Author: b_igi_adm1n

Kigali City authorities in collaboration with security authorities have warned Me2u and airtime cards vendors who are not in cooperatives.

It is said that those who are not registered in cooperatives usually cause insecurity when they are being chased run away from police due to doing that business illegally.

Joseline Nyirahabimana, a TIGO vendor pointing a finger at her uniform said that they used to be chased by the authorities but later they stopped.

“The police used to run after every vendor but nowadays they are not running after us, maybe TIGO authority made advocacy for us,” said Nyirahabimana.

Jean Damascene Ntakirutimana another airtime vendor said ; “We are now free to sell our airtimes and Me2u, they have been chasing us but MTN authority made an advocacy hence putting us in cooperatives. MTN gave us all the necessities like ID, this umbrella and the uniform.”

Pierre Kalisa, Nyarugenge Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs said that unlike other vendors, MTN and Tigo airtime vendors around roads have cooperatives in which they are registered.

“Vendors with no cooperatives are to be chased by the security authorities because they cause road insecurity and congestion on other merchandizes,” said Kalisa

He added that the permitted vendors are those found in umbrellas for it must be an address without moving around in roads.

These claims are coming after local authorities and the police are hunting vendors of different merchandizes that have been sensitized to join common markets.

ENDS

Gilbert Niyonshuti the Executive Secretary of Kagasha Cell, Gatsibo District have been fired for the alleged corruption.

His sacking came at a time when residents had begun protesting over his corrupt behavior that frustrated them and the cell had unsolved land disputes.

“Days after I received a title deed for my land, Niyoshuti refused my ownership of the land and instead gave it to my rival, this was total injustice and I believe he was bribed,” said Esdras Sibomana one of the complainants.

The mayor of Gatsibo District Embroize Ruboneza, said that Niyoshuti was fired because he showed less capacity in dealing with issues in his territory.

“It’s true Kagasha cell has numerous cases ranging from land disputes to robbery and domestic violence,” he confirmed.

Ruboneza further pointed out that local leaders in the cell are going to be empowered to solve backlog cases in Kagasha.

He also advised residents to avoid being part of corrupt deals since it facilitated poor governance.

However, some residents are not satisfied with the expulsion of Niyoshuti but rather heavy want punishments against him.

“Firing him is not enough, how can someone who has been involved in gross corruption deals gets away without his mistakes being put to light,” said Ahishakiye.

ENDS

More than 700 Police officers are currently undergoing the United Nations Selection Assistance Test commonly known as SAT.

The test is a pre-requisite for all police officers before they are deployed in UN peace keeping missions.

To successfully pass SAT police officers undergo six tests including reading, listening, report writing, interview, driving and shooting.

Police officers are considered eligible for a UN mission if they pass all the tests with at least an average mark.

As for practical tests such as shooting and driving excellent knowledge is required.

According to the Director of Peace Support Operations at Rwanda National Police Superintendent Ejide Ruzigamanzi, SAT process is going on well without hitches.

“We expect all police officers eligible for the ongoing SAT to be done in two days,” Supt Ruzigamanzi said.

Assistant Superintendent Cosmos Anyan, the head of induction and training at United Nations Assistant Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) noted that the selection assistance team was received and handled well.

“We have had no problem at all and we are impressed with the way the whole selection process is going on. We intend to include this in our report,” Anyan said.

He noted that their primary responsibility was to help RNP select the best police officers to serve in United Nations Peace Keeping Missions. He was overall impressed with the level of performance.

AIP John Bosco Kagame, one of the police officers who underwent SAT said he was happy to pass the difficult test.

“I am delighted to that my institution gave me this opportunity. I intend to serve to represent my country well once my time to serve in a peace keeping mission comes,” Kagame said.

He advised fellow officers who didn’t make the cut to try once again and avoid panic during the exams.

As Kagame was over the moon, AIP Tom Rwibasira was disappointed with the results.
“Of course I am disappointed but it’s not the end of the world. Whether here or elsewhere, my objective is to serve my institution and country,” Rwibasira said.

Those who have passed will be put on a waiting list of UN mission opportunities.

Currently Rwanda has more than 400 police officers serving in peace keeping missions in Africa and Caribbean including Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

ENDS

Norwegian investors now in the country to attend a one-day seminar organised by Rwanda Development Board (RDB), has hailed Rwanda for setting up favorable environment of doing business.

They have described Rwanda’s investment climate as excellent for doing business comparing to many of the African countries in only 17 years post Genocide.

Rwanda Development Board had organized the seminar aimed at displaying the various business opportunities in the country under the theme ‘Develop and expand your Business –Networking and Financing Possibilities’.

The meeting was also organised in collaboration with the Norfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The Head of Investment Promotion and Information at RDB, Vivian Kayitesi, made a presentation on various untapped investment opportunities, including ICT, agro-processing, infrastructure, tourism, energy, mining, real estate and construction.

John Gara Chief Executive Officer of RDB said it was essential to provide adequate and first hand information to investors to help them understand specific areas of interest.

