Igihe

Author: b_igi_adm1n

  • Sports Journalist Honoured

    By: Marcel Nzabamwita

    Exactly one year ago the media fraternity, lovers of sports and the country as a whole lost one of their own and an asset to the community: Shyaka Claver.

    In a sudden death due to heart complications, one of the founders of sports journalism in Rwanda was gone but the impact of his work will live on forever.

    Shyaka Claver was born in Uganda on the 23rd October 1978. He started presenting the sports show at Radio 10 in late 2004 but also did more as he presented an Education show.

    His memorial service today began with a church service which was held in the morning and was succeeded by a visit to the grave at 1:30 pm. The memorial service was then completed at the national stadium with two friendly matches.

    Shyaka Claver was involved in mentoring young children playing soccer around the country and was known for his attendance at training grounds for children to take a look at the developing talent.

    It is in this light that the first memorial game was between two teams that he had mentored: “11 rapide” and Esperance. The game ended with Esperance winning 4 goals to 2 of “11 rapide”.

    An excitement filled friendly-match followed between sports journalists and ULK students who studied with Shyaka Claver before his demise. The game ended on a happy note with the ULK students scoring 6 goals to 2 goals of the journalists.

    Shyaka Claver will be remembered for his work in founding and promoting sports journalism and professionalism in Rwanda that was nonexistent barely 7 years ago. He was also a husband to Peace Batamuliza Shyaka, a father to two beautiful daughters, a friend to many and an impact on the whole journalism arena in Rwanda.

  • Rwanda to host Continental Budget Conference

    Rwanda will host the 7th Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI) on August 17 at Serena Hotel.

    The seminar will bring together senior budget officials from across Africa to share knowledge on common challenges of budget implementation on the continent.

    Elias Bayingana, the Director of National Budget in the ministry of finance and economic planning noted that Rwanda was chosen as the host country due to its progress in the implementation of budget.

    “The big change has been due to the implementation of the public finance management reform in 2006 which mainstreams gender and ensures that programs are at the grass root level are also financed,” said.

    And even though Rwanda has achieved remarkable progress in public finance management in a relatively short period, there are still a number of challenges and this seminar will provide an opportunity for experience sharing among the peers, especially in addressing the difficulties.

    “We have a problem of lacking professional personnel but we do our best to improve delivery through conducting capacity building trainings” the director stressed.

    Other challenges on the implementation of budget reforms and execution are that: “African public financial management (PFM) systems generally suffer from an implementation deficit; laws and processes may be in place but seldom affect actual behavior,” Matt Andrews had said in last year’s conference in Tunis.

    The 7th CABRI Annual Seminar will explore the reasons and identify possible solutions for the implementation deficit.

    The focus will be on three implementation challenges in particular, how to create organizational structures that are most conducive to help pubic financial management.

    CABRI events provide an opportunity for senior budget officials to connect and exchange experiences and knowledge with their African peers. More than 32 African countries participate regularly in CABRI events.

    Rwanda is one of the CABRI founding members and sits on the Management Committee.

  • Driving Schools want Police to Stop Driving Tests

    By: Andrew Kareba

    Rwanda’s driving schools proprietors have appealed to the national police to consider suspending general tests of provisional and permanent permits. The move will oblige all driving permit seekers to undergo training from credible driving schools.

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    Rumashana Alphonse, Director of United Driving School says he appreciates the National police’s technologic progress in issuance of permits but suggests that Police should sensitize permit applicants to attend driving schools.

    He further observed that all applicants should attend final tests in driving schools where they can gain more knowledge about traffic rules.

    The Traffic Police Chief, Vincent Sano said, the process of registering people using new technology is ongoing since February 2011.

    He further told the school proprietors that, mass traffic tests would be abolished and whoever needs a license in future will be asked to first attend a driving school.

    In order to reduce a huge number of people in need of driving permits, Sano said: “Three general tests shall be conducted in a year and two monthly tests shall also be done at the invitation of driving schools,.”

    The Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana added that national police’s vision is to fasten new technologies in daily activities.

