Tag: HomeNews

  • Sector Official Arrested For Swindling Rwf 1m

    Damascene Iyamuremye, the executive secretary of Busogo sector in Musanze District has been arrested and detained at Musanze police post for allegedly swindling Rwf 1 million.

    Iyamuremye now facing trial for the abuse of office and related crimes is said to have connived with Tharciana Duterimbere the branch Manager of Umurenge SACCO-Busogo.

    According to the source on the ground, both suspects are said to have withdrawn the money illegally meant cooperative in the area.

    The money, which was reportedly embezzled, was 15 percent of the total interest paid by cooperatives.

    Over Rwf 15 million had been cashed in to support cooperatives in Busogo Sector, by PADSEC (Project D’appui au Development Socio-Economic et Culturel dans la Province du Nord), and channelled through a local Umurenge SACCO account.

    The scam was unearthed during an audit carried out by Rwanda Cooperatives Agency last week, a body mandated to oversee the operations of the cooperatives in the country.

    Police spokesman, Supt. Theos Badege, confirmed the arrest and said that investigations were still ongoing.

    ENDS

  • Over Rwf2bn Earmarked For Street Lights

    About Rwf 2.6bn have been earmarked to fix Kigali City’s street lights, the senior official at Kigali city has said.

    Alphonse Nzeyimana the Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Affairs said that this year street lights in Kigali city and its suburbs will be fixed.

    “We intend to complete before the end of this year. All necessary requirements to fix the street lights are in place,” Nzeyimana said.

    Nzeyimana said that the fixing the streetlights would take 41 kilometers on Kimironko-Zindiro Nyabugogo-Kinamba and Nyabugogo-Ruliba on your way to southern province and Remera-Kabuga roads.

    Commenting the due exercise, Nzeyimana said the fixing of the street lights will also favour proper security in Kigali City.

    He also said that it is also a tool that can increase social-economic activities as Kigali residents are facilitated to work for extended hours.

    Nzeyimana says funds will come from central government and other stakeholders.

    ENDS

  • Media Can Enhance Good Governance –Prof. Shyaka

    The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Governance Board Prof. Anastase Shyaka has said the body he leads and media can enhance good governance in the country.

    While calling upon the media to play outstanding role in enhancing good governance, Prof. Shyaka said different media houses can play a significant role in strengthening principles and practices in the country.

    Prof. Shyaka was presiding over the consultative meeting on the role of the media in promoting good governance.

    “You can be at the centre of good governance practices implementation. One of your role is educating the public,” Prof. Shyaka said.

    Prof. Shyaka said that the governance body and the media can be co-workers in educating the public about the values of good governance.

    One of the journalists Prince Bahati, from Radio Hope says government should also play a proactive role in supporting the media.

    Mid last month, the government launched good governance month of which the aim will be assessing and strengthening good governance through service delivery.

    The good governance month will also aim at hearing what the public wants in as far as good governance is concerned.

    ENDS

  • Police Dogs to Search Passengers

    Professional trained dogs have been adopted by the National Police in the checking of vehicles for any suspicious items especially drugs and explosives.
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    This was launched on 15th January 2012 in Kayonza district-Eastern Province.

    The police spokesperson, supt. Theos Badege says that this technique of using dogs will help in avoiding and weakening drug dealings forbidden in Rwanda.

    “we are used to seizing passengers with drugs enroute from Uganda and Tanzania meeting in Kayonza, the reason why it was the first place to be checked”, said Badege.

    He revealed that not only passengers but also some drivers are involved in drugs business where they conceal them in passenger’s baggage.

    Badege warned drug dealers saying Police will not tolerate such kinds of illegal business that threatens security and population as a whole.

  • Rwandan Diaspora Tours Iwawa Rehabilitation Center

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    The Rwandan Diaspora yesterday toured Iwawa rehabilitation and vocational skills development Center where former street children receive vocational skills training aimed at orienting them to a hopeful life.

    During their stay at the Island the youth train in construction, carpentry, tailoring, commercial farming and bee keeping. They also receive necessary psychological support to abandon their former street lifestyles.

    Allen Kabandana a student at Iwawa center testified that he was once addicted to cocaine consumption and drug abuse.

    His life was completely lost until his relatives took him to Iwawa rehabilitation Center that has transformed him.

    Kabandana vows to take the lead in fighting drug abuse among the youth. He considers the center as a free of charge rehabilitation and professional training center.

