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“A well fed brain is always an excellent brain,” The Headmaster of New Life High School John Africa said when asked the secret for his school to emerge the best in just released ‘O’ Level results.

Officially the state minister for primary and secondary school Dr Matthias Harebamungu has publicly announced the rural based school New Life High School in Kayonza District emerged the best performer in 2011 examination results among 1,061 schools nationwide.

The school had 38 students who sat 2011 ‘O’ Level examinations only 3 students attained the second grade while the rest were in the first grade including John Bosco Habimana said to have emerged the second student in the country.

The first student came from Maranyundo Girl in Bugesera District a few kilometers away from the Kayonza based New Life High School where second student was.

“We are a Christian school and our values are based on Christianity, we instill high level of discipline, feed students very well and treat them well, and have the best teacher in chemistry, geography and history,” The Headmaster John Africa told IGIHE.com by his cell phone.

“A hungry child will never learn, we always tell them bread will never put for them on a silver plate, they have to work hard for it. We tell them however much we are in rural area but we still compete with well placed and more advantaged schools in Kigali or elsewhere and we tell them they can do it,” Africa added.

The trend repeated itself as rural-based secondary schools trampled their urban counterparts in the 2011 ‘O’ Level examinations.

New Life High School in Kayonza District, Eastern Province emerged the overall best school with an average aggregate of 14, followed by its neighbor Maranyundo Girls’ School of Bugesera, Eastern Province and then a Kigali based Lycee Notre-Dame de Citeaux of Nyarugenge District.

Others are Petit Seminaire St. Pie X De Nyundo in Rubavu, Western Province, Petit Seminaire St. Leon Kabgayi in Muhanga, Southern Province and Petit Seminaire Nkumba in Gakenke, Northern Province.

They were followed by Nu-Vision High School in Gasabo, Kigal, Petit Seminaire Rwesero in Gicumbi, Northern Province, Petit Seminaire Ndera in Gasabo, Kigali and Esc Byimana in Ruhango Distrcit, Southern Province.

Ten students tied at the top, with New Life, Nu-Vision, Lycee Notre-Dame de Citeaux, FAWE Girls School in Gasabo District, Kigali each producing two students among the top ten.

Although a slight improvement was registered in the pass rate of girls in the first division, boys still dominated the top divisions, with 52.7 percent.

Boys came out top in science subjects, contributing 29 out of the 50 best performers countrywide.

The State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Matthias Harebamungu, said heads of schools will start to collect results from their respective district headquarters on Monday.

“Examinations were held in 355 examination centers and candidates were from 1,061 schools nationwide, a significant increase compared to 2010,” Harebamungu said.

Placement for senior 4 will take place on the January 27 and 28, according to the Rwanda Examinations Board officials.

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Over 130 youth have graduated in business skills in what has been termed as StartUp program by Digital Opportunity Trust(DOT).

The program which is also an advanced business skills program, has been offered in three center in Kiagli equipping micro entrepreneurs, youth and skills.

Early last year, Over 3600 youth and women participants were graduated from the four weeks DOT economic program termed as the ReachUp.

Through 85 trainers/Interns, DOT operates in 23 districts in all the Provinces of Rwanda.

The participants were youth and women cooperatives which run different projects such as agribusiness, handcrafts production and selling, leadership building and social support schemes, etc.

Graduates from Kicukiro, and Gasabo Districts benefited StartUp! Which is one of DOT programs which started operating in Rwanda mid October 2011 as a pilot program to cover Kigali.

StartUp! Also included fresh recruits of University graduates who get trained in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise owners, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs.

The program also provides skills on how to prepare and manage their businesses better to leverage growth.

Marie Jeane Musabe who came to startUp! with an idea and after one month the idea has been developed into a business plan waiting its implementation.

“StartUp! has not only given me business skills and prepared me as an Enterprenuer, it has made me a visionary person who looks at the big picture of how to materialize my business grow it and improve as a person” she observed

Musabe showcased her business plan which is about processing mushroom into mushroom flour, the business is estimated to cost 21,428,000frw.

Another beneficiary Aimable Mugabo showcased a product from his venture, where he showcased an eco-freindly stove that does not use charcoal, but uses stones for cooking.

The stove is an innovative idea which is environmentally friendly and cost effective as the stones or coal used can take years without changing.

The different partners thanked DOT for this program and promised their support in materializing these ideas.

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Inspector General of Police (IGP) tour of Police units which took place across the country continued in the Eastern Province where he was inspecting police activities in the region.

