The New Times Publications Sarl Internal Memo
From: George Kagame Journalist To: Managing Director cc: Managing Editor, Finance Department, Human Resource and Administration Dear Sir,
Subject: Request for 1000 US Dollars as pocket money for ICTR assignment in Arusha
I humbly request you sir to release 1000 US Dollars as my first monthly salary for the month of May 2008 for my new assignment in Arusha.
I need the funds urgently to begin working as my official functions at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda start on 12th May 2008.
The funds will enable me to access basic services in Arusha and get acclimatized to the new working environment.
I request that the funds are released immediately as my flight from Kigali to Arusha is slated for 11th May.
Thank you sir for your cooperation Yours Muhinda George Kagame Journalist 7th May 2008
Wednesday 14 May 2008
Rwandan book on Genocide
Rwanda author to launch book about popular participation in 1994 Genocide
BY GEORGE Kagame
Yet another book that explains the events leading to and during the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda is due to be launched next week in Kigali at place and date yet to be announced.
The book titled, “Rwanda; The Popular Genocide” was written by Dr Jean Paul Kimonyo a Rwandan Canadian researcher and was published in France, where it was released last week. The book is among a handful that Kimonyo has published about Rwanda; among his collections include Revue Critique des interpretations du conflit Rwandais 2000.
Speaking to the press about the forthcoming launch of the book Kiminyo said; “I carried out personal inquisition while the genocide was happening here in 1994 and I was concerned with the swiftness with which the entire population of a country was consumed by the killings, this motivated me to write the book”
Kimonyo explained the title of his book as thus; “Rwanda is a small country, it was possible that when the Tutsi were targeted for murder they could have escaped to neighbouring but the entire population was incited to kill, there were death camps, gas chambers and no infrastructure to control physically the targeted population this is because the whole population was mobilized to prevent victims from escaping.”
He said the purpose of the book to answer why so many people participated in the 1994 Genocide despite the absence of infrastructure mechanism to organize the victims.
Kimonyo is a PhD in Political Science from the University of Quebec Montreal in Canada and was also a member of the National Independent Commission Probing the role of France in the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda and is currently Director of Cogito Consult, a private that offers consulting services
Commenting on the arrest warrants from France and Spain against some 40 senior officials of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front, Kimonyo said his book does not directly respond to the warrants but he added that the book answers the motivation behind the warrants.
Said Kimonyo; “the warrants are opportunistic and show that judges are taking sides, they are trying as much as possible that the genocide was caused by external, in reality the genocide was caused by extreme factors that combined together at a certain time and place but the ideology began as far back as 1959.”
He added that the ideological factors are largely responsible for causing the genocide.
The government has since outlawed genocide ideology among Rwandans and recently formed a commission to control genocide ideology in the country after 2007 parliamentary commission reported that the ideology was still prevalent among school going children.
BY GEORGE Kagame
Yet another book that explains the events leading to and during the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda is due to be launched next week in Kigali at place and date yet to be announced.
The book titled, “Rwanda; The Popular Genocide” was written by Dr Jean Paul Kimonyo a Rwandan Canadian researcher and was published in France, where it was released last week. The book is among a handful that Kimonyo has published about Rwanda; among his collections include Revue Critique des interpretations du conflit Rwandais 2000.
Speaking to the press about the forthcoming launch of the book Kiminyo said; “I carried out personal inquisition while the genocide was happening here in 1994 and I was concerned with the swiftness with which the entire population of a country was consumed by the killings, this motivated me to write the book”
Kimonyo explained the title of his book as thus; “Rwanda is a small country, it was possible that when the Tutsi were targeted for murder they could have escaped to neighbouring but the entire population was incited to kill, there were death camps, gas chambers and no infrastructure to control physically the targeted population this is because the whole population was mobilized to prevent victims from escaping.”
He said the purpose of the book to answer why so many people participated in the 1994 Genocide despite the absence of infrastructure mechanism to organize the victims.
Kimonyo is a PhD in Political Science from the University of Quebec Montreal in Canada and was also a member of the National Independent Commission Probing the role of France in the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda and is currently Director of Cogito Consult, a private that offers consulting services
Commenting on the arrest warrants from France and Spain against some 40 senior officials of the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front, Kimonyo said his book does not directly respond to the warrants but he added that the book answers the motivation behind the warrants.
Said Kimonyo; “the warrants are opportunistic and show that judges are taking sides, they are trying as much as possible that the genocide was caused by external, in reality the genocide was caused by extreme factors that combined together at a certain time and place but the ideology began as far back as 1959.”
He added that the ideological factors are largely responsible for causing the genocide.
The government has since outlawed genocide ideology among Rwandans and recently formed a commission to control genocide ideology in the country after 2007 parliamentary commission reported that the ideology was still prevalent among school going children.
What will tommorrow bring?
I have been in confusion recently; its is such confusion that mid way in the month, i dont know where my next payment will come from, whether i will actually be in Arusha and how much i will earn should i go to Arusha.
I hope tommorrow or the day after that will bring glad tidings.
I hope tommorrow or the day after that will bring glad tidings.
FIFA World Player of the Year 08
FIFA’s world player of the year is a select group of a few clubs
BY GEORGE KAGAME After the semi finals of the champions’ league, it was quite clear which European based player is likely to win the world player of the year for 2008. As about any topic under the sky, pundits have been quick to rubbish not only the earning power of today’s soccer icons, (for some even the quality of these players has been tied to how much money they earn a week).
Beyond just sheer talent, the race for the best player today is a statement about the quality of the league that a player features in. Forget the good old Cinderella story; if you play for a club that does not make the semi final of the Champions’ league occasionally, it is hard as the ‘Carmel passing through the needle’ story as presented in the bible to be awarded the accolade of the world’s best player of the year.
And today that privilege is limited a select group of a few, including Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool Chelsea and AC Milan.
That’s what makes Africa’s son George Weah’s achievement in 1995 even the more special, Samuel Eto’o is as good as the best come, but for all his quality, he will never match Weah whose life story - from a Monrovia slum to international celebrity - provides a rare beacon of hope and inspiration to Liberia's many thousands of young people who see little future except for a life of poverty.
Weah’s sojourn remains a romantic’s ultimate Cinderella story; his successful world tour took him from the extreme end of poverty to international glamour in clubs like AC Milan, Chelsea, AS Monaco, Paris Saint Germain, Olympique Marseille and Manchester City. Weah’s achievements in African sport will not be matched in the near future.
Compared to Kaka and Christiano Ronaldo whose careers seemed to have been planned for them, Weah was a typical boy on the street who rose to glory. Yet for all his endowments, Weah was only highly recognized while he played at Milan.
In recent times, the awards have been exclusively a rivalry between Ronaldinho at Barcelona against Steven Gerard, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard in England and Shevchenko, that order has only been disrupted by the events of Germany 2006 and Kaka at Milan. This season, that race is between, Christiano Ronaldo at Manchester United Lionel Messi at Barcelona and possibly Fernando Torres at Liverpool. For the profiles of the individuals involved in the current race, the questions about them are by extension questions concerning the best club or football league in the world. The question in mind here is that if Fernando Torres were playing for Real Madrid, Manchester United or Chelsea, he would certainly be the most deserving to win world player of the year. Ronaldo is the ideal candidate for any imaginable award sports award this year, yet his importance to United has not been pivotal. For all his well publicized tricks and speed, the times that Ronaldo has not played, United have moved on smoothly. And that raises the second question, is soccer today about team spirit anymore, or is it still possible for a team like Rwanda-with no such high profile star players ever be successful?
