A Motorcyclist and a passenger have been this morning died at Kinamba-Gisozi junction in Kigali after a headon collision with a coaster bus carrying passengers from town.
Eye witnesses at the scene reported that the bus was over speeding and that may be the cause of the accident.
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in collaboration with National Commission for Children will hold the 7th National Children’s Summit on 4th January this year at the Parliamentary Building.
The summit is held annually since the year 2004 with an aim of involving Rwandan children in not only dialogue and decision making but also giving them a platform to give solutions on issues affecting them.
The theme Children and Equity; our contribution to Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) was chosen to ensure that children are engaged in national dialogue especially on economic development so that their needs are advocated for and addressed in the planned strategies.
Participants at the Summit will include child delegates representing the children from each sector and District; representatives of vulnerable, disabilities, children from refugee camps, institutional care, street children and orphans.
In attendance also will be government officials and other partner organizations involved with child protection.
The Summit will culminate into of consultations among children from the sector to district levels presenting views gathered from their peers during the consultations.
Some of the sub-themes will focus on Importance of family to every child, health and inclusion of children ideas in national planning.
3 people have reportedly died and 13 sustaining serious injures after being suddenly struck by lightning while in an Anglican Church located at Gahurire cell in Ngoma district.
The incident happened minutes before the congregation celebrated the begining of new-year 2012 at midnight.
Meanwhile, the injured are recovering at Kibungo hospital from fractures and bruises. A big number is allegedly traumatised by the lightning attack incident.
During a counseling session with one of the victims, a therapist identified herself as Sally noted that patients were not in a bad mental state.
“So far 9 patients are still in shock but will recover soon. I think some of them should be discharged today,” she remarked briefly before she left to attend to patients.
Prior to the tragedy, Ngoma district had received heavy rainfall with several thunderstorms and lightning according to metrological reports.
Victorie Mukarukundo a local leader in the area noted that this was the second time lightning struck 2011.
“In March 9 pupils were struck by lightning at Murinja primary school but didn’t die. I advise all Social building to have gadgets resisting the lightning attacks.”
The outgoing year 2011 seems to have come with most solutions in the Rwanda’s political arena.
Memories of president Paul Kagame appointing Louise Mushikiwabo as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, progressive diplomatic ties begun to have another face.
The most celebrated one was the renewal of diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Uganda that saw warm reciprocal visits.
From the time the two countries clashed in the DR Congo war, the bilateral relationship begun to sour almost every each minute intense security alert was raised on both countries borders.
The neighbors begun to totally treat each other like strangers despite the shared history which included inter-marriages.
This year’s Christmas, President Paul Kagame, his wife Jannette Kagame and their children Ange, Brian and Ian celebrated the eve in Uganda at President Yoweri Museveni’s home in Rwakitura.
In July Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his wife Mrs Janet Museveni were also given a warm reception to an official state banquet held in honor of their visit to Rwanda.
The banquet held at the model village in Kayonza where President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame received their guest at their country home.
As they entered a room filled with Rwandan and Ugandan officials, the sense of union that President Kagame carried was palpable.
President Kagame began his toast by warmly welcoming his counterpart President Museveni and his wife Mrs Janet Museveni.
This reminded everyone present of Rwanda and Uganda’s historical, cultural and political bonds.
“The sense of fraternity between our people which was evident gained strength during the visit,” Kagame said then.
President Museveni’s speech was an equally powerful testament to the depth of the relationship between both nations.
Museveni expressed his gratitude to Rwandans for their role in the Ugandan liberation struggle.
“I salute Rwandans that participated in our (Uganda’s) liberation struggle. President Kagame was among those that helped us liberate our country,”Museveni also noted that time.
Prior to the official banquet, President Kagame accompanied and gave out 10 long horned cattle commonly known as ‘Inyambo’ to President Museveni.
In Rwandan culture, a cow is the best, expensive and valuable gift a person can give to a close friend as well as in the tribe of Banyankore/Bahima of which Museveni and his wife belong.
President Museveni had also a day before joined the residents of Kanombe, Kicukiro District for the monthly communal service ‘Umuganda’ where he laid a foundation stone to a Nine Year Basic Education of Camp Kanombe.
Renewal agreements were also signed between the two countries and now both countries are enjoying secure and trusted exchange of activities of their citizens.
