Author: b_igi_adm1n

By: Andrew Kareba

The chamber of deputies August 2 adopted the three draft laws regulating media.

Among the bill which were assessed is the draft law modifying and completing the law No 22/2009 of 12/09/2009 on Media, draft law determining the responsibilities, structure and functioning of the Media High Council (MHC) and Draft law determining responsibilities, organization and functioning of the Rwanda broadcasting agency (RBA).

Hon. Protais Musoni, who was representing the government, said that though the 3 draft laws are closely related, their aim is to promote a constructive and educational media for all Rwandans.

“ORINFOR will be replaced by Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) which will no longer be a state broadcasting Agency but a Public broadcasting group for the purpose of serving public interest and this law will enable RBA to fully run its duties and work independently in managing its affairs, said Musoni.

As the enacted law states, 20 per cent will be Government shares and 80 per cent private investors and this will enable RBA to run its normal activities with no Government regulations, Musoni elaborated.

Like any other media group, RBA will Educate, inform and entertain and it will be in the contest of changing the Rwandan society through media, he said.

With regard to Self-regulation of the print media, a state organ will be established for intervention when necessary, he elaborated.

“Media Self Regulation is of a great importance in promoting Rwandan media and this will reduce Media High Council’s tasks and leave it with observing freedom of expression.” The minister stressed adding that further MHC duties will be put in Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA).

RBA is going to be the second Semi-autonomous body in East Africa Community to Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) to be public oriented .

The pillars of the plan to be the leading, cutting edge public service, multimedia network in the region while the mission is being at forefront of engaging audiences with quality information, programs and multi-media services.

The minister observed that RBA’s core values will focus on integrity, quality, and professionalism, forward-looking and caring both public and staff welfare.

By: Igihe.com Reporter

An American expert in media ethics and law has held discussions with Rwandan journalists on media ethics and laws vis a vis current issues in the media.

Jane E. Kirtley a professor in the University of Minnesota said that Rwanda’s media was passing through what she called transition of democracy.

She has been in the country for one week discussing media ethics and laws with various people from different stakeholders.

“A free society needs a free press, free press is a press free from government regulator,” Prof. Kirtley said while introducing her discussions with journalists.

“In my opinion, in every nation post publications should not face suspension or censorship and it is not good to have a particular or special law on media but there should be responsive journalism which she said it should not be impeded by government to go for truth and report it.

She however said that some journalists are not responsible and get stories in illegal ways, referring to the likes of phone hacking scandal in UK.

Commenting on the Media self regulatory body setting in Rwanda, Kirtley said that it should not be the body who will only slap people when they are wrong but also train them.

Professor Jane E. Kirtley is the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

She is also the Director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law and has carried out research in the area of media law.

Kirtley teaches courses in contemporary problems in freedom of speech and press, mass communication law, internet law and comparative media law.

By: Andrew Kareba

The Premier Bernard Makuza has told legislators that progress has been progress on the East African Common Market Protocol and the capital market performance and that sugar taxes will be relieved effective August 2011.

Honourable Makuza was August 2 presenting the government’s quarterly report on trade, commerce and progress in doing business in Rwanda to a joint session of Deputies and Senators.

The presentation highlighted the total financial inflows as progress made in terms of economic development of the country and the challenges faced.
Makuza said the internal investment made in the country elaborates 11.2 percent of registered companies while 88.8 of not recorded in Rwanda Revenue Authority but districts and other local government bodies tax them, he said.

He, however pointed out that the number of unemployed people in Rwanda is still big compared to the working age.”This is estimated by 119,197 companies which employ 262,982 and in these 66.5% are men while 33.5% women, Prime Minister elaborated.

The Premier stressed that government Institutions need direct purchase of 40 per cent of food from cooperatives, to facilitate the government in turn around plan of lending a hand in management progression of industries like (SORIMEX, SAVANAH DAIRY, CHILLINGTON, SOPAR, RUBIRIZI DAIRY, SOTIRU).

He explained that the government managed to avert price increase of some sensitive products such as Petrol, sugar and cement compared to the neighboring countries and that this was done due to the tax deduction of 100 frw on fuel for 2011/2012’s budget.

He told lawmakers that Kabuye factory that contributed 1/3 of sugar domestically consumed stopped working from May to June this year due to renovation which led to sugar scarcity.However, He sais that a t the end of August, the government will hold talks with East African countries (EAC) in order to remove border taxes of sugar purchased outside EAC and avert the supply dilemma.

