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The UNHCR declared that effective 30th June 2013, there will be no more refugee status accorded to any Rwandan who fled between 1959 and 1998.

Marcel Gatsinzi, the Minister in charge of Disaster Management and Refugee affairs, told media that the decision of avoiding refugee status to any Rwandan living abroad was handed over to Rwanda on 2nd January 2012 and they highly appreciated it.

He said, “We have highly admired this decision.”

According to the UNHCR announcement affected persons include those who fled between the years 1959 and 1998.

This is because a big number of refugees fled during 1994 Tutsi Genocide and others fled in the 1998 period of war against insurgents.

The Minister added that the decision will be implemented right from the 30th June 2013 by the UNHCR and they will not consider any Rwandan living abroad as a refugee to be supported.

The decision would have been set on 31st December 2011 and executed right from 30th June 2012.

About 3,424,919 people that fled in 1994, have already returned to Rwanda.

The Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration has launched a new travel document Laisser passé which is electronic.

The New travel document is in form of a pass port booklet which expires in two years replacing the hard large paper Laisser passé which expired in one year.

Presided over by Director General of Immigration and Emigration Anaclet Kalibata said that this will help improve quality services to nationals especially in the business sector and students.

While launching the new Machine Readable Laisser Passé, Kalibata said that people were spending lots of time at the borders but the new document would to avoid the long processes.

“This cannot be forged as foreigners used to do for the previous one to enter in the country,” Kalibata added.

Talking to Ange Sebatege , the public relations officer of Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration said that the previous document could be easily damaged.

“People used to spend much time on borders and a number of countries applicable to this Laisser passé increased,” she added.

She said: “people used to spend much money on the road looking for the previous document, but it will be delivered to the district only. Once you ask it to the district, it is expected that, you will get it within two days. The document is electronically made and is in form of a booklet is easy to keep. Another difference is that duration has changed to two years instead of being one.”

With regard to different prices between adult and children, Sebatege said that it was done in order to facilitate people with children who do not travel much as the adults.

Furthermore, the price for the previous was Rwf 3,000 but the new one costs Rwf 10,000 for adults and Rwf 5,000 for children.

He also declared that 9 machines were dispatched all over the country to facilitate people to easily access the document.

District like Musanze, Rusizi, Huye, Rwamagana and Rubavu have already got those printing machines.

The first people to receive the document agree that it is a good document for it is easy to keep and will solve problems they faced at borders due to electronic checking device.

The countries in which this document is likely to be used are all East African countries, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

ENDS

Linked information from a well placed source has said tourism sector seems to be topping coffee and tea in Rwanda’s foreign exchange earnings.

The figures as of the year 2011 ended indicate that the internal target would exceed US $ 216m, the source said.

“Conference tourism and the opening of new attractions, like the bird trails outside the national parks and the launch of the Congo Nile Trail (CNT), have all contributed. Otherwise, we are happy with 2011,” the source said.

“Presence at all key international tourism trade fairs and joining the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) all added to giving Rwanda an edge and resulted in record earnings and arrivals, full data will be published here just as soon as the statisticians at Rwanda Development Board (RDB) officially release the results,”.

However when contacted the Head of Tourism in RDB, Rica Rwigamba refuted the information saying it’s premature.

“The information is premature and not from us, we have not compiled figures yet,” she said in a cell phone text message.

Sources say that the trend was also supported by adding more beds in the Kigali, as well as in key upcountry locations, easing the pressure of previous years when fully booked hotels preventing clients from being able to actually come to the country due to absence of confirmed accommodation.

ENDS

A student of National University of Rwanda (NUR) identified as Fred Bankunda has died in a bus accident that Occured at Mubende district of western Uganda.

Bankunda (pictured above) was among those listed for the forthcoming graduation ceremony due to take place on January 27. He had gone for Christmas celebration and shopping in preparation for the graduation ceremony.

Bankunda’s sister and the guardian only identified as Norah, in Mubende District in Uganda told IGIHE.com that the deceased was traveling in a bus from Kampala to Fort portal district when the bus Bankunda was traveling in crashed in Mubende killing three people and several sustaining serious injuries.

Bankunda and others were rushed to a hospital in the same district. His sister was at the police looking for documents to allow her get the body out of the hospital.

His close friend and the roommate at the university (cambodge room no. 118), Frank Ngarambe said, “He was my friend and a roommate ever since we met at the university in 2007. He was a very humbled person and innovative.”

Ngarambe added, “this is very sad. I can’t believe he is dead”

Fred Bankunda was born in 1982 in Uganda.He studied primary school in Nyagatare district, High School at Essa Nyarugunga in Kigali and then National University of Rwanda.

He had completed his degree at the Faculty of Economics and Management in the department of Finance (BBA).

His body will be brought back to Rwanda for burial slated for tomorrow Thursday at Kijojo in Nyagatare district.

