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Police post of Kicukiro District has held 14 suspects from different Districts in connection to bribing traffic police officials.

Traffic Police around the country had previously intensified its control on vehicles which tempted the suspects to bribe them resulting to their arrest.

“The suspects were all arrested driving vehicles either without permits, or with no proper vehicle documentation or driving cars not in proper conditions.
when they were stopped, the suspects tried to bribe the traffic police officers but instead arrested them,” Police spokesman Theos Badege said in an interview at Police Post.

Some of the suspects admit to the crime like Yohani Minani from Ruhango District, Kabagali sector who was arrested trying to give Rwf 2000 after the police questioned the old nature of his tiers.

“I admit to the crime and I am sorry” Minani told igihe.com in a shy voice.

Faustine Ndagijimana from Rubavu District, Gisenyi sector was apprehended by the police after folding Rwf 2000 in the yellow card which the police officers had requested for.

“Police will not at any single moment tolerate corruption. We are committed to cracking down such elements in the country. The law shall apply to whoever gives bribe to whoever receives and keeps quite because they are retarding our national development.” Badege stressed.

Badege warned the public against bribe on accounts that doesn’t only diminish ones reputation but also affects their families once they are jailed.

If convicted the suspects will face a 2-5years in jail according to article 14 No 23/2003 of 07/08/2003.

A group of 18 Rwandan women living in Diaspora on October 8 met with the top officials from the Diaspora General Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINAFET) together with the officials from the Rwanda Diaspora Global Network (RDGN).

The Foreign Affairs Ministry officials explained to them their role in Rwanda’s capacity building and discussed on possible ways of coordinating all Rwandans abroad.

Dr. Ismail Bikenan, the Secretary General of RDGN who attended the ministerial meeting held in Kigali said: “We gathered different Rwandan women from different parts of the world who are in the country to discuss with them and see how far they have gone with the activities of the Rwandan Diaspora Global Network.

“It’s also quite imperative to create awareness because some of them don’t know about the Network and its objectives.” He stressed.

The call was also intended to showcase Rwanda’s achievements on the globe through these women.

“Some of these women like others in Diaspora have spent years without knowing what is going on in Rwanda.

“Others have got false information and poor image about the nation, so we have to tell and show them what is on the ground for them to work as ambassadors when they go back,” Bikenan added.

During the presentations, women were told what the network in conjunction with the government is doing to coordinate all Rwandans in the Diaspora.

The delegation included women from Canada, Uganda, Zambia, Ethiopia, Burundi, Belgium, U.S.A, Holland, England, Sweden and Kenya among others.

Alice Cyusa, a Rwandan resident from the U.S.A said: “As a Rwandan and a patriot I knew the network before. After this meeting I am really convinced about its objectives and the things are going to change.

“I will have to talk to the Rwandan community in the U.S about the experience I have got today about the RDGN programs and projects” Cyusa said adding that Michigan where she lives has between 300-400 Rwandan community.

Faith Bakuru who is a Rwandan living in Uganda, a retired banker at Uganda Central Bank and now a Makerere University Banyarwanda Students Association’s patron said in a press interview: “We exchanged ideas, saw the challenges and we must seek possible ways to handle them in the areas where we live.”

The network is an umbrella of all Rwandan associations led by Rwandans in the Diaspora which among other objectives is to provide a guiding framework that sets out how the government of Rwanda wishes to see the Rwandan Diaspora being integrated in the national development of their native country.

The police in Huye District is investigating the possible suspect who dropped a six months baby in one of the National University of Rwanda(UNR)’s pit latrine, Christopher Muhima the university’s guild president has said.

The baby was picked at 16:00 am on Sunday. Until now, the suspected mother is not yet known as investigations continue.

“I was called by the commissioner in charge of Social Affairs Jean Baptist Kamanzi around 14:00 telling me that a six months new born baby had been picked from Nyarutarama girls hostels,” Muhima said in a telephone interview.

“I then rushed there with the commissioner in charge of protocol and exactly found a body of a six month baby. We then called the police and the university hostels told medic to do an autopsy of the body,” Muhima added.

According to the guild president, investigations by the police are ongoing to ascertain the person who threw the innocent soul in the toilet.

“We also alerted the office of the dean of students and the Estate directorate” he added.

It’s not the first time such incidents happen at the University because two years ago a new baby was picked from the same latrine at the same hostel after the mother aborted.

“I was called by a student who was informed by the cleaner that there is a body of a baby in the toilet.” Kamanzi commissioner in charge of Social Affairs said.

Unfortunately efforts to reach the lady who saw the body first were futile by press time.

The child’s body was taken to the universities hospital CHUB for the postmortem and no details has been disclosed so far.

Doctor Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo has this afternoon been voted as the new Rwanda Senate President with 20 votes out of 4 votes from his opponent Teddy Gacinya.

The remaining two posts of senate vice presidents were taken by former Prime Minister Bernard Makuza and Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba the ex- Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs.

The lower chamber of parliament also had its elections to replace the two vacant positions of the deputy speakers.

