The Markets Endorse Rwanda’s Path To Economic Growth

Amid the rhetoric, pro and con, around Rwanda, the impartial voice of the marketplace has spoken, with a ringing endorsement of its economic turnaround and prospects for continued growth. Last week, Rwanda’s debut on the global bond market raised $400 million with an offering that was heavily over-subscribed by nearly eight times. Final yield on the 10-year bonds of 6.875% was less than reported expectations in the low-7% area, due to strong buyer interest. Proceeds will go to repayment of bank loans, infrastructure such as a hydro power project, expansion of the national airline RwandAir, and the completion of a convention center in the capital of Kigali. The successful bond issue triggered a flurry of enthusiastic postings ...

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Museveni urges to focus on EAC political federation

President Yoweri Museveni addressing EALA. (courtesy photo) President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reiterated the need for East Africans to remove all hindrances in order to fast track the East African Community (EAC) integration and enable citizens to enjoy its benefits. According to the Ugandan president, the emphasis should not only be on economic integration, but also on political integration through the formation of EAC federation. “Even if the economic integration is successful, there are some issues that you cannot address just by economic integration,” he pointed out. “It is not easy for instance to address the issue of common defense when you are different countries.” Museveni, who is also the chairperson of the EAC summit...

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World Vision donates sports material to schools

WVR Director George Gitau and Bishop Alexis Birndabagabo (L) giving the balls to children. (photo Jean-Christophe Nsanzimana) World Vision Rwanda has donated sports material to youth in Kayonza districts, Gahini Diocese. The materials include 347 basketballs and 27 soccer balls and were handed to youth representatives on Thursday. According to World Vision Rwanda National Director George Gitau, the donation is part of the organization’s goal and commitment to partner with churches in order to promote initiatives aimed at using sports and games to improve health, develop life skills, and foster unity and peace among youth. “Bringing youth together through sports is vital as it provides a forum for them to learn skills such as discipline,...

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ICT Ministry puts girls in the spotlight

Students watch a demonstration during the Girls in ICT fair. (photo Farouk Kaweesi) It is a myth that women cannot excel in ICT, a field that has so far been dominated by men. This was proven as the ministry of youth and ICT (MYICT) on Thursday marked Girls in ICT day with the ‘Girls in ICT Career Fair.’ Held at Lycée Notre Dame de Citeaux, the event that attracted five girls’ secondary schools (Riviera High School, New Vision High School, Lycee de Kigali and Gashora Girls High School and the host school) was aimed at showcasing women’s achievements in ICT. The Women in ICT group was formed to encourage women and girls to venture into ICT. For one to be a member, they must be in ICT at any level including being a student of the...

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Heavy rains, electricity black-outs blamed for water scarcity

James Sano, the deputy director general in charge of water and sanitation (R) and Theoneste Minani, the director of water at EWSA. (photo Farouk Kaweesi) Some areas of Kigali city such as Kicukiro, Gikondo, Samuduha, Kimironko and Gatsata are reported to have been experiencing water scarcity for some time now. According to officials at the public utility EWSA, heavy rains and lack of power at water treatment plants and pumps are the main reasons. The capital consumes about 60% of EWSA’s entire water supply. According to the officials, heavy rains in most areas of the Western and Northern part of the country, which are the main sources of water for treatment plants, have caused soil erosion, flood and landslides. “This has...

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Public opposes lowering marriage age

Ruboneka (2nd R) stresses a point to legislators at the end of the session yesterday. The New Times/ John Mbanda. Many Rwandans have sound reasons as to why marriage age must remain at 21 and not 18 as proposed in the draft law governing persons and family, Parliament heard yesterday. Lawmakers on Parliament’s Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Gender were debating the Bill, which seeks to amend the 1988 law to align it with the Constitution, the Penal Code, current realities, and the country’s policy on gender equality. The committee traversed the country gathering public views in 19 districts, including those in the City of Kigali. Committee chairperson Alfred Rwasa Kayiranga said religious leaders, local leaders, women...

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UN Great Lakes envoy Robinson to visit Rwanda

Robinson is expected in the country tomorrow. Net photo. The newly-appointed United Nations envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa Mary Robinson is expected to arrive in Rwanda on Wednesday, UN officials have confirmed.Robinson was appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month and she intends to embark on bolstering support for a recently agreed UN-mediated accord she has described as “a framework for hope” aimed at ending decades of conflict and instability in DR Congo.In an e-mail to this paper, UN Resident Coordinator Lamin Manneh said Robinson is expected in Rwanda tomorrow and that she will meet government officials as well as representatives of international and local NGOs.Her stop in Rwanda is part of a seven-day...

