Category: Uncategorized

  • BK drives customers into cashless payments with bigger rewards #rwanda #RwOT

    The campaign officially launched on 14th December 2020 runs until 31st January 2021.

    Mutimura Benjamin, Chief Commercial Officer at BK explained that the campaign is aimed at increasing customers’ penetration into cashless payments.

    'We recently run a campaign dubbed 'Si Ngombwa Cash’ to drive customers into cashless payments. The prizes align with similar initiative to encourage them to go cashless and embrace our reliable and safe cards used everywhere,' he said.

    Embracing cashless payment is one of key strategies to control the spread of Covid-19 pandemic which has affected the world in many aspects.

    Mutimura explained that using MasterCard would contribute a lot to controlling the spread of the virus.

    'We strongly encourage customers to take advantage of MasterCard to abandon cash payments for cashless. They are reliable and enable fast transactions,' he noted.

    Throughout the campaign, customers who perform single transactions worth Rwf25,000 and above using their BK Mastercard debit or credit cards online or via Point of Sale (POS) will stand chance to win different prizes.

    Prizes including laptops, shopping vouchers and motorbikes will be awarded on weekly basis while a Mahindra KUV 100 NXT car, which is the grand prize of the campaign, will be given out at the end of the campaign.

    Mahindra KUV 100 NXT car, is the grand prize of the campaign to be given out at the end of the campaign.

    IGIHE

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/bk-drives-customers-into-cashless-payments-with-bigger-rewards

  • Relief as Rwandan descendants granted Kenyan citizenship #rwanda #RwOT

    They were taken to Kenya in the 1940s in different regions including Kisii and Kericho where they worked on tea plantations. They were settled in Kenya at different times respectively in 1930, 1945 and 1957.

    Elizabeth Nyirabatware is one of Rwandans taken to Kenya during colonial times.

    She was 93 years in 2017. Nyirabatware was taken to Kenya in 1945 along with her husband Joseph Rwasa Nyabenda who later passed on. At the time, she was 21-year old in early days of marriage. They were childless at the time.

    They had been recruited to travel to Kenya by Belgium colonialists to work in the expansive tea plantations in Kericho and Bomet owned by white settlers.

    As she spoke to the East African in 2017, Nyirabatware explained that she and her husband got a rewarding job experience working for the colonialists who paid attractive salaries and other benefits.

    She explained that she received other incentives including promotions, free rations of grain and blankets from the colonialists for their services. She described the work as having been difficult but rewarding. She used to pick over 30 kilogrammes of tea leaf a day in the tea estates in Kericho and Bomet.

    Talking about life in Kiropket Village in Nandi County, she had reservations about the 'manner' in which subsequent post-Independence Kenyan governments treated the families of over 1,000 Rwandan nationals who took the trip with her in the 1930s and 40s.

    Nyirabatware said she is the oldest surviving Rwandan national taken to Kenya to work at the tea plantations in colonial times, but lamented Kenya’s reluctance 'to recognize us as citizens' despite 'spending our entire lives in service to the government.'

    Nyirabatware appealed to Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government to recognise her and the rest of the Rwandan community. 'Before I die, I appeal to President Kenyatta and his government to provide me and other Rwandan nationals with ID cards,' she said.

    Rwanda’s support

    Rwanda’s ambassador in Kenya, Amb Dr. Richard Masozera has told IGIHE that the Government of Rwanda advocated until the first batch received citizenship during a ceremony held on 12th December 2020 to celebrate Kenya’s Independence.

    'You know that there are Rwandans who were brought to Kenya in the 1930s by Belgian colonialists to work on tea plantations in Kericho counties. Since then, colonialists used to give them identifications helping them on cross border movements which host countries withheld gradually after independence,' he said.

    Amb Masozera explained that Rwandans fall within such category that failure to get citizenship deprives them of some rights.

    'These Rwandans in Kericho fall within this category. They are deprived of rights; fail to take children to public schools and access loans to implement projects,' he noted.

    The plight pushed Rwandans living in Kenya to appeal for nationality so they could enjoy equal rights. In the 1980s, they sought to return to Rwanda but the then leadership claimed they were not known.

    In the past four years, those Rwandans increasingly appealed for nationality after 100,000 people from Makonde tribe were granted Kenyan citizenship.

    At the time, former Rwanda’s ambassador in Kenya, James Kimonyo visited these Rwandans, interacted with them and promised advocacy.

    'They have spent over 80 years in Kenya. It means they don’t know relatives in Rwanda. At the time, Amb Kimonyo promised them advocacy to both Governments to fix the problem. I replaced him and took on the advocacy for the issue which they promised to solve,' said Amb Masozera.

