Igihe

Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • World Bank President To Step Down

    World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick has announced today he would step down in June 30th, this year which will be the end of a five-year term.

    It is believed that his term, the transformed Bank played a historic role during the global economic crisis, using record replenishments to provide more than $247 billion to help developing countries boost growth and overcome poverty.

    “I’m honored to have led such a world class institution with so many talented and exceptional people. Together we have focused on supporting developing countries to navigate crises and adjust to global economic shifts,” Zoellick said.

    “The Bank has recognized that we live in a world of multiple poles of growth where traditional concepts of the Third World are now outdated and where developing countries have a key role to play as growth drivers and responsible stakeholders. At the same time, we’ve scaled up our support to poor people, countries, and communities and shown that the Bank can be an indispensable innovator, catalyst, and driver of a modernized multilateralism,” He added.

    “I’m very pleased that when the world needed the Bank to step up, our shareholders responded with expanded resources and support for key reforms that made us quicker, more effective and more open,” Zoellick added.

    “The Bank is now strong, healthy and well positioned for new challenges, and so it is a natural time for me to move on and support new leadership.”

    Achievements

    Provided a record $247 billion of support in the key areas of infrastructure, the private sector, agriculture, trade finance, social safety nets, education, health, and the environment.

    The first general capital increase for the Bank in over 20 years, with over half the new capital from developing countries; and a record $90 billion raised for IDA, the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, against a very challenging backdrop of donor austerity.

    Putting Food First: Alerted the world to the forthcoming food crisis, and helped marshal new resources and tools to address it. World Bank agriculture lending increased to $6 billion per year.

    Created a new IFC (private sector) Asset Management Company to channel sovereign wealth funds and pension resources (to date $3 billion) to the private sector in Africa and other emerging markets.

    Zoellick said that through June 30 he will stay 100% focused on being Bank President and will continue to drive policy and programs at a heightened tempo.

    For example, in late February, he will help unveil a joint groundbreaking World Bank-China study on the future structure of China’s growth model, drawing lessons for other middle-income countries.

    ENDS

  • Boy Crashes Car in Attempt to Reach School Early

    A ten Year old boy only identified as Joshua crashed his father’s car this morning while attempting to reach school early. The father of the boy Bizimungu Samuel is a resident of Kabuga.

    He found his son had crashed his car into another vehicle early morning in attempt to get to school early.

    “I was afraid that If I get to school late the teachers will beat me, so I thought I could take daddy’s car, because I realized that If I crashed daddy’s car, I would not be beaten for that at school, so I preferred to go to school and tell the teachers that I was late because daddy had a car accident.” Said Joshua.

    Joshua’s routine is to take the bus to school every day, but since he was late this morning his father decided to drop him off instead. Bizimungu told his son to get in the car and wait for him to drive him to school.

    However, as Joshua waited for his father who was finishing getting ready suddenly heard a crash outside the family gate. He later found his car rammed into a neighbour’s car that is always parked outside their house.

    As Bizimungu ran to the car he realized what had happened he ran to check on his son and to his astonishment Joshua wasn’t in the car. There was no one person in the driver’s seat.

    After the initial shock and seeing that his son was nowhere to be found, Samuel apologized to his neighbour who was more curious about who was trying to drive the car in the first place then the damage to his car.

    The house boy finally confessed to seeing the little boy in the front seat of the car but did not think the boy would try anything.

    He said when he came to check on the boy he saw him getting into a bus and didn’t suspect he would have been responsible as it was routine that Joshua uses the bus.

    But when he saw the car accident he realized what had happened and confessed that he was afraid of owning up because he thought they would blame him and he would lose his job.

    When 10 year old Joshua came home and was asked to explain his actions.

  • Rafiki Releases New Version of “igipende” Song

    Rafiki, a Rwandan artist in the second season of the Guma Guma, has released his new hip version of one of “igipende” a favourite hit for his fans.
    One of the songs which may have propelled Rafiki to the limelight has been remixed with two other international stars.

