The Ugandan government has welcomed a report by a team of French judges on those behind the death of former President Juvenal Habyarimana, saying that the report confirms what it has always believed.The findings of the experts put to rest previous conspiracy theories that pointed at the RPF as the masterminds of the attack that killed Habyarimana and his Burundian counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira, on April 6, 1994. In the report, the team confirms that the missiles were fired from Kanombe military barracks, where elements of the former presidential guard, the para-commando battalion, and most importantly, the Anti¬Aircraft Battalion (LAA), were based. Dr Fredrick Golooba Mutebi, a researcher and political analyst, said that the findings should serve as a lesson to all those ignoring the fact that the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was pre-planned. Recent findings concluded that the missiles that downed the Falcon 50 jet carrying the former Rwandan leader and his Burundian counterpart were shot from the heavil
y fortified Kanombe Barracks.

Tax body unearths evasion scam

Tax collectors are being urged to be more vigilant as new reports indicate that some taxpayers are falsifying tax invoices while others switch Tax Identification Number (TIN) to evade taxes. The Commissioner General of Rwanda Revenue Authority, Ben Kagarama, disclosed this while attending a Tax Advisory Council meeting Wednesday at Kirehe District headquarters. TIN is offered free of charge and every taxpayer is obliged to have his/her own in accordance with the taxation laws. Kagarama cautioned the business community in Kirehe District against tax evasion that deprives the country of its revenues. He cited falsification of tax invoices, use of multiple TINs, smuggling and having two receipt books, among the various tricks most taxpayers employ in an attempt to evade taxes. He added that some people had TINs with a turnover of hundreds of millions, but when RRA investigated, it found out that they did not own any business. The Commissioner General noted that a list of such traders trading in TINs and their co
unterparts was available and warned that the tax body would take stringent measures to curb the vice. He added that the tax body was considering a waiver or reduction of penalties to identified cases, but hastened to add that for those who used other peoples’ TINs to clear their own goods, the case would be handled as a criminal offence.

Association to sue Rubavu District over orphanage

Rubavu Women Association, Duhaguruke, which supports orphans and schools, is threatening to drag district authorities to court over allegations of confiscation of its orphanage premises. The row started in 2005 when Jumelage Rhenanie- Palatinat, a German Non-Government Organisation that was supporting Duhogore Orphanage, in partnership with the, association, handed over the ownership to the association. "When the German NGO project ended, as it is their principle to handover property to cooperatives they work with, we ended up owning the premises,” Antoinette Mukamwiza, the association’s president said. Mukamwiza explained that at the time they acquired the premises, the association entered into an agreement with the district authorities to rent it for a period of two years as the district wanted space for a new transit centre that would accommodate street children as part of a new government policy."When two years elapsed as the contract stipulated, the district disregarded their obligation to vacate the pre
mises,” added Mukamwiza.The association accuses Ezekiel Buntu, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Affairs, of creating an orphanage known as Dusugire along with his brother who lives in Germany, saying it occupies the premises along with the transit centre. When contacted by this newspaper, Buntu insisted the orphanage grounds belonged to the district claiming that the German NGO had no right to give away the premises to any co-operative or individual.

Rwanda unveils honorary consulates in Indian states

In a bid to boost the already existing bilateral relations between India and Rwanda, the Rwanda High Commissioner in India Williams Nkurunziza Tuesday launched two honorary consulates in Mumbai and Bangalore at a ceremony held at the Rwandan High Commission in New Delhi. A statement from the Rwandan High Commission says honorary consuls expressed full commitment to serve the government and people of Rwanda in close collaboration with the High Commission. During the event, Nkurunziza handed over administrative instruments including the national flag, other national policy documents to Prakash Jain and Mohan Suresh, Honorary Consuls of Rwanda in Maharashtra (Mumbai) and Karnataka (Banglore) state respectively.

Over 30 arrested in narcotics crackdown

Police in Nyarugenge District have arrested 34 people in connection with selling or consuming marijuana as the campaign against drug abuse continues countrywide. More than 10 kilogrammes of the narcotic were also confiscated during the operation. The suspects currently held at Nyamirambo Police Station, were nabbed in a week-long crack-down on drug dealers. The move is part of the ongoing police efforts to dissuade drug consumption among the youth. The campaign is also part of the implementation of resolutions from an anti-drug and alcohol abuse conference held in December last year. During the symposium, several stakeholders reiterated the alarming proliferation of drug abuse among the youth and called for concerted efforts to fight against the vice. At the meeting, First Lady Jeannette Kagame observed that drug abuse among the youth was a challenge as it leads to loss of lives, school dropouts, and criminal activities, among others. Police have been conducting anti-drug abuse campaigns in schools, which saw
drug related crimes reduce by 20 percent last year. The campaigns have heightened vigilance among the general public, who have taken a hand to provide information about the dealers.

Gahunga residents raise Rwf160million for power connection

Two cells bordering Virunga Mountains, in Gahunga Sector, Burera District, have contributed Rwf160 million towards the installation of power across seven villages that make up the two cells. The money was raised from 270 families from Nyangwe and Buramba to light up the area stretching five kilometres. The cells which formed Urumuri Cooperative held an inauguration ceremony Tuesday which was attended by the Governor of the Northern Province and the district leaders. Each family contributed at least Rwf50, 000 while other partners, especially churches and schools in those settlements, each contributed Rwf300, 000 to complete the project. The Governor, Aime Bosenibamwe, commended the initiative and ‘ownership of development plans by residents’, calling for more innovations. He promised that the province, in partnership with the district, would support the rehabilitation of the Nyangwe-Buramba road to facilitate the transportation of their farm produce.