This simply showcases that the year 2011 has been a year to fortify bilateral ties between something that is set to boost and harmonize economic, political and security relations between Rwanda’s allies.
Official quotes
“We must remain focused as two neighbours living together in peace. So, irrespective of what has happened in the past, misunderstandings and their causes, we have to focus on the importance of living as neighbours in peace and work towards getting rid of the causes of the problems between Uganda and us,” Kagame said.
“The sour blood between Rwanda and Uganda is no more as the two countries continue to get along,” Kagame said while cementing the renewed relationship.
“We are good neighbours with Rwanda,” Museveni said recently on a visit to Ndorwa at the Uganda-Rwanda border during the inauguration of Kigali-Gatuna to Mbarara highway.
In addition President Museveni added, “Rwanda is now a stable country and you should take this chance to do business there.”
“Our governments are linked by close historical ties of common values. Rwanda and Uganda share a colonial heritage, including issues of dictatorship and liberation struggles,” Mushikiwabo said.
Two states historical alliances
Both countries have governments born out of revolutions that swept away dictatorship and restored stability, rule of law and democracy.
Their armies also have a common history and made significant contributions in shaping the destinies of the neighboring nations.
Many Ugandans and Rwandans have parents, relatives and friends on either side of the border. President Kagame and President Museveni are also old students of Ntare School in western Uganda.
On top of that, the historical bond between the two countries seems to have been strengthened by Rwandans huge involvement in the Uganda’s liberation war and as well Uganda’s involvement in the Rwanda’s liberation war in 1990s that stopped the 1994 Tutsi Genocide.
Relationship Restoration
Efforts to mend ties between the two countries began in 2002 through to 2003. In 2006, Rwanda and Uganda decided to revive mechanisms intended to normalize their relationship, political stability, security and economic interests.
Political leaders held meetings in both countries and in Europe to pave way for amendments of the torn apart relationship.
At a lower level, the military chiefs of both countries held quarterly joint meetings to discuss their contribution to fast-tracking the normalization of relations between the two countries.
Other relations earned included restoring France’s diplomatic ties and winning others like Australia and Sri-lanka among others on international scene.
Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan also visited Rwanda on a mission to have a health bilateral relationships between the two countries.
This was followed by President Denis Sasou-Nguesso of Congo Brazaville who also cemented diplomacy of two countries not forgetting Ivory Coast.
ENDS
Vendors at Kicukiro market are being relocated to the newly built Kabeza market since the site will be used to construct a modern bazaar valued at Frw 3billlion in the next 18 months.
The director of land in Kicukiro district Claude Rwakazini, urged vendors to cooperate in the relocation process since construction of the modern market was in line with the city’s master plan.
“Putting up this market isn’t enough since this year we want to construct modern buildings from Sonatube round about all the way to the district headquarters,” Rwakazini remarked.
He added that the market will have the capacity to accommodate 1000 units for traders dealing in various businesses and services.
However, some vendors are hesitant to relocate to Kabeza market citing the long distance and high rent charges.
Augustin Macumu among the shareholders of Kabeza market noted that the vendors are misinformed because new traders are given a grace period of four months and pay later at a negotiable renting fee.
“The idea of our market was to give space to hawkers whose activities had become a nuisance in town. Some up to now have not paid but we hope that they will do so when their business blossoms,” said Macumu.
The police spokesman, Superintendent Theos Badege, has said that there were not many bad security incidents during the festive season owing to vigilance of the police ensuring public and traffic security.
Normally such holidays are synonymous with security problems. However, the National Police declare that there were no unusual offenses or dangerous accidents in the concluded festive days compared to the last years.
Over Christmas and New Year holidays, there occurred 8 accidents in which 3 people died. On the last day of the year 2011, all over the country 3 accidents occurred and no person died.
With regard to other offenses, the police declares that only one man died in acts of violence while in 2010 in the same period 4 people had been killed.
Kibungo Police is holding Clementine Nyiransengimana who is also contemplating suicide after throwing her three day old baby girl in a pit latrine.
The embattled mother admits that she threw her baby due to stress from her boyfriend Jean Claude Habimana who harassed her for alleged promiscuity.
“He rejected the baby because she didn’t look like him, so I got worried of how to raise her alone,” she said.
