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President Paul Kagame who is on state visit to USA has applauded management of the Carnegie Mellon University for partnership with his government to state a new campus calling it “A sign of friendship that was initiated a few years ago”.

The Head of State made the remarks August 16 at the university campus where he was hosted by the university president Dr. Jared L. Cohon together with the Board of trustees.

“I do believe this is evidence of a changing tide in global partnership- one that I am happy to personally associate with.

“We know that despite decades of partnerships between developed and developing nations, the world remains largely imbalanced in terms of social and economic progress” the president said

He further pointed out that on one hand, some nations have overtime acquired many skills and technological capabilities to better the lives of their people while on the other hand there are societies that are still trapped in poverty and dealing with the most basic development issues.

“Often the quick fix to this imbalance has been aid follows from rich nations. In many areas, this aid has not been properly put to use or well targeted” he pointed out but hastened to add: “In actual fact, there are no quick fixes, sustainable development requires that nations take ownership of their own agenda charting their own way forward and working with those who wish to support them along this path.

Kagame stressed that Countries that possess the skills and technological equipment required for rapid social economic transformation can work with those who do not so that these skills are transferred in a sustainable and meaningful manner.

This new model of partnership the President emphasized will require a shift in global development and cooperation practice, where developing nations including those in Africa will have to review how they conduct their business and by so doing, the developed countries will recognize that given the interconnected nature of the world prosperity that is only significant if it has a broader spectrum. “

For this to happen, there has to be engagement based on mutual respect and interests that ultimately meet everyone’s aspirations” the president observed.

He assured the audience that in terms of sustainable development, Rwanda has among other things established a solid foundation of scientific and technological knowledge as a priority and that his government’s development agenda is focused on investing in human capacity as the major and indispensable source needed for transforming society into knowledge-based one.

“We have put in place policies and strategies that support public and private institutions both local and foreign to provide a wide range of skills to our people.

“We have invested in communications infrastructure such as high capacity broad band networks that connect our education centers, healthcare facilities and government facilities to each other and the rest of the world” the president explained adding that with these technologies, the institutions are able to tap into a global pool of knowledge and build innovative capabilities.

In his conclusion, the president said that the advantages of in-country training are most obvious because it will allow a greater number of students to afford and access a higher level of knowledge and skills and the retention of well trained professionals where they are needed most in the developing parts of the world.

The event chaired by the president of the Rwanda Electoral Commission Prof. KARANGWA Chrisologue reminded the candidates about the merits they should observe while in the campaign process.

Ten munites were given to each candidate to present his agenda to the electing committee detailing what he/she has for the people of Nyarugenge once elected to the senate.

Kigali city will be represented by one senator in the coming elections due 26th and 27thSeptember 2011.

The electing committee shall be made up of the sector councilors and the district councilors from Kigali city.

The electoral commission chairman urged the electoral committee in Kigali city to turn up and vote early and in large numbers reminding them that the process will start once 2/3 of the electorates are present.

He further explained that in accordance to the law governing elections in Rwanda, the official time for the electing process is from 6:00 am till 15:00.

He said that counting of votes will be done there and then and called upon the public willing to come and witness the process since it is a free and fair process.

Over 100 students from Rwanda enrolled at Uganda Christian University-Bishop Barham University College this academic year due to desire to get equipped with the English language.

The University that is under the patronage of Anglican Church of Uganda is situated at one of the hills in Kabale District that shares boundaries with Rwanda via Gatuna border post.

Rwanda joined commonwealth countries and has made English one of her official language as mode of communication.

“You know Rwanda has introduced English language as a mode of communication, so we went to the University to have that richer English language speaking from a country that has used it since her existence,” Aline kwizera one of the Rwandan students who turned up in Kigali where the University opened its liason office at Anglican Provincial offices near Amahoro National Stadium.

“There are also a number of other benefits we get though Rwandan Universities seems to be relatively cheaper,” kwizera added.

Hundreds of Rwandan students have flocked Ugandan Universities like Kabare University, Kampala International University, and Makerere University in search for English language, or courses that take shorter time also allowing them to do field studies two-three times.

An estimation of 200 Rwandan students have graduated in Diploma, Bachelors’ Degree and Masters degree programmes since the University begun in 2000.

According to Canon Jovan Turyamureba Deputy Principal of the University the students at the University get a unique package because they instill morals, ethics and integrity based on biblical principles.

“Some people have been so corrupt and have caused some institutions drag their feet in employing graduates even though they would be thirsty of their skills,” Canon Turyamureba said in Kigali.

“At Uganda Christian University we believe that a person is complete when he/she gets academic feeding the mind, Body and the soul. You cannot be complete if you are piled with academics yet spiritualy empty,” Turyamureba explained.

