Tag: HomeNews

The Governor of Eastern Province, Odette Uwamariya has urged Gatsibo residents to work hand in hand with local leaders in the fight against corruption and violence.

This was revealed Tuesday during the launching of the governance month in Gatsibo District at Ngarama sector.

Uwamariya commended residents for their development actions and their role in the good governance process.

Gatsibo is ranked 5th at national Level and on the top place in Eastern Province in good governance, fighting corruption and violence.

Governor Uwamariya and other delegates welcomed questions from the public where most included land disputes between families.

Ambassador Fatuma Ndangiza, the Deputy CEO of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) praised Gatsibo residents for their achievements and their support to government programs especially on good governance.

She requested local leaders to deliver good services to the population and address every problem that residents face in their daily lives.

The Governance Month that kicked off on December 13 last year and ends on January 30, assesses and strengthens good governance through service delivery and demands of ordinary citizens that need further improvement.

Organised by the Local Government Ministry in collaboration with Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the Governance Month involves leaders at various levels meeting citizens, listening to their concerns as well as developing suggestions and actionable programmes.

Sylvestre Nsanzabaganwa a resident of Kibumbwe sector Nyamagabe District in Southern Province was killed by unkown people and his toungue removed in the night of 8th -9th January 2012.

Security authorities at Kibumbwe sector said the prime suspects are relatives of Nsanzabaganwa with whom he had been involved in a land dispute before succumbing to gruesome murder.

Emmanuel Kanamugire and Evariste Ntabahigimana are relatives of the deceased. The two are suspected of having a hand in the death of Nsanzabaganwa after losing to the deceased in a court battle for legal ownership of land recently.

The police spokesman, supt. Theos Badege confirmed the gruesome murder of Nsanzabaganwa adding that there is another suspect of the killing who is still on the run.

Police in Nyamagabe have arrested 6 people including a bar owner where the deceased had been drinking before his murder. Among others arrested include people who were with Nsanzabaganwa at the bar and the one who escorted him.

The executive secretary of Kicukiro district, Adarbert RUKEBANUKA has said that the district still faces a challenge of poor hygiene. He said that there are places in Kicukiro where people are still living in poor levels of hygiene.

“Once we find shopkeepers operating in unhygienic environment we shall close their shops and punish them accordingly after the removal of the rubbish,” Rukebanuka told IGIHE.com.

Kayiranga Jean Damascene, executive secretary of Kanserege cell, said daily patrols are conducted every morning before work time ensuring the places are well cleaned.

He said, “Those found lacking proper hygiene are summoned to the general assembly before residents for advice. To avoid shame on them, those exposed do their best to promote hygiene.”

Francoise Nyirambarushimana, shopkeeper in Kanserege II village, Kanserege cell, Gikondo Sector, Kicukiro District said, “people with poor hygiene especially shopkeepers must know that they are victimizing their customers through dirty merchandises.”

The government is doing its best to promote hygiene in the country especially in cities hence the introduction of companies in charge of cleaning roads and streets found in cities like Kigali

China has issued a grant worth Frw5 Billion to Rwanda repayable with no interest. The support aims at facilitating economic and technical cooperation with Rwanda.

The agreement was signed by both ministers of foreign affairs Louise Mushikibawo and Chen Jian vice minister of commerce in China.

Mushikibawo noted that the agreement was significant to Rwanda.

“It is consistent with the government’s efforts to develope our country and substantially change the livelihood of our entire population.
It also confirms our determination to move forward on all aspects of serious economic development of our country,” she said.

She further noted that the amount will be used to support national developmental projects, though officials haven’t prioritized any scheme.

“So far we haven’t discussed on any projects but I think we will select activities that are in line with upgrading infrastructure.”

Regarding economic cooperation, she hailed trade relations with china adding that sustainable development can only result from private business engagement in nation building, yet this can be achieved through the governments will to encourage this option.

Jiani took positively Mushikibawo’s request for both countries to go beyond state to state cooperation to investments in the private sector.

