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A high profiled delegation from the World Bank has visited President Paul Kagame to be tipped on governance.

Recently Mo Ibrahim Foundation ranked Rwanda in its index as one of the most improving countries in African governance emerging the 25th country.

Led by Georgina Baker, Director of the Corporation in International Finance Corporation (IFC), the delegation came to share with Kagame on his experiences in leadership.

The IFC is the lending subsidiary of World Bank charged with financing and providing advice for private sector development in developing countries.

Speaking to Press after meeting Kagame, Baker said they shared a number of issues including accountability, transparency, and country development and management.

She said their visit was part of the IFC’s prestigious corporate management programme.

“We brought new leaders from IFC, We wanted to learn from the leadership of Rwanda and the journey this country has made under President Kagame,” Baker told the press at Village Urugwiro.

“We were moved by what he shared with us, not only in terms of how he brings people together, but what happened in this country and the reconciliation process. we don’t have to go through such a tough leadership journey ourselves but to learn from someone who was very moving for everyone that was here,” Baker added.

Baker who is also the Director of Short term finance at IFC, said that there was a growth trend in Rwanda’s private sector.

Baker also added that IFC looks at investment in finance, infrastructure, housing and education as a way of boosting the private sector growth.

John Rwangombwa, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance said that IFC delegation coming was part of their annual leadership training programme which targets the organisation’s young and upcoming leaders.

Also World Bank governor in Rwanda, Rwangombwa said; “They chose Rwanda out of other countries because the country’s leadership has tackled a lot of challenges in a short time and they wanted to learn from our experience.”

Rwangombwa said IFC is the biggest supporter of Rwanda’s private sector providing both short-term and long-term financing of projects especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He also said IFC helps the government to improve doing business and improving the investment climate.

Jean Leon Iragena, a Rwandan student studying in the US under Rwanda’s Presidential scholarship,October 15th launched Isaro Foundation a non-profit organization to help improve reading and writing skills in Rwandan primary and high schools.

Isaro Foundation will receive different types of writings: essays, short stories, poems, from Rwandan students aged between 7 and 18. The Foundation will grade the writings and award best writers.

A student whose writing will have been selected as good will be awarded a prize which will include money. The award will be estimated between Rwf 5,000 and Rwf 10,000.

“Fluent student in writing can even benefit from this money and pay school fees for themselves” Jean Leon claimed.

What motivated him to found this Foundation, Jean Leon replied in these words: “Even if Rwanda is among the countries that spend a lot of money in education, there is still a lot to do in the reading and writing field. Rwandan students should start learning not only from classes, but also from books. I personally believe that the most precious knowledge comes from reading books. “

“There is no other way we can improve reading and writing skills in Rwanda without starting by the youngest generation. The main objective of Isaro Foundation is to improve reading and writing skills starting by young people. “

“I have been thinking about this project for about 10 months, and even if the Foundation has been already launched there is still a lot to do for it to starting operating.”

The impact of this Foundation will be improvement of reading and writing skills in Rwanda. This will be achieved through different ways including; the organization of reading and writing competitions in Rwandan primary and high schools, publication of Isaro magazine on a trimester basis and the creation of a library for students. Promoting reading and writing habits in Rwanda is not an easy task, the reason why as a motivation, we will give prizes in money so that many students can participate.”

Iragena pointed out that students will pay nothing to get Isaro Foundation’s magazine or to participate in the competitions. “We want students to benefit from Isaro Foundation’s opportunities for free.”

“It is important that the foundation gets supports from the government, non-governmental institutions and organizations and also from people who can donate to Isaro Foundation.” He added.

He continued by encouraging the Rwandan diaspora around the world and the Rwandans to help the organization achieve its non-pecuniary goals. He also mentioned that some friends of Rwanda are getting involved: “some friends of Rwanda have already shown their interest in the Foundation” Jean Leon noted.

