Have you seen how this whole week was characterized by several officials swearing in, and concurrently taking over higher positions in country leadership?
And, have you realized how Generals raise through ranks to occupy top positions in Rwanda Defence Force (RDF)?
Or, have you watched how the youth/young adults were crowned after completing the allegedly hardest training of RDF?
This, among other success stories from individual to groups of Rwandans, is what we call raising from glory to glory.
However, it’s also being given a greater opportunity to serve the country.
The biggest of these promotions is no wonder, the appointment as a cabinet member.
In a reshuffle on November 4, 2019, President Paul Kagame restored the Ministry of Internal Security and entrusted it to General Patrick Nyamvumba who was then the Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force(RDF).
Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju who was a director from a local insurance company was also appointed Sports’ Minister.
Two new officials also joined the cabinet as State Ministers including the former chairperson of National Itorero Program – Edouard Bamporiki and Ignacienne Nyirarukundo who was a member of the parliament.
They were appointed to the Ministry of Youth and Culture and Ministry of Local Government respectively.
The President promoted Maj. Gen Jean Bosco Kazura to the rank of General(4 stars) and appointed him RDF Chief of Defence Staff to replace General Nyamvumba . The Rwanda’s Commander in Chief also restored Gen. Fred Ibingira in the position of Chief of Reserve Force staff.
These were among other changes where Ambassador Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya joined as Minister of Environment replacing Vincent Biruta who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation replacing Richard Sezibera.
This week leaves most of the new officials already taking over after handover ceremony with their predecessors.
For example, Munyangaju was mainly requested to improve sports’ development. She took over as Rwanda’s football team – Amavubi was returning from Mozambique where they lost to Os Mambas 2-0.
The veteran basket baller, Munyangaju was also requested to implement the Amahoro National Stadium facelift project which is meant to kick start soon.
General Patrick Nyamvumba took the police and prison service dockets among others that were moved to Ministry of Justice in October 2016.
Who says police says security. During the swearing in, President Kagame reminded those who seek to sabotage the security of Rwanda, that they will pay heavy price.
He even made a Kinyarwanda statement ‘muraza kutubona’ (literally translated as ‘you are going to see us, loosely translated as we are going to deal with you).
The statement which is still trending on social media means what it means. A general at the helm of a ministry which has police in its attribution, it is already a strong warning that you would be in trouble if you tend to jeopardize Rwandan security.
Most warned were people who were given presidential amnesty but once outside the jail, continued their dirty games against Rwanda.
On Saturday, the colorful pass out of the officer cadets was another celebration of great achievement among the officers who were decorated with the rank of Second Lieutenant, their parents and relatives who were full of emotions to see them make it at young age.
President Kagame who commissioned the officer cadets reminded them that they have a noble profession which he also, would choose, if he was to choose.
KT Press reporter who was at the Gako Military Academy-Bugesera district where the officer cadets were trained wrote this story which shows you the event as if you were there live.
Still about security related information, it is important to say that speculation about Rwanda-Uganda relations continued this week.
Media in Uganda wrote that “Rwanda Delayed Border Talks” and Minister of State Olivier Nduhungirehe responded that it was unfortunate that the media was narrowing the matter of Luanda MoU to border dispute.
“New visionwire, Daily Monitor, it’s not about the border, the Government of Uganda should address concerns of Rwanda by implementing Luanda MoU signed between the two countries,” Nduhungirehe wrote on twitter.
Earlier on, the Minister of State had clarified that the second meeting that was scheduled on November 18th in Kampala was postponed upon demand by Rwanda because several delegates that were meant to attend it were on other equally important assignments given to them by the country.
Meanwhile, bodies of two Ugandans were handed over to Uganda on Tuesday. The two Ugandan citizen were smugglers who, according to Rwanda Police, were shot dead in Nyagatare while trying to fight police officers on duty as they wanted to prevent them from entering fraud in Rwanda.
Despite diplomacy challenges with Uganda however, Rwanda continues to strengthen ties with countries of Africa and beyond.
On Friday, 12 envoys presented credentials to represent their respective countries in Rwanda with resident in either Kigali or Dar-es-Salam, Nairobi and Kampala.
A lot happened in the world of security and diplomacy, but business was not left out this week neither.
$ 1 Billion Package for African Women
In the world of Business, the African Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa was the major deal of the continent, and Rwanda was part of it.
At the forum, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced a $1.1 billion lending programme to help women entrepreneurs on the continent.
EIB Vice President, Ambroise Fayolle, also revealed that the bank has signed three further agreements to boost sustainable development on the continent.
Several mega deals were signed at this forum and Rwanda will benefit from them.
Also at the forum, it was announced that one month later, South Africa and Rwanda’s Mara Phone brands are now being exported to 41 countries in the World.
In October this year, Mara phones launched $50 million Mara Phones Manufacturing Plant – the first-night tech smartphone manufacturer in Rwanda and on the continent, located in the Kigali Special Economic Zone (KSEZ).
One day later, the same brand was also launched in South Africa.
The Chief Executive of Mara Phones Ashish Thakkar said that Mara Phone is already exporting to 41 countries.
“We have so far exported to 41 countries and the top five countries in terms of retail buying are Germany, United Kingdom, United States; Italy and Switzerland,” Ashish said amid applause from the audience.
At the forum, Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of African Development Bak(AfDB) was seen having light moments with President Paul Kagame whom he thanked for having secured time to attend.
In 2014, Sanlam insurance, bought some Soras shares (63%) and also bought the remaining 37% in 2018, but in February 2019, through its partner company Saham insurance, Sanlam managed to merge the two rival company (Soras and Saham) thus a rebrand to Sanlam.
“Now we have all the shares and past the acquisition phase. We are now entering the organic phase to ensure that our presence in Rwanda resonates with a pan African vision led by president Paul Kagame- in opening borders on the continent,” said Junior Ngulube, the Vice Chairman Sanlam Pan-Africa.
Currently, Soras is sending messages to the general public telling them to forget the local name and adjust to Sanlam.
This week, our reporter explained the A to Z reasons why Chinese construction companies are signing the big cheques in Rwanda. The story is available under our Special Reports’ section.
On a light note in society, a toddler – 2 year old Viateur Habumugisha survived a huge tree miraculously.
The boy was kidding in the garden of Kinihira military hospital as he was brought for vaccination when a huge tree fell on him.
The tree ‘remembered that he was a toddler who had a lot to achieve in life and spared him. He was found sitting in the middle of massive branches of the ageing baobab-like tree.