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Rwandatel assets now up for grabs

One of Rwandatels masts in Kigali. The New Times/ Timothy Kisambira. Telecom FIRM Rwandatel, which is under liquidation after the majority shareholder Lap Green of Libya failed to keep it afloat, is finally up for grabs.The struggling telecom company has sold its masts to Airtel and remained with assets valued at less than $15 million that await sale “as soon as possible,” the caretaker has revealed.Richard Mugisha, a lawyer in charge of administering Rwandatel and selling off its assets after a court decision placed the firm under liquidation in 2011, said Bharti Group acquired all the company’s masts at $15.5m last year.Remaining assetsThe lawyer said Rwandatel’s remaining assets include the liquidated company’s data and video...

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Kagame tells global conference why Rwanda is thriving

President Paul Kagame chats with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair (R) at an investment meet in Los Angeles, US, yesterday. The President addressed the 16th Milken Institute Global Conference on the opportunities for investment in Rwanda and Africa, explaining the initiatives that have led to a continuous increase in investment in Rwanda. Kagame said it is about transparency, internal reforms, the rule of law, good governance and the opportunity that regional integration presents for investment. The conference, that started on Sunday, ends tomorrow. The New Times/ V. Urugwi...

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Greening program changes Gicumbi town

As part of the program to clean and renovate Gicumbi town, the administration and local people of Gicumbi district are busy planting trees and flowers, forming gardens in the whole of Gicumbi town in a program called greening. Resident planting trees beside his home Emmanuel Kayumba the health officer in this district says in this greening program, 700 araucaria trees, 2000 Jacaranda trees and 600 Spathodea trees… These trees are planted on both sides of the main road in Gicumbi town starting from Ruyaga trading center up to Gicumbi stadium and also at the diocese of Byumba Catholic Church. The trees as well as passipalum grasses are being planted by the people that reside near this road. Some of the ready gardens  Kayumba...

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New report warns UN on Congo

Increased investment in non-military approaches is essential for a solution to the long-running conflict in eastern DR Congo, a new report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) says. The report, “Non-military strategies for civilian protection in the DRC,” written by Liam Mahony at Fieldview Solutions on commission from the NRC, warns against excessive faith in the new intervention brigade endorsed by the UN Security Council last month. It was launched last week. “For nearly two decades, the international community has failed to protect civilians and to help bring peace to DR Congo. It is necessary to reflect on what we, as independent organisations and as a community, can do differently to better support the Congolese people...

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Is an offensive plausible in DR Congo?

EALA Speaker Zziwa, and MPs Mbidde and Makongor. Is it necessary?  On March 28, the UNSC approved Resolution 2098 which authorised deployment of an intervention brigade which will target armed groups in eastern DR Congo.A seemingly ominous looming move by Tanzania to contribute troops to a newly-formed UN Intervention Brigade, under the UN Mission in DR Congo, or Monusco, among others, is raising eyebrows within the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), even though few lawmakers in the bloc’s Assembly seem inclined to openly chastise the ‘mighty’ Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania. On March 28, the UN Security Council approved Monusco’s new mandate. Changes, here, include deployment of an “intervention brigade,” or a special...

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Govt’s monthly stipends to the poor making the difference

Rusanganwa harvests tomatoes in the greenhouse funded by VUP programme. The New Times/ Jean de la Croix Tabaro Justin Rusanganwa, 63, one of the beneficiaries of the Vision 2020’s Umurenge Programme (VUP) gets Rwf7,500 per month, of which he takes home Rwf4,500, and saves the balance with Sacco. “I was poor indeed! If you look at me however, you can now see that VUP is blameless; we learnt to be self reliant here and are no longer amongst the needy people,” said Rusanganwa. He is one of the VUP beneficiaries in Gikomero sector, Gasabo district, where the programme was introduced last year. VUP was set up six years ago to help reduce poverty levels in Rwanda. The beneficiaries include the elderly, those living with disabilities, children,...

