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  • MTN Funds ‘2012 Peace Cup’

    Telecommunciation company MTN Rwanda has announced a new sponsorship package for the ‘2012 Peace Cup’ soccer tournament, worth Frw51.4 million.

    The Fédération Rwandaise de Football Association (FERWAFA) and MTN Rwanda officially signed the sponsorship deal where Frw40 million of the package will be given in cash and the rest in kind.

    Chief Executive Officer, Khaled Mikkawi, signed on behalf of MTN Rwanda and Celestin Ntagungira signed on behalf of FERWAFA.

    Mikkawi said the money will facilitate the tournament as well as prize money for the winning teams. He added that for every ticket bought during the remaining games, the beneficiary will receive an MTN airtime voucher worth Rwf500.

    “The telecom giant has been the official sponsor of the Peace Cup tournament since 2008 supporting all kinds of sports activities as a way of giving back to society. Soccer is one of the biggest passions globally and we want to make this a memorable event for everyone who buys a ticket for any game in the tournament,” Mikkawi said.

    “For every ticket bought MTN will give back Rwf500 worth of airtime. However, the beneficiary of the ticket must be registered on MTN Mobile Money. At all the games, we shall have agents carrying out registration. All you need is your identification card,” he added.

    MTN Rwanda has sponsored the Peace Cup since 2008 and would like to move the soccer event to another level. The ‘Peace Cup’ values are also synonymous with government’s vision to promote reconciliation among Rwandans. The final matches of the tournament will be played on the 4th of July.

  • Mali Troops Besiege Presidential Palace

    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.

  • Rwandan Company Wins Accolade in Vienna

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    REPRO Ltd is a little known company in Rwanda. It was founded in 2007 with a mission of bringing energy to the rural population.

    In 2008, it started a project on river Rwishwa, in Western Province, called Murunda Micro Hydro Power Plant aimed at producing electricity and availing it to the local population. But, this being done within the private approach.

    We are used to big parastatal companies exercising this activity of producing and distribution of energy.

    But our government always in promoting the private sector scrapped off the law that gave RECO then, the monopoly of this activity thus allowing the private business to invest in this high tech activity.

    The Managing Director Gregory Tayi of this company was approached to give a brief view of the project:

    Your Company was recently invited in the international conference namely “the First High Level meeting of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership in Vienna”. Would you please tell us why you were invited?

    Gregory Tayi : Our Company was invited as the first ever privately initiated, owned and operated micro hydro plant in the region to discuss the private sector approach in renewable Energy and share its success story as a role model private initiative.

    Would you tell us briefly about this company?

    GT: REPRO is a private company with mission of producing, distribution and selling of energy. It is a young company and so far has realised only one project: the Murunda Micro Hydro Power Plant. The success of this project was the reason behind our invitation in Vienna.

    For your information the Minister of State in Charge of Energy officially inaugurated this plant on May 25, in presence of Netherland’s Ambassador who financially supported us through PSP Hydro GTZ project, international community such as GTZ, DFID, World Bank, and the Belgian Cooperation also was present, delegation from the Ministry of infrastructure just to name a few.

    Your success seems to have echoes outside but little known in Rwanda, why is it?

    GT: I would ask you the same question! But I think that people here do not realise what energy and renewable energy in particular is in our modern time. The world needs energy, and this need is exponentially increasing.

    If we do not look around how we can satisfy this need, we are running into trouble of perpetual poverty, as energy is the engine of development.

    But the outside world is aware of it. The government of Rwanda knows it too. But the government cannot do all, it can change laws but it is up to everybody to be sensitized and do what he can in this area.

    That is why the law that gave RECO the monopoly of this business changed and was opened to private entrepreneurs too.

    Let us talk about this project. We assume it is not an easy task to enter into this business. What were the challenges that you met?

    GT: Challenges were of 2 kinds. Technical and Financial.

    Would you explain briefly these problems?

    GT: On one side as you may know, a hydropower plant whatever the size, requires mechanical, electrical and Civil engineering. The design and the execution needs expertise which is costing too much and not easy to find.
    On the other side this project needs big financial capability.

