Igihe

Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Presidents Kagame, Sarkozy To Meet in Paris

    President Paul Kagame will today in Paris France meet with the French President Nickolas Sarkozy and French investors.

    President Kagame’s visit follows the recent visit to Rwanda by his French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy.

    The visit is meant to cement diplomatic ties between the two countries that haven’t been smooth in the past.
    dsc_5931.jpg
    On the first day President Kagame will also meet with the Rwanda Diaspora community in Paris attracting most from Scandinavian countries and European countries.

    The Diaspora community in Europe has been very expectant of this day as evident from preparations published on several online outlets.
    dsc_5917.jpg
    The president will at E.M.G.P in the “Le Dock Pullmann” complex meet the Diaspora under the theme, ‘Equality and Brighter Future’ as he always urges Rwandans to value themselves as the starting point to achieve sustainable development that is a national vision.

    At this venue, there will be showcasing of Rwandan products and services from institutions including; government, banks, construction firms and RDB.
    dsc_5770_1.jpg
    One of the event organizers has told Igihe.com that a high number of Rwandans living in Europe will turn-up but couldn’t give any estimates, “There is a large number of Rwandans living in Europe and many have confirmed their participation today”.

    Today’s event will be characterized by presentations by President Kagame to the Diaspora.
    The Diaspora will have airtime to ask several questions and receive responses from the president.

    President Kagame has always encouraged such engagements even back home in Rwanda while meeting citizens around the country.

    Also there will be performances by Rwandan artists including; Kitoko, Miss Jojo, Intore Masamba , Mihigo, Kizito, Mihigo Francois, Miss Jojo, Mani Martin, Afsana and Ben Kayiranga.
    dsc_5868.jpg
    dsc_5809.jpg

  • US Diplomat Urges on 9/11 conspiracy Theories

    The American envoy Susan Falatko in Kigali, has urged against 9/11 conspiracy theories that have been circulated all over internet that terrorist attacks on USA’s twin towers and Military base pentagon was an inside job.

    Falatko the Kigali US Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer said it was ridiculous and American people would be saddened to hear that some people believe that 9/11 attack was not a terrorist attack.

    “Terrorists have not achieved their goals and American people, we stand steadfast in solidarity with the world against extremist violence which affects many countries,” Falatko says in a phone interview with Igihe.com.

    “We are resilient, unlike terrorists the survivors of terrorist attacks have channeled their energy in positive ways,” she added

    While responding to the alleged some Americans believing the conspiracy theories, Suzan said she cannot speak on behalf of what all Americans believe.

    Commemorating the 9/11 attack was also not done public but was done privately in Kigali, according to Falatko.

    According to 9/11 memorial website, nearly 3,000 names of the men, women, and children died in the attacks.

    In September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were a series of four coordinated suicide attacks against targets; the twin towers of World Trade Center in New York City and Military base pentagon in Washington, D.C.

    Early morning that day, it is said that 19 terrorists from the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets of which two planes crashed into the Twin Towers collapsed within two hours.

    Hijackers crashed a third plane into the USA’s Military base Pentagon and the fourth plane controlled by passengers- United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania preventing it from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C.

    Many 9/11 conspiracy theorists believe that the World Trade Center buildings were allegedly demolished by bombs, and phone calls from the planes which alerted relevant official before the incident happened were also allegedly made up, and the former President George W. Bush allegedly secretly knew the plan.

    The former president and other few elements inside the then USA government allegedly permitted terrorism attack to proceed even though there was a said alert of the attack in advance.

  • Capt.(rtd) Gisagara is New Gasabo RPF Vice Chairperson

    Retired Capt. Eugene Gisagara is the new Gasabo district RPF party vice Chairperson replacing late Capt. Augustine Iyako who died recently leaving the post vaccant.
    eugene_gisagara.jpg
    Gisagara is currently working as a security Officer at Kigali Serena Hotel while at the party; he has been working as the Vice Chair, Displinary Committee at the district level.

    “I am very happy for the position and to see that I am going to work for my party,” Gisagara said during the press interview.

    Commenting about late Capt. Iyako whom he has replaced, Gisagara said, “I have nothing much to comment about this man because he had his own ways of leadership and also a self driven person.”

    He said he will put much emphasis on the mobilization of citizens upon developmental activities.

    Gisagara has been a party member since its formation and he also involved in the liberation struggle of the nation during 1994.

    Mayor Fidele Ndayisaba as the Chief Guest at the event challenged party members to work as examples to the rest and bring sustainable development to the City of Kigali and the country as well.

