Author: b_igi_adm1n

IN Britain, one of the busiest shopping streets has been sealed off by police. A police negotiator has been sent in after reports a man, strapped up with petrol canisters, was threatening to blow himself up at an office block in London’s Tottenham Court Road.

Shoppers and nearby businesses had to be evacuated.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said it was “too early to say if the suspect was armed or indeed had taken any hostages”.

Abby Baafi, who works for Advantage, a company which offers HGV courses, told the Huffington Post UK, whose staff were ordered out of their offices next door: “I recognised him because he was one of our previous customers but he is not quite stable – mentally stable.

“He turned up, strapped up with gasoline cylinders, and threatened to blow up the office.

“He said he doesn’t care about his life. He doesn’t care about anything, he is going to blow up everybody.”

She said the man had failed an HGV training course and wanted his money back.

The high court has sentenced Ntaganda Bernard to four years in jail and a fine of Frw 100,000. However, Ntaganda did not appear in court this Friday.

High court rejected an appeal by Politician Ntaganda Bernard the founder of a political party PS-Imberakuri.

Prosecution claimed in 2010 that the PS Imberakuri founder was controlling a dissident faction and was a threat to national security.

Ntaganda organised protests on June 24 2010. The state also charged him with forming a terrorist organisation.

He was later arrested and charged with four counts including terrorism and trying to cause instability in the country.

A book by a Rwandan Author, Scholastique Mukasonga has won the “Ahmadou Kourouma” Award at the Geneve Book Fair for her book titled ‘Notre-Dame du Nil’.

Mukasonga has authored four books including one titled ‘Inyenzi ou les Cafards’.

The theme for 2012 Africa Book Fair is ….‘Africa, where we’re going there?” It brings rising stars confirmed and literature and publishing in Africa.

The library of African Fair provides a unique opportunity for an audience more each year to discover books that are found nowhere else, including books irresistible for children.

Debates chic and shock on the current literature, but also political, political cartoonists and comics full creation, African cuisine, music … all of which are of African Book Fair, the press and culture one of the unmissable events of the 2012 edition.

Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ernest Rwamucyo, received the title “DIPLOMAT of the Year from Africa”, IGIHE has reliably learnt. This is the first time the title has been awarded to a Rwandan Diplomat.

The initiative to bestow annual awards for excellence in diplomacy, in recognition of exemplary contributions of diplomats acredited in the United Kingdom, belongs to the Diplomat magazine, a publication for the members of the diplomatic corps, British political and business communities, and think-tanks.

The ‘Diplomat of the Year’ is selected from 164 embassies and diplomatic missions represented in the United Kingdom.

The annual diplomat awards ceremony held at the Langham Hotel in London on Tuesday recognises the outstanding work and achievements of London’s diplomatic community trying to improve the well-being of their respective nations’.

In its fourth year, DIPLOMAT magazine identified 12 categories that recognise various levels of diplomacy.

The annual event is hosted by DIPLOMAT’s publisher, Hugo de Blocq van Kuffeler.

The title “Diplomat of the Year” is bestowed upon just one Ambassador, representing Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa or Americas.

There are also awards offered for the outstanding contribution to the Women in Diplomacy, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Year and the Young Diplomat of the Year.

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) yesterday passed a resolution urging the EAC Council of Ministers to implore the International Criminal Court to transfer the cases of the four accused Kenyans facing trial at The Hague to the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).

Such legislation if passed would enable the EAC take up and treat matters that affect it in future in a sustainable manner.

The legislator hailed the Republic of Rwanda noting that it was the only country in the region that had not appended its signature to the Rome Statute.

EALAh has thus resolved that the Council of Ministers further submits the resolutions to the 10th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State sitting tomorrow 28th April, to amend Article 27 of the EAC Treaty.

Amendment of the Article shall provide jurisdiction to the EACJ giving it retrospective effect, the Assembly stated.

The resolution moved by Hon Dan Ogalo and seconded by Hon Gervase Akhaabi, received overwhelming support during debate on the floor of the House.

The resolution implores that the process of transfer of proceedings from the International Criminal Court to the East African Court of Justice immediately begins on the basis of the fact that the acts complained of, are contraventions of the Treaty.

The mover, Hon Ogalo noted that it was unfortunate that five years after the disputed elections, the cases at the ICC was still in its inception stages and echoed the sentiments that justice delayed is justice denied.

During debate, Hon Leonce Ndarubagiye noted that it was important to have the cases brought back home to the local setting and urged Partner States to be wary of the content of future international agreements before penning their signatures.

Hon. Christopher Nakuleu said by bringing the ICC cases back to the EACJ, the region would test the effectiveness of the local instruments. He noted that justice needed to be dispensed for the accused and the internally displaced persons.

Hon. Dora Byamukama who was a member of the Observation Mission to Kenya during the elections in December 2007 noted that the ICC cases were more symbolic, failing to reach out to the core and hearts of the Kenyans and urged the EAC to pass legislation on matters of joint interest to the region.

Hon Mike Sebalu called for home-grown solutions indicating that East African solutions must be found for East African problems.

He noted that the African Union would be the next best option to seek assistance where the region failed in its quest to find answers to her problems.

The Council of Ministers through the Assistant Minister for EAC Hon. Peter Munya supported the motion, saying the cases were best suited to be heard and determined at home or at the EACJ – its nearest home.

“We must never allow ourselves to return to neo-colonialism,” Hon Munya reiterated stating that any facts on the ground could easily be ascertained by a court within the local jurisdiction.

