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A senior official from USA based University Bruce H Krogh has said Carnegie Mellon University will be opening its Rwanda based campus this year.

It will be operating in Terracom House just below Laico Hotel formerly Hotel Novotel waiting to expand in three years in a more expanded campus in collaboration by government of Rwanda.

Carnegie Mellon University is said to be among 20 best universities in the world having expanded its influence largely in African developing countries to enhance technology.

Application for the applied masters’ degree program have started coming through the University’s official website www.cmu.edu/rwanda for and will be completed in April, according to Krogh.

“Classes will begin in august and we are targeting 40 students in our first class. In February we are also beginning short courses in professional development in ICT business strategy and moble-technology and it can be applied on our website too,” Krogh the Director of CMU-R said in an interview with IGIHE.com.

Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda (CMU-R) introduces new models of education, research and development, and the commercialization of today’s information and communications technology (ICT) in a region.

CMU-R is offering a Master of Science degree in Information Technology (MSIT) with a multidisciplinary curriculum that strikes a fine balance between technology, business, and innovation, preparing the next generation of IT leaders in East Africa.

On Monday information session for professionals in ICT is scheduled sponsored by Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

Krogh said it was also an opportunity for the University to learn more and get involved in the development and emerging markets.

“Many of the technologies like mobile money we don’t have it in USA, but we are looking at how best technology can serve the needs of the society. We have come to contribute towards getting home based solution in technology,” Krogh added.

“Rwanda has created a good environment for business and investment as well. The university was pleased by the way Rwanda has grown creating infrastructure, attractive environment and policies for business, Rwanda does not suffer extreme corruption like many African countries,” Krogh said.

Krogh said the university wants to be part of the government’s vision 2020 for skills development and growth of ICT in Rwanda and East Africa at large.

According to him the university will offer same courses and same examination but the special difference is applications meant to look for home based solution technology.

Commenting on those students with financial need, Krogh said government is yet to avail financial the support to only unable to pay their tuition fees.

“One thing I would like to communicate to Rwandan students is that opportunities given are the same given to our students elsewhere in the world and offering the world class degree,”

“Our contribution is one part of a very big picture of ICT. But we are training people that can or going to make impact on the technologies based on home ground technologies. There is no need to import solution for particular technology that is not used here,”

“we are training people to be leaders and be at the center of providing technologies that get solutions for available problems. Create people who can be entrepreneurs and innovative like technologies that can help let say making impact on agriculture,”

Krogh adds that a few students will spend a semester in the USA campus to try to interact so all students from both campuses and even other campuses to feel united and connected towards a common goal of excellence in technology.

“It takes many people to achieve a full range of technology, but all what is needed is a people who can be creative, innovative and make a change,” He said.

He said that the uniqueness of this programme is that the student will get a a world class degree associated with what is happening here.

“We have not heard any program like this in whole of Africa. A world class degree associated with what is happening here. We want to have a special flavor of this world class degree just for Rwanda,” he said.

“Technology translated to problems happening in this area for students to be part of solving problems in their own technology. Actually we will also be learning like what is the best way to go and we will be working very carefully interacting with them,”.

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Police has arrested Simon Ndikumana and Celestin Hitimana for breaking into the house of Pastor Parfait Karekezi and stealing USD 36,000 (approximately Rwf 21.7 million) and Rwf 450,000.

Another suspect Joseph Nkurikiyinka, is still on the run.

The incident reportedly took place at 9 AM on Sunday in Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District as Karekezi and his wife were out.

Hitimana, who was friends with Karekezi’s watchman, Paul Ntakirutimana, lured the latter from his post at the gate by promising to buy him beer while they chatted.

The distraction allowed the other burglars to break in without interruption.
The burglars later met in Zindiro to share the loot.

According to Ndikumana, the trio hatched the plan after learning that Karekezi, whom he had worked for earlier, was back from the United States.

“We were not sure whether he had money but since he was from America, we presumed so,” Ndikumana said.

Police have so far recovered USD 15,266 (approximately Rwf 9.2 million) while the rest is believed to be with the third suspect. Investigations are still ongoing to arrest Nkurikiyinka and recover the rest of the money.

Though Pastor Karekezi indeed concedes that he was negligent, he says that upon his return, he was engrossed in a lot of work that he had no time to take the money to the bank .

“I was not advertising that I had a lot of money. It’s just that I had not expected someone to break into my house after I had warned my watchman never to leave the house on Sundays as he is the only one there,” Pastor Karekezi said.

This is not the first time that burglars have attempted to steal from the pastor.

Last year burglars broke into his house and took off with a laptop and other valuables.

