Welcome to Rwanda's mini Planet Cafe at MTN CENTRE
BY GEORGE KAGAME
It's one in the morning in the once dull but now busy Nyarutarama suburb. The nightlife at the MTN Centre and the area's near-permanent non-stop party is just getting into full swing. The barman at the counter is mixing a cocktail but he is doing it with such finesse that would make the Russians wish he was born in Stalingrad.
Reggeaton music echoes from one bar where Kigali’s new twenty-and thirty-something residents drink Mutzig beer and Uganda Waragi from the bottle.
Crossover, a mixture of new school rap and techno music belts out of Bose speakers in an adjacent corridor; where almost identical-looking customers in black leather jeans and jackets with hoods do the same. This is the famous MTN Centre.
MTN Centre is one of the most amazing architectural sights in Rwanda and the Virunga Pub inside the building is just as cozy as the centre.
Kigali’s leading corporate class wannabes hangout at the MTN Centre as one of several attempts to escape the ‘lower class folk’, the class with smelly armpits, poor French or English accents and an even poorer sense of fashionable attires.
There’s never any need for theme programmes or Gahunda so to speak at Virunga Pub; since MTN Centre is always happening every weekend. All the patrons and students especially from the nearby up market schools have to do is dress up in the flashiest of attires and head towards Nyarutarama.
Here your typical drink on the weekend is more than the golden stuff in the glass; it’s a carnival; the girls gyrate their bodies like they don’t have bones in them and the boys dance with such vigour that you could not be wrong to think all the patrons here are members in one of Kigali’s myriad troupes.
I arrived at MTN centre after attending midnight prayers at the nearby Christian Life Assembly church. Standing in the parking lot, I noticed that more teenagers came in on foot and in groups-at the hour of one o’clock the parking lot was fully occupied and I wondered who was driving the vehicles, when most clients were walking.
The majority of the men (boys) at Virunga Pub are simply clad in overflowing jeans and extra large t-shirts; there are a few who are in G-Unit outfits complete with bling that is slinging around their necks; it makes them resemble the famous slaves during the Atlantic trade years and their chains in early 1850s.
The girls, however, seem to be a lot more fashion-conscious. Leggings, dress tops, hot pants, revealing and body-hugging tops, shorts, transparent and inviting short dresses and boots are what most of them were wearing. The hairstyles were quite as exotic as the make up on their faces.
From the way the boys and girls pose while smoking and how they avoid other people looking directly at them I can tell that they just began the habit.
Many of the people around the two bars inside MTN Centre are dancing in groups of single sexes — very few groups are mixed up.
From where I am seated at the Virunga pub, I can see a group of girls whose outfits and dance moves are unmistakably from MTV. They dance in a similar manner to the now popular Brick and Lace and there is another circle of boys standing next to them and watching in awe. Behind me, another girl has found her friends and the shrieks of joy lose all the words that she is saying.
The make up on the girls’ faces and squeaks suggest that they invested a lot of time in watching Nigerian movies; while the boys are testimony to the new Kigali. A Kigali of designer clothing, exotic languages and even more exotic music and dance.
Friday 30 May 2008
Food prices, Rwanda corner
Rwandans advised to check private sector through consumer activism
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Minster of Local government has asked Rwandans to be active consumers who can have their views addressed by the private sector instead of relying on government to set out all the policies in the country.
Protais Musoni was Friday a press conference at his ministry headquarters in Kacyiru and was responding to a question about increasing food prices in Rwanda and the fact that agricultural produce is sold at much cheaper prices in districts not so far away from Kigali like Msanze while in Kigali city food prices are exorbitant.
Musoni said a kilogram of irish potatoes in Musanze cost as low as Frw 60 while the same quantity could be as high Frw 150 -200.
Musoni said some policies like price regulations in food prices are no longer independent and are very complex for a country to adopt today, “if you set prices for foodstuffs like Egypt does for wheat, you invite the attention of IMF and World Bank to question your commitment to a free market economy, the risks can be as bad as reducing aid,” said Musoni.
The Egyptian funds the importing of wheat and prices for bread in that country are very low because taxes are subsidized. Bread is the staple food of Egypt.
Many businessmen in Rwanda mention high taxes charges and transport cost as the reason why prices of many commodities are very high making the cost of living in Rwanda higher than that of neighbouring countries like Uganda, Kenya and Goma in Eastern DR Congo.
Prices of agricultural produce are high in Kigali because of high fuel costs to transport foodstuffs from rich agricultural areas like Musanze Kigali businessmen say.
Musoni said government had abolished tax charges on agricultural products in the country; however he said the increase of food prices was because of increasing fuel prices.
He called upon Rwandans to be more active in determining the standards of the commodities they consume; “Rwandans should be more active consumers. They should question the sellers (of services and goods) instead of relying on government to make all the decisions.”
Increasing food prices have been the cause of political violence and death in and will present future concerns like war according to UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon who wrote recently wrote in an international newspaper article that...@@@@@@@@@@@@@....................
