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Police has arrested three people for posessing counterfeit currency notes worth Frw 368,000. The suspects were arrested in two separate operations.

Police in Kayonza district, Nyamirama sector apprehended Mustafa Rushirabwoba 46 and Gilbert Ndikumana 18 as they tried to send Frw 368, 000 worth of counterfeit money through Tigo cash.

The two are detained at Mukarange Police Station.

In a different scenario, in Karongi District, Bwishyuza Sector, Police arrested one Eric Habimana 22, with counterfeit currency worth Frw 68,000.

The suspect is being held at Bwishyura Police Station while investigations to track down other suspects continue.

“We are particularly pleased with the collaboration of the public”, Police Spokesperson Superintendent Theos Badege said, referring to the people who tipped of Police leading to the arrest of three.

Hon. Jesca Eriyo, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors has reaffirmed the importance of collaboration if the region is to successfully manage its transboundary natural resources.

She made the remarks while opening a three-day workshop on transboundary conservation on Tuesday in Arusha, Tanzania, stated that better management of cross-border resources and ecosystems was an essential driver for economic growth.

At the workshop, whose theme is “Managing transboundary resources for the enhancement of the region’s sustainable development”, Hon. Eriyo observed.

She added that through its specialized institutions and with support from development partners the EAC had initiated numerous transboundary natural resource management projects in an effort to achieve sustainable social-economic development from these shared resources.

She noted that EAC is cognizant of the fact that collaborative transboundary resource management practices can help avoid or reduce duplication of efforts, creating economies of scale and enhancing economic opportunities.

Meanwhile, on behalf of United States Government delegation head Julie Fischer, the US Africa Coordinator for Foreign Service Programs Matthew Edwardsen reiterated the country’s strong commitment to promotion of livelihoods and conservation of ecosystems across East Africa.

The workshop is expected to agree a structure and roadmap for promoting, developing and coordinating transboundary conservation in the region; agree mechanisms and processes for sharing information on transboundary initiatives, activities and experiences; and develop a workshop statement on transboundary ecosystems conservation in East Africa, among others.

EAC has organized the transboundary conservation workshop in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the United States Forest Service.

President Paul Kagame has made a surprise visit to Uganda where he was received by his counterpart President Yoweri Museveni at the State House Entebbe.

The Plane Carrying President Kagame touched ground at Entebbe International Airport at Mid-day on Tuesday.

Details of their discussions have not yet been made public. Uganda’s Daily Monitor has only published leaked Photos of President Kagame shaking hands with President Museveni at State House Entebbe.

The photo is tagged to a story with a headline “Uganda tops Africa in blood donation” probably to scoop their archrival state owned New Vision.

NewVision carried a lead story of Heroic welcome of EALA Speaker Margaret Zziwa Tuesday at Entebbe Airport upon her return from Arusha Tanzania.

Equally Rwanda’s State owned media and Rwandas only Print Daily has not published this surprise visit by President Kagame to Uganda.

Presently Rwanda and Uganda relations can be described as Excellent.

Mangwashi Phiyega is the first woman to head the South African Police.
Her appointment follows the firing of Gen Bheki Cele who had been accused of corruption.

South African President Jacob Zuma told Media that he had “decided to relieve Gen Cele of his duties”.

Gen Cele, whose predecessor was jailed for corruption, was suspended in October after it emerged he had been implicated in alleged unlawful property deals – he had denied any wrongdoing.

He played a key role in Zuma’s hard-fought campaign to be elected president in 2009.

Last year a South African corruption investigator, Thuli Madonsela, ruled that police buildings were leased from a company at inflated prices.

Madonsela – who is South Africa’s public protector, a role similar to that of an ombudsman – accused Gen Cele of being among those who were ultimately responsible for the “fatally flawed” deals.

Wednesday June 13, the High Court in Dar es Salaam will be presented with evidence and supporting documents by way of affidavit to prove that Lulu is under age.

Elizabeth Michael a.k.a Lulu is charged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court with murdering local movie star Steven Kanumba on April 7, this year, at Sinza Vatican.

Tuesday court Judge Fauz Twaibu ordered defence lawyers of Lulu to submit evidence about age of the actress supporting their claim she is under the age of 18.

Defence counsel led by advocate Peter Kibatala filed the application at the High Court seeking the determination of the accused’s age.

Lawyers stated that Lulu has not attained the age of 18 years to merit prosecution in an adult court.

The application by Kibatara followed a decision by the lower court to turn down their request to transfer the murder case to a juvenile court on the ground that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

However, in his ruling Monday, Judge Twaib quashed and set aside the decision by the resident magistrate’s court to refuse to entertain the application, saying it was an error in law and an abdication of duty.

“Consequently, I hold that the lower court was wrong to refuse to entertain the application, thinking that such an enquiry could only be done by this court.
I quash and set aside the decision of the Kisutu Court,” the judge ruled.

The judge said, considering the seriousness of the charge facing the applicant and the urgency of determining whether or not the applicant is entitled to the benefits of the Child Act and in the interest of justice, the court is invoking its supervisory powers under Section 44 of the Magistrate’s Court Act and shall proceed to determine the correct age of the applicant in terms of Section 113 of the Child Act.

The judge said that the nature and seriousness of the charge facing the applicant, the lack of any possibility for securing bail, during the pendency of the charge and undisputed urgency of the matter require that the controversy about her age be determined the soonest.

He further ruled that, in the meantime, the proceedings of the murder case at the lower court should stay, pending determination of the applicant’s age in the High Court.

