Author: b_igi_adm1n

Following public funds accountability flaws as shown in the 2010 Auditor General’s 2010 report, Prime Minister Jean Damien Habumuremyi has called for a meeting with all government chief accounting officers December 2, 2011.

The meeting will also be attended by Auditor General, the Prosecutor General and the Ombudsman all government ministers, Mayor of Kigali City, governors and district mayors.

The report revealed unaccounted for financial expenditures. The meeting has been called to address all issues raised by the report in order to agree on lasting corrective measures.

Rwanda has put in place good financial accountability systems, trained accounting officers and Public Financial Management – PFM, initiatives that have born good results.

Asked about the aim of the meeting, Protais Musoni, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, said “it is in the spirit of staying the course on zero-tolerance to corruption”.

Rwanda on Thursday was ranked the 4th least corrupt nation in Africa and 49th in the world by Transparency International, its score of 5.0 out of 10 only beaten by Botswana, Cape Verde and Mauritius.

When the graft index was first introduced in 2007, Rwanda was at a lowly 111th position on the Transparency list of 178 countries, with a dismal score of 2.8.

The Author is

Director General for Media and Communication
Office of the Prime Mnister

President Kagame has met and held bilateral discussions with the South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak. President Kagame also met the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon.

With the Korean President, President Kagame discussed a wide range of issues including development, infrastructure, trade and investment.

President Lee pledged Korea’s support in nurturing skilled human resources in Rwanda through Seoul-funded projects, especially in the area of Information and Communications Technology.

President Kagame thanked the Korean President for the continued support Korea provides to Rwanda in areas of agriculture, ICT and Education.

United Nations Secretary General appreciated President Kagame’s strong remarks during the opening of the High Level Forum on aid effectiveness, pointing out that Rwanda continues to inspire other African countries.

President Kagame and Ban Ki Moon also discussed development in the Great Lakes region, particularly elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Secretary General also thanked President Kagame for hosting a successful peace building conference in Rwanda of which the outcome is quite promising.

He also thanked President Kagame for his leadership and drive as co-chair of the MDG group and Rwanda’s contribution to peacekeeping in Darfur and South Sudan.

President Kagame today visited the Hyundai Heavy Industries and Automobile Plant based in Ulsan, Seoul, where he was shown around the different facilities, including shipbuilding, offshore and engineering, construction Equipment and Green Energy among others.

As part of his 3 day visit to South Korea President Kagame also toured the Hyundai automobile manufacturing facility, the world’s fourth largest producing 1.6 million units annually.

Rwanda’s Ambassador to Korea, Eugene Kayihura, pointed out that Rwanda has a lot to learn from the multilateral company;

“The President’s visit to Hyundai serves on one hand as a learning experience and on the other hand to discuss investment in the great lakes region, with Rwanda as its hub. With a leading global company such as Hyundai in the region, this means job creation, innovation, export and skills transfer.

Another area we are discussing is the possibility of organizing internships at Hyundai for Rwanda vocational students as part of our knowledge sharing programs”

Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Seoul Korea, the company is globally known for its Hyundai Motor Company division and shipbuilding. Current President of Korea, Lee Myung-bak was a former CEO of the Hyundai Engineering and Construction.

This Friday, President Kagame is schedule to visit two more sites in Seoul; Samsung and Korean Internet and Security Agency (KISA).

With the increasing number of traffic police check points on city roads, bus drivers are complaining of being fined for passengers who ignorantly don’t wear seat-belts.

The commander of traffic Chief Supt Céléstin Twahirwa noted that up to now there’s no law that punishes passengers who don’t wear safety belts. “The driver is in charge of everything in his car which means he has the right to refuse to carry or kick-out an ignorant traveler,” he recommended.

According to a bus driver in the city Cassien Kamanzi, “I’ve been paying a fine of Frw 10,000 each to several commuters especially ladies who claim that the safety-belt will leave dirt on their cloths, just imagine that’s a mere excuse, they’ve forgotten the advantages of being safe in a vehicle,” he argued.

His counterpart Matayo Demokarasi agreed that drivers shouldn’t continue to suffer over a few passengers who are ignorant; instead the police should fine them in order for passengers to abide by road safety rules.

Passengers agree that commuters shouldn’t refuse to wear safety belts in order to punish the driver but rather wear the belt since it might protect them in case of an accident.