Last week another senior UN official said.........................................
BY GEORGE KAGAME
The Minster of Local government has asked Rwandans to be active consumers who can have their views addressed by the private sector instead of relying on government to set out all the policies in the country.
Protais Musoni was Friday a press conference at his ministry headquarters in Kacyiru and was responding to a question about increasing food prices in Rwanda and the fact that agricultural produce is sold at much cheaper prices in districts not so far away from Kigali like Msanze while in Kigali city food prices are exorbitant.
Musoni said a kilogram of irish potatoes in Musanze cost as low as Frw 60 while the same quantity could be as high Frw 150 -200.
Musoni said some policies like price regulations in food prices are no longer independent and are very complex for a country to adopt today, “if you set prices for foodstuffs like Egypt does for wheat, you invite the attention of IMF and World Bank to question your commitment to a free market economy, the risks can be as bad as reducing aid,” said Musoni.
The Egyptian funds the importing of wheat and prices for bread in that country are very low because taxes are subsidized. Bread is the staple food of Egypt.
Many businessmen in Rwanda mention high taxes charges and transport cost as the reason why prices of many commodities are very high making the cost of living in Rwanda higher than that of neighbouring countries like Uganda, Kenya and Goma in Eastern DR Congo.
Prices of agricultural produce are high in Kigali because of high fuel costs to transport foodstuffs from rich agricultural areas like Musanze Kigali businessmen say.
Musoni said government had abolished tax charges on agricultural products in the country; however he said the increase of food prices was because of increasing fuel prices.
He called upon Rwandans to be more active in determining the standards of the commodities they consume; “Rwandans should be more active consumers. They should question the sellers (of services and goods) instead of relying on government to make all the decisions.”
Increasing food prices have been the cause of political violence and death in and will present future concerns like war according to UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon who wrote recently wrote in an international newspaper article that...@@@@@@@@@@@@@....................
Last week another senior UN official said.........................................
NUR
NUR determined committed to quality output despite fast congesting facilities
BY GEORGE KAGAME
On 28 March, National University of Rwanda held the biggest graduation ceremony Rwanda ever had, yet earlier the in the same month there were reports in the media that the university was increasingly getting too congested, with the main library originally meant to accommodate 200 students suffering the worst.
Without immediate effort to expand the size of the library, the current 8000 population at the university cannot find enough reading space in a room meant to have only 200 students at a go.
George Kagame finds out more about Rwanda's ivory tour. The main entrance to Butare’s National University of Rwanda is deceptive; it’s very picturesque and the drive way resembles that of an old colonial governor's mansion. At the main gate, a lone private night watchman stares impassively in the middle of the road; he will be replaced in the morning by an even more bored looking policeman.
The long walk to the administration block however, is telling. Along the way, very long green eucalyptus trees line both sides of the road from the main entrance to the main administration block.
As if its a rule, all pathways inside NUR main campus are covered under the canopy of one tree or another, under these trees are old wooden benches which are used by students for several purposes. On some benches are students in group discussions, Jane Mutesi is giving her views on the government of Rwanda's National Unity and Reconciliation commission as i walk past one such group.
On another bench a student is puffing away on a cigarette while another group is practicing as some sort of choir, its early in the morning. The walk from the main entrance is telling of Rwanda today. There is no gate at the entrance as if to create the impression, everybody is welcome at Rwanda's most prestigious academic institution.
The security guard is seated in a makeshift detach. It is very early Wednesday morning, and Butare town is soon to be closed for Gacaca sessions. There's a rush everywhere to beat the early Gacaca deadline. As they rush, young female students are carrying bags on their shoulders, talking on their mobile phones while the male students are talking about the European Champion's league match the previous night.
On one side of the road is a genocide memorial site for university residents that were killed in the 1994 Genocide, there are some fresh looking wreaths inside the site. NUR is a busy institution, the campus is slowly becoming a town closed it in itself, the dean of students Mudaheranwa Gerard says the population of the university has blown up in recent years; "we now have a university student population of 8000, but the entire population of NUR could be anywhere between 10000 estimates."
The increased population has attracted a variety of businesses and lifestyles and rejuvenated the entire Southern Province; "it is easy to get to Butare by public means even as late as 7.30," says Frank Mugisha a senior executive working in Kigali and pursuing a masters' program in Economics at NUR.
There are many post graduate students at the university today, on 28th March NUR had its maid awards for PhDs, faculty of Medicine was the first to teach the PhDS, the university itself has 104 teaching staff currently pursuing PhD programs abroad. The introduction of various post graduate courses at the university coupled with increasing admissions have made NUR become over populated, stretching academic and other facilities," Mudaheranwa adds.
The increased population at the university has definitely brought many benefits as Innocent Buyinza a bus driver with Volcano transport services, one of several public transport managers on the route between Butare and Kigali says.
