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A police patrol car commonly known as Panda gali (get on a car) has crashed a commuter van at Buranga Hill in Gakenke District at Kigali-Rubavu Northern highway approximately 25km to Musanze District.

The patrol car (pickup land cruiser) which was over speeding came from uphill crushing a head-on a minibus number RAA 060H passengers sustaining severe injuries and immediately taken to Kigali Central Hospital (CHUK).

The surviving driver Rashid Sibomana reported to igihe.com that by the blink of an eye he saw the police car coming towards him as he was driving up while the police patrol car was driving downwards.

“I was coming from Kigali and when I reached in this corner, a police patrol car which was over speeding failed to control the speed and immediately hit mine at the front side body.” Sibomana said.

By the time igihe.com reached at the scene, the police patrol car had been transported a way by a breakdown, only the taxi was still there.

The Police spokesperson Supt. Theos Badege said that the police was assessing the nature of the accident so as to ascertain whether the driver of the patrol car was not on a mission which would permit him for over speeding.

Badege said that if it found contrary the police drive will face punitive measures.

Rwanda National Police has intensified its control on the conditions and status of vehicles in the country regardless of vehicle the ownership, through Motor Vehicle Inspection.

In an Interview with Igihe.com, the Head of Major Vehicle Inspection Center Supt. Rutaganira Dismas said the national police jealously fulfill the obligation to protect people’s lives throughout the territory.

“Motor Vehicle Control is meant to thoroughly check whether the vehicle is in the right conditions and able to transport passengers or goods in order to avoid accidents.” Supt Rutaganira said.

He stressed that human life is invaluable and irreplaceable in monetary terms and that is why traffic police rules and regulations are strictly observed in Rwanda.

“Despite the huge number of vehicles we deal with on a daily basis, we always make sure that all vehicles are checked at the end of the day.

“Currently we are dealing with over 250-300 vehicles per day, a factor attributed to the 3rd lane of small passenger vehicles which was recently added to the original two lanes and the continuous sensitization by RNP in partnership with the media.

“The center and police have encountered two major challenges including; shortage of space for expansion and the fact that the center is situated in Kigali Supt. Rutaganira explained saying this becomes a challenge for those coming from upcountry to attain the checking services.

The other challenge he said is the limited number of skilled manpower and some missing equipment to enable the national police to diligently and effective monitor the errant drivers.

However, RNP is aware of these challenges and is taking adequate measures to see that the services are accessed easily and in the most favorable way.

Rutaganira urged motorists to make it a routine to go through the motor vehicle check-up rather than waiting for the police to stop one as he or she drives and the subsequence punitive measures that include fines that accrue.

He warned against conmen who lie to people in a bid to go through the checking process on their behalf and do not but rather go away with the money.

“If you know anybody doing it, please just inform your nearest police station or call 112. These are thieves damaging the police integrity.”

Musirikare Erick a driver interviewed at the center thanked the RNP for their efforts in the vehicle controlling activities noting that the benefits of the process are numerous.

“The controlling process is beneficial to us because we get to know the exact problem and conditions of our vehicles. This assures a drive of safety while driving once the control is done.

The Motor Vehicle Inspection Center locally known as “Control Technique” was inaugurated in 2008 by President Paul Kagame handing it to the Rwanda National Police with the underlying objective of controlling and monitoring conditions of all vehicles on Rwandan territory and enhancing collaboration between national police and other government institutions in maintaining road safety in the country.

One of the mobile telephone rival Tigo Rwanda has splashed over Rwf30 million ($50,000) in cash prizes to its clients in a promotion dubbed Reload and Win.

According to a press release from the Tigo’s communication department, other prizes including tablets and smart phones in a promotion dubbed ‘Reload and Win’.

The promotion which started Friday 30, is expected to end October 29, 2011 and at least 15 clients of Tigo’s subscribers have a chance to win prizes daily.
Ten of them will win a cash prize of Rwf100, 000 each while the other five will win the other prizes.

Already 45 subscribers are winners since Reload and Win promotion begun this weekend when the first draw was carried out and 15 have also already won selected prizes.

This means that every week over 100 subscribers will be winning with Tigo Rwanda.

According to the press release, all Tigo prepaid subscribers are eligible to participate in the promotion.

“Customers who reload a minimum of Rwf200 airtime everyday are eligible for the daily draw. Once the reload is done, they receive a SMS notification,” press release reads in parts.

A draw to pick the daily winners will be conducted every week day during a live show, on Contact FM between 8am and 9am and on Radio Isango Star on weekends Saturday between 9am and 10am and Sunday between 8am and 9am.

The winners shall be randomly picked and announced in the presence of a certified notary who will be using computerized software.

Tigo is a brand of Millicom International Cellular a telecom company which provides affordable, widely accessible and readily available prepaid cellular telephony services to more than 30 million customers in 13 emerging markets in Latin America and Africa where the basic telephone service is often inadequate.

It entered the Rwandan market almost two years ago.