    Rafiki had recently been in Kampala, Uganda where he met up with Ugandan artist Washington a famous Ugandan artist and Washington’s cousin also an Upcoming artist.

    The three artists agreed collaboration and produce a song together.

    Washington who had heard Rafiki’s song said he would like to make the song a little more upbeat, the results being “Idagonera” the title to Rafik’s new remix and collaboration.

    Rafiki also opened up to reporters, giving us a little insight into the life of the star’s private life.He has a wife and a son “Junior”..

  • EAC Vows to Respond to Impacts of Climate Change

    A three-day follow up meeting about Post-Durban Dialogue on climate change and agriculture held in November-December 2011 in Durban, South Africa, opened today at the Mt. Meru Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania.

    It is aimed at examining the outcome of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP 17).

    The Dialogue, which has brought together climate change and agriculture experts from nine Eastern Africa countries of Burundi, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda is expected to focus on decisions of agriculture with a view to propose activities that would be considered under the agricultural work programme of Parties (members of UNFCCC).

    Addressing the opening session, Tanzania’s Minister for Agriculture Hon. Prof. Jumanne Abdallah Maghembe informed the experts that Governments in the region and other Regional Economic Communities were fully committed to respond to the impacts of climate change collectively through policy and practical measures since the impacts had no boundaries.

    Prof. Abdallah, who was represented by the Director General of Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI) Epiphania Kimaro, recognized the technical support that COMESA and her partners were providing to ensure developing countries fully benefit from the negotiations through providing necessary skills and information to the technical experts and negotiators to effectively negotiate and argue the case for Africa.

    She added that the experts dialogue is an important opportunity for member States to reflect on the outcome of the Conference with the aim of preparing how to implement specific decisions that are of priority to the region and specifically to identify key issues relating to agriculture with a view to prepare a common position for consideration by the subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA) during its 36th Session schedule for May 2012.

    The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sector Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva disclosed to the participants that EAC had already considered the outcome of the COP17 during the Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Environment and Natural Resources that was held on 1 to 3 February 2012 in Arusha.

    Nsengiyumva, who was represented by EAC Climate Change Coordinator Mr. Brian Otiende informed the meeting that EAC was in the process of implementing three critical policy documents approved by the EAC Heads of State Summit in April 2011 namely; the EAC Climate Policy (2011); the EAC Food Security Action Plan (2011-2015) and the Heads of States Summit Declaration on Food Security and Climate Change.

    He reiterated that the EAC, COMESA and other strategic partners were committed to working with stakeholders in Eastern Africa with a view to developing a common position on issues related to agriculture for consideration by SBSTA and other bodies of the COP.

    The Dialogue is being organized jointly by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community, (EAC) in collaboration with Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS-EA), a global programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

  • Mini Maize Factory to be Built in Nyamagabe

    Construction of Maize Factory is underway in Nyamagabe district, in Gatare sector.
    Philbert Mugisha, the district mayor has announced that a mini maize factory will be built very soon in the district.

    Mayor Mugisha says, “The factory project will not delay for we already have basic materials including machines and we are looking for the right place in which to install it.”

    He added that the factory will be built within this year’s budget as it was included in the plan of action regarding the budget.

    Jean de Dieu Karemera in charge of planning and follow up in Nyamagabe district said that the factory is valued at Frw 20 million with Frw15 million from Nyungwe National Park production and other Frw 5 million will be contributed by citizens cooperatives.

    The factory news comes after citizens have been requesting for one saying that they have not been able to manage the maize harvest since they don’t have a factory to process maize into flour.

    Agnes Nibisekere a maize farmer says that she harvests 8 tones and insists that the factory would help her in the good management of the harvest. “Sometimes we are unable to keep our maize otherwise we sell at a low price; so, it would be very advantageous if we get a factory.”