    During the celebration of Kenya’s Independence known as 'Jamhuri Day', President Uhuru Kenyatta granted citizenship to 1300 Rwandans. Ten of them got identities instantly while others will get them gradually from January 2020.

    Amb Masozera explained that the government of Rwanda made all efforts to put an end to this problem.

    'The Government knew the case and provided necessary support. I used to interact with elders in Rwandan communities living in Kenya. They were happy with Rwanda’s support in addressing the issue,' he noted.

    Majority of these Rwandans hail from Southern Province in former Gitarama and Butare prefectures as well as Rubavu district in Western Province.

    Elizabeth Nyirabatware is one of Rwandans taken to Kenya during colonial times. PHOTO :TOM MATOKE / NMG

    IGIHE

    Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/relief-as-rwandan-descendants-granted-kenyan-citizenship

  • How Safe Are EAC Borders Under Covid-19? #rwanda #RwOT

    About 230 staff from 12 One Stop Border Posts across the East African Community bloc have been trained on Covid-19 preparedness and response.

    This batch was subjected to a training of trainers' course and will scale up the measures by teaching further colleagues.  The training started in October 2020 and ended on Sunday, 13 December 2020 at the Gasenyi border post in Burundi.

    The training was convened by the EAC Secretariat and implemented by AMREF Flying Doctors to ensure that the busy border posts can effectively prevent the spread of Covid-19 and detect and respond to infected passengers.

    'We offered the training to facilitate safe cross border movements and at the same time to protect border staff as the Partner States in the EAC region had started to ease measures that were established to prevent and respond to the Covid-19 global pandemic', said Christophe Bazivamo, EAC-DSG.

    'The training provided an opportunity for the trainees to identify weaknesses for targeted action. It is not limited to the current pandemic but will also contribute to preventing the cross-border spread of other infectious diseases of public health concern,' Bazivamo added.

    The trainees learned from the application of the One Health approach that includes various sectors and professions in disease management. Consequently, participants came from customs, immigration, port health and animal health, bureau of standards, national drug and revenue authorities, security, cargo and baggage, clearing and forwarding, transporting, border intelligence and police as well as from (joint) border management committees and county commissions. With clearing agents and cross-border traders the communities were also included in the training.

    'The scope of the training focused on operations at the OSBP with close contact to travelers and their luggage including traded goods,' explains Anthony Kihara of AMREF Flying Doctors.

    'The training of trainers' approach allows for upscaling of the measure and takes the high staff turn-over rates at border posts into account.'

    Participants in the training familiarised themselves with existing regulations and guidelines, like the Public Health Act, the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization and Border Post Public Health Emergency Preparedness.

    Modes of transmission, handling of suspicious clients including isolation, quarantine and basic life support as well as health care communication were taught in practical sessions.

    The post How Safe Are EAC Borders Under Covid-19? appeared first on Taarifa Rwanda.

    Source : https://taarifa.rw/how-safe-are-eac-borders-under-covid-19/

  • Kicukiro : Umupolisi wirasiye mu rusengero yateje urujijo #rwanda #RwOT

    Ahagana saa yine za mu gitondo cyo kuri uyu wa Kabiri tariki 15 Ukuboza 2020, nibwo uyu mupolisi yinjiye muri uru rusengero agezemo arirasa gusa ntabwo hamenyekanye icyabimuteye.

    Umwe mu bakozi b’uru rusengero utifuje ko imyirondoro ye ikoreshwa mu itangazamakuru yabwiye UKWEZI ko, uyu mupolisi yari ari kumwe na mugenzi we bari bari kumwe mu kazi binjira muri uru rusengero bavuga ko bagiye kwihagarika hanyuma umwe akajya inyuma ya kontineri ahita yirasa.

    Abaturage baganiriye n’Ikinyamakuru UKWEZI bavuga ko n’ubwo batazi niba uyu mupolisi akiri muzima ariko ubwo imodoka itwara indembe yazaga kumutwara yari atarashiramo umwuka.

    Umwe yagize ati 'Ni umupolisi wari uri mu kazi agenda ari kuri telefone [ari kuvugira kuri telefone], yinjira muri uru rusengero rwa Glory ahageze ntawari uzi icyo agiye gukora mu kanya gato amaze kwinjira twumva urusasu ruravuze.'

    'Abahageze bahageze basanga umuntu ari hasi yamaze kugwa ariko atari yashiramo umwuka. Ntabwo tuzi niba yapfuye ariko amakuru dufite ni uko atarashiramo umwuka.'

    Reba video hano….

    Umusore ukora akazi ko gutwara abagenzi ku igare [Umunyonzi] yavuze ko 'Twari twicaye aha ngaha, turi ku magare twumva ikintu kiraturitse ariko mu kumva gituritse twagize ngo ni moto kumwe ijyamo umwanda shampoma yayo igaturika. Hashize nk’iminota 10 nibwo twabonye abantu bajya hariya.'

