Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Senator Calls For Women Development

    Senator Teddy Gacinya, has called upon women to strive for their development and fighting for their rights.

    Gacinya who was presiding over rural women day celebration at Mukuyu cell, Ndera sector in Gasabo District also called upon women to join efforts in fighting Gender Based Violence that has affected them.

    “Despite the long journey ahead, rural women have achieved a lot in terms of development. These achievements have shifted them from one socio-economical level to another,” Gacinya says.

    “More than 500 here today are celebrating with hundreds of others elsewhere in the country. They have been able to open up their own bank accounts for example and have saved enough now,” Gacinya added.

    Didacienne Mukankuranga testifies that she has also improved and has been assisted by an NGO called women for Women which she claims transformed her life through saving schemes.

    Mukankuranga says that she leant the benefits of joining cooperatives and has now completed her own house that she wouldn’t have done alone.

    Gasabo Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs Marie Louise Uwimana reminded women that laws protecting them were existing including laws on succession.

    In the celebration of rural women, there were also unveiling 34 houses built to rural poor women by National Women Council.

  • Media Practioners Meet to Promote Professionalism

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    Rwanda Local media practitioners today gathered at Lemigo Hotel for two day training on media development intending to create more skills and professionalism.

    The Media High Council that has organized the training intends to initiate a series of activities among media organisations and leaders of Rwanda media to promote high professional standards and advance general media development in the country.

    In a study conducted by Prof. Karikari Kwame about Rwanda’s media, MHC validated a program for a series of seminars, forums, symposia, workshops, and events designed to address challenges of media development, especially strengthening media sustainability and advancing professional standards.

    Professor Kwame Karikari is the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, a Ghana-based media advocacy organization whose vision is for a sub-region in which the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought and expression are guaranteed; and in which free mass media serve to bring to fulfillment all the other universally subscribed rights and freedoms for all persons.

    Such series of trainings will be including only 36 media owners, 21 managers, 35 editors, and 18 program managers with website owners excluded.

    Patrice Mulama during the press interview said, “This workshop will help give skills, ethical values, and professionalism to media practitioners.”

    The MHC report shows only 30% of journalists in Rwanda have enough skills required in journalism.

    He said that there are other journalism training manuals meant to equip reporters with skills too and will be implemented by the School of Journalism in Kigali (GLMC).

  • 41 Students at NUR fail English Exam, wont Graduate

    41 final year students at the national university of Rwanda have failed language proficiency exam and shall not graduate this year.

    This has attracted complaints from students taken against their colleagues affected.

    According to minutes from the academic senate meeting held on 7th October 2011at NUR main branch, affected students will not be permitted to graduate. Those mostly affected are final year students.

    Thousands of students in their final academic year are preparing for their graduation next year February 2012.

    If the decision is implemented, it means that about 50 students will have to repeat for whole year studying language lessons.

    Gatoni Egide a final year student in the faculty of civil engineering failed language test and told igihe.com, “I don’t understand why such a decision has been adopted at such a time.”

    “We couldn’t be in such a crisis now had they informed us earlier that we were supposed to retake the exam. Personally, the last time I did the language (English) test was in 2nd year and since then I never got to know my status until recently when I had just submitted my dissertation that I saw a notice indicating that I wouldn’t graduate because I hadn’t passed the English test in 2008.”

    “Why did they let us go through 4years knowing we hadn’t passed the test? Why did they promote us to the point of submitting our dissertations when they knew we hadn’t passed the English test?”

    Gatoni explained that in all the academic year at NUR, “we have passed other course units examined in English.Then why do they say we don’t know English?”

    The furious Gatoni said it is very unfair and not right “We were given another test on 10th August 2011 and I got 62% but still they are saying we have to get 70%.”

    “My wish is let them give us another test or let them lower the grades because some of our colleagues who joined in 2007 and went through the EPLM year have their certificates yet they passed with only 50%.”

    Kereni Irdehpnse the director of school of languages at NUR told igihe.com, “We have enforced a policy that has existed for some time. It is unfortunate they are the first lot to be affected but it’s a policy that applies to all students.”

    “Those students knew about the policy. Their representatives met with both the former minister of education (Hon. Mujawamaliya) and the High Education Council chairperson (Pamela) on the issue. It was made clear to them that they would not graduate unless they retake the test and pass with 70% as the policy stands.”

    Open and Distance learning Director Prof. Roger SAPSFORD said, “The policy has been in existence for several years. All we have done is to implement it accordingly.”

  • EAC Energy Officials Meet in Mombasa

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    Senior officials from EAC Partner States’ Ministries responsible for Energy are in Mombasa, Kenya for the 7th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Energy that takes place from 17 to 21 October 2011.

    The meeting follows a Council of Ministers directive to the EAC Secretariat to convene the Sectoral Council to urgently devise ways of addressing the persistent power shortages and fast track the implementation of the projects and activities stipulated in the Regional Power Master Plan.

    The meeting will also review progress made in the sector in implementing Council decisions and consider other issues of regional importance in the areas of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation and Efficiency, Fossil Fuels and Power sub-sectors.

