WHO calls for heavy taxes on tobacco products

The east African Community (EAC) governments should increase taxes on tobacco products to discourage smoking.

According to the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa, taxes on tobacco products are low in East Africa, which makes it easy for many people to buy cigarettes. This increases the risk of catching cancer and other related diseases, the centre, which is an arm of the World Health Organisation, noted.

It added that, besides reducing tobacco consumption, taxing the sector heavily would help EAC countries raise revenue for programmes that advance public health.

“Taxation policies on tobacco products are less stringent in Africa than in other parts of the world…EAC states should adopt tax and price measures that are more effective in reducing tobacco consumption,” Possy Mugyenyi, the centre manager, said during a seminar in Kigali recently.

The seminar attracted over 100 dignitaries, including health officials and politicians from the region to discuss measures of curbing tobacco use in the fight against cancer.

“We must also ban the tobacco advertisement and sponsorships and use of all marketing strategies by the industry to reduce tobacco use,” Mugyenyi said.

All five EAC member states are party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, but only Kenya has a comprehensive tobacco control law in place. Cigarettes attract the highest consumption tax in Rwanda at 150 per cent, followed by gas, oil and lubricants at 76 per cent, with liquors and wines at 70 per cent.

However, since tobacco farmers are not registered by Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation, it is hard to sensitise them on the dangers of the produce, according to Narcisse Ndagijimana, the agriculture division director at the federation.

“Tobacco is not widely grown in Rwanda…the crop has been the source of livelihood for some Rwandans for decades. But we plan to enhance sensitisation campaigns, train and teach them on how to grow alternative crops,” Ndagijimana said in a phone interview.

Statistics by WHO indicate that tobacco kills one-third of all lifetime users, while tobacco-related illnesses account for one in 10 adult deaths.

It is also estimated that 600,000 individuals die annually from exposure to secondary smoke and that the majority of secondhand smoke deaths are among women and children.

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Police purchase vehicle inspection truck

Rwanda National Police is set to introduce a mobile vehicle inspection unit to serve motorists who are currently required to travel from the countryside to Kigali to examine their vehicles.

According to Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson of the Rwanda National Police traffic and road safety units, the mobile machine was purchased from Germany and it is currently being shipped to Kigali.

Ndushabandi said engineers are being trained in Germany on how to best operate the machine.

“It’s on the way coming from Germany I cant tell the exact day it will arrive in Kigali, but what we want to improve our services,” he noted

He further explained that there are preparations to establish more inspection centres in Huye, Karongi and Ngoma districts.

Apparently, only the Remera-based Motor Vehicle Inspection Centre in Gasabo district inspects all the vehicles in the country.

The centre was established in 2008 to check the mechanical conditions of vehicles as a way of reducing traffic accidents caused by technical difficulties.   Vehicle mechanical problems are said to be among the main causes of traffic accidents. 

All vehicles are subjected to a periodic technical inspection and those that are not road worthy are required to be repaired before hitting the road again. 

The centre caters for both private and commercial vehicles and issues a certificate valid for one year and six months, respectively, after successful inspection. 

Thadens Nkeramihigo, a motorist, welcomed the development, saying people have always been wasting time and energy queuing at the only inspection station in Remera.

Easing work

The presidential decree No. 85/01 of September 2, 2002, regulating general traffic police and road traffic; stipulates, in part, that “vehicles not satisfying the set technical criteria will not be issued with a certificate. 

Owners of vehicles using public roads without the certificate will be liable to a fine of Rwf25,000.”

The facility inspects, among others, the lighting and braking systems, wheel alignment and vehicle geometry and steering system, as well as gas emission.

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The business that changed the lives of 100 women

From the hill dominating Magasins Generaux du Rwanda (Magerwa) in a neighborhood commonly known as Sodoma, 95 women, who used to trade from street and former sex workers who in 2007 decided to leave the ‘demeaning’ jobs, say they are writing a success story.

Members of Rwiyemezamirimo Dufatanye cooperative do different business in a modern market. Some sell charcoal, others sell fruits, food stuff and cosmetics.

Besides this, they recently received support from First Lady Jeannette Kagame, who built them a magnificent green house where they are growing tomatoes.

