Rwandair aircraft

Rwanda’s national carrier, Rwandair has secured a deal to spread its wings to India connecting the Asian community in East Africa to Asia.

At the beginning of September 2016, RwandAir will start direct flights connecting Mumbai with Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali.

The airline says, this new connectivity is expected to reduce the flight time to 7 hours, with a stopover at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania’s capital.

The honorary representative of Rwanda Development Board to India, Clarence Fernandes, said, “Dar-es – Salaam in Tanzania is home to Indian community and has not been connected yet.”

Fernandes added that; “As demand increases, we shall increase the seating capacity up to 274, with A330-300 with revised configuration (30 seats of Business class, 21 Premium and 223 Economy).

Currently, travelers have to take connecting flights from Nairobi, Addis Ababa then to Doha.

Upon commencement of its flights, Rwandair will run four weekly flights with its newly acquired aircraft, the A330-200, with a seating capacity of 244 seats; effectively spread over three classes-20 seats of Business class, 21 Premium and 203 Economy.

Rwandair is regarded as the fastest growing airline in Africa, flying to an increasing number of destinations across Africa and Middle East.

The airline recently passed the International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit, and acquired IOSA certificate.

Source: KTPress

Rwanda’s national carrier, Rwandair has announced plans to start direct flights from Rwanda to India with effect from September this year.

Rwandair says that passengers will be able to fly from Kigali to Mumbai in seven hours with some stopovers to be made in Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.

Clarence Fernades, the Rwanda development Board official in India said that there are many Indians living in Tanzania, who need direct flights and the company plans on increasing the connectivity between Africa and Asia.

“This will connect the Indians in the East African region especially Tanzania which is home of most Indians living in Africa” Fernades said.

Fernades also stated that the company plans on increasing the number of passengers to 274 seats and use the bigger and better plans such as the A330-300 model.

With an improved fleet of planes in 2015, Rwandair has set an ambitious target of expanding its services throughout the continent and become the top flyer in Africa.

Moving from single-aisle fleet from seven to nine aircraft, the company is building up feed ahead of the anticipated launch of 787 operations in 2017.

Last year, the carrier replaced 737-500s with 737-700s and Dash 8-200s with Dash 8-Q400s. The carrier, which now operates a modern fleet with an average age of only four years, earlier replaced CRJ200s with CRJ900s and added 737-800s.

The Rwanda government is supporting the ambitious expansion and sees a growing hub role for the capital Kigali. Transit passengers already accounts for about 40% of RwandAir’s traffic and the airline sees an opportunity to further boost sixth freedom traffic as well as potentially add more fifth freedom routes.

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) department of Traffic and Road Safety has yet again reminded public transporters to speed up the installation of speed governors to further prevent road traffic carnage especially those that are caused by high speed, and to avoid likely penalties that might arise of defiance.

In an interview, Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson of the traffic department, said that although some transporters have “honoured their own set deadline,” there are others that have either made no attempt or are yet to programme the installed devices to 60 kilometres-per-hour maximum speed, as per the gazetted of February 26, 2015 Presidential Order.

Article 2 of the Presidential Order, stipulates that “any public or goods’ transport vehicle must be equipped with speed governors to control maximum road speed.”

The same article sets exactly one year from the date of publication of this directive, for all vehicles in question to have installed the device, in this case February 26 being the deadline.

“After several meetings between transporters and other concerned institutions like the ministries of Internal Security and Infrastructure which is also charged with transport, RNP and RURA, including that held last November, the transporters themselves set December 15, 2015 (one month) for all vehicles commuting to the countryside to have fitted these devices while those operating within Kigali take another extra month up to January 15, 2016,” Supt. Ndushabandi explained.

This varied period of installation, he said, was meant not to obstruct the transport sectors or delay movement of people.

“We call upon transporters, who are yet to implement this directive, to do so before the deadline because failure to do so in the set timeframe attracts penalties,” he said.

“This directive was put in place to reduce road carnage and protect people’s lives that otherwise would be lost due to high speed. There was ample time to comply and implement it and we are keen on this deadline because we have to ensure the security of people while on roads.”

Supt. Ndushabandi revealed that a team has been instituted to conduct an inspection exercise to see if all the transporters have “complied with their set target and the Presidential Order.”

Defunct Rwanda national transport company Onatracom is set to be dissolved into a new and independent transport operation company -Rwanda Interlink Transport Corporation Ltd (RITCO), according to the ministry of infrastructure

Dr. Alexis Nzahabwanimana, the state minister for infrastructure, made the revelation while presenting a report on the state of transport to the Rwandan parliament, this January 28, 2016.