According to the police statement, in his address to police officers at different District Police Units, IGP Emmanuel K. Gasana noted that it was imperative that the welfare of police officers improve.

He told police officers that with better welfare police will be able to fully focus on their duties and thus avoid getting involved in criminal activities such as corruption.

Several initiatives have been commenced to improve welfare of Police officers. For example the Police housing scheme in Gishali is aimed at providing non- commissioned police officers with houses.

Not only that, Rwanda National Police provides education opportunities to police officers to help them carry out their work. So far many police officers have benefited from this initiative.

“We are always thinking of police welfare and to that end we have also ensured that police force have enough equipment, ensure that police officers are settled and in comfortable working environment through the force balance program and we continue to think of other initiatives that would improve the lives of police officers,” IGP Gasana pointed out.

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Residents in Rulindo District, Northern Province have complained of forced maize growing saying that their area does not support maize growing.

Residents have requested the authorities to allow them instead to continue growing sorghum.

Residents here say that the maize crop need one to be having a wide parcel with good soils that are fertile, yet sorghum crop does not need such requirements and said to bring huge harvest.

Commenting on the issue, Justus Kangwagye, Rulindo District Mayor said, “a resident that know to calculate will can grow maize, beans among others that does not take long to mature, but growing of sorghum is to miscalculate.”

Kangwagye also added that many residents who responded to get maize seeds have now multiplied and that are responding positively to the move.

He also said that Sorghum takes long to mature and that its market is currently limited as compared to maize

Rafael Murasandonyi, the District Agronomist challenged the residents saying that the same soils used to grow sorghum can be used on growing of maize as well.

Murasandonyi explained that residents in this area are not used to growing of maize and that’s why they are resistant to Sorghum.

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After the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) announced new fuel prices fall to Rwf 940 per liter, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) is reviewing possible ways to reduce transportation fees.

Fuel had increased to Rwf 1200, then reduced to Rwf 1000 and now Rwf 940 but transport costs had remained static.

“We know the problem of transport costs but in few days we shall announce new tariffs that will be slightly down,” said Regis Gatarayiha the acting Director General of RURA.

Speaking to IGIHE.com, Gatarayiha said that on yesterday a meeting was convened with the transport companies’ representatives to discuss possible ways to put favorable costs for passengers.

This comes after passengers started complaining of the static transport fares as fuel prices dropped several times.

Kayitesi Jeannette of Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District said that transport fares from the city center to Kimironko should reduce from Rwf 200 to Rwf 150.

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Paul Rusesabagina of the film ‘Hotel Rwanda’, has asked Canadian government not to deport Leon Mugesera a Rwandan accused of helping to incite the 1994 Tutsi genocide.

In a letter to Canada’s immigration minister, Rusesabagina said he opposes Mugesera’s extradition to Rwanda where he says Mugesera risks being tortured.

“I implore Canada, cradle of human rights, not to deport Leon Mugesera but rather prosecute him on Canadian soil for his alleged crimes and under Canadian laws because if he is deported he will surely suffer the same fate as other prisoners,” wrote Rusesabagina.

Mugesera was scheduled to be deported last week but appeals to two Canadian courts and the UN Committee Against Torture earned him a reprieve.

He was taken into custody after falling ill last week and requiring hospitalization, while Canada considers a request to stay his deportation so that the UN can probe a claim that he faces persecution at home.

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Kigali City authorities in collaboration with security authorities have warned Me2u and airtime cards vendors who are not in cooperatives.

It is said that those who are not registered in cooperatives usually cause insecurity when they are being chased run away from police due to doing that business illegally.

Joseline Nyirahabimana, a TIGO vendor pointing a finger at her uniform said that they used to be chased by the authorities but later they stopped.

“The police used to run after every vendor but nowadays they are not running after us, maybe TIGO authority made advocacy for us,” said Nyirahabimana.

Jean Damascene Ntakirutimana another airtime vendor said ; “We are now free to sell our airtimes and Me2u, they have been chasing us but MTN authority made an advocacy hence putting us in cooperatives. MTN gave us all the necessities like ID, this umbrella and the uniform.”

Pierre Kalisa, Nyarugenge Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs said that unlike other vendors, MTN and Tigo airtime vendors around roads have cooperatives in which they are registered.

“Vendors with no cooperatives are to be chased by the security authorities because they cause road insecurity and congestion on other merchandizes,” said Kalisa

He added that the permitted vendors are those found in umbrellas for it must be an address without moving around in roads.

