Category: Information Center

Residents of Nyamagabe District are complaining about long distance treked in search of services to the District level.

They say lack of transport facilities and damaged roads are among the problems they face.

One resident says:”when you want to travel from Kaduha sector to Nyamagabe District you need to sell one goat of Frw10, 000 for travel on motorcycle.”

Residents also say that going to Kigali is nearer than going to Kirehe District. It costs Frw 5000 to Kigali.

The Mayor of Nyamagabe District, Mugisha Philbert told IGIHE that damaged roads are a major problem for travelers.

However, he said in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure, the District has tendered for roads rehabilitation and the problem will be resolved as soon as possible.

Currently, there is an ongoing project of construct a 30 Km road in Gasaka which will ease the journey to Nyamagabe District in 15 minutes

Gabon is considering switching to the use of english language following Rwanda’s success.

Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nzesai, the spokesperson of Gabon presidency says President Ali Bongo will visit Rwanda from Friday to Saturday to study at first hand its experience with bilingualism.

Bongo’s visit will take place a week before the Francophonie summit in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo on October 12, which French President Francois Hollande will attend.

Gabon’s President Ali Bongo wants to boost the use of English in his country, a former colony of France where French is widely spoken.

Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nzesai said “Gabon wants to look closely at Rwanda’s experience with the introduction of bilingualism,”

“Rwanda used to be a French-speaking country and part of the Francophonie (French-speaking international community),” he said. “Today it is part of two communities: the Francophonie and the Commonwealth.”

Gabon is one of France’s closest African allies and a privileged channel for France’s influence on the continent however, Gabon plans to introduce English.

The vast majority of Gabon’s 1.5 million people speak French.

The European Union Development and Cooperation (DEVCO) Director for Sub-Saharan Africa Francesca Mosca acknowledged the partnership between the European Union and Rwanda is positive and will continue to grow.

Mosca was speaking to journalists, October 1, after meeting Rwanda’s Finance minister John Rwangombwa in Kigali.

The EU official praised Rwanda for her effective aid utilisation, saying the EU support was delivering results on the ground.

Mosca’s remarks follow media reports attributed to Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, that the EU was suspending new aid to Rwanda, following controversial allegations that the country was backing M23 rebels in DRC.

According to Rwangombwa, EU continues to support Rwanda’s development programmes, especially in poverty eradication and promotion of good nutrition.

Rwangombwa stated that the budget support to Rwanda is supposed to get from the EU has already been disbursed, adding that additional budget support will go directly to development of rural roads, energy and agriculture.

Police in Bugesera District on October 1 arrested two men for allegedly trafficking local plant commonly known as Umushikiri used in the production of perfume in Uganda.

Suspects Eric Biziyaremye and one only identified as Edison were arrested in Ngeruka Sector, Ngeruka cell in Binyonjwe village by Police night patrol with two tonnes of umushikiri.

Currently the suspects are detained at Nyamata Police station.
A fuso truck (RAA 693D)which the suspects were using to transport the species to Nyagatare was impounded.

According to police the tree stumps are transported to porous borders in Nyagatare District and sold people from Uganda, before they are exported to Asian countries, especially Malaysia.

Police says another truck carrying about six tonnes of umushikiri was also impounded in Gatsibo District also en route to Nyagatere,
Mid last month, two trucks were also impounded in the Eastern Province transporting about 10 tonnes of the tree stump to Nyagatare.

The cutting and trafficking of the species is punishable under article 412 of the organic law on the demolition and environmental degradation whose sentence ranges from six months to three years and a fine of Frw200, 000 to Frw3 million.

Police has arrested Bitegetsimana Olivier 29, found in posession with 120Kgs of marijuana narcotic drug.
He was arrested at Kimisagara sector in Nyarugenge district over the weekend.

The operation follows the first one which was carried out recently in different parts of the country and saw 80 people arrested in connection with the act and 185Kgs of cannabis seized in the process.

Most of the people arrested are the youth who are most involved in these criminal acts.

