The best of times and the worst of times

The week started off with the best and worst news. Things began with a visit from a group of influential investors from Kenya to assess business opportunities they could exploit. In their meeting with President Paul Kagame, the investors promised to set up a nursing training school which, according to William Kituyi, a former trade minister in Kenya, will help strengthen Rwanda’s ambition of being a knowledge based economy. The service sector in Rwanda, contributing Frw173 billion in 2007. Talk about Rwanda’s power of seduction in the East African Community! On the other side of the news, it was reported that Rwandans who are suspected to have committed genocide and crimes against humanity here in 1994 are still causing havoc in other parts of Africa. Ex members of Interahamwe (who need no further introduction) are reported to have been active in recent violent outbreaks during Zimbabwe’s failed presidential election. The Interahamwe, the media stated, were recruited in Robert Mugabe’s fanatical band militias ironically known as liberation fighters. It was not reported whether the ICTR wanted fugitive, Protais Mpiranya, was among Zimbabwe’s ‘terror squads’. The former head of Juvenal Habyarimana’s presidential guard is thought to be ‘chilling’ in Zimbabwe. The Interahamwe, along with Mpiranya ,met up with Mugabe’s people when Zimbabwe used them to fight alongside the Congolese army during the war beginning in 2002. Improving news Last week the National University of Rwanda in partnership with Canadian Carleton University hosted a one week long training programme to develop media in Rwanda one story at a time. Meanwhile in parliament, the minister of information Louise Mushikiwabo was called to explain why radio transmission was not covering the entire country, leaving many Rwandans out of the ‘information age’ and susceptible to the infamous ‘genocide ideologies’. Mushikiwabo admitted the equipment used by ORNINFOR, the national information office, is outdated and promised changes soon. ORINFOR is funded by the government and runs a thriving publishing enterprise in the country as a near monopoly. Also in the news The National Identity card issuing scheme begins in good time for preparations for parliamentary elections in September. The national identity cards will be used as voting cards. APR football club have suffered humiliation in the ongoing Kagame Cup in Dar Salaam, after drawing in their opening match against Tanzania’s Yanga FC, APR were thumped by Zanzibar minnows Miembeni. By press time, APR were making mathematical calculations to qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament in which they are considered as giants. Ends