These claims are coming after local authorities and the police are hunting vendors of different merchandizes that have been sensitized to join common markets.

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Gilbert Niyonshuti the Executive Secretary of Kagasha Cell, Gatsibo District have been fired for the alleged corruption.

His sacking came at a time when residents had begun protesting over his corrupt behavior that frustrated them and the cell had unsolved land disputes.

“Days after I received a title deed for my land, Niyoshuti refused my ownership of the land and instead gave it to my rival, this was total injustice and I believe he was bribed,” said Esdras Sibomana one of the complainants.

The mayor of Gatsibo District Embroize Ruboneza, said that Niyoshuti was fired because he showed less capacity in dealing with issues in his territory.

“It’s true Kagasha cell has numerous cases ranging from land disputes to robbery and domestic violence,” he confirmed.

Ruboneza further pointed out that local leaders in the cell are going to be empowered to solve backlog cases in Kagasha.

He also advised residents to avoid being part of corrupt deals since it facilitated poor governance.

However, some residents are not satisfied with the expulsion of Niyoshuti but rather heavy want punishments against him.

“Firing him is not enough, how can someone who has been involved in gross corruption deals gets away without his mistakes being put to light,” said Ahishakiye.

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More than 700 Police officers are currently undergoing the United Nations Selection Assistance Test commonly known as SAT.

The test is a pre-requisite for all police officers before they are deployed in UN peace keeping missions.

To successfully pass SAT police officers undergo six tests including reading, listening, report writing, interview, driving and shooting.

Police officers are considered eligible for a UN mission if they pass all the tests with at least an average mark.

As for practical tests such as shooting and driving excellent knowledge is required.

According to the Director of Peace Support Operations at Rwanda National Police Superintendent Ejide Ruzigamanzi, SAT process is going on well without hitches.

“We expect all police officers eligible for the ongoing SAT to be done in two days,” Supt Ruzigamanzi said.

Assistant Superintendent Cosmos Anyan, the head of induction and training at United Nations Assistant Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) noted that the selection assistance team was received and handled well.

“We have had no problem at all and we are impressed with the way the whole selection process is going on. We intend to include this in our report,” Anyan said.

He noted that their primary responsibility was to help RNP select the best police officers to serve in United Nations Peace Keeping Missions. He was overall impressed with the level of performance.

AIP John Bosco Kagame, one of the police officers who underwent SAT said he was happy to pass the difficult test.

“I am delighted to that my institution gave me this opportunity. I intend to serve to represent my country well once my time to serve in a peace keeping mission comes,” Kagame said.

He advised fellow officers who didn’t make the cut to try once again and avoid panic during the exams.

As Kagame was over the moon, AIP Tom Rwibasira was disappointed with the results.
“Of course I am disappointed but it’s not the end of the world. Whether here or elsewhere, my objective is to serve my institution and country,” Rwibasira said.

Those who have passed will be put on a waiting list of UN mission opportunities.

Currently Rwanda has more than 400 police officers serving in peace keeping missions in Africa and Caribbean including Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

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Norwegian investors now in the country to attend a one-day seminar organised by Rwanda Development Board (RDB), has hailed Rwanda for setting up favorable environment of doing business.

They have described Rwanda’s investment climate as excellent for doing business comparing to many of the African countries in only 17 years post Genocide.

Rwanda Development Board had organized the seminar aimed at displaying the various business opportunities in the country under the theme ‘Develop and expand your Business –Networking and Financing Possibilities’.

The meeting was also organised in collaboration with the Norfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

The Head of Investment Promotion and Information at RDB, Vivian Kayitesi, made a presentation on various untapped investment opportunities, including ICT, agro-processing, infrastructure, tourism, energy, mining, real estate and construction.

John Gara Chief Executive Officer of RDB said it was essential to provide adequate and first hand information to investors to help them understand specific areas of interest.

Gara also said the seminar was partly organised to facilitate local investors in private sector to interact with their Norwegian counterparts and share ideas on how to spur business.

He advised them to access funds from the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries.

Bjorn H. Eriksen, the Director of Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, highlighted various sectors such as energy, agro-business, communication and environmental sector that need to explore.

“There so many business opportunities in this country and its quite good that they have simplified the ways of investing here,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Thorbjoen Gaustads Aether, the Norwegian Ambassador, observed that the country’s investment climate was conducive, and hence hoping to explore business opportunities in Rwanda.

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