Tag: HomeNews

Police is hunting for Niyoniringiye Ezekiel a pastor of Methodist church located at Kacyiru, for having cheated children whom he had promised to support.

Ezekiel Niyoniringiye known as pastor had promised to support 290 vulnerable children by providing them school fees and other school materials.

To benefit from this, a child should register with Frw 5,000 paid to the bank account or taken to their office located at Karambo cell, Gatenga Sector, Kicukiro district.

Police has already arrested Muragijimana Regina who was the accountant of the Rwanda Youth Work Cooperation, the association founded by Ezekiel for the support program.

Muragijimana Regina, speaking to IGIHE.com said, “Nsengimana Jean Claude told me that we are working for the pastor but since my beginning I have never seen him.”

Ezekiel Niyoniringiye is pursued together with Nsengiyumva they have been working together.

The police spokesman urges citizens to be vigilant and report suspicious projects to Police.

Bugesera district authorities have cautioned against illegal fishing at Ririma River following an increase in crocodile attacks at the river.

On Tuesday Valens Ndayambaje was attacked by a crocodile while fetching water, he sustained serious injuries and he is being nursed at a nearby health center.

Illegal fishemen are known to fish without boats as a way to hide their identity yet camouflaging make them prone to crocodile bites.

Those legally registered and working in cooperatives are safer because they have sophisticated boats and move in large numbers hence making it easier to protect themselves.

Jean Pierre Gasaba the executive secretary of Kimaranzara sector bordering the river advised residents to be alert while fetching water at the river.

He condemned an attitude of greed for quick money seen in illegal fishermen, who go to the river without protective measures and also sell the fish without paying tax.

It’s hard for illegal fishermen to keep off the shores given the lucrative nature of the business. “I and my friend generate more than Frw 20,000 before noon every day,” said Emmanuel Bisengimana.

Barthazar Hicuburundi who is weary of the crocodiles said, “Yes the money is easy and quick but our lives are at risk, we work under Gods grace or else we could have died long ago like some of our friends. Our families are always ready for bad news,” he remarked.

Inside sources from Kigali City have disclosed that waste management specialists presented their feasibility study for the identified garbage dumping site.

The New dumping site identified at Nduba Sector in Gasabo District has been recommended basing on different criteria that protects human health.

“The waste management specialists had shortlisted only two sites in Rusororo Sector and another in Nduba Sector in Gasabo District, so today is when they made their presentations while recommending the Nduba sector site in Gasabo District,” the source said.

The source say that the site was recommended following the distance the site has from the residence, distance from waters, surrounded by trees to prevent wind from sweeping away the garbage, easy expropriation of the resident, enough space and road accessibility among other site.

It is also said that Kigali City authorities intends to write a letter to the Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi who had previously given an ultimatum to close the Nyanza based dumping site.

Any dumping site should at least be located to a distance of at least 1 kilometre from residential areas and new methods of waste disposal are also needed.

The Nyanza based site had started causing high threat to resident’s health. Residents had been exposed to health hazards.

ENDS

Rwanda’s renowned cultural music star Jean Paul Samputa has attacked his fellow artists who have critisiced Senegalese world music icon Youssou Ndour who has announced to contest for presidency.

World music icon announced last week that he plans to run in Senegal’s presidential election next month, challenging an 85-year-old incumbent whose plans to seek a third term have sparked protests.

Ndour, who made the announcement on his private radio and TV stations, joins some 20 other candidates already running against President Abdoulaye Wade.

“I have heard the Alpha Blonde and others against his decision saying that Youssou Ndour will not have any more time to interact with his audience in music when he becomes a politician but that is his decision,” Samputu said by cell phone.

“I don’t think it is wise to harry criticising someone before knowing what really prompted him to go for presidency, it might be that deep in his cautious is convinced and has that gift of leadership, if he sees his country needs someone like him, he can go for presidential race,” Samputu added.

“I don’t see anything wrong with a musician running for presidency as long as is competent and can handle it, personally I cannot go for it because I feel I go closer and interact with my audience easier when a sing,” Rwanda’s cultural music icon said.