“We believe that the Onatracom has come of age and has been in gross losses. By changing its status to a private company we expect an improved efficiency and solution to its troubles in the past” Dr. Nzahabwanimana said.

The new developments indicate that government will have 53percent of the shares in Ritco while private public transporter cooperatives-Rwanda Federation of Transport Company (RFTC) will have the remaining shares.

To boost the new company operations, Rwf11billion has been set aside as initial capital from shareholders, and at least 163 new state of the art buses will be purchased in the process according to the agreement between stakeholders.

Last year, the Rwanda government had announced plans to place loss-making public transporter under private managers and terms of reference for the international tender to hire the company to manage the failing public transporter were underway.

Onatracom, Rwanda’s state-owned public transport company is to be placed under the care of private managers in the last attempt to rescue it from stubborn losses averaging Rwf35 million monthly.

Troubled history

Created in 1970s as state-owned public transport enterprise, Onatracom was given a social mission to operate in rural routes and other routes which the private operators cannot operate because they are not profitable.

The company is also used to transport people during celebrations of national days such as Independence Day and Liberation Day.  It was also tasked to provide other services such as production of car number plates, vehicle technical inspection, repair and servicing of government vehicles and management of taxi parks across the country.

Onatracom was entitled to budgetary support from the government and this would supplement the revenues from the transport services and other services for the company to continue operating as a monopoly in transport services and other services.

However, most of these services have been stripped off of Onatracom and it is only left with transport services. Production of car number plates has been shifted to the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), vehicle technical inspection has been moved to the Rwanda National Police (RNP), repair and servicing of government vehicles is now open for competition by the owners of private garages, and management of taxi parks has been decentralised to local administration such as districts.

Since 2008, the government has also cut the budget support to the company. As a result, Onatracom started experiencing cash flow problems in 2009.

By the time the government intervened in mid-2011, the company had accumulated over Rwf2 billion in arrears to staff, suppliers, and the revenue collector.

The weakening of Onatracom, however, can be attributed to reluctance of the government to reform it and lack of strong management.

In 2007-2008, government gave Onatracom new buses to help improve its cash flow. However, the government failed to follow up and change the law if it wanted to see Onatracom operating profitably. The new buses were also poorly managed and after two years, few were still operating. The management also failed to deal with competition from the private sector.

Police parades some of the suspected motorbike thieves in Gakenke district

World Moto Inc, a leader in advanced and state of the art solutions for motorcycle taxis gadgets has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a distributor in Rwanda to supply moto-taxi meters.

The MoU authorizes the Rwandan distributor to immediately begin marketing the Moto-Meter in Rwanda as an authorized partner of World Moto, and allows the company to purchase the Moto-Meter at a specified price, with preferred lead times for orders of initial stock.

Paul Giles, CEO of World Moto, stated that there has been a continuing increase in sales inquiries from operators around the world as well as requests from distributors looking to service the growing demand.

“It’s important to note that these requests have all been unsolicited. And now that the Company has sufficient financial resources to launch sales promotion campaigns, we are more confident than ever that the Moto-Meter™ market is poised to enter a time of rapid expansion.”

Motorcycle taxis are a favored form of transport in Rwanda, where public buses are unreliable and automobile taxis are expensive and much slower.

It is anticipated that Rwandan Moto-Meter sales will begin in the capital city of Kigali as soon as possible, and the gadgets, which have GPS tracking, a black box and are expected to help motorbike transporters to charge accordingly, but also track stolen bikes.

Motorcycle taxis in Kigali have often been used as an extension of the policing system to track down criminals and suspects, and the Moto-Meter is expected to allow the state to continue this tradition using more modern technologies.

This new deal comes as a security solution to moto- taxi operators in Kigali and in the countryside have of recent been hit by a wave of motorbike thefts, which left many operators in wave of fear for their life especially those who operate at night.

“This is exciting news for us. We have never been sure of our safety at night. Most of us have had to limit our time to 6pm, but now besides being killed, I can be sure to find my motorbike using the new tracking technology.” said Emmanuel Mugabo, a Moto-taxi operator in Kigali.

Most stolen moto-bike in Rwanda end up being sold in the neighboring countries like DR Congo and Burundi, but Rwanda police has managed to recover some of them through collaborative efforts of Interpol posts in the region.

Fabien Niyigena, is one of the victims of motorbike thefts. He said that the police was very essential in recovering his stolen bike in January 2015.

Some motorbike operators keep quite when their bikes are stolen, but I informed the police and within months I was called surprisingly to be told to come and claim my bike.”Niyigena said.

The cashless system currently works only with Kigali Bus Services, but it’s expected to be introduced soon on other transport operators.