The baby who was recovered dead at a latrine in Mutanderi center is the second child Nyiransengimana has allegedly had with the same boyfriend who currently in another relationship.
“He agreed to have fathered our first child but I wonder why he bothered me on this new one. He always insults me calling me all sorts of bad names. That’s why I couldn’t take it,” she disclosed.
After throwing the kid in the pit latrine, Nyiransengimana rushed to the hospital for malaria treatment.
However, the doctor who attended to her got curious of the absence of her newly born child indicated on her medical report and decided to call the police after she failed to give the physician convincing reasons on the kid’s whereabouts.
It is then the police mounted a search within Kibungo town and found the kid dead in a pit latrine.
Currently she is being detained and might get a life sentence if found guilty.
However, Nyiransengimana is not willing to wait until the judgment day and prefers to die due to shame.
“I admit I threw my kid away and I caution others never to try this unGodly act. That’s why I deserve to die,” she said.
Bellow is the Message to all Rwandans from President Paul Kagame in its verbatim, He wishes all Rwandan Peace, Success and Progress.
-Fellow Rwandans;
-Inhabitants of Rwanda;
-Friends of Rwanda;
On my behalf and on behalf of my family and the Government of Rwanda, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year. May it be a year of peace, success and progress.
Last year, we worked together and achieved a lot in various facets of our country’s development: in our economy, social sector, good governance, and in the justice sector. I wish to convey my gratitude to you for that.
This way of working together, based on our development plan, is what has brought our country this far and should characterize all our future actions.
We should all be encouraged by the good level of economic growth that we have attained and the impact this has had on all Rwandans, irrespective of where they live.
Despite the global economic turmoil, our economy grew by 8.8% and inflation was contained at 7.4% in November last year, when inflation levels in other parts of our region were around 20%. We also managed to maintain our monetary stability.
We should also be pleased that we have continued to make it easy to do business in Rwanda.
In the last three years, we moved from 143rd position out of 183 countries to 45th in the world and 3rd in Africa.
Programmes that aim to uplift the needy in our society are ongoing and have benefitted almost all of them.
We shall intensify them and ensure that they reach everyone as soon as possible.
We will achieve this by building on the solid foundation of peace and security in our country.
We will work on ensuring an environment where all Rwandans will be able to create their own employment or get jobs in order cater for themselves and their families; where those in agriculture are self-sufficient and even produce for markets.
Those in need of health care will have easy access and all Rwandan children will be able to go to school.
I take this opportunity to thank all Rwandans, including our army and police, who participated in building classrooms for the nine and twelve-year basic education programme.
I also wish to thank all Rwandans for their continued confidence in each other and in our governance institutions. This is part of the ongoing development process in our country.
We should endeavour to promote homegrown solutions to our challenges drawing first from our own means and capacity so that this becomes part and parcel of our culture. This will surely earn us the dignity that we deserve.
Let me also say that in the last year, we continued to build good diplomatic relations with other countries, starting with our neighbours, the rest of Africa, Europe, America, Asia, and others.
This is in line with our government’s policy aimed at building partnership and cooperation with the rest of the world.
• Fellow Rwandans;
• Friends of Rwanda;
Let me conclude by reiterating that we have made good progress.
Let us start the new year with renewed energy, determined to work even harder and smarter, and with resolve to be permanently self-reliant.
This is my wish for all Rwandans in the coming year.
Once again, I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year, full of blessings and actions that advance our development.
It is now three hours after the last minute of the year 2011 clocked and Rwandans are still walking to and from on streets of Kigali City celebrating to begin New Year 2012.
When the last minute of 2012 clocked the city got filled with voices from every corner as Rwandans jubilated.
Sounds of music from almost every door, churches, and Bars polluted the air as motorcycles gained momentum of hurrying different passengers to their respective destinations.
Police patrol on alert driving on every road keeping order as usual and others deployed on some particular locations that would have ciaos while letting people shouting and jubilating for putting back the old year.
Different Christians in their respective churches sunk into praise and worship thanking God to enable them pass through 2011 and praying for guidance in the next year ahead of them.
Different cycles of friends stood on road sides as they shared joy of completing 2011 and entering 2012.
Some drunkards dancing in the middle of road while others were shouting at the top of their voices.