    Though PSP Hydro granted us with a subsidy of 50%, the additional part was not easy to put in place.

    Our banks are not used to finance such project and it was not easy to convince them. And when they agreed, the interests are based on the usual commercial ones and not perceived on the basis of a long term project.

    Therefore we obtained a bank loan in same conditions as short run business.

  • Sentore Dies in India

    Sentore Athanase passed away last evening (Wednesday) at 7PM local time. The renowned cultural artist died at a Mumbai hospital in India where he has been receiving treatment for more than seven months.

    Born in 1934, Sentore succumbed to a liver disease which he had suffered for the past two years.

    He had eight children including two sons and six daughters and twenty grand children and one great grandchild.

    The late Sentore is the father of popular artist Masamba Intore.
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  • Eastern Province Complex Smashed

    The Eastern Province Headquarters have been destroyed by heavy rain which smashed off roofing tiles and soaked all office material. The complex was completed this year 2012 and is worth Frw 3,172,007,171.

    The governor of the province Uwamariya Odette has expressed shock at how such a new building could be destroyed by just rain. She says the province officials are yet to assess the cost of damages.

    The flashy state of the art complex emerged from a sensitive investigation and later a court case which showed that the tender awarded to Enterprise Alexis Mugarura (EMA) flauted procurement procedures.

    The prosecution then claimed the tender did not follow the normal channels.

    On March 10, 2007 former governor of the East Province Theoneste Mutsindashyaka allegedly informed the (EMA) Construction firm in writing that it had won Rwf 1.7 bn tender, contrary to regulations that only empower Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA) to announce the winner.
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  • Inyamibwa Troupe to Stage Cultural Show

    Inyamibwa-cultural troupe of the National university of Rwanda plans to present their outreach activities promoting Rwandan culture at Amahoro Stadium from March 21 to 23.

    The students intend to convey Rwandan culture through the youth to share the rich heritage.

    150 members of Inyamibwa-cultural troupe will travel around the country senstising the youth about dangers of drugs, AIDS and the true values of the Rwandan culture.

    Inyamibwa troupe will perform original Rwandan traditional songs and dance.

    The troupe also aims at encouraging elite Rwandans to embrace their traditional culture . Some strategies include teaching cultural studies in high schools.

    At the function people will have the opportunity to discover the varieties of original songs from several corners of the country and decoration accompanying their dances.

  • Servant of State is God ‘s Servant –Pastor Gasare

    Pastor Michael Gasare has noted that a servant of state is also a God’s servant.

    He made the remarks while closing the second session of University Students’ representatives training about Godly leadership, good governance, Christian ethics in business environment, and Rwandan culture vs Biblical ethics, and Bible Advocacy.

    Organized by the Bible Society of Rwanda (BSR), the training aimed at promoting both Godly and societal values and the possibility for the country to be led by the Bible especially in conduct and fulfillment of leaders’ duty.

    Trainees are University Students’ representatives taught about norms of good governance to prepare them for future leadership.

    “When you look back to the world’s history, there are people who started up well and ended tragically; some fled their countries or have been jailed and some ended with a bad reputation”, Pastor Gasare said.

    Trainees who talked to IGIHE said they were glad and shall change their behavior and sensitize others to get such skills.

    Evariste Ndengejeho from level 5 at INES Ruhengeri, in the Faculty of Applied Statistics says,“Knowledge gained from here will help us become helpful to others guiding them on good leadership with vision for their country while valuing the Bible teachings”.

    Christina Natukunda from the School of Finance and Banking in charge of Gender, says she gained leadership skills.

    The National University of Rwanda Students’ Association guild president, Christopher Muhima noted, “What I learnt from these trainings is that all leadership comes from God.”

    The Bible Society of Rwanda started its activities in 1997 with duties to translate the Holy Scripture into the understandable language and getting them close to people.

    Their values include leadership with fear of God, integrity and bringing change and promotion of solidarity.