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President Kiir salutes Rwanda, South Sudan Police Forces ties

IGP Gasana (L) and Gen. Pieng Deng address the media at Juba State House after meeting President Kiir. The New Times/ Courtesy. South Sudan President Salva Kiir has commended the support rendered by Rwanda National Police (RNP) in building the capacity of the South Sudan National Police Services.President Kiir said this last week at the State House in Juba, where he hosted Rwanda’s Inspector-General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana.IGP Gasana was in South Sudan for a two-day visit on the invitation of his counterpart, Gen. Pieng Deng Kuol, to further strengthen ties between the two forces following the signing of cooperation agreement in May last year.President Kiir pledged full support to the partnership for the good of communities...

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African MPs want transparency in land deals

Speaker of Parliament Rose Mukantabana (R) chats with Pan-African Parliament vice president Juliana Kantengwa at the closing ceremony of a continental parliamentary session on land and agriculture in Kigali on Saturday. African lawmakers resolved to strengthen existing laws at national and regional level to prevent fraudulent land deals on the continent. New Times/ John Mbanda. African lawmakers have resolved to strengthen existing laws at the national and regional level to prevent fraudulent land deals on the continent.This was one of the resolutions announced on Saturday at the end of a two-day workshop organised by the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), in Kigali.Held under the...

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INES commemorates Genocide

Students and staff of Institut d’Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (INES) accompanied by friends and relatives on Friday commemorated the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. As the commemoration period goes on in many areas of the country to remember the 100-day slaughter that killed more than a million Rwandans, hundreds of mourners at INES marched towards Muhoza Genocide Memorial site before they gathered on the institute’s campus where they lit candles and a bonfire. Addressing mourners, the Minister of education, Dr Vincent Biruta, told the students to keep commemorating while they strive to renew a sense of purpose to build a brighter future. “Rwandans had lived a bad life of discrimination and torture but they kept eager to struggle for their country until they liberated themselves....

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The life of a woman mechanic

Aloysie Benimana (Mama Gatoya) repairing a motorbike. With some mechanical knowledge she learnt from her husband, she is earning between 3000 and 5000 Rwandan francs per day by repairing motorcycles and she is proud that she contributes to her family and doesn’t have to rely on her husband to survive. Aloysie Benimana, known as Mama Gatoya in Muyumbu Sector of Rwamagana District in the Eastern Province, is a 31-year-old mother of three children who attracted a lot of criticism from fellow women when she was learning from her husband how to repair motorcycles. But while comparing the time back when she didn’t have a profession with today when she provides motor repair services in partnership with her husband, she lauds her chosen attitude...

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Serena donates to Genocide survivors

Serena Hotel Country Manager, Charles Muia (L), hands a cheque to the President of Abahumurizanya Association David Tuganimana (C) and CNLG's Gaspard Gasasira yesterday. Survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi have been called on to work hard and improve their lives as one of the ways towards a bright future. The call was made yesterday by the Country Manager of Kigali Serena Hotel, Charles Muia, during a visit of hotel employees to Abahumurizanya Association of vulnerable children in Kimironko Sector in Kigali’s Gasabo District. “As Serena Hotel, we are much aware of the hardship and responsibilities that you hold in taking care of yourselves and other children. That’s why we decided to spend some time with you during this commemoration...

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KCC to improve urban health

Mothers at a health facility in Kicukiro District; Kigali City has laid strategies to improve access of the urban population to quality health services. In a bid to improve urban health, Kigali City Council (KCC) in collaboration with the Belgian Technical cooperation (BTC) has laid strategies to improve access of the urban population to quality health services. The strategies include improving efficiency in the management of existing infrastructure such as health centres and hospitals through proper coordination of their activities and proper management of referrals from one level to another. KCC and BTC also have a plan to increase the capacity of service providers by training practicing doctors, nurses and other health professionals...

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Bugesera: Sunflowers in Rwanda, conditions for their thriving

Sunflowers thrive during hot and dry climate and their roots can get water from the long distance even watering them twice to four times In a year is enough for them to grow very well. This was said by Jean de Dieu Nkinzingabo the agronomist of Bugesera district advising sunflower growers for the good and productive harvest of sunflower. “The Sunflower plant needs little Azote minerals compared to crops like maize. However, a farmer should prepare enough fertilizers in the soil though sunflowers need deep soil more than they need fertilizers” the agronomist explained. The sunflower plant does not have many animals or insects that can destroy it except for birds that like its flowers though it is also affected by some diseases that can be...

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