MPs from Eastafrican legislative assembly says that Gacaca courts and Abunzi initiatives are among the best homegrown innovations that other East African countries should learn from.

This was noted during their work visit to Rwanda.

The president of Rwanda’s Supreme court Prof. Sam RUGEGE has said apart from Gacaca and Abunzi, the judiciary sector acts fairly and in a democratic way.

Hon. Petere Mutuku Mathuku from Kenya noted that Gacaca courts was a significant achievement that Rwanda used to prosecute the 1994 genocides crimes adding that other countries in the region should learn from the courts while resolving conflicts among citizens.

Representatives from eleven participating Fisheries Administrations, Regional Fishery Organisations and Regional Economic Communities in Eastern Africa will meet in Rwanda,(10-12 October ) for the 3rd Regional ACP Fish II Programme Monitoring Workshop and Training in Monitoring and Evaluation.

The objectives of the Workshop are threefold: Collectively monitor ongoing ACP Fish II projects in Eastern Africa, identify and implement corrective actions;

Describe the revised ACP Fish II monitoring and evaluation system, complete Project Evaluation Grids and score indicators accordingly;

Expose Participants to selected fishery realities in Rwanda.

ACP Fish II is a demand-driven programme financed by the European Commission (EC) under the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) aimed at strengthening fisheries management in ACP countries.

The Programme has been developed to contribute to the sustainable and equitable management of fisheries and by extension will lead to poverty alleviation and improved food security in ACP countries.

Over € 3.3 million have been allocated to implement 31 national and regional fisheries and aquaculture projects in the Eastern Africa Region.

13 of these projects are completed, while 3 others are ongoing, and the remaining 15 projects are at various levels of development.

Rwanda is receiving support from the Programme alongside other countries of the region through a number of projects for its fisheries and aquaculture sector management and development.

The Ministry of Education today handedover a cheque of Rwf 198,976,618 Million to the permanent secretary of MINECOFIN as the contribution to support Rwanda’s development through Agaciro development fund.

The amount of money will be collected in a period of one year.

MINEDUC staff agreed to voluntarily contribute one of the monthly salaries.

Among contributors there are MINEDUC staffs, Rwanda Education Board, Workforce Development Authority (WDA), National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Commission Nationale Rwandaise pour l’UNESCO (CNRU), Capacity Building for Education for All Project (CApEFA), Skills Development in Science and Technology Project (SDST) and Remera Hospitality Academy.

Uganda Police have arrested Forum for Democratic Change leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye being held at the Central Police Station in Kampala city .

Local media reported that Besigye was arrested Monday in downtown Kampala in his attempt to address vendors at a city market.

The arrest of the FDC politician comes in the wake of a move by Police to block some members of the opposition from holding planned rallies around Kampala city.

As Besigye planned to hold a rally at the Constitutional Square, Kampala mayor Erias Lukwago intended to tour the New Taxi Park.

The two political leaders who command a huge following have since been arrested.

According to the planning department in the Ministry of Education, the progress made in the sector of Education in Rwanda in 2012 is satisfactory.

This was revealed during a meeting between the Ministry of Education and its partners who noted that this year 2012 goals were achieved at 92%.

MINEDUC managed to construct nearly 2,700 classrooms and 5,500 latrines and recruitment of 2,348 new teachers.

There was 12% increase in the number of secondary students in public and government-aided schools.

1 million textbooks and supplementary learning materials were distributed at secondary level and nearly 3 million textbooks were procured at primary level.

382 School-Based Mentors have been recruited from across the region to support teachers in schools and a plan is now in place to roll out the scheme more comprehensively across all schools in Rwanda.

Last month, Rwanda was awarded the Commonwealth Good Practice Award 2012 for his innovative fast-tracking strategies as part of the 9 Years Basic Education program.

In the area of Technical, Vocational Education and Training, the launch of the Rwanda TVET Qualification Framework will go a long way in providing direction towards the realization of the much needed mid-level technical skills for our growing economy.