However, the serene gardens of NUR hide many challenging situations to the administrators. "NUR was built for only 2100, now the student population stands at 8000. Some of our facilities have been stretched to the limit. For example in some cases we have two students sharing one single small bed," says Mudaheranwa. Shortage of accommodation is not the only problem the institution faces; the library is the most affected sector of the university's population boom; "our students cannot fit into this small structure, so we have devised means to work longer hours so that we cater for many more students, Charles Kalinganire the director of the library says.
The university Rector Professor Silas Lwakabamba is more direct; "we don't have a conference room or a cafeteria, we take all our meetings to hotels. When the staff members, many of whom reside in Kigali come to the university to teach, they have no where to prepare their lectures from. They instead prepare from hotels, where they are labeled drunkards."
Yet all these challenges have not stopped NUR from being the biggest producer of skilled labour to the economy; "we have been t the forefront of supporting government's knowledge based economy drive," Lwakabamba says. And NUR is very aware of the competition for jobs now that Rwanda is in the East African Community; "we are playing a full part in education transformation in Rwanda, last year, the government adopted the National Qualification Framework.
This policy will ensure that we produce competitive labour not just for Rwanda and the EAC for global employment opportunities," Professor Martin O'hara Vice in charge of Academics says. The National Qualification Framework was adopted from the international academic standards in terms of quality and quantity of tertiary institution graduates that was adopted in Bologna. O'hara adds that the National Higher Education Council is one of the recommendations of the Bologna framework.
NUR has been very crucial in increasing the number and quality of skilled labour in the country; with an average roll out of 2500 annually, (the university just held its biggest graduation ceremony on 28th March 08 with 3217 students), "we have been the biggest institution to educate leaders in the country. We have developed partnerships with many institutions in the world to ensure the quality of graduates is good." Lwakabamba says.
According to the 2003 National Population survey, the ratio of university graduates to the total population of Rwanda was only 0.5 percent. NUR has doubled its effort since those sad discoveries; "we have produced over 8116 since 1995, and we are still determined to remain the leading institution in Rwanda." The university has embarked on a massive ambitious reform program, "we have plans, already there 28 projects that the university has earmarked beginning in 2008, we have Catholic sisters constructing a 5000 hostel that will solve most accommodation problems.
The library will also benefit from a KOICA grant (Korean International Development Agency). They have offered us 4 US Dollars for a new building to house ICT services, telecommunication and electronic departments. This will create more space in the library; we also have a conference soon with government and our donors where development projects will be presented."
Lwakabamba adds that the university has undertaken reforms that today when the students finish their academic years, they are not left with luxury of doing their projects at their pace as has been the case; "we want to avoid situation where students that were supposed to graduate in 2001 are just getting their certificates today, when a student walks out of the gate, they should have finished all academic work."
The university also has handled its fair share of Genocide ideology cases, these ideologies a December 2007 parliamentary commission issued an alarming report about the prevalence of hate speech in Rwandan schools. The commission concluded that genocide ideology had increased in schools to an extent that there is ground to fear another genocide in the coming years. The senior administration at NUR says there are no such cases in the institution which has been labeled as the fermenting ground for the genocidaire regime before 1994; 'in the past we had cases where students wrote abusive massages in the toilets, that has since been stopped. Lwakabamba adds that these ideology issues manifest themselves during student guild election. "
However they take the form of Francophones against Anglophones. But only because here's a lot of competition for guild positions, they attract many benefits. We are discussing removing these benefits too." He says the love of money has already infected guild politicians, "the fights we have are only between guild politicians, usually between incoming and out going governments."
eNDS
BY GEORGE KAGAME
On 28 March, National University of Rwanda held the biggest graduation ceremony Rwanda ever had, yet earlier the in the same month there were reports in the media that the university was increasingly getting too congested, with the main library originally meant to accommodate 200 students suffering the worst.
Without immediate effort to expand the size of the library, the current 8000 population at the university cannot find enough reading space in a room meant to have only 200 students at a go.
George Kagame finds out more about Rwanda's ivory tour. The main entrance to Butare’s National University of Rwanda is deceptive; it’s very picturesque and the drive way resembles that of an old colonial governor's mansion. At the main gate, a lone private night watchman stares impassively in the middle of the road; he will be replaced in the morning by an even more bored looking policeman.
The long walk to the administration block however, is telling. Along the way, very long green eucalyptus trees line both sides of the road from the main entrance to the main administration block.
As if its a rule, all pathways inside NUR main campus are covered under the canopy of one tree or another, under these trees are old wooden benches which are used by students for several purposes. On some benches are students in group discussions, Jane Mutesi is giving her views on the government of Rwanda's National Unity and Reconciliation commission as i walk past one such group.
On another bench a student is puffing away on a cigarette while another group is practicing as some sort of choir, its early in the morning. The walk from the main entrance is telling of Rwanda today. There is no gate at the entrance as if to create the impression, everybody is welcome at Rwanda's most prestigious academic institution.