The answer lies in measures clubs and countries have recently adopted to attract and maintain raw talent and seduce it with any imaginable funds so they can retain them. Given their individual talent and importance to the team, super stars have become essential and the need to be reward equally important.
It so the credit of the prodigiously talented that players like Kaka, who has struggled with his form this season and that has also seriously affected the performance of Milan, failing to mount a serious challenge in all the competitions they played in 2008. And makes crucial inspiration for aspiring teams like Arsenal to acquire their services.
When Kaka was playing without the interruption of injury and a poor run of form, Milan counted on the Brazilian to create some magic out of any tight situation, the Italians for good measure were feared across the world and won every tournament they entered. It is by no coincidence that till today Kaka is the highest earning soccer player in Europe and the world-save for David Beckham!
BY GEORGE KAGAME After the semi finals of the champions’ league, it was quite clear which European based player is likely to win the world player of the year for 2008. As about any topic under the sky, pundits have been quick to rubbish not only the earning power of today’s soccer icons, (for some even the quality of these players has been tied to how much money they earn a week).
Beyond just sheer talent, the race for the best player today is a statement about the quality of the league that a player features in. Forget the good old Cinderella story; if you play for a club that does not make the semi final of the Champions’ league occasionally, it is hard as the ‘Carmel passing through the needle’ story as presented in the bible to be awarded the accolade of the world’s best player of the year.
And today that privilege is limited a select group of a few, including Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool Chelsea and AC Milan.
That’s what makes Africa’s son George Weah’s achievement in 1995 even the more special, Samuel Eto’o is as good as the best come, but for all his quality, he will never match Weah whose life story - from a Monrovia slum to international celebrity - provides a rare beacon of hope and inspiration to Liberia's many thousands of young people who see little future except for a life of poverty.
Weah’s sojourn remains a romantic’s ultimate Cinderella story; his successful world tour took him from the extreme end of poverty to international glamour in clubs like AC Milan, Chelsea, AS Monaco, Paris Saint Germain, Olympique Marseille and Manchester City. Weah’s achievements in African sport will not be matched in the near future.
Compared to Kaka and Christiano Ronaldo whose careers seemed to have been planned for them, Weah was a typical boy on the street who rose to glory. Yet for all his endowments, Weah was only highly recognized while he played at Milan.
In recent times, the awards have been exclusively a rivalry between Ronaldinho at Barcelona against Steven Gerard, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard in England and Shevchenko, that order has only been disrupted by the events of Germany 2006 and Kaka at Milan. This season, that race is between, Christiano Ronaldo at Manchester United Lionel Messi at Barcelona and possibly Fernando Torres at Liverpool. For the profiles of the individuals involved in the current race, the questions about them are by extension questions concerning the best club or football league in the world. The question in mind here is that if Fernando Torres were playing for Real Madrid, Manchester United or Chelsea, he would certainly be the most deserving to win world player of the year. Ronaldo is the ideal candidate for any imaginable award sports award this year, yet his importance to United has not been pivotal. For all his well publicized tricks and speed, the times that Ronaldo has not played, United have moved on smoothly. And that raises the second question, is soccer today about team spirit anymore, or is it still possible for a team like Rwanda-with no such high profile star players ever be successful?
The answer lies in measures clubs and countries have recently adopted to attract and maintain raw talent and seduce it with any imaginable funds so they can retain them. Given their individual talent and importance to the team, super stars have become essential and the need to be reward equally important.
It so the credit of the prodigiously talented that players like Kaka, who has struggled with his form this season and that has also seriously affected the performance of Milan, failing to mount a serious challenge in all the competitions they played in 2008. And makes crucial inspiration for aspiring teams like Arsenal to acquire their services.
When Kaka was playing without the interruption of injury and a poor run of form, Milan counted on the Brazilian to create some magic out of any tight situation, the Italians for good measure were feared across the world and won every tournament they entered. It is by no coincidence that till today Kaka is the highest earning soccer player in Europe and the world-save for David Beckham!
Auberge Bel Air Kimironko
Where do hard knock prison wardens go to unwind and reflect on the nature of the people that they keep in custody?
In case those in custody are mainly suspected murderers, that place must posses more attractive packages than a normal recreational joint.
In your mind the figment there could be a low flowing river down the plains of undulating hills, covered by green flat savannah grass and a few lone trees scattered about,
Save for the river, the rest of your imagination suits exactly auberge Bel air right behind Kimironko prison.
The guest house or Auberge as it is known throughout Kimironko, is a quite spacious and secluded expansive garden thrown almost at the furthest end of Kimironko, it offers guest rooms, meals, conference facilities, a sparsely stocked by friendly priced bar and camping facilities to backpackers.
Bel Air is the perfect place for a get away from all the noise of the city, the prison, situated about 400 metres from the guest house is conspicuous by its silence, as early as 6pm, the night sound of the humming night birds is audible, while the beautiful mango trees are a favourite for ‘looking in the eyes’ romantic dates.
There’s simply no other perfect place for senior officials of the prison also to unwind, walking on the well maintained gardens one cannot help but wonder why such a gem is hidden this far from a larger clientele.
But reports in the area allege that the Auberge is hidden for tactical purposes, it is rumoured that this Kigali beauty is a favourite place for any one interested in ‘one night stands’.
In case those in custody are mainly suspected murderers, that place must posses more attractive packages than a normal recreational joint.
In your mind the figment there could be a low flowing river down the plains of undulating hills, covered by green flat savannah grass and a few lone trees scattered about,
Save for the river, the rest of your imagination suits exactly auberge Bel air right behind Kimironko prison.
The guest house or Auberge as it is known throughout Kimironko, is a quite spacious and secluded expansive garden thrown almost at the furthest end of Kimironko, it offers guest rooms, meals, conference facilities, a sparsely stocked by friendly priced bar and camping facilities to backpackers.
Bel Air is the perfect place for a get away from all the noise of the city, the prison, situated about 400 metres from the guest house is conspicuous by its silence, as early as 6pm, the night sound of the humming night birds is audible, while the beautiful mango trees are a favourite for ‘looking in the eyes’ romantic dates.
There’s simply no other perfect place for senior officials of the prison also to unwind, walking on the well maintained gardens one cannot help but wonder why such a gem is hidden this far from a larger clientele.
But reports in the area allege that the Auberge is hidden for tactical purposes, it is rumoured that this Kigali beauty is a favourite place for any one interested in ‘one night stands’.
Bosco Ndendahimana Nyamirambo
PIX; Please a picture of Interahamwe with their green bitenges, machetes and guns wit appropriate caption about their thinking and actions.
There also several photos of Josef Fritzl on the net
From Nyamirambo to Amsteten; the universal cruelty of the human spirit
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Once I went to the same boarding school with a certain Fred Ngenda who as a teenager in Nyamirambo by 1994, he had seen gruesome incidents, these made very good pastime for many students as we listened to his accounts as one way of whiling away lazy Saturday evenings in the school compounds.