He also promised to advocate for more Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in the country.

IGIHE.com has reliably learnt that a French court in Versailles has today 10th January 2012 turned down Rwanda’s request for the extradition of a former magistrate Manasse Bigwenzaré accused of involvement in the 1994 Tutsi genocide.

Bigwenzaré said he was happy with the outcome, adding that he had “always known it was a lie”, and that he had never been politically active in Rwanda.

Government of Rwanda had obtained an international arrest warrant for Bigwenzaré, on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.

The judge noted that Bigwenzaré could be persecuted if he returned to Rwanda.
The judge also ordered the lifting of judicial controls which had applied to Bigwenzaré since his arrest in June, just north of Paris, where he lives in a retirement home.

Bigwenzaré obtained French nationality in 2010, after fleeing Rwanda on 8th April 1994, just after the killing began, according to his lawyer.

Huye district has managed to construct 84 classrooms in various secondary schools in the district meant to accommodate students in the recently approved 12-Year basic education program.

This development puts Huye district ahead of other districts in the country.

Each classroom will accommodate 46 students who will be taught various subjects including; sciences, humanities and literature.

Eugene Kayiranga the mayor of Huye district attributed the progress to support given by residents adding that the cooperation should be replicated in other parts of the country.

“We urge residents to take part in building classrooms if we want our students to start learning without delaying. Those who are reluctant to provide support to us, let this success be a lesson to them.

I hope they will be inspired to take part in construction of remaining classrooms,” he advised.

Normally, residents offer support ranging from finances, manual work, donation of construction materials among requirements.

Johanne Doyon a lawyer to Leon Mugesera, the Rwanda 1994 Tutsi genocide suspect has made a last-ditch legal plea to keep him on Canadian soil.

The lawyer argued on Mugesera’s behalf, seeking a judicial review and a delay of Thursday’s scheduled expulsion of the client.

Doyon has been on the case since mid-December and called Ottawa’s decision rushed and without proper due diligence for Mugesera’s safety.

Doyon argued that a refugee claimant like Mugesera should not be deported unless he’s been convicted or is a threat to Canada.

“But this is not the case for Léon Mugesera. He has not been convicted. He has not had access to a fair and equitable trial in front of his peers and in front of justice,” Doyon said.

She said the Canadian Charter of Rights, as well as international treaties, should protect him from deportation in light of his status as a refugee.

Doyon also said that the Canadian government is wrong to accept diplomatic assurances from the Rwandan government that Mugesera won’t be harmed.

Guinea Bissau President in West Africa Malam Bacai Sanha died on Monday in a Paris hospital, his office said, raising fears of a fresh power struggle in this chaotic nation.

Reports say, Sanha had been in poor health since coming to power in 2009 and left Guinea Bissau in late November for treatment abroad.

The U.S. embassy in Dakar warned its citizens on Monday that there was an an increased potential for political instability and civil or military unrest as a result of reports of Sanha’s death.

The coastal state is notorious as a stop off for cocaine being smuggled into Europe from South America and has suffered several coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.

The statement reads, “With pain and sadness, the president’s office reports to the people of Guinea Bissau and to the international community the death of His Excellency the President, Malam Bacai Sanha, this morning, January 9, at Val de Grace Hospital where he was being treated.”

However, the statement did not disclose the cause of death but the 64-year-old was believed to be suffering from diabetes, and a foreign ministry source told press, he was placed in an artificial coma during his treatment in Paris.

Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade said Sanha’s death could spark unrest in neighboring Guinea Bissau, and invited armed factions to mediation in Senegal. Rival groups in Guinea Bissau’s military have fought repeatedly in the past.

“We are worried that with this death factions will clash,” Wade told Reuters. “Senegal is interested in stability in Guinea Bissau. Put down your weapons, come to Senegal and spend some time discussing with one another,” he said.

Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore had also accepted a request by the African Union to broker a peace deal between Guinea Bissau’s rival factions after a gun battle erupted in the capital on December 26.

The streets of the seaside capital were calm late on Monday, but tension was palpable.

“(Sanha’s) death worries me a great deal because we know there are many bad people who want to take over power at all costs,” said Souleymane Sadio, a Bissau resident.

Over the last few years U.S. and European intelligence and security services have focused more attention on West Africa’s Atlantic seaboard to head off problems of cocaine-trafficking, illegal migrant flows and the southward creep of militant Islam.

Sanha came to power in July 2009 elections after the assassination of his predecessor, Joao Bernardo Vieira.

New elections to replace Sanha must be held within 90 days according to the constitution, and are likely to pit Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior against rivals, including former president Kumba Yala, who enjoys support from fellow ethnic Balanta in the military.

President of the National Assembly Raimundo Pereira is meant to act as interim president during the transition.

Gomes has effectively been running the country since Sanha’s departure and has managed to draw millions of dollars in donor support from Angola for army reform while also winning allies in the military, including army chief General Antonio Indjai.

His main rival in the military, Navy head Bubo Na Tchuto, was arrested in late December after clashes in the capital that the government called a coup attempt. But Na Tchuto, who is believed by the United States to be a top drugs trafficker in Bissau, retains some support within the army.

“This new step in (Gomes’) growing hegemony might induce some radicals into action, but my guess is he has a very strong hand right now,” said Vincent Foucher, an analyst at International Crisis Group in D

56 more Rwanda National Police Officers have arrived in Darfur, Sudan to serve a peace keeping mission under the United Nations Mission in (UNAMID) mandate.

The Police officers left Kigali Monday International AirPort at 6:00 am aboard RwandaAir, the national carrier. They will be joining other 185 Officers who are already on mission in the troubled Sudanese region

During the pre-deployment briefing on 2nd January, the IGP, Emmanuel Gasana urged the officers to observe discipline and professionalism while on the mission.

He also asked them to uphold the core values of the country and cooperate with other people for effective execution of mission duties.

The UNAMID Chief of staff, Commissioner of Police, Cyprien Gatete who was in the country at a time, appealed to the officers to be exemplary, work as a team and observe Rwanda’s image.

The officers, who will be on a one year mission, will be acting as advisors, especially in community policing, anti gender based violence measures and providing security in internally displaced camps.

This brings the number of police officers on peace keeping missions in Haiti, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sudan, to 472.

Chinese government has taken a step seeking broadened bilateral relationship with Rwanda, so it has emerged.

A delegation of 22 top Chinese government officials are in the country for a three-day visit aimed at extending bilateral relationships.

Late last year, Chinese Government represented by Vice Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Zhai Jun marked forty years of good relationship between the two countries.

It was observed that both countries have had steady development of the relationship in the past forty years of political, social and econimical practical cooperation in the field of trade, education, culture and health.

The two countries has had and maintained close coordination and cooperation to cope with international and regional affairs.

China’s delegation in Rwanda led by Li Yuanchao, member of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC), were received by Francois Ngarambe, Secretary General of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), accompanied by the Minister of East Africa Affairs, Monique Mukaruliza.

Ngarambe said the officials are visiting to enhance the good relationship the two countries have enjoyed.

“The two countries have enjoyed good relations, specifically between RPF and CPC. We want to discuss ways on how, together, we can help our citizens develop,” Ngarambe said.

The delegation also Chen Jian, the vice Minister of Commerce, are visiting Rwanda on the invitation of the RPF.

Later held talks with officials of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) where Rtd Bishop, John Rucyahana, the President of the institution said Chine would learn a lot about unity and reconciliation.

“They want to learn the role of unity and reconciliation in the development of Rwanda after the Genocide. I believe we need to learn from each other, not only in terms of unity, but also in other areas,” he said.

It is scheduled that the Chinese delegation will hold talks with RPF and also sign a bilateral economic and technical agreement.

ENDS