Gara also said the seminar was partly organised to facilitate local investors in private sector to interact with their Norwegian counterparts and share ideas on how to spur business.

He advised them to access funds from the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries.

Bjorn H. Eriksen, the Director of Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, highlighted various sectors such as energy, agro-business, communication and environmental sector that need to explore.

“There so many business opportunities in this country and its quite good that they have simplified the ways of investing here,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Thorbjoen Gaustads Aether, the Norwegian Ambassador, observed that the country’s investment climate was conducive, and hence hoping to explore business opportunities in Rwanda.

ENDS

About Rwf 2.6bn have been earmarked to fix Kigali City’s street lights, the senior official at Kigali city has said.

Alphonse Nzeyimana the Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Affairs said that this year street lights in Kigali city and its suburbs will be fixed.

“We intend to complete before the end of this year. All necessary requirements to fix the street lights are in place,” Nzeyimana said.

Nzeyimana said that the fixing the streetlights would take 41 kilometers on Kimironko-Zindiro Nyabugogo-Kinamba and Nyabugogo-Ruliba on your way to southern province and Remera-Kabuga roads.

Commenting the due exercise, Nzeyimana said the fixing of the street lights will also favour proper security in Kigali City.

He also said that it is also a tool that can increase social-economic activities as Kigali residents are facilitated to work for extended hours.

Nzeyimana says funds will come from central government and other stakeholders.

ENDS

The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Governance Board Prof. Anastase Shyaka has said the body he leads and media can enhance good governance in the country.

While calling upon the media to play outstanding role in enhancing good governance, Prof. Shyaka said different media houses can play a significant role in strengthening principles and practices in the country.

Prof. Shyaka was presiding over the consultative meeting on the role of the media in promoting good governance.

“You can be at the centre of good governance practices implementation. One of your role is educating the public,” Prof. Shyaka said.

Prof. Shyaka said that the governance body and the media can be co-workers in educating the public about the values of good governance.

One of the journalists Prince Bahati, from Radio Hope says government should also play a proactive role in supporting the media.

Mid last month, the government launched good governance month of which the aim will be assessing and strengthening good governance through service delivery.

The good governance month will also aim at hearing what the public wants in as far as good governance is concerned.

ENDS

Professional trained dogs have been adopted by the National Police in the checking of vehicles for any suspicious items especially drugs and explosives.

This was launched on 15th January 2012 in Kayonza district-Eastern Province.

The police spokesperson, supt. Theos Badege says that this technique of using dogs will help in avoiding and weakening drug dealings forbidden in Rwanda.

“we are used to seizing passengers with drugs enroute from Uganda and Tanzania meeting in Kayonza, the reason why it was the first place to be checked”, said Badege.

He revealed that not only passengers but also some drivers are involved in drugs business where they conceal them in passenger’s baggage.

Badege warned drug dealers saying Police will not tolerate such kinds of illegal business that threatens security and population as a whole.

The Rwandan Diaspora yesterday toured Iwawa rehabilitation and vocational skills development Center where former street children receive vocational skills training aimed at orienting them to a hopeful life.

During their stay at the Island the youth train in construction, carpentry, tailoring, commercial farming and bee keeping. They also receive necessary psychological support to abandon their former street lifestyles.

Allen Kabandana a student at Iwawa center testified that he was once addicted to cocaine consumption and drug abuse.

His life was completely lost until his relatives took him to Iwawa rehabilitation Center that has transformed him.

Kabandana vows to take the lead in fighting drug abuse among the youth. He considers the center as a free of charge rehabilitation and professional training center.

Dr. Ismael Buchanan, the Secretary General of Rwanda Diaspora Network said that the visit was aimed at having the first hand information about the center as opposed to misinformation spread abroad.

The diaspora has been misinformed that the center is a confinement centre yet it is rehabilitating the Rwandan youth and also helping them become productive members of society.

Buchanan promised that the Diaspora will go on telling the world the real story of Iwawa.

The Rwandan Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has received a Doctorate Diploma in politics on 18th January 2012 from the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.

According to lefaso.net, Habumuremyi defended his thesis entitled “Pouvoir Politique et Ethnicite au Rwanda: Analyse du Conflit Rwandais et de l’offre politique de l’apres -1994 pour la reconstruction d’un Etat-Nation”

HABUMUREMYI emphasizes, in his book, on the contribution of colonizers to the ethnic based conflicts which lasted long in Rwanda till they led to 1994 Tutsi Genocide.

He mentioned Belgium, Catholic Church, UN and France as the most contributors to the Rwanda’s conflicts.

After defending his thesis, the lecturer of Politics in Niamey University, Alou Mahamane Tidjani, one of the jury leaders announced that Pierre Damien Habumuremyi officially wins his PhD in Politics.

The ceremony was attended by Burkinabe Prime Minister’s wife and Koumba Boly, the minister of Education.

Koumba Boly took the incident as a model for Africans both leaders and citizens calling them on valuing their universities, avoiding to consider European universities as worthier than theirs.

The book has been studied for five years and it provides examples of unity and reconciliation level in Rwanda as well as offering pieces of advice.