In order to accomplish these goals, Makuza said, conducive business climate and legal framework should be set and help effective partnerships with EAC, COMESA and World Trade Organisation.

As the Leader of Government business, the premier is obliged under the constitution to present to parliament governments achievements and challenges every three years.

The last report he presented was on how different government’s programmes such as crop intensification and land consolidation programmes had impacted on improving the general agricultural output.

The crippled Rwandatel is speeding the sale of assets to pay back the creditors before the end of this year, but the remaining issue is whether the amounts from its assets will be enough to pay all the creditors.

Exclusively speaking to igihe.com, Richard Mugisha, appointed by the Nyarugenge Commercial Court to administer the company, noted: “If we are to maximize the value of the creditors, we need to do it very quickly.

“We are hoping to pay back all the creditors but we can’t guarantee that since it will depend on the sums got out of the liquidation of assets.

“When the company’s assets are successfully sold off, we shall discuss with the different institutions and individuals whom we owe, when and how the payment process will be implemented,” he said.

According to the administrator, Rwandatel’s assets are valued US$50M, yet the creditors’ amount goes up to US$88M and as of now, no investor has confirmed buying the assets.

He added that the company is commissioning the valuation of its assets and then allow investors to bid.

“We don’t want to engage people without knowing how much our assets are worth, but this will be done before the end of this month and then at the beginning of September, we start the process of selling the assets ,” the Administrator pointed out.

Debtors’ point of view

MTN Rwanda, as one of the Rwandatel’s creditors is so suspicious since the interconnection fees of fixed lines is continuously increasing the debt yet they don’t know whether the company will have capacity to pay back.

“According to the report I presented to the Judges, we now demand Rwandatel Rwf1,341,557,553 and we don’t know if the company is in position to pay back,” Paul Mugemangango, the Senior Manager, Legal and Corporate Affairs MTN Rwanda told Igihe.com.

The above amount includes Rwf60M accumulated on fixed interconnection fees during the period of 60 days after the revocation of the company’s mobile license.

Other sources also point out that the Chinese company; Huawei who supplied materials is demanding over US$40M and this company is also suspicious about the clearing of such a huge debt.

Background

Rwanda’s Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) withdrew Rwandatel’s GSM Mobile license in April this year and within weeks, the Office of the Registrar General had instituted insolvency proceedings against the company.

The commercial court in Kigali then appointed Richard Mugisha an administrator to take charge of the company and advice Court if the company could be turned around or face possible liquidation.

Rwandatel has confirmed that it will be meeting with its creditors after a local court ordered the company to liquidate its assets to pay debts.

Employees’ side

Following commencement of insolvency proceedings, Rwandatel had laid off 43.2 per cent of its workforce as part of a company-wide restructuring process whose goal was to keep her operating costs low and to operate with an optimum number of employees.

Even the remaining employees are also suspicious about being unemployed. “We are still surviving in the temporary period and we don’t know our way forward,” an employee who never wanted his names to be published told igihe.com

Operating both its GSM Mobile and Fixed licenses, Rwandatel had a total workforce of 317 employees out of which only 180 have been retained to run its remaining voice, internet and data services all of which run on the fixed network.

The telecom company is partially owned by Libyan investment group LAP Green with an 80 per cent stake and the Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) which has 20 percent.

By: Dianah Mutimura

A review of the 2009 media law is due in Parliament this Tuesday proposing among other changes, the cabinet propose that newspapers regulate themselves.

In the new bill, 24 articles were scraped including a requirement for accreditation from the Media High Council (MHC) for anybody to become a journalist. Any registered media organizations will now the mandate to issue press cards to their journalists.

The new law yet to be enacted by the legislature and taken back to President Paul Kagame for promulgation into law has fewer articles compared to the 2009 law.

About 10 articles in the bill were also reviewed. One article was added to the new bill to emphasize that “Print media shall largely regulate itself.”

The controversial law required that only a person with prior training in journalism – with either a degree or diploma, could be a journalist. That has been changed to cover all other social science fields.

The media law is changing following a Cabinet decision to review the mandate of Media Council to instead deal with capacity building and sector development.

A major study released last month recommended that the MHC answers to parliament from the executive because that would give it more autonomy. However, this has not been adopted in the new separate bill modifying the mandate of the Council.