    Gasana further urged driving school owners to increase their presence in other provinces outside Kigali City and promised the public that, the delay of driving license will be soon solved within a month after the test.

    Habimana François, director of a driving school in Musanze District says, some people easily pass driving tests with the knowledge of traffic rules which could protect Rwandans from road accidents.

    National police changed the questioning method using “Yes” or “No” in answering which gives more work to driving schools in teaching traffic rules.

    The Acting Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) Eng. Gatarayiha Régis said that: “The inspection team of driving schools will be set up and will include RURA, MININFRA and RRA to ensure quality standards”.

    Police says so far, the registered driving schools in the country are 23 and at least 30 more are set to be established countrywide in 2011

  • UK’s PEARSON Publishing Firm to Promote Local Authors

    PEARSON a renowned publisher from the UK August 11 cerebrated the business partnership with the Ministry of Education and Drakkar Limited in delivery of books to Rwandan schools.

    During the event held at Mille Collines Hotel the company’s Sales Manager for African Sarah MC lean said that the cooperation with local authors shows that local writers have potentials to the career.

    She observed that they still have a long way to go in terms of skills. However, she said that the East African publisher affiliated to Pearson has been improving their performance by merging them with experienced authors in the region.

    “The cooperation is marvelous especially when you read a book titled ‘New Primary English’ co-authored by Emmanuel Murenzi and Uganda’s James Lyagoba. It has been very instrumental especially in teaching English,” said Rosebelle Otieno from East African Publishers.

    Despite the progress, a good number of interested Rwandan authors are discouraged by the unstable book market and high cost authors incur when publishing books.

    Murenzi, one of the upcoming writers urged publishers to support local novelists particularly talented ones who lack financial means.

    The Director General in the ministry of education Erasme Rwanamiza argued that local authors shouldn’t be discouraged to compile their knowledge into writings since there are many ways to disseminate knowledge to the world by the use of new media which consist of websites and social sites.

    Locally the poor reading culture on one hand has been a major hindrance as the majority with writing talents do not start at an early stage.

    “I have written a chemistry book but its practical part is not widely used since majority of schools lack laboratory equipment. Scientific practicals are essential but I see less efforts being put in place to equip all schools with basic instruments,” Lwishi Kasanyandjo, a science teacher at Kagarama high school lamented.

    Pearson has 24 NCDC (National Curriculum Development Center) approved titles on core primary and secondary subjects in Rwanda in addition to 7 supplementary titles approved which include Longman Secondary Atlas for East Africa, the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and the popular English novel titled: “The Liver Between”.

  • Pre-Season Winner to get Frw.5Million

    By: Marcel Nzabamwita

    The pre-season games whose role is to prepare for the regular season of football have been announced and will commence on 7th September.

    The pre-season games will consist of the top eight teams from the last PRIMUS cup season. The exciting games in this tournament include Rayon Sports which is expected to play against Police FC while Kiyovu Sports the winner of last year’s pre-season games will play AS Kigali.

    APR FC the winner of the previous PRIMUS cup will play against Marines FC that came in the eighth position while La Jeunesse will face off with Etincelles FC.

    The winner of the tournament stands to win 5 million Rwf while the second place winner will get 3 million Rwf. The team that will come in third will get 1 million Rwf while each team will get 500,000 frw in preparation for each game they play.

    Different teams have started preparing for the season and pre-season games with Rayon Sports which is planning a friendly game against Azam FC from Tanzania on Wednesday 17th August at Amahoro Stadium.

  • Kanombe Military Hospital starts corneal grafting

    The Military Hospital of Kanombe has launched eye operations of corneal transplantation for people living eye problems.

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    This is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue (the graft) in its entirety (penetrating keratoplasty) or in part (lamellar keratoplasty).

    The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil and anterior chamber.

    Exclusively speaking to igihe.com, Lt. Col. Dr. John Nkurikiye, the only Rwandan specialist Consultant Ophthalmology noted; “we have been doing it at King Faisal and it is the first time here at Kanombe Military Hospital. We have been importing corneas but since the government passed the law, we are up to set up an eye bank in Rwanda and then Rwandans themselves can then be sensitized to start donating cornea tissues.”