It was a moment filled with tears and sadness as the families of the deceased Marie Christine Nyatanyi state Minister in charge of social affairs and community development gathered to bid her farewell.

Hundreds of top dignitaries in the country lined up for hours in the parliamentary building to offer a state funeral to the deceased Minister said to have succumbed to abdominal complications in Brussels recently.

A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony held to honor important people of national significance which usually attract religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition.

Such kinds of funerals are held in order to involve the general public in a national day of mourning after the family of the deceased gives consent.

The crowd watched as uniformed Rwandan police carried the flag-draped casket into the front doors of the parliament.

Nyatanyi’s casket was followed by her family.

In his speech to the gathered Nyatanyi’s family, relatives and friends, President Paul Kagame comforted the crowd while urging them to remember the good things, efforts and devoted time Nyatanyi sacrificed to serve her country.

“Nyatanyi had two families, the one she was born and the one she was working with, and she has equally served them. She loved her country and has sacrificed tirelessly to serve her country,” Kagame said during the state funeral at the parliament.

James Musoni the minister of local government said that Nyatanyi was a hard working staff who loved her work and devoted.

“She was a good adviser also seeking counsel among the staff she supervised even among her fellow Ministers calling upon us to be united and visiting each other, we have lost someone un-replaceable,” Musoni said.

Marie Christine Nyatanyi graduated in 1991 from the Institute of National Economy of Odessa, Ukraine (Former Soviet Union) with a Masters in Industrial planning.

She also held a Bachelors degree in Economics from Kharkiv State Economics University attained in 1987.

Nyatanyi occupied varied posts before she was appointed Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs and Community Development in October 2003.

After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, she worked in the Tracing Department of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Goma and Nairobi.

In 1997, she was assigned the role of Project Officer in the Flemish Council for Refugees in Brussels.

In 2008, she received a UN award for public service and accountability for the Ubudehe’ national program.

Rwanda’s first mobile telephone network provider (MTN) Foundation has equipped Ecole de Science de Gisenyi with a fully furnished computer lab.

The school is located in Rubavu District in Northern Province.

The foundation furnished the lab with brand new 36 computers with a full year internet connection.

Esri Hakuzimana the director of the school overwhelmingly appreciated; “we are chanced because our students are going to be groomed with ICT skills”.

“The lab will not only help students but also teachers for research purposes and also will benefit the community including neighboring schools,” Hakuzimana added

According to MTN Foundation Board Member, Zulphat Mukarubega, the donation aims at supporting ICT literacy as one of the country’s vision 2020 key pillars.

“ICT is the future and we want to sell to our young generation an opportunity to develop and harness their ICT skills,” said Mukarubega.

Yvonne Mubiligi, the Head of the Foundation at MTN said that the school was selected because it meets all the requirements to be supported.

Mubiligi said the requirements were school population of over 500 students, significant percentage of girls to be empowered in education, positive results on national exams, and an established adequate infrastructure and sustainable program for computer lab.

“The school must meet the key requirements to apply for the support,” Mubiligi pointed out .

Bonaventure Uwimaniragiye one of the students cheerfully noted: “I am very happy for the donation because this is going to help us in our research purposes and increase on our knowledge let say in history, biology and other relevant subjects”

Ecole de Science de Gisenyi is a mixed school with over 700 students. It has both ‘O’ level and ‘A’ level with majority of science students at High School level offering PCM and MCB combinations.

The MTN Foundation was set up in 2010 as the principal vehicle for its corporate social responsibility program. The company has committed 1% of its profit after tax to finance its Corporate social responsibility program.

Nearly after two months when Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni visted Rwanda, his Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki is in the country for a three- days state visit.

At Kigali International Airport Justice Odoki told igihe.com that his visit aimed at strengthening his country’s judicial cooperation with Rwanda.

In twenty minutes ago on his arrival at Kigali International Airport, Igihe.com got him before heading to Kigali Genocide Memorial Center at Gisozi.

Justice Odoki was received by his Rwandan counterpart Justice Aloysia Cyanzayire, who immediately led him to Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Gisozi followed by visiting various court rooms.

It is expected that tomorrow, represented by the two Chief Justices will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to farther judicial cooperation between the two countries.

Odoki said that among the terms in the MOU to be signed tomorrow, will focus on capacity building and experience sharing.

“There is a lot both countries can share not only in cooperation but also in improving competence in respective to judicial systems,” Odoki told Igihe.com at the Airport.

“Rwanda will likely benefit since we have enormous years of experience, we also intend to send law teachers from Uganda to train in law learning institutions here,” Odoki added.

The custodian of Ugandan judiciary assured that no Rwandan suspects would seek refuge in Uganda adding that; “even Genocide suspects whom I’m not aware of though many people have asked me about them, will also be transferred to Rwanda once they get arrested,”

Speaking to Igihe.com Alain Mukurarinda the spokesman of the Rwanda’s Public Prosecution Authority, said that there have been seven files Rwanda had requested Uganda to transfer.

