Author: b_igi_adm1n

The Newly appointed Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has taken his oath of his new office and imidiately named the cabinet.

His new cabinet named constitute 22 Minister and three others still missing including Minister of Education where he has been.

according to the Article 123 of the constitution, before assuming office, the Prime Minister, Ministers, Ministers of State and other members of Cabinet shall take oath before the President of the Republic, Parliament and the Supreme Court.

The swearing-in which was presided over by president Paul Kagame also saw other ministers named re-swearing-in.

President Kagame reminded the cabinet of working in unity and argued them to work harder and identify themselves with their own values other other defining values for them.

Habumuremyi replaced Bernard Makuza who has been also appointed by the president as senate along with other three.

The other three nominated senators include Jean Damascène Ntawukuriryayo the deputy speaker of lower chamber of parliament, Tito Rutaremara the Rwanda’s Ombudsman, and Penelope Kantarama the former western province governor now Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal security.

Pierre Damien Habumuremyi was appointed the Minister of Education replacing Charles Murigande, who has been commissioned to Japan as Ambassador in the recent reshuffle.

Bernard Makuza born in 1961 has been the Prime Minister of Rwanda since March 2000.

He was appointed Prime Minister following the resignation of Pierre Célestin Rwigema, who had been strongly criticized in the Rwandan press and by some parliamentarians.

Makuza was the Rwandan Ambassador to Burundi and then to Germany before being appointed as Prime Minister.

The Kenyan based giant store Nakumatt has opened a second branch worth U.S$2.5B in Kigali City Tower.

The supermarket that started operating on a nearly 4,000 square meters in the tower’s two levels, has got the variety of local and international brands provided employment opportunities to over 120 people with the majority being Rwandans.

Speaking to the company’s country manager, Adan Ramata recommended the rapid growth of the Rwandan economy that has attracted them to invest more in the country.

“We are proud to be associated with Rwanda because of the rapid growth and the development of infrastructure and security that provide stability in the country’s investment climate.”

Ramata also appreciated the support from both government of Rwanda, loyal customers, suppliers and partners among others who made the success of the opening of the second supermarket in Kigali.

The company targets to open other two supermarkets in Kigali in the next 3 years. It now owns 34 branches in East African Countries.

Rwandan, Nigerian presidents have said that all African heads of state jointly seek solution to the devastated Somalia, the horn of Africa.

The two heads of states were responding to the questions poised to them by the press in a joint press conference held at Rwandan president’s office Village Urugwiro.

“We have to come together and work together, and I think the most important thing is to keep focused on the real issues that matter to the lives of our people, our countries and our continent, there are people who single out small things that really doesn’t help,” Kagame said in a joint press briefing.

“We actually discussed all these issues that affect our countries and our continent, For example we’ve worked very closely with Nigeria on the question of Durfur, we’ve been looking at ways of coming and putting our resources together to see what we can do in Somalia or different other places,” Kagame explained.

In a more elaborated explanation, Kagame said, “It is not just about peace support operations, its about diplomacy, its about different political efforts that we can mobilize working together to see how to solve those issues, naturally those were the points of discussions as we said it is not just bilateral issues that we talked about, when we have problems in Nigeria or have problems in Rwanda it has a way of affecting in other country this is the context in which we had these discussions,”

Kagame was lauded his counterpart Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan that definitely they had to discuss the horn of Africa and other challenges affecting Africa as a continent.

The Nigerian head of state said that he was heading to Ethiopia and then to Ghana where similar discussions will be on their agenda.

When asked what Nigeria can benefit from Rwanda yet his country seems to be more developed than Rwanda, Dr Goodluck said that every country has an area it excels than her neighbor.

Goodluck pointed out that Rwanda has excelled in the areas of public health which Nigeria can learn from and areas of suppressing and resolving conflicts giving an example of Rwanda’s tremendous development post 1994 Genocide.

In an effort to farther the bilateral relationships, Goodluck said that soon a Nigerian embassy will be opened in Rwanda to ease Nigerian Visa applications to those who need to travel to his country.

The two countries also signed bilateral pact to strengthen the ongoing cooperation. Rwanda opened her embassy in Nigeria recently followed by commissioning Joseph Habineza the former Sports and Culture Minister as the first ambassador to Nigeria.

