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  • Three Arrested Over Breaking Into House

    Police at Muhanga District, Southern Province has detained three suspects accused of breaking into a house and stealing Rwf 27,000, a TV set and cell phone.

    According to a press statement from the Police, the two of the suspects Valantin Iyamuremye and Damascene Uwababyeyi admit to breaking into the house.

    Tharicisse Nkubiri, found in possession of the stolen equipments, denied any wrong doing but instead claimed he was framed due to his role in reporting criminals.

    Police spokesperson Supt. Theos Badege warned that breaking into people’s houses is a gigantic crime and in most cases results in murder as criminals are usually armed with traditional weapons or riffles.

    “Muhanga is one of fast growing towns but the development should not be marred by crime,” Badege said.

    According to Muhanga District Mayor, Yvonne Mutakwasuku, the arrest was possible due to cooperation between Police, local leaders and reserve forces in the area.

    Mutakwasuku also pointed out that the suspects had recently been released from prison where they were serving time for consuming and dealing in marijuana.

    As a mechanism to counteract crimes that may arise due to idleness and disorder, the district authorities in collaboration with Police established a Transit Center where people involved in such crimes receive a one week training on technical skills that give them employment opportunities.

    The Mayor also said that the district is tirelessly working to have street lights which will contribute in addressing the problem of thieves.

  • Rwanda To Employ 4000 Kenyan Teachers

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    The Permanent Secretary in Kenyan Ministry of Education, James Kiyiapi has said that Rwandan Government made a request to employ 4000 graduate Kenyan teachers.

    According to the PS, the request was made, during his recent visit to Rwanda.

    Kiyiapi said as Rwanda switches to the English system commonly used in the East African community, there is a deficiency of English teachers, given the fact that Rwandese teachers mostly communicated in French as well as their native language.

    Kiyiapi made the statement at AIC Kalyet Secondary School, as a confirmation to students that if they strive hard, there are opportunities after school.

    Rwandan state Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Mathias Harebamungu, confirms the recruitment will be done in January 2012 to coincide with the new academic year and the 12-year basic education programme.

    Targeted countries are Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, but more attention will be drawn to Kenya, and the concerned are Professional teachers capable of using English as an instructing language.

    The 4000 teachers will be deployed to private and public schools across the country, and they are expected to teach students, fellow Rwandan teachers as well as Sector Executive Secretaries.

    According to the Ministry records 43,000 teachers have been trained in the English language in two different sessions.

    The training sessions were conducted by 1, 035 trainers, whereby 7000 were Rwandans, and the remaining Ugandans.

    Ugandans were paid Rwf 25,000 per day, whilst Rwandans received Rwf 20,000.

    Harebamungu said that the recruitment aims at putting Rwanda at the same level with the rest of EAC members, and thus boost their competency in the EAC market.

  • Parliament Grills Minister Of Infrastructure

    Top Officials of the Ministry of Infrastructure are being grilled by Legistilators in the on-going inquiries about issues of energy and water in the country.

    The two officials include; Minister of Infrastructure Albert Nsengiyumva and his assistant Emma Francoise Isumbingabo the state Minister in charge of Energy and Water. They both presented an overall report on status of Energy and water in the country.

    Minister Nsengiyumva presented an overview of both demanding sectors while the State Minister Isumbingabo presented an in-depth report on Rukarara hydro power project.

    Several parliamentarians from lower chamber of deputies expressed their dissatisfaction about the presentations from the two officials saying that what they presented was contrary to what is reflected on ground.

    Parliamentarians are worried if the government will be able to achieve what it aimed to attain by 2017 in only six years remaining to have a national electricity grid.

    The MP’s complained that Rukarara hydro power project and other energy related projects have not delivered to what was expected in past ten years.

    Parliamentarians are now requesting the speaker of parliament to allow the setting of the adhoc committee to thoroughly investigate and ascertain whether statistics presented by both ministers reflect what is on the ground as first suggested by deputy Abbas Mukama.