The security guard is seated in a makeshift detach. It is very early Wednesday morning, and Butare town is soon to be closed for Gacaca sessions. There's a rush everywhere to beat the early Gacaca deadline. As they rush, young female students are carrying bags on their shoulders, talking on their mobile phones while the male students are talking about the European Champion's league match the previous night.
On one side of the road is a genocide memorial site for university residents that were killed in the 1994 Genocide, there are some fresh looking wreaths inside the site. NUR is a busy institution, the campus is slowly becoming a town closed it in itself, the dean of students Mudaheranwa Gerard says the population of the university has blown up in recent years; "we now have a university student population of 8000, but the entire population of NUR could be anywhere between 10000 estimates."
The increased population has attracted a variety of businesses and lifestyles and rejuvenated the entire Southern Province; "it is easy to get to Butare by public means even as late as 7.30," says Frank Mugisha a senior executive working in Kigali and pursuing a masters' program in Economics at NUR.
There are many post graduate students at the university today, on 28th March NUR had its maid awards for PhDs, faculty of Medicine was the first to teach the PhDS, the university itself has 104 teaching staff currently pursuing PhD programs abroad. The introduction of various post graduate courses at the university coupled with increasing admissions have made NUR become over populated, stretching academic and other facilities," Mudaheranwa adds.
The increased population at the university has definitely brought many benefits as Innocent Buyinza a bus driver with Volcano transport services, one of several public transport managers on the route between Butare and Kigali says.
However, the serene gardens of NUR hide many challenging situations to the administrators. "NUR was built for only 2100, now the student population stands at 8000. Some of our facilities have been stretched to the limit. For example in some cases we have two students sharing one single small bed," says Mudaheranwa. Shortage of accommodation is not the only problem the institution faces; the library is the most affected sector of the university's population boom; "our students cannot fit into this small structure, so we have devised means to work longer hours so that we cater for many more students, Charles Kalinganire the director of the library says.
The university Rector Professor Silas Lwakabamba is more direct; "we don't have a conference room or a cafeteria, we take all our meetings to hotels. When the staff members, many of whom reside in Kigali come to the university to teach, they have no where to prepare their lectures from. They instead prepare from hotels, where they are labeled drunkards."
Yet all these challenges have not stopped NUR from being the biggest producer of skilled labour to the economy; "we have been t the forefront of supporting government's knowledge based economy drive," Lwakabamba says. And NUR is very aware of the competition for jobs now that Rwanda is in the East African Community; "we are playing a full part in education transformation in Rwanda, last year, the government adopted the National Qualification Framework.
This policy will ensure that we produce competitive labour not just for Rwanda and the EAC for global employment opportunities," Professor Martin O'hara Vice in charge of Academics says. The National Qualification Framework was adopted from the international academic standards in terms of quality and quantity of tertiary institution graduates that was adopted in Bologna. O'hara adds that the National Higher Education Council is one of the recommendations of the Bologna framework.
NUR has been very crucial in increasing the number and quality of skilled labour in the country; with an average roll out of 2500 annually, (the university just held its biggest graduation ceremony on 28th March 08 with 3217 students), "we have been the biggest institution to educate leaders in the country. We have developed partnerships with many institutions in the world to ensure the quality of graduates is good." Lwakabamba says.
According to the 2003 National Population survey, the ratio of university graduates to the total population of Rwanda was only 0.5 percent. NUR has doubled its effort since those sad discoveries; "we have produced over 8116 since 1995, and we are still determined to remain the leading institution in Rwanda." The university has embarked on a massive ambitious reform program, "we have plans, already there 28 projects that the university has earmarked beginning in 2008, we have Catholic sisters constructing a 5000 hostel that will solve most accommodation problems.
The library will also benefit from a KOICA grant (Korean International Development Agency). They have offered us 4 US Dollars for a new building to house ICT services, telecommunication and electronic departments. This will create more space in the library; we also have a conference soon with government and our donors where development projects will be presented."
Lwakabamba adds that the university has undertaken reforms that today when the students finish their academic years, they are not left with luxury of doing their projects at their pace as has been the case; "we want to avoid situation where students that were supposed to graduate in 2001 are just getting their certificates today, when a student walks out of the gate, they should have finished all academic work."
The university also has handled its fair share of Genocide ideology cases, these ideologies a December 2007 parliamentary commission issued an alarming report about the prevalence of hate speech in Rwandan schools. The commission concluded that genocide ideology had increased in schools to an extent that there is ground to fear another genocide in the coming years. The senior administration at NUR says there are no such cases in the institution which has been labeled as the fermenting ground for the genocidaire regime before 1994; 'in the past we had cases where students wrote abusive massages in the toilets, that has since been stopped. Lwakabamba adds that these ideology issues manifest themselves during student guild election. "
However they take the form of Francophones against Anglophones. But only because here's a lot of competition for guild positions, they attract many benefits. We are discussing removing these benefits too." He says the love of money has already infected guild politicians, "the fights we have are only between guild politicians, usually between incoming and out going governments."
eNDS
Arusha Notes 1
Opulence of ICTR employees and the envy of locals
BY GEORGE KAGAME
My impressions of Arusha have been limited to the International conference centre so far.
