We have finally crossed over to a new year and hope it will be better than the previous one. Every year comes with its highs and lows and as we look forward to 2014, here is a recap of some of the most memorable events of 2013.      The highsWomen sweep house seatsThe September 2013 parliamentary elections handed women an overwhelming majority in Rwanda’s Parliament. The women gaenered 51 out of the 80 seats in the Lower House.    This means Rwanda remained the only country in the world with a female dominated parliament, having first achieved the feat in the 2008 polls when women took up 56 per cent representation.     Last Genocide detainee transferred to RwandaTowards the end of July, Rwanda was served justice when the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), a UN-backed court transferred Genocide suspect Bernard Munyagishari from its custody in Arusha, Tanzania. Munyagishari, a former senior official in the genocidal party, MRND, was in pre-trial detention and his transfer as part of the court’s completion strategy.Tour of Rwanda ends on a highThe November 2013 Tour of Rwanda cycling competition lived up to its billing.   It was well attended and was won by South African Dylan Girdlestone, 24.  Two Rwandans, out of 13, finished in the top ten. They are; Team Karisimbi’s Jean Bosco Nsengiyumva (sixth) and Adrien Niyonshuti, who was riding for South Africa’s Team MTN-Qhubeka came seventh.   Cabinet reshufflesPresident Paul Kagame made significant changes in the Cabinet in May 2013, naming Johnstone Busingye Minister for Justice, and James Kimonyo, the former Rwandan ambassador to the US as Director of Cabinet in Prime Minister’s office.  Busingye replaced Tharcisse Karugarama, while Amb. Kimonyo replaced Eugene Barikana, who later joined Parliament, Stella Ford Mugabo, previously head  of the Public Sector Capacity Building Secretariat (PSCBC), replaced Protais Musoni as Minister for Cabinet affairs.        Massive circumcision campaignThe Ministry of Health in November rolled out the non-surgical male circumcision, medically referred to as PrePex, and targeted 700,000 men to undergo the process by 2016.  The new method, which has undergone clinical trials, was unveiled at Rwanda Military Hospital, Kanombe, during a function attended by officials from UN agencies and the World Health Organisation.  Rwanda became the first country to roll out PrePex nationwide and, according to the Minister for Health, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, the number of people who showed up for the non-surgical circumcision was overwhelming. Single customs territoryIn October, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda launched a single customs territory to boost business among the partner states by eliminating non-tariff barriers.     

President Kagame hosted the launch which attracted Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and Salva Kiir of South Sudan.   

During the summit, the Heads of State also agreed to hasten transit cargo from Kenya’s port of Mombasa by weighing it only once at the point of entry into each member state territory.   The leaders further resolved to lift visa fees within the region, and discussed ways to lower the cost of air travel.DiplomacyOn the diplomatic front, Rwanda took its seat on the UN Security Council and opened embassies in Turkey and Russia. The lowsGen. Gapfizi dies in car accidentIn what was perhaps the greatest tragedy of 2013, Rwanda lost Brig. Gen. Dan Gapfizi, who served as the commandant of the Reserve Force in the Southern Region.  Gapfizi died in a road accident that occured along the Kagitumba-Kayonza road on June 25. Tanzania evictees More than 7,000 Tanzanian citizens crossed the Rusumo border in August and September after being evicted from their homes on grounds that they were illegal Rwandan immigrants. They are now in the process of being resettled.   DRC shells Rwanda The escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo threatened to suck in Rwanda after a woman in Rubavu, Western Province was killed by bombs fired from DRC into Rwandan territory in August.    The incident was perceived by government as stern provocation from the Congolese government.Amavubi underperform despite sacking of coachSerbian Sredejovic ‘Micho’ was sacked as Amavubi head coach in April on the back of a poor run of results in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, where Amavubi was eliminated at the group stages.  Micho was replaced by his assistant Eric Nshimiyimana, who had earlier twice served as the interim coach. Nevertheless, Amavubi’s performance remained dismal throughout the year.