The two posts were earlier held by Polisi Deni who resigned claiming personal reasons and Ntawukuriryayo who has just been appointed new senate president.

Both members of lower chamber of parliament Evariste Karisa and Marie Josee Kankera replaced the two on the posts of vice speakers.

In related development, Dr Alvera Mukabaramba, has been appointed a new State Minister in charge of social affairs and community development in the Ministry of local government (MINALOC), replacing Marie Christine Nyatanyi who passed away recently.

Emma Francoise Isumbangabo was also appointed as the State Minister for Energy and Water replacing Eng.Collette Ruhamya in the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Mukabaramba once a presidential aspirant under the Progress and Concord Party (PPC) had just completed her senate mandate while Isumbangabo was a lecturer in ISAE – Busogo in the Northern Province.

Three incoming ambassadors representing United States of America (USA), Belgium and Northern Sudan have vowed to contribute towards the development of Rwanda’s economic growth

They said they will work hard in encouraging investments, development activities and judicial cooperation.

After presenting their credentials to President Paul Kagame at his office Village Urugwiro, they addressed journalists separately at hotel Umubano in Kacyiru to communicate their manifestos.

The first to meet the press was USA ambassador Donald. W. Koran, who had served in Kigali’s American embassy for ten years as deputy chief of mission.

He said that his experience in Rwanda has motivated him to do more in developing the economy especially strengthening areas of health and food security.

“I’ve seen Rwanda grow and I’m optimistic that it’s heading in the right direction,” said Koran.

After he had left, the new Belgium ambassador to Rwanda Marc Pecsteen Buyrswerve, said Belgium will contribute more towards the growth of Rwanda’s economy adding that more developmental cooperation with his country was underway.

“We’re really commited and this can be reflected in the recent signing of a grant worth Euro 200 million(est. Rwf 162.5bn) that will be used in the development of various sectors including infrastructure and agriculture,” Buyrswerve said adding that judicial cooperation was also essential.

“Belgium has so far prosecuted and sentenced 8 genocide fugitives and I must say Rwanda’s judiciary has effectively given us relevant information regarding those who are wanted,” he emphasized.

Also the new ambassador of Northern Sudan to Rwanda, Nasreldin Ahmed Walli hailed Rwanda’s efforts towards peace keeping activities in war ravaged zones in Sudan, Darfur region being the center of rebel conflicts.

“Rwanda alone has 3200 peacekeeping troops in the UNAMID (the joint UN and African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan) from Nigeria and we too want to extend our appreciation through developmental cooperation such as bringing experts in infrastructure, offer scholarships and many more,” Walli said.

Walli who is the first Sudan ambassador with residence in Kigali, further commended good diplomatic relations between both countries.

The Minister of Gender and Family promotion Aloysia Inyumba has called for a joint efforts to end all kinds of Gender Based Violence.

Minister Inyumba was speaking at the kicking off of the national campaign against Gender Based Violence which will take a whole week.

“The campaign is to value Rwandan citizens by fighting Gender Based Violence which is the best way to promote our families,” Inyumba said at the campaign set off which begun with a fight-against Gender Based Violence walk from Gishushu near RDB to petit Stade, Remera about 3 km distance.

Inyumba called upon all institution to participate in the whole campaign and make the matter never happen again in Rwanda.

The campaign comes at a time when the government is also calling for stronger family values in Rwanda society.

Among other participants, Bonaventure Habimana in the campaign said it will create awareness especially to men in villages who have not yet recognized the importance of women in the society.

According to the police statistics this year, 500 cases were reported on defilement compared to 1654 cases last year and 14 to 34 women were killed by their husbands, 6 to 9 men killed by their women this year and last year respectively.

Others include 171 were rape cases of people above 18 years, 239 fighting cases, and 35 were suicide resulting from the violence.

Both public and private institutions including the Rwanda National Police, Rwanda Defense Forces, Prisons, and schools among others participated.

Previously Assistant Commissioner of Police Vianney Nshimiyimana said that Rwanda has reached at Zero Torrance on Gender Based Violence phase.

Nshimiyimana said however that Gender Based Violence related crimes have reduced and needs to be wiped out from families.

Some argument from public stressed that drugs and alcohol were the major causes of this brutality.

Odda Gasinzigwa the Chief Gender Monitor commended the Rwanda National Police for its increased fight against GBV noting that its due to such actions that GBV crimes has drastically reduced.
She however noted that more needs to be done by general public in the struggle as she stressed that “Intensifying this campaign, it needs us to come together, identify areas to tackle to manage or deal with the various cases of GBV, some of which are psychological,”

The violence includes physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, and it cuts across boundaries of age, race, culture, wealth and geography.
These take place in homes, on the streets, schools, workplace, in farm fields, refugee camps, during conflicts and crises.

These violations have many manifestations from the most universally prevalent forms of domestic and sexual violence, to harmful practices, abuse during pregnancy, so-called honour killings and other types of femicide.

British High Commissioner to Rwanda Benedict Llewellyn-Jones has hailed Rwanda’s steps towards unity and reconciliation noting the abolition of death penalty.