    “Rwanda has won a nice position in sustainability and all this is attributed to RPF, but still we have a lot to do which requires a lot of strength to attain more,” Ndayisaba said.

    He also recommended the Gasabo district RPF members for their strong motivation towards the party activities.

    While at the event other five positions were also elected to fill five women posts, four positions on youth and one at the district’s party displinary committee.

    The Chairperson of the RPF at Gasabo district is the current Mayor, Willy Ndizeye.

    The Vice Chair position became vacant after the sudden death of Rtd. Capt. Agustine Iyako recently who had won the position in almost a month before his death.

  • Tanzania Mourns Ferry Accident Victims

    The Tanzanian government spokesman has said that at least 187 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar with at least 800 people on board.
    ocean.jpg
    620 survivors had been rescued. Three days of mourning have been declared.
    The MV Spice Islander was travelling between Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja, and Pemba, the archipelago’s other main island – popular tourist destinations.

    It is thought to have capsized after losing engine power.
    Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that the overloaded boat had capsized at night.

    The ship had been bringing people back from holiday after Ramadan, and had reportedly stopped earlier in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
    The authorities are struggling to cope and have asked for foreign help.

    The Zanzibar government has set up a rescue centre and called upon all reserves to join the rescue effort. It has also called for support from other countries, such as South Africa and Kenya.

    The survivors were ferried by privately owned fast ferries and brought back to the main harbour in the historic Stone Town, Zanzibar police commissioner Mussar Hamis said.

    “We are still receiving many bodies by truck loads,” Dr Karim Zah of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar told Reuters news agency.

    Those rescued were brought back to the main harbour in Stone Town
    “The death toll will likely be much higher.”

    Dozens of soldiers carrying bodies to shore dotted the white sand beaches at the northern tip of Zanzibar island where thousands of people anxiously awaited news of survivors, the agency adds.

    Catherine Purvis, a British tourist in Zanzibar who was waiting for a ferry to take her to Dar es Salaam, says she saw lots of bodies being brought out of the water.
    “I’m standing at the port in Zanzibar with about 10 other British and American tourists,” she said.

    “Our ferry has been delayed as they’re using all ferries to rescue the people from the ship.

    “People are being carried across in front of us on a drip. There are lots of body bags.”

    Local helicopter pilot Captain Neels van Eijk flew over the disaster area.
    “We found the survivors holding on to mattresses and fridges and anything that could float,” he said.

    “By then, there were a few boats that had made their way out. They were looking for survivors, but although the sea wasn’t so rough, the waves were high so it was difficult for them to spot them.

    “We flew to the boats and guided them to the survivors so that they could pick them up. There were also quite a few bodies in the water.”
    The ferry left Unguja at around 21:00 (19:00 GMT) and is said to have sunk at around 01:00 (23:00 GMT).

    One survivor, Abdullah Saied, said the ferry had been heavily overloaded when it left Dar es Salaam, and some passengers there had refused to board, the Associated Press news agency reports.

  • You Aren’t Secure Neighbouring The Hungry–Kagame

    Private investors under their umbrella Privates Sector Federation (PSF), yesterday pledged their support to President Paul Kagame’s policy of One Cow per Poor Family by donating FRW300, 000,000 to fellow Rwandans.

    In his speech President Paul Kagame thanked Rwandan investors upon their contribution in the fight against poverty. He illustrated that once the majority are well-off, they form the market base for the investor’s products.

    “You are not secure once your neighbors are hungry but when they are well-off they become the market base for products”

    He reminded the investors that it is the responsibility of every Rwandan to generously exercise such Samaritan and that due to their generosity, their clientele increases.

    “If we excel, it will turn our place their place- those we call foreigners.”

    President Kagama recalled the history of Rwanda noting that bad politics that characterized former leaders who never wished the good for other Rwandans lead to many remaining in the unbelievable state of poverty and under development.

    He added that what happened should remain as history and should never be repeated but rather serve as a lesson.

    “No other country underwent the bad history like we have…but it left us with a lesson of being good humans and never be bad again”

    In his conclusive remarks he thanked the private investors for the honor and value they showed him and promised to use them in the interests of Rwandans.

    The PCF chairman Mbundu Fastin thanked investors for their achievements including the youth contribution in development and their role in uplifting women investors.

    He told those present that it is in the missions of PSF to support the government’s initiatives in a bid to bring change to the country.

