Author: b_igi_adm1n

The United States of America special advisor for Great lakes and DR Congo Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley is in the country.

The envoy who arrived in the country on Friday evening, will meet with Rwandan government officials to discuss issues related to the situation in the Great Lakes Region, including Rwanda, Burundi, and the DR Congo.

He said that, his trip to Rwanda was his first one since he was named to that position by Hilary Clinton, the US Secretary of State one month ago.

The envoy who also visited Kigali Genocide Memorial Site, said that people should be aware of the dangers of hatred, tribalism and divisionism in the society, calling for tolerance to each other.

He said this Saturday when he visited the Gisozi based Memorial site paying tribute to over 250,000 victims laid to rest at the site.

Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley, the United States Special Advisor for the Great Lakes and the DR Congo, has said people should learn how to be tolerant to each other to avoid bloodshed.

“It’s remarkably an emotional experience walking through the memorial centre. This was the worst tragedy to have ever happened to human kind,” he asserted.

“This brings tears to everyone who visits this centre and reminds the world that this shouldn’t happen again, not in Rwanda, not in any part of the world”.

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Information reaching Igihe.com suggest that the DR Congo based Rwandan dissident militia, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), has been hit by internal conflicts.

The conflicts followed the last week’s killing of the group’s senior official Theodomir Mugaragu. He was reportedly killed in misunderstandings that emerged recently.

Several reports suggest that Mai Mai have become major enemy to FDLR wanting them to get out of their land which has weakened the group.

Capt. Joseph Tuziyarmye, a former political commissar in the rebel ranks, noted that FDLR has lost the support of the local population they had.

Tuziyaramye also added that the group is short of ammunition and continuously loosing man power as local community also become against them and take them down individually.

It has reportedly said that almost every soldier is remaining with bullets for personal security not for war and they have lacked direct external support.

The returnees from South Kivu in the areas of Shabunda, Walungu and Hombo where they are said camping say that the offices of the UN Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) are far and also lacks communication links.

The FDLR, and other rebel groups stationed in the north and south Kivu, are mainly made up of genocidaires, who fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after the 1994 Genocide.

The ex-rebels are currently undergoing demobilisation and reintegration training at Mutobo demobilisation centre in Musanze.

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The Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has unveiled a Rwf 66 bn grant from President Paul Kagame to farther development to Nyaruguru District.

The grant is a 3 year special budget to develop the District in different sector of infrastructure, agriculture and fighting malnutrition among others.

The premier made the announcement during the tour of the District where he also joined residents of Cyahinda sector in the monthly community work Umuganda.

This month’s community work focused on sensitizing the population to fight malnutrition.

Prime Minister begun the campaign against malnutrition by giving young children milk and participating in the preparation of Kitchen garden where he planted vegetables like carrots and greens among others.

He also presented to residents in Nyaruguru 44 cows that were collectively contributed by permanent secretaries of different ministries.

Addressing residents in that area, Habumuremyi praised the permanent secretaries for setting good examples of giving out cows in line with the one cow per family program.

The prime minister reminded Nyaruguru District residents that Rwanda is a country that has a significantly difficult history and therefore their hard work is required in the ongoing quest for sustainable development.

The prime minister’s visit continues and is expected to continue touring various developmental activities in Nyaruguru this Sunday.

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The race for the African Union Commission top job has intensified and voting is slated Sunday.

As the African leaders also go for their 18th AU summit, South African president Jacob Zuma is lobbying for his Home affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for chairmanship of the AU commission.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is expected to compete with among others the Jean Ping, the incumbent chairman.

Zuma has met Congo Brazzaville President Denis Sassou-Nguesso and was due to meet the presidents of Chad and Guinea-Conakry.

Zuma also met Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Francophone countries are said to have resisted Dlamini-Zuma’s bid and are the main backers of Ping.

In the related development, Rwandan President Paul Kagame is due to address the African Union Summit on the subject of aid effectiveness at a time when the rich countries are faced with a debt crisis.

President Kagame also participated in the ceremony to inaugurate the newly built African Union Conference Centre (AUCC).

The ceremony was also attended by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, President of Equatorial Guinea and current Chairperson of the African Union, Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the People’s Political Consultative Conference of China, as well as representatives of the international community.

The ceremony was marked by the unveiling of the Kwame Nkrumah monument, the laying of the first stone of the AU memorial for Human Rights, and the handing over of the keys of the New conference Center by the Chinese authorities to the Chairperson of the AU.The Conference Center was a donation from China.

The new 113 meter-high block will be the venue for the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit that kicks off this Sunday.

The AU memorial for Human Rights that reads in part; “For all the victims of human rights abuses in Africa, including those of the slave trade and colonialism and particularly the Genocide in Rwanda, (1994)”, was unveiled by Presidents Kagame, Yayi Boni of Benin and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

President Kagame also attended the 26th meeting of NEPAD’s Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) chaired by Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister and current Chairman of the HSGOC.

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Today,28 January, Solid’ Africa is hosting a great cook off. One that is a great way for Rwandans that would love nothing more than to spend a Saturday afternoon eating brochette and drinking a cold beverage.