The judge ordered the applicant’s counsel to produce evidence on their client’s age on June 13 while prosecution required submitting their reply on June 20 while the hearing would be on June 25.

Former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak 84, has accused the current government that ousted him of planning to kill him in jail.

‘They want to kill me. Save me, Farid, find me a solution,” said Farid al-Deeb, his chief lawyer in the murder and corruption trial that ended this month with his sentencing.

Mubarak is serving a life sentence over protester killings, has said the authorities “want to kill” him in jail as his health deteriorated, his lawyer told media.

The former president’s health has deteriorated since his imprisonment on June 2, and he was defibrillated twice to revive his heart on Monday.

He is currently being held in an intensive care wing of Cairo’s Tora prison. Prison authorities agreed on Monday to allow his son Alaa, also jailed in the same prison on corruption charges, to join him and his other son Gamal.

Mubarak’s wife Suzanne and his two daughters-in-law were given special permission to visit him on Sunday following rumours that he had died in prison.

The United States ambassador to the DRCongo has urged Congolese troops to destroy the M23 rebels confirming U.S. position through a statement issued on June 7 in Washington.

“We support efforts made by the Congolese government and its partners against the M23. Government has a duty to destroy the rebels.
You are right to destroy these rebels, “James Entwistle told the Congolese authorities in Goma.

He said the Congolese government has the right to destroy the Movement of March 23 (M23), currently under fire from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in North Kivu.

“We support the Congolese government’s efforts to discourage further desertions and bring to justice perpetrators of violations of human rights among the mutineers, including Bosco Ntaganda,” read the statement issued by the White House.

The rebel general was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, crimes against humanity committed in Ituri in 2002.

Ambassador Entwistle said that he made him a briefing on the military situation prevailing in that province.

The clashes between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the rebels have caused displacement of thousands into neighbouring countries including Uganda and Rwanda.

He noted that cooperation between Kinshasa and Washington did not begin with the case of M23.

“We trained Congolese soldiers a long time. We support this country for years, “he said.

This June 2012, the U.S. Department of State is hosting several events to promote economic growth throughout Africa by engaging women and youth, encouraging entrepreneurship, and strengthening U.S.- African economic partnerships.

The main events are the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum, the U.S.-Africa Business Conference, the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, the Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African Leaders, and Global Economic Statecraft Day.

The exchanges and opportunities for dialogue will bring economics to the forefront of the United States’ relationship with Africa and help us to build a stronger international economy together.

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum

The United States Department of State is hosting the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Washington D.C. from June 11th to 16th.

Enacted in 2000, AGOA serves to support free markets, increase U.S.-African trade and investment, and promote economic growth to integrate Sub-Saharan Africa into the global economy.

The Forum will bring together U.S. and African ministers, members of Congress, private sector and civil society representatives. The policy focus of this year’s forum is the importance of infrastructure (power, transportation, communications, etc.) to business development, trade and economic growth.

U.S. Africa Business Conference

The State Department, in collaboration with several U.S. Government agencies, will host the U.S.-Africa Business Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 21-22.

The U.S.-Africa Business Conference aims at providing an opportunity to showcase U.S. business expertise to potential African clients, and to highlight trade and investment opportunities in Africa to U.S. exporters and investors.

In addition to an official Government of Rwanda delegation, 11 Rwandan companies will also attend the conference to discuss investment and partnership opportunities.

African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP)

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Visitors is hosting women entrepreneurs from across Africa from June 4-22, 2012 on its third “African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP).

AWEP is an initiative launched by the State Department in July 2010 to foster networks of female entrepreneurs across Sub-Saharan Africa who are qualified to transform and develop their communities by owning, running, and operating businesses.

Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African Leaders (YAL)

The State Department will host the Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership with Young African Leaders from June 13th to 30th, 2012.

This three-week professional development program, sponsored by the U.S. government in collaboration with Meridian International Center, is part of the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative to engage young African leaders who promote positive change in their communities.

The two-day Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C. will launch the program, connecting business leaders, speakers, and international and local civil society activists.

Participants will travel to various destinations in the U.S. for the Mentoring Partnership with American companies and non-profit organizations. Through this opportunity, young African leaders will gain hands-on experience in the American workplace to foster their own professional leadership skills.

The program focuses on social entrepreneurship as a tool for maximizing Africa’s potential to create jobs and opportunities and aim to enhance U.S.-African collaboration to promote innovation, investment, and social responsibility.

The U.S. Embassy in Rwanda is sending one young Rwandan, Clarisse Iribagiza, to participate. Clarisse Iribagiza is the winner of the East African reality TV show “Inspire Africa.

She is also at the head of HeHe Limited, a mobile applications development company founded in 2010 while she was a student at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

Global Economic Statecraft Day

Economic statecraft is one of the central pillars of American foreign policy. Through the Global Economic Statecraft initiative, established in 2011, the U.S. aims to increase U.S.-African trade and investment.

Global Economic Statecraft Day is a day set aside to highlight the United States’ support for business and to reflect on how to integrate better economics into our foreign policy.

To celebrate Global Economic Statecraft Day, the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda will host a Youth Entrepreneurship Program at the American Corner at the Rwanda Tourism University College in Gisenyi on June 14th at 2:00 p.m.

The event will feature a discussion on youth entrepreneurship in rural areas led by Charles Kayitana, a lecturer at the School of Finance and Banking (SFB).

Kayitana will lead discussions on best practices in “customer care” with students, small business owners, tourism employees and transport service professionals.

Participants from neighboring Goma in DRC are also invited.