The envoy made the remarks in an exclusive interview with igihe.com as the world prepares to celebrate World Day against Death Penalty that is marked annually October 10.

This year’s celebration is the 9th World Day Against the Death Penalty of which Rwanda adopted on June 8, 2007.

“It was a brave step and showed the world that Rwanda could put behind the bloodshed of the genocide and would focus on justice instead that gave people a chance to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society,” Llewellyn-Jones remarked.

“Rwanda, as a country that experienced human massacre and is recovering from the genocide, has through this gesture made a positive statement about the importance of life”.

“I can say that Rwanda has showed a good gesture that reconciliation is more important than punishment.” he added.

The British High Commissioner also suggested that other countries could learn from Rwanda’s approach to this penalty.

“Rwanda should be proud of having abolished the death penalty, having a positive statement about the importance of justice. The whole world should recognize how big a step this was for Rwanda.” He said.

Capital punishment in United Kingdom was in force from at least 1707 until the practice was abolished in the 20th century.

The last execution in the United Kingdom, by hanging, took place in 1964, prior to capital punishment being abolished for murder in 1969 in Great Britain and in 1973 in Northern Ireland.

Although not applied since that time, the death penalty remained on the statute book for certain other offences until 1998 when it was abolished completely in the UK.

The first World Day against the Death Penalty took place in 2003, and the event was launched by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, which gathers international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), bar associations, unions and local governments from all over the world.

This year’s World Day will focus on the inhumanity of the death penalty as a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment.

According to the British High Commissioner, the British government is supports Rwandan government in strengthening democracy, developmental projects towards confronting climate change, health, education and agriculture as well as other sectors.

He added that due to transparence, effective and accountable use aid British government decided to increase its funding to Rwanda.

Elsewhere

According to World Coalition Against Death Penalty website, the United Nations in Geneva will host a high level panel on the International jurisprudence regarding the death penalty and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment with experts from several UN and Regional human rights bodies.

Several events will be held in various nations to mark the day like San Juan, Puerto Rico, there will be book releases and conferences in universities and schools.

France is celebrating its 30th anniversary of abolition.

Hundreds of events will also be conducted in Taiwan, in Lebanon, as well as in Malaysia, Japan, Iraq, Morocco, Brazil or the USA.

In London, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Jeremy Browne MP will be hosting an event including the speakers Professor Nigel Eastman, a consultant forensic psychiatrist and professor at the University of London, and Saul Lehrfreund, one of the co-founders and joint executive directors of The Death Penalty Project.

This year’s World Day Against Death Penalty focuses on the inhumanity of the death penalty as a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment.

The dreadful conditions on death row inflict extreme psychological suffering and execution is a physical and mental assault.

The most common forms of execution are beheading, electrocution, hanging, lethal injection, shooting and stoning.

There is also stoning which was considered particularly cruel or inhuman by the UN Human Rights Committee, and the lethal injection, sometimes referred to as the most humane method, has caused physical pain equivalent to cruel and inhumane treatment.

The inhumanity of death penalty goes beyond the person facing execution; it dehumanizes the rest of the society.

This World Day is the opportunity for abolitionists to work together all around the world, to help continue the trend towards abolition of the death penalty.

By 2010, 139 countries in the world had abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, and 23 of the 58 retentionist states still executed people.

On World Day, the World Coalition calls on all those which retain the death penalty to establish a moratorium on its use, with a view to abolishing this inhumane practice.

Created in Rome in 2002, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) brings together 121 bar associations, trade unions, local governments and non-governmental organizations.

It aims at strengthening the international dimension of the fight against the death penalty and at contributing to put an end to death sentences and executions.

In 2003, The WCADP has established the World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October. It is also officially the European Day against Death Penalty since 2007.

The Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning John Rwangombwa has said that Rwanda will attain 8.8% economy growth this year.

The Minister was presenting the country’s economic status in the RPF general assembly meeting held today presided over by the party chairman and the president of the republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame.

“Even though there is economic instability in the whole world, Rwanda’s economy remains stable and even her currency has not depreciated,” Rwangombwa said.

Minister Rwangombwa said the stability of Rwanda’s economy was due to the increase of Agricultural production.

He also said that Rwanda’s economy has also sustained low inflation by 7.5% as compared to other countries in the region where it has almost doubled.

Rwangombwa added that consequences of financial crisis in the developed countries affect developing countries due to the debts they have that make their population not unable to purchase goods from developing countries like Coffee and Tea among others.

According to the Minister the economy of the Sub-Saharan Africa increased by 5.5% in 2010 while world economy increased 4 percent.

In his speech, the party chairman Paul Kagame hailed party members, for having taken a front role in the development of the country.

Kagame also said that it was a time to assess what has not been achieved yet re-emphasizing his speech he gave his cabinet when the new prime minister was swearing in that Rwanda is the most scrutinized nation in the whole world.

President encouraged the party members however that being scrutinized by the world should not discourage them but else make them to work harder and achieve more than what have been achieved.