Encircled by very strict religious administrators it was easy and essential for students to be friends with just about anybody in the school. With that necessity, our paths crossed many times that it was inevitable we became genial friends.
Ngenda had an uncanny character to be alone most of the time, but whenever he chose to talk, he was a very hilarious person and was widely popular at school.
Saturday evening walks and chats in the school gardens featured so highly on many students favourite activities lists.
In the gardens the students retold each other movies, songs, rap music, and who between Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG were kings of East and West Coast. Ngenda liked to talk about fashion, in fact was the best 'designer' in that small community, that unofficial title in the school setting carried a lot of weight.
Ngenda’s stories were even more interesting; he talked about close encounters with guns, fast cars, but his about one particular incident during the 1994 Genocide. It was about the otherwise normal and favourite activity of any teenager in Africa-that noble job of collecting water for the family.
In Ngenda's case this simple task one time took two weeks to accomplish, involving standing or sitting in one body position and not changing for 24 hours, any slight movement of his body or branches of a tree under which Ngenda was hiding would have cost his life. By the time he returned with the water, some of his people had starved off to death. That story made many students that listened to it cry! Ngenda’s accounts made him a hero for many of us, some boys even cried-which was rather odd and considered cheekish for bulging teenagers keen to have the confidence and coolness of Denzel Washington, this was 1996. England’s failure at the semi finals of Euro 96 was a more likely candidate to make many boys cry by then.
The Balokore (born again Christians) amongst us, and they were very many then, would organise prayer groups where Ngenda would be dedicated to God. In the evenings we would tease him bout the prayers!
Later as we matured, we would be educated that events that made Ngenda hide with a jerry can of water for two weeks in one place were a result of African backwardness and poverty. The examples about African brutality were quite many on the continent at that time. Foday Sankoh was busy in Sierra Leone butchering and boiling his victims, Somalia was as hot in conflict as it is today while a local brew was slowly claiming the lives of Kenyans who drunk the thing at free will.
Last week an incident slowly unfolded in an Austrian town of Amsteten that emphasizes the universal cruelty of the human spirit irrespective of geographical or periodical limits.
The incident involves Josef Fritzl and his family, the story makes the makers of horror movies amateurish compared to what Fritzl did. This particular story is dramatic in that it is it not about some village peasant drunk with government and religious propaganda but a widely respected man of social standing in the said Austrian tow, a country with one of the most strict immigration policies because of its fears of immigrants! The nature of Josef Fritzl actions is so brutal that compares to the incidents that led to Ngenda spending two weeks doing an errand that otherwise takes a couple of minutes normally. For Rwandans both inside and outside the country the month of April is a constant reminder of how brutal; even the less sophiscated human beings in your average neighbourhoods can be, Ngenda’s story and that of Fritzl are so horrible that manufacturers of nuclear technology should like little children- there's no need for expensive weaponry if the human mind is still working, its that simple really. The 73 aged Fritzl also happens to be a qualified technician and respected family man but with Austrian government assistance in 1984, Fritzl extended his house by building an underground extension. In the underground extension, he sealed off the entrance and imprisoned his daughter Elizabeth Fritzl then aged only 18 till mid April 2008.
As the raping became more frequent Elizabeth conceived and had a child, then another child, then another till they were seven. Of the seven, three became noisy kids, Fritzl removed them from the bunker and put 'threw' them on the doorstep of his family house above the prison, only to adopt them and thereby become a more respectable human being in his town.
Fritzl then embarked on a policy of sustained rape of his daughter for the next 24 years, in which time no one knew she was hidden and upon her discovery, her father had raped 7 children out of her.
He would step in his cell, just below his house-where other members of his family stayed, those members included his wife, who was also the mother of Elizabeth and her other siblings.
Had it not been the sickness of one Fritzl’s prisoners, Elizabeth’s story would possibly remain unknown. But Kerstin Fritzl 19 was no ordinary prisoner and Frizl was not your ordinary village thug seeking ransom. In fact Frizl was the father and the same time the grand father of the girl.
Fritzl was by many accounts, an affable and socially very respectable man; he was married, highly educated, and also successful in businessman.
Now a society like Austria is dealing with such issues as a guy who imprisoned his daughter for 24 years all the while raping her and forcefully fathering her seven children-whom he also terrorized daily.
Last Saturday at Jali Club, there a was a ceremony of great significance, Pangea day was a global event staged in selected cities all over the world, Pangea Day seeks to unite thew world though sharing universal messages of hope, love, peace and happpines. Rwanda was one among seven cities to stage.
The live programs went a long way in depicting that human beings wherever are; face the same challenges and themes like love, despair, sorrow, faith, hope and success are universal. Josef Fritzl and the 1994 Nyamirambo bandits that ensured Ngenda hid in one ditch for two weeks is testimony the human beings need a lot of Pangea’s Days.
There also several photos of Josef Fritzl on the net
From Nyamirambo to Amsteten; the universal cruelty of the human spirit
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Once I went to the same boarding school with a certain Fred Ngenda who as a teenager in Nyamirambo by 1994, he had seen gruesome incidents, these made very good pastime for many students as we listened to his accounts as one way of whiling away lazy Saturday evenings in the school compounds.
Encircled by very strict religious administrators it was easy and essential for students to be friends with just about anybody in the school. With that necessity, our paths crossed many times that it was inevitable we became genial friends.
Ngenda had an uncanny character to be alone most of the time, but whenever he chose to talk, he was a very hilarious person and was widely popular at school.
Saturday evening walks and chats in the school gardens featured so highly on many students favourite activities lists.
In the gardens the students retold each other movies, songs, rap music, and who between Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG were kings of East and West Coast. Ngenda liked to talk about fashion, in fact was the best 'designer' in that small community, that unofficial title in the school setting carried a lot of weight.
Ngenda’s stories were even more interesting; he talked about close encounters with guns, fast cars, but his about one particular incident during the 1994 Genocide. It was about the otherwise normal and favourite activity of any teenager in Africa-that noble job of collecting water for the family.
In Ngenda's case this simple task one time took two weeks to accomplish, involving standing or sitting in one body position and not changing for 24 hours, any slight movement of his body or branches of a tree under which Ngenda was hiding would have cost his life. By the time he returned with the water, some of his people had starved off to death. That story made many students that listened to it cry! Ngenda’s accounts made him a hero for many of us, some boys even cried-which was rather odd and considered cheekish for bulging teenagers keen to have the confidence and coolness of Denzel Washington, this was 1996. England’s failure at the semi finals of Euro 96 was a more likely candidate to make many boys cry by then.
The Balokore (born again Christians) amongst us, and they were very many then, would organise prayer groups where Ngenda would be dedicated to God. In the evenings we would tease him bout the prayers!
Later as we matured, we would be educated that events that made Ngenda hide with a jerry can of water for two weeks in one place were a result of African backwardness and poverty. The examples about African brutality were quite many on the continent at that time. Foday Sankoh was busy in Sierra Leone butchering and boiling his victims, Somalia was as hot in conflict as it is today while a local brew was slowly claiming the lives of Kenyans who drunk the thing at free will.
