Weekly review

Court told FDLR leaders coordinated activities on mobile phones The two leaders of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) currently on trial in Germany used mobile phones and internet to coordinate the war in Eastern DRC, it has emerged. FDLR president, Dr. Ignace Murwanashyaka and his deputy, Straton Musoni, who have been in detention in the European country, were paraded before a German court in Stuttgart last week. German prosecutors are convinced that the two FDLR leaders used mobiles and emails from their base in Germany to command the war in Eastern DRC. They commanded the rebels to carry out mass killings and rape as part of “terror campaign” in Eastern DR Congo from 2008 until their arrest in 2009, prosecution alleges. FDLR, which recently resumed attacks in Eastern DRC, is thought to have a force of between 3,500 and 5,000 fighters, mainly perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. If found guilty, both men whose trial is closely followed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) could be sentenced to life in prison More witnesses pin Kobagaya More witnesses have come up to testify against Lazare Kobagaya, a Genocide suspect whose trial is currently underway in Kansas, United States. Valerie Niyitegeka, whose husband and three young children were slaughtered during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, gave a moving testimony against the 84-year old Kobagaya who is facing charges of making false declarations to US authorities. She told court that Kobagaya led a mob attack up a hill where she and many others had sought refuge from the massacres that targeted Tutsis. The Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga last week told The New Times that, if anything, the US should be focussing more on Kobagaya’s genocide accusations because they are of a more serious nature compared to fraud. In the trial which resumes in Wichita, Kansas this week, the US government is seeking to revoke Kobagaya’s citizenship for allegedly lying to immigration authorities on his involvement in the genocide. Kobagaya is charged with unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship in 2006 with fraud and misuse of an alien registration card in a case prosecutors have said is the first in the United States requiring proof of Genocide. Kigali City budget increased by 6%Kigali City increased its budget for the 2011/2012 fiscal year by 6.2 percent from Rwf 37.9 billion the previous financial year to Rwf 39.7 billion. The draft budget was presented to the Parliamentary Commission on Budget, this Wednesday by the city Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba. According to the draft budget, 89.65 percent (over Rwf 35.7bn) was allocated to development activities which include infrastructure (Rwf 28.5 billion), health and environment which were allocated Rwf 3.9 billion. Ndayisaba said that 45.43 percent (Rwf 18 billion) of the budget would come from development partners, 20 percent from the government while the city’s own revenue would contribute 26.58 percent. Economic development was also allocated Rwf 1.1bn. During the same session presided over by Costance Mukayuhi Rwaka, the Chairperson of the Budget Commission, the three districts of Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge also presented their draft budgets, with the biggest part of their budgets also allocated to development projects. The three districts’ budget stands at Rwf 8.1bn, Rwf 8.1bn and Rwf 11bn, respectively, for Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge. Ombudsman upbeat on wealth declaration The Ombudsman, Tito Rutaremara, has said that civil servants are turning up in a large numbers to declare their wealth. The deadline for the declaration is June 30. “They have already started declaring and the turn up is good; this year, they are seriously declaring their wealth compared to previous years,” said Rutaremara, while speaking to The New Times on Wednesday. He added that they do not count the number of people who have declared until the last day of declaration. Government employees are required by the 2006 Wealth Declaration Law to submit their annual declaration of income, assets and liabilities for verification by June 30. The idea behind the declarations is that officials who accumulate wealth beyond their means should be investigated. The Leadership Code Act aims at strengthening the fight against corruption through increased accountability and transparency by top leaders in government. They include the President, ministers, judges, MPs, Police, army and Prisons officers, heads of department in central and local governments, district leaders among others. First Lady launches PMTCTcampaign The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, Thursday officiated at the launch of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) campaign in Ruhuha Sector, Bugesera District. The campaign is in line with UNAIDS call for the elimination of mother to child transmission by 2015. The First Lady also unveiled a new antiretroviral treatment which was scientifically proven to be more effective. The major innovation in the new treatment regime is that triple therapy continues during the entire breastfeeding period. According to the president of Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Aids Foundation (EGPAF) Charles Lyons, PMTCT is one of the most successful HIV prevention strategies to date. In his speech, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Elhadj Sy, commended Mrs Kagame and the government for their efforts in eliminating mother–to–child transmission. Permanent Secretaries reshuffledPascal Bizimana Rugemintwari has been appointed the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice replacing Esperance Nyirasafari. The appointment was made Wednesday during a cabinet meeting, which also announced major changes in top government institutions. Antoine Ruvebana takes over as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs while Caroline Kayonga was transferred the newly merged Ministry of Natural Resources. Edward Kalisa, the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth was appointed the Permanent Secretary in the newly merged Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. Col. Alloys G. Muganga, the former commandant of Rwanda Military Academy Gako in Eastern Province was appointed Defence Liaison Officer at the East African Community, while former Police boss, Brig. Gen. Andrew Rwigamba, takes over the post of Director General in charge of Foreign Military Relations and Cooperation at the Ministry of Defence. Ends