Commuters in Kigali are now required to use a cashless public transport card to commute within the city.

Public transport passengers with in Kigali will compulsorily begin using cashless system to pay for transport fares starting with March 2016, but some residents have raised concerns over the new development.

Speaking to this website, Charles Ngarambe, executive chairperson of Kigali Bus Services, said using a smart card will help passengers time that was wasted when they would queue up to buy tickets which was only done using cash.

“The cash system was delays the buses. The use of smart card not only saves time, but also protects the environment and keeps the city clean as we will have gotten rid of paper tickets,” he explained.

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) says that the new system to ease monitoring of the public transport system and ensure efficiency, a move that is expected to enhance Rwanda’s goal of becoming a cashless society.

The use of technology is not reliable and as you may see there are many uneducated adults who would prefer to use tangible money systems…we are afraid this will be too much for citizen consumption” one of the passengers said.

Emmanuel Asaba Katabarwa, the head of transport department at RURA said that the new system will be gradually develop and residents will be educated on its use.

Three more three companies will be contracted to disseminate the services.

The phase out will be gradual and the initial route that will fully embrace the electronic system is the Kanombe route.

Any passenger leaving Kanombe for Remera, Kacyiru or the city center will only be allowed to board the bus if they have a smart card.

This kind of system had earlier on been introduced two years ago within the city dwellers on an individual convenience but slowly died out and the use of hard cash has been the norm of the daily transport, though some use of electronic payments has been acceptable.

KBS has been at the forefront in embracing the cashless system, but the stakeholders are optimistic the other companies will join in once they have appreciated the advantages.

Two weeks ago Kigali’s public transport is going cashless, with smart card payments was re-introduced with much fanfare. The question remains -Can Kigali succeed where regional giant Kenya failed a couple of years ago?

Hard cash associated with commuter services is likely to be replaced with pre-paid cards as the Rwandan government looks at making the sector cashless.

As Rwanda’s transport system especially in Kigali city is shifting from using cash money to credit cards to pay for their bus fares-some residents have said that the new system is convenient, and time saving.

“I wasn’t sure that this will work out but now I realize that I can budget for the whole month, pay at once and don’t have to worry about carrying money which can be stolen by thieves or pick pockets” one passenger, Benjamin Gasore said.

These comments however come days after early this February, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) announced plans to have Kigali city buses start using technology based payment system, a move that provoked mixed feelings.

The phase out of cash payments started with the Kanombe bus route and has gradually picked up so far as the community continues to fully embrace the new electronic system, which has also been in use among other regional countries.

So far it is still debatable whether the abolition of cash fares would bring any noticeable improvements to journey times or punctuality.  But Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority says that it’s true, cash customers take longer to board.

Kigali bus services (KBS) company has been at the forefront in embracing the cashless system, but the stakeholders are optimistic the other companies will join in once they have appreciated the benefits.

Maj. Patrick Nyirishema, the director general of RURA told this website that the system is good for the passengers and will improve the transport system especially on the issue of accountability.

“With this new system we can gauge how many passengers are transported and measure the pricing standards, but it is also good for passengers because they don’t lose time waiting to be given balance, as the electronic counters do it once” Nyirishema said.

While the general perspective of passengers in the city routes where this system has improved their time management, but have also called for more buses to improve the transport system.

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) traffic and road safety department has reminded drivers to refrain from bad maneuvers which continue to be the source of road carnage.

Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson of the traffic department said that some of the public transport vehicles also have mechanical faults and operating on expired mechanical inspection certificates

His reaction followed at least six road accidents that occurred on February that claimed 15 lives and leaving scores injured.

“Most of these accidents are due to speeding and overtaking in hotspots especially public transport vehicles that commute to the countryside scrambling for passengers along the way thus violating traffic rules and regulations and putting the lives of people in danger,” said Supt. Ndushabandi.

“There are many sharp corners along highways and there’s a high risk of involving in an accident if you enter and try to negotiate them while on high speed. There’s also a risk of colliding with another vehicle from the opposite direction or going off the road, after failure to control the vehicle. Drivers should therefore behave and drive responsibly while respecting roadside safety signposts to prevent likely accidents.”

RNP also reminded owners of public transport vehicles to speed up the installation of speed governors before the February 26official deadline.

Article 2 of the Presidential Order that sets February 26, this year as the deadline stipulates that “any public or goods’ transport vehicle must be equipped with speed governors to control maximum road speed.”

Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana (C) launches the free bus ineternet services in Kigali

Passengers in Kigali city have started enjoying free 4G internet courtesy of an initiative between the government of Rwanda, transport companies and internet providers operating within Kigali city.