Last week an incident slowly unfolded in an Austrian town of Amsteten that emphasizes the universal cruelty of the human spirit irrespective of geographical or periodical limits.
The incident involves Josef Fritzl and his family, the story makes the makers of horror movies amateurish compared to what Fritzl did. This particular story is dramatic in that it is it not about some village peasant drunk with government and religious propaganda but a widely respected man of social standing in the said Austrian tow, a country with one of the most strict immigration policies because of its fears of immigrants! The nature of Josef Fritzl actions is so brutal that compares to the incidents that led to Ngenda spending two weeks doing an errand that otherwise takes a couple of minutes normally. For Rwandans both inside and outside the country the month of April is a constant reminder of how brutal; even the less sophiscated human beings in your average neighbourhoods can be, Ngenda’s story and that of Fritzl are so horrible that manufacturers of nuclear technology should like little children- there's no need for expensive weaponry if the human mind is still working, its that simple really. The 73 aged Fritzl also happens to be a qualified technician and respected family man but with Austrian government assistance in 1984, Fritzl extended his house by building an underground extension. In the underground extension, he sealed off the entrance and imprisoned his daughter Elizabeth Fritzl then aged only 18 till mid April 2008.
As the raping became more frequent Elizabeth conceived and had a child, then another child, then another till they were seven. Of the seven, three became noisy kids, Fritzl removed them from the bunker and put 'threw' them on the doorstep of his family house above the prison, only to adopt them and thereby become a more respectable human being in his town.
Fritzl then embarked on a policy of sustained rape of his daughter for the next 24 years, in which time no one knew she was hidden and upon her discovery, her father had raped 7 children out of her.
He would step in his cell, just below his house-where other members of his family stayed, those members included his wife, who was also the mother of Elizabeth and her other siblings.
Had it not been the sickness of one Fritzl’s prisoners, Elizabeth’s story would possibly remain unknown. But Kerstin Fritzl 19 was no ordinary prisoner and Frizl was not your ordinary village thug seeking ransom. In fact Frizl was the father and the same time the grand father of the girl.
Fritzl was by many accounts, an affable and socially very respectable man; he was married, highly educated, and also successful in businessman.
Now a society like Austria is dealing with such issues as a guy who imprisoned his daughter for 24 years all the while raping her and forcefully fathering her seven children-whom he also terrorized daily.
Last Saturday at Jali Club, there a was a ceremony of great significance, Pangea day was a global event staged in selected cities all over the world, Pangea Day seeks to unite thew world though sharing universal messages of hope, love, peace and happpines. Rwanda was one among seven cities to stage.
The live programs went a long way in depicting that human beings wherever are; face the same challenges and themes like love, despair, sorrow, faith, hope and success are universal. Josef Fritzl and the 1994 Nyamirambo bandits that ensured Ngenda hid in one ditch for two weeks is testimony the human beings need a lot of Pangea’s Days.
Aid in Africa too much donor conditions
African governments frustrated with aid conditions by donors states ADB workshop in Kigali
BY GEORGE KAGAME
African development experts have expressed their disappointment with the kind of conditions that donor nations ask from African countries as conditions for giving aid.
The call was made in a joint statement after a two day workshop held last week in Kigali’s Serena Hotel, the workshop brought together 200 delegates from over 40 African states, the experts were reviewing the progress of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness on Wednesday.
In regard to aid effectiveness in Africa, the experts stated that there’s frustration among African countries on the terms that donors tie to their aid. It reads in part; “A certain amount of frustration isn’t all bad,” however, the statement continued that this frustration is normal and was a result of diverse experiences between donor givers and receivers, the statement adds. “Our different approaches stem from different mandates, different legal frameworks, different histories, and different roles.”
The ‘development missionaries’ also agreed with Finance Minster James Musoni, who expressed his desire to have donor countries aligning their aid to the development programmes of donor receiving countries.
Musoni who was addressing Rwanda’s donors in Gisenyi recently said; “because many of them (donors) could do participate in several projects, we are looking at which sector each donor can handle, that way we can benefit from comparative advantage depending on which sector they fund.”
The Kigali meeting also further stated that aid was not effective as was agreed in the now famous 2005 Paris Declaration, they called upon donors to make substantial changes to improve the effectiveness of aid and ensure that it achieves a greater impact on development.
The 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness committed donors and partner countries to substantial changes to improve the effectiveness of aid to ensure that it achieves a greater impact on development.
The workshop was hosted by the African Development Bank and the governments of Rwanda and Ghana; it also was designed to ensure consultation and to prepare an African position on the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, a global event to be held in Accra Ghana from 2 - 4 September. The Forum will discuss global progress on the Paris Declaration.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
African development experts have expressed their disappointment with the kind of conditions that donor nations ask from African countries as conditions for giving aid.
The call was made in a joint statement after a two day workshop held last week in Kigali’s Serena Hotel, the workshop brought together 200 delegates from over 40 African states, the experts were reviewing the progress of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness on Wednesday.
In regard to aid effectiveness in Africa, the experts stated that there’s frustration among African countries on the terms that donors tie to their aid. It reads in part; “A certain amount of frustration isn’t all bad,” however, the statement continued that this frustration is normal and was a result of diverse experiences between donor givers and receivers, the statement adds. “Our different approaches stem from different mandates, different legal frameworks, different histories, and different roles.”
The ‘development missionaries’ also agreed with Finance Minster James Musoni, who expressed his desire to have donor countries aligning their aid to the development programmes of donor receiving countries.
Musoni who was addressing Rwanda’s donors in Gisenyi recently said; “because many of them (donors) could do participate in several projects, we are looking at which sector each donor can handle, that way we can benefit from comparative advantage depending on which sector they fund.”
The Kigali meeting also further stated that aid was not effective as was agreed in the now famous 2005 Paris Declaration, they called upon donors to make substantial changes to improve the effectiveness of aid and ensure that it achieves a greater impact on development.
The 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness committed donors and partner countries to substantial changes to improve the effectiveness of aid to ensure that it achieves a greater impact on development.
The workshop was hosted by the African Development Bank and the governments of Rwanda and Ghana; it also was designed to ensure consultation and to prepare an African position on the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, a global event to be held in Accra Ghana from 2 - 4 September. The Forum will discuss global progress on the Paris Declaration.
Kigali new Master Plan 2008
Kigali Master plan soon coming; MVK
BY GEORGE KAGAME The long awaited new Kigali City Master plan is soon to be launched says Bruno Rangira the Director of Communication in Kigali City Council (MVK). In an exclusive interview with The New Times, Rangira said the new master plan was designed by experts and addresses such issues as Kigali’s increasing population, new drive to make the city a major commercial and service centre in the East African community as well as making the city environmentally friendly, the plan also caters for the provision of social amenities through out the city province.
“We presented the new Kigali City Master Plan to the former minister of Infrastructure. (Stanilas Kamanzi), for the cabinet to approve the plan, initially it was a project by Kigali City Council but not it’s a national issue,” said Rangira.
He added that the plan caters for Kigali’s expansion which has led to shortage of land plots, in some places the cost of plots has gone up to Frw 7 million in some suburbs like Kicukiro.