Some sat steady in their seats in different ordering for more beers while others calling it off to go and sleep.
Families have had time to share great moments together relaxed either in some joints, places of worship and their own homes.
Almost everybody left indoors include old people, boys and girls, women and men, joining their long time friends to celebrate in their own styles.
Different local and regional artists have thrilled their funs in different well distributed concerts in different joints, some sponsored by hotels, or bars to entertain their customers while others launching their albums.
The East African Promoters have organized the East African Party at the Expo Ground in Gikondo attracting superstars in the region.
The party kicked off at 7p.m. where lots of funs have gone to have time with their idols not minding tickets sold at Rwf2000 (ordinary section) and Rwf5000 (VIP section).
The party features top local artistes, such as Jay Polly, Kitoko, Tom Close, King James, Riderman, Uncle Austin, Knowles and Dream Boyz. Canada-based Rwandan artistes Frankie Joe and Dady Cassanova, alias Dady Cassa, are also expected to be on the stage.
Equally expected are stars Kidum (Kenya-based Burundian artiste) and Flavor (Nigeria); both of whom have vowed to rock concertgoers into the New Year 2012.
The grand annual end-of-year party, Happy People Party, is also set at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Minaffet) Gardens in Kimihurura, Kigali.
This time, the party, famous for its fireworks displays will bring South Africa’s DJ Bego, who will play alongside Rwanda’s DJ Karim, at Quelque Part Bar & Restaurant and Sundowner in Kigali.
DJ Bego, a resident DJ at Club Hush (Ex-Moloko) in Johannesburg, South Africa, replaces Kenyan DJ Styles, who graced the previous three editions of the New Year’s Eve main bash.
Ugandan artiste Jose Chameleon will stage his end-of-year performances in Kigali at The Manor Hotel in Nyarutarama.
ENDS
From different homes, to the streets, inside bars, restaurants and hotels, every Rwandan is excited to usher in New Year 2012.
Different Christians have flocked their respective churches and different places in a joint fellowship like National Stadium to pray for peace, stability and prosperity in Rwanda and across the region.
Almost nobody is left indoor except reporters who are now sitting down to their computers filing in stories.
The old people, boys and girls, women and men, families have disbursed themselves to different areas celebrating in their own styles.
Many have vowed not slumber until they see the seconds hand click on the minute to see 2012 ushering in.
Different local and regional artists have organized concerts in different joints, some sponsored by hotels, or bars to entertain their customers while others are launching their albums, it’s extremely at high nod -the best of ecstasy.
Still deciding how to spend the last night of 2011? There are parties raging throughout Kigali with security personnel on high alert.
Kigali is always happening on New Year’s Eve. Jubilant crowds party as they shake off the old year and welcome the new one with lots of fanfare – nonstop music, dances, and spectacular fireworks.
New Year’s Eve parting in Rwanda is the most celebrated event where until the wee hours of the next morning, people still in the mood.
The East African Promoters have organized the East African Party at the Expo Ground in Gikondo attracting superstars in the region.
The party kicked off at 7p.m. where lots of funs have gone to have time with their idols not minding tickets sold at Rwf2000 (ordinary section) and Rwf5000 (VIP section).
The party features top local artistes, such as Jay Polly, Kitoko, Tom Close, King James, Riderman, Uncle Austin, Knowles and Dream Boyz.
Canada-based Rwandan artistes Frankie Joe and Dady Cassanova, alias Dady Cassa, are also expected to be on the stage.
Equally expected are stars Kidum (Kenya-based Burundian artiste) and Flavor (Nigeria); both of whom have vowed to rock concertgoers into the New Year 2012.
The grand annual end-of-year party, Happy People Party, is also set at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Minaffet) Gardens in Kimihurura, Kigali.
This time, the party, famous for its fireworks displays will bring South Africa’s DJ Bego, who will play alongside Rwanda’s DJ Karim, at Quelque Part Bar & Restaurant and Sundowner in Kigali.
DJ Bego, a resident DJ at Club Hush (Ex-Moloko) in Johannesburg, South Africa, replaces Kenyan DJ Styles, who graced the previous three editions of the New Year’s Eve main bash.
Ugandan artiste Jose Chameleon will stage his end-of-year performances in Kigali at The Manor Hotel in Nyarutarama.
ENDS