Weekly review

The peak of this week’s news was Rwanda’s formal acceptance into the Commonwealth which was highlighted by the flag-raising ceremony, after which President Paul Kagame and the First Lady Jeanette Kagame paid a courtesy call to queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. It was also reported that President Kagame, attended a lunch held in his honor at the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC), in London where he addressed the business members of the Commonwealth for the first time since Rwanda joined the Commonwealth. The event was hosted by Dr Mohan Kaul, Director General of the CBC, who took the opportunity to welcome Rwanda and President Kagame into the Commonwealth. The International Criminal Tribunal (ICTR), rejected a request by an ex-official of the former MRND ruling party, Joseph Nzirorera, to have Paul Rusesabagina lined up as one of his witnesses. Rusesabagina, a self-declared hero, claims to have saved the lives of Rwandans trapped at Hotel des Mille Collines during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. According to agencies, in a ruling dated February 22, the Chamber found that hearing Rusesabagina was not ‘an absolute necessity’ for Nzirorera’s defence. Following the departure late last year of the former CEO of Rwandair, Ambassador Gerald Zirimwabagabo, it was reported that the airline is currently undergoing a ‘clean-up process’. This follows previous reports of financial losses and influence peddling that the airline has suffered in the recent past. Government says that local and foreign investments to Rwanda should grow by between 25 and 30 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2012 as economic growth is estimated at 7 percent to reduce poverty levels. Information from the Ministry of Finance department of Financial Sector Development reveals that for this to happen, the country needs active external savings mobilization strategies and a domestic savings rate of 20 percent, and the savings mobilsation strategy is expected to boost National Gross Savings (NGS) to 18.4 percent of GDP in 2012 from 13.6 percent in 2008. The Minister of Education, Dr. Charles Murigande, highlighted the importance of adult literacy in the development of the country and attainment of its development plans. Murigande who was speaking at a meeting to validate the Rwanda Adult Literacy Policy, said literacy promotion is important because many development programs are channeled through written information, therefore people ought to learn how to read and write. It was reported that plans are underway to set up a national adoption centre that will help families wanting to adopt children to do so through proper legal procedures. Appearing before parliament on Tuesday, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Dr. Jean D’Arc Mujamawariya, revealed that her ministry will soon be handing over the legal and social responsibilities to the centre. “We are currently in the process of setting up an adoption centre that will handle all child adoption details, including the legal procedure,” she said. “This centre will be in charge and responsible for these children and shall be queried about anything pertaining to their welfare.” Mujawamariya said that the government policy is to incorporate all orphans into families, but there are still some challenges. The National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) urged Kenyan authorities to take more serious action to pursue and arrest Felicien Kabuga, the alleged financier of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The remarks follow reports in Kenyan media on Monday which revealed that the country’s security agencies have renewed the hunt for the Genocide fugitive. The media reports said that international and local investigators in Kenya have found new leads, which they are using to track down the fugitive. Mobile public pay phone vendors usually referred to as Tuvugane, the name of the brand of the product they sell, have been directed off the streets. The police asked them to operate in booths. The move comes after Business Communication Solution (BCS), MTN and Kigali City Council (KCC) agreed that the vendors be stationed in one place. The three agreed the vendors could be posing a security threat and also litter the environment. Business Communication Solution together with MTN operates GSM services in Rwanda. Ends