    Dr. Ismael Buchanan, the Secretary General of Rwanda Diaspora Network said that the visit was aimed at having the first hand information about the center as opposed to misinformation spread abroad.

    The diaspora has been misinformed that the center is a confinement centre yet it is rehabilitating the Rwandan youth and also helping them become productive members of society.

    Buchanan promised that the Diaspora will go on telling the world the real story of Iwawa.
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  • Ouagadougou University Awards PHD to Rwanda’s Prime Minister

    The Rwandan Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi has received a Doctorate Diploma in politics on 18th January 2012 from the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.

    According to lefaso.net, Habumuremyi defended his thesis entitled “Pouvoir Politique et Ethnicite au Rwanda: Analyse du Conflit Rwandais et de l’offre politique de l’apres -1994 pour la reconstruction d’un Etat-Nation”

    HABUMUREMYI emphasizes, in his book, on the contribution of colonizers to the ethnic based conflicts which lasted long in Rwanda till they led to 1994 Tutsi Genocide.

    He mentioned Belgium, Catholic Church, UN and France as the most contributors to the Rwanda’s conflicts.

    After defending his thesis, the lecturer of Politics in Niamey University, Alou Mahamane Tidjani, one of the jury leaders announced that Pierre Damien Habumuremyi officially wins his PhD in Politics.

    The ceremony was attended by Burkinabe Prime Minister’s wife and Koumba Boly, the minister of Education.

    Koumba Boly took the incident as a model for Africans both leaders and citizens calling them on valuing their universities, avoiding to consider European universities as worthier than theirs.

    The book has been studied for five years and it provides examples of unity and reconciliation level in Rwanda as well as offering pieces of advice.

  • Premier Habumuremyi in Gambia

    Gambia's President-elect Yahya Jammeh to be sworn in today
    Rwanda’s Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi is in Gambia to attend the swearing in ceremony of President-elect Yahya Jammeh of the republic of Gambia.

    Yahya Jammeh will be sworn in for a fourth term of office at a ceremony to be held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau today Thursday 19th January.

    Jammeh was re-elected for a fourth five-year term of office in the presidential elections held on 24th November 2011, after he polled 72% of the total votes cast.

    Jammeh’s main challenger Ousainou Darboe of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) polled 17% while 11% went to independent candidate Hamat Bah, who was backed by the United Front, a coalition of four opposition parties.

    Thousands of Gambians mainly APRC supporters are expected to be at the stadium to witness what many have described as an “historic” event.
    However, the main oppposition party UDP rejected the results.

    The Gambian leader is more optimistic about the potentials of his country transforming into an economic giant after winning the November polls.

    In his victory speech delivered at the July 22 nd Square in Banjul, Jammeh said, “Allah has endowed us with a lot of resources which I will not disclose here. We will achieve the dreams of not only turning The Gambia into a Silicon Valley of Africa but an economic superpower in the world. I hereby give notice to countries that have triumphed in terms of socio-economic development such as Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, that in five years, no one will talk about them but The Gambia in terms of advancement.”

  • Electric Fence Kills Man

    Following electrocution to death of Marcel Birikunzira by electrified fence on 15th January 2012, residents of Murambi, Gihundwe cell, Kamembe sector in Rusizi district near Gihundwe Hospital are worried and closely monitoring their children’s moves.

    Joseph Ntahomvukiye resident in the area said, “I am not sure if our children will not be trapped by the electric fence built near the road.

    He urged hospital authorities to try and solve the problem by disabling the electricity flowing through the fence. I think the fence was to prevent thieves from entering.

    Dr. Celestin Ntawuhungakaje, the director of Gihundwe hospital said, “Birikunzira died when the fence and its accessories including electricity installations were being built and it was even after rainfall that caused short circuits.”

    He asked the surrounding people to take away all the worries for they cannot protect the hospital by electrifying the fence.

    “After testing the fence, we found that Birikunzira died when the fence was electrified”, noted the head of EWSA-Rusizi branch.

  • Concert Underway to Award Local Reggae Artists

    Rwanda’s dancehall artist Crispin Ngabirama is organizing a concert to award local reggae artists whom he claims have been abandoned in various local music awards.

    Among the awards he criticized is Salax, a yearly reward given to local musicians, but minimal or no recognition is shown to reggae musicians.

