The Mother to Dr. Ntawukuriryayo Jean Damascene, President of Senate passed away on Monday 19 December 2011. Late Kanziga will be buried this Wednesday 21 December.
Verediana Kanziga was born in 1941 at Rwimbogo, Nyaruguru district. She got married to Kazungu Claver on 27th August 1960 and had three children. She is survived with two children, eight grand children and three great grandchildren.
Rwanda Media High Council intends to carry out a media gender audit as one of the line other projects that will re-orient gender mainstreaming in the country.
This has been announced by Patrice Murama the executive secretary of Rwanda Media High Media Council(MHC) shortly before signing a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Gender Monitoring Office to join efforts in gender mainstreaming.
“It has been discovered that despite all efforts which has been done to sensitize public on gender issues, gender equality is largely inadequately understood,” Murama said while pointing out that media alone seems to have emancipated only men in journalism than women yet it is fourth pillar of government that would play a bigger role in educating the public about gender issues.
Murama gave an example of four elections monitoring MHC has carried out discovering that very few women were covered by different media houses yet bigger percentage of women is represented in the parliament.
He also went ahead to say that he has observed that all media houses are headed by men who probably are simply not gender sensitive hence resulting to little and sided coverage rendered to women.
Chief Gender Monitor Oda Gasinzigwa said that all institutions need to stand up for gender mainstreaming admitting that they have not done enough.
In one day meeting which also attracted different public and private media houses conclude that there is still a challenge based on culture that have brought almost immovable perception that men are superiors and women must remain inferior despite their emerging abilities to challenge men.
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The first lady Jeannette Kagame has led a nationwide campaign against alcohol and drugs of which she noted that a big number of youth have been addicted to, notwithstanding the side effects.
The first lady said parents should come up to take fore front step to fight these addictions among Rwanda children.
“For parents and guardians who are here, therefore, it is paramount that we put much attention on our job of bringing up and protecting those under our guardianship”. The first lady said while addressing a high level meeting on drugs and alcohol abuse which is also been followed by a number of promos running on different media houses.
She said parents should assume responsibilities of talking to the youth about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.
The meeting was convened to highlight the increasing drugs and alcohol abuse among the youth in the country today and how to address the problem.
She called upon hotels; night clubs and bars owners who had turned up for the meeting to also get involved in the fight to cub the vice.
This follows the recent warning of the Youth Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana that there are laws which prohibit giving under age alcohol and other related vices that lure youth into such vices.
“We are not here to stop you from making profits, but you should also consider the future of these young people,” First Lady also chairperson of Imbuto Foundation said.
She also requested lawmakers to come out with clear legislative guidelines on alcohol and drug abuse.
Joseph Uwagaga, a 24 year old testified his alcohol and drug addiction since he was 11 years of age showing the dangers of alcohol and drugs abuse.
By October 2011, 2,090 kilogrammes of cannabis and 7,056 litres of illicit brew had been seized and destroyed.
According to police statistics alcohol and drugs abuse tops crime list causing threat to development and security and that between the ages of 18 and 35 years have been arrested involved in the trade.
While illicit brew is produced in the country, most drugs consumed like cannabis, brown sugar, heroin and others, are smuggled from neighboring countries.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Vianney Nshimiyimana, says the problem is a complex than available statistics because some of the cases are not recorded, especially those involving underage children.
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50 Police Officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), yesterday completed a three-month investigation skills course aimed at improving the force’s investigation techniques.
According to a police statement, the training held in Bugesera District was funded by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). Officers covered topics such as laws that govern arrests and sentences, corruption and Gender Based Violence (GBV).
They also acquired practical skills on how to secure crime scenes as a way of protecting evidences, which aid in the investigation process.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel K. Gasana, noted that training police officers in investigation skills is the force’s priority.
Police investigation courses have been going on for the past years, and Gasana explained that the force will continue conducting similar exercises to further enhance its investigation techniques.
IGP Gasana also said, “Skills shall facilitate in the fight against both internal and trans-national cross boarder crimes.”
Representing trainees, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Solange Bihoyiki, said that the skills they acquired from the training will help them perform their job in a more professional manner.
Rwanda’s living in USA’s Indiana and Michigan states say they are impressed by some of the services provided by various government agencies.
The Rwanda embassy in US was highlighted as exemplary especially in the issuing of legal documents like passports and passing information about Rwanda’s progress especially on how diaspora members can invest back in Rwanda.
The remarks were made during a recent meeting involving diaspora and Ambassador James Kimonyo who advised them to tap into existing opportunities in Rwanda mostly in trade.