This is because the AICC has a special place in the history of Rwanda, it is here that the ICTR sits and deliberates on what to do for the architects of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.
It’s a large white painted building and the building has a rather peculiar design, it was built in the 1978, but it till today the building maintains the grandeur and class of many modern designs.
The centre is located on the right on the outskirts of Arusha town and is also hosts the offices and parliament East African Community.
As a result of being the major conference facility in Tanzania and EAC, the AICC is an interesting place, for Rwanda in particular, it was the venue where the Rwanda Patriotic Front and Juvenal Habyarimana were holding negotiations during the liberation struggle between 1990-93, unfortunately as the RPF attended the negotiations, Habyarimana’s MRND was busy planning the Genocide and sending delegates to the peace talks just for political showmanship.
It is ironical therefore, that the centre is also the same venue where the justice to the masterminds of the genocide is being sought.
The conference room in which President Paul Kagame and his RPF sat to discuss peace with Habyarimana is right below the four chambers where genocide suspects are being tried.
The AICC has four wings, but the ICTR is a large presence here and even if it occupies just one of the wings, its presence is felt right through Arusha.
The huge presence of the ICTR here is not just limited to the four wheel drive vehicles packed around the building with specialized number plates for ICTR staff, there are various political conundrums that play themselves between journalists, witnesses, lawyers, freed genocide suspects, suspects still in custody, Tanzanians and foreign residents especially from other African countries.
Tanzanians here are a very slippery lot if they suspect you are a foreigner, it is understandable, they are jealous of the many employees of the ICTR who-with their large four wheel vehicles and large dollar accounts kept in the safety of the Standard Chartered bank branch in the town have made everything expensive in the area.
But you cannot blame the ICTR staff for causing inflation in the area, Arusha is a huge tourist destination for many, the town is in the centre of three national parks, namely Serengeti national park, which is the biggest game park in the world, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro.
The three wings of the AICC are named after those game parks.
However upon entering the wing that is occupied by the ICTR, it is easy to understand the envy of many local residents in Arusha.
The opulent lifestyle of the ICTR staff employees hits you right from first lift in the building, inside the lifts are adverts calling upon readers to attend the Arusha spouses association, welcoming you to some exotic dinners that cost a ‘friendly’ fee of TSH 30,000.
The ICTR detainees are also an interesting lot, there’s a story of one former Rwandan minister that is in detention with her son, the son cannot have his food one plate, so he cries to the mother who in turn wants to carry the food to the court room so the judge can decide how her son should have his food served!
There’s a former minister that was acquitted recently, he spends his time in the library or walking about the streets waiting for the court to decide which country he will go to.
He does not want to come back to Rwanda!
He is not alone, there are several Rwandans here (freed genocide suspects or ordinary employees of the ICTR, many working as translators and other offices who have been here for over 10 years, they are working for the ICTR but are reported not to have stepped in Rwanda that entire time or made any particular investments back home.
To be continued
BY GEORGE KAGAME
My impressions of Arusha have been limited to the International conference centre so far.
This is because the AICC has a special place in the history of Rwanda, it is here that the ICTR sits and deliberates on what to do for the architects of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.
It’s a large white painted building and the building has a rather peculiar design, it was built in the 1978, but it till today the building maintains the grandeur and class of many modern designs.
The centre is located on the right on the outskirts of Arusha town and is also hosts the offices and parliament East African Community.
As a result of being the major conference facility in Tanzania and EAC, the AICC is an interesting place, for Rwanda in particular, it was the venue where the Rwanda Patriotic Front and Juvenal Habyarimana were holding negotiations during the liberation struggle between 1990-93, unfortunately as the RPF attended the negotiations, Habyarimana’s MRND was busy planning the Genocide and sending delegates to the peace talks just for political showmanship.
It is ironical therefore, that the centre is also the same venue where the justice to the masterminds of the genocide is being sought.
The conference room in which President Paul Kagame and his RPF sat to discuss peace with Habyarimana is right below the four chambers where genocide suspects are being tried.
The AICC has four wings, but the ICTR is a large presence here and even if it occupies just one of the wings, its presence is felt right through Arusha.
The huge presence of the ICTR here is not just limited to the four wheel drive vehicles packed around the building with specialized number plates for ICTR staff, there are various political conundrums that play themselves between journalists, witnesses, lawyers, freed genocide suspects, suspects still in custody, Tanzanians and foreign residents especially from other African countries.
Tanzanians here are a very slippery lot if they suspect you are a foreigner, it is understandable, they are jealous of the many employees of the ICTR who-with their large four wheel vehicles and large dollar accounts kept in the safety of the Standard Chartered bank branch in the town have made everything expensive in the area.
