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If passed into law, the draft law currently before Cabinet awaiting passing into a Presidential Order, will empower Kigali city as a stronger entity that will be in charge of all developments in the three districts that makeup the capital city.

Fidel Ndayisaba Kigali city Mayor told a local daily that the new law will harmonise all plans developed by the three districts.

“We want Kigali to become a business oriented city and are very optimistic this new policy, once approved, will be a very positive move towards the development of the city”.

The three Kigali city districts including; Nyarugenge, Kicukiro, and Gasabo, will only be in charge of social affairs.

Local Government Minister James Musoni was quoted by the local daily saying that “budget will also be centralized”.

However, Minister Musoni explains that the new policy, “will not remove the three districts; they will remain with their autonomy while facilitating certain developments in compliance with the City of Kigali”.

IGIHE has reliably learnt that MTN has moved up 12 places to the 188th position in the world’s most valuable brand rankings and maintained its position as Africa’s only company in the Brand Finance Global 500 grading.

MTN boasts of 164.6 million subscribers across its 22 markets in Africa and the Middle East. By 31 December 2011 MTN Group revenue had increased by 9.7% to R121, 884 million and subscribers grew to 164.5 million, an increase of 16.2% from 2010.

“MTN’s impressive growth are a result of hard work and resourcefulness of the MTN people whose passion for the mobile business and superior customer experience continues to inspire MTN to new global heights every year,” said De Faria.

“We are very pleased with our global ranking accolade. It shines the spotlight on our efforts to grow the MTN brand through differentiated offerings that go beyond merely enabling our subscribers to make a voice call, but to empower them to become active global economic citizens through access to world-class telecommunications services, including data,” says Christian de Faria, MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer.

“Being recognised as the only African brand in the top 500 Global Brands for two consecutive years is an inspiration. We have invested a lot in ensuring that MTN is reflective of our customers and our markets and what makes them so unique and special.”

“From our sponsorship of the 2012 FIFA World Cup to our involvement in community projects in each of our markets, we are proud to connect with our customers in a meaningful way and to be recognized on a global stage,” says Jennifer Roberti, MTN’s Executive for Marketing.

Nine Hundred students have been awarded with degrees and diplomas at the Kigali institute of Science and Technology-KIST.

This is the tenth graduation ceremony held since KIST was established.

The minister of Education Dr. Vincent Biruta the chief guest at the function told the graduates are welcome to the job market and encouraged girls to also embrace technology courses.

KIST Rector, Dr. Mujawamariya Jeanne D’Arc said the graduates had undergone industrial training at various institutions while others had developed project proposals that would be beneficial to the country’s development.

Mujawamariya told the graduates to create their own Jobs and desist from job seeking.

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) will on March 26, launch a national Customer Care Campaign “Na Yombi” at Serena Hotel, Kigali to sensitise the public on the importance of good customer care to the country.

A communiqué this reporter has seen says the campaign is part of the continued effort to promote and support the private sector, especially the private sector in order for the country to achieve accelerated socio-economic development.

“The objective of the new campaign is to influence behavioral change both in public and private sectors and create channels through which we can initiate public dialogue in order to create awareness about the reality of customer service in Rwanda and how it impacts on economic growth,” reads the communiqué from RDB.

The campaign comes at the time when there is concern that customer care is lacking in the services sector. Particularly, the hospitality industry is greatly affected by the poor customer care despite the factor that it is the leading foreign exchange earner for the country.

Rwanda wants to gain a competitive edge in the region’s tourism industry through the campaign to boost customer care. According to RDB, tourism receipts increased by 25% in 2011, from $200M to $252M as the investments in the sector in 2011 amounted to $117M compared to $106M in 2010.

Early this year, RDB together with representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Private Sector Federation, hospitality associations as well as the quality standards taskforce within the Tourism Unit met to identify ways of improving customer care in the hotels and restaurants.

Speaking to the press then, Rica Rwigamba, the Head of Tourism and Conservation at RDB, said it was agreed that the association of hoteliers embarks on an urgent programme to ascertain the standards and quality of services delivered by hotels and other hospitality facilities.

Last year the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR) released a report calling for the urgent solutions to the problem that could even push back foreign earnings but employment as well.

The report shows that 25% of tourists experienced bad customer experience during their stay in Rwanda.

“Rwandan customer service is seen as the worst in the East African region, which comprises of Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Poor customer service and its impact on the Rwandan economy,” said Gloria Lwakabamba the lead researcher.

To boost Government efforts, high institutions of learning like Rwanda Tourism University College now offer courses hospitality where the issues of customer care are empahsised. But it is hoped the upcoming nationwide campaign will deliver positive results and grow the sector further.

Thirty military officers from East African member states have concluded a three-week security training at Rwanda Peace Academy, Nyakinama in Musanze district.

Col. Kabandana Innocent the head of Rwanda Military Academy urged the participants to apply the skills acquired during the training.

Police in Rwamagana is holding three suspects found in possession with over 80Kgs of Cannabis an illegal drug in Rwanda.

