements. If it’s licensed to transport people or goods, that should be respected. Appropriate action will be taken against any driver or vehicle that will be found in activities that are contrary,” he added.

He noted that although there are no major incidents in the ongoing election campaigns, road users should remain vigilant.

The traffic spokesperson outlined having vehicle insurance and mechanical inspection certificate, driver’s license as well as respecting road safety signposts, as some of the requirements to prevent road carnage.

“It doesn’t mean that if your mechanical inspection certificate is still valid, you can’t again take your vehicle for inspection. It’s about acting responsibly and vigilance. It is all about your safety, the safety of passengers and all road users, and at the same time ensuring the well-being of families and dependent’s,” CIP Kabanda said.
He also reminded motorcyclists to always wear helmets, reflector jackets, have insurance and driver’s license, and strictly transport one passenger.

{The Ministry of Education has announced that it will commence with the project of constructing houses for teachers that had stalled. }

The project was initiated by the Ministry of education (MINEDUC) in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC). Since the inception of the project in 2013, about 300 were constructed and now serve residential houses while 116 were mid way constructed.

Rwanda Education Board (REB) told IGIHE that such houses are a solution to the challenge faced by teachers working in Kigali City and other towns.
REB says that two houses are expected to be constructed in every Sector with the capacity to accommodate eight, including four female teachers, and four male teachers.

The Director for Rwanda Education Board, Gasana Janvier in an interview with IGIHE, revealed that; “Initially the budget was understated so we had to carry forward the payments to the next fiscal year. Some funds were allocated to meet urgent project needs.”

In some other cases, Gasana adds “Some houses were occupied by people that are not teachers.

{Since 14 July 2017, the launching date of the election campaign for the presidential poll slated for August 2017 in Rwanda, I have had the honor, like the other RPF cadres, of attending rallies organised by the RPF to support our flag bearer, H.E President Paul Kagame and President of the RPF. Besides the festive atmosphere on the stage, I also witnessed at least four more impressive moments: }

Everyone present on the site has two stories to tell especially adult people: a bad one that recounts their bad memory of the pre-1994 dictatorial period and a wonderful experience under the tenure of the RPF and President Paul Kagame. Everyone has witnessed the presence of large and never seen before crowds of citizens in high spirits before the arrival of the candidate, at the time of his presence and at the end of the rally.

Reassuring and encouraging testimonies by ordinary citizens evoking progress made under the leadership of the RPF and Paul Kagame’s leadership. Finally the candidate’s proximity to the people through dances with slogans and especially his accessibility to the elderly and opinion leaders.

Having worked with President Kagame for more than 17 years, I am a privileged witness to the exceptional qualities of the RPF candidate and in particular of President Paul Kagame: a man who loves and listens to his people, a man of promises and actions, a strict, upright and intelligent man, a man with humility but respectable. Paul Kagame is truly the pride not only for Rwanda but also for Africa.

Some Western media and scholars report the lack of political space, democracy and respect for human rights in Rwanda. But all this is just a farce to try to confuse the Rwandans who have taken the courage to campaign for resilience and refuse to receive orders from anyone with the vanguard of President Paul Kagame. With President Paul Kagame, the future of Rwanda is in the hands of Rwandans and the Rwandan people have understood this well.

It is certainly for this reason that during the rallies of the RPF campaign, hundreds of thousands of all categories of members of the RPF and its supporters gather together to support the RPF candidate President Paul Kagame. These are not forced gatherings, as reported by some Western media and the so called specialists on Rwanda. Rather, it is an expression of sincere support and recognition of the fruits of good leadership demonstrated by President Paul Kagame.

I have personally attended several rallies in more than 35 countries in Africa, Europe ,Asia and Latin America, but I have never seen such a large, cheerful and committed crowd coming together and celebrating around a leader in competition during presidential elections especially around an incumbent presidential candidate. I saw it and happen only in my country Rwanda. It is more a pact, recognition and a reciprocal attachment between President Paul Kagame and the Rwandan People. Rwandans are satisfied and convinced of a prosperous and peaceful future with President Paul Kagame.