“When I see how students here, from the kindergarten to universities invest their time shaping their reading and writing skills, it inspires me so much. For almost a year, I have been thinking how I can take that culture back home and now I have come to a durable solution. As a science major, I had never realized that the first thing I would quickly want to take back home would be reading and writing skills. However, I know it is the most needed thing in Rwandan primary and high schools. I am sure I am in the right environment, an environment where almost everyone is reader or a writer, an environment where everyone would stand up and support his or her cause. An environment where almost everyone would help young Rwandans achieve one of the things that made America a great nation. It is time to share what I have been learning here in the US with my country.”

A study conducted by ActionAid-Rwanda shows that women have more potential to contribute towards food security.

However, majority of women are vulnerable and small scale farmers who rarely benefit from various government initiatives aimed at improving agriculture.

ActionAid’s country director Josephine Uwamariya, says the campaign aims at assisting women engaged in small scale farming particularly in rural areas.

Explaining activities of the weeklong campaign, Uwamariya insisted that affected women ought to unite in order to request for necessities with a stronger voice.

“This will first be enabled through debates at the local level where villagers will learn how to freely present their problems. Similar debates will be held at national level where ActionAid staff will meet government officials such as policy makers in order to influence better planning that benefits poor farmers,” Uwamariya said.

Prior to the debates, the NGO’s staff will train women farmers on how to group themselves into cooperatives.

According to Sulah Nuwamanya, the ActionAid’s partnership development and communications manager, women cooperatives wouldn’t only improve their yield but also increase their chances of access to credit from financial institutions.

“We want women to know their rights, assist them in forming cooperatives and I believe with more support from government this program will facilitate poverty eradication,” he remarked.

The campaign is in line with global celebration of the World Food Day, major activities will be conducted in Districts such as Musanze, Nyaruguru and Nyanza.

A Kinyarwanda tabloid Ishema Newspaper is set to resume its operations after a one month self-imposed suspension.

The management of the paper made that decision claiming of getting threats after blasphemous article that ridiculed the person of President Paul Kagame and undermining the government.

According to the press statement; the Board of Directors meeting held Sunday yesterday came up with the resolution of continuing publications after taking into considerations a number of issues.

It says that the Board, after analyzing the status of the threats which were the basis of discontinuing publications, they have decided to resume their operations without any hindrances.

The statement also says that the Board, after it analyzing the consequences incurred by Ishema Newspaper and its personnel as well as following its publication of Issue no 24, it ruled out that the publications of the news items will be appearing on its website.

The management have re-organized to find other sources of the funding to print out hard copy, for countryside circulation project since they had lost several advertisement contracts.

Speaking to igihe.com, Fidele Gakire, Ishema Newspaper Managing Director said that the management of the paper have made consultations and found out no problem to resume.

“ We therefore hope that there will be no more difficulties in our publications,” said Gakire

Senator Teddy Gacinya, has called upon women to strive for their development and fighting for their rights.

Gacinya who was presiding over rural women day celebration at Mukuyu cell, Ndera sector in Gasabo District also called upon women to join efforts in fighting Gender Based Violence that has affected them.

“Despite the long journey ahead, rural women have achieved a lot in terms of development. These achievements have shifted them from one socio-economical level to another,” Gacinya says.

“More than 500 here today are celebrating with hundreds of others elsewhere in the country. They have been able to open up their own bank accounts for example and have saved enough now,” Gacinya added.

Didacienne Mukankuranga testifies that she has also improved and has been assisted by an NGO called women for Women which she claims transformed her life through saving schemes.

Mukankuranga says that she leant the benefits of joining cooperatives and has now completed her own house that she wouldn’t have done alone.

Gasabo Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs Marie Louise Uwimana reminded women that laws protecting them were existing including laws on succession.

In the celebration of rural women, there were also unveiling 34 houses built to rural poor women by National Women Council.

Rwanda Local media practitioners today gathered at Lemigo Hotel for two day training on media development intending to create more skills and professionalism.

The Media High Council that has organized the training intends to initiate a series of activities among media organisations and leaders of Rwanda media to promote high professional standards and advance general media development in the country.