But you cannot blame the ICTR staff for causing inflation in the area, Arusha is a huge tourist destination for many, the town is in the centre of three national parks, namely Serengeti national park, which is the biggest game park in the world, Ngorongoro and Kilimanjaro.
The three wings of the AICC are named after those game parks.
However upon entering the wing that is occupied by the ICTR, it is easy to understand the envy of many local residents in Arusha.
The opulent lifestyle of the ICTR staff employees hits you right from first lift in the building, inside the lifts are adverts calling upon readers to attend the Arusha spouses association, welcoming you to some exotic dinners that cost a ‘friendly’ fee of TSH 30,000.
The ICTR detainees are also an interesting lot, there’s a story of one former Rwandan minister that is in detention with her son, the son cannot have his food one plate, so he cries to the mother who in turn wants to carry the food to the court room so the judge can decide how her son should have his food served!
There’s a former minister that was acquitted recently, he spends his time in the library or walking about the streets waiting for the court to decide which country he will go to.
He does not want to come back to Rwanda!
He is not alone, there are several Rwandans here (freed genocide suspects or ordinary employees of the ICTR, many working as translators and other offices who have been here for over 10 years, they are working for the ICTR but are reported not to have stepped in Rwanda that entire time or made any particular investments back home.
To be continued
Bel Air Revised
Auberge Bel Air is the perfect place to unwind and recharge
BY GEORGE KAGAME
In his highly acclaimed song Thug Mansion about the rise of an urban poverty stricken black youth who rises to wealth stardom in the US show business, Tupac raps;
“a place where to spend my quite nights, time to unwind, so much pressure in this life of mine…….A spot where we can kick it, where we can drink liquor and no one bickers over trick… …, a spot where we can smoke in peace…at thug’s mansion.
For hard knock prison wardens in Kimironko prison there’s exactly the place to unwind in the little known Auberge Bel Air.
Not that prison wardens are thugs or Bel Air heaven but Tupac’s song provides a perfect recipe to describe the elegant guesthouse located in the outskirts of Kimironko.
Here prison wardens are a common patronage in the evenings as they reflect on the nature of the people that they keep in custody.
For many of the inmates that these wardens keep in custody, Auberge Bel Air provides a quite place to think and be creative.
The guesthouse is not just reserved for prison wardens, it is highly popular for back packers and other tourists fed up with the noise and begging of the city centre.
Bel Air 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 but well priced bar and camping facilities to backpackers.
Bel Air is the perfect place for a get away from all the noise of the city and the prison which 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, the large and well maintained garden is laced with several trees which form canopies. Under the tress are electricity extensions which are used for reading purposes late in the evenings.
The mango trees lining the walkways are also a favourite for ‘looking in the eyes’ romantic dates.
Walking in the gardens one cannot help but wonder why such a gem is hidden this far from a larger clientele. But word has it that Auberge is a favourite venue for secret hideaways and its isolation is for tactical purposes, it is rumoured that this Kigali beauty is a favourite place for any one interested in ‘one night stands’.
BY GEORGE KAGAME
In his highly acclaimed song Thug Mansion about the rise of an urban poverty stricken black youth who rises to wealth stardom in the US show business, Tupac raps;
“a place where to spend my quite nights, time to unwind, so much pressure in this life of mine…….A spot where we can kick it, where we can drink liquor and no one bickers over trick… …, a spot where we can smoke in peace…at thug’s mansion.
For hard knock prison wardens in Kimironko prison there’s exactly the place to unwind in the little known Auberge Bel Air.
Not that prison wardens are thugs or Bel Air heaven but Tupac’s song provides a perfect recipe to describe the elegant guesthouse located in the outskirts of Kimironko.
Here prison wardens are a common patronage in the evenings as they reflect on the nature of the people that they keep in custody.
For many of the inmates that these wardens keep in custody, Auberge Bel Air provides a quite place to think and be creative.
The guesthouse is not just reserved for prison wardens, it is highly popular for back packers and other tourists fed up with the noise and begging of the city centre.
Bel Air 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 but well priced bar and camping facilities to backpackers.
Bel Air is the perfect place for a get away from all the noise of the city and the prison which 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, the large and well maintained garden is laced with several trees which form canopies. Under the tress are electricity extensions which are used for reading purposes late in the evenings.
The mango trees lining the walkways are also a favourite for ‘looking in the eyes’ romantic dates.
Walking in the gardens one cannot help but wonder why such a gem is hidden this far from a larger clientele. But word has it that Auberge is a favourite venue for secret hideaways and its isolation is for tactical purposes, it is rumoured that this Kigali beauty is a favourite place for any one interested in ‘one night stands’.
Rwanda media..personal perceptions
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 show 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.
ENDS
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.
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 show 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.
ENDS
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.
Thursday 29 May 2008
ICTR Transfer of cases to Rwanda
ICTR halts Munyakazi transfer from Arusha to Rwanda
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
The request by prosecution team for the transfer to Rwanda of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi has today been turned down by the ICTR.