A Nigerian owned aircraft taxi company, Paragon Aircraft Corp. has committed itself to expand its services to Rwanda saying it’s the first country in the region that may fit its market demand due to stability investment climate.

It is intended to meet Rwanda’s business, luxuries, and government travel needs within the country.

The company’s director Olusola Segun told igihe.com, about the the investment plan during the investors’ breakfast for the Nigerian business fraternity held at Kigali Serena Hotel and organized by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

The Nigerian billionaire recommended the Rwanda’s stability in doing business. “I have witnessed the first place in EAC that has attracting business investments.”

Olusola added that he is going to have a one year time to make a clear plan and to access possible ways of investing his business in the country.

President of Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame has accepted the invitation extended to him by his counterpart Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

This has been announced by the Rwanda’s foreign minister Louis Mushikiwabo in a joint communiqué at the joint press conference of the two heads of state that has just concluded at Village Urugwiro.

As she read the communiqué, Mushikiwabo said that the details of Kagame’s visit to Nigeria will be communicated through the normal diplomatic channels but said it will be done soon.

According to the communiqué, the purpose of the Nigeria’s president visit was to strengthen what Mushikiwabo termed as excellent bilateral relations between the two countries in the spirit of African solidarity and joint commitment to enhance peace, security and the development of the continent.

The visit also facilitated the two heads of state the opportunity to exchange the ideas on a wide range of bilateral issues as well as strategies for promoting common positions in continental and international fora.

The two heads of the states agreed on bilateral cooperation and renewed their commitment to enhance cooperation through bilateral meetings and reciprocal visits

They also agreed to consolidate the democratic processes in the African countries, promote peace, stability and development on the continent.

Mushikiwabo also said that the two heads of state agreed to exchange programs and share experiences on the development, technology, and insure social –economic transformation on the key parts of the two sister states in areas like infrastructure, energy, ICT, education and health.

United Kingdom (UK) top prosecution Crown Prosecution services (CPS) has extended training support to Rwanda’s judicial system.

The prosecution service has begun a six day training exercise of 36 crime investigators and prosecutors on in-depth investigation and interviewing techniques.

Those trained include relevant personnel from Interpol-Rwanda, prosecutors from Public Prosecution Authority, judges from the Supreme and High courts, Lawyers from Rwanda’s BAR association, Immigration & Emigration Directorate officials, and Customs at the Rwanda Revenue Authority.

The Crown Prosecution Service is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales.

Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland.

The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for criminal cases beyond investigation involving giving advice to the police.

Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga notes that additionally the British Government had previously assisted Rwanda in setting up the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit (GFTU) that has produced tremendous results in tracking down the fugitives across the world.

Ben Llewellyn-Jones the British High Commissioner which supported the training that aims at supporting the growth of justice system in Rwanda.

He adds that the trainees will be equipped with skills on how to gather sufficient evidence that could raise a case to set standards and add ethical value to the country’s justice system.

The Rwanda’s first Mobile telephony network provider (MTN) has announced the winner of the Rwf 13 million grand prize in relation to concluded promo; MTN ‘Faranga Yello Yello.

The promo has been running for over the past 6 weeks where other 50 MTN subscribers went away with a million each.

The new millionaire Felicien Upfuyisoni from Huye District, Maraba, Shyanga cell works with the team that does statistics in Nyamagabe District.

In total the mobile telephony giant gave away Rwf 63M that were put by Faranga Y’ello Y’ello’s jackpot that was won by 51 customers.

Cheerfully speaking Upfuyisoni said, “The way I was surprised, it reached the time of giving me the cheque disbelieving this was true.”

“I was in the mountains together with my colleagues coming from work when I received a call that I have won Rwf 13M with MTN. I immediately stopped the driver to confirm, I and my colleague could not believe it,” Upfuyisoni said.

Upfuyisoni who came to receive his grand prize together with his wife said that he has got capital to set up a business that will provide employment opportunities to the people at his home area.

Yvonne Manzi Makolo the MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer said it has been an enthusiastic promotion setting new standards in demonstrating customer appreciation.

Alain Numa, MTN’s Officer in charge of sponsorship and coordination said that it was also MTN’s program to celebrate 13 years on market in Rwanda.
Numa added that MTN chose to celebrate 13 years with their clients in the sense of uplifting their standards of living.