“To be realistic the belts are not that dirty, most of them are in good shape,” said a passenger on board towards Nyamirambo.

Louise Bamage a Rwandan driver residing in German told Igihe that in Frankfurt for instance a driver caught in a comparable offence is fined Euros 80, but if the passenger has a driving license they pay the fine instead of the driver.

A group of women leaders from the grass-roots level have vowed to fight with any abusive man oppressing women or his family members in their respective areas.

According to them, “fighting” means sensitizing women on their rights apprehend guilty men and more so financially empower oppressed women.

The unanimous decision was made in a meeting that involved officials of the Rwanda Women Parliamentary Forum headed by Alphosine Mukarugema who is also a member of parliament.

She urged the women leaders to step up their efforts in discouraging the culture of silence since it allows impunity to perpetrators.

“How can you be brutally beaten by your husband and you continue keeping quiet, and because you don’t react he will never learn from his mistake and instead the harassment goes on. Stop sympathizing , report them to authorities and you will live a happy life,” she advised.

The law stipulates that those found guilty of gender violence, this time including women who hurt men also face a jail term of 10 to 15 years or a fine of Frw100,000 to Frw 500,000.

Marie Grace Mukashema (above), who is divorced with four children gives a brief testimony of how she shaped her life after parting with her husband who had become a nuisance.

“Being beaten and insulted were normal things I faced every time my husband came home drunk, after prolonged days of torture I couldn’t bear his habits and I left him despite family pressure encouraging me to persevere,” Mukashema further added.

“While out with my kids I camped at a church where I got trained by experts from ActionAid Rwanda on vocational skills, now I head a bee cooperative and I have a hybrid cow, and even my children are studying well.”

Josephine Uwamariya the country director of ActionAid Rwanda urged the leaders to emphasize more on economic empowerment since it reduces dependence of women on spouses.

Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) with affiliated Colleges of Education; Kavumu and Rukara have today conducted their seventh graduation ceremony.

In 1980 graduands included thirty pioneers of the Professional Police Studies (PPS) program being awarded a bachelors degree of social sciences in police studies, and people with disabilities who were announced to be among the best students.

Prof. Gorge K. Njoroge the institution’s Rector remarked, “You have worked and not laboured. This is all the more reason that you, your parents and guardians as well as ourselves are in celebratory mood.”

“Your lectures, technical, administrative and support staff are ecstatic because they have been part of your struggle to be. As you go, look into the horizon and act with the best interest of all who have the right to be as you. When you look back you will be proud of what you have done.”

Dr. Mathias Harebamungu, the Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary schools and the KIE Chancellor said, “When seeds are sawn on fertile ground, they germinate.”

“But for seedlings to grow mature and finally bear fruits, tender care is required. We are here today because of all those involved to make today happen partook their responsibilities with dedication and seedlings, today’s graduands are being rewarded for their efforts.”

KIE is a public institution of higher learning in Rwanda, which was founded in 1999. The establishment and operation of KIE was made possible by combined efforts of the Rwandan government as major stakeholder, and assistance from various donors including the World Bank, African Development Bank, Swiss Co-operation, Belgian Co-operation, DFID, USAID, German Cooperation, the French Co-operation and the Netherlands.

In its ten years of existence, KIE has made significant strides. It has evolved into a dual mode institution offering distance and pre-service programs in various disciplinary areas ranging from diploma to Honors degree.

At Master Level, as MSc/MRes in Social and Educational Research Methods has been on offer since 2007. Today, KIE in partnership with UNISA offers program that range from certificate to PhD.

Reports reaching Igihe.com confirm that Prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has concluded special deposition hearings in all the three cases earmarked for these proceedings.

The cases involved businessman Félicien Kabuga, former Defence Minister Augustin Bizimana and Major Protais Mpiranya, ex-commandant of late President Juvénal Habyarimana’s Guard.

‘We have concluded presenting witnesses in all the three cases”, Chief of Prosecutions, Richard Karegyesa told press on Monday, declining to give more details.

Kabuga is accused of 11 counts, including conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide whereas Mpiranya is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide or complicity in genocide, as alternative count, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The third fugitive, Bizimana is facing charges of conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, as alternative count, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Such special hearings were being conducted to preserve the prosecution’s evidence for future use in case the fugitives were to be arrested.

According to Karegyesa, ‘’the defence teams have not requested anything yet”.