Emmanuel Iranzi, Mustafa Gashugi and Jean Pierre Bizimana were arrested Tuesday at Musha Police check point after they were found carrying cannabis.

According to Police sources in Rwamagana, Iranzi, the owner of cannabis had contracted Gashugi commuter taxi driver and his conductor Bizimana to transport the drug from Kirehe district to Kigali upon which they would receive Frw 3,500 as payment for the service.

After the arrest, Gashugi claimed that he didn’t know that he wasn’t transporting drugs. Iranzi however, insisted that Gashugi was well aware of the plot as he had agreed to receive payment on condition that they arrived in Kigali without any hitch.

Police in Rwamagana attribute the arrest to timely information from Community Policing Committees in Kirehe district.

Workers at Real contractors Ltd receive their salaries in a very unique and environmentally friendly manner. Salaries are electronically wired to their mobile phones.

Once the transaction is successful, the recipient is notified by a text message on their mobile phone.

Kalinganire Viviens the Human Resource and Administration Manager at Real Contractors told IGIHE that over 1000 workers at different sites in the country receive their salaries through the MTN mobile money transfer system.

“For the past three months we have paid our casual workers by use of the mobile money transfer. We normally pay twice a month. The first installments are wired on every 15th of the month and later at the end of the month.”

Kalinganire told IGIHE that more than Frw24Million in cash is transferred to workers mobile phone accounts as salaries every month, “The method is quick and effective. We haven’t encountered any problems so far and our staffs are happy with this method.”

Real Contractors has partnered with MTN-Rwanda to make the sure that the whole Idea of effecting payments for Real Contractors salaries is realized without a hitch. MTN meets and sensitises Real Contractors workers at sites and offers them free SimCards and registration is done at the site.

Every Real Contractors site in the country is required to submit a list of workers at the site including their mobile phone numbers. The list is forwarded to the head office in Kigali.

Details for every staff are assessed before any transactions for their Salaries are effected to their mobile phones. The transactions are made at MTN Head Quarters thus more secure.

Real Contractors established a mobile money account with MTN where money is deposited. Before any transactions are made, Real contractors provide to MTN a genuine and current list of workers to be paid.

Later MTN effects transactions of different amounts to every mobile phone number on the list and recipients are notified by a short message asking them to visit a nearby MTN mobile money center and pick their salary.

Kalinganire explained that Real Contractors management had totally failed to pay casual workers on time located at all sites in the country.

“We accepted we had failed to effect payment of salaries on time to such a large number of workers until we came up with the mobile money transfer. It has actually worked without any challenges”.

However, Kalinganire said the mobile money transfer method is only considered for casual workers salaries. He said the method might be considered for other staff of the company.

Real contractors provide services including; Commercial construction services, Mechanical and Electrical engineering services and Real Estate development and management.

Kalinganire further calls upon Rwandans in the Diaspora to invest in Rwanda in the construction sector. “Rwanda is a virgin economy. The taxes citizens are paying are worth it and the investment policy is clear and favours investors”.

Real Contractors Ltd emerged winner of the RDB Business Excellence Award 2011 for the Construction and Real Estate Sector. The company emerged victorious in the pool of over eight firms that competed for the award.

Real Contractors Ltd has constructed the plush Kabuga Hillside Estates, Kagugu Villas, Nyarutarama Palm Village and Gacuriro Maisonettes amongst several other commercial construction projects.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has today visited YDA construction firm in Turkey where the president is on a three day working visit.

YDA was founded in 1993 and now is engaged in General contracts, Investment projects , turn key projects , design and build projects , airports , smart buildings, industrial facilities , infrastructure projects , roads, bridges , squares , multi floor buildings , collective housing , residences , villas , real estates and housing development , business centers , hotels , hospitals , school complexes and Build- Operate- Transfer projects.

According to YDA construction is steadily growing and is becoming an international company as implementing its projects inside and outside turkey in countries such as: Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Abu Dhabi, Russia, Moldova, and Saudi Arabia.

Rwanda is considering attracting YDA to invest in the country where construction boom is gaining pace in areas including Real Estate, Roads, Airports, schools and much more complementary services and products.

After a short time of 16 years YDA has become an important brand in Construction section by intense pace of work and young, dynamic and focused team.

All YDA activities are under international subjects of safety and environment and the company owns ISO 9001 quality management, ISO 14001 environment management, and OHSAS 18001 work safety and worker health certificates.

YDA Construction is continuing to be one of the leading companies in construction sector in Turkey.

Mali troops have besieged the presidential palace and interrupted state television and radio broadcasts.

Reports indicate that an unnamed renegade soldier claiming that rebels had seized the palace and arrested several ministers after a gun battle with elite paratroopers.

The African Union has also issued a stern warning to Mali troops, “The AU is deeply concerned by the reprehensible acts currently being perpetrated by some elements of the Malian Army in Bamako, Mali, a statement from AU Commission Chief Jean Ping office said.

Ping expressed the strong condemnation by the AU of any attempt to seize power by force, and stressed the need to respect constitutional legitimacy as represented by the republican institutions, including that of the President of the Republic, Mr Amadou Toumani Toure.