All these opportunities, which they are not taking for granted, helped them forget their dark past and look forward to a bright future. 

Cécile Mujawayezu, the president of Rwiyemezamirimo cooperative, said she used to sell fruits on street for five years until 2007 when she realised that she was doing a job that makes her scornful.

“The business was such that security men could at any time take what you are trading and throw them away. Now that we are here, my business can earn me up to Rwf100,000 per month and there is no one hunting me since I am doing legal trade”. 

Change of status

Charcoal trade, she said, there is no way someone can overlook them since they are now respectful women who pay school fees for their children and buy food for their families. 

She pays Rwf22,000 every semester for her two children in primary school.  

In the cooperative, members pool resources monthly, by contributing Rwf300 per week per person, which at the end of the month would total at least Rwf100,000.

The money is given to a member, who can invest it in her own needs.

“I got this money twice. For the first time, I bought a TV screen and furniture, but I am now saving until I get a shelter,” says Eugenie Mukashyaka.

Disclosing that she was a sex worker, Mukashyaka said men used to beat her or to use her body for their pleasure.

“But I was very happy to be part of this cooperative where I got a husband and we are leading a nice life together. Security is the best thing this cooperative provided me,” she said with a laugh that confirms it all.  

The cooperative, she said, “taught me discipline, saved me from drugs and alcohol on top of this business of vegetable oil where I still earn only Rwf 30,000 per month. Hopefully, it will increase with time.” 

 “Before joining this cooperative, our business that used to oblige us to go door to door was tricky; some men could call you pretending to buy fruits and when you arrive in their house, they could force you to sleep with them,” said Shadia Murekatete, 26, a former street vendor and mother of three, who now says she is stable and respected mother.

Different support

In March 2005, the City of Kigali graduated 300 women from small scale entrepreneurship where some individuals and cooperatives got some money to boost their business.

Rwiyemezamirimo was one of the three cooperatives that was awarded Rwf1 million. 

The president of the cooperative said they plan to buy a water tank with this money, so that they can sustain irrigation of their tomatoes in their green house, a donation from the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame.

Previously, Kicukiro district, Family health International and other sponsors had helped them in building the market and providing whatever support that would help the women forget an odd past.

“A well-wisher is giving us a vehicle soon and we shall be able to carry to transport our tomatoes to the market,” said Rwiyemezamirimo. 

“Most of you are still young women, if you want to lead a successful business, make sure you safeguard your life as well, because the life of a woman is of a great value,” advised Fidele Ndayisaba, the City of Kigali mayor, while closing a two-month-long training of women entrepreneurs over financial literacy. 

The mayor called upon the women to embrace various opportunities the government is proposing to the vulnerable women and youth, such as the “Women and Youth Access to Finance”, mechanism that helps women to get funds to operate business as way to fight poverty.

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Rwandan Christians mark Easter

HOLY RECRUITMENT: Fr. Jean Claude Muvandimwe anoints a baby during a Baptism session at St. Michel Cathedral yesterday.

As thousands of kilometres away Pope Francis called upon the world to seek peace and stop the wars ravaging Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, DR Congo, Mali and the Central African Republic, among others, Christians in Rwanda converged to celebrate the death and resurrection of their saviour Jesus Christ.

However, like at the Vatican where Pope Francis was holding his first Easter mass since he was installed last month, church leaders called for love, tolerance and peace. 

Preachers said by the way Jesus lost the beauty and dignity he had in heaven and came on earth, became a man and died for them, Christians should also emulate the love of Jesus and love each other.

“A real Christian should resurrect with Jesus, love their relatives and neighbours, have a compassionate heart,”  said  Fr. Lambert Dusingizimana at Saint  Famiille  

Pastor Zawadi Kajangwe called on Christians to keep praying God so the blood poured should keep saving them and remain in the right way.

“Christ conquered death, it is time we enjoyed and celebrated his resurrection,” said Kajangwe. 

Christians reflective

Christians who talked to The New Times expressed joy and excitement, saying the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was a sign of sacrifice.

“Easter is a big feast for me as a Christian, it is the time of reflection and remembrance of unbelievable love Jesus loved us, left a dignified place he occupied in the heaven to come to be beaten, nailed and crucified in my stead,” said Mappy Ingabire at Christian in Zion Temple church 

The Holy Week, the week preceding Easter, was marked by baptisms around the country. 