    Mukama questioned the State Minister about budgeted funds that were meant for production of electricity from the Rukarara hydro power plant since the Minister said that the plant can now only produce 9MW instead of 9.5MW.

    “There is where the state Minister said that there is a gap of 0.5MW which will not be produced as planned yet it was budgeted for. These are public funds. The difference of 0.5MW is equal to funds we voted for in the national budget. I remember we voted for over US $ 22m for the whole 9.5MW, where is this fund and how will it be accounted for”.

    “My suggestion is that let there be an adhoc committee that will carry out an in-depth investigation on ground to obtain independent findings to compare with what the ministers have presented,” Mukama suggested to the House.

    “They have told us about funds worth US $ 100,000(approx Rwf 59.6m) used to visit the entrepreneur of Sri-Lanka now in charge of the power plant. We need to know is that entrepreneur in Rwanda or in Sri-Lanka, visiting for what purpose? Why did it cost that much?,” Mukama added.

    Another MP, Henriette Mukamurangwa wondered whether in six years to 2017 target, government will have attained a national electricity grid of 1000MW.

    “Madam Speaker I have tried to pick from the figures they have given us and I have added up to 129MW by at least the end of 2012, Madam Speaker I am seeing a very long journey, how many years remaining now?”

    “We have a role of calling upon investors in the country, we shall invite investors, they will come and look around and go back, that is a big challenge, listening to the plans the ministry has, it looks like a more of just a speech, they are not tangible, we have heard such kind of speeches from their predecessors,” Mukamurangwa wondered.

    Mukamurangwa questioned again; “If the State Minister has told us that water distribution has reached 80%, it simply means that 8 million of Rwandans have water but i see that not reflected in the public, I think she should revisit her statistics and tell us the truth, this why I also propose an adhoc committee,” She added.

    According to many parliamentarians that spoke questioned their dissatisfaction about the Rukarara hydro power plant which is currently said to be producing actually 5.5MW and if fully functions it can only produce 7.2MW instead of 9MW mentioned by the state Minister Isumbingabo in her presentation to the lower chamber.

    It has been said that one of the three turbines at the power plant does not function.

    Before voting for the adhoc committee to be set for detailed investigations of the Rukarara hydro power plant project, the house has instead voted for the two Ministers to go back tomorrow to the lower chamber to respond to the questions fired against them.

    The two ministers were summoned after the lawmakers recently showed discontent over the manner in which Rukarara Hydro Power project was leased to a local firm, Digitech Solutions.

  • IGIHE.com CEO To Recieve World’s Outstanding Persons Award

    Meilleur Murindabigwi CEO of the Rwanda based online news paper igihe.com, will join 9 other young people from 160 countries in the world to receive their awards in what they called Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World 2011.

    The 10 young people will receive their awards from the Junior Chamber International (JCI) in the event that will take place in at JCI World Congress in Brussels, Belgium scheduled tomorrow Nov. 1 to 3.

    They are awarded of having creativity as young active citizens that made them reach their anticipated targets.

    Murindabagwi who was awarded of ‘Personal Improvement and/or Accomplishment’; after witnessing the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, wanted to provide a fresh start for the youth of Rwanda.

    Him and 12 other student volunteers started igihe.com, which publishes Rwandan breaking news and other daily information in the form of articles and videos.

    It is now published in three languages and has a full-time employed staff. The website has also expanded into an entire IT company, Igihe Ltd.

    Murindabigwi becomes the second Rwandan to be awarded by JCI after Dr. Joseph Ryarasa who last year in the category named, ‘Contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights’.

    Through great achievement and innovation the 2011 JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World are leading by example and creating positive change across the globe.

    Junior Chamber International honors ten outstanding young people under the age of 40 each year.

    These individuals exemplify the spirit of the JCI Mission and provide extraordinary service to their communities.

    Whether through service, innovation, determination or revolutionary thinking, these young active citizens create positive impact in their communities.

  • Senate President Calls For Population Decrease

    The president of the Senate Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo has this morning at Muhima Hospital in Kigali called for increased efforts to restrain population growth in Rwanda.