On Wednesday evening hours, 3 people died and 3 were severely injured when two cars collided along Kigali-Butare highway. Police sources say the accident resulted from careless driving, over speeding and overloading.

However, in a matter of minutes after the collision, Police and Army arrived at the scene for rescue with ambulances.

The injured were immediately rushed to Kigali Central Hospital (CHUK).The dead were carried by Police van to a mortuary and vehicle wrecks were taken to Runda Police station.

Police once again warned the drivers to avoid careless driving and over speeding as they lead to fatal accidents that claim Rwandan lives.

Police spokesman Superintendent Theos Badege reminded drivers that tough measures have been put in place to discipline drivers who violate laws.

“Drivers have been warned on several occasions against violating traffic regulations but now we are going to apply tougher measures to contain traffic accidents,” Supt. Badege warned.

The immediate past president of Rotary international Mr. Rajendra K. Sabo is in Rwanda where he has toured different activities including the new Kigali public Library at kacyiru.

The library cost an estimated US$ 6Million of which US$ 2Million was contributed by Rotary International-Rwanda. Rajendra noted that the library was a piece of meticulous planning with a highly competent management.

However, he urged Rwanda to purchase more books to stock the library.

“The Kigali Public Library is one of the best kept secrets of Rotary International. I will always talk about it wherever i will go,” Rajendra said.

Mr. Rajendra commended the progress Rwanda has attained since 1994 when the country was totally destroyed during the genocide against ethnic Tutsi in which a million lives were lost.

“Rwandans are dedicated, disciplined and hard working people. I have noticed that although there are traffic jams in cities all over the world, the Rwandan traffic jam is always at 7:30 Am. It shows Rwandans begin working so early”. Rajendra told IGIHE.

Also a team of 18 doctors of Rotary International have so far performed 89 major surgeries at the CHK University hospital in Kigali. “I am excited to be part of this mission,” Rajendra said.

Rajendra said, “Our Rwanda Medicare project is part of the ‘Reach Out to Africa’ programme which for us is an extension of the idea ‘Serving beyond borders’.”

“We have been pursuing this bridge building between India and Africa since the last thirteen years and we are extremely happy that this time Rotary District 3080 in India is reaching out to Rwanda, part of rotary district 9150, in this common mission” he said.

We are part of one large family living on this planet earth. Reaching out to our brethren in Rwanda is the recognition of this reality of our existence and the accomplishment of ‘Service Above Self’ that rotary has imbibed in all of us.

Mr Rajendra explained that several surgeries have been performed at CHK hospital in Kigali among which 89 are classified as major surgeries.

He also highlighted one surgery of a young girl who was bitten by a dog which deformed her face, however after a 3hours surgery, her face was reformed and that “she will be able to live a dignified life”.

Another surgery was conducted on a patient who has been suffering from cancer of the larynx (voice box). The visiting doctors spent about 5hours performing this surgery.

However, Ranjendra noted that the patient requires post surgery care and chemotherapy which implies he will be transferred to Uganda for the post surgery care because it’s not provided in Rwanda.

Ranjendra said they selected Rwanda as favourable candidate for the Medicare mission because; Rwanda has recorded more progress in the past years after the Genocide. And that Rwanda had an exemplary medicare policy for the citizens.

“I have observed that Rwandans are dedicated and hard working people with commendable discipline”.

However, Rajendra observed that Rwandan health experts need to engage in exchange programs with other experienced countries to enhance quality of healthcare services.

He also noted that Rwanda health care needs to scale up specialized doctors to be able to handle specific cases.

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor 64, has been convicted today (Thursday) of arming rebels during Sierra Leone’s civil war in return for blood diamonds.

In the first judgement, Taylor was found guilty of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

“The trial chamber finds you guilty of aiding and abetting of all these crimes,” said presiding judge Richard Lussick.

“The chamber finds beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is criminally responsible for aiding and abetting in the commission of crimes one to 11 in the indictment,” Lussick said at the court, based just outside The Hague.

During the verdict, Charles Taylor stood motionless and showed no emotion afterwards.

He will be sentenced by the same court on May 30.

If sentenced to jail, Taylor will be held in a British prison.

Earlier the Samoan judge Lussick said: “The trial chamber found that the accused was instrumental in procuring and transporting arms to (Sierra Leone’s) RUF rebels, that he was paid in diamonds and kept some for himself.”

Taylor, was convicted on all counts against him including acts of terrorism, murder and rape, committed by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, who waged a terror campaign during acivil war that claimed 120,000 lives between 1991 and 2001.

Jean Bosco Uwinkindi a Genocide suspect appeared before Nyarugenge Intermediate Court today and requested for 4 months to prepare for his trial.

Uwinkindi is accused of murdering Tutsi’s during the 1994 Genocide. He was a pastor at the Pentecostal Church at Kanzenze in the former Kigali-Rural Prefecture.

Uwinkindi’s lawyer Gatera Gashabana said that they didn’t found a time to discuss with his client on what he’s being accused.

“I know this information that I will be his lawyer in the last time so I didn’t get much time to revise his dossier that’s why I’m requesting 4 months to understand what he’s being accused,” says Gashabana.

Uwinkindi is detained at the special transit facility at Kigali Central Prison, designated for suspects transferred from the ICTR or other international jurisdictions.

The decision to transfer Uwinkindi to Rwanda was first made in June 2011 by the tribunal’s referral chamber, and later upheld by the appeals chamber, after giving the Rwandan judiciary a clean bill of health.

The court will give its decision on the Uwinkindi’s request tomorrow Friday, April 27, 2012 at 11:00 AM.