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  • Uwinkindi Trial: Candidates for Monitoring Mechanism Listed

    A list of international institutions has been submitted to the President of the Tribunal which could be selected to serve as Monitoring Mechanism for the genocide trial of Pastor Jean Uwinkindi in Rwanda.

    The Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) submitted on March 16.

    The list includes the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Right (ACHPR) which was first considered for the job but demanded a total of 571,920 US dollars per year.

    Others candidate are ICJ-Kenya, Amnesty International, L’Observatoire International des Avocats, the Pan African Lawyers Union and the International Senior Lawyers Project.

    In his report, the Registrar asked the ACHPR to reconsider its position on the remuneration of its commissioners whom alone would take nearly 300,000 US dollars of the proposed package. According to the report no response has been received so far.

    On February 24, then ICTR President Judge Khalida Rashid Khan ordered the stay of transfer to Rwanda of Pastor Uwinkindi until the establishment of a suitable monitoring mechanism for his trial.

    ‘’The President has invited the parties (defence and prosecution) to give their comments on the report in seven days from the date they received it if any,’’ said the Tribunal Spokesperson, Roland Amoussouga.

    All these institution according to the Registrar report , would not request remuneration but asked for subsistence and travel allowances, monitors privileges and immunities and security.

    Pastor Uwinkindi is charged with genocide and extermination.

    The accused was born in Rutsiro commune, Kibuye prefecture (west Rwanda) in 1951. He was arrested in connection with the charges on June 30, 2010 in Uganda as he was coming into the country from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    He was transferred to ICTR in Arusha, Tanzania on July 2, 2010.

  • Family Arrested over Illegal Border Crossing

    Five members of a family were yesterday arrested while attempting to illegally cross the border into neighbouring Tanzania. The incidence happened at Nyagatare district involving three children and their father and mother.

    The suspects are held at Rwimiyaga Police Station.

    Didas Gakwandi, Gotheni Kankindi with their children Fred Nsengiyumva, Penzi Kemirembe and Katurebe did not posses any travelling documents and were seized while attempting to cross through an illegal route known as Karushuga.

    According to Police sources, the family will be held as Police investigates whether they weren’t fleeing from justice.

    Police is using the brief detention to advise them to refrain from illegal border crossing and seek legitimate travel documents.

    According to Gakwandi, the family was leaving the country to seek greener pastures and join relatives in Tanzania. He claimed that getting travel documents was expensive.

    District Police Commander, Superintendant Edward Kayitare said that illegal border crossing is common to people crossing over to Uganda but was rare for people to cross to Tanzania.

    “We are sensitizing people mostly through community gatherings to bring awareness about the dangers involved in crossing borders illegally and mobilize them to seek travel documents”, said SUPT Edward Kayitare.

    Police Spokesperson, Superintendant Theos Badege said that the methods and routes used in illegal border crossing are dangerous and risky.

    “The process of acquiring travel documents has become much easier and shouldn’t be used as an excuse to travel illegally,” Badege said.

  • Presidential Advisory Council Focuses on Tourism, Mining

    President Paul Kagame today chaired the 10th Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) meeting at his private residence at Lake Muhazi IGIHE has learnt.

    Members reviewed the impact of PAC initiatives and their contribution to Rwanda’s growth over the last five years. The council also discussed new strategies to boost Rwanda’s tourism and mining sectors.

    The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Pichette Kampeta briefed the council on the state of the economy, using results from the first phase of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, as well as the recently released Household Income and Living Conditions, and Demographic and Health Surveys, to illustrate Rwanda’s growth.

    Rwanda Development Board CEO, John Gara briefed PAC on private investments, while the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Caroline Kayonga and Rwanda Development Board’s Rica Rwigamba made presentations on mining and tourism respectively.

    Following today’s discussions, PAC members will on Tuesday tour tourism and mining sites in southern Rwanda, for a first-hand look at ongoing activities in the sectors, before regrouping for a final session.

    PAC was formed in September 2007 and meets twice a year, chaired by President Kagame, with the aim of identifying new and practical interventions that will drive forward Rwanda’s socio-economic transformation.

  • Business Registration in Rwanda Takes 6 Hours

    To register Business in Rwanda now takes only six Hours. It has previously been 24hours. The registration process and the requirements remain the same.

    Rwanda Development Board (RDB) last Friday announced the new reform as part of the comprehensive business reform agenda aimed at creating a foundation for making it much easier for the business community to operate in Rwanda.

    The cost for registration remains at Rwf 15.000 (US$ 25) while online registration is free of charge. The Business Development Centres (BDCs) continue to facilitate business registration in the Provinces for clients who are unable to travel to Kigali.

    “This proves the Government’s commitment to improve service delivery and ease doing business in Rwanda in order to further develop the Private sector,” said Louise Kanyonga, the Registrar General while officially announcing the change in time for business registration.

    “We put the private sector at the forefront when we are reforming, therefore we are committed to reducing any possible hurdles they face,” Kanyonga added.

    This was announced coincidentally during the study tour to RDB of Senators and Members of Parliaments from Africa, Europe and Development Partners from World Bank, IMF and ADB.