The 4G internet bus services were officially launched by the Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, this Thursday February 18, 2016.

This initiative was partnered by Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), the city of Kigali, transport companies and internet provider companies such as Telecom Network Solutions Provider Ltd and Olleh Rwanda Networks.

The initial 4G internet bus service was installed in at least 487 commuter buses owned by Royal Express, Kigali Bus Services and Rwanda federation of transport cooperative (RFTC) which operate within the Kigali city center and suburbs of Kimironko, Kabeza and Gikondo.

Minister Nsengimana said that this free internet is part of the passenger’s fare charges and it will boost the government’s intentions of providing free and accessible internet to all Rwandans.

“Passengers will have to take advantage of this internet and do business as they travel to any destinations around Kigali, without having to stop their trips as a result of looking for internet around” Nsengimana said.

He added that the business community will benefit highly from this free internet and encouraged the youth to use this opportunity to create business ideas on the move.

Jean Claude Bimenyimana, an official of Olleh Rwanda Networks- a Korean based internet company said this service will not only benefit the business community but also provide an avenue for citizens to monitor their family security.

One will be able to monitor the security camera at their homes while they are traveling and this will be something that will create a more secure community” Bimenyimana said.

Le Président Kagame accueilli par le Président Alpha Condé à l’Aéroport

C’est la première fois que le Président Paul Kagamé se rend en Guinée Conakry. Cette visite   officielle de 48h marquée par un accueil triomphal et des accords de coopération. Une ambassade rwandaise a été inaugurée en début de semaine à Conakry.

Cette visite s’inscrit dans le cadre de renforcement des liens d’amitiés et de coopération entre Conakry et Kigali. Signature de plusieurs accords coopération dans la diplomatie, immigration, sante, investissement, développement, environnement et aviation.

Avec la facilitation dans l’immigration comme les visas et l’avènement du RwandAir va permettre les affaires entre les deux peuples. Ce qui va engendrer l’investissement dans les deux pays. Kagame et Condé ont visité le port autonome de Conakry.

Lors de la conférence de presse en fin de matinée entre le Président Kagame et son homologue Alpha Condé, il y a eu salutation de l’amitié entre Rwanda et Guinée.

A crashed Air Guinée aircraft

Guinée is considering to send its transport experts to get trained in Rwanda and later help revive its ailing transport sector.

The West African nation believes Rwanda’s experience will bring its airline industry back to life, owing to Rwanda’s success in resurrecting Rwandair.

Oye Guilavogui, the Guinean Minister of Transport said, “We are in talks to revive Air Guinea…the Rwandan experience will help us a lot.”

“[Rwanda] is landlocked, they worked on their air transport, and we are learning from them,” Guilavogui said.

Air Guinée was formed in 1960 with the help of Russians, however, the company struggled to grow.

It was costing the country an annual loss of US$4 million until it was privatized in 1992 and dissolved later in 2002 and collapsed the same year when Rwanda was establishing its national carrier.

Despite the stiff competition in the air transport sector on the continent, Rwandair is regarded as the fastest growing airline in Africa, flying to an increasing number of destinations across Africa and Middle East.

Rwanda’s experience in navigating the complex air transport sector is what the Guinée government wants to carefully emulate to revive its defunct Air Guinée.

President Paul Kagame on Wednesday concluded a two-day state visit to Guinée where he was awarded the highest medal of honour.

Guinée’s President, Alpha Conde, and President Kagame signed seven bilateral agreements including visa facilitation, investment and air transport.

“What remains is for us to work together for the better future and development of our continent,” Kagame said after the signing.

Rwanda has announced that Rwandair will begin flights to Guinée Conakry immediately.

John Mirenge the Chief Executive Officer of RwandAir told KTPress, “We are going to study the market and will soon announce” a comprehensive plan on how to start flights between Kigali and Conakry, Guinée.

President Kagame and President Alpha Condé of Guinea Conakry hold a joint press conference | Conakry, 9 March 2016

President Kagame (c) visits the Port | Conakry, 9 March

Rwanda and Guinea delegation during President Kagame’s state Visit in Guinea

(L)Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo signing Cooperation MOU

Source: KTPress

Passengers in Ngororero district have decried the poor management of transport systems and the continued illegal pricing of bus fares by some of the transport operators.

Most of the residents have pointed fingers to the government operated transport company (Onatracom) which has allegedly cut down the fares contrary to the established legal transportation guidelines set by Rwanda Utility and Regulatory Agency (RURA).

This according to passengers has resulted in chaos in NgororeroTaxi Park as passengers have to struggle to get transport as a result of touts and drivers trying to maximize the day’s profit to outcompete Onatracom.