Supt. Theos Badege, the Police spokesperson, once again urged people to stop keeping large sums of money in their houses and instead resort to banks where safety of their cash is guaranteed.

“This is a sign of negligence. If Karekezi had kept his money in the bank, none of this would have happened,” Badege noted.

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Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has called for improvement in service delivery and customer care so as the country’s service sector to improve.

The premier made the call in Northern Province during the presentation of the province’s achievements as of 2011 and 2012 resolutions.

The Rwandan premier was saluted with the greeting depicting the Northern Province, that of peace, tolerance, unity and reconciliation.

The prime minister was flanked by other government officials as they joined residents of that province to celebrate their achievements as of 2011.

The Northern Province according to its governor Bosenibamwe Aime is now boasting of improved security, poverty eradication through land consolidation and best practices in agriculture, multiplying agricultural produce especially coffee, tea, potatoes, beans and maize.

The governor further revealed that more people are now members of different cooperatives adding that the one cow per poor household has registered impressive improvement.

“Our province came first in poverty eradication; agricultural produce has increased 3 fold. Gakenke and Gicumbi districts have been exemplary in coffee production.” He explained.

Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi who was the guest of honor said that Rwanda has been recognized globally mostly due to its rapid development, attributing this development to the leadership of President Paul Kagame.

The premier welcomed the achievements realized by the Northern Province but called for more efforts this year especially in service delivery if they aspire more development.

The Prime minister said; “Our desire is that Rwandans work hard, when you work for a few hours; there is a lot of time wasted on unworthy causes. We want these things that lag us behind to change. Our desire is that this issue of customer care can be put to rest; we are singling out the banks, hotels, restaurants, shops, the private sector, ministerial offices all the way to the cell level.”

The prime minister called for increased production of maize and wheat so that processing plants that have been shut down can be revived.

This was echoed by the governor of the Northern Province who said time is ripe for residents of that province to double their efforts and be more competitive because this New Year comes with new performance contracts that have to be implemented.

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Three men are being held at Remera police station for conspiring to steal 36 thousand USD and Rwf 300,000.

It has been reported that the three men enticed their victim with alcohol before taking off with the mound of cash.

The theft took place at the home of one evangelist who chose to remain anonymous for personal reasons.

The three men are reported to have enticed their friend, a house-help at the home of the evangelist.

They later broke into the house through the windows and took with a whooping 21 million RWF.

Ntakirutimana Paul who worked at the house which later turned into a crime scene after the theft is also under police custody with the three men.

He admitted his laxity, saying he accepted to go and have a drink with his friend.

He added that he never knew that their plan was to intoxicate him and then get a chance to break into the house.

Presently, only 15,182 USD and 57,000 RWF has been recovered.

Police spokesperson Spt. Theos Badege said that they are still searching for the one of the culprits who managed to get away.

Supt. Badege called on the public to remain vigilant and avoid keeping large amounts of cash in their homes.

At the same police station, police are holding a man identified as Mugema Pecos charged with stealing 5 computers.

Police say that at the time of his arrest, Mugema, a security guard at the company he stole from had already sold one computer.

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The Québec superior court will decide on Monday whether Leon Mugesera suspected of inciting the 1994 Genocide will be deported to stand trial in Rwanda.

Yesterday his lawyers had pleaded with the court to adjourn its decision pending a torture review by the UN Committee against torture.

Leon Mugesera, who made an infamous speech in 1992 that is alleged to have played a major role in inciting the genocide two years later, was to be deported last week.

But eleventh-hour appeals to two Canadian courts and the UN Committee against Torture earned him a reprieve until January 20.

After hearing from lawyers for the government and Mugesera, Quebec Superior Court Judge Michel Delorme delayed his decision until Monday.

Canada would like to deport him now while Mugesera’s lawyers are asking for the government to follow a UN request for a six-month delay so that it can probe a claim that he faces persecution at home.

Canadian Montreal Gazette reported that if Delorme decides the issue doesn’t belong in Superior Court, Mugesera, who is in detention after being deemed a flight risk, could be deported, although his lawyers would likely appeal the decision to the Quebec Court of Appeal.

Federal government lawyer Lisa Maziade argued the case belongs in Federal Court and accused Mugesera’s lawyers of “shopping for a stay.”

She said the issue of whether Mugesera will be tortured if returned to his native Rwanda has already been exhaustively examined by the Canadian government so it’s unlikely the UN Committee against Torture, which wants to review the case, will find anything different.

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Two days ago, over 15 Rwandan returnees who returned from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have disclosed they never enjoyed refugee rights rather faced suffering and isolation.

Isidore Nkurunziza hopes things will change, now that he’s back in his mother country.