Speaking to The New Times, the Minister of Infrastructure Linda Bihire said: “we have discussed the Master Plan in cabinet; I think it will be passed by the next cabinet meeting and immediately it will be launched by the president.”
The minister did not however did not say when the next cabinet meeting would be sitting, normally the cabinet meets on Wednesday.
“Land shortage is an issue not limited to Kigali alone, 70 percent of Kigali is rural, the new plan caters for Kigali’s expansion in 50 years from now,” said Rangira.
The new plan aims to provide an opportunity for investors to invest in an organized and well-planned city, comes Immediately after the government has adopted a new land, currently Kigali city faces the challenge of developing detailed plans to reduce the site of slums right in front of the president’s office and within the vicinity of Serena Hotel in Nyarugenge district.
BY GEORGE KAGAME The long awaited new Kigali City Master plan is soon to be launched says Bruno Rangira the Director of Communication in Kigali City Council (MVK). In an exclusive interview with The New Times, Rangira said the new master plan was designed by experts and addresses such issues as Kigali’s increasing population, new drive to make the city a major commercial and service centre in the East African community as well as making the city environmentally friendly, the plan also caters for the provision of social amenities through out the city province.
“We presented the new Kigali City Master Plan to the former minister of Infrastructure. (Stanilas Kamanzi), for the cabinet to approve the plan, initially it was a project by Kigali City Council but not it’s a national issue,” said Rangira.
He added that the plan caters for Kigali’s expansion which has led to shortage of land plots, in some places the cost of plots has gone up to Frw 7 million in some suburbs like Kicukiro.
Speaking to The New Times, the Minister of Infrastructure Linda Bihire said: “we have discussed the Master Plan in cabinet; I think it will be passed by the next cabinet meeting and immediately it will be launched by the president.”
The minister did not however did not say when the next cabinet meeting would be sitting, normally the cabinet meets on Wednesday.
“Land shortage is an issue not limited to Kigali alone, 70 percent of Kigali is rural, the new plan caters for Kigali’s expansion in 50 years from now,” said Rangira.
The new plan aims to provide an opportunity for investors to invest in an organized and well-planned city, comes Immediately after the government has adopted a new land, currently Kigali city faces the challenge of developing detailed plans to reduce the site of slums right in front of the president’s office and within the vicinity of Serena Hotel in Nyarugenge district.
Mbeki commends on ANC's failure to help stop 1994 Genocide
Mbeki commits South African partnership in Rwanda’s unity and reconciliation
BY GEORGE KAGAME
South African President Thabo Mbeki said last Friday that his government is committed to helping Rwanda deal with its priority programmes of national unity and reconciliation. Commenting on a question about Rwanda in 1994 and the failure to manage political violence on the continent Mbeki said: "we are guilty for doing nothing in Rwanda while the Genocide was taking place in 1994, by the time it the genocide) began in 1994, we were 21 days to our first multi racial election."
In a speech to African religious leaders and leaders of faith based organizations on the continent in Pretoria, Mbeki said even if his country had not tried to stop the 1994 Genocide, South Africa continued arms sales to Juvenal Habyarimana's government even when the African National Congress the party that currently governs the richest nation in Africa protested such deals.
Speaking to the press on his arrival from attending the meeting with Mbeki, Sheik Saleh Habimana Rwanda's Mufti and commissioner of the Interfaith based Actions for peace said Mbeki guaranteed the clerics that Zimbabwe would not erupt in violence and that the election crisis would be solved soon.
Interfaith based Actions for peace is an organisation that advocates for establishing strong interfaith networks across the continent that will work together for peace on a permanent basis, its commissioners were sworn in by President Paul Kagame in June 2006 at Village Urugwiro.
Other religious leaders drawn from across Africa were meeting Mbeki in his capacity as the appointed chief mediator between Morgan Tsvangarai and Robert Mugabe in the ongoing efforts to bring stability to Zimbabwe after the March 29th elections that have left the country in a fragile situation with fears of violence.
Mbeki added that his party, the ANC which was in opposition in 1994 had protested South Africa's arms and military deals with the government of juvenal Habyarimana but the south African government then under the leadership of Fredrick De Klerk had insisted that the sale of arms-which would be used in the mass murders of helpless civilians were business as usual to the minority white administrators.
South Africa was one of the leading arms sellers to Rwanda in 1994, and this year, a ship carrying military weapons to Zimbabwe was refused entry in South Africa.
Mbeki also said his government was helping Rwanda’s national unity and reconciliation programmes, however he added: "whatever we do through our embassy by supporting the national unity and reconciliation commission is not enough."
The South African government is among the partners of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission.
Mbeki is the special delegate of the SADC in Zimbabwe's election debacle that has till today not solved the puzzle of who between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tvangarai won the elections. The clerics are also set to have a meeting between Mugabe and Tvangarai in 10 days time in their continuing endeavors to find peaceful means to solving the election mismanagement in Zimbabwe to avoid a Kenya like situation between supporters of the two leaders
BY GEORGE KAGAME
South African President Thabo Mbeki said last Friday that his government is committed to helping Rwanda deal with its priority programmes of national unity and reconciliation. Commenting on a question about Rwanda in 1994 and the failure to manage political violence on the continent Mbeki said: "we are guilty for doing nothing in Rwanda while the Genocide was taking place in 1994, by the time it the genocide) began in 1994, we were 21 days to our first multi racial election."
In a speech to African religious leaders and leaders of faith based organizations on the continent in Pretoria, Mbeki said even if his country had not tried to stop the 1994 Genocide, South Africa continued arms sales to Juvenal Habyarimana's government even when the African National Congress the party that currently governs the richest nation in Africa protested such deals.
Speaking to the press on his arrival from attending the meeting with Mbeki, Sheik Saleh Habimana Rwanda's Mufti and commissioner of the Interfaith based Actions for peace said Mbeki guaranteed the clerics that Zimbabwe would not erupt in violence and that the election crisis would be solved soon.
Interfaith based Actions for peace is an organisation that advocates for establishing strong interfaith networks across the continent that will work together for peace on a permanent basis, its commissioners were sworn in by President Paul Kagame in June 2006 at Village Urugwiro.
Other religious leaders drawn from across Africa were meeting Mbeki in his capacity as the appointed chief mediator between Morgan Tsvangarai and Robert Mugabe in the ongoing efforts to bring stability to Zimbabwe after the March 29th elections that have left the country in a fragile situation with fears of violence.
Mbeki added that his party, the ANC which was in opposition in 1994 had protested South Africa's arms and military deals with the government of juvenal Habyarimana but the south African government then under the leadership of Fredrick De Klerk had insisted that the sale of arms-which would be used in the mass murders of helpless civilians were business as usual to the minority white administrators.
South Africa was one of the leading arms sellers to Rwanda in 1994, and this year, a ship carrying military weapons to Zimbabwe was refused entry in South Africa.
Mbeki also said his government was helping Rwanda’s national unity and reconciliation programmes, however he added: "whatever we do through our embassy by supporting the national unity and reconciliation commission is not enough."
The South African government is among the partners of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission.
