Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Push For More Domestic Tourism

    danc.jpg
    The prolonged campaign to attract more tourists to Rwanda has paid off following the recent announcement by the Ministry of commerce that tourism sector earned the country US$251 million in 2011 representing a 25.5% over the total exports score of 31.7%.

    However, similar efforts need to be injected locally to stimulate interest in local or domestic tourism. Being a small country, it makes it very affordable for citizens to access all touristic zones in the country.

    Planners need to segment the market especially by grouping people in terms of their travel behaviour, media consumption habits and lifestyle, providing a more in-depth knowledge and understanding of who they want to appeal to.

    In every segment there is an opportunity to unlock the value and stimulate growth. By understanding the needs of each segment Rwanda tourism authorities and the travel industry will be able to provide information, new products (affordable to the various segments) and relevant communication to instil a greater culture of holiday travel.

    It was very clear in the recently concluded x-Mass holidays there was minimal domestic holiday travel. Upcountry hotel owners, national parks,Cultural centers, handlers,entertainment, beverage, telecommunication and other corporate institutions ought to team up to impress upon citizens to embrace domestic tourism.

    Government through the line ministries should scale up status of model upcountry towns into cities in every province with nearly all facilities and services only accessible in the capital. This would too promote rapid internal travel thus encouraging domestic tourism.

    Rwanda domestic tourism should be branded to be seen and heard more than it is currently. It’s important to purposely create a holiday culture amongst citizens and to make travel ‘sexy and exciting’.
    animal.jpg
    In related efforts, government ought to seize the opportunity and tap into the Rwandan Diaspora as a potential investment force due to the existing trust through patriotism and firsthand knowledge of the country’s investment opportunities viewed differently by foreign investors.

    There are advantages of investment via capital markets. Capital market investment provides Diasporas to invest in their country of origin, Rwanda through a more liquid mechanism with greater spill over benefits to the local economy.

    However, the government needs to work on relaxing the legal and technical barriers existing to the cross-border movement of capital and assets.

    Financial institutions and other private-sector actors should pay attention to designing savings accounts and other banking products tailored to the needs and preferences of transnational families.

    The government should provide more information to the Diaspora to scale up their knowledge about investment opportunities and business practices in Rwanda making them more open to investments that other international investors perceive as too risky owing to the post conflict and natural-resource-poor status of our country.

    To attract and facilitate Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI), a number of institutional reforms must be adopted. Most examples of foreign investment promotion in developing countries are based on encouraging investment from multinational corporations.

    First, there must be equal treatment for DDI and FDI. In reality, DDI, which has far more potential for economic growth and national development, is discriminated against in favour of FDI.

    Researchers argue that Africa has a huge potential for DDI certainly even if regional cases of success are not as pronounced as in other regions of the world.

    A large number of Diaspora is willing to contribute to the development of their country of origin however a large segment that isn’t interested cites political leadership at home. This means our government should take seriously such political concerns identified by the Diaspora and make reforms.

    A very large part of agricultural production undergoes some degree of transformation between harvesting and final use.

    The Government should encourage investment into agro processing through provision of various incentives to investors in this sector. This will transform the Agro processing industry thus means transforming products originating from agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

    Telecommunication and Transport sector remains underdeveloped in Rwanda as compared to other member states of the East African community. Despite the country being small, the cost of transporting goods and services within the country is still high.

    The cost of transporting goods from neighbouring countries is also very high. In effect the high transport costs have affected the lifespan of businesses.

    Addressing and considering domestic tourism promotion, Diaspora Direct Investment, Investment in agro processing and improvement of the transport sector will catapult Rwanda’s economic progress in 2012.

  • Police Arrests woman Accused of Abortion

    The National Police is holding a woman, Nganji Anastasie aged 21, for alleged abortion and dumping her premature baby in a pit latrine.

    Nganji was in her ninth month of pregnancy and was about to give birth.

    The police spokesman, Supt. Theos Badege told Press, “It is a serious crime punished by the law.”

    Nganji told press that “I did not abort willingly as I was waiting for the birth date. My roomate refused to escort me to the toilet when I wanted to use it. I went alone. While in the latrine, I had a miscarriage forcing the foetus into the pit latrine and then I cried for help.”

    This happened after Health Development Initiative (HDI) proposed the introduction of condoms in secondary schools which was rejected by the ministry of education and other individuals.