It is most importantly and entirely about helping some of the patients in hospitals all over Kigali today. this is an inspiration from the quick and caring insight of a group of young friends that joined forces.

Solid’ Africa is a non profit organization founded in September 2010. The founder members put into action what they saw as a need to spark more human interest in people to help the millions of vulnerable patients in hospitals across Kigali and Africa.

Solid’ Africa was initially born through the spread of joining forces, from a small group of friends, which today leads to a solid non profit organization with over fifty members and growing each day.

Solid’ Africa non profit standing gives them total free reign on how they will implement their projects. Majority of the funding comes from the pockets of the members themselves, the sale of their T-shirts and help from private donors adds as additional funding.

Solid’ Africa is trying to create new and innovative solutions, such as the co-branding of partnerships, which is a first in Rwanda, the very first being the partnership with Boulangerie de Kigali whom will be giving a percentage of their daily production to Solid ‘Africa beneficiaries in hospitals.

The organisation says they will continue to pursue similar partnerships in their effort to encourage the corporate social Responsibility Programs.

It is divided into various activities, from the everyday project to their biggest one which is still in its launching phase, this project’s goal is to be able to feed over one thousand people everyday in four different public hospitals in Kigali, the project called the “Gemura kitchen project” that will cost 50 million Rwandese francs.

Other projects include; ‘Gambora’, ‘Kiza’ and ‘Sukura’ projects which deal in payments of transportation and bills, medical expenses and hygiene respectively.

IGIHE.com spoke to Isabelle kamariza President of Solid’ Africa about todays barbecue.

“The Solid’ Africa team works every day from Monday till Sunday. Our team serves lunch to over 300 patients every Monday at CHUK hospital, we also serve breakfast everyday and deliver soup for patients with special diets everyday”

“Our goal is to raise Frw200,000 by Sunday, which will then be given to the CHUK hospital in Kigali to help pay more of the outstanding health and medical bills, ” she noted.

Kamariza explained, “This barbecue will not only help us reach our goal, it is also to thank our own team members and everyone who has contributed to Solid’ Africa for the amazing work and give them a day they can also enjoy while working”

The barbecue will be held at Kayciru in collaboration with Solid Africa.

One must pay only Frw1500 at the entry and is then free to enjoy the delicious hot food and cold beverages all afternoon, while helping realize a truly great and important cause.

The Minister of Health Dr Agnes Binagwaho has rubbished claims that doctor s intentionally or unintentionally left medical kits inside Zawade Murekatete’s uterus.

The minister said a report has been compiled from the findings of the team of doctors who has carried on the investigation.

“What the media has reported of all those claims of Murekatete that doctors left those kits inside her, It is not true, and we have a prove of that by several examinations done that her uterus was empty,” Binagwaho said declining to avail the compiled findings in the report.

“What is in report has been said by different doctors, there is no need to avail the report, but to who is responsible to put those kits inside her the police is still investigating,” Binagwaho added.

“Investigations indicate that those kits we put inside the patient’s vagina and so it was very near. It was not done by a normal doctor; it could have been done by anyone who can even buy those kits from anywhere,”

Reports have indicated that a syringe is missing and yet it would be used to identify who could have used it or may have picked it from the store or assigned to.

Speaking to Igihe.com, the chairman of Rwanda Medical Council Innocent Gakwaya said that the kits were taken away like any other rubbishes dropped away.

“They were all taken away, but we have shown that there is no responsibility of a doctor whatsoever, I have been a surgeon for 25 years, it is not possible that a trained doctor can do such a thing,” Dr Gakwaya said.

“First of all in an operation a doctor is not one. He/She must be with others helping so I don’t see how a doctor can decide to leave such kits when others looks on. Secondly let say removing a glove, it means one has finished the operation and therefore undressing what he/she was using in the operating theater,” Dr Gakwaya added.

“It is just can’t be possible. May be a cotton or thread for longer time it is possible and it is not only in Rwanda, anywhere in the world these simple mistakes can happen because doctors are also human being but such bigger things and many of such, it is not possible at all,”

So the remaining mystery of who could have been responsible to put those kits inside that patient’s vagina, police will investigate.

When we contacted Police spokesperson Supt. Theos Badege, told Igihe.com that the investigations were still underway.

Genesis
On the morning of April 1, 2008 a Congolese refugee at Gihembe Refugee Camp, went into labour and had to undergo cesarean operation as she was giving birth.

Zawadi Murekatete, 20, was rushed to the camp’s health centre but was immediately transferred to Byumba District Hospital since she had to undergo cesarean which the camp health centre could not perform.

Murekatete said that she underwent operation and gave birth to a healthy baby but doctors instructed her not to move until when she was told to do so.

She said that when she left the theatre, her stomach started swelling immediately, and feeling a lot of pain.

The following day as she went to the toilet, the stitches went loose and her stomach slit open, blood, puss and some liquid started flowing out of her.

She was rushed to the theatre where she was re-stitched but her stomach kept swelling and she had to undergo another operation on April 5, 2008.

