Weekly Review

Rwanda to produce bio-diesel Press reports this week indicated that Rwanda is on course to produce bio diesel. This will be the commercial production of sulphur free environmental friendly bio-diesel. According to the reports, this follows a major breakthrough by the government sponsored Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (IRST). IRST has for the last one year been undertaking a pilot project to produce bio-diesel and according to its boss, it is ready to start large scale production and is only waiting for cabinet approval. The Institute was established by government to seek ways of breaking away from heavy dependence on fossil fuels. Kagame signs media law President Paul Kagame has finally signed the Media Law. The new media law is a product of a long process of deliberations by different stakeholders in the media. It was debated and passed by parliament and had the in put of a cross section of media practitioners. The new law was welcomed by many in the media fraternity with some calling it a “landmark achievement”. The law puts in place a five year transition period in which practicing journalists can acquire qualifications in journalism. KIE, UNISA in fees row with students 35 students who paid tuition to study under the long distance learning programme from the University of South Africa (UNISA),are now involved in a bitter row with the Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) where they paid the money. The KIE management coordinates the programme. But according to press reports, the students have not received the study materials which they were supposed to receive from UNISA through KIE. They say their petition to KIE management has not served any purpose. Each student paid $720. Rwanda could adopt left hand drive system Press reports this week indicated that Rwanda could in a bid to harmonise with the rest of the East Africa community (EAC) switch to the left hand drive system. This is a result of a study carried out by MINIFRA that indicates that 52 percent of the people interviewed favoured a switch to the new system. According to available information, the plan to change to the left hand drive system has been in the pipeline since Rwanda joined the East African community. This means that once it is approved, Right Hand Drive cars that the government had planned to phase out will be returning to the roads. Bikoro sentenced to two years in jail A former minister and on time Member of Parliament (MP), Munyaganizi Bikoro, was this week sentenced to two years in prison for corruption. Bikoro was found guilty of under handedly evading taxes on building tiles he received from a Spanish company Espina Obras Hidraulicas. Bikoro’s co-accused, Luis Duenas Herrera, a Spanish national who also represents Espina in Rwanda was convicted on two counts of corruption and tax evasion and handed three years in prison. ID project to be institutionalized It emerged this week that the National Identity Card Project is to be turned into an institution. The move is aimed at establishing a sustainable way through which identity cards, electronic driving licenses, national smart cards and other documents will continue to be issued. Ends