Under the leadership of President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has a proven track record in many areas and the expectations of everybody were highly addressed for Rwandans and even non-Rwandans living in the country: more than 92% of the population believe in the national unity policy, average life expectancy reached more than 67 years compared to just 39 years in 1994. More than 91% of Rwandans have health insurance, more than 85% have access to clean water , more than 89% have access to financial services while more than 98% of children in school age have free access to primary and secondary school.

Internationally, Rwanda is the most favorable destination as far as Doing business is concerned, the most secure and, the best place for the promotion of women on the entire planet. Rwanda is an organized, prosperous and hospitable country and the architect of all this is only President Paul Kagame who was able to mobilize the Rwandan people to uphold the ancestral values of Rwanda, such as Rwandaness, integrity and resilience. This is the foundation of the slogan in vogue during the 2017 presidential campaign of RPF: Voting for Kagame Paul, equals to vote bright and sure future of Rwanda. The Rwandan people have already chosen and it is their absolute right. Paul Kagame is the unique and favorable choice of the Rwandan people. Paul KAGAME our choice, our pride.

{The author is the Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda and currently, the Chancellor for Chancellery for Heroes,National Orders and Decorations of Honors}

{With 14 days left to the presidential elections, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has confirmed that 6,897,076 registered voters will cast the vote during the 2017 Presidential elections due on August 4th.}

NEC said the number of voters increased by 1,718,854 from the previous f5,178,492 that participated in 2010 presidential elections.

Figures from the electoral commission also indicate 54% (3,723,119) are female while 46% (about 3,173,957) are men. The youth make up 45% (3,131,782 million) of the total voters.

The Executive Secretary for Electoral Commission Charles Munyaneza, confirmed that this is the final figure of registered voters. “Registering today is impossible, it is now over, but transferring names is possible between today and when the final register is released before the final election day.”

Apparently, there are 2,424 mapped polling centers, with 16,691 polling stations and 98Diaspora polling stations. NEC announced that election materials will be delivered to the polling stations on 31st July 2017, and its target is to have completed the process of delivering the materials by 3rd August 2017. Diaspora material will be delivered beginning this weekend.

The upgraded EBM which was introduced yesterday is a grant from Korea International Agency (KOICA).

The machine consists of a program which is inserted in a computer, to help a trader to access information pertaining to his trade, right from the customs and clientele.

During the launch of the upgraded EBM, RRA Commissioner for domestic Taxes, Aimable Kayigi Habiyambere said that they introduced the machine after learning about many shortcomings with the previous device.

“What we hope to achieve is that it will assist the tax payer to store information of the buyers and other transactions.”

One of the business persons that use the EBM, Vanessa Umutoni, said that the technology made her work much easier because it helps her to know the movement of sales and stocks.

Korean Ambassador Kim Eung-Joong said that the reason they had to overhaul the whole EBM technology is to increase efficiency in tax collection and accelerate national development.

{The RPF-Inkontanyi candidate President Paul Kagame continued his Presidential campaign trail to Gahanga-Kicukiro from Bugesera districts this yesterday, where called on his supporters to turn up in huge numbers on the election day.}

Kagame who was addressing supporters at Gahanga, Kicukiro where the Stade Olympic is to be constructed advised every one to exercise their constitutional right by turning up to vote as Rwanda belongs to all Rwandans. . “We don’t ask a Rwandan his religious denomination in order to involve him or her in national development programs. Rwanda is for all Rwandans,” he said. foster development to him, the difference personifies Rwanda comprises of many things, including where we started from, which became notorious for reasons which are not good.

Before Gahanga, Kicukiro, the President made a stopover at Nyabugogo in the morning before heading to Bugesera Eastern Province where thousands were waiting for him.

While in Bugesera, Kagame said that today, every Rwandan has the right to exist in a humane way.

“What has been so far achieved, is an example of what is achievable. I wholeheartedly thank you very much. We need to work together even more to develop our country”

{The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) are launching smallholder farmer financing programs with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to improve food security among vulnerable people in Rwanda and Tanzania.}

The initiatives with KCB Bank Rwanda Limited and CRDB Bank PLC in Tanzania are part of the Farm to Market Alliance, a multi-stakeholder platform established in 2016, of which IFC and WFP are global members, to create agriculture value chains that secure sizeable local and international demand for produce from smallholder farmers. The Alliance is designed to create systemic change in markets through a holistic approach to smallholder development. This approach, which is sustainable and commercially viable, benefits individual farmers and broadens the global supply base of agricultural produce to meet increasing demand.