The promotion was open to MTN prepaid and postpaid subscribers, excluding MTN employees and their families, MTN agents, and anyone else professionally connected with the promotion.

In related development, MTN also celebrated 13 years in Rwandan market by inaugurating 13th Service Center in Nyamirambo Sector, Nyarugenge district.
The service center has 8 employees and full range of services including data solutions; airtime and sim pack sales, sim swaps, and mobile money services among others.

It is the giant’s commitment to reach mobile telephone services to all customers.

In Rwanda, setting up a music production business is becoming as easy as starting a grocery shop, since with only a microphone and a computer plus freely available software one makes his own recording studio.

Findings have shown that lots of amateurs are running kiosk studios that are cheap but also lack professional background in music production.

However there are still a few professional who are trying to change the tide. Sherrif Karisa also called DJ Sherrif, the chief producer and founder of Rw Beat Productions, is one of the advocates.

He has 4 years of experience in music production and has so far worked with Nairobi’s Homeboyz studios also in the same town he has Deejayed in big discotheques such as Black-Diamond in Westland’s.

According to Karisa, he opened a studio in Nyamirambo’s avenue six to address the issue of poor quality music production by offering training to some of the local producers. He is currently looking for foreign investors to assist him expand the music academy.

However, even though training is fundamental for a good music producer, Karisa does not think that the situation in Rwanda is that alarming.

Having visited and worked for a few upcoming studios in the country while waiting for his studio to be fully equipped with professional machines, he says he would often spot talent in producers who work at the studio and lacked formal training in order to perfect in their work.

The Deejay also a producer says, his formed academy should not only teach producers about music, but also how they can collaborate with musicians to improve their songs.

For instance, he says that producers should be able to conduct post production sessions whereby, after mixing both the vocals and the beat, both the artist and producer evaluate the content of the song as well as the beat in order to develop the quality.

“Sometimes I advise the artist to change the lyrics so that the meaning of the song is clear,” Karisa remarks.

The music academy will not only focus on producers but also artists’ development. This also involves training the musician in ethical aspects that allows him to stand as a respected figure the society.

“It involves advising the musician on the type of dressing which is appealing to fans, as well as advising him on matters which arouse media interests since some questions might intimidate the artist to use vulgar language which might destroy their reputation,” says Dj Sherrif.

Other aspects he will deal with are stage performance, managing their work as well as how to develop professional business plans which facilitates marketing activities.

In the meantime, another problem that Karisa is trying to help a few producers is how to use recording machines since those who have hi-tech studio equipments often lack knowledge to use them effectively.

For instance, he points out that the compressor, which is a machine used in mastering the song, is often wrongly used to raise the volume, yet its main task is balancing the sounds which, if done well, raises the power of the sound.

While waiting for the academy to be established, Rw Beat founder advises artists to improve the quality of their songs by seeking input from professionals, for example by holding a “listening party” before releasing their albums.

The party would bring together producers, musicians, promoters as well as the press to comment on the songs before releasing them.

The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have reviewed strategies to curb down the rate of violence against children in a meeting held at Serena Hotel.

The main strategies agreed include setting up a children commission, encouraging teachers to fight against child abuse and teaching children to break the silence in anything to do with violence.

While closing the conference Minister for Gender and Family Promotion Aloysia Inyumba said: ‘The recommendations reviewed will be implemented in form of ‘Imihigo’ performance- based which will speed up the initiative.

“The cabinet has also announced that starting next week the children commission will start operating mainly focusing on violence against children and fighting for their rights” Inyumba said.

The Rwandan government has been fighting child abuse in homes, schools and communities since 1994 after the genocide through projects like Imbuto foundation.

The children commission will enable leaders and parents to listen to voice of children through quarterly newsletters on child issues.
Ten percent of Rwanda’s children struggle to survive without one or both parents which increase the rate of child abuse.

It will also promote the culture of people protecting children living with disabilities like deaf and psychological problems from any violence against child rights.

The minister observed that in Rwanda the most problems encountered against children include rape, children working under age, children living with HIV AIDS and families which still allow keeping silence when some of the members violated children rights.

The conference was opened on September 3 by the first lady Mrs. Jeannette Kagame who conveyed a clear message on how children should be protected right away from their homes and how the government has put more effort in punishing people that abuse children.