KNOW THE TRUTH

ICC criticism not only about cases in Kenya

2013-10-17T05:25:00.001-07:00

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (L) faces an uphill task of keeping up

with ICC push on African continent. Net photo.

African leaders last week piled more pressure on the International Criminal Court, calling its credibility into question.
The Heads of State, during the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, spoke out against the selective justice dispensed by the court and pointed out that certain cases forwarded to ICC are clearly politically motivated.
Briefing local and international journalists in Kigali on Tuesday, President Paul Kagame elaborated on the AU stand.
“Everyone who needs justice should get it, it doesn’t matter where. You can’t have an international system that is supposed to dispense justice and it ends up doing it selectively or politically,” President Kagame said.
Rwanda is not a state signatory to the ICC and has for more than a decade articulated the unfair nature of the court.
So far, all ICC cases that have been brought before the Court are against Africans.
One of the distortions about Africa’s criticism of the ICC is that it is a plot to let leaders suspected of abuses off the hook. This is a diversion – protesting the bias of the court and seeking equitable justice is not equal to promoting impunity. The criticism levelled at the ICC must be examined on its own merit.
President Kagame said for the court to remain relevant it has to be universal and not serve as a tool used ttto control one part of the world.
There is little doubt that the strained relationship between the ICC and Africa will only get worse if the court does not listen to the widespread criticism by the very people its work is affecting.
In principle, leaders should be held accountable for whatever abuses they commit, any mechanism that attempts to push for accountability selectively is bound to fail. It should also be clear that trying to force a legal solution to a political problem can only result in chaos.
Although the current standoff between the AU and the ICC is a result of the Kenyan leadership being put on trial following the 2007 post-election violence, the court has consistently faced criticism from various parties prior to the Kenyan cases.
Much the same way as the abuse of universal jurisdiction by the more powerful countries, which has tended to be strictly one-way, the AU’s stand, and Rwanda’s, is about much more than one specific country or leader.
It will not be easy to dispel Africa’s concerns, but with a growing desire for, and efforts towards reconciliation, stability and development across the continent, Africa is rightly rallying together around this critical issue.
If institutions such as the ICC ignore Africa’s concerns, they simply may not last the test of time.
Contact email: editorial[at]newtimes.co.rw

Comments

The African leaders have shown their stand with regards to the ICC and particularly to the Kenyan cases.I am naturally a well wisher to Kenya but It will not be easy for President Uhuru not appear to ICC. Reason is simple. Kenya is signatory to the Rome statute. I think Kenya is aware of the article 27 of the Rome which quotes as follows: "Irrelevance of official capacity. This Statute shall apply equally to all persons without any distinction based on official capacity. In particular, official capacity as a Head of State or Government, a member of a Government or parliament, an elected representative or a government official shall in no case exempt a person from criminal responsibility under this Statute, nor shall it, in and of itself, constitute a ground for reduction of sentence".I guess what is going to happen to President Uhuru. If he is advised not to appear, ICC will issue an international warrant and as President Bashir, he will not be moving freely.Despite the selective justice, there is no one who is at ICC who has never had issues in country.I know politics works and unlock opportunities, but no African should be under any illusion that this is a simple matter.Em. Mugira

Profile: Who is who at University of Rwanda

2013-10-17T05:10:00.003-07:00

Dr Mike O'Neal, Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.

President Paul Kagame on Tuesday made appointments to the administrative positions for the University of Rwanda, officially setting off the work of the newly-established university.

Prof. James McWha

Most of the appointments in the senior management of the university are seasoned scholars who have extensively contributed to the improvement of higher learning institutions where they previously worked.
A good number of them are also well known elite Rwandans or dedicated friends of Rwanda and advisors to President Kagame who have recently contributed to the development of the education sector in Rwanda or have recently been involved with designing the newly created University of Rwanda.
Also appointed were principals of six Colleges that are affiliated to the UR which will incorporate specific similar study programmes in former public institutions of higher learning.

Prof. Nelson Ijumba

They include Dr Papias Musafiri Malimba for the College of Business and Economics (to incorporate former School of Finance and Banking (SFB) and programmes in the same field based at other institutions), and Prof. George Njoroge for the College of Education (to incorporate the former Kigali Institute of Education (KIE) and programmes in the same field based at other institutions).
Dr Malimba has been the vice rector academic affairs and the acting rector of SFB, while Prof. Njoroge has been the rector of KIE.
Dr Laetitia Nyinawamwiza, who has been the vice rector in charge of academic affairs at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, was named Principal for the College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Dr Phillip Cotton for the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Usta Kaitesi for the College of Arts and Humanities, while Dr Manasseh Mbonye was named principal for the College of Science and Technology (apparently to incorporate the former Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (Kist) and programmes in the same field based at other institutions).