    Ntawukuriryayo was speaking at the handover ceremony of the baby kits to the parents of the symbolic seven billionth children born at the hospital.

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    Senate president challenged medical practitioners to lead the campaign against the cultural beliefs that encourage couples to have a large number of children by championing and sensitizing on family planning methods.

    While at the event Ntawukuriryayo also explained that having a manageable and small family will help improve living conditions for the population.

    The world today clicked seven billion people, 12 years after hitting six billion in 1999. In Rwanda the population is nearing 11 million.

    This year’s State of the World Population report, People and Possibilities in the World of 7 Billion, looks at the dynamics behind the numbers.

    It explains the trends that are defining the world of 7 billion and documents actions that people in vastly different countries and circumstances are taking in their own communities to make the most of the world.

    The report also makes the case for sound planning and investing in people.

  • Kenyans in Rwanda Pleadge to Plant 5000 Trees

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    The Kenyan community living inRwanda has a target plan of planting over 5000 trees in Gasabo at Nduva cell of Nyacyonga area.

    This was revealed by Boniface Mutua the Rwandan-Kenyan community Chiarman
    During the weekend’s Umuganda (a monthly communal cleaning day).

    The community planted 1,100 seedlings in honor of the late Kenyan Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai who was renowned to her campaign towards tree planting as a way to curbing effects of climate change.

    “We thank Gatsabo district for allocating us 5 hectares of land in Nyacyonga. We will continue supporting government initiatives especially those that are related to climate change since this is a matter that affects everyone. We intend to plant more trees during the next Umuganda,”Mutua said.

  • Government Prioritise Aviation Safety-Transport State Minister

    The State Minister in charge of transport Dr. Alexis Nzahabwanimana has said that government of Rwanda has prioritized aviation safety.

    Nzahabwanimana who was opening a two weeks training on civil aviation state safety program and safety management system at The Manor Hotel, said that where aviation safety is guaranteed is a contribution to development.

    “The Government has accorded high priority to aviation safety and will continue to work closely with stakeholder to enhance aviation safety.” Says Minister Nzahabwanimana.

    The training which attracted over 30 regulators, industry and aviation stakeholders operating in Rwanda, was organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization- African and Indian Ocean region (ICAO-AFI) in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda.

    In 2007 an audit was conducted by ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight pointed out that Rwanda’s inadequacy of qualified aviation personnel is the main hindrance to the fulfillment of Chicago Convention and participation in the global aviation market.

    According to the training facilitators the scope of the course is to provide Safety Management Concepts in line with ICAO standards and Recommendation practices, and also to develop skills that facilitate the implementation of a state safety program.

    “If Rwanda fulfilled its obligations concerning aviation safety, whilst RDC or any other country did not, ICAO’s purpose would not be met, therefore ICAO ensures the cooperation of all its 190 member states in all the domains of civil aviation.” One facilitator Zo’o Minto’o said.

    ICAO was established in 1994 as a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world.

    It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, along with aviation environmental protection.

  • Kagame, Zuma Hold Private Meeting in Perth

    President Paul Kagame had a private meeting with the South African president Jacob Zuma in western Australian city of Perth where CHOGM is taking place.

    The two presidents were briefed by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on the security situation in the war-torn Somalia.

    Kibaki told the two presidents that his government and the Transition Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, were trying to neutralise Al-Shaabab insurgents.

    He noted that Kenya’s invocation of the relevant United Nations Charter against continued aggression by Al-Shaabab militants was in self-defence.

  • Rwandan Community Welcomes High Commission in Australia

    Rwandans living in Australia have welcomed Rwanda’s new high commission in Australia now headed by Amb. Dr. Charles Murigande.

    The Rwandans expressed their excitement while meeting Minister of Foreign affairs Louise Mushikiwabo last Sunday.

    “We are very happy that we now have a High Commissioner here, what we are asking is for him to be close to us because we are not organized back here, we haven’t got time to get closer and socialize ,” One Rwandan living in Australia said in the time of questions and answers.