    Dr. Mathias Harebamungu, the state minister in charge of primary and secondary schools says that as “a researcher”, they should have legally considered many things before taking such decisions like updated statistics.

    Mgr. Smaragde Mbonyintege of Kabgayi Catholic Church, in the end of 2011 put out an announcement rejecting the decisions.

    He said: “it would be miserable to spread condoms in schools because it promotes sexual intercourses and I do not think it can meet their target of pregnancy and HIV/AIDS prevention.”

    According to many mothers, this situation sometimes occurs when a mother is about to give birth and doctors at hospitals cannot allow a mother to go to the toilet in such circumstances.

  • Leon Mugesera Deportation Next Week

    The Canada Border Services Agency has set January 12, 2012 for 1994 Genocide suspect Leon Mugesera’s deportation.

    leon-mugesera.jpg

    This follows years of Canadian immigration authorities decision that he was persona non grata on their soil.

    It has been 16 years of legal and political relentless battles to extradite him to Rwanda to face charges related to inciting violence and crimes against humanity that climaxed into the 1994 Tutsi Genocide.

    Both Rwandan government and Associations of Genocide Survivors (IBUKA) have welcomed Mugesera’s deportation whose incendiary speech in Gisenyi inciting masses early killings in Kibuye, Bugesera and the east of the country before 1994 Genocide in 1992 and 1993.

    Mugesera is wanted for his role 1994 Genocide using an incendiary speech believed to have been behind the formation of the Interahamwe militia and subsequent execution of the genocide.

    However, his former defence lawyer, Guy Bertrand, has launched a media campaign, claiming that once deported, would be killed insisting that Canada had made a grave mistake by extraditing him.

    Rwanda’s Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga has dismissed the allegations terming them as baseless and misplaced and another desperate attempt to thwart a court decision using the media.

    “There is not a single allegation on his perceived fate he is making now that he did not make before,”

    “Similarly, his allegations are not fundamentally different from what other suspects make when faced with a similar situation,” Ngoga says.

    He however, observed that the most important thing is that Canada has finally agreed to send him to Rwanda to face trial.

    “What is important in our view is that finally, after a long time, Canadian law enforcement could be willing to implement what their courts decided,” Ngoga said.

    “This comes at a time when, from the ICTR in Arusha, to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, a consensus is built on the need to get Rwandan fugitives to face trials in Rwanda. We remain determined and committed to conduct trials in a manner that meets required standards,”.

    “National systems, Canada inclusive, have means and abilities to assess situations they need to, which are why media petitions meant to circumvent court decisions, are misplaced. If that was a practice to be condoned, court decisions would loose relevance,” he added.

    Mugesera, a former lecturer at the National University of Rwanda and at Nyakinama campus, is known to have penned one of the most virulent speeches inciting Hutus to kill Tutsis.

    He could have been deported in July 1996 after the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada decided that his 1992 speech was an incitement to violence and ethnic hatred, and ordered his deportation, but he kept fighting the decisions.

    It is however, slated that his new lawyer, Johanne Doyon, who stepped in after Bertrand is expected to be in Federal Court in Montreal on Monday, according to Canadian press.

    With only four days left, the much anticipated deportation of Leon Mugesera from Canada, looks imminent, after 16 years of legal and political battles

    ENDS

  • Tourism Tops Rwanda’s Revenue

    Tourism sector has topped Rwanda’s exports with 25.5 percent over the total exports score of 31.7 percent revenue into Rwanda’s economy.

    Figures published by Ministry of commerce indicate that the fast growing sector earned the highest figure at US$251 million in 2011.

    Presenting the state of the Rwanda’s economy Francois Kanimba, the Minister of Trade and Industry, said that exports increased by 31.7 percent, from US$564.6 million in 2010 to US$743.5 million in 2011.

    Kanimba said it was mainly mainly boosted by improvement in the mining, tea and coffee sectors, as well as receipts from tourism.

    However, imports were still 33.9 percent higher than exports, owing to poor performance by local industries which made it inevitable to increase imports.

    Imports skyrocketed to over US$1.08bn in 2011 compared to the previous year’s US$1.05bn.

    “We still have a lot of work to do in the local industrial sector; many industries are struggling to operate and indeed, some of them may close down,” Kanimba said.