For example, Onatracom busses in the area have reduced the prices from Rwf2000 to Rwf1500 which has made other transporter have to struggle looking for passengers as they too have to wait for buses to fill up, said Ali Hitimana, the private sector representative in the park.

These complaints come at a time when the defunct Rwanda national transport company Onatracom is set to be dissolved into a new and independent transport operation company -Rwanda Interlink Transport Corporation Ltd (RITCO), according to the ministry of infrastructure.

Lt Colonel John BoscoMurasanyi, the acting director of Onatracom said that the company still operates under RURA guidelines and was not aware of the mishap, but said that this matter will be crossed checked.

“We have the same pricing for all our busses and they consume fuel like others. I don’t know how this can be possible in business. The fact is that this will be resolved soon since the company has been sold out.” Murasanyi said.

Created in 1970s as state-owned public transport enterprise, Onatracom was given a social mission to operate in rural routes and other routes which the private operators cannot operate because they are not profitable.

The company is also used to transport people during celebrations of national days such as Independence Day and Liberation Day.  It was also tasked to provide other services such as production of car number plates, vehicle technical inspection, repair and servicing of government vehicles and management of taxi parks across the country.

Onatracom was entitled to budgetary support from the government and this would supplement the revenues from the transport services and other services for the company to continue operating as a monopoly in transport services and other services.

However, most of these services have been stripped off of Onatracom and it is only left with transport services. Production of car number plates has been shifted to the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), vehicle technical inspection has been moved to the Rwanda National Police (RNP), repair and servicing of government vehicles is now open for competition by the owners of private garages, and management of taxi parks has been decentralized to local administration such as districts.

Since 2008, the government has also cut the budget support to the company. As a result, Onatracom started experiencing cash flow problems in 2009.

President Paul Kagame addressing the audience at the 13th National Leadership Retreat in Gabiro

The government is upbeat that its long term development agenda enshrined in its vision 2020 would be achieved before its deadline in the next four years banking on the 72 percent that has already been achieved.

The Minister in charge of Cabinet affairs, Stella Ford Mugabo notes the government is hopeful that the remaining target (28 percent) will be achieved as the country strives its vision of leapfrogging the economy to middle income.

“We found out that this was the time to discuss what we have achieved but also look at how to Fast-track the targets those are still trialing,” she said while briefing the Media on the resolutions during the national leaders retreat over the weekend.

The retreat was held at Rwanda Defence Force-RDF combat training center in Gabiro and chaired by President Paul Kagame under the theme, ‘Striving to promote products made in Rwanda’.

According to Minister Mugabo the retreat discussed four key issues that included Strategies to   fast-track the   programs under the vision 2020, Second Economic Development and poverty Reduction Strategy-EDPRS 2,the government’s seven year programme ending  next year.

Others included revamping the manufacturing sector in order to increase made in Rwanda products, Public  accountability and  ethics as well as guaranteeing  rights of children  and promoting social welfare.

Under the EDPRS 2 which his expected to close by 2018 scored 76 percent of the targets while the government’s  seven  year  ending with the president’s term in 2017 has also  scored 75 percent  with  20 percent in  their final  progress.

Uzziel Ndagijimana, state Minister  of Finance  noted that the  government is  in plans to  preparing the  2016/2017 fiscal  year budget , noting that the targets  that have  not been addressed will be catered for in the budget.

“We are agreed during the retreat to put extra efforts using the current systems to ensure that we achieve these targets,” the Minister noted.

He also noted that the targets still lagging behind include, electricity both generation and  accessibility, creation of secondary cities, increasing agriculture productivity, export  promotion  key  aspects  in  the country’s economic growth.

BRT will affect this building and pass through the Kigali Library compound

The city of Kigali is evaluating offers for an international tender for a feasibility study of a multi-billion bus highway.

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a ten year project that is expected to cost more than $2.5 billion (about Rwf1.8 trillion), will reduce congestion which is already impeding public transport in the capital Kigali.

“We are evaluating tender offers and by April we may have a company that will conduct the study,” Jean-Claude Rurangwa, in charge of public transport and safety management at City of Kigali told KT Press.

The study will take 20 months and its budget allocation is being drafted, according to Rurangwa.

The BRT will consist of 160 km road network around Kigali, which will be plied exclusively by buses with capacity of more than 100 passengers.

The network will have a width of 36 metres (including boundaries) and will start from Nyabugogo and link the city hub to different areas by five main arteries.

The first route will go through Nyabugogo-Yamaha-Downtown Kigali-Nyamirambo.