Samputu said that he was intending to fly to Senegal to talk to Youssou Ndour he calls his friend after meeting in New York and advising him in his music career.

“If you are a friend or a colleague, you need to advise that person. As a musician I respect and a friend I need to go there and ask how he really came up with this idea, if he has a firm basis then it means he really needs our support other than being against him or his choice,” Samputu said.

It has been reported that the Grammy-winning artist and the West African country’s most famous cultural export, his prospects with Senegalese voters remain unclear.

The election is less than two months away, and the incumbent president has been in power for more than a decade.

“For a very long time, many Senegalese of different backgrounds have called for my candidacy for the presidency next February,” Ndour said.

“I’ve listened, I’ve heard and I am responding favorably to their request. I am a candidate. It’s a supreme patriotic duty, the best I can give of myself. I am the alternative to the current leadership in place in the country.”

Ndour, 52, is well known in Senegal for his scathing critique of the country’s ruling party. He already owns a hugely popular private radio station that holds regular debates featuring government critics.

And he has a newspaper that routinely highlights corruption allegations involving the country’s ruling elite, including the president’s family.

Residents of Senegal’s capital expressed doubt that the musician would fare well at the polls or in office.

Youssou Ndour is not the first musician to run for the presidency, last year American pop star Whycliff Jean went back to his home country Haiti and also the incumbent president of Haiti Michel Martelly was pop star.

Actually some political analysts were suggesting that Youssou Ndour should run for presidency since Haitan president who was commonly known as Sweet Micky on stage is doing well.

ENDS

Controversial Rapper and lecturer Aimable Uzaramba Karasira popularly known by his stage name Professor Nigga at the National University of Rwanda (NUR) faculty of computer science, has denounced critics who say he is shaming the varsity.

He argues that a group of his colleagues are criticizing his flashy way of dressing yet this doesn’t affect his output as a lecturer at the university.

“I don’t see the reason why someone is uncomfortable with my sagging pants yet it’s not objected in my contract, rapping is my hobby and no one should go into my private life,” he said.

Karasira further disclosed that a petition requesting his dismissal from the university has already been sent to the human resource yet the management hasn’t raised any concerns about his music career.

He also says that he isn’t the only musician to work in a government institution citing others like Masabo Nyangezi who worked at the ministry of foreign affairs and Cyprien Rugamba a former researcher at the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST).

“Who said musicians can’t hold other serious tasks, even film star Arnold Schwarzenegger the former governor of California continued to play roles in several movies during his political term in office,” he argued.

The 35years old lecturer is the only rapper in the history of NUR and other universities in the country and he’s yet to release his first debut album containing 26 songs.

Efforts to reach NUR rector Professor Silas Lwakabamba for a comment were futile as he couldn’t answer hi cell phone.

The poor may never lay to rest their lovedones following complaints arising from the high costs of obtaining space at Rusororo public cemetery.

This comes after the recent closure of Remera cemetry (Iwabo wa twese) that filled up and closed down few months ago.

The public has since then turned to Rusororo cemetery currently serving as burial site to most city dwellers yet the vulnerable complain the prices deny them a chance to put their deceased relatives to rest.

Rusororo cemetery has 12 hectares of land with graves of burial ground at a depth of 1.4 meters and pathways of 60cm between the graves. Considering the large size of the burial site, the poor prefer to be exempted from paying grave fees.

“I have four children and fruit vendor on the streets. I don’t make much profit in this business. I cant afford the cheapest grave fees of Frw 15,000 excluding costs of a coffin, mortuary fees, flowers for the ceremony, cement to cover the grave and other burial costs. The government should intervene,” said Jacqueline Nyiramana.

Jean Claude Munara the Gasabo vice mayor in charge of finances noted that the prices were not exaggerated and were similar to charges of the former city cemetery at Remera.

However, she added that the prices of the graves range from Frw 15,000 a site below the main road, Frw 50,000 at the center and Frw 600,000 close to the main road.

“We have set prices for all groups of people and each has a right to choose where they feel comfortable, I really don’t think we have a big problem here, maybe some thought that new cemetery would be cheaper or for free,” she remarked.

The burial fees are only exempted from those who are recognized as vulnerable by the district management.