A group of thirty MBA Students and Faculty from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania visited the Ministry of Defence on 3 January 2012 to learn Rwanda’s Post Conflict Reconstruction and Economic Growth.

The Wharton MBA Executive Program is one of the best in the world that brings together business executives from across the world to the two campuses of University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia and San Francisco.

In their Interaction with the Hon Minister of Defence, Gen James Kabarebe, they were interested in sharing with them the role of security organs in Rwanda’s recovery and socio-economic development.

He briefed on the importance of holistic security as a foundation for development, stressed the role of good leadership in Rwanda and a disciplined Military that is engaged in development of all sectors of national life as opposed to a parasitic Military depending on tax payers money.

Professor Catherine J. Klein leading the team said the four day study tour is under the theme “Conflict, leadership and change, lessons from Rwanda” and the students were interested in learning the role of Security forces in positive transformation of the Rwandan society after 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

Prof Catherine J. Klein also said that the Wharton University students also learned about the Ministry of Defence relationship with other institutions as well as the working relationship between Rwanda Defence Forces with the people.

Cleophas Harerimana is being detained at Gasaka police station Nyamagabe district for killing his wife Euprasie Giraneza.

The suspect admits that he brutally hit his wife with a pestle used to smash cassava leaves (isombe) because of an argument which rose from her refusal to prepare a meal for the family.

Witnesses who couldn’t save her on time say that she sustained injuries on her head and hands and severe bleeding on her lower chest ribs. She was rushed to a nearby health center where she died.

Giraneza has left behind 7 children between ages of 6 and11 years. Her neighbours considered her as the sole bread earner of the family since her husband was a drunkard who often ignored family responsibilities.

She has been able to keep up the family on her sorghum beer business (Ikigaji) and has used the revenues to buy two modern dairy cattle that produced milk for sale.

To compliment this she also had a kitchen garden which provided surplus food for the family.

Police report indicates that 18 people have been seriously injured in a hand grenade explosion at Remera’s Nyabisindu shopping center that occurred at 6.40 pm, but eye witnesses say that three are feared dead and the number of injured is above 20.

According to police spokesman Supt Theos Badege the injured were rushed to both Kibagabaga hospital and CHUK, but no grenade victims have been rushed to Kanombe Military hospital as many alleged.

“Right now we are not aware of any deaths we’re still waiting for further information from the doctors, but what I can assure you now is that investigations are progressing but we have not arrested any suspect yet,” said Badege.

By press time the crime scene was sealed off by police as investigations were being carried out in area of 50 meters width and 30 meters length, inside the crime scene there’re stains of blood splashed onto kiosks and on ground.

Police at the crime scene prevented our reporter from taking photographs saying this could interfere with with the investigation process.

“Can’t you see we have people from the national forensic laboratory taking photos, please don’t destruct us at the moment,” a police officer told this reporter.

Evereste Haguma one of the victims who had minor bruises on his hand noted that most people were injured during the stampede.

“This is a busy center with a lot of movements and immediately after the explosion I was pushed by people who were running for their safety. I’m yet to go to the hospital to for treatment,” narrated Haguma.

An witness explaining the incident to Christopher Bizimungu the head of Criminal Investigation Department, noted that he suspected a man came with big group of people.

“At first I saw an unfamiliar group of people, then a man came running towards them and immediately after he mingled with the group the grenade erupted, I think the team was part of the plan to confuse the public after he threw the grenade,” he explained.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has today arrived in the United Arab Emirates where he has been received by the UAE Vice President Mohammed bin Rashid.

The UAE Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum received President Kagame today at the Zabeel Palace.

They held talks on expanding the economic cooperation between UAE and Rwanda.

The Emirates News Agency reports that Kagame admired Sheikh Mohammed’s vision on development, which has become point of global attention, and expressed his wish that Rwanda will benefit from the UAE experience and its success in various fields.

A number of ministers and other senior officials attended the meeting.

In November last year President Kagame visited Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted renewable energy company.

He toured the Masdar City and Masdar Institute for Science and Technology.

In his statement Kagame said that: “I was delighted to visit Masdar and experience first-hand the development and progress the company has achieved over the past few years. It is clear that the Masdar’s progress in the renewable and sustainable energy field will benefit the region and entire world.”

Additional reporting: ENA

Two men from Muturagara, Gaseke, Kabaya sector in Ngororero district of Western Province were found dead after a mudslide covered them while engaged in illegal mining activities last weekend.

The dead were identified as Habimana commonly known as Kimboteri 26, and Emmanuel Ngirababyeyi 22. Their bodies were exhumed in the early morning on the new years’ day by area residents.

Ngororero Vice mayor in charge of Economic Development Emmanuel Mazimpaka urged residents to engage in legal mining so that they can even be advised on how to properly conduct mining.

Habimana is survived with a wife and 3children while Ngirababyeyi was not married.