Dr Papias Musafiri

Prof. Mbonye has been the Acting rector of the National University of Rwanda, while Kaitesi has been acting deputy dean for research at Faculty of Law, the National University of Rwanda.
In other appointments, the Board of Governors for the new UR were also named; most of them accomplished researchers, leaders and academics, as well as top managers of private and public institutions.
The Board is chaired by Prof. Paul Davenport, a member of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) which is made up of high profile advisors to President Kagame. Dr Diane Karusisi, an expert in asset management and statistics is the vice chairperson of the board.

Dr Manasseh Mbonye

Minister Biruta yesterday said Prof. Davenport, who is a former president of the University of Western Ontario in Canada, did initial studies to establish the University of Rwanda.
“We think he will be helpful in the beginning to kick-start the process. He will give the university a good orientation,” Dr Biruta said.
The University of Rwanda, which will gradually run 10 current public universities and institutions of higher learning in the country under one roof, is intended to be a ‘world-class’ higher learning institution.

Prof. George Njoroge

By merging resources that were scattered at different institutions, it is hoped that the university will improve the quality of education and effectively respond to current national and global needs, Rwandan education officials have said.
“Our university has to grow. We think science and technology is a priority but we also clearly need to teach skills in mining, aviation industry as well as knowledge in other fields,” Dr Biruta said.
The new University of Rwanda will tentatively have its headquarters at newly built structures at the campus of former SFB in Kigali, according to Dr Biruta.

Dr Laetitia Nyinawamwiza

Dr Mike O'Neal (Chancellor)
Dr Mike O’Neal, a seasoned academic leader and former president of the US-based Oklahoma Christian University, was appointed to the post of Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.

Prof. Paul Davenport

Dr Mike O’Neal under whose leadership the Oklahoma Christian University started supporting some Rwandan bright students to study there through partial financial support and admissions is described by the Minister for Education, Dr Vincent Biruta, as “a friend of Rwanda.”
Although he will not be involved in the daily management of the University of Rwanda, he will be there for it as an advocate for its advancement.

Pudence Rubingisa

Prof. James McWha (Vice-Chancellor)
The real daily management of the University of Rwanda will be handled by veteran academics Emeritus, Prof. James McWha, who was named vice-chancellor, and Prof. Nelson Ijumba, who is the university’s deputy vice-chancellor for academic and research affairs.
Prof. McWha was until last year the vice-chancellor and president of the University of Adelaide, Australia, while Ijumba has been deputy vice-chancellor for research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
They were both described by Minister Biruta as competent people who were chosen by the Rwandan leadership through a competitive process whereby an international call for qualified applicants was made and they emerged successful.

Rwanda maintains position on ICC

2013-10-16T06:45:00.001-07:00

President Kagame addresses the media at Village Urugwiro yesterday . The New Times/ Village Urugwiro

President Paul Kagame yesterday said that Rwanda’s stand on the International Criminal Court (ICC) will remain unchanged based on the fact that its dispensing of justice is selective and politically motivated.

The President made the remarks during one of his regular sessions of meeting with the press at Village Urugwiro in Kigali.

“When issues to do with ICC were being discussed, I told people that this was just another institution that is going to be abused, and at the end of the day, the victims are the Africans or weak countries that are still struggling with development.”

The Head of State continued: “This was the view I had about 10 years ago. And today I am able to ask people: ‘was I wrong?’ Because what I see today just tells the story of what I was talking about more than ten years ago. Nothing has happened that has convinced me to change my mind.”

According to the President, Rwanda is not for or against the ICC.

“Our argument is when there is need for justice anywhere, how will it be dispensed?” he asked adding, that universal jurisdiction had lost its meaning because it did not apply equally and was used selectively which was unacceptable.

“On matters of ICC therefore, what we are talking about is this question: why this world is divided into categories. There are people who have the power to use international justice to judge others but it does not apply to them. You find in some places it is used against people who they think do not serve their interests … how can we have a world of this kind of order? Or for that matter, why should we accept it? the President wondered.

On whether affirmative action that has seen women gain even more ground had done its job and was no longer necessary, the President said their increased representation in parliament should not be the only yardstick.

“The significant representation of women in parliament is offset maybe by lower numbers in other places. There is still work in progress, but nonetheless there is very good progress. So ,I think we need to do quite more and not just look at a single issue but rather look across the board, That is what balance means,” he said.

Media lack of professionalism

President Kagame came out strongly against some sections of the international media for their lack of professionalism when reporting on Rwanda and only depending on unverified or fabricated stories.

He was referring to a recent broadcast by BBC of an alleged person who had been forcibly enlisted by the Rwandan government to join M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“You play so much politics in reporting. There is a case of someone who was in Uganda who claimed how the government of Rwanda was trying to send them to DRC to join M23. He was on BBC making so many allegations,” Kagame revealed.

“Now this person is back here. I think they must have promised him something and they didn’t give it to him. Maybe they had told him that they would send him abroad and later on, I think there was no passport or visa, so he came back.”

The story this person is telling, according to the President, is very revealing. It shows the connivance of these human rights groups … United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) … how they take them, how they coach them. This fellow was first coached what to say on BBC, working with Human Rights Watch, UNHCR people packaging a narrative that does not exist and creating it.

“These plots that have been going on in this region and affecting Rwanda are just astonishing,” adding that the media needs “divine intervention”.

About the East African Community integration, Kagame pointed out that the fact that Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda had put into motion policies that did not involve the other two partner states (Burundi and Tanzania), was not unusual but was based on the principle of variable geometry that allows member states that were ready to implement certain protocols and not to be held back by others but to forge ahead.

“Some people are behind others on issues of implementation. The best thing is for all of us to move together at the same pace, if we can do that. But there is a danger that if we wait for everybody to get what they need to get it right, we may actually never move forward. But let us remain with the same objective of moving forward to a certain point as fast as we can.”

Beginning January 1, 2014, visitors to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda will need a single visa to the three countries while their nationals will be able to use national or school IDs as travel documents.

Regional women-run SMEs to get over Rwf165b funding

2013-10-16T06:10:00.002-07:00

A juice maker displays her products at a trade fair. EADB is going to fund such business women

Women operating small-and-medium enterprises have a reason to smile as East African Development Bank in conjunction with East African Community prepares to disburse $250m (about Rwf165.2b) in December to support them.

Ruth Kihiu, the East African Women in Business co-ordinator, lauded the development, saying the money will close the funding gap regional business women have been experiencing for long. She noted that the money was targeted at women already in business and those who want to start enterprises with an aim of creating jobs for others.

Kihiu, however, told The New Times during the recently concluded East African Business Council meeting in Nairobi, that the money would only be accessed through selected banks in respective partner states.

According to Kihiu, the beneficiaries will get loans of between $5,000 (about Rwf3.3m) and $2m (about Rwf1.3b).

The total cash ($250m) will be shared among partner states equally. Kihiu also revealed that another $6.6m fund had been set aside as loan guarantee for business women borrowers.

“It was recommended that the EAC invests in financial inclusion of women-owned businesses and this is to be fast-tracked with the establishment of a regional financial facility at EADB,” she said.

Bella Rukwavu, the Agaseke Project co-ordinator, said the funds will open another window of opportunity for Rwanda women.

“This is an opportunity for women to improve their lives and those of their families, and contribute to the realisation of the second phase of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy goals,” Rukwavu said. Women in Rwanda access credit through the “gender basket” which provides loans specifically to women.

As part of its efforts to empower women financially, the Rwanda National Women Council bought shares in Southern Province Investment Corporation, and also built a mushroom processing factory worth Rwf60m for a Kicukiro-based women co-operative.

According to a report by the International Finance Corporation done in 2008, Rwandan women head 42 per cent of all enterprises. They also comprise 58 per cent of enterprises in the informal sector, which accounts for 30 per cent of GDP, and they make a significant contribution to the country’s economy through their businesses across sectors.

Also, a 2002 study of women entrepreneurs found that the majority were engaged in the retail sector (82 per cent), with the rest focusing on services (17 per cent) and manufacturing (2 per cent). It showed that Rwandan women were increasingly branching out to non-traditional sectors such as information and communications technology (ICTs).

Spier primed to guide APR to silverware

2013-10-16T05:54:00.001-07:00

Coach Andreas Spier has signed a new contract which will keep him at APR FC until late 2014. The New Times/ T. Kisambira.

After putting pen to paper on a one-year contract with 13-time league champions APR, German-born coach Andreas Spiers is optimistic on guiding the military side to the Turbo King league and Peace Cup trophies this season.
Spier signed the one-year contract on Monday evening after a lenghthy week of negotiations with APR club management which is reported to have forced the coach to abscond holding training with the club.

Spier who took over from current Amavubi coach Eric Nshimiyimana last season was yet to get a legal contract with the military side after helping the side to a third-place finish and runner-ups in the Cecafa/Kagame Cup title held in Sudan.

“I am happy and optimistic on leading APR to greater heights this season. When you manage APR, the targets are always high and my tenure is no different to the previous,” Spier said before adding, “We have a young team made up of good Rwandan players and our focus is to win the Turbo King league and Peace Cup. We will face opposition from Police, Rayon Sports and Mukura but I am sure my players will do the best to ensure that APR wins silverware this season,” added Spier. He came to Rwanda in 2008 and the following year, he was put in charge of the women national team. A year later, he was appointed the head coach of APR football academy which later changed its name to Intare FC and featured in the second division league.

The club was later abandoned as APR management changed their foreign policy to opt for young Rwandan players. Most of the players, who featured in Intare, were promoted to APR senior team. They include; Nova Bayama, Barnabe Mubumbyi, Yannick Mukunzi and Maxime Sekamana. He took over APR FC reigns in March this year when the military side suffered one of their heaviest defeats to arch rivals Rayon Sports in the Primus League.
The 13-times league champions were hammered 4-0 following their preliminary round exit from the Africa Champions League by Burundian side Vital’O FC. The defeat to Rayon Sports was not only their first loss with such a huge margin in local football but also the first time they had lost two league matches in a row in recent history, having been beaten 1-0 by Mukura the previous week. The defeat was the highlight of a trophy-less season for the military side.

Ready to turn the tables

Spier being handed a new contract comes a few weeks after former Rwanda U-17 and Isonga tactician Vincent Mashami was named as the APR FC assistant coach.

Mashami, who is currently undergoing a refresher course with England’s Nottingham Forest football club, will assist the German head coach.

The former U-17 national team assistant coach is expected to return to the country next week to take up his new responsibilities. The 13-time league champion APR started the 2013/14 Turbo King league quest on a successful note thrashing Marines 6-2 and a 2-0 win over Esperance to top the standings with six points. On Saturday, APR will host Peace Cup winners AS Kigali in one of the challenging ties of the season at Stade de Kigali. This will be a hard test for Spier who on the verge of signing a new contract must not let AS Kigali ruin his happiness.

In other matches; Marines will host Espoir at Umuganda stadium; Esperance play host to Amagaju in Nyamagabe; Gicumbi play away to Yaounde Gilbert Kanyankole’s SC Kiyovu at Mumena stadium while Mukura will host Etincelles at Kamena grounds on Saturday. On Sunday, defending champions Rayon Sports face AS Muhanga at Stade de Kigali while Musanze will play away to Police at Kicukiro turf.

Plebgate: police chief calls for IPCC to be axed

2013-10-16T02:44:00.001-07:00

Plebgate: police chief calls for IPCC to be axed

Sir Hugh Orde admits behaviour of some officers was unacceptable but questions seriousness of their wrongdoing.

Sir Hugh Orde: 'There’s no issue … the officers’ behaviour fell below the standard, the question is the quantam of seriousness.' Photograph: Steve Back/Rex Features

The behaviour of some police officers in the Plebgate scandal fell below acceptable standards but there are questions over how serious their wrongdoing was, Sir Hugh Orde has said.
The head of the Association of Chief Police Officers also criticised the Independent Police Complaints Commission's handling of the affair and called for it to be replaced by a new police ombudsman.
Orde appeared to back the decision of three forces not to discipline officers who have been accused of stitching up Andrew Mitchell and costing him his cabinet post.
The officers are alleged to have given a misleading account of a meeting between Mitchell and the Police Federation in his constituency, after they accused him of refusing to elaborate on what happened during an altercation at the gates of Downing Street. A tape recording of the meeting revealed Mitchell admitted swearing in front of police but denied calling officers "fucking plebs".
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has questioned the conduct of police while Theresa May, the home secretary, said Mitchell deserved an apology.
But speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Orde said the chiefs of West Mercia, West Midlands and Warwickshire, whose forces were represented at the meeting, deserved a chance to put their case across for not disciplining the officers at a hearing of MPs.
"I think what's important is the service is seen to be transparent and recognise where we get things wrong. We have a history of doing that and being prepared to explain in the public forum why we made the decisions we made," he said.
"It seems to me in this case there's no issue that the finding by the police service was the officers' behaviour fell below the standard, the question is the quantam of seriousness and I think that's why the [West Mercia] chief constable is determined to explain that – the full investigation – to the Home Affairs select committee and be held to account and judged on that."
He suggested the IPCC should have investigated earlier and called for it to be replaced by a new police ombudsman.
"It is a matter of record that this was a case which the service tried to have independently investigated by the IPCC who made a decision that it should be investigated by the service," he said. "I think the current decision by the home secretary to take money from the service to support the IPCC, maybe that would be better spent looking at the bigger picture and [ask] do we need a police ombudsman system in the rest of the UK."
His comments came as Jack Straw, a former home secretary, said the Police Federation showed a "poverty of leadership" during the affair.

"[Officers had] the idea that if they embroidered the truth, and I put that mildly, then they could get the scalp of a Conservative cabinet minister of an administration with whom they were in conflict at the time. Now, what this shows, I think, is a poverty of leadership by the federation and a readiness by them to resort to completely inappropriate behaviour, which you would not expect of anybody but least of all of police officers."

2013-10-16T02:15:00.000-07:00

U.S. faces debt ceiling crash at stroke of midnight

Cutter to King: This is a fool's errand

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Republican representative hopes Speaker Boehner will fast-track possible Senate deal
Spokesmen: Sen. Reid and Sen. McConnell resume talks to end the standoff
The GOP-led House's vote to end shutdown, raise debt ceiling called off
Obama says House Speaker Boehner can't control his own caucus

(CNN) -- The country crashes into the debt ceiling at midnight, and there is no deal yet in Washington.

The deal-making resumes Wednesday, and there is hope, as the government slides into day 16 of the shutdown.

Legislators dropped hints on their way home Tuesday that Senate leaders will present a deal to raise the debt ceiling and reopen the partially shuttered government.

And a Republican member of the House of Representatives is holding out hope that Speaker John Boehner could put it on a fast track.

After adjourning the Senate for the night around 10 p.m. Tuesday, majority leader Sen. Harry Reid sounded upbeat. "We're in good shape," the Nevada Democrat said.

Senate staffers burned midnight oil to draft a framework bill, and a spokesman for Reid said he and his counterpart, minority leader, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, "are optimistic that an agreement is within reach."

The Senate isn't in session until noon Wednesday, but it's possible that statements may go out in the morning in an effort to assure the markets of progress.

Slow process

Even so, it could take a day or two more for a deal to make it through the legislative process, longer than it will take for the debt ceiling to come grinding down.

Manchin: A deal can happen in Senate

Boehner: Idea of default is wrong

If a new bill hits walls, as in the past, it could take even longer, pushing the U.S. into default.

The prospect of the U.S. government not meeting its debt obligations has economists around the world prophesying dire consequences. Mutual funds, which are not allowed to hold defaulted securities, may have to dump masses of U.S. Treasuries.

Ratings agency Fitch fired a warning shot Tuesday that it may downgrade the country's AAA credit rating to AA+ over the political brinksmanship and bickering in Washington that has brought the government to this point.

That could help raise interest rates on U.S. debt, putting the country deeper into the red.

Rating agency Standard & Poor's cut the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+ following the 2011 debt ceiling crisis. Moody's still has the U.S. rated AAA.

Fast track

Boehner could put a Senate deal on a fast track, a Republican colleague told CNN's Jake Tapper. But he'd have to make a bold political move to do so.

"I believe that John Boehner will likely be in a position, where he will have to essentially pass the bill that is negotiated between Senators McConnell and Reid," said Republican Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania.

Then Boehner could shoot it over to the Senate for its quick approval, and it could then lateral it to President Obama to sign.

Military cemeteries closed around world

Wounded Warrior Project steps in

But Boehner would probably have to break a Republican tradition, the Hastert Rule, to do that.

The informal tenet, named after former Speaker Dennis Hastert, says that the House Speaker does not introduce legislation, unless a majority of Republicans say they will vote for it first.

It has served to keep proposals off the floor, even if they have the prospect of passing via the votes of Democrats combined with those of some moderate Republicans.

House Republicans have expected Boehner to uphold the rule, which asserts the party's interests in the chamber, and he has pledged to do so.

A break from tradition

Dent hopes Boehner will make an exception and break the Hastert Rule to save the United States from a debt default, and he fears the Speaker will have to, if he wants the necessary legislation to pass.

Although many of his House Republican colleagues support the potential Senate deal, some would vote against it for political reasons, Dent said.

"There will be fewer Republican members voting for the bill than who actually support it," Dent told Tappert on the Capitol Hill lawn. "We're going to be seeing a lot of what I would call 'hope yes, vote no.'"

That would leave it up to the Democrats to pass it along with a contingency of Republicans like himself, provided Boehner puts it to a vote.

If he does, Dent will vote in favor of it alongside many House Democrats, and he thinks enough of his moderate Republican colleagues will join him to "put it over the top."

"The question is how many Republicans? Will it be closer to 20 or 75," Dent said. "I don't know. I hope I'm wrong."

Dent says he feels that it is his basic duty to fund the government and keep it able to pay its debts. He believes that the majority of House Republicans feel the same