    'Twagiye kureba dusanga abapolisi bahafunze ntabwo abantu bemerewe gutambuka. Njyewe nuriye ku gipangu, nabonye umupolisi ari kuva amaraso ku gahanga.'

    Uyu musore uvuga ko yabonye abapolisi baje ari batanu noneho batatu bagakomeza kugenda abandi babiri akaba aribo binjira mu rusengero, ngo ntabwo bigeze bamenya icyamuteye kwirasa.

    Ubwoo twatunganyaga iyi nkuru Umuvugizi wa Polisi y’u Rwanda, CP John Bosco Kabera yatubwiye ko aza kuduha amakuru namara kuyabona neza.

    Reba video hano….

    Source : http://www.ukwezi.rw/mu-rwanda/2/article/Kicukiro-Umupolisi-wirasiye-mu-rusengero-yateje-urujijo

  • Rwanda Currency Remains Weak Against US Dollar #rwanda #RwOT

    The United States Dollar remains relatively higher in value against the Rwandan franc despite the devastating effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

    By Tuesday, the US dollar was buying: Frw960.911892 and Selling at: Frw980.128188 according to the Rwanda Central bank figures for the day.

    Performance of other currencies

    • EURO Buying: 1,167.507948 Selling: 1,190.855749
    • Pound Sterling Buying: 1,281.231871 Selling: 1,306.853920
    • Kenya Shilling Buying: 8.614575 Selling: 8.786849
    • Uganda Shilling Buying: 0.261848 Selling: 0.267085

    The post Rwanda Currency Remains Weak Against US Dollar appeared first on Taarifa Rwanda.

    Source : https://taarifa.rw/rwanda-currency-remains-weak-against-us-dollar/

  • Nigerian Musician Omah Lay Released From Ugandan Prison #rwanda #RwOT

    Nigerian musician Stanley Omah Didia alias Omah Lay has been released from prison where he has been on remand at Kitalya Prison facility.

    Omah Lay was arrested alongside fellow rising star Temilade Openiyi known as Tems- they were both picked up by Ugandan Police after performing at a concert. This was in contravention to the Covid-19 rules set by the government of Uganda.

    Omah Lay and Tems performed at an event tagged The Big Brunch, which held at Speke Resort, Wavamunno Rd, Kampala, Uganda.

    The concert took place on Saturday after the singer and organizers were warned from performing at the concert. They had been arrested and charged with doing 'acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease Covid-19.'

    On Tuesday, Ugandan Artist Bebe Cool is said to have worked closely with the Police to secure the release of these Nigerian artists.

    Omah Lay gained recognition this year following the success of his debut single 'You.' He is signed to the record label KeyQaad record deal with KeyQaad and his song 'Bad Influence' has stamped him as a talent to watch out for. He is currently nominated for Headies'.

    The post Nigerian Musician Omah Lay Released From Ugandan Prison appeared first on Taarifa Rwanda.

    Source : https://taarifa.rw/nigerian-musician-omah-lay-released-from-ugandan-prison/

  • Meet Africa's Rare Female Astrophysicist Shaking Up Science #rwanda #RwOT

    Zara Randriamanakoto, 35, PhD is from Madagascar is one of the few female astrophysicists in Africa and one of only two from her country.

    This low key scientist is attached to the science division of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), in Cape Town, she is continuing her research to quantify the influence of the surrounding environment on the survival of these star clusters, to measure their brightness and to try to deduce their mass and their age, in order to better understand the mechanism of formation of the universe.

    Zara holds a doctorate degree in Astronomy after completing her study at the University of Cape Town back in 2015. Her research interests focus on deep radio continuum surveys and multi-wavelength observations of young massive star clusters in interacting galaxies.  She is also passionate about science engagement, the promotion of Girls and Women in STEM, and especially the advancement of astronomy in all its aspects in Madagascar and the African continent.

    She took up astrophysics thanks to the development of the largest radio telescope in the world in South Africa, the researcher hopes to develop her discipline in Madagascar and inspire young women in her country.

    This scientist has been awarded by the L'Oréal-Unesco Foundation's Young Talents Prize — Sub-Saharan Africa winners.

    'We finally rewarded a Madagascan astrophysicist, Zara Randriamanakoto, whose objective is to quantify the influence of the surrounding environment on the disruption mechanisms of stellar clusters,' said the L'Oréal-Unesco Foundation.

    2020 Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talents:

     

    The post Meet Africa's Rare Female Astrophysicist Shaking Up Science appeared first on Taarifa Rwanda.

    Source : https://taarifa.rw/meet-africas-rare-female-astrophysicist-shaking-up-science/