Demarcation of BRT in Kacyiru

From Kwa Mutangana (Nyabugogo), another route will pass below the Traffic Police Headquarters, then Muhima below Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) headquarters, Rwandex-Zion Temple and connect to Kicukiro centre.

The third route will link Nyabugogo to Université Libre de Kigali (ULK) via Kinamba, through Fawe Girls’ School Gisozi toward its Kagugu terminal.

Passengers plying Nyabugogo-Zindiro road in Kimironko, and even those going further to Kabuga, will use the lane Kinamba-Kacyiru-Chez Lando and will reach Kimironko via Prince House and Centre Christus-Remera.

This route will continue up to Zindiro, Ndera and Rusororo.

From Chez Lando, the route to Masaka will go through Sonatube-Niboye-Rubirizi and Busanza.

While demarcation of the BRT was concluded in 2014, officials in the City of Kigali said the project is expected to be concluded in 2025.

Eng. Eric Bizimungu, a technician of Nyarugenge General Trading, the firm contracted to conduct the surveying, in some areas, the routes affect storey buildings and public offices, like the Kicukiro-based Rwanda Standards Board.

SOURCE: KT-PRESS

The new road will serve a population of over 350,000 largely agricultural and tourism destination/ photo by Cisse Mbarushimana

Residents of Rutsiro District in Western Rwanda began jubilating earlier this week when construction works  of a 70km tarmac road kicked off.

Of all the thirty districts in the country, only Rutsiro lacked a paved road. The roads in the district are marrum, they turn muddy in rainy season and dusty in the dry season.

“The previous government had discriminated against our region. The new road will improve trade between our district and neighbouring DR Congo,” says Emmanuel Barigira, a resident of Kivumu sector of Rutsiro District.

The government has contracted Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Co, ltd, a Chinese construction company to build the 70 kilometer Karongi-Rutsiro-Rubavu road within 26 months.

Construction of the $50 million road has already started, but company managers toldKTPress, the budget is under review and may be increased by expropriation costs.

Like many parts of the country, Rutsiro is largely a hilly farming area and offers various touristic attractions.

“We are home to the best coffee of the country, the Kinunu coffee, but we have been challenged by lack of roads to transport our produce,” Innocent Gakuru, Vice Mayor for Economic Affairs in Rutsiro District told KTPress.

Rutsiro also has vast eucalyptus forests, it is a stock of charcoal and timber that serve Kigali, Rubavu and Musanze cities throughout the year.

Importantly, Rutsiro stretches on the shore of the most touristic Lake Kivu, but no venture has yet been attracted hospitality investors.

Gakuru believes, “hoteliers will follow this road.”

The road connects several public institutions including sector offices, schools and health centers.

Rwanda Transport Development Authority(RTDA) says the country has 25 roads totaling 2743.835 kilometers classified as national; and 56% (1,537.984 kilometers) are not yet paved.

Source: KTPress 

Tanzania’s president John Pombe Magufuli this morning drove all the way to the border with Rwanda in his first working visit outside the country since becoming president in November 2015.

President Paul Kagame was at Rusumo border earlier in the day to welcome his counterpart. A red carpet was rolled down for president Magufuli who arrived with a large motorcade.

Jubilant residents from both countries eager to catch a glimpse of the two leaders, swarmed the border located between Rwanda’s Kirehe district and Tanzania’s Ngaara Province.

The two leaders jointly commissioned a (Tsh61 billion) multi-million dollar One Stop Border Post service.

The border post consists of a two lane international bridge that will handle 1000mt of weight-replacing a 40-year-old  small bridge that had no capacity.

“We arrived here for important matters…to officially open this bridge which was built by African Development Bank and JICA,” Kagame said.

“I would wish that the bridge handles five times more the 2000 people who cross here every day to even more,” said President Kagame.

According to customs officials at the border, the new bridge will reduce time to clear transit trucks from one hour to twenty minutes.

President Magufuli said the new modern border post shows that “unity is strength.”  For Magufuli, East African region is a blessed land with unlimited resources, and that only cooperation can push the region to prosperity.

The Tanzanian leader known for his tough stance against corruption, will spend two days in Rwanda.

It is expected that Presidents Kagame and Magufuli will hold bilateral talks this evening at President Kagame’s country home in Muhazi, before attending a state banquet later in the evening at Serena Hotel.

The two Presidents and First Ladies will tomorrow light a candle of hope to mark official commemoration of the genocide against Tutsi.

Source: KT Press

Rwanda cement in new packaging.

Rwanda continues to become a regional hotspot for cement producers despite Cimerwa, the local cement producer, having injected $140 million six months ago to meet local demand and generate surplus for export.