    “However, government policy is to facilitate those that can be revived to cut their costs of production and begin contributing to local production, which in turn will help to reduce importation.”

    According to Kanimba the government decided to bail out 25 local medium scale industries and 15 small ones under a programme that will continue through 2012 to bridge trade deficit.

    Ten new plants commenced operations in 2011 as well as a number of small food processing plants in the rural areas hence contributing to the overall performance of the economy.

    He also said that there was no tangible gain from the East Africa Community’s (EAC) resolution to impose taxes on sugar imports from outside the bloc yet the region faced a heavy sugar scarcity.

    “We requested our EAC counterparts to consider the removal of taxes on sugar imported from outside the bloc as an incentive to increase supply and stabilise sugar prices in the local markets,” Kanimba said.

    EAC imposed taxes on sugar imports from outside the bloc to protect sugar traders in the region.

    However Rwanda’s trade with EAC has improved with exports to the region elevating to US$107 million by September 2011 from US$105 million in 2010.

    “Among other things, regional trade was facilitated by the opening of Nemba One Stop Border Post with Burundi following the 24 hour operations at Gatuna. Other border posts to commence construction in 2012 include Kagitumba-Mirama Hills and Rusumo Border,” Kanimba added.

    The government also expressed optimism on key bilateral investment deals with Congo Brazzaville, North America and China.

    Under the Bilateral Investment Treaty with the USA signed in 2008 by President Paul Kagame and former US President George W. Bush, Rwanda was able to export products worth US$52 million in 2010.

    Under the agreement, Rwanda has the opportunity to export over 5,000 units of products duty free into North America.

    On top of that, China opened up its market for up to 4,000 products from Rwanda on duty and quota free basis.

    ENDS

  • TV Revolution Coming to Rwanda

    By the end of this year Rwandans are expected to view more than two TV stations, thanks to the yet to be introduced Set Top Box (STB) a special decoder that facilitates reception of digital signal to analog TV sets.

    The decoder is in line with the transformation of analog to digital TV viewing, that also involves construction of relevant infrastructure to support the latest technology.

    Patrice Mulama, the executive secretary of Media High Council (MHC) noted that establishment of antennas and boosters to support digital signal is in final stages.

    He added that the new technology will attract more television companies to start business in Rwanda.

    “There was a delay in introducing new TV channels due to a requirement by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) demanding latest infrastructure and so far we have approved some companies both locally and regional.

    The regional channels include Nation, Citizen, EATV, and Light House TV while those from local investors are Contact and Tele 10.

    Eugène Nyagahene proprieter of Tele 10 and Radio 10 says that he’s ready to start broadcasting soon.

    “Now we have everything in a place including a well equipped studio and our TV employees are being oriented on how to use some of the sophisticated equipments,” he remarked.

    Nyagahene who was part of a team that spearheaded the transformation urged the government to step in and buy the special decoders and sell them at affordable rates so that early next year Rwandans would begin watching TV with clear signals.

    Meanwhile, decoders won’t necessarily be used by those who have digital TV sets but rather favour those who still have the analog ones to get better images.

    However, a digital TV cost is twice higher than Analog TV thus many would likely opt for a separate kit of STB to serve as an antenna.
    set_top_box.jpg

  • Passengers cry for 3 seats

    Different passengers have informally requested for three-seat commuter taxi claiming they have for long time been disturbed with the current four-seats.

    Felicien Mulinda found at Rwandex bus stop said his trouser was torn due to sandwiched way of sitting four in a row when he was trying to get out of the taxi.

    “Why on earth can’t we sit three per row in Rwanda. What is so hard that Rwandan transport system cannot do when other countries have afforded it, if we not careful and take measures to day we may end up having poor transport system like that of Kenya,” Mulinda said in an interview.

    Claudine Manishimwe who has been a driver for 15 years retaliated saying Rwanda still has inadequate commuter cars which require them to take as many as possible to solve a problem of passengers waiting for long on different bus stops.

    “I do not see any problem in it for we are familiar with it. This is a system we have been operating in ever since, these are just wishes,” Manishimwe said.

    Celestin Twahirwa the head of traffic police told IGIHE.com that that the number of passengers in every commuter taxi is determined by the authority of transport companies.

    He said: “our intervention may come in for different dangers of traffic otherwise sitting 3 or 4 on each row are the transport companies’ decision.”