    According to an Agronomist of Gatare sector, the factory would facilitate farmers maize harvest. “Maize was cultivated on 1,400 hectare in the previous season, and 4 tons are supposed to be harvested from each hectare.”

    The agronomist insists that if they get a factory, they are likely to increase maize production. The factory is supposed to be completed in June 2012 as it will keep being expanded slowly by slowly.

    Gatare sector is one of the sectors making Nyamagabe district and is known of having a big production of maize.

  • 80 Injured in Bus Accident

    Eighty People have this morning been injured when a bus they were travelling in overturned and slid into a roadside trench.The Bus belongs to Onatracom Transport Company.

    The passengers were heading to a meeting involving President Paul Kagame and Ngororero residents in the Northern Province.

    Badege highlighted that accident took place in Kinyanda area located in Gakenke sector after which the driver failed to stop the bus alleged to have been over speeding.

    “We are aware that the breaks got loose that’s why the bus overturned when he tried to stop, but we’re yet to get more details from the driver when he recovers,” he said.

    The police spokesman further pointed out that out of the 80 injured people only 28 of them were seriously wounded. “6 people were taken to CHUK hospital and other 22 were taken to Kabaya hospital.”

  • Poor Districts Seek Government Attention

    Leaders from districts with areas entangled in poverty want government to give priority in responding to some of their requests meant to enhance progress in their territories.

    The concern was raised amidst unanimous approval by leaders from districts including, Muhanga Kamonyi Ngororero and Rutsiro during a capacity building session held in Muhanga town.
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    suggesting solutions on how leaders can improve the welfare of vulnerable people, Alexis Rukundo an expert from Rwandese Association of Local Government Association (RALGA) and also one of the organizers, noted that competence is essential especially in planning and good management of government funds.

    “Another solution is the involvement of concerned parties in decision making since it enables leaders to indentify some of the weak areas,” he advised.

    However, both Tharcisse Niyonzima and Samuel Majyambere in charge of good governance in Kamonyi and Rutsiro districts respectively, argue that government has been reluctant towards responding to some of their proposals meant to address issues affecting people living in poverty.

    Majyambere further notes that instead their superiors overload them with assignments which most of them are not relevant to their tasks.

    “Too much work makes us lose focus in solving some of these matters hindering development.”

    Faustin Minani an expert on good governance and also an organizer of the training from GIZ, pointed out that as far as competence among local leaders is key, more support from government and donors would compliment initiatives of local leaders meant to improve the welfare of vulnerable people.

  • Secret Behind Zebra Stripes Revealed

    Scientists have asked themselves why zebras have stripes; many have speculated that they might be a defense against predators such as lions.

    A lion, which is the zebra’s natural predator, is colourblind which means that it would be unable to tell the difference between the grass and the zebra.

    However, scientists later discovered that the primary purpose of a zebra’s stripes is actually to repel horseflies.

    “We conclude that zebras have evolved a coat pattern in which the stripes are narrow enough to ensure minimum attractiveness to flies,”

    This discovery was published in the “Journal of experimental biology” which demonstrates how a zebra striped horse model attracts far fewer horseflies than non stripped horses because Insects prefer animals with dark skin to animals with white skin.

    Although scientists have come to a fascinating conclusion about the mystery of zebra stripes and horseflies, the study is likely to have a long term impact on both professional scientists and future scientists.

  • Rwanda Loses Frw 32Bn to Poor Sanitation

    Rwanda loses RWF32 billion annually due to poor sanitation. This revelation is contained in a study conducted by the Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) on the ‘Economic Impact of Poor sanitation in Africa’.

    It’s approximated that 7,200 Rwandans including 6,100 children under 5, die each year from diarrhoea nearly 90% of which is directly attributed to poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

    The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project aims at increasing availability of water supply, and sanitation services in rural areas in Rwanda.