On August 17, the Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi officially launched the new $140 million Cimerwa plant in Rusizi, western Rwanda, which was expected to increase the firm’s production capacity from 100,000 to 600,000 metric tons per year.

Cement imports are only increasing, as regional cement giants aggressively penetrate the growing Rwandan market.

Yet, exports of Cimerwa decreased from 351.4% in volume in 2014 to 143.9% in 2015 and dropped from 457.3% in value to 71.3% respectively.

Cimerwa CEO, Busi Legodi told KTPress the firm is “still on the ramp up stage” of the expansion process.

“We are currently growing our markets where we could not reach before,” Legodi said.

The $250 million plant, largely controlled by South Africa’s Pretoria Portland Cement Company (PPC Cement), is still producing at 65% capacity, making the firm only cater for 40% of the market.

“We plan to work our way up to help to fill the growing demand,” Legodi said.

However, the February 2016 central bank’s monetary statement blames Burundi and DRC decreased import of cement, which has dramatically affected Cimerwa’s export volumes and values.

Meanwhile, Cement supply in Rwanda is estimated to be between 400,000 and 600,000 metric tons per year, largely catered for (60%) by Uganda’s Hima Cement and Tanzania’s Kirimanjaro Cement.

Even though Cimerwa is not biting large on the booming construction industry both locally and internationally, CEO Legodi says the cement sector is “Exciting and encouraging, especially with the growth of cement demand in Eastern Africa.”

Exciting or not, until the firm takes full control of the local market first, with increased production, hopes of taking advantage of the boom remains in the talk.

New plant

SOURCE : KT-PRESS

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) department of Traffic and Road Safety has announced that tests for provisional and practical in driving schools will resume on Thursday April 14 in the Eastern Province, but cautioned candidates against tendencies of cheating and attempts to bribe police officers.

The tests that started in the City of Kigali had been put to halt because of the 22^nd commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Supt. Jean Marie Vianney Ndushabandi, the spokesperson for the department of traffic, said the tests will continue in the Southern Province from April 18 to 21 and to the Northern from April 25 to 28.

“The districts of Rusizi, Nyamashe, Ngororero, Karongi, and Rutsiro of Western Province will have the test in the same period with Southern Province, while Nyabihu and Rubavu will coincide with Northern Province,” Supt. Ndishabandi said.

Fighting corruption

“We have on several occasions arrested candidates attempting to corrupt police officers in order to put them on the list of those who passed, but we have also apprehended drivers with forged driver’s licence. All this informs us that these malpractices exist and we have to fight them,” he added.

“We are reminding the public to refrain from any acts of bribery; we have intensified our efforts against anyone who attempts to corrupt police officers as ways of passing exams.”

About 350 people were arrested since 2014 either trying to bribe police officers or holding fake traffic-related documents.

“Stringent measures have been put in place to fight these malpractices. But the greatest tool in this fight are the public themselves, who should stand up and report anyone that tries to offer or solicit bribes by utilizing our toll-free lines 997 (corruption) and 3511 (abuse by police officer, punitive measures are tough and strategies to catch offenders are set” Supt. Ndushabandi said.

“There is no criminal liability to anyone, who report crimes related to graft,” he noted.

Article 650 of the penal code stipulates that any person who gives or receives a bribe in a bid to assist justice in obtaining evidence for the crime of corruption shall not be criminally liable.

Bribery or corruption, he said to have no ground nether in Rwanda National Police or in our society in general.

Article 644 of the penal code stipulates that any person who explicitly or implicitly solicits, promises, or receives directly or indirectly a bribe or any other illegal benefit , affirming to exert an influence or acquaintance for another person to make a decision whether the bribe or benefit is for him/herself or somebody else, whether the exerted influence or acquaintance produces expected results or not, shall be liable to a term of  imprisonment of  up to 3 years and a fine of up 10 times the value of the illegal benefit solicited, promised or received.

​Two men were on Thursday arrested in Kayonza District in connection with seating for driver’s licence provisional test on behalf of the legible candidates.

Jean Bosco Hagumakubana, 36, and Yovinsi Kwizera 20, were arrested after the police examiners noticed a mismatch in the passport photos the duo had attached on the exam papers.

The duo, who admitted to the offence, was on Friday paraded before the journalists in Kigali.

Hagumaubana, who hails from Rulindo District but currently lives in Kigali, said that he was hired by a candidate he identified as Pascal Nkurunziza to do the tests for him, at an agreed fee of Rwf30, 000.

It is the second time Hagumakubana had been arrested over the same offence.

On the other hand, Kwizera also admitted that he had been paid Rwf25, 000 by one Emmanuel Nzamurambaho, to seat the tests for him.