    The Senators and MPs were in Rwanda on a 3day high-level meeting of international parliamentarians organised by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB).

    The conference dubbed “Private sector development in Africa: Cornerstone for sustainable growth,” was opened by the President of Rwanda, HE Paul Kagame and other notable key Speakers were Obiageli Ezekwesili, the WB Vice President for Africa; and Arnold Ekpe, the President of ECOBANK, Alain Destexhe, MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Network and Roger Nord, Deputy Director, IMF’s Africa Department.

    The conference also discussed how countries can improve their ranking in international evaluations, notably in the global Doing Business report.

    Most high ranking countries in the World Bank’s Doing Business report register their businesses in 8 hours. Rwanda currently ranks 8th in the world in the ease of starting a business considering the procedures, time, and cost.

    TheDoing Business Project provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 183 economies and selected cities at the sub-national and regional level.

    Launched in 2002, the project looks at domestic small and medium-size companies and measures the regulations applying to them through their life cycle.

    The business reforms are part of the government’s wider efforts to promote Rwanda as a business and investment destination, in order to drive the growth of the private sector and generate wealth.

  • Isaro Foundation to Host ‘Book-Drive’ in USA

    Isaro Foundation will host a ‘book-drive’ at Oklahoma Christian University in the United States between March 26 and April 1aimed at addressing the lack of books in Rwandan schools.

    At the event, Isaro Foundation encourages students and professors to participate by donating any books they can spare in the student center.

    “Many high schools in Rwanda have books, but they’re outdated- most were written in the 1980s or 70s especially science books. Students in Rwanda have many tests about reading, but they can’t get sources to read from,”Thierry Tuyishimire says.

    “Many people here have books they don’t use. If they have books at home they don’t use anymore they can give them to Isaro Foundation. We collect them. Students that have books for a class that they completed that would be good for high school students, would have a positive impact in a Rwandan school.”

    Junior Robert Rugamba working with Isaro encourages students at Oklahoma Christian University to participate in the book drive because it doesn’t cost anything.

    Donating books will allow students to change people’s lives in Rwanda by improving reading skills.

    “There is a need and [students at Oklahoma Christian University] have the means to solve it, and it’s not costly. We need all the help and cooperation of the university to make this a success. When people go home over spring break they can get any books they have.”

    The Oklahoma Christian chapter of the Isaro Foundation started last September and has already donated 2,000 books to four high schools in Rwanda.

  • Huye Women Promise to Combat Malnutrition

    Women in Huye district have expressed intentions to boost the quality of their lives through combating malnutrition.

    Testimonies of success stories were presented by some women who have built their lives with very little thus encouraging other women to become courageous and change their lives.

    Kayiranga Muzuka Eugène, the Mayor of Huye district said women should play guiding role in helping their husbands and community to attain development.

    The representative of the forum for female members of parliament Honorable Jacqueline Mukakanyamugenge noted that celebrating the women’s day this year will take a month where women and girls will participate in various activities aimed at improving Rwandan’s welfare, especially by fighting malnutrition.

    Dr. Alexis Nzahabwanimana, Minister of state in charge of transport praised the role of women in developing the country, “the road is still long. Women should step ahead to reach sustainable development.”

    In Huye, the international women’s day was celebrated at Ruhashya sector, where female students were awarded prizes for performing well in the national examinations. Women that also showed good will in developing themselves in 2011 were awarded.

  • Children in Orphanages Reintegrated in Families

    According to preliminary findings of the recently conducted “National survey on the situation of children living in orphanages ‘institutions’ in Rwanda”, there are 3,153 children currently living in 33 children institutions.

    This was revealed at the restitution meeting with institution managers organized by the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) and National Children’s Commission (NCC) in collaboration with Hope and Homes for Children (HHC-Rwanda).

    Hope and Homes for children is an international NGO working closely with MIGEPROF and National Commission for children in moving children living in institution to families under a programme called de-institutionalisation (DI).

    Hope and Homes for children Rwanda, assessed by this using a professional team of psychologists and social workers who do initial child and family assessment, family tracing, family and child preparation, child placement and post placement support.

    Based on their investigations and assessment, the professional team takes a professional placement decision in the interest of the child. For example, although in some situations where a child is known to be having parents, it does not mean that the child is automatically reunited with them; there are unique cases where a child should not be placed under a parent’s family.

    There was a case of Boaz (not real names) who refused to reunite with the father, “ I cannot stay with my father because he killed my brother… when I grow up in future I want to become a killer…”, he commented.

    On further inquiry, he revealed that his father killed his brother and his ambition was to revenge by killing his father. Such cases determine a placement decision to an alternative family and not necessarily his father’s family.

    The ceremonies for moving children out of the institution to families are normally characterized by both excitement and sorrow.

    Whereas some children are excited about their parents coming to receive them from the institution, the remaining children are filled with sadness and consider themselves as unlucky and hated ones.

    This was witnessed clearly at one of the move ceremonies held recently at Mpore Pefa, where 4children were being received by their parents and care givers.