Mbeki is the special delegate of the SADC in Zimbabwe's election debacle that has till today not solved the puzzle of who between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tvangarai won the elections. The clerics are also set to have a meeting between Mugabe and Tvangarai in 10 days time in their continuing endeavors to find peaceful means to solving the election mismanagement in Zimbabwe to avoid a Kenya like situation between supporters of the two leaders
Pangea Day
Pangea Day festival in Kigali inspired by Rwanda’s recovery; Kabera
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Kigali was chosen to be among only seven global cities to host Pangea as recognition for Rwanda’s inspiration to the world for the country’s commitment for a harmonious society.
This was revealed by Eric Kabera a Rwandan veteran movie director while commenting on the highly successful global event to celebrate humanity.
Thousands of Rwandans and foreign nationals thronged Kigali's Jali Club Gardens to celebrate Pangea Day, a global live event which was aimed to enable the attendees: "help people see themselves in others- through the power of film.” Ceremonies were organized beginning at 8pm local time in Cairo, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro were linked to live programs which depicted that human beings wherever are; face the same challenges and themes like love, despair, sorrow, faith, hope and success are universal. In Kigali, the event had live performances my music folklore groups, while renowned musician Jean Paul Samputu told the world a message of hope telling his anger against fellow Rwandans following the brutal events of the 1994 Genocide, which affected him.
In Jordan respected queen Noor spoke her own life experience an example human diversity while making a speech on human diversity. Noor is a Jordanian American who was married who was married to the late king of Jordan!!!
She said her life is an inspiration about the universal nature of human beings to adapt to different challenges.
Many of the short film clips captured by ordinary people in whom the universal themes of love, sorrow, despair, faith and hope were depicted to be shared universally, the films were recorded in diverse areas ranging from Russia, Uganda, Rwanda, and India.
These ranged from children playing in Uganda, pensioners lounging in Australia to two former bitter political enemies that were brought face o face by US CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour, herself an inspiration to the themes of Pangea Day. Hollywood superstars in Los Angeles addressed the globally telecast event. Kigali City Council director of Communication Bruno Rangira the choice of Kigali, which along with Cairo in Egypt was the only two venues in Africa was a celebration of the growing Rwandan movie industry.
Enrick Kabera a movie director in Rwanda said: the executive the Pangea executive team were inspired by Rwanda’s recovery following the destruction of 1994 to choose Kigali as only the second city in Africa to stage Pangea activities.
He said; “Rwanda’s recovery has provided the international community a pathway from destruction and provides a strong statement of peace, unity hope and forgiveness.”
Pangea day stems from the story of Egyptian US immigrant Jehane Noujaim who was inspired by the differences of human beings. She recorded a documentary that showed western bias in covering the war in Iraq and has won international recognition for stories.
Pangea Day is her gift to the world after Technology Economic Development TED= a US firm asked her to name a wish that the firm could sponsor.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Kigali was chosen to be among only seven global cities to host Pangea as recognition for Rwanda’s inspiration to the world for the country’s commitment for a harmonious society.
This was revealed by Eric Kabera a Rwandan veteran movie director while commenting on the highly successful global event to celebrate humanity.
Thousands of Rwandans and foreign nationals thronged Kigali's Jali Club Gardens to celebrate Pangea Day, a global live event which was aimed to enable the attendees: "help people see themselves in others- through the power of film.” Ceremonies were organized beginning at 8pm local time in Cairo, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro were linked to live programs which depicted that human beings wherever are; face the same challenges and themes like love, despair, sorrow, faith, hope and success are universal. In Kigali, the event had live performances my music folklore groups, while renowned musician Jean Paul Samputu told the world a message of hope telling his anger against fellow Rwandans following the brutal events of the 1994 Genocide, which affected him.
In Jordan respected queen Noor spoke her own life experience an example human diversity while making a speech on human diversity. Noor is a Jordanian American who was married who was married to the late king of Jordan!!!
She said her life is an inspiration about the universal nature of human beings to adapt to different challenges.
Many of the short film clips captured by ordinary people in whom the universal themes of love, sorrow, despair, faith and hope were depicted to be shared universally, the films were recorded in diverse areas ranging from Russia, Uganda, Rwanda, and India.
These ranged from children playing in Uganda, pensioners lounging in Australia to two former bitter political enemies that were brought face o face by US CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour, herself an inspiration to the themes of Pangea Day. Hollywood superstars in Los Angeles addressed the globally telecast event. Kigali City Council director of Communication Bruno Rangira the choice of Kigali, which along with Cairo in Egypt was the only two venues in Africa was a celebration of the growing Rwandan movie industry.
Enrick Kabera a movie director in Rwanda said: the executive the Pangea executive team were inspired by Rwanda’s recovery following the destruction of 1994 to choose Kigali as only the second city in Africa to stage Pangea activities.
He said; “Rwanda’s recovery has provided the international community a pathway from destruction and provides a strong statement of peace, unity hope and forgiveness.”
Pangea day stems from the story of Egyptian US immigrant Jehane Noujaim who was inspired by the differences of human beings. She recorded a documentary that showed western bias in covering the war in Iraq and has won international recognition for stories.
Pangea Day is her gift to the world after Technology Economic Development TED= a US firm asked her to name a wish that the firm could sponsor.
Business Climate survey Rwanda 2008 reforms
RPSF hires South African firm for business climate improvement drive
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Rwanda Private Sector Federation has hired a South African firm to carryout a Business Climate Survey across the country, as Rwanda makes reforms to improve private sector growth and development.
Speaking exclusively to The New Times, John Bosco Kanyangoga the Director in charge of Advocacy and Institutional Relations said; “we want to study the current challenges to investors throughout the country and propose recommendations to government.”
Kanyangoga said RPSF is also researching separately about the cost of government bureaucracy to private investors, he said the ‘come tomorrow’ attitude among government officials had cost the economy as investors were scared by figures of international institutions like the World Ban.
In their highly influential ‘Doing Business Index Report’, Rwanda comes 158 out of 175 countries surveyed in setting up policies to encourage investments among citizens. Singapore is at the top as being the country that easily encourages investments because of their convenient policies.
The government has continually emphasized its commitment to improving the investment climate in the country so that Rwandans can increase private sector development, in 2007, the government hired an international policy research institution The Policy Practice to advise government in policies it will adopt if Rwandan wants to attract foreign investors.
John Rwangomba the Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and Economic planning ands Secretary to the Treasury said since 2007; “government has undertaken several reforms to achieve better performance in the doing business index so as we can attract more investors in the country.”
Kanyangoga said private investors have continually cited high tax charges, a comparatively higher cost of transport as the factors that makes Rwanda “business unfriendly, the time spent in acquiring licensing documents as bottlenecks to investing here.”
The Business Climate survey is cosponsored by German Technical Cooperation GTZ and RPSF.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Rwanda Private Sector Federation has hired a South African firm to carryout a Business Climate Survey across the country, as Rwanda makes reforms to improve private sector growth and development.
Speaking exclusively to The New Times, John Bosco Kanyangoga the Director in charge of Advocacy and Institutional Relations said; “we want to study the current challenges to investors throughout the country and propose recommendations to government.”
Kanyangoga said RPSF is also researching separately about the cost of government bureaucracy to private investors, he said the ‘come tomorrow’ attitude among government officials had cost the economy as investors were scared by figures of international institutions like the World Ban.