He also said that some people have graduated even with PHDs and cannot even manage their own lives or families and become a total disgrace in their respective communities due to lack of instilled morals, ethics and integrity.

Pastor Emmanuel Mugiraneza who is studying a Masters degree at the university has been chosen as the liason officer representing the University in Rwanda.

Mugiraneza says there are some courses offered by the University has and not given in Rwandan University like Gender and development studies which would be a very good course to help Rwanda in her efforts Gender equality.

Other international students come from Burundi, DR Congo, Sudan, Kenya, USA, and UK and offers certificates to Masters Degree in Theology, Economics & Management, entrepreneurs & Project Management, Social Works & Social Administration, Education & Business Administration, Environment studies and Development studies among others.

The High Court hearing of September 13 in the controversial case involving Victoire Ingabire and co-accused delayed focusing on two counts “Conspiracy to undermine Rwanda’s leadership through war and terrorism and genocide ideology.

The prosecution informed the court that they were still waiting for incriminating evidences from Holland that will available by the end of this month and asked the court to consider waiting for the evidences.

The other evidence presented by prosecutor was a booklet entitled ‘UMURAGE W’AMATEKA’ published in 2000 by the FDU INKINGI represented by Ingabire.

The prosecution said that the booklet content is full of lies inciting public disobedience and divisionism among Rwandans in the country and abroad.

“Madame Ingabire in this book negates and denies the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, as she states that it was just mere killings and not genocide that took place in Rwanda,” prosecution told the court.

The prosecution further said that Ingabire, attributes the genocide to the former FPR Inkotanyi forces accusing them of downing the plane that was carrying the then Rwanda’s President Juvenal Habyarimana, that triggered the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

According to the Prosecution, Ingabire wrote in that book that “FPR Inkotanyi party is a small group of Tutsis who have poorly governed the country, and that they have swallowed up all the country’s resources while the population languishes in poverty”.

This kind of wording is aimed at denying the Rwandan genocide and inciting public disobedience the prosecution told the court.

Testimonies from Major Vital Uwumuremyi and Lt. Col. Tharcisse Nditurende were used to elaborate on the conspiracy charges against Igabire and the four co-accused in which the four militants admitted to having received US$3,500 from Ingabire to buy military equipments which would be used in the attack on Rwanda.

The trial continues this Thursday with the Prosecution presenting remaining evidences on the genocide ideology charge and on other new counts against the accused, which include spreading false propagandas aimed at inciting public disobedience and the sowing seeds of divisionism among Rwandans.

Thousands of people who did driving permit provisional exams early last month are puzzled by delayed release of results. The national Police website is not accessible as usual.

However, according to the head of the Traffic Police, Chief Supt. Célestin Twahirwa, the results were put on website on Tuesday September 12, and had no problem.

One candidate only identified as Mihigo who did the exam in Gasabo district told igihe.com that: “When I heard that the results were out, I visited the police website but I didn’t manage to access my results, I am so confused.”

Another lady who declined her name to be published and did the exam from the district of Kicukiro said: “I did the exam previously, failed and repeated last month but when I visited police website to see my results yesterday evening, I only accessed the previous results not the current one.”

Some other people who viewed the website last evening found themselves among failures and were not satisfied with the results.

To verify it this morning this reporter visited the domain of police website where the results are published and found it written as “ Fatal error: Call to a member function scalarVal () on a non-object in /home/policenew/public_html/traffic/OpenErpConnection.php

When contacted C.Supt. Twahirwa on the issue, he said that the results were published two days ago and that if the public is not able to view them, then it might be the technical problem of which technical team will handle very quickly.

He added that for the results to delay and exceed a month before the release, is possible because papers have to be clearly marked and well prepared before putting results on the website and that to do it, enough time is required.

When we asked him on the issue where some candidates were not satisfied with the results, Twahirwa said that it shouldn’t be a general problem and thus victimized people should visit the traffic police offices and make clear inquiries.

Today in a colored ceremony at hotel Serena the Inspector General of Police Emmanuel Gasana was crowned head of the EAPCCO for a period of one year.

This six day meeting brought together 11 police chiefs from the EAPCCO (East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization) region and their commanders is focusing on joint collaboration of regional police forces in the fight against high intensity crimes, terrorism and emerging new cross-border crimes.

The transfer between the outgoing Lieutenant General Hashim Osman El-Hussein from Sudan and IGP Emmanuel K. Gasana from Rwanda was decorated by the police band.

Speakers at the ceremony were glad that the previous year ended successfully. A minute of silence was observed for the perished both in Tanzania and Kenya in the recent petrol pipeline that burst and Tanzania ferry accident victims.