David Gasirabo and Edna Mbangukira hailed Amb. Kimonyo’s visit saying that it proved the government’s commitment to include the Diaspora in decision making and development of Rwanda.
Alice Cyusa from Indiana state who was also among the organizers thanked the governments initiative of visiting the Diaspora, she further hailed a similar visit by president Paul Kagame to Rwandans in Canada.
Appolinnaire Bamugire who resides close to Grand Rapids hotel where the meeting took place noted that the embassy helped her to process documents quickly when she was requested by a Gacaca court in Rwanda to come and answer allegations of involvement in crimes commited during the Tutsi genocide.
“At the end I was confirmed not guilty because I arrived on time to defend myself.”
The Ministry of Defence yesterday organized a dinner to welcome the Rwanda Diaspora. The event held at Senior Officers mess at Kimihurura was attended by different dignitaries among whom the Minister of Foreign Affairs,Hon. Louise Mushikiwabo, the Minister of Defence Gen. James Kabarebe and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.Gen Charles Kayonga.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Louise Mushikiwabo said that after much effort to reconstruct the country, Rwanda has achieved a lot in terms of development and unity among the people of Rwanda and can never step down on this.
The Minister urged the Diaspora to protect the good image of the country and promised that the government of Rwanda is ready to support their initiatives both inside and outside the country.
Speaking on behalf of Diaspora from Malawi and others, Gasana Claude said they are happy to see how Rwanda is progressing on right path and promised their contribution to build the country.
At the occasion Malawi Diaspora contributed 6 million Rwanda francs to help in the bye-bye-Nyakatsi, a program aimed at eradicating thatch houses in the country.
Citizens ought to know their rights and obligations. It is their right to be protected against any form of aggression and abuse (internal and foreign); recognized and accorded diplomatic identification and protection.
It’s the right of citizens to enjoy social and political rights; and enjoy public and social services provided by the state, these include education, medical care, social security, transport infrastructure and relevant information, among others.
On the other hand, it is the responsibility or duty of all citizens to protect the state and work towards it’s healthy wellbeing. Citizens are also charged with the fight against corruption; and against any form of human rights abuse and neglect within their community.
Our national laws especially in Africa tend to be protective and segregative against “migrants”; and forget that we all migrated from one place to another.
For instance, according to history; the Bantus migrated from the Congo Basin; the Nilotics from Kemit/ Egypt; and the Nilo-hamites from Asmara. These form a number of tribes and ethnic groups of Africa.
As a Ugandan, Subject to the provision of Article 10 of the 1995 constitution of Uganda, only a child born to a citizen of Uganda is recognised as a citizen by birth; children born in Uganda to parents of different nationality are not considered citizens of this country until registered or naturalized as per article 12/13.
It is not the child’s fault that his/ her parents are not citizens; my parents might not be Ugandan but the fact that I’ am born in a country makes me a bona-fide national of that country. Many are proud of this nationality.
All African states ought to adhere to this fact in order to foster and facilitate the rapid achievement of the continental integration that is championed by the African Union (AU) and all it’s regional blocks like ECOWAS, SADC, EAC, etc.
The acceptance of these stateless persons and population in many parts of the continent will help to prevent and manage many of it’s citizenship conflicts; these include conflicts based on identity, ethnicity and religion like in the DR Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and political or tribal rivalry in Kenya and many parts of Africa.
All these are instigated by failures of citizenship rules, and can only be resolved by recognition and protection of all citizen rights irrespective of their origin.
There is nothing in this world worse than being denied your proper identity and belonging; being denied equals social and political rights to benefit or serve your nation! Human beings are social beings that relay on others to be what they are: Because they belong to a society/ community, they care for it and in return expect it to protect them. This creates a bond between the two, and this bond is engulfed by love.
Many states talk of dual citizenship when they protect eligible members of their communities from adopting their rightful citizenship. I have a cousin who is born in Uganda, lived and studied in Uganda since childhood, but was recently denied access to university education on basis of nationality.
The immigration office in Kampala claimed he’s been living in the country illegally and can be arrested! I wonder on what grounds? I believe, it was not his fault to be born in Uganda; he just found himself here and could not leave the country due to the circumstances him and his parents found here.
If Barak Obama could become the president of United States of America, then why do we have a lot of issues for Alasane Quatara, Joseph Kabila Kabange, etc?
What I know, all our African population is mixed and you find especially those along the colonial boundaries having relatives across! The best example here is Hon. Moody Awori in Kenya and Hon. Aggrey Awori in Uganda.
