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A subdued mood hang on to Gakoro cell, Rugera Sector, Nyabihu District yesterday, as the 14 victims of Friday’s mudslide tragedy were buried.

Top government officials including Senators, Members of parliament and Ministers James Kabarebe and Gen Marcel Gatsinzi joined friends and relatives joined thousands to to remember the victims who died when a collapsing hillside engulfed the homes of one family who were asleep in the wee hours of Friday morning.

Shortly after laying wreaths at the mass grave in which the victims were laid to rest, Disaster management minister Gatsinzi thanked the residents for their quick response and extended the government’s sympathy to the bereaved family.

“We greatly regret the death of these people and extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of Nyabihu,” Gatsinzi said.

He noted that local residents should ensure they find safer places to settle to avoid such accidents in future. The landslide was triggered by a heavy downpour.

Those who died included 39 year-old Jean Damascene Nzamuhabwanimana, his 11 children and three wives identified as Alphonsine Ntibarikure, Gorette Nyirahabyarimana and Esperance Akingeneye.

During the funeral service, mourners were shocked with the extent of damage .

The district’s Mayor, Emmanuel Nsengiyumva, said that environmental hazards were a major problem in the district.

“Given the topography of this region, more measures should be taken in order to avoid the risk of further landslides,” Nsengiyumva said.

The State Minister of Energy and Water, Eng. Coletha U. Ruhamya has said that investing in hydropower infrastructure without putting resources in skills development would be a nonstarter. 

The minister made the remarks during a graduation ceremony of 30 newly graduated technicians who undertook a four week course in Hydropower operation and maintenance held in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Infrastructure on Friday.

“Hydropower Plants are important for achieving goals. Rwanda has big potential for small and big Hydropower Plants that can be developed in order to supply electricity to our people.”

She challenged the new graduated technicians to get involved in local projects and be the driving force with other partnering companies to develop new sites and manage those presently under construction. The minister congratulated the technicians and thanked the trainers for their time and sacrifice.

Oliver Ngororabanga from REPRO, explained to the audience the operations of the newly Power Plant located in the Western Province (former Kibuye) that has been operational here since last year. The plant was put up from March 2008 up to March 2010.

In his speech, a trainer from the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre in Zambia, that undertook the training, said that any meaningful investment in infrastructure without the necessary skills for appropriate relatedness is a wasted investment. He outlined the importance of acquiring skills in hydropower, stating that it was vital for the country’s infrastructure. He also pointed that “our business is to ensure there are skills for higher power operations.” He disclosed that plans are underway to put up a Hydropower centre for Africa. He thanked the Rwandan government for taking the initiative to invest in skills transfer and hoped for continued partnership.”

In an interview with IGIHE.com, one of those who undertook the course Ben Mategeko disclosed that the first phase of the training took two weeks in Zambia while the second phase was held in Kigali over a similar period.

“The skills gained were really important, most trainees had theoretical background, some had little experience in hydropower plants but were exposed to huge power plants such as the Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre power plant (in Zambia), which generates about 990 megawatts, which is really enormous. It’s something that Rwanda is trying to emulate. The other great experience is the hands on experience.”

He said that “what was learned from Zambia if properly utilised in Rwanda can contribute to the energy efficiency.”

Those present at the event were representatives from the ministry of Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), various companies involved in development and construction of Hydropower including ARED, ENNY, REPRO, REGREPOWER, Digitech, GIZ, CTB and trainers from Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre in Zambia.

 

At least 14 members of the same family have been killed in Nyabihu district after heavy rains sparked a mudslide that engulfed a small village, local authorities have said.

The mudslide struck the village in the Rugera Sector on Friday at around 4am.

At least three homes had been damaged or submerged.

Among those feared dead was a one year old baby.

The Nyabihu district Vice Mayor Angela Mukaminani said that authorities had managed to recover 11 bodies.

Mukaminani, said some parts of the area had been evacuated because of the risk of further landslides.

“We have temporarily relocated residents living near the scene of the accident to avoid more deaths as we intensify the search for those who are suspected to have died,” Mukaminani said.

The area where the incident occurred is hilly with dotting houses at the foothills. In the past few months, the area has experienced one of the heaviest rainy seasons.

President Paul Kagame appointed the central bank governor as minister for trade and industry in his first reshuffle since being re-elected with 93 percent of the vote last year.

Francois Kanimba, a former World Bank senior economist who had been governor of the National Bank of Rwanda since 2002, was replaced by his deputy Claver Gatete.

Kagame, who has a firm grip on power in the central African country, gave no reason for the reshuffle announced late on Friday. It had been expected, however, because two ministerial posts recently became vacant.

Kagame last rejigged his cabinet in December 2009. 

The fresh dark green cassava leaves sway from one direction to the other as small insects scuttle around, doing quick errands combing the soil for food. 