At the Vatican, Pope Francis urged his listeners not to be “afraid of God’s surprises,” never to lose confidence during the trials and tribulations of daily life, and, if they have strayed, to let God back into their lives.

“Let the risen Christ enter your life, welcome him as a friend; he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms,” he said, 

“If you’ve been indifferent, take a risk; you won't be disappointed. If following Him seems difficult, trust Him, be confident that He is close to you, He is with you and He’ll give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as He would have you do,” he said.

Easter is a Christian festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion.

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How Rwanda can streamline consultancy services

Dr Bosire believes Rwanda’s consultants can streamline their activity. Courtesy photo.

As the Chamber of Deputies’ standing Committee on Economy and Trade and the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (Mifotra) sort out technicalities in the Bill on the organisation of management consultancy services, an expert in the field suggests that Kenya has a few best practices to emulate. 

Listing aspects that can be replicated in Rwanda, Dr Josephat Bosire, a management consultancy expert and lecturer at Mount Kenya University, Kigali, said consultants should attempt to give services that exceed expectations so as to have competitive advantage and sustainability. 

“In Kenya, consultants are many and thus cheaper. The uniqueness I observe among the Kenyan professional consultants is that they belong to professional bodies like association of accountants, institute of procurement and supplies, institute of human resources management, association of medical practitioners, architectures, lawyers, and so on. This makes them accountable to their associations, and a client can report them in case of breach of contract,” said Dr Bosire.

“The global best practices shared in workshops, seminars and conferences help from time to time, besides the various consultancy firms have attempted to be certified by relevant bodies in their profession so that the uncertified  can get work through outsourcing and or networked franchising.” 

Dr Bosire said the quality certification body—Kenya Bureau of Standards—is working with international standards organisation to verify consultants and encourage then to comply with ISO standards because not many meet the threshold. 

“They resort to consortium—many related consultant firms working under same umbrella. The zeal is continuous improvement. These are few of the aspects that can be replicated in Rwanda.” 

While tabling the Bill recently, Minister Anastase Murekezi, told Parliament that the draft law’s main purpose is to guarantee that there will be organised management consulting services in the country. The minister said many consultancy firms were opening shop yet they had no track record. 

The Bill’s scrutiny in the Committee recently stalled as lawmakers requested legal drafters in Mifotra to “first iron out many issues” that are mixed up, MP Gonzague Rwigema, the deputy chairperson of the Committee on Economy and Trade, said yesterday.  

“We provided guidelines and directed technicians in Mifotra to redo the Bill, with help from our own staff, because it is poorly drafted,” said Rwigema.

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Genocide memorial: Change in colour for mourning

A research into Rwanda’s traditional mourning rituals indicated that people used to smear themselves with ash as they mourned their beloved ones. 

The research findings were the basis of Cabinet’s recent decision to change the commemoration colour from purple to gray, a colour synonymous with ash. 

Officials say currently plans are underway to change commemoration paints, symbols and everything that has purple in it to gray. 

“We searched for information from people who are knowledgeable in Rwandan traditions like intellectuals and elders in order to choose what colour can be used during the time of mourning week,” Jean De Dieu Mucyo, the executive secretary of the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG), told The New Times.

 “We realised that, traditionally, Rwandans were mourning their beloved ones by putting wood ashes upon their heads.” 

The common agreement was that the purple colour is a Western and Catholic based- tradition whereby during different ecclesiastic ceremonies like Easter, the purple colour is used.

According to scholars, in addition to this, none among Tutsi was killed because of their faith, therefore, the purple colour does not apply to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. 

The president of Ibuka, the umbrella body of Genocide survivors, Dr Jean Pierre Dusingizemungu, said the general perspective is that Genocide survivors welcomed the new colour  

“There is no reason why this colour (purple) should be used in the mourning week while there is another one that connects better with our traditional mourning events,” he said.

Dusingizemungu said Rwandans keep on being eager to find their own home-grown solutions to all the specific problems the nation encounters and that decision was taken in line with that philosophy.

In a related development, speaking during a town hall meeting yesterday, the Minister of Sports and  Culture, Protais Mitali, said the commemoration will be marked at the Village (Umudugudu) level. 