    In her testimony Nyiramajyambere Evelyn thanked the president for the given cow and for her recent new house: “God bless you”

    Mukiyehe a young investor also gave his testimony on how he has developed from a bar man to the point of competing for tenders in big offices as his counterparts.

    Today his wealth is valuated to Frw1billion an attribute to the loan he acquired

    PSF has currently established the “Corporate Social Responsibility” a program aimed at supporting the government’s program of eradication of poverty and it is through this program that private investors collected Frw300, 000, 000 which will be used to buy the cows for the poor.

  • Protestors Vandalise Israel Embassy in Cairo

    A building housing Israel’s embassy in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, has been stormed by protesters who tore down one of the outer embassy walls.
    jewsih.jpg
    The Protesters demolished the perimeter wall and replaced the Israeli flag with Egyptian and Palestinian flags. They got inside and threw paper documents from upper-floor windows.

    Destroyed wall has been a focus for protests, with makeshift battering rams and hammers on Friday after peaceful protests in Tahrir Square earlier in the day against the country’s military rulers.

    In response, Essam Sharaf, the Egyptian prime minister, summoned a cabinet crisis team to discuss the situation, and the interior ministry declared a state of alert.

    Yitzhak Levanon, Israel’s Ambassador to Egypt, and senior embassy staff were evacuated and flown home to Israel, Israel Radio said.

    Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers backed by armoured cars were rushed to the embassy district and clashed with the protesters, who torched police trucks and attacked regional police headquarters nearby.

    Protesters played cat-and-mouse with police throughout the night, amid clouds of tear gas and smoke from burning tyres.

    Security forces gradually asserted control and the situation was calm by Saturday morning.

    The Egyptian health ministry said there had officially been 520 injuries as a result of clashes around the embassy. An earlier report said one person had died of a heart attack.

    The group that swarmed the embassy had left a mass rally at nearby Tahrir Square, where organised protesters called for reforms by the military, which has ruled the country since Hosni Mubarak, the former president, was toppled by a popular revolution in February.

    Al Jazeera’s Sherine Tadros said thousands of documents were thrown out of the windows and at least two police vehicles were set on fire.

    Israel’s Ambassador, Yitzhak Levanon, his family and other embassy staff rushed to Cairo airport and left on a plane for Israel, Egyptian state television and airport officials said.

    The state television also reported that Levanon met with a general of the ruling military’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces before his departure, and that the ambassador appeared “anxious and even scared”.

    Levanon had only recently returned to Cairo from a holiday in Israel as protests raged outside the embassy since last month.

    US President Barack Obama was first to react, calling on Egypt to protect the embassy and “to honour its international obligations to safeguard the security of the Israeli Embassy.”

    A White House statement said,”the President expressed his great concern about the situation at the embassy, and the security of the Israelis serving there.”

    The statement said that Obama spoke by telephone to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and the two agreed, “to stay in close touch until the situation is resolved”.

    Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, also called Mohamed Kamel Amr, Egypt’s foreign minister, to urge Egypt to meet its Vienna Convention obligations to protect diplomatic property, a senior state department official said.

  • ICGLR Resolves on Regional Armed Groups

    The Inter-Ministerial meeting that brought together Defense ministers from eleven member countries in the Great Lakes Region have recommended new strategies that will curb down the armed groups currently causing insecurity and instability in the region.
    james-kabarebe1.jpg
    The new strategies were adopted during a one day meeting of Defense Ministers under the auspices of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) held at Lemigo Hotel, Kigali.

    The high level meeting co-chaired by Rwanda’s Defense Minister Gen. James Kabarebe and Uganda’s Defense Minister, Hon.Dr. Crispus Kiyonga reaffirmed their commitment to the efforts in the fight against negative forces in the region and committed their governments to expeditiously implement the ICGLR ‘protocol on non-aggression and mutual defense in the Great Lakes Region.

    According to the statement the meeting also welcomed the African Union’s initiative to deal with LRA in the Great Lakes Region and urged the continental body to extend the initiative to cover all other armed groups in the region that are mainly based in DR Congo and Central African republic.

    The recommendations also vows to support and facilitate implementation of cessation clause on Rwandan refugees due in Dec. 31.

    The Ministers further urged regional governments to integrate and implement the best practice guidelines on practical disarmament developed by RECSA as well as the fight against terrorism in the region.

    The Inter- Ministerial meeting examined the report of experts meeting held from September 7 -8 specifically taking note of the request by Sudan governments that the illegal armed groups in Darfur to be recognized as negative forces and be fought under ICGLR strategies.

    The one day inter-ministerial defense meeting’s recommendations were based on the report of the two day experts meeting that was held before.