    Poor sanitation costs Rwanda 32 billion Rwandan Francs each year, equivalent to US$54 million, according to a desk study carried out by the Water and Sanitation Program. This sum is the equivalent of US$5 per person in Rwanda per year or 0.9% of the national GDP.

    The study shows that only 4.6 million Rwandese use unsanitary or shared latrines and 0.3 million have no latrine at all and defecate in the open. Also the poorest quintile is 3 times more likely to practice open defection than the richest.

    Open defecation costs Rwanda US$3.9 million per year – yet eliminating the practice would require less than 70,000 latrines to be built and used. US$0.8 million lost each year in Access Time:

    It is also indicated in the study that each person practicing open defecation spends almost 2.5 days a year finding a private location to defecate leading to large economic losses.

    This cost falls disproportionately on women as caregivers that may spend additional time accompanying young children the sick or elderly relatives. This cost is likely to be an underestimation as those without toilets, particularly women, will be obliged to find a private location for urination as well.

    The study further reveals that US$51 million is lost each year due to Premature Death.

    In addition poor sanitation is a contributing factor through its impact on malnutrition rates to other leading causes of child mortality including malaria, ALRI and measles.

    The WSP study indicates that US$0.2 million is lost each year due to Productivity Losses whilst sick or accessing healthcare. This includes time absent from work or school due to diarrheal disease, seeking treatment from a health clinic or hospital, and time spent caring for children under 5years suffering from diarrhoea or other sanitation-attributable diseases.

    Also US$1.9 million is spent each year on Health Care. Costs associated with health seeking behaviour include consultation, medication, transport and in some cases hospitalization that burden households and government spending.

    Diarrheal diseases directly, and indirectly via malnutrition (and its consequences for other diseases such as respiratory infections and malaria) are all leading causes of morbidity.

    Costs of poor sanitation are inequitably distributed with the highest economic burden falling disproportionately on the poorest.

    The average cost associated with poor sanitation, constitutes a much greater proportion of a poor person’s income than that of a wealthier person. Access to sanitation alone demonstrates inequities; the poorest 20% of the population are 3 times more likely to practice open defecation than the wealthiest 20% of the population.

    Therefore for the poorest, poverty is a double-edged sword – not only are they more likely to have poor sanitation but they have to pay proportionately more for the negative effects it has.

    In efforts to resolve problems identified by Water and Sanitation Program, it is recommended to allocate higher investments to Sanitation, address bottlenecks in the service delivery pathway, Target investments to the poorest and elimination of open defecation.

  • Genocide Survivor to Comment About Romeo Dallaire’s Book

    A Rwandan genocide survivor based in the US, Eugenie Mukeshimana will be a guest on a talk show about Romeo Dallaire’s book “Shake Hands with the Devil”

    The Holocaust-Genocide Resource Center which is located on Mercer County Community College’s the Library building in the United States; this February 29th 2012 will be hosting a talk show on the book “Shake hands with the devil” by author Romeo Dallaire, with Eugenie Mukeshimana, the founder of a genocide survivor’s network.

    “Shake Hands with the Devil” is a book, much like a narrative from Dallaire’s accounts on the horrific bloodshed that occurred in Rwanda over One hundred days in 1994.

    Romeo Dallaire is a Canadian general who served as force commander of the U.N assistance mission for Rwanda.

    Dallaire that managed to rescue thousands of Tutsi’s, his book gives a vivid description of how he witnessed the massacre of about a million Rwandans while they cried for help but fell on deaf ears.

    In his book he says “I watched as the devil took control of paradise on earth and fed on the blood of the people we were supposed to protect.”

    Mukeshimana, a mother of one and a genocide survivor, immigrated to the United States in 2001 where she graduated from the college of St.Rose in Albany in New York.

    Soon after the genocide Mukeshimana founded a Genocide Survivors Support group/ Network which now educates people about the crimes of genocide, her mission is to help as many genocide survivors rebuild their lives.