“I started planning my travel back to Rwanda in October last year from Kinshasa where I resided with my family, to be honest we were suffering especially because we didn’t have DRC’s legal documents, meaning we were not given priority in government initiatives for instance,” he remarked.

Another returnee, Felicien Nsanzineza explained he and his friends never enjoyed the rights of a refugee since they were not living in a camp. They had to move out in search for greener pastures but unfortunately things didn’t turn out how they expected.

“We were frustrated because of being refugees and I couldn’t keep a job for two months for example yet I wouldn’t report some work related injustice to any authority because I didn’t have legal documents, really we have suffered enough and I hope that life will be smoother according to what Rwandan authorities assure us,” he said.

The return of Rwandan refugees is expected to increase following a UN cessation clause ending refugee status of all Rwandans by June 2013.

Some of the Rwanda refugees residing in Uganda, Congo Brazaville and Cameroon amongst others, have shown fears of being persecuted in the country due to their role in the 1994 genocide.

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Religious leaders and officials from the Ministry of Local Government have discussed ways of how good governance can involve the clergy.

The meeting which took several hours looked at religious leaders can play a key role in the implementation of good governance principles in the country.

The country is now in the month of good governance aimed at instilling and discussing and understanding good governance.

“The religious leaders pledged to embark on an awareness campaign to enable Rwandans understand the country’s development programmes, such as family planning, education and other social affairs,” the statement reads.

Participants commended the country’s efforts in fast tracking the development process but called for more enhancement of better service delivery.

“Be part of the country’s development process,” James Musoni, the Minister of Local Government, urged the religious leaders.

Musoni stated that the leaders should play a key role in supporting the government to realize its development agenda.

The meeting condemned those who don’t participate in the country’s development programmes on the pretext that they contravened their religious beliefs.

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Companies whose staff were killed during the 1994 Genocide have been urged to support families of the deceased, Bralirwa a beverage company is said to have done it frequently.

Jean de Dieu Mucyo the executive secretary of National Commission for the Fight Against Genocide (CNLG) has on frequent occasions urged companies to support families of their staff who were killed on duty during the genocide war.

He has also recommended construction of remembrance sites in the compounds of affected institutions in order to serve as a wakeup call to some staff who might have genocide ideologies.

Indeed, Bralirwa is offering scholarship to family members of its 36 staff who were killed in 1998 by militias whom after the end of 1994 genocide war which was halted by Patriotic Army (RPA) continued to kill Tutsi’s and their sympathizers in northern province.

During a commemoration ceremony at Bralirwa premises in Gisenyi town, Rubavu district, among the survivors Alphonse Bahati disclosed that his colleagues were killed on 19 January 1998 at 7 am shortly after arriving at work in the company’s van.

Since then with the support from the beverage company, families of the deceased have managed to improve their welfare through income generated in farming activities whereby the produce is sold through their cooperative well known as Girimpuhwe.

“We can provide meals on our table but can’t educate our child, that’s why on behalf of my colleagues we deeply thank Bralirwa for facilitating education of our children,” said Bahati.

Pascal Karangwa a representative of BRALIRWA commended braveness manifested in their former staff killed by militias since most of them denied to join the negative force.

He also assured families of the deceased Braliwa’s continued support in improving not only improving their welfare but also offering scholarships to their children.

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Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi and his delegation that include Aloysia Inyumba, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion have had a brief visit to Senegal holding a meeting with Rwandans in the Senegal Diaspora.

The premier was on his way back to the country from Gambia.

Discussing with the Rwandans in the Senegal Diaspora, the Prime Minister delivered to them message from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Rwanda, and also told them the mission of his trips to West Africa.

Habumuremyi presented to the Rwandan Diaspora the policy and the vision of the Country and the priorities of the Government in the year 2012.

He also reminded them on the orientation of the Country’s value and the international position of Rwanda today.

“Rwanda and Rwandan are highly considered and respected due to the endless ambitions of His Excellency Paul Kagame who give the Country a focused system in different dimensions and by encouraging all Rwandans to know their values and always stand up for it,” The Prime Minister said.

While receiving the Prime Minister the Rwandan Ambassador to Senegal Gérard NTWARI, appreciated the Prime Minister’s which proves how much the Government considers and gives value to its citizens whenever they are.

They also congratulated the Prime Minister upon his Doctorate Thesis that attained from Gambia with a first class distinction.

On the other hand the Rwanda Diaspora highly welcomed the Prime Minister and showed their sincere gratitude and appreciation the government for giving them an Embassy.

They appreciated the policies of the Country which focus and centralizes the interests of the citizens and more especially the local people which is lacking in many African Countries.

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