Recently, media professionals and journalists spent three days at a retreat where they were trying to establish a body that will supervise the media in the absence of any state organ doing exactly that.

Ideas that were floated include setting up the Rwanda Media Forum which could have membership of senior retired judges, media professionals and editors. It is this body that will oversee how the media performs.

It will also have power to authorize media organizations to take joint disciplinary measures if flaws are identified in its operations.

Parliament will also look at a new law setting up the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency to replace the state broadcaster ORINFOR comprising state radio, state TV and two newspapers.

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB), department of Human Capital and Institutional Development (HCID) has congratulated and awarded certificates to 362 interns that have completed 6 months of internship program.

At the same time, 344 graduates have been sent to different institutions to begin the same program.

According to the Ag. Head of HCID, Apollo Munanura; the program is to contribute significantly to improving employability whilst while helping to address the ‘human resource constraints’.

“At the end of their degree courses, students don’t have enough skills in terms of employability. They have theoretical skills in different fields but not practical experience needed in the labour market, and thus to increase productivity we had to start an on-job-training program which will always last for 6 months,” he said.

Munanura added; “while education provides mainly theoretical knowledge, skills training and experience build confidence.Young people offer a unique contribution to the workplace with their enthusiasm, commitment, high potential of innovation and willingness to embrace change.”

The overacting goal of the program is to help interns gain experience in their chosen fields of study and familiarity with the business environment that can also help them not to be job creators.

RDB’s COO Claire Akamanzi noted, “I congratulate you upon completion of 6 months on-job-training. Today Rwanda wants people that have integrity and value with the character to transform whatever is around, and I hope you will too transform the rest in the society that you are going.”

“I wish you to reach the biggest dreams that you have, but this will only be achieved after you have worked hard to reach them,” COO challenged both outgoing and incoming interns.

Letitia Muhorakeye graduated from UNILAK at the Law Department in 2010, and has been doing her internship at the Supreme Court. She noted, “The team at the Supreme Court showed us how job market is done practically and now at least I have field experience as compared to the time I had finished my degree.”

There is over 40 both private and public institutions where over 1000 graduates have already benefited from the program since it started in 2009.

It is complemented with the specialized trainings in employability skills that conducted at the end of each internship phase with the assistance of Education Development Center (EDC) Akazi kanoze.

The willingness to attend the monthly communal cleaning (Umuganda) is fading away among many Rwandans despite its beneficial impact to all.

Normally the cleaning activities include clearing bushes, renovation of neighborhood roads, assisting the vulnerable among other chores.

In the past communal activities were well conducted but today some have decided to give Umuganda a cold shoulder.

Velvius Nkusi the leader of Bwiza cell in Kacyiru district explains that participation in the communal cleaning is a law and that the leadership fines Frw5,000 those that don’t turn up without a genuine reason.

Nkusi has introduced awareness programs in the cell meant to encourage residents to take part in the cleaning. He says that awareness entails encouraging people to clean bushes around their homesteads to avoid breeding of mosquitoes and thieves that use them as hiding spots.

Bwiza cell has designed a list of activities used as a guide during the cleaning process that is not specifically done monthly since there’re some chores conducted by community volunteers.

Foreigners are also required to participate in the communal cleaning since they are part of the society. In the recent Umuganda, Boniface Mutua the aspiring chairperson of Kenyan Association in Rwanda mobilized his fellow Kenyans to take part in rehabilitating a road in Bwiza sell.

“I was so happy with the turn up, it’s always good for foreigners to be part of the society and their contribution to bring change in the community is relevant,” he remarked.

His colleague Caroline Ndinya the secretary of the association dubbed (All Kenyans in Rwanda) noted that she was inspired by the role of women in the cleaning activities. “I was so fascinated to see even high profile looking ladies rehabilitating the road,” she remarked.

Apart from the participation of locals and foreigners in Umuganda, the role of corporate institutions though not mandatory is also advantageous. In the same cell, Nakumatt supermarket and Serena contributed water while Fina bank, Kenya Airways and Tigo gave t-shirts.

Paul Mutunga the deputy manager of Nakumatt encouraged other institutions to support local initiatives as a way of giving back to the society, “apart from supporting Umuganda we’ve also helped in gorilla conservation where we contribute 1percent of our one month profits,” he remarked.