Mukurarinda said that five have been transferred and two are still in the investigations. “Our judicial cooperation is so progressing positively, of course when we request any file, we have to let them do their investigations until they complete and transfer the file,” Mukurarinda said.

Rwanda’s Chief Justice Aloysia Cyanzaire added that judicial cooperation will enable the transfer of cases from either country.

“We now expect that Uganda will transfer cases to us efficiently and we too will do the same,” she remarked.

The Rwandan Minister in charge of Justice Hon. Tharcisse KARUGARAMA has officially confirmed that the government of Rwanda has in conjunction with the African Union agreed to prosecute former Chadian president Hussein accused of crimes against humanity.

Hussein is currently taking refuge in Senegal.

In a telephone interview the justice minister said that it is now 2years since the government of Rwanda requested the African Union to prosecute the former Chadian president who is accused of crimes against humanity committed during his term of office in the 1990’s.

“Even though Mr. Hussein is in exile in Senegal, voices to bring him to justice have lately increased but reasons to why he hasn’t been apprehended are up to Senegal”. Karugarama told reporters.

Asked on what interest Rwanda has in prosecuting the case Hon. Karugama said that “Rwanda has no specific interest in the case but we are just helping maintain peace here and there and ensuring justice is delivered.”

The minister however neither detailed exactly the schedule of the trail nor what both Rwanda and the African Union will contribute to the trail “What I can tell you at this moment is that we requested to prosecute the trail and our request has been granted.”

Five pupils at Groupe Scolaire Kagugu have been arrested for stealing 13 One Laptop Per Child computers.

Groupe Scolaire Kagugu is a pilot school of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) programme which helps children in learning laptops meant to facilitate primary pupils practice computer skills.

These primary five pupils are said to have broken through the window into the store where these computers had been kept and took them away on Friday 30, 2011.

The five boys were unlucky when the security guard only identified as Nikuze learnt of their plan and notified the school authority that also alerted the police and then arrested them.

The police spokesman Supt. Theos Badege told Igihe.com that the prosecution will determine the fate of these minors.

“What police has done is responding and investigating the crime. We got to where they were and found them with the computers and accepted they had stolen them,” Badege narrated.

“The next phase is submitting their file to the prosecution,” he said.

According to Rwandan law, a child over 14 years can be tried and if he/she is convicted can be sentenced in children prison in Nyagatare, Eastern province while bellow age children are put under rehabilitation centers.

Kigali Health Institute is in preparation for the second event to vote for the institution’s beauty queen October 9, 2011.

The institution which has its headquarters in Kigali, has got another branch in Nyamishaba, Karongi presents eight contestants with four of them from its branch.

Before the general event, the students union will promote oral health in the community, empower women in solving problems of the country, create culture of oral hygiene in secondary schools and promote girls’ confidence in getting rid of solving problems that our community faces.

The first event in the history of the institute took place in 2008 where Denise Paola Murebwayire was crowned miss KHI and Josiane Karengera emerged the first run up, since then; they have been still recognized as the ambassadors in different events in the country.

During the event King James, Dream Boys and KHI cultural troop will entertain the audience

The beauty contestant will be sponsorship by Bank of Kigali and a major sponsors Igihe.com, Sulfo, Rwanda Youth Council and Malina Interiors
A major breakthrough was made when KHI started on June 5, 1996.

The status of the institute was later ratified by an Act of Parliament in 2002, paving way for it to become semi-autonomous with the two ministries as key stakeholders.

The institution had the vision centre of excellence in training and development of health professionals in the region whereas its mission was to train and improve the capacity of health workers in the country.

Rwanda’s newly appointed Ambassador to Switzerland Amb. Soline Nyirahabimana presented her Credentials to Her Excellency Micheline CALMY-REY President of the Swiss Confederation on September 20, 2011at the Federal Palace in Bern.

Also Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations in Geneva, in Switzerland confirmed that she is intending to work with Swiss authorities and institutions to strengthen the existing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Amb Nyirahabimana expressed the wish to set up a Joint Permanent Commission between Rwanda and Switzerland.

She said the commission will serve as a framework for the two governments for a consultation on all matters relating to the cooperation between Rwanda and Switzerland, through mutual respect.

Ambassador Nyirahabimana also briefed Swiss President on the current socio-economic and political situation in Rwanda that included achievements in Education, Health, Gender and ICT sectors.

She also pointed out some home grown initiatives which are helping to reduce poverty and boost economic development in Rwanda such as Ubudehe, Girinka (One cow per poor family), Umuganda and many more.

The Swiss President acknowledged the progress made in Rwanda adding that Swiss Government is ready to farther bilateral relationship with Rwanda.
Ambassador Nyirahabimana was accompanied by the First Counsellor of Rwandan Embassy in Switzerland, Alphonse Kayitare.

Her Excellency Micheline CALMY-REY officially visited Rwanda in July 2007.