In their highly influential ‘Doing Business Index Report’, Rwanda comes 158 out of 175 countries surveyed in setting up policies to encourage investments among citizens. Singapore is at the top as being the country that easily encourages investments because of their convenient policies.
The government has continually emphasized its commitment to improving the investment climate in the country so that Rwandans can increase private sector development, in 2007, the government hired an international policy research institution The Policy Practice to advise government in policies it will adopt if Rwandan wants to attract foreign investors.
John Rwangomba the Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and Economic planning ands Secretary to the Treasury said since 2007; “government has undertaken several reforms to achieve better performance in the doing business index so as we can attract more investors in the country.”
Kanyangoga said private investors have continually cited high tax charges, a comparatively higher cost of transport as the factors that makes Rwanda “business unfriendly, the time spent in acquiring licensing documents as bottlenecks to investing here.”
The Business Climate survey is cosponsored by German Technical Cooperation GTZ and RPSF.
New Press Law in Rwanda
Journalists in Rwanda manipulating government cry for capacity building BY GEORGE KAGAME The turn recent turn of events Rwanda’s media industry have had the new minister of Information begin her reign in dramatic fashion. First, there was the theatrical dismissal of three “independent’ journalists from a ceremony in Kigali Serena hotel. That incident coupled with the recent tabling of the new Press Law in Parliament left “our sister’ the information minister Louise Mushikiwabo answering embarrassing questions with even more embarrassing responses. ‘Independent journalists’ have been quick to milk sympathy from the two incidents while Mushikiwabo is busy dealing with the equivalent of a “baptism of fire” in her debut at the ministry of information. ’International’ concern about the Rwandan media has come from as far as New York and Paris. For a fact the Committee to Protect Journalists-CPJ has written to the President expressing their anger at Mushikiwabo’s action at Serena and a new press law, which to their credit, pointed out how the new press law would keep away well meaning professionals from beginning new enterprises in Rwanda’s media industry. In the public relations hogwash that has followed these two, the Rwandan government-as usual has been perceived as behaving like monster at times when criticized by the press. Even administrative decisions at pro government media houses have been interpreted as attacks on the Rwandan media.
The minister's actions at the Serena event have been interpreted as one of several measures the government has adopted in its ongoing campaign against journalists and this time round, the government is intimidating the press in while it prepares to cheat the September parliamentary elections. None of the independent journalists is known to be researching about or even writing speculatively about elections.
Rwanda’s so called ‘independent media’ are in fact an embarrassment to Rwandan journalism, they are opportunists, sadists. To avoid sounding like a government gong, I formed these opinions long before I got a job with The New Times. Many journalists that have touted themselves as heroes of Rwandan journalism based on three personal clashes with three of them, their actions are responsible for the ridicule which main stream media practitioneers are perceived by the private sector, government and other professionals in Rwanda. The government’s continued patroninzing attitude towards the press, by political talk and meager pay, even to well meaning journalists has ensured the media in the country are not taken seriously, one private media investor in the country is quoted to have said; “we don’t have journalists in the country, we have boys who dropped out of school.” Private sector is the real enemy of journalism in Rwanda, not government. While the private media investors claim they do not have advertisement, the principles of these investors are questionable. Many do not pay their employees on time, and even the ones that do, monthly salaries are barely enough for some Rwandan journalists, they have to share a house. Yet as ordinary decent Rwandan reporters hustle on the streets looking for the next news story, opportunists in plush offices exploit the industry to which many young vibrant Rwandans are dedicated. And should government be repressive in its dealings with the media, some of the journalists that have touted themselves as heroes do not have moral authority to question government. Suffice it to say, that the government itself is faced with the unresolved closure of The Weekly Post, it could easily be argued that governmnet forfeited its moral authority to voice its desire to help the development of the media. However I will tell my own personal experience with two of the founding fathers of The Weekly Post, not as my opinion about the closure of the Weekly Post but the to give a very brief insight that even the self proclaimed ‘independent journalists’ do not have the moral authority to question government. Manfred Natamba (not his real name) was my senior at The New Times late 2006, one Monday morning when I had just reported to office, he looked in my direction once and said; “Kagame, were you born in a refugee camp?”, I replied in the negative, he continued, “everyone here seems to have been born in a refugee camp.” The statement could imply so many things in the circumstances but what made it more embarrassing is the fact that Natamba was not known to be a person of jokes.
Natamba later went on to stage the most dramatic resignation episode I have ever seen in my working life and I was looking for my ninth job at the time! Natamba went on to help found The Weekly Post, and its closure fuelled an already burning grudge against senior mangers at The New Times.
In the same month another incident happened at the same workplace in the same setting. It was a bright Sunday morning. Allan Karuhanga the architect of the incident also was among the founding fathers of The Weekly Post. He showed the worst expressed the worst possible scene of pure selfishness and humiliation to the RPF. Looking at a copy of The New Times on my desk which had a front page photo of the burial ceremony and inset the face of former RPF leader Colonel Alex Kanyarengwe, Allan Karuhanga (not his real name) said; “look at these ones, they fought for the country and right now, we are the ones enjoying the benefits.” AK was referring to a front page picture of the Rwanda Patriotic Army/ Front late Colonel Alex Kanyarwengwe. AK has since gone on to manipulate the international community after his detention at an airport in a European country last year. Immediately Karuhanga was detained he claimed that he was running away from government intimidation and brutal force against ‘independent journalists’.
He used this thread of information to willing listeners who offered him asylum in that European country. To date, AK masquerades around especially in the European country as a hero of Rwandan journalism. It’s a shame! The third is very humiliating and it involves a senior reporter at one of the leading independent newspapers in the country. To cut it short, the reporter demanded a ransom from an American executive with an NGO with threats of publishing a ‘big’ blackmail story that involved another executive at the NGO. The bargaining chip was a four page supplement in the independent newspaper, which has been reported in the international media as very popular. The incident happened early last year. The above individuals in one way or another have influenced how Rwandan society, government and even international community perceive the media in Rwanda. The government, as by extension President Paul Kagame has been depicted as the ultimate bully with ‘PK’ as the dictator on top, the principles of the journalists goes without question, ‘international experts’ camouflage it in capacity development terms. In their judgment, Kagame and his government will not tolerate criticism and will use the crudest measures possible to eliminate the independent press, who like to see themselves as the de facto opposition. They go on to suggest that even some of the officials in the government itself don’t have the independence to express themselves.