In his speech Lt Gen. Hashim Osman El-Hussein observed that full collaboration among the regional force is the key to fighting against armed groups who have continuously destabilized regional peace and stability.

Inspector General of Police Emmanuel K. Gasana, thanked the EAPCCO force for choosing the Rwandan National Police to lead EAPCCO this year however acknowledged that the task involves a lot of challenges.

He assured those present of tight measures in the fight against ICT crimes that are taking lead now. On the side of Gender Based Violence (GBV) the IGP stressed that tight measures to combat the crime are to be implemented soon.

Members of the EAPCCO include: Djibouti, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Sudan.

The Tanzanian government spokesman has said that at least 187 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar with at least 800 people on board.

620 survivors had been rescued. Three days of mourning have been declared.
The MV Spice Islander was travelling between Zanzibar’s main island, Unguja, and Pemba, the archipelago’s other main island – popular tourist destinations.

It is thought to have capsized after losing engine power.
Rescue efforts were hampered by the fact that the overloaded boat had capsized at night.

The ship had been bringing people back from holiday after Ramadan, and had reportedly stopped earlier in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
The authorities are struggling to cope and have asked for foreign help.

The Zanzibar government has set up a rescue centre and called upon all reserves to join the rescue effort. It has also called for support from other countries, such as South Africa and Kenya.

The survivors were ferried by privately owned fast ferries and brought back to the main harbour in the historic Stone Town, Zanzibar police commissioner Mussar Hamis said.

“We are still receiving many bodies by truck loads,” Dr Karim Zah of the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar told Reuters news agency.

Those rescued were brought back to the main harbour in Stone Town
“The death toll will likely be much higher.”

Dozens of soldiers carrying bodies to shore dotted the white sand beaches at the northern tip of Zanzibar island where thousands of people anxiously awaited news of survivors, the agency adds.

Catherine Purvis, a British tourist in Zanzibar who was waiting for a ferry to take her to Dar es Salaam, says she saw lots of bodies being brought out of the water.
“I’m standing at the port in Zanzibar with about 10 other British and American tourists,” she said.

“Our ferry has been delayed as they’re using all ferries to rescue the people from the ship.

“People are being carried across in front of us on a drip. There are lots of body bags.”

Local helicopter pilot Captain Neels van Eijk flew over the disaster area.
“We found the survivors holding on to mattresses and fridges and anything that could float,” he said.

“By then, there were a few boats that had made their way out. They were looking for survivors, but although the sea wasn’t so rough, the waves were high so it was difficult for them to spot them.

“We flew to the boats and guided them to the survivors so that they could pick them up. There were also quite a few bodies in the water.”
The ferry left Unguja at around 21:00 (19:00 GMT) and is said to have sunk at around 01:00 (23:00 GMT).

One survivor, Abdullah Saied, said the ferry had been heavily overloaded when it left Dar es Salaam, and some passengers there had refused to board, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Private investors under their umbrella Privates Sector Federation (PSF), yesterday pledged their support to President Paul Kagame’s policy of One Cow per Poor Family by donating FRW300, 000,000 to fellow Rwandans.

In his speech President Paul Kagame thanked Rwandan investors upon their contribution in the fight against poverty. He illustrated that once the majority are well-off, they form the market base for the investor’s products.

“You are not secure once your neighbors are hungry but when they are well-off they become the market base for products”

He reminded the investors that it is the responsibility of every Rwandan to generously exercise such Samaritan and that due to their generosity, their clientele increases.

“If we excel, it will turn our place their place- those we call foreigners.”

President Kagama recalled the history of Rwanda noting that bad politics that characterized former leaders who never wished the good for other Rwandans lead to many remaining in the unbelievable state of poverty and under development.

He added that what happened should remain as history and should never be repeated but rather serve as a lesson.

“No other country underwent the bad history like we have…but it left us with a lesson of being good humans and never be bad again”

In his conclusive remarks he thanked the private investors for the honor and value they showed him and promised to use them in the interests of Rwandans.

The PCF chairman Mbundu Fastin thanked investors for their achievements including the youth contribution in development and their role in uplifting women investors.

He told those present that it is in the missions of PSF to support the government’s initiatives in a bid to bring change to the country.

In her testimony Nyiramajyambere Evelyn thanked the president for the given cow and for her recent new house: “God bless you”

Mukiyehe a young investor also gave his testimony on how he has developed from a bar man to the point of competing for tenders in big offices as his counterparts.

Today his wealth is valuated to Frw1billion an attribute to the loan he acquired

PSF has currently established the “Corporate Social Responsibility” a program aimed at supporting the government’s program of eradication of poverty and it is through this program that private investors collected Frw300, 000, 000 which will be used to buy the cows for the poor.