Rwanda National Police (RNP) spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Celestin Twahirwa, said that the actions of the duo contravene articles 612 and 613 of the penal codes.

Article 612 stipulates that any person, who fraudulently acquires a travel document, diploma, certificate, and transcript, driving licence, or any other document which is issued by competent authorities, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of five to seven years and a fine of Rwf300, 000 to Rwf3 million.

Under article 613, a civil servant, who issues or causes others to issue a document to a person who is not entitled to it, faces an imprisonment of between five and ten years and a fine of Rwf500, 000 to Rwf2 million.

ACP Twahirwa warned against such malpractices, which he said that they can contribute to road accidents since such people lack knowledge on road safety.

He urged the public with intentions to undergo through such fraudulent means to acquire a driver’s licence, adding that measure have been put in place to identify and apprehend such individuals.

“It is both a crime to those who go through such fraudulent channels to obtain a licence, and those who offer such services unlawfully,” he warned.

“There is also an issue of losing money either after failing to acquire a licence or being given a forged one,” he added.

ACP Twahirwa also warned against tendencies of some people, who attempt to bribe police officers to fraudulently acquire a licence, adding that both parties face legal actions, once they are caught.

“Police is on high alert on the issue of corruption,” he said.

About 350 people were arrested since 2014 either trying to bribe police officers or holding fake traffic-related documents.

Lake Kivu

In the past few weeks, Lake Kivu suddenly began changing colours. Residents on the shores have been taking selfies and sharing on social media.

Photos of the colour changing lake attracted several comments on social media and there was no sign that the lake waters would return to normality.

This caused panic. However, scientists have since laboured to explain why the lake water has been switching colours from blue to green and to pale white.

August Marie Christine Umutoni, the head of the Lake Kivu Monitoring Program (LKMP) told KT Press that people should not be worried. It is referred to as ‘lake whitening’, she said.

Umutoni said lake whitening is caused by weather changes. She said a similar occurrence in lake Kivu was reported in 2005 and 2013.

However, residents have mixed feelings about this rare phenomenon. They are worried considering this lake seats on massive deposits of methane gas which always spills negligible levels into the lake.

People around the lake are spreading several myths and fairy tales which continue to create a sense of fear.

But LKMP has been monitoring regularly the stability of the lake and the integrity of its ecosystem and the program’s experts have carried out investigations and analyses to understand and explain this phenomenon.

Reviews of some literature on the lake and consultation with external experts have also been done.

It has been concluded that the change of color of Lake Kivu is a natural, safe and reversible phenomenon called WHITENING. It happens in many lakes and it has happened on Lake Kivu before.

What is Lake Whitening?

Whitening occurs in many lakes in the world. It for example happened last year on Lake Geneva in Switzerland; it appears sometimes in Lake Ontario in Canada.

Normal color of Lake Kivu

Change of color in April 2016

Lake whitening appears in hard lakes rich in carbonates, when water temperature and pH are high.

It occurs in Lake Kivu when the stratification of the surface waters is shallow. The current whitening of the lake actually started in March 2016.

When it started, the colour was grey and the water of the lake appeared milky. Now the lake looks more turquoise or green.

The meteorological conditions encountered on the lake since March (high air temperature, high humidity and high irradiance) favored this situation.

Observations made by the LKMP team revealed that the stratification is really shallow, 28m deep, with high water temperature and pH above 9.2.

In those conditions, the carbonates usually dissolved in the lake’s water are over-saturated and co-precipitate with calcium in the form of small calcite particles.

These particles are white, so it gives a milky or turquoise appearance to the lake’s water.

On the other hand, carbon dioxide gas present in water is consumed by green algae (Cynobacteria), which grow in the lake and make the water look green when observed from far.

This process is thus normal and reversible. Experts say it should last only a few weeks and, at the end of the rainy season, these calcite particles will simply sink and accumulate in the lake sediments.

They also say that lake whitening is a harmless phenomenon for people and for the local fauna and flora. Swimming, navigation and fishing are safe and still allowed.

A magnificent view of lake Kivu from a guesthouse

Connection to climate/weather change?

Change of the color of the lake was triggered by specific weather conditions. It results from a shallow stratification of Lake Surface which triggers a calcite precipitation.

The deep stratification of the lake remained stable and deep waters did not mix with surface waters. Lake Kivu has not yet been affected by the global warming. The changes are normal weather changes.

However, what the experts insisted on is that, the lake’s whitening is not caused by the current extraction of methane gas nor by recent seismic and volcanic activities of Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira as many had suspected.

SOURCE : KT-PRESS