    The five-day meeting includes sessions of senior officials (technocrats), which will be followed by the Permanent Secretaries’ session before concluding with a ministerial session on Friday.

    The Sectoral Council is expected to approve a $ 1.89 million budget for the 6th East African Petroleum Conference & Exhibition 2013 (EAPCE’13) and to adopt the Final Report for the Feasibility Study for a natural gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Tanga and Mombasa.

    The EAC has identified the transfer of natural gas and oil products through pipelines as key to building energy security in the Community and the Dar es Salaam-Tanga-Mombasa natural gas pipeline project is one of the initiatives being promoted in order to link energy systems in the region.

    EAC Energy Ministers are also expected to adopt the Inter-Government Memorandum of Understanding (IGMOU) and the Inter-Utility Memorandum of Understanding (IUMOU) for the establishment of the East African Community Power Pool (EACPP) at the Mombasa meeting.

  • ‘Be The Best Every RDF Member Can Be’–Kagame tells Military

    President Paul Kagame in suit takes a group photo at MOD Head Quarters
    President Paul kagame also the Commander-In-Chief of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) held his annual meeting with RDF Generals and Senior Officers at the Ministry of Defence and RDF Headquarters on 15 October 2011.

    President kagame inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by the RDF and thereafter addressed RDF Generals and Senior Officers.

    One of the key themes addressed by Kagame was the central role of RDF in promoting, preserving and defending the nation’s identity.

    Kagame emphasized that the individual identity of each member of RDF, refers to identifying themselves to the values, ideals and objectives that have characterized the institution from its inception, and have been the source of RDF strength through the many challenges faced over the years.

    The President further urged the RDF members to put national interests before personal interests.

    “He stressed that the knowledge acquired by RDF servicemen in various courses abroad should be used to strengthen the forces achievements, building on its identity and character.”

    “The ultimate aim should always remain to be the best every RDF member can be rather than risk losing the sense of direction and identity, which typically happens with those who seek to blindly endorse, other people’s choices, agendas and priorities.”

    The meeting was part of a routine program of interactions between the President and senior military leaders of RDF in his capacity as the Commander-In-Chief.

    Present at the meeting was the Minister of Defence, Chief of General Staff and all the Service Chiefs.

  • Public criticise Amendments of Abortion Law

    Some members of public have come out to strongly criticize Parliament’s decision to reduce sentence entailed to suspects who will carry out abortion.

    On Friday October 14, 2011 the amended Rwanda’s penal code which affected a number of articles amended with reduction of many sentences on specific crimes.

    One of the crimes that had its sentence affected was abolition reducing its penalty from 15years to 1year.

    This followed civil societies plea that sentences against abortion be removed or be reduced.

    Amended penal code has been approved by the parliament and is now waiting for president’s signature to enact it.

    Saraphine Mukasekuru a tigo freelancer, mother of one child at Rubangura house in the City Center expressed her dissatisfaction to the parliamentarians for adopting the reduction of sentence on abortion.

    “How can they reduce the penalty against abortion like that? They should have increased it to 25years instead because based on what we hear on radios, girls in the country have resorted to abortion. Reducing the penalty is going to stimulate girls to abort like no bodies business,” Mukasekuru said.

    Phillip Nahayo Manager at Nyabihu Tea Factory said; “I don’t support those amendments at all. Imagine the number of not yet born babies who are going to die because the law has been softened! I don’t support it totally. The president and other vigilant leaders should not support it too since Rwanda abolished death penalty”.

    “Reducing the abortion penalty is supporting abortion indirectly. I don’t support the bill and wish that the 15year penalty stands as the maximum punishment. Tell them (government) not to change because many children will die.” Annie Uwamaliya found at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house added.

    “Taking culture in consideration I don’t support this amendment on abortion. When they say that they are going to reduce the abortion penalty to 1year, they are encouraging girls to involve in sexual behaviors more. This is unfair to un-born babies.” A Nurse at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house also added.

    Eric Munezero a nurse at Sun Beam Pharmacy said it would be unfair imprisoning someone who aborted having pregnanted after rape, defilement or taken advantage by men in some situation.

    “My position as a born again is that the law should remain as it is. Once the government reduces the penalty, people are going to take it for granted and abort in large numbers. It is unholy to abort because it is similar to killing and God commands us not to kill. To me reducing the penalty is like stimulating girls to engage in sexual intercourse after all they know that once convicted they will spend less time in jail,” Motor-taxi rider who declined to publish his name said.

    “I don’t support the idea. If I met president Kagame today, I would ask him to kindly reconsider before signing the bill and save us from the evil,” He added.

  • Quran Links Mountains and Rain

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    The Qur’an linked between mountains and the water we drink; nowadays scientists have discovered a link between both of them.

    In the Fourteenth century man was looked at the clouds and rains as a strange phenomena which was made by gods, therefore they used to pray to the gods asking for rains, in Europe people were looking to the rains as a given livelihood by gods.

    However, the advent of Islam corrected many ideas and showed people the right way and guided them far from the wrong ideas, as Islam talked about rains as a scientific phenomenon, as God who is the creator of the universe and everything and He is who put the rules of descending the rains.