“All this cassava you see here, was planted by the Rwanda Defence Forces,” says Lt John Sebakara as he points at the huge plantations stretching towards the horizon in Rwanda’s eastern province.

Ordinarily, Lt Sebakara and other soldiers would be in the jungles with guns training how to defend and assault their enemies. But taken up by the pressing food insecurity, the RDF, like any other army associated with guns, decided to take up hoes to till the land for agriculture. 

“Our mission is not only to cultivate, but to involve farmers. We train them and tell them to go and implement what they have learnt,” adds Lt Sebakara as he kicks some small mounds of loose soil, which give way to a battalion of wheezing black ants. Huge chunks of idle government land formerly used as military training grounds for churning out gun wielding soldiers, have been transformed into agricultural farmland with a view to support national poverty reduction strategies.

Armed with forked hoes and cutlasses, the dedicated soldiers donning full army uniforms and gumboots, descended on the virgin land clearing bushes for cassava plantations.

The RDF through its Agro Processing Industries Ltd (API) has cultivated 1,300 hectares of cassava expected to be harvested in the last quarter of 2011.

PI’s Director Finance and Planning, Lt John Sebakara, says API has four strategic business units. They are coffee and silk industries, Gako crop and horticultural production, Gabiro crop and horticultural production and dairy industry.

With nine coffee washing stations and one mini station, API exports 207.3 tonnes of green fully washed Arabica coffee. At US$ 3.9 per kg, it brings 469,097,179.2 FRW US$19457.

Rwanda has identified an Indian investor who will set up a processing plant. The factory will process the cassava into flour, starch and ethanol for exports to neighbouring countries.

The cassava has already created employment for the locals. The workers, which comprise widows and widowers employed to work in the gardens get a salary of RF 45,000 (about US$76) per month.

“This work is helping us a lot. We now have a group like a SACCO where we pool our money and give out to members in a rotational manner,” says Collette Mukarubayiza, a 51-year-old widow.

While there are no actual figures, Rwanda is said to have cut down its defence budget, shifting the funds to agriculture.
Sector performance reports show that in the 2010/2011 Financial Year, the Government of Rwanda spending on agriculture stood at 10.2%, slightly above the Maputo Declaration of 10%.
 In 2009/2010, Rwanda’s annual average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for agriculture was 7.4%.  

In 2003, African Union issued a directive dubbed “The Maputo Declaration” for African leaders to increase their investment in agriculture to 10% of their national budgets. 

“The failure of many African countries to increase their spending towards agriculture has been seen as a serious impediment to the continent’s mission to boost economic growth,” says Dr Cris Muyunda, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 

 ACTESA , an alliance of institutions, is the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) specialised agency.

COMESA through its specialised agency, embarked on a programme to ensure smooth flow of seeds from surplus to deficit areas by harmonising standards and removing trade barriers that hinder free-flow of seeds among member states.

Rwanda is one of the countries that have successfully implemented COMESA/ACTESA programmes. Through the distribution of better seeds and training on better farming techniques the country has seen the production of its principle crops – maize, cassava, beans and bananas soar.
The Rwanda Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr Agnes Kalibata, contends that linking smallholder farmers to markets is key to achieving food security in Africa.

The RDF is a typical example of an efficient army that has gone out of war battles internally and in neighbouring countries and turned to hoes.
With the post-genocide government committed to rapid economic recovery, prudent fiscal and monetary policies, liberalisation of the economy, and institutional capacity building, the economy has rapidly rebounded.

Rwanda plans to increase its budget for the fiscal year starting in July by 16.7 percent to help accelerate growth and reduce poverty, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday.

It said in a statement that growth would slow to 7 percent this year due to the adverse impact of higher food and fuel prices, which would also push the inflation rate to 7.5 percent by the end of 2011.

Fuel prices in the country have increased twice this year. The cost of premium petrol and diesel rose from 887 francs to 1,015 francs per litre in January and then to 1,060 francs per litre in April.

The government attributed the increases to political instability in oil producing nations of the Middle East.

“In 2011, output growth is projected at about 7 percent, showing a slight slow-down from 2010 due to the expected adverse impact of rising food and fuel prices,” the ministry said.

“These are expected to push domestic prices and inflation is now projected to reach 7.5 percent at end of 2011.”

The economy expanded by 7.5 percent in 2010, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda.

Rwanda’s inflation rate in urban centres rose to 4.11 percent in March from 2.56 percent in February and the central bank expects it to hit 6 percent by the end of June.

The ministry said the country’s 2011/12 budget would rise to 1.116 trillion francs from 984 billion in 2010/11. The budget will be unveiled in mid June.

“Fiscal policy in the period 2011/12 to 2013/14 will seek to balance the competing objectives of further accelerating growth to make a dent on poverty reduction whilst preserving the medium-term fiscal and external sustainability,” it said.