In a judgment document released to the media today, the chamber of three judges namely Ines M. Weinberg, Lee Gacuiga Muthoga and Robert Fremr; they noted that they are not satisfied with the competence of Rwanda’s judicial system.
In September 2007, prosecution had requested court to transfer Munyakazi to Rwanda
The prosecutor has discretion to select cases for possible transfer for jurisdiction in other national judicial systems and Munyakazi’s case would have been the first to be transferred to Rwanda.
The judges said that Rwanda had satisfied the requirements of the tribunal in regard to enacting transfer laws and abolishing the death penalty, the later was replaced by life imprisonment.
Rwanda abolished the death penalty in July 2007, while the transfer laws were enacted in March 2007.
Munyakazi is charged for genocide, or alternatively, with complicity in genocide, and extermination as a crime against humanity. He is reported to have committed the crimes in Cyangugu and Kibuye prefectures.
However, in their judgment, the judges said that Rwanda lacked sufficient guarantees for Munyakazi to face a fair trial in the country where as a wealthy businessman, commercial farmer and leader of the Bugarama Interahamwe, he is accused to have delivered weapons, uniforms and other logistics to the Interahamwe and instigated trhe killing of Tutsis at Kabusunzu. He is alos accused to have helped in the murder of TRutsis that had sought refugee in Cyangugu cathedral, and in three parishes in Bisesero.
The chamber of judges also stated that they were concerned that Rwanda would confine Munyakazi under solitary confinement which according to them is; “”an undesirable penalty.” They also added that Rwanda’s judiciary does not have the necessary independence from “outside pressure” to pass a fair judgment to Munyakazi.
The document signed by the three judges also mentions Rwanda’s condemnation of the arrest warrants issued by two European judges against Rwanda Patriotic Forces official as an example of the government’s non cooperative attitude towards the International Criminal Tribunal fro Rwanda.
The documents notes in part that; Rwanda is willing and adequately prepared to accept Munyakazi’s case but the system of one judge hearing such cases as that of Munyakazi was inadequate.
In the past the ICTR has transferred trails of Rwanda Genocide suspects to France from Arusha, the most famous being @@@@
BY GEORGE KAGAME
Arusha
The request by prosecution team for the transfer to Rwanda of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi has today been turned down by the ICTR.
In a judgment document released to the media today, the chamber of three judges namely Ines M. Weinberg, Lee Gacuiga Muthoga and Robert Fremr; they noted that they are not satisfied with the competence of Rwanda’s judicial system.
In September 2007, prosecution had requested court to transfer Munyakazi to Rwanda
The prosecutor has discretion to select cases for possible transfer for jurisdiction in other national judicial systems and Munyakazi’s case would have been the first to be transferred to Rwanda.
The judges said that Rwanda had satisfied the requirements of the tribunal in regard to enacting transfer laws and abolishing the death penalty, the later was replaced by life imprisonment.
Rwanda abolished the death penalty in July 2007, while the transfer laws were enacted in March 2007.
Munyakazi is charged for genocide, or alternatively, with complicity in genocide, and extermination as a crime against humanity. He is reported to have committed the crimes in Cyangugu and Kibuye prefectures.
However, in their judgment, the judges said that Rwanda lacked sufficient guarantees for Munyakazi to face a fair trial in the country where as a wealthy businessman, commercial farmer and leader of the Bugarama Interahamwe, he is accused to have delivered weapons, uniforms and other logistics to the Interahamwe and instigated trhe killing of Tutsis at Kabusunzu. He is alos accused to have helped in the murder of TRutsis that had sought refugee in Cyangugu cathedral, and in three parishes in Bisesero.
The chamber of judges also stated that they were concerned that Rwanda would confine Munyakazi under solitary confinement which according to them is; “”an undesirable penalty.” They also added that Rwanda’s judiciary does not have the necessary independence from “outside pressure” to pass a fair judgment to Munyakazi.
The document signed by the three judges also mentions Rwanda’s condemnation of the arrest warrants issued by two European judges against Rwanda Patriotic Forces official as an example of the government’s non cooperative attitude towards the International Criminal Tribunal fro Rwanda.
The documents notes in part that; Rwanda is willing and adequately prepared to accept Munyakazi’s case but the system of one judge hearing such cases as that of Munyakazi was inadequate.
In the past the ICTR has transferred trails of Rwanda Genocide suspects to France from Arusha, the most famous being @@@@
More cold
Today is another warm day for me in Arusha, after living here for a week, there have only been two days of warmth, the rest of the time i have had to put on a sweater.
And in the evenings i ride around town with Alphonse chilling and reminiscing about old times at university.
We are set to go for a trip to NAIROBI where Marco, is waiting for us to cruise through out Kenya in his van.
Marco is very interesting...i met him through Josh Kron and i think the two guys are some of the best human beings on earth.
So today there's a case on which i have to report, it involves the transfer of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi back to Rwanda, ut the chamber has turned the request of the prosecution down..thats as far as i can write about now.