    Over 50 Rwandans living in Australia turned up for the meeting that also attracted Rwanda’s high commissioner to Australia who seat is Tokyo, Japan, Amb. Dr. Charles Murigande, Prof. Anastase Shyaka of Rwanda Governance Advisory Council and Rwanda Development Board CEO John Gara.

    Speaking to over 50 Rwandan community members in Australia, Mushikiwabo said, “We were told that we cannot find more than 20 Rwandans attending the event, but we can even meet you when you are only two, discus about the profitability of our nation and leave the place satisfied.”

    Present were also friends of Rwanda from different countries like DR Congo, Zimbabwe and Australia itself.

    The Minister also assured them of any support needed from Rwandan government in case of any problem incurred in such foreign countries.

    Prof. Anastase Shyaka of Rwanda Governance Advisory Council present at the event explained to the participants about the efforts and developments reached in Rwanda’s good governance while John Gara, RDB’s CEO lectured them about doing business in Rwanda.

    Rwandans in Australia welcomed John Gara’s presentation showing interest of being part of the country development and asking how they can be involved.

    It is the first time Rwandan government officials met the Rwandan community in Australia.

  • Report On Homosexuality In Rwanda To Be Released

    Information reaching igihe.com indicates that Ministry of Health is yet to present to the government research results detailing the relationship between Homosexuality and HIV prevalence in Rwanda.

    The survey that begun early this year 2011 is under supervision by the Health Ministry.

    However, a reliable source told this reporter that the results had been shelved saying that the officials found them ‘disturbing’ and that couldnt be made public.

    The Director General of Heath Communication Centre (HCC), Arthur Asiimwe denied allegations that the research results had been shelved.

    “Mr. Bigabo, this report has not been shelved or hidden from my office like you mention. It’s still under study and the principle investigator is still analyzing the data before validaing it. Keep your ears on the ground.” Asiimwe wrote in a comment he posted on the Rwanda Journalists Online Forum on Facebook last week.

    “Bigabo those are rumors. As I write this, am seated next to an investigator who is still working on the document. It cannot be presented to government before sectoral validation.” said Asiimwe who was contributing to a topic on the Forum that requested contributors to provide information on Homosexuality and HIV in Rwanda.

    The Executive Secretary of Rwanda National AIDS Control Commission (CNLS) Dr. Anita Asiimwe added that the research is ongoing and will soon be presented to partners for validation.

    However, Dr. Asiimwe couldn’t share any information from the findings citing that it was against the research policy.

    “At this moment I can’t say anything since the report is being handled by the ministry of health,” she remarked.

    When contacted the Health Minister Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, she said, “I’m in a meeting”. When insisted Binagwaho said; “ Wrong Rumors”.

    In related development, the Prime Minister of Britain David Cameron has threatened to consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise Homosexuality rights.

    Cameron told Commonwealth leaders in Perth, Australia after they failed to adopt reforms on the Gay rights issue.

    “Britain is now one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights, and that includes how people treat gay and lesbian people,” Cameron said.

    “British aid should have more strings attached, in terms of do you persecute people for their faith or their Christianity, or do you persecute people for their sexuality. We don’t think that’s acceptable.”

    Asked on whether UK aid to Rwanda will be withheld under the lack of recognition of Gay rights, Rwanda’s Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama said, “I cant comment of UK business”.

    Karugarama emphasised that the Rwandan constitution doesn’t discriminate against any sexual orientation.

    Cameron insisted the issue of gay rights had been discussed at the summit and he had personally raised it with “a number of the African countries that I’ve been speaking with,” although he would not say which ones.

    “We’ve been raising the issue consistently, we’ve been raising it here at this Commonwealth heads of government (summit),” he said.

    However, Cameron said change would not happen overnight, saying: “They are in a different place from us on this issue. I think these countries are all on a journey and it’s up to us to try and help them along on that journey.”

    Responding to Cameron’s statement, Karugarama said, “We (Rwanda) don’t have a special law on homosexuality. We (Rwanda) treat everyone equal; however, the problem is when sex is used immorally”.