For the past years, ceremonies to start the Commemoration week (April 7 to 13) were held involved a national opening event at a designated location in the coutry, while the last day was marked at the Rebero Memorial site, the Genocide memorial for political leaders.

“Celebration at the grassroots level will bring about more participation by the population from all neighborhoods,” said Mitali. “This will eventually create ownership of the commemoration activities.”

He said at the grassroots level, commemoration events will be held at the nearest memorial site in every sector. However, Mitali said commemoration at the national level will be held once every five years.

On April 7, President Paul Kagame will pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the Genocide at Kigali Memorial Centre where he will lay a wreath to the mass graves and address the nation at midday. 

Since the commencement day of the commemoration will be a Sunday, government recently asked religious leaders to ensure that they conduct the early morning masses so that people can attend the commemoration event. 

“We requested them to ensure that all masses end by 11:00am latest,” said the Mayor of City of Kigali, Fidele Ndayisaba. 

During the 19th Commemoration, public lectures and town hall meetings will be conducted every afternoon for the whole week under this year’s theme, ‘Let us commemorate the Tutsi Genocide as we strive for self reliance’.

As always, no form of entertainment is allowed during the commemoration week and all flags in the country will fly at half-mast.

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Traditional healers are speculators – scientists

Traditional healers have requested the government to put in place a legal framework to regulate the practitioners of this business, but worries grow as far as the validity of the herbs used is concerned.

A 2011 survey by the forum for traditional medicine practitioners in Rwanda, AGA Rwanda Network, showed that more than 2,600 traditional healers practice their medicine in villages countrywide.

“We cannot verify the validity of any medicine they use since no research has ever been carried out,” said Emmanuel Rekeraho, the President of the association.

Traditional herbalist Isidore Mahoro, a resident of Muhanga District (formerly Gitarama) came to light in 2004 when he claimed to have found an HIV/AIDS cure through the “inspiration of the Virgin Mary”.

The Ministry of Health moved in and stopped his operations. 

Dr. Jean de Dieu Ngirabega, Director of Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health says that the purported healer of HIV/AIDS had never before been a traditional healer.

Similarly, Gambia President Yahya Jammeh said in 2007 that he had found a remedy of boiled herbs to cure AIDS, stirring anger among Western medical experts who claimed he was giving false hope to the sick. 

Angelo Kaggwa, The program coordinator of a US-based Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention says that if any traditional healer is confident, science should be the resort.

“We do not work under speculations, so if anyone claims to have a cure, it needs to be scientifically validated,” Angelo echoed. 

Rekeraho from local traditional healers’ network said that the government should pass a law regulating the profession which he says is not ‘standardized.’ 

The law should also include how a laboratory for traditional medicine should be put in place, Rekeraho added.

He however says that countries like China, Japan and India collect a lot of revenues from traditional medicines and called for the government to strengthen the sector. 

“We cannot discourage people who buy traditional medicine because this has been used for a long time. Even our ancestors survived on traditional medicines,” Rekeraho said.

Many regional civil society organisations have also requested traditional healers to have their medicines tested for safety because they might lie to the public and therefore the EAC civil societies call for governments to work on the issue.

For Julien Nyombayire, a research analysis officer and physician from the San Frascisco Research Project in Rwanda, some of the traditional healers are genuine but also adds that some are bogus.

His advice is that governments invest in laboratories that test the validity of traditional herbs.

“We sometimes hear people claiming to cure diseases with herbs, but really people should use scientifically-proven medicines since with health insurance scheme they can get scientifically proven at cheaper prices with minimized risks,” Nyombayire warned.

But Dr Ngirabega at the Clinical Services of the Ministry of Health says that the ministry has held meetings with traditional healers to devise a draft law regulating their work.

He said that there are many traditional healers, which has made it difficult to research on the validity of the herbs they use.

“No scientific study supports them. They have only shared skills from their ancestry and they are many in every village,” Ngirabega said.

On whether the ministry issues certificates to traditional doctors, Ngirabega said that the traditional healers are allowed to work after getting a recognition paper from village level to the sector where an association brings them together. 

“They recognize each other among themselves and they are entitled to admit those who are recognized in their areas,” he said.

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