    ICGLR brings together Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

  • I Have Composed Many Songs—Chris

    Rwirangira Robert Christian commonly known as Chris came on the limelight in 2009 during the Tusker Project Fame and started to shine among the Rwanda celebrities.

    It has been quite some time since his fans last heard his charming voice.

    Igihe.com had a conversation with him and he acknowledged the long spell but assured fans that he has never stopped music; that it’s just because he is still looking for sponsors as the music industry requires ‘enough financial muscle’ to keep the bell ringing.

    “I have many songs I composed but still waiting to get enough money and make an incredible music which my fans will enjoy so much. If all goes well early next year I will release like two songs which I believe will hit the whole of East Africa,” he promised.

    Chris has also managed to link up with our famous in Tusker all star 2011 Alpha Rwirangira in the new song which has just been released some weeks back called ‘mama’

    Chris is not only talented in singing but also gifted in drawing, acting and modeling where most of his time, he has been working with Dud’s Maximo Agency of modeling.

    He is proud to have managed to participate in one of the African fashion show Dud had organized in 2009 and 2010.

    “I know people think that modeling is not a respectful job but they are wrong because it is a talent like music, acting and as for me I am luck because I can sing, be a model and an actor”.

    He has so far acted in two movies called “The power of the massage and ibanga ry’Umutima” and they will soon. He thinks that in the future film industry will go higher than the music industry because people in film industry know what they want and go for it with patient.

    Rwirangira joined his fellow youth with whom he shares the same passion of music at Hotel Tech some years back where the owner gave them a big hole which they have arranged for performing from every Thursday up to Sunday.

    “We are doing this in order to promote music and groom the upcoming artists because there are many young and talented youth who are out there without a convenient venue where to showcase their potentials from” He explained.

  • Chinese Embassy Encourages More Investors to Rwanda

    The Ambassador of china Shu Zhan has revealed that over 50 Chinese firms have shown interest to invest in the country and that their priority are engineering, construction and agriculture sectors in the country.

    “Currently there are 12 companies majoring in construction and 8 more in broadcast and ICT, this is not enough. We need to encourage more to invest in Rwanda since there’re more favorable conditions,” said the ambassador.

    In a ceremony held at the Chinese embassy to welcome the new political counselor Chen Dong, the permanent secretary in the ministry foreign affairs Mary Baine hailed the bilateral ties adding that the government was willing to support Chinese investors.

    The outgoing Counselor Li Yigang highlighted that his two year stay in the country has taught him more about Africa and the relevant solutions to some of the challenges it faces.

    “Rwanda was my first African country to serve and my next appointment is Namibia, and I hope some of the measures we’ve enforced towards your country’s development will be applicable to my next African country but I’m yet to learn how Namibia has progressed.

    “For the past two years I’ve been here, my people have taken part in infrastructure development, especially on roads and modern buildings, we’ve also contributed to the health sector in the construction of Masaka hospital and in education we’re training Chinese language,” said Yiyang

  • Airtel Eyes Rwanda Telecom Market

    US $ 100m(est. Rwf 59bn) to be invested

    The Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Limited has observed that Rwanda is a key telecom market in the Region.

    Sunil Mittal was speaking to the press after being awarded a license to operate in Rwanda as a third mobile telecommunication company now competing with MTN and Mallicom’s TIGO.

    Mittal says that Rwanda’s market has immense growth potential and he noted that it will strengthen Bharti airtel’s footprint in East Africa.

    “We are pleased to be part of the vision of the government of Rwanda to take telecommunications forward as a priority,” Mittal told Rwandan press after being awarded the license in Kigali.

    The Indian based telecommunications company will launch 2G and 3G mobile services in Rwanda, for which it has earmarked an investment of US $ 100 million over the next three years.

    Bharti Airtel becomes the third mobile telecommunication operator after MTN Rwanda, said to be with 2,824,874 and TIGO Rwanda with 1,300,159 subscribers in an over 10 million population.

    One of the top world’s telecommunication services provider acquired Kuwait-based Zain Telecom for about US $10.7 billion.

    It has been operating in 16 African countries, including Burkina Faso, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

    Rwanda is said to be among the fastest growing telecom markets in Africa.

    Bharti airtel limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa.

    The company offers mobile voice & data services, fixed line, high speed broadband, IPTV, DTH, turnkey telecom solutions for enterprises and national & international long distance services to carriers.

    Bharti airtel has been ranked among the six best performing technology companies in the world with 200 million customers across its operations.