    Nkurikiye added that only 43 patients in history of Rwanda have been given new corneas and that now the process will always be conducted twice a year.
    While at Kanombe 4 patients were operated and fixed with corneas imported from the US.

    Yvone Uwamungu 28, living in Kayonza district, Eastern Province stopped teaching after she was affected by the problem.

    “It was in 1997, when I went to private hospital; they failed to work on me and instead told me that operation is not done in Rwanda. I therefore went to South Africa but still it did not work out.” Uwamungu pointed out.

    She added that she came back and went to King Faisal and doctor Nkurikiye transferred her to Kanombe hospital where he operated her from today.

    The whole process of transporting and fixing of the corneal goes up to Rwf1M
    The graft is being removed from a recently deceased individuals with no known diseases or other factors that may affect the viability of the donated tissue or the health of the recipient.

  • Tom Close given Frw 6Million

    By Andrew Kareba

    Tom Close on Wednesday received a cheque of six million Rwandan Francs after being crowned the winner of Primus Guma Guma Super Star 2011. He will also travel to USA to record a song and a video clip with Sean Kingston and have a concert on 17th September in Kigali.

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    “We are overwhelmed by the competition. It is beautiful to see how the Rwandan public and Artists respond with excitement and passion to the competition,” said Sven Piedriet Bralirwa’s Managing Director

    Piedriet added that Primus Guma Guma Super Star competition enabled young performers to grow artistically and we are looking forward to the next edition.

    Aline Asselot Bralirwa’s Marketing Manager said, “It was a shocking attitude we did not expect from Rwandans to throw stone on the stage and we truly believe that, violence is never a solution.”

    More on that, asselot notes: live shows, technical problems like sound, and RTV as some of the challenges hindered Guma Guma Super Star.

    “I apologize on what I said that I am confident that I will take the trophy” I did not mean to hurt people I just wanted to comfort my fans, Said Tom close In front of Journalists and producers.

    He further said that, the first trophy was to bring me closer to my fans in the whole country and before being a superstar, “I was Muyombo” he says.

    “You cannot make fire one wood” This award is giving me more responsibilities and tasks as someone to represent Rwanda, he elaborated.

    After leaving him out of breath impatiently waiting for the final verdict of Guma Guma Super Star, King James said, “If we could charge the fans during the campaign, there could only be the well off ones”. I thank all people who support Rwandan music,” he said.

    We were the new kids on the block in the tournament and used the chance to appear in final four before the thrilling minutes of suspense, said Platini from Dream Boys.

    “We did not expect the tournament to have such outcomes,” said Joseph Mushyoma, from East African Promoters and calls up on Rwandans to support the second edition.

    Sven Piedriet assured King James, Jay Polly and Dream Boys to sponsor their Album Launch.

    Guma Guma Super Star in collaboration with East African Promoters (EAP) offered music fans fantastic moments for the past months, where the ten contestants toured the whole country through road shows and all three elimination phases with the objective of improving Rwanda music and encourage music talents.

  • Nyanza FC gears up for new players

    By: Marcel Nzabamwita

    Having been elevated to first division, Nyanza FC has also started preparations for the upcoming PRIMUS cup by signing new players.

    In an interview with radio Contact FM, Nshimiyimana Maurice aka Maso, the assistant coach of Nyanza FC said, “we started our training early because we are a young team, with young players who still need to develop their skills.”

    “We have mainly retained the players that we started with and purchased a few players from other teams who didn’t pose great difficulty in attaining them since we are still low on funds and unable to obtain expensive players.”

    “So far we have 12 players who are definitely playing for us in the coming season. We have managed to sign Theoneste while Rucogoza Aimable ‘Mambo’ former captain of Rayon Sports is still in negotiations,” the deputy coach revealed.

    Nyanza FC is joining the star-studded first division to try its luck in developing its young talent. The season begins on September 17

  • Canada to Deport Rwanda Genocide Survivor

    A Rwandan genocide survivor who sought asylum in Toronto-Canada is scared of being deported to his home country Rwanda saying his life will be in danger.