She claims that she was discharged but kept seeing puss in her urine. She again consulted the doctors at the camp’s health centre who referred her back to Byumba District Hospital where she had been operated.

Murekatete also claims that an unidentified doctor referred her to a psychiatrist saying that she was suffering from trauma and decided to go back to the camp where she remained under the care of medics of the camp’s health centre.

Murekatete lived with pain for three years until January 5, 2012, when a piece of cotton dropped out of her as she was urinating.

Due to the bad health situation, camp doctors decided to transfer her to Kigali Teaching Hospital (CHUK) without authorization from Byumba District Hospital where the whole of this saga begun to be unearthed.

Murekatete and her mother claim that the three gloves, a syringe and cotton were intentionally left in her uterus by doctors from Byumba hospital.

Current observations have indicated that it is medically impossible for an individual to be inhabited by external agents within the uterus for such a long period of time.

Doctors have said that as far as human anatomy is concerned, it is impossible to habit these materials for that long and besides even if they had been left within the uterus it is unconceivable how they might have travelled to the vagina from where they were disposed off.

They say the canal from the vagina to the uterus (cervix) is such a small slit through which only micro materials can maneuver not such complex material as gloves and syringes.

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Cardiologists from King Faisal hospital have agreed to operate Ange Ineza a year old girl who has been undergoing heart treatment at Kibuye hospital.

“We have communicated with Ineza’s family, and they will bring her to King Faisal Hospital next week, for a scheduled monthly check up with Dr Mucumbitsi, one of Kigali’s pediatric cardiologists.” Read a communiqué from the ministry of health.

Often, Ineza gets breathing complications after which she has to be hospitalized and kept on oxygen life support for some time.

According to medical diagnosis, she has a hole on the partition wall between the two sides of her heart meaning that blood containing oxygen in the left side of the heart is forced to mix with blood without oxygen in the right side.

With this condition, too much blood passes into the lungs (via the pulmonary artery) and too little to the body tissues (via the aorta).

Indeed, such heart conditions exist in young children; thus, through various initiatives, the Ministry of Health mobilizes as much as possible to offer free heart surgeries by highly qualified international specialists to children suffering from cardiac disorders.

“These initiatives, which have gone on for a long time, are still ongoing and Ineza will benefit from them when she is clinically eligible (and when it is safe to operate on her). In as many of these cases as possible, the Ministry of Health arranges for children to be treated either here in Rwanda or elsewhere, depending on their clinical need,” read the statement.

The Ministry of Health in collaboration with its international partners have already assisted more than 250 patients with cardiac disorders for the past five years.

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President Paul Kagame, is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to attend the 18th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit, scheduled to take place January 29-30, 2012.

The bi-annual meeting is attended African Heads of State and Government as well as heads and representatives of international organizations including the United Nations, that will be represented by Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General.

President Kagame, will on Monday, January 30, present to the Summit, the report on the 4th High Level Forum on Aid effectiveness that was held last year held in Busan, South Korea.

President Kagame was among the African leaders who represented the continent at the high level meeting held November 29th – 1st December 2011.

On the eve of the AU Summit, President Paul Kagame will take part in the inauguration of the newly constructed African Union Conference Centre (AUCC).

The USD 150 million complexes was China’s donation to the AU in recognition of the friendship between Africa and China.

Part of the Agenda for the AU summit is how to boost intra-African Trade as well as the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Commissioners of the AU Commission.

The current chairperson, Jean Ping who was first elected in 2008, is seeking re-election.

However, he will have to out-compete Madam Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs and former wife of President Jacob Zuma.

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People working in Kimironko market and around it have cried foul of public bin that is causing health threat after flooded.

Rubbishes have been dropped in the public bin for long time and it is full and flooded causing improper hygiene.

The place has been filled with a terrible smell and flies scattered around from the big public rubbish bin that collects all rubbish from the market and neighboring areas.

Felix Nzamwita, a butcher in the market, said they have reported the issue to the authority including one in charge of hygiene in the sector.

He said, “We try to use insecticide every time before closing our work in the evening that is why you find our butchery sane; otherwise the authority should take serious measures for sure.”

He added that once a client comes for the first time, he or she considers them as filthy.

Florence Uwimana, a servant in one of the restaurants neighbouring the market named IGISUBIZO, said that they have been accustomed to the situation for they are used to buying insecticide for flies and other insects.

She says, “at least they should cover that rubbish bin……, we are familiar with that smell and we always buy insecticide to kill all the wondering insects which may harm people’s lives.”

Mbonyinshuti said, “we faced the problem of the good placement of the rubbish bin and there was no entrepreneur; for that reason we charged it to the head of the market to deal with it. They tried to solve it in a good way but the interruption was that the rubbish bin got out of use.

He added that the district authority promised them to help in fully solving the problem.

With regard to the problem of the weekends where the rubbish is not removed, MBONYINSHUTI agreed that it was really a serious problem but it was recently solved in collaboration with the Head of the market.

This occurs after various people in different places have been recently complaining on the delay in removing the rubbish in collection bins.

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