The on-going stiff competition to construct Bugesera International Airport has seen 22 companies out of the race.

Only 11 companies now have been shortlisted of which one will be chosen to construct the outstanding airport that meets international standards.

It is expected that the airport will be completed and have its first flight by 2015 in its first phase to handle 450 passengers and also capacity to handle 15,500 tonnes of cargo annually with eight flight movement per hour during peak hours.

James Kamanzi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure (Mininfra) has said submitting tender documents for the construction of the airport will be done this week.

“The next step, most likely before the end of this week, is to submit Request For Proposal (RFP) to the companies so they can send their technical and financial proposals”. Kamanzi said.

Bugesera International Airport will come complementing Kigali International Airport which is overwhelmed with the current air traffic.

For instance in 2009, when RwandAir Jet Crashed into VIP Terminal, traffic in and out of Kigali through the only major gateway Kigali International Airport became interrupted due to lack of another alternative runway where planes could be diverted.

Rwanda has experienced a drastic increase in air traffic due to tourism and increased economic activities making the existing airport outdated and having no expansion room due to too close expanding urban center.

In 2009, Kigali International Airport registered a 15 percent growth in passenger volume projecting over 300,000 passengers expected to gradually increase each year.

“Our cargo traffic- exports and imports have also grown tremendously. Our flights have also increased, in value and volume,” Dr. Richard Masozera, Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority was quoted as saying previously.

Surrounding areas like Kanombe, Kabeza, Samuduha and Kimironko have been residentially developed that there is no room for the airport expansion.

An extensive feasibility study where the airport be built has been done for the area where Bugesera Airport, a 40 kilometers distance towards southern Kigali City, across Nyabarongo River in Bugesera District.

At least US$8.5 million has already been spent on the feasibility studies, architectural designs and review International Civil Aviation Organization.

The first phase of the project is expected to cost about US$450 million and while Phase II is budgeted to cost US$250 million for a total of US$700 million in whole project.

ENDS

Two mult-million e-learning labs have been inaugurated at Rwanda’s Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

The Labs are equipped with Digital and touch white boards, cameras, sound systems and soft ware worth US $ 500, 000 (est. Rwf 298.9M) to facilitate e-learning at the Rwanda’s only technological university.

It is a donation vowed by a Chinese based technological company HUAWEI when President Paul Kagame visited the company in 2007.

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

It is said to be the largest China-based networking and telecommunications equipment supplier and the second-largest supplier of mobile telecommunications infrastructure equipment in the world.

In a colourful ceremony the inauguration was presided over by senior Chinese officials led by Hon. Li Yuanchao, Member of the Political Bureau and Secretariat, and Minister of the Organization Department, CPC Central Committee and Rwanda’s Prime Minister Pierre Damien Habumuremyi.

Present was also Ji Ping the Vice Chairperson of HUAWEI Technologies, Shu zhan Ambassador of China to Rwanda, Dr.Vincent Biruta Minister of Education, Ignace Gatare Minister of ICT and others among the Chinese senior delegation on the official visit in the country.

Doctor Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya the Rector of KIST said the project will reducing costs, time and sharing learning resources among students at the same time.

“We thank HUAWEI for this donation and we promise to make good use of this technology, KIST students follow classes conducted by one lecturer teaching different classes at the same time thus this wouldn’t be possible with the classical method of one lecturer per classroom at a given time,” Mujawamariya said.

Ji Ping the Vice Chairperson of Huawei Technology said; “KIST is one of East Africa’s best known Universities, over the years under the leadership of Rwanda Government”

Some of the KIST’s ICT analysts believe the inaugurated e-learning labs have a lot to offer the University administration embarks on exploring all the available opportunities.

“ you can use it for uploading course materials, students can chat with lecturers in a session of asking questions, it will reduce students-lecturer’s ratio and cost reduction to the University which will differently have a reduced cost pressure to the students,” one of the ICT scholars said.