  • Fatih University to Honour President Kagame With PHD

    On Friday President Paul Kagame will receive an honorary doctorate from Fatih University in recognition for his leadership in Rwanda as well as his contribution within the international community.

    President Kagame Tuesday arrived in Istanbul, Turkey for a three-day visit at the invitation of members of the Turkish business community.

    During the three-day working visit President Kagame will meet with prominent Turkish business people, including several investors who have already been to Rwanda. President Kagame is also scheduled to tour manufacturing companies in Istanbul.

    Turkey and Rwanda enjoy cordial relations and the country is represented in Rwanda through its Embassy in Uganda.

    Rwanda is represented in Turkey since 2009 by an Honorary Consul, and as of September 2011, has a full-fledged Honorary Consulate and an office of the Rwanda Development Board, both in Istanbul.

  • Butcherman Cuts 4Men With Machete

    Police in Kicukiro is holding a man for brutally cutting other four men with a machete.

    The suspect has been identified as Harindababiri Bernard 30. He works at a butchery at Kicukiro business center.

    Harindabari swung his machete into action yesterday injuring four men. The cause of the attack has not yet been known pending Police investigations although Harindabari has since refused to utter any word to Police.

    The attack occurred at Ihuriro Village, Gatenga Cell, Gatenga Sector in Kicukiro. Below Hagenimana Emmanuel one of the victims of the attack shows wounds sustained from the attack
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    Another victim identified as Jean de Dieu Sindikubwabo said, “we were playing cards with a friend and suddenly were attacked by a machete wielding man who began cutting them. We were wounded on different parts of our body.”

  • Rwandair Orders for 2 Bombadier Jets

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    Rwandair has placed a firm Order for two Bombadier CR J900 NextGen Aircraft. Delivery for both aircraft is expected in October 2012. Transaction includes options on two additional CRJ900 NextGen regional jets with Bombardier Aerospace.

    RwandAir will become the first operator of CRJ900 aircraft in Eastern Africa.

    Based on the list price of the CRJ900 NextGen airliner, the firm-order contract is valued at approximately $89 million US. The value of the contract would increase to $185 million US should both options be exercised.

    “Our two 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft have performed very well for us and have helped grow our business to the point that we require aircraft with more capacity,” said John Mirenge, Chief Executive Officer, RwandAir.

    “Based on our experience with the CRJ200 aircraft, the dual-class 75-seat CRJ900 NextGen aircraft was the logical upgrade. CRJ900 NextGen aircraft also provide exceptional reliability and have much in common with other CRJ aircraft. These aircraft will be configured to have 7 business class seats and 68 economy class seats”.

    “Other key factors that contributed to our decision to choose the CRJ900 NextGen aircraft are Bombardier’s customer support offering and cooperation in further developing RwandAir’s technical capacity,” added Mr. Mirenge.

    “In the CRJ900 NextGen regional jet, RwandAir will have an aircraft with the best economics in its class,” said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.”

    “The aircraft is of the ideal size to allow the airline to connect its regional markets that have become too large for smaller aircraft, but too small for RwandAir’s larger jets to serve efficiently.”

    Operating from Kigali as its hub, RwandAir’s fleet includes two Boeing 737-800NG, two Boeing737-500, and a Dash8-200. The carrier serves most East African Community capital cities with daily flights and it flies to Johannesburg, Brazzaville, Libreville and Dubai.

    There are currently more than 200 Bombardier regional jet and turboprop aircraft in service with, or on firm order from, approximately 50 operators in the Middle East and Africa.

    Bombardier’s Commercial Aircraft Market Forecast for the period 2011-2030 projects that the fleet of Bombardier commercial aircraft in the Middle East and Africa will continue to grow, forecasting deliveries of 980 aircraft, or seven per cent of the worldwide total of 13,000 units in the 20- to 149-seat market segments during that period.

    Including the order from RwandAir, Bombardier has recorded firm orders for 1,711 CRJ Series aircraft (including 268 CRJ900 and CRJ900 NextGen aircraft), with 1,661 aircraft delivered as of December 31, 2011.
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