    He confirmed in two holy verses on the existence of precise rules that control this phenomenon.

    He says 🙁 And we sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and we gave it lodging in the earth, and verily, we are Able to take it away.)(Sûrat Al-Mu’minûn- verse 18.

    Also in the Qoran God says: ‘And who sends down water (rain) from the sky in due measure, then revives a dead land therewith, and even so you will be brought forth (form the graves).(Sûrat AZ-Zukhruf- verse 11).

    It means that the Qur’an is the first book to put a scientific base for the phenomenon of descending the rains, and to keep myths and superstitions away from minds of people.

    But there is an important thing that scientists had discovered- the role of mountains in formation of clouds and rains.

    Prophet Mohamed wasn’t living in such environment, but he lived in a desert environment where no human is able to predict with any kind of relationships between mountains and water of the rain, this is an evidence that the Qur’an is an inspiration from God to prophet Mohamed.

    When the wind drives the ascending Molecules of water from the seas, the mountains contribute in the ascending operation to raise it up exactly like the ice skating race as the skater tries to reach the top of the mountain and when he reaches it in a high speed he jumps in the air so that his speed increases to reach high distance, without the mountain he wouldn’t be able to rise in the air.

    Also, there is another relation between the height of the mountain and the amount of the descended water, the higher the mountain the more amount of water is descended and also purer and fresh.

    Therefore the Qur’an linked between the high mountains and the freshness of water.

    As a result we can see that all verses of the Qur’an are compact with no contradiction and are compatible with the new science, isn’t it an evidence that the Qur’an is a book which was descended from God?

  • Visually Impaired Persons Seek White Cane

    Executive Secretary of Rwanda Union of the Blind Donatille Kanimba is calling upon government to support them with While Cane.

    Kanimba’s call was made during the event to mark the international White Cane Day celebrated October 15, annually of which Rwanda has celebrated for 3rd time.

    White Cane Day is an international day of observance recognizing the blind and visually impaired along with honoring their dignity.

    Another aim of the event is to highlight the issues of blind people.

    In Rwanda, Scores of people with impaired vision took part in peaceful match from Kimihurura to Sports View Hotel, Remera where different discussions took place.

    Kanimba says that white cane is a very important instrument in the lives of the blind which enables him/her to walk audibly adding that it replaces the eyes.

    Blind union chief says that government support is highly needed for them to buy white canes which cost US $ 35 equivalent to Rwf 20,685 which she decried that most of their members cannot afford.

    Jean de Dieu Ngirabega an official from Ministry of Health donated 15 white canes to the blind Union as a donation from the ministry.

    The International White Cane Day is a global event held falling on October 15. It is marked to promote public awareness and remind people about the rights of people with disability, especially the blind people.

  • e-Filing Gives Double Benefits–Busingye

    The High Court president Johnstone Busingye has called upon lawyers to adopt e-filing system which he says can benefit both the court and complainants.

    e-filing is a new system of submitting one’s case or legally expressed complaints that started with Supreme Court recently and has been extended to High Court, Intermediate court and to the Commercial courts.

    “This system will lead to proper case flow management method to improve service delivery,” Busingye said.

    Busingye who trained over 200 lawyers says e-filing will save time and expenses for all parties involved in the case and aiming at improving the administrative justice.

    Also High Court President says e-filing responds to the different needs of legal fraternity and the public.

    Courts in Rwanda are also expected to digitalise all cases from 2004 to date.
    Athanase Rutabingwa, president of the Kigali Bar Association, the new system will streamline the judicial processes of work.

  • Rwanda May Host Rhineland Doctors

    The Health Minister from Rhineland-Palatinate Malu Dreyer has said that her government may begin sending qualified and experienced Doctors to train their counterparts in the country.

    Dreyer’s confession followed her visit to Muhanga District where she led a delegation to witness different projects funded by Rhineland Province in Germany now the strong economy in the staggering European Union.

    “In a good cooperation we have, we can work together in many ways, for example these old Hospitals can be advocated for to get rehabilitated and also expand it,” Dreye said.

    Fortunee Mukagatana the vice mayor in charge of social affairs Muhanga District, says the cooperation between them was growing giving example of funded developmental projects including building health facilities like Nyabinoni and Tyazo health facilities.

    Dr Osée Sebatunzi the Director of Kabgayi hospital among health facilities visited, said that major challenges the hospital had was rehabilitation of the hospital and an overwhelming number of patients going to the hospital for treatment.

    Kabgayi hospital is one of the oldest hospital having built in 1937 with capacity of only 50 patients but now has grown to over 400 patients with 9 departments and five very active sub-departments.

    In related development, the delegation from the Rhineland have discussed the way forward at the new Prime Minister’s office and how best the bilateral relationship of 30 years can be celebrated.

    Rhineland-Palatinate, the German Federal State furthest west in the country offers an extraordinarily rich and diversified vacation.

    It is the Rhine river which gives this region its special character. Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of 19,846 square kilometres (7,663 sq mi) and about four million inhabitants.