    The Country director of HHC, Madam Claudine Nyinawagaga, who presided over the ceremony, had to counsel the remaining children and assure them that they will be joining their families soon.

    She further pointed out “helping a child is helping the whole of next generation and children need family life to fulfill their potential. HHC-Rwanda is committed to the rights of children to grow up in families and all people should follow the example given by these families who take care of children”.

    The ceremony was attended by Kigarama Sector representative who pledged support to HHC-Rwanda in preventing new entries into the institution and by monitoring the movement of children into families living in Kigarama Sector where the institution is located.

    According to Epaphrodite Nsabimana the Head of Programme management at Hope and Homes for Children Rwanda, 46 % of the children moved out of Mpore Pefa come from Kicukiro District where the institution is located.

    This shows how the Institution has a pooling effect on the families in the neighborhood where it is located.

    Innocent Habimfura, the Head of Programme management – Community and alternative services at HHC, noted that children whose traces have not been established yet will placed into alternative family care which includes foster care and local adoption. “We will make sure that every child from Mpore Pefa finds a loving family, no child will be left behind” he commented.

  • Rwandan Student Elected Guild President at Netherlands Varsity

    A Rwandan student Mugabi Stephen Mukarage aged 30 has been elected as Guild President at Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands.

    Mugabi competed for the Guild president post against Francis Korankye a Ghanaian student at the university by the names of Francis Korankye, and the results were announced yesterday evening and I was declared the winner.

    Mugabi studied college in Uganda at Ntare School and later joined Makerere University where he graduated with a distinction in Economics.

    He served as Vice President and later as Speaker for Makerere University Banyarwanda Students Association (MUBSA).

    “I have been working as Labour market information system specialist (LMIS) at Rwanda Development Board (RDB). I have received international trainings in V.V.Giri National Labour Institute (NewDelhi-India) on labour and employment in the globe economy (2008).

    He also trained in Germany at Bundesegenture Fur Albert in 2009 on Labour market statistics and also at Pan-African institute in Pretoria in 2010 on Manpower development and sector policies.

    Mugabi relocated to Netherlands in September to pursue a master’s degree in corporate strategy and economic policy at Maastricht school of management in the Netherlands.

    After announcement of results where Mugabi emerged winner, his opponent Korankye sent an email to Mugabi noting, “I accept the results. Sampson and Co. thanks for your votes. However, the people have spoken so let’s grant them their wish. Bravo Steve!”

  • Tobacco Kills 5 Million Every Year–WHO

    In every six seconds one person dies from a tobacco related disease. This amounts to 5million deaths globally every year.

    The alarming statistics are contained in a new report released March 15th by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), entitled “Mortality Attributable to Tobacco”.

    Dr.Ala Alwan, the UN WHO Assistant Director-General in charge of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health says, “Unless strong actions are taken to halt the tobacco epidemic, one billion people are projected to die this century – we cannot let this happen. All countries should implement the Convention on tobacco control.”

    The report shows that 5% of all deaths from communicable diseases worldwide and 14 % of deaths resulting from non-communicable illnesses among adults aged 30 and above were attributable to tobacco use.

    Globally, each year Tobacco use is responsible for 5 million (12%) of all deaths of adults above the age of 30.

    For the first time, a United Nations report provides estimated mortality rates attributable to tobacco for 2004, the year before the international treaty on tobacco came into force.

    In 2005 the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into effect. It requires parties to restrict tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion. It also set new labeling and clean indoor air controls and strengthening laws against tobacco smuggling.

    “Although many people associate tobacco with non-communicable diseases such as cancers, heart and respiratory diseases, tobacco is also a major cause of communicable diseases – tuberculosis being a case in point where the disease is at times in latent or dormant state until activated by tobacco use,” said Dr. Alwan, says in his forward message in the report.

    Globally, deaths from tobacco-related cardiovascular diseases were more likely to occur among younger adults. 38% of deaths of adults resulting from ischemic heart disease in the 30-44 age group were attributable to tobacco, while 71 % of all lung cancer deaths were linked to the use of tobacco.

    The report contains country-specific estimates including death rates attributable to tobacco. It is intended to help countries assess the mortality of tobacco use and measure the success of efforts to discourage the use of the substance.

    It follows the 2008 WHO report on the issue, which prompted some Member States to request the agency to consider generating estimates to give them an indication of their progress in combating tobacco use.

    The regions with the highest number of deaths related to the use of tobacco are the Americas and Europe where tobacco use has been in use longer, according to the report.

  • 8 Killed in Bus Accident

    Eight Passengers died and five were seriously injured in an accident on Friday at about 11:30 Am at Rugarika sector in Kamonyi district.

    The accident occurred when two vehicles got involved in a head-on collision. One car was heading to Ngororero district and another was enroute from Nyanza. The vehicles are said to be belonging to Horizon Express and Africa Tours both are transport companies.

    34 passengers from both vehicles sustained minor or serious injuries. 15 causalities are being hospitalized.

    Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent BADEGE said the accident was caused by reckless driving and overspeeding.

    Chief. Supt. Badege also calls upon passengers to report to police via SMS cases of reckless driving.