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The Minister of Trade and industry Francois Kanimba has told a Kigali meeting of Agriculture ministers from Seven African countries that the private sector has a large role to play in enhancing food security in Africa.

Kanimba also urged Africa to emphasize at the May G8 summit the role of private sector in advancing Africas progress.

The meeting concluding today started March 19 attracting participation from Ethiopia, Burkinafaso, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ghana and Rwanda to discuss problems facing the agricultural sector in Africa.

“The Conference will solve key challenges by supporting private sector investment in agriculture,” said Kanimba.

Kanimba noted that to achieve food security, African states should not always expect foreign aid. “Africans should rely on their own efforts; the opportunities presented by their respective countries, and especially encourage investment in agriculture through the private sector”.

The Kigali meeting was initiated by the African Union (AU) as a preparatory meeting of the Addis Ababa Summit to be held next May that will review the results of the Kigali meeting.

Arne Cartridge the Representative of the World Economic Fund (WEF) says, “ the process of African development is supported by both the AU and the WEF.”

The Summit in Addis Ababa will be followed by the May (15 – 22) G8 summit in Chicago at McCormick Place Convention Center, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive. The last time the G8 summit was held in the United States was in 2004, at Sea Island, Georgia.

The Group of Eight was created in 1975 to allow the heads of the governments of the world’s largest economies to convene and discuss global issues such as energy, food security, health, terrorism and the environment.

Boaz Blackie Keizire representing the AU meeting observed that postponing the promotion of private sector investment in agriculture would be costly to Africans in the future.

Representatives of seven African countries have reviewed the various challenges they face in promoting investment in agriculture including; land management, lack of national policies on promotion of private sector investment in agriculture and assistance to promote agricultural business internationally.

The Addis Ababa Summit will analyze the range of challenges to develop strategies to attract foreign investment in agriculture on the African continent.

In the trial of Suspected Rwandan genocide fugitive Beatrice Munyenyezi at New Hampshire court, the Federal Judge declared a mistrial in her case.

Munyenyezi is accused of obtaining US citizenship by denying her role in the 1994 Rwanda Tutsi genocide in which a million lives were lost.

Last week the Jurors had said that they couldn’t agree on the two counts in the case of Beatrice Munyenyezi after nearly 19 hours of deliberations over several days. Thursday, Chief U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe instructed them to try to reach a unanimous verdict.

But they again deadlocked. Jurors sent out at note at about 3:20 p.m. saying they could not reach unanimous verdicts and all agreed that no consensus would be reached through further deliberations.

“You have not failed your duty as jurors,” Judge McAuliffe told them. “Sometimes no decision is the right decision.”

All 12 jurors after being dismissed declined to comment on the case or whether the majority was for guilt or innocence. Lawyers on both sides said they had not been told what the split was.

Munyenyezi, 42, who became a U.S. citizen in 2003 and moved to Manchester, did not testify during her 12-day federal trial. She had faced deportation to Rwanda if convicted, and her citizenship would automatically be stripped.

Munyenyezi buried her face in her hands when the jury foreman announced the outcome but did not cry. She remained stoic.

Estimates in costs of prosecuting and defending Munyenyezi thus far totals nearly $3 million. More than a dozen witnesses and defense investigators were flown in from Rwanda and housed in hotels.

Three interpreters of Kinyarwandan were hired and housed. Investigators from both sides made trips to Rwanda to prepare for trial.

Prosecutors say Munyenyezi was an extremist Hutu who killed and ordered the rapes of untold Tutsi victims — not the innocent refugee she claimed to be in 1995, when she applied for a visa and later when she applied for and obtained citizenship in 2003.

To prove Munyenyezi lied on her immigration and naturalization papers, prosecutors had to convince the jury she took an active part in the genocide, contrary to sworn statements on the federal forms.

The only other similar trial in the U.S. involving immigration fraud related to the Rwanda genocide ended in a hung jury last May in Kansas.

Prosecution witnesses testified they saw her direct rapes and killings, but her relatives testified they never saw that, nor did they see her carry a gun or wear a military uniform.

They said Munyenyezi, who was pregnant with twins at the time, mostly stayed inside the family-owned hotel that prosecutors said was the scene of the some of the brutality.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!”