Such attitudes are fuelled further by programmes broadcast in international media vernacular versions of BBC and other leading satellite stations. Irrespective of the topics for discussion; every early morning edition of BBC’s "Imvo N'Imvano." is like a page lifted from the parliamentary report on genocide ideology across Rwandan junior education institutions, the nature of statements used during this shoe which broadcasts the entire Great Lakes Region is filled with such accusations against politicians but the arguments take Tutsi Hutu counter accusations. The journalists that work for the Kinyarwanda and Kirundi services of the BBC and VOA in the pursuit of careers or money could be used by western interests in regard to regional politics are possibly ignoring h weight of their continued branding of Rwandans as Tutsi or Hutu, but they surely are promoting the western held beliefs about those two identities. It is with such current perceptions of the media that the Rwandan government will set forth a new press law, which will not go much further in developing a vibrant media in the country as the RPF promised us in 2003. Addressing journalists last week, Bernadette Kanzayire the chairperson of the political committee said government was set to introduce a new press law, the law, she said would reform the media industry and lead to a more professional environment in the field. “The government will set up a school of journalism to ensure that all media practitioners acquire the relevant qualifications, she added that government would set three years as an ultimatum for Rwandan journalists to acquire those qualifications. The issue of qualifications is a question with no scientific proof, the newsroom in which I work, it has never been a problem, and many of the journalists I work with have qualifications that can embarrass the honourable MP and her colleagues. Government measures to keep unscrupulous journalists out of the profession will injure even well meaning career journalists, and investors thereby sabotaging itself in the drive to create a vibrant private sector. Financial and academic restrictions will ensure that the status quo and the filth will go on. Notes in the New Press Law Fixed minimum start-up capital for people seeking to start media house;
For radio station the minimum required capital is Frw50 million, for a television station Frw100 million and for print media, the proposal is Frw6 million.
The minister's actions at the Serena event have been interpreted as one of several measures the government has adopted in its ongoing campaign against journalists and this time round, the government is intimidating the press in while it prepares to cheat the September parliamentary elections. None of the independent journalists is known to be researching about or even writing speculatively about elections.
Rwanda’s so called ‘independent media’ are in fact an embarrassment to Rwandan journalism, they are opportunists, sadists. To avoid sounding like a government gong, I formed these opinions long before I got a job with The New Times. Many journalists that have touted themselves as heroes of Rwandan journalism based on three personal clashes with three of them, their actions are responsible for the ridicule which main stream media practitioneers are perceived by the private sector, government and other professionals in Rwanda. The government’s continued patroninzing attitude towards the press, by political talk and meager pay, even to well meaning journalists has ensured the media in the country are not taken seriously, one private media investor in the country is quoted to have said; “we don’t have journalists in the country, we have boys who dropped out of school.” Private sector is the real enemy of journalism in Rwanda, not government. While the private media investors claim they do not have advertisement, the principles of these investors are questionable. Many do not pay their employees on time, and even the ones that do, monthly salaries are barely enough for some Rwandan journalists, they have to share a house. Yet as ordinary decent Rwandan reporters hustle on the streets looking for the next news story, opportunists in plush offices exploit the industry to which many young vibrant Rwandans are dedicated. And should government be repressive in its dealings with the media, some of the journalists that have touted themselves as heroes do not have moral authority to question government. Suffice it to say, that the government itself is faced with the unresolved closure of The Weekly Post, it could easily be argued that governmnet forfeited its moral authority to voice its desire to help the development of the media. However I will tell my own personal experience with two of the founding fathers of The Weekly Post, not as my opinion about the closure of the Weekly Post but the to give a very brief insight that even the self proclaimed ‘independent journalists’ do not have the moral authority to question government. Manfred Natamba (not his real name) was my senior at The New Times late 2006, one Monday morning when I had just reported to office, he looked in my direction once and said; “Kagame, were you born in a refugee camp?”, I replied in the negative, he continued, “everyone here seems to have been born in a refugee camp.” The statement could imply so many things in the circumstances but what made it more embarrassing is the fact that Natamba was not known to be a person of jokes.
Natamba later went on to stage the most dramatic resignation episode I have ever seen in my working life and I was looking for my ninth job at the time! Natamba went on to help found The Weekly Post, and its closure fuelled an already burning grudge against senior mangers at The New Times.
In the same month another incident happened at the same workplace in the same setting. It was a bright Sunday morning. Allan Karuhanga the architect of the incident also was among the founding fathers of The Weekly Post. He showed the worst expressed the worst possible scene of pure selfishness and humiliation to the RPF. Looking at a copy of The New Times on my desk which had a front page photo of the burial ceremony and inset the face of former RPF leader Colonel Alex Kanyarengwe, Allan Karuhanga (not his real name) said; “look at these ones, they fought for the country and right now, we are the ones enjoying the benefits.” AK was referring to a front page picture of the Rwanda Patriotic Army/ Front late Colonel Alex Kanyarwengwe. AK has since gone on to manipulate the international community after his detention at an airport in a European country last year. Immediately Karuhanga was detained he claimed that he was running away from government intimidation and brutal force against ‘independent journalists’.
He used this thread of information to willing listeners who offered him asylum in that European country. To date, AK masquerades around especially in the European country as a hero of Rwandan journalism. It’s a shame! The third is very humiliating and it involves a senior reporter at one of the leading independent newspapers in the country. To cut it short, the reporter demanded a ransom from an American executive with an NGO with threats of publishing a ‘big’ blackmail story that involved another executive at the NGO. The bargaining chip was a four page supplement in the independent newspaper, which has been reported in the international media as very popular. The incident happened early last year. The above individuals in one way or another have influenced how Rwandan society, government and even international community perceive the media in Rwanda. The government, as by extension President Paul Kagame has been depicted as the ultimate bully with ‘PK’ as the dictator on top, the principles of the journalists goes without question, ‘international experts’ camouflage it in capacity development terms. In their judgment, Kagame and his government will not tolerate criticism and will use the crudest measures possible to eliminate the independent press, who like to see themselves as the de facto opposition. They go on to suggest that even some of the officials in the government itself don’t have the independence to express themselves.
Such attitudes are fuelled further by programmes broadcast in international media vernacular versions of BBC and other leading satellite stations. Irrespective of the topics for discussion; every early morning edition of BBC’s "Imvo N'Imvano." is like a page lifted from the parliamentary report on genocide ideology across Rwandan junior education institutions, the nature of statements used during this shoe which broadcasts the entire Great Lakes Region is filled with such accusations against politicians but the arguments take Tutsi Hutu counter accusations. The journalists that work for the Kinyarwanda and Kirundi services of the BBC and VOA in the pursuit of careers or money could be used by western interests in regard to regional politics are possibly ignoring h weight of their continued branding of Rwandans as Tutsi or Hutu, but they surely are promoting the western held beliefs about those two identities. It is with such current perceptions of the media that the Rwandan government will set forth a new press law, which will not go much further in developing a vibrant media in the country as the RPF promised us in 2003. Addressing journalists last week, Bernadette Kanzayire the chairperson of the political committee said government was set to introduce a new press law, the law, she said would reform the media industry and lead to a more professional environment in the field. “The government will set up a school of journalism to ensure that all media practitioners acquire the relevant qualifications, she added that government would set three years as an ultimatum for Rwandan journalists to acquire those qualifications. The issue of qualifications is a question with no scientific proof, the newsroom in which I work, it has never been a problem, and many of the journalists I work with have qualifications that can embarrass the honourable MP and her colleagues. Government measures to keep unscrupulous journalists out of the profession will injure even well meaning career journalists, and investors thereby sabotaging itself in the drive to create a vibrant private sector. Financial and academic restrictions will ensure that the status quo and the filth will go on. Notes in the New Press Law Fixed minimum start-up capital for people seeking to start media house;
For radio station the minimum required capital is Frw50 million, for a television station Frw100 million and for print media, the proposal is Frw6 million.
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