“Smallholder farmers produce most of the world’s food, but they form the majority of people living in poverty and often have food security challenges themselves,” said David Beasley, WFP Executive Director. “We want to help them get better access to markets so they build more demand for their products, thus making a long-term impact on the economic future for them and their families. But WFP can’t do it alone, and that’s why we are grateful for our collaboration with others through the Farm to Market Alliance.”

“Agribusiness drives many African economies and creates the most jobs on the continent,” said IFC CEO Philippe Le Houérou. “Through the Farm to Market Alliance, IFC is creating new markets—by connecting smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa directly with buyers. The result: improved productivity and higher living standards for people in rural areas.”

IFC, joined by GAFSP, will provide advisory services in the form of capacity building activities to improve the professionalism of smallholder farmer cooperatives in the area of financial management and governance as well as agronomy and input use training.

{The Attorney General and Minister of Justice has today assured the inmates without complete dossiers that the problem is going to be addressed in a special way.}

The minister made the promise in Huye yesterday during the commemoration of international day for rights of the inmates under the Mandela Day.

Celebrated in Rwanda for the first time, it was marked under the theme; “Respecting the rights of an inmate,”. Mandela Day, celebrated on July 18, is an annual international day adopted by the United Nations.

Commenting on the issue, one of the inmates who represented others within Huye prison told Minister Busingye that there are many inmates with incomplete files. He said that those who have ever been detained at the former communes requested that there should be urgent investigations , so as to indicate the dates as to when they were detained, so that those who have served their time can be set free.

Busingye promised to address the issue squarely. “Everybody will be having a complete file; if there happens to be those kept here, others at CNLG, Gasabo or at the commune; we are going to collect all of them together.” Busingye promised.

{The Ministry of Youth and ICT has announced that about 3000 participants are attending the YouthConnect Africa 2017 Summit that has kicked off today 19th, ending 21st under the auspices of the Government of Rwanda in conjunction with UNDP and UNCTAD.}

In an interview with IGIHE, Emmanuel Habumuremyi the advisor to the Minister of Youth and ICT said that this is an important opportunity for small entrepreneurs to exchange ideas.

“Normally Youth Connect is organized in anticipation of hosting 2000, but now the number has increased, we have reached to 3000” Habumuremyi pointed out.

A number of key issues will be discussed with investors and guests like Jack Ma, the CEO Alibaba Group, CEO Pang Xinxing, Akon, Tony OnyemaechiElumeru, the proprietor of Heirs Holdings, United Bank for Africa and Transcop; Kamran Elahiam the CEO of Global Catalyst and others.

{After elaborating on the diverse politics that Rwanda is using to extend good governance to its people, UNDP Country Representatives, have said that the country has achieved commendably for other countries to emulate.}

Yesterday, the UNDP representatives held discussions with leaders in Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) and earmarked the importance of programs that are helpful in reaching locals including the VUP, Ubudehe, Girinka and others that have improved livelihoods.

Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, UNPD undersecretary for African affairs noted that Rwanda attributes its good governance to its respective structural formation.

He said that where Rwanda is now is quite commendable and should be emulated by other countries while the youths should write books about the achievements.

“I hope that youths will write books about President Kagame. Not only in Africa but also other countries should know that the Land of a Tousand Hills has an exceptional political approaches that can be learnt about.”

RGB Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Shyaka Anastase, said the UNDP leaders wanted to the structural formation of the politics that define good governance in the country.

“They wanted to know about our governance mostly how we coordinate our work. In the reports they have been receiving, they appreciated how we work with media, build capacities in NGOs and other activities we engage in to promote good governance and specifically our exceptional approaches.”

The UNDP leaders are in the country for a week and will visit different institutions including the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and attend meetings that occur in Rwanda, such as the ‘Youth Connect’.