SO i will tell about the procceedings inside the courtrooms.
As a journalist i neber enter in the trial chambers but there's a special place prpepared for journalists in just immeidtaely outside the chamber. From here, we follow questioning and so on.
Everything is like the way it is in the movies, huge legal jargons and alot of common sense.
Personally John Grisham provided the best training that a journalist needs to now about court and common sense so i have been lucky so with the stories i write.
To be continued
And in the evenings i ride around town with Alphonse chilling and reminiscing about old times at university.
We are set to go for a trip to NAIROBI where Marco, is waiting for us to cruise through out Kenya in his van.
Marco is very interesting...i met him through Josh Kron and i think the two guys are some of the best human beings on earth.
So today there's a case on which i have to report, it involves the transfer of genocide suspect Yusuf Munyakazi back to Rwanda, ut the chamber has turned the request of the prosecution down..thats as far as i can write about now.
SO i will tell about the procceedings inside the courtrooms.
As a journalist i neber enter in the trial chambers but there's a special place prpepared for journalists in just immeidtaely outside the chamber. From here, we follow questioning and so on.
Everything is like the way it is in the movies, huge legal jargons and alot of common sense.
Personally John Grisham provided the best training that a journalist needs to now about court and common sense so i have been lucky so with the stories i write.
To be continued
Tuesday 27 May 2008
Flu fever
Today is not a good day, i have not yet found my own home in this beautiful country and i have got a bad cold i think from Rugira.
So as i sit here in the libray of the ICTR writing my first Arusha notes article, life is not so good. Not good at all!!
Alliane Pee wee (not her real name)
Well, i met her last saturday at the New Safari Hotel in Arusha, we were supposed to go for drinks only for someone called Leticia to interupt. I made up my mind then that i will not like her much. Later at nite i met Alliane and all the same we had a great time, we went dancing in Masai CAMP. Where i danced like a possesed man to roots and reggea, not the best collection but by that time, favourites was not ideal anyway.
EARLY on Sunday morning, i took Alliane to the airport.
I think in the past two years or so, Elliane is the greatest woman i have met. Too bad we would not date, because? i have no answer, she is extremely careful whenever i tell her how i feel about her..and that can only mean one thing..........Heart break hotel.
Today as i listened to my shower song; Ï knew there would be days like these"by Ken Latimore, i could help thinking about Alliane. The fact that she was very bold in her rejection of my interest in her withstanding, i still felt that if i had could marry right now, its her i could think of!!!!
I thought about my secret gardens and how much smoke i would puff out as i reminisced about her...or the missed chance that was her.
If ever there's luck in romance and ''forever after bullshít'' it would be Alliane. Should that not happen, Alliane is the kind of memory you dont want to forget, and if any real man, maybe Biko, Roy, Felly, David Kawai, Josh Kron, Drake, and anyone else, i know you will undertand what am saying. I was working on the one the thing that you ask questions about most.
Should i not be succesful with this chic, her memory and Arusha are things that you always want to remember all the time.
If you ever read this Alliane, i want you to know that you thrilled me with your conversation and warm personality and i hope we can meet much more and chat.
And if there's a chance that i can date you, i will gladly go through the courting proccess.
Giogi
So as i sit here in the libray of the ICTR writing my first Arusha notes article, life is not so good. Not good at all!!
Alliane Pee wee (not her real name)
Well, i met her last saturday at the New Safari Hotel in Arusha, we were supposed to go for drinks only for someone called Leticia to interupt. I made up my mind then that i will not like her much. Later at nite i met Alliane and all the same we had a great time, we went dancing in Masai CAMP. Where i danced like a possesed man to roots and reggea, not the best collection but by that time, favourites was not ideal anyway.
EARLY on Sunday morning, i took Alliane to the airport.
I think in the past two years or so, Elliane is the greatest woman i have met. Too bad we would not date, because? i have no answer, she is extremely careful whenever i tell her how i feel about her..and that can only mean one thing..........Heart break hotel.
Today as i listened to my shower song; Ï knew there would be days like these"by Ken Latimore, i could help thinking about Alliane. The fact that she was very bold in her rejection of my interest in her withstanding, i still felt that if i had could marry right now, its her i could think of!!!!
I thought about my secret gardens and how much smoke i would puff out as i reminisced about her...or the missed chance that was her.
If ever there's luck in romance and ''forever after bullshít'' it would be Alliane. Should that not happen, Alliane is the kind of memory you dont want to forget, and if any real man, maybe Biko, Roy, Felly, David Kawai, Josh Kron, Drake, and anyone else, i know you will undertand what am saying. I was working on the one the thing that you ask questions about most.
Should i not be succesful with this chic, her memory and Arusha are things that you always want to remember all the time.
If you ever read this Alliane, i want you to know that you thrilled me with your conversation and warm personality and i hope we can meet much more and chat.
And if there's a chance that i can date you, i will gladly go through the courting proccess.
Giogi
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