The Author is a Pan Africanist and Researcher
Tel: +256 772 502450
Email: [email protected]
A senior police officer Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP), John Bosco Kabera, the commissioner for Human Resource and Support Services has reacted against media reports claiming that recruiting female police aimed at increasing their number on peacekeeping mission.
According to information from Ministry of Internal Security website, Rwanda has embarked on a campaign to recruit female police into the force.
The information indicate that the aim of female recruitment into the force is to increase the number of women police officers at least by 30% as provided in the constitution as well as other laws.
“Joining Rwanda National Police is a Nobel Cause, it was not our motive behind this campaign,” ACP Kabera said.
“Yes we are keen to oblige to the United Nations resolution 13/2000 but that is not the only reason we are conducting this campaign. The important aspect here is having the percentage of Rwandan females in Police and to also have them participate in nation building,” Kabera added.
He conceded that more women peace keepers are indeed needed given the change in the nature of conflict where gender based violence cases have increased over the years.
Kabera also noted that it has been discovered that that most victims gender based violence especially female tend to be comfortable discussing their ordeals with female peacekeepers.
Rwanda has been hailed for her performance in the peace keeping missions including having sent a largest number of women peace keepers.
Apparently female police make up 19% of total police force. However Rwanda National Police (RNP) is working towards changing the trend.
“Like any other Rwandans, women should be part of the police force and participate in the nation building,” ACP Kabera said.
There have been skeptics especially among women to join Rwanda National Police. This is particularly underscored by the low recruitment levels of women into the institution.
Kabera however suppressed the doubts saying that joining the National Police is a prestigious and noble cause.
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Following excited Rwandans in the diaspora over different social media for Career Day, at least 200 Rwandan in the Diaspora turned up for the first edition of Career day in Kigali.
Career day was organized by Jobs in Rwanda Ltd in collaboration with Wakening Abilities for the Future (WAF), a Belgian based association of Rwandan Young Professionals.
According to Grace Nyinawumuntu one of the organizers the main objective of career day is to discuss about career perspectives in Rwanda and analyze how professional and knowledge skills of members of Diaspora and others in the country could be exploited in consultancy contracts.
Over 35 companies participated in a one-day event to share their business experience in Rwanda as their representative presented their paper to the attentively listening Rwandans in the diaspora.
This follows a two days National Dialogue where Rwandans in the Diaspora participated in large number and asked to begin investing and taxing back in their country as way of increasing Rwandan economy in order to stop over dependence syndrome.
Rwanda has been one of the fast growing economies in Africa where her President Paul Kagame has been at the fore front to fight dependence.
International community has hailed Rwanda for her effective use of aid hence becoming an example to many developing countries.
In the discussions that attracted over five hundred participants in the career day that took place at Serena Hotel, there is a need to bridge skills and knowledge gap and a number of members of Diaspora presented their CV’s to the prosepective employers that included Telecom firms and banks.
According to Parfait Gahamanyi Director General of the Diaspora Directorate the event is expected to be hosted annually.
“We believe Rwandans in Diaspora can play an important role in development of this nation,” Gahamanyi says.
Gahamanyi says this idea came from Rwandans in the Diaspora themselves and government supported it.
According to Yvette Umutoni, the Human Resource Director at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the event was fruitful with many showing interest in returning to contribute their skills in Rwanda’s job market.
“We should have had this three or four year ago because it has really brought the Diaspora under one roof in terms of skills and opportunities for both potential employers and potential employees. We think next year it will be much better,” Umutoni said.
In recent presentation of government’s plan to the parliament by Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi, government vowed to create 200,000 jobs annually so as to solve the problem of unemployment in the country.
The unemployment rate in Rwanda was last reported at 30 percent in 2008.
Worldwide 2010 estimates indicated that unemployment was at 8.7% and 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries or developed countries typically 4%-12% unemployment.
This year it has been reported that more than 200 million people globally are out of work, a record high, as almost two-thirds of advanced economies and half of developing countries are experiencing a slowdown in employment growth.
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Nga’ngalito and Judge Ian both popular in the third Tusker Project Fame (TPF3) a regional singing competition, will perform alongside Alpha Rwirangira on Christmas day at Kigali’s Car Wash restaurant.
According to Alpha, part of the revenue obtained from the concert will be used to support orphaned children.
“Entrance fee for adults is Frw5000 and Frw3000 for children, “I call upon people to attend in big numbers so that we can also have fun with the less fortunate and also support local musicians,” he said.
Also there’re will be a singing competition for children.Contestants will be given points by Judge Ian known to be tough yet entertaining.
Other local musicians with similar concerts on the same day include Kizito Mihigo, Mani Martin, Maranatha family among others.