“We are connected to broadband like many institutions that have benefited from fiber optic, we are now connected to many universities, our lecturer can benefit other universities while conducting any module in the same time and the vice versa,”

“Any visiting lecturer would not now be firmly expensive because time to spend in Rwanda lecturing the same course unit in different classes will be reduced. The work load will have reduced so it makes bargaining for payment easy,” Eric Mugisha the head of Communication told IGIHE.com.

ENDS

The Plane Falcon 50 carrying the Former President of Rwanda Juvenal Habyarimana was according to a new report allegedly shot down by power hungry insiders in his regime.

According to the report, When former President, Juvenal Habyarimana, took off from Tanzania on April 6, 1994, it was already dark. Due to the late hour and insecurity in Rwanda, Habyarimana’s French team tried to convince him to wait until the next day to leave. In vain.

He was in a hurry to leave the summit in Dar es Salaam, where, under pressure, he had to promise to finally implement the peace agreement providing for the sharing of power with the Tutsi rebels.

The Plane was also to bring home his Burundian counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira who had also attended the meeting.

At 8:21 p.m., the Falcon announced its approach to the control tower at the airport in Kigali. It appears any lights on in the black sky when a tracer line to meet him, describes a curve, then falls. A second orange flame from the ground and this time, on target.

At 8:25 p.m., the plane exploded in flight and crashed near the presidential residence. The dismembered body of Juvenal Habyarimana will be found in his own gardens, as well as the remains of three French crew members, Jacky Heraud, Jean-Pierre and Jean-MichelMinaberry Perrine.

Hence the missile is he gone? The question may seem anecdotal, if exceeded, eighteen years after the fact.

To judge Jean-Louis Bruguière, who first heard the case, never go there, the rocket was fired by rebels of RPF, the RPF Paul Kagame, since Masaka, a wooded hill, located just 4 km from the airport. The goal? Trigger a process of war to topple the regime.

Unlike their predecessors, the two judges who have taken four years of instruction,Nathalie Poux and Marc Trévidic, left the field and not statements taken mainly from exiled opponents to President Paul Kagame.

Seven experts were dispatched to the scene: three experts in aeronautics, two surveyors, a ballistics and acoustics.

Their report will be presented this afternoon to the parties a little more fragile the conclusions of Judge Bruguière alreadyundermined by the withdrawal of several witnesses.

Reportedly, they were able to establish that the aircraft flying at very low altitude then was hit on its left side near the crash site, is more than three kilometers from the farm in Masaka, the starting point of the alleged missile.

This would imply that the shooter then hung the Falcon as it arrived in his direction, then missed and shot it from behind. The experts also studied two ancient stories, passed unnoticed at the time.

The first from Dr. Massimo Pasuch, a military doctor Belgian member of UNAMIR, the UN mission, who lived at a camp for Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) in Kanombe, near the airstrip.The man was questioned by the Military Prosecutor in Brussels a few months after the attack.

April 6 at night, he was in his living room when he “heard a noise blast” and saw “an orange light spinning” and finally “a fireball that crashed on the plot of the President.”

The second witness is a French, Gregory of Saint-Quentin, Lieutenant-Colonel marine troops. Military Assistant to the FAR, he also lived inside the military camp at Kanombe in the last row of houses.

“Around 20 am 30, I heard the shots initially and then the explosion, he said on PV Jean-Louis Bruguière, June 8, 2000. Then I saw a fireball in the sky “.

This man has since become general was heard again by the judge Trévidic on 7 December. He confirmed that he “heard two shots departures” that is 500 or 1000 meters from the villa.He added: “It was close enough that I think we attacked the camp.”

The expert in acoustics has studied the precise configuration of the place, the temperature, weather conditions, to find out how to spread the noise that night.

It seems highly unlikely that the two soldiers were able to perceive the breath of missiles fired from there to 3.750km at a place called the farm in Masaka.

More importantly, the speed of light is a hundred times faster than sound, the two men should have seen the plane explode before you hear the rockets.

Conclusion: the shooters were near or inside the Kanombe camp, run by Rwandan officers for the most hostile to the peace settlement which required the merger of the rebels and the army.

The other track has never really been explored by Judge Brugière: that of a coup perpetrated by Hutu extremists determined to prevent the application of the Treaty of Arusha and end once and for all with Tutsis.