    Richard Uwimana has been ordered by Canadian Immigration officials to report to the Border Services Agency at Pearson Airport for a flight to Brussels en route to his home country Rwanda Wednesday next week.

    Uwimana says it’s risky going back because he fears he might be killed by the alleged war criminals he witnessed killing his parents and elder brother during the 1994 massacres in Rwanda.

    “I am still traumatized by the death of my three family members killed in front of me.

    “I can’t eat or sleep, it’s like the tragedy happened yesterday. I don’t think I will live for long when I go back to Rwanda because the people who killed my family will kill me too” he said.

    He also said that some of those that were involved in killing his family were recently released from prison and that when he is sent back, he might be killed since he was a witness.

    The genocide survivor spent 14 years in an orphanage in Rwanda and in 2008 he was granted a visa to travel for a conference in Los Angeles to give a testimony as a genocide survivor.

    “From the conference I travelled to the Peace Bridge in Canada and for three years it has been my home and I feel safe here,” he pointed out

    He was, however, denied refugee status in 2008 Members of Rwandans in Canada are also rallying to stop Uwimana’s deportation claiming he will be killed if he returns to Kigali.

    John Rukumbura of the Rwandan Canadian Association noted, “he will be killed by the people who may want to quiet him if he is sent back .This is not a fair decision taken and he should be allowed to stay.”

    Exclusively speaking to igihe.com Jean Claude Rwahama, the Director Refugee Affair at MIDIMAR noted, “As the Ministry, we cannot say he is a refugee because he had gone to give testimony and according to the security situation in our country today we can’t give value to his claims.”

    “As Rwandans, we now live amicably and both genocide survivors and perpetrators are living together. On top of that he still has his brother and sister who are safely living in Rwanda which makes his claim baseless.”

  • Sugar price now at Frw800 a Kilo

    By: Andrew Kareba

    As East African countries continue to experience abnormal increase in sugar prices, negotiations between Rwanda commerce ministry and Kabuye Sugar factory have finally seen the price off sugar fall from Frw1200 to Frw800 per kilogram.

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    The price of sugar has now dropped to Rwf 800 a kilo as agreed by Kabuye Sugar works and Champion investment corporation (CHIC) after a severe sugar shortage causing an over 75% increase in the domestic price.

    Kabuye Sugar Works (KSW) is not a major player neither in sugar supply nor in sugar pricing as imports overwhelmingly dominate, said Francois Kanimba.

    Kanimba further said that, MINICOM keeps an eye on sugar importers and traders to prevent holding the available sugar and hike prices.

    The prices have already stabilized from Rwf 1200 to Rwf 800 according to what the business community used to sell Rwf50, 000 a bag but now its Rwf 33, 500, says Mohammed Ntabahejeje the Secretary General of CHIC.

    “We are dealing with business community with business license to supply sugar in villages but under conditions” says Ntabahejeje.

    The Annual production of sugar by KSW is 10,500 tons a year while domestic consumption increases significantly to 40,000 tons a year and the remaining quantity is imported from EAC countries, says Gohil the General Manager of KSW.

    “We don’t access KSW products”, we just see it passing by near our shops and is the cheapest compared to Sukari Halisiya Miwa from Tanzania which costs Rwf 21,000 a bag of 25kg and Lugazi Sugar Corporation from Uganda which costs Rwf 40,500 a bag of 50kg, says one of the retailers who did not want to mention her name.

    Theogene Ntabahejeje is a retailer from Nyabihu District says, “We have been working in speculations due to high demand of sugar”.

    I make a long journey from the Western Province, the Government and CHIC should offer the retailers purchase more than five bags of 50Kg.Ntabahejeje Says.

    Marie Mujawimana works in stationery and has got a big family, says the government has saved my children, I am now happy for the regulation.

    Minister said, they sent a waiver request to EAC sector council to import sugar outside EAC and COMESA countries at o% duty for the minimum period of six months as regional industries regain their footing.