    Comments from Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), was fruitless as they could not available at the time.

    Fidele Ndayisaba, the mayor of Kigali city also says that any time people show it as a serious problem; they will look for a way to solve it collaborating with relevant authorities.

    However many complaints come in as a reference to Rwanda’s joining the East African Community(EAC) where a number of member states like Uganda sit three in a row.

    ENDS

  • Kagame Among Most Powerful People on Planet

    President Paul Kagame has emerged among seventy most powerful people on the planet and among the 2011 personalities by the Forbes Africa Magazine.

    Kagame was named on the list for having led Rwanda’s transformation after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi which has led the country to become one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.

    President Kagame has been named among the 20 other most African personalities.

    Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Governor Central Bank of Nigeria, emerged as the most powerful person in Africa.

    The list includes Activits,Economists, Politicians and nobel laureates.

    President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Pedro Veron Pires, former President of Cape Verde, the late Professor Wangari Mathai, Nobel Prize Kenyan environmental and political activist also feature on the list.

    The list includes; Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, Goodluck Johnson, the President of Nigeria, John Atta Mills, the President of Ghana, Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda and Mohamed Bouazizi, the Tunisian Street Vendor who set himself on fire, a move that triggered the widespread Arab spring revolutionaries.

    “Kagame is also driving the East African Community initiative, a renowned Publication New Statesman named him as one of the 50 people in the world who matter,” reads the Forbes magazine.

  • Students Face 5-Years Jail Sentence Over Theft

    Eight students risk a five years sentence if found guilty of stealing school materials from the school at which they have been studying.

    Prosecution at Nyagatare district has proposed 5 years of prison sentence for the students because of the magnitude of the offence.

    “Though some materials were found and returned to the school, it doesn’t invalidate the offence they have committed”, said the prosecution.

    Prosecution argues that it is a serious offence because the accused first forged the key to open the house containing materials.

    Legal assistants for the accused students asked prosecution to consider article 9 that provides for Children’s rights in trial reading scheduled on the 20th January 2012.

    The accused students admitted to have committed the offence during which they tried to steal three times; July, September and October when they were still young.

    Although they are being tried, the school authorities have already expelled them.

  • Citizens Urged to Contribute Towards Good Governance

    The ministry of Local Administration (MINALOC) has declared that special measures will be used for people to contribute towards good governance.

    James Musoni, the minister of local administration said, “it is true, some decisions are taken without people’s participation, but there will not be sustainable good governance without the voice of the population.”

    He added that people must be aware of their rights. The ministry is doing all the best to give power to the population’s contribution in decisions making.

    “There are decisions which would be taken without people’s contribution. You cannot negotiate with a parent for a child to attend school or prevent a child from being affected by diseases; that is a must” he said.

    The president addressed this problem in the 2010 national dialogue talking about leaders who used to destruct people’s houses without negotiations or even showing them other shelters in Bye Bye -Nyakatsi program .

    Jackyline Uwimana, of Gatsibo district, said “Its possible for people who despise government’s programs however, authorities involved in this should change because it deteriorates the country’s development and projecting a negative image of the country.”

    The ministry calls upon journalists, civil societies to help people know their role in good governance.

    All the problems will be exposed on the 30th January 2012 at the end of good governance month.

  • Three Trapped in CITY TOWER Elevator

    Kigali city tower sky scrapper the latest and tallest building has a malfunctioning elevator (lifts). Our reporter and other city dwellers got trapped in the elevator for over thirty minutes on January 4.

    It is said that the technician in charge of operating the elevator at the city tower complex had gone home and they had to wait until he comes back and work on their way out of the lift.

    This is not the first time elevators in High rise buildings in Kigali have been shunned by city dwellers claiming they get trapped leaving them stranded for several hours.

    An elevator or lift is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors (levels, decks) of a building, vessel or other structures.

    Elevators are generally powered by electric motors that either drive traction cables or counterweight systems like a hoist, or pump hydraulic fluid to raise a cylindrical piston like a jack.

    Igihe.com also witnessed Vice Prime Minister of Timor Leste, José Luis Guterres during his visit to Rwanda late last year getting stuck with other people in the lift at the Rwanda’s Premature building for over 20 minutes.

    Another anticipated building with the same problem is where RURA offices are based. Many people claim that its elevator also strands people in there.