“The medium term budget policy is to increase expenditures for investment projects that generate more impact on growth, while limiting recurrent costs,” the ministry said.

 It was Wednesday, 27 April 2011, and the day began like any other. Characteristically, people went about their routine daily exertions at one of Bishop Alex Birindabagabo’s farms in Ryamanyoni Cell, Murundi Sector, 4kms away from Gahini, Kayonza District, Apophia Mukampabuka, who coordinates milk supplies at a restaurant oddly named Seeds of Peace, received the morning’s supply of fresh milk from the Bishop’s farm.

 “I received boiled milk as usual and before I stored it, I drunk a cupful ; but the following day, I lost consciousness and I was admitted to the hospital,” recalls Mukampabuka, from her hospital bed at Gahini Hospital. Mukampabuka, who has since been under treatment at Gahini Hospital for a week, says she developed symptoms of fever, severe headache, vomiting and diarrhoea immediately after she took the milk.

 In a period of less than 24 hours after partaking the milk, over 15 other workers at the Seedss of Peace Restaurant had been admitted to Gahini Hospital. Two days later, on Monday 2 May, 2011, Gahini Secondary School students, their head teacher, school bursar and others who took the milk fell victim to the ill-fated milk.

 At least 30 people had been admitted at Gahini Hospital and King Faycal Hospital in Kigali after drinking suspected poisoned milk from Gahini High School and ‘Seeds of Peace’.

Gahini Diocese which supplies the Gahini school canteen doubles as the owner of ‘Seedss of Peace’ restaurant located on the shores of idyllic Lake Muhazi.

On the fateful day, Flavia Kabenga, the owner of one of the school canteens sent a worker at the Seedss of Peace restaurant to fetch cultured buttermilk, to ferment the day’s supply of fresh milk.

“I sent a person to get for me two spoons of cultured buttermilk which I used to ferment 10 litres of fresh milk that I had brought from Kiramuruzi on Thursday. Then on Friday, they (students and teachers) took the fermented sour milk and on Saturday, they started falling sick,” Kabenga recalls.

Apophia Mukampabuka who fetched the fermented milk to Kabenga also concurs that the milk may have been the source of the food poisoning.

The manager at the Bishop’s farm, Innocent Karagire says that after milking in the wee hours of last Wednesday, he apportioned some milk for consumption by his family of five, and sent the rest for delivery to the Seeds of Peace Restaurant. According to Karagire, a worker only know as Joseph, made a stopover on the way at Karubamba market to buy a bottle of juice and left the bicycle ferrying the milk with a friend.

 Joseph later delivered the 19 litres of fresh milk to Mukampabuka, who in turn asked Ntaganzwa to boil it.

 As a ritual, the elderly Ntaganzwa who lives within the restaurant and doubles as a security guard at the Bishop’s house reserved two litres of milk for himself after boiling it. “I set aside one litre (of the milk) and drunk it but I never fell sick,” Ntaganzwa says.

 How Ntaganzwa never fell sick remains a mystery to many of his co-workers. They also pointed an accusing finger at Joseph. 

 A majority of patients have since convalesced and been discharged from the hospital.

 Dr. Alfonse Muvunyi, the Director of Gahini Hospital told IGIHE.com the cause of the food poisoning is yet to be determined but samples are already at the laboratory with the results due soon.

 Denise Uwera Rudasingwa, the Head of the Health Department at Kayonza District says that irresponsible handling of milk could have caused the poisoning adding that distributing and selling toxic milk to the public was extremely unacceptable.

 “Dirty containers exposed to house flies could cause the illness we saw…it is unfortunate and some people could face the law for their irresponsible behaviour,” she declares.

 She observes that the kitchen at the restaurant was rather grimy adding that since the local hospital was ill-equipped to determine the cause of the poisoning, samples were sent to the National Laboratory.

 Police spokesperson Theos Badege says that the inspection team from the district and the police in the area decided to close the Seeds of Peace restaurant to carry out further investigations.

 Luckily for the victims of Gahini, they at least walked away with their lives. Food borne illness usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. There is a consensus in the public health community that regular hand-washing is one of the most effective defenses against the spread of food borne illness.

 In Rwanda’s food culture, milk is considered a “staple” amongst both adults and children. Across the country, the importance of cattle and thereby milk in the Rwandan society is demonstrated in the proverb ushaka inka arara nkazo (He who seeks to obtain cattle is made to sleep outdoors like them). The consumption of milk and dairy products (mainly from cattle) is important to their health. The production of milk and butter is usually carried out by a process of fermentation with the use of traditional technology. But there should be mechanisms to ensure that this is carried out in a hygienic manner. Otherwise, the Gahini case would not be the last we hear of.