    Those mainly favored include; genres related to R&B, Hip-hop, Afro-beat and traditional.

    Attempting to respond to the matter, the chief organizer of Salax awards Mike Karangwa disagreed with Ngabirama’s argument adding that most local reggae musicians show a lesser will in the competitions.

    “I can’t be blamed for a group of musicians who are hesitant to compete. The contests are open to all musicians irrespective of their type of music.

    Though the category of reggae is not indicated in our categories we still classify Reggae under Afro-fusion since both genres have a lot in common,” he explained.

    Ngabirama, who is gaining popularity for his latest hit ‘Dieu d’Afrique’ is not satisfied and wants full recognition of Reggae musicians.

    Currently he is having talks with renowned reggae band members from Holly Jah Doves and musician Ben Rutabana on how to organize a concert to award reggae artists.

    He further points out that Reggae songs are more advantageous compared to other genres since they portray educative messages which are especially based on behavior change, unlike R&B which talks about romance and love.

  • HOTEL TECH Embroiled In Controversy

    The proprietor of Remera based HOTEL TECH investment worth Rwf 76M is crying foul following 10-days ultimatum issued demanding him to vacate the place.

    HOTEL TECH property is currently attached as collateral in a Gacaca case waiting to be publicly auctioned and the returns from which shall be used to compensate 1994 genocide survivors whose loved ones were killed in the same area.

    The Prime location of the HOTECH TECH property has attracted several potential bidders just waiting to seize the public auction opportunity.

    The hotel proprietor Pascal Ndahiro says that the ultimatum forcing him out is illegal. He claims he has been given 10 days yet the matter is still in the court.

    “I have no problem vacating the place.However, the issue the authorities are ignoring is the investment put in and little time they are giving as if I am a criminal,” Ndahiro decried.

    “How do you close this business in just 10 days? And actually 10 days they gave me over the weekend have not elapsed. Basically they are closing me down in two days,” Ndahiro added.

    Information reaching IGIHE.com investigative desk indicates that on January 17, 2012 employees of the HOTEL TECH formerly known as Total protested when Remera sector authorities came with police to close down the place.

    “Some of us stay here, we also need our payment. This is the manager’s address if you close and he is gone we are afraid where we will get him?” One of the employees said prefering annonymity asked the Remera sector executive secretary who had come to calm down the situation.

    Willy Ndizeye the Gasabo District Mayor told IGIHE.com by his cell phone that HOTEL TECH proprietor was notified in time and that they have followed all legal procedures to ask him vacate the premises.

    “Different personnel representing different relevant institutions came up with a conclusion of which he is also aware. He was given a first notification on December 2, 2011 ,” Gasabo Mayor disclosed.

    “He has not shown acceptance or the willingness to leave the place. The 10 days he complains of comes as the last warning where we have to use force to make him vacate the place,” Ndizeye added.

    “After he has surrendered the premises, public auction will follow and the money worth his investment will be put on an account provided by the commercial court and then he will be refunded his investment,” The Mayor said.

    However, Ndahiro does not believe it is the right way arguing that public auction can be done while he is still occupying the place as he prepares himself to leave.

    “I don’t reject to surrender the premises but let them consider my side too, something is fishy about this whole thing, when I talk to them they tell me they are under pressure from president’s office,” Ndahiro said.

    “This makes the whole thing suspicious, I don’t believe president’s office can intervene in this issue at all, yet the matter was still in the court. Why can’t they be patient and wait for the court ruling and I go well without pushing me out as if I am a criminal,” He added.

    Genesis

    Pascal Ndahiro is a tennant at the property that allegedly entered a contract with the owner untill 2014.

    He also claims harassment and mistreatment by the authorities who had ordered him to vacate the place on 24th December at the peak days for business in the festive seasons.

    When he was asked to vacate the premises, the issue ended up at a commercial court since the owner did not show concern to pay him back the amount he had paid for rent neither does the prospective buyer show intention to refund him money he had invested.

    It is said that the son of the owner William Kamalo was paid the first installment worth Rwf 50m of the total cost of Rwf 180m agreed.

    The son is said to be on run after his father was found guilty of 1994 Genocide and arrested and imprisoned.

    Alex Bayingana the owner of Alpha Palace Hotel, Remera is said to have emerged as the potential buyer and that is allegedly exerting pressure through authorities to force out the current tennant.

    ENDS