Weekly review

Friends Africa board members plant trees Board members of Friends of the Global Fund Africa – on November 6th, 2010 - participated in tree planting at the Kacyiru Police hospital. Kacyiru Police hospital is a model health facility that provides integrated health servicesnamely: prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS, a modern maternity ward and a one-stop center for gender based violence. The board members were in Kigali on the occasion of the Private Sector Summit, a fundraising event aimed at connecting Africa’s wealth to Africa’s health. It was organized by Friends of the Global Fund Africa, which is anadvocacy group that works to support the efforts of the Global Fund, in the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.Her Excellency Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, Mr. Aigboje-Aig Imokhuede (Friends Africa Board Chair), Mr. Chris Kirubi, Mr. Brian Brink, Mr. Ken Offori-Atta, and Dr. Akudo- Aikemba - all devoted and active board members - each planteda tree to symbolize their collective commitment toward making a difference for Africa in the fight against the three deadly diseases. Rwanda gets $70M educational grant Rwanda is among the three countries that will benefit from the US $ 180 million from The Education for All - Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI), a global partnership dedicated to ensuring that all children receive quality basic education. Other countries are Mozambique, and Papua New Guinea. A statement from the World Bank’s office, says the three-year grant of $70 million (about Rwf41.6 billion) which has been allocated to Rwanda will help implement the government’s vision of ensure that every child is guaranteed nine years of quality education by 2015, including three years of lower secondary education. ICTR Prosecutor seeks life sentence for Gatete Prosecution at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Monday requested the court to hand down a life sentence to the former Bourgmestre and Director in the ministry of women and family affairs, Jean-Baptiste Gatete. Gatete stands accused of six counts including Genocide, complicity in Genocide, conspiracy to commit Genocide, Extermination as a crime Against Humanity, murder and Rape.Gatete was arrested on September 11, 2002, by the Congolese authorities acting on a warrant of arrest issued by the tribunal on 19 December 2000. Parliament may decriminalise prostitution The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, on Thursday said that Parliament could revisit a law banning prostitution which is currently before the Senate, days after the UNAIDS Regional Director – Eastern and Southern Africa, Prof Sheila Tlou, appealed to legislators to do so. Article 221 of the Penal code on sex workers stipulates that, “Any person who practices the profession of prostitution shall be liable for a term of imprisonment ranging from six months to three years and a fine ranging from fifty thousands to five hundred thousand Rwanda Francs.” Drugs and illicit brew worth Rwf2m destroyed Police in Gasabo District, on Wednesday destroyed illicit brew and drugs valued at Rwf 2 millions.1, 460 litres of local brews such as ‘Kanyanga’ and 20 kilograms of Marijuana were destroyed in an exercise held in Rusororo Sector. The destroyed drugs were seized from several bar operators in the area in separate operations conducted by Police in Kabuga and Nyagahinga, in conjunction with local authorities and area residents. Cabinet approves draft ICT bill The cabinet recently approved the revised draft Information Communication Technology (ITC) bill that provides a comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework that shall allow Rwanda to adapt to the global development of ICT. Currently there’s is no legal framework that governs the whole ICT sector including the new development of technologies and international best practices. The bill is going to be tabled before Parliament before it is enacted into law. Ends