In a study conducted by Prof. Karikari Kwame about Rwanda’s media, MHC validated a program for a series of seminars, forums, symposia, workshops, and events designed to address challenges of media development, especially strengthening media sustainability and advancing professional standards.

Professor Kwame Karikari is the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, a Ghana-based media advocacy organization whose vision is for a sub-region in which the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought and expression are guaranteed; and in which free mass media serve to bring to fulfillment all the other universally subscribed rights and freedoms for all persons.

Such series of trainings will be including only 36 media owners, 21 managers, 35 editors, and 18 program managers with website owners excluded.

Patrice Mulama during the press interview said, “This workshop will help give skills, ethical values, and professionalism to media practitioners.”

The MHC report shows only 30% of journalists in Rwanda have enough skills required in journalism.

He said that there are other journalism training manuals meant to equip reporters with skills too and will be implemented by the School of Journalism in Kigali (GLMC).

41 final year students at the national university of Rwanda have failed language proficiency exam and shall not graduate this year.

This has attracted complaints from students taken against their colleagues affected.

According to minutes from the academic senate meeting held on 7th October 2011at NUR main branch, affected students will not be permitted to graduate. Those mostly affected are final year students.

Thousands of students in their final academic year are preparing for their graduation next year February 2012.

If the decision is implemented, it means that about 50 students will have to repeat for whole year studying language lessons.

Gatoni Egide a final year student in the faculty of civil engineering failed language test and told igihe.com, “I don’t understand why such a decision has been adopted at such a time.”

“We couldn’t be in such a crisis now had they informed us earlier that we were supposed to retake the exam. Personally, the last time I did the language (English) test was in 2nd year and since then I never got to know my status until recently when I had just submitted my dissertation that I saw a notice indicating that I wouldn’t graduate because I hadn’t passed the English test in 2008.”

“Why did they let us go through 4years knowing we hadn’t passed the test? Why did they promote us to the point of submitting our dissertations when they knew we hadn’t passed the English test?”

Gatoni explained that in all the academic year at NUR, “we have passed other course units examined in English.Then why do they say we don’t know English?”

The furious Gatoni said it is very unfair and not right “We were given another test on 10th August 2011 and I got 62% but still they are saying we have to get 70%.”

“My wish is let them give us another test or let them lower the grades because some of our colleagues who joined in 2007 and went through the EPLM year have their certificates yet they passed with only 50%.”

Kereni Irdehpnse the director of school of languages at NUR told igihe.com, “We have enforced a policy that has existed for some time. It is unfortunate they are the first lot to be affected but it’s a policy that applies to all students.”

“Those students knew about the policy. Their representatives met with both the former minister of education (Hon. Mujawamaliya) and the High Education Council chairperson (Pamela) on the issue. It was made clear to them that they would not graduate unless they retake the test and pass with 70% as the policy stands.”

Open and Distance learning Director Prof. Roger SAPSFORD said, “The policy has been in existence for several years. All we have done is to implement it accordingly.”

Senior officials from EAC Partner States’ Ministries responsible for Energy are in Mombasa, Kenya for the 7th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Energy that takes place from 17 to 21 October 2011.

The meeting follows a Council of Ministers directive to the EAC Secretariat to convene the Sectoral Council to urgently devise ways of addressing the persistent power shortages and fast track the implementation of the projects and activities stipulated in the Regional Power Master Plan.

The meeting will also review progress made in the sector in implementing Council decisions and consider other issues of regional importance in the areas of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation and Efficiency, Fossil Fuels and Power sub-sectors.

The five-day meeting includes sessions of senior officials (technocrats), which will be followed by the Permanent Secretaries’ session before concluding with a ministerial session on Friday.

The Sectoral Council is expected to approve a $ 1.89 million budget for the 6th East African Petroleum Conference & Exhibition 2013 (EAPCE’13) and to adopt the Final Report for the Feasibility Study for a natural gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Tanga and Mombasa.

The EAC has identified the transfer of natural gas and oil products through pipelines as key to building energy security in the Community and the Dar es Salaam-Tanga-Mombasa natural gas pipeline project is one of the initiatives being promoted in order to link energy systems in the region.

EAC Energy Ministers are also expected to adopt the Inter-Government Memorandum of Understanding (IGMOU) and the Inter-Utility Memorandum of Understanding (IUMOU) for the establishment of the East African Community Power Pool (EACPP) at the Mombasa meeting.

President Paul kagame also the Commander-In-Chief of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) held his annual meeting with RDF Generals and Senior Officers at the Ministry of Defence and RDF Headquarters on 15 October 2011.

President kagame inspected a Guard of Honour mounted by the RDF and thereafter addressed RDF Generals and Senior Officers.

One of the key themes addressed by Kagame was the central role of RDF in promoting, preserving and defending the nation’s identity.

Kagame emphasized that the individual identity of each member of RDF, refers to identifying themselves to the values, ideals and objectives that have characterized the institution from its inception, and have been the source of RDF strength through the many challenges faced over the years.

The President further urged the RDF members to put national interests before personal interests.

“He stressed that the knowledge acquired by RDF servicemen in various courses abroad should be used to strengthen the forces achievements, building on its identity and character.”

“The ultimate aim should always remain to be the best every RDF member can be rather than risk losing the sense of direction and identity, which typically happens with those who seek to blindly endorse, other people’s choices, agendas and priorities.”

The meeting was part of a routine program of interactions between the President and senior military leaders of RDF in his capacity as the Commander-In-Chief.

Present at the meeting was the Minister of Defence, Chief of General Staff and all the Service Chiefs.

Some members of public have come out to strongly criticize Parliament’s decision to reduce sentence entailed to suspects who will carry out abortion.

On Friday October 14, 2011 the amended Rwanda’s penal code which affected a number of articles amended with reduction of many sentences on specific crimes.

One of the crimes that had its sentence affected was abolition reducing its penalty from 15years to 1year.

This followed civil societies plea that sentences against abortion be removed or be reduced.

Amended penal code has been approved by the parliament and is now waiting for president’s signature to enact it.

Saraphine Mukasekuru a tigo freelancer, mother of one child at Rubangura house in the City Center expressed her dissatisfaction to the parliamentarians for adopting the reduction of sentence on abortion.

“How can they reduce the penalty against abortion like that? They should have increased it to 25years instead because based on what we hear on radios, girls in the country have resorted to abortion. Reducing the penalty is going to stimulate girls to abort like no bodies business,” Mukasekuru said.

Phillip Nahayo Manager at Nyabihu Tea Factory said; “I don’t support those amendments at all. Imagine the number of not yet born babies who are going to die because the law has been softened! I don’t support it totally. The president and other vigilant leaders should not support it too since Rwanda abolished death penalty”.

“Reducing the abortion penalty is supporting abortion indirectly. I don’t support the bill and wish that the 15year penalty stands as the maximum punishment. Tell them (government) not to change because many children will die.” Annie Uwamaliya found at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house added.

“Taking culture in consideration I don’t support this amendment on abortion. When they say that they are going to reduce the abortion penalty to 1year, they are encouraging girls to involve in sexual behaviors more. This is unfair to un-born babies.” A Nurse at Muhirwa pharmacy in Rubangura house also added.

Eric Munezero a nurse at Sun Beam Pharmacy said it would be unfair imprisoning someone who aborted having pregnanted after rape, defilement or taken advantage by men in some situation.

“My position as a born again is that the law should remain as it is. Once the government reduces the penalty, people are going to take it for granted and abort in large numbers. It is unholy to abort because it is similar to killing and God commands us not to kill. To me reducing the penalty is like stimulating girls to engage in sexual intercourse after all they know that once convicted they will spend less time in jail,” Motor-taxi rider who declined to publish his name said.

“I don’t support the idea. If I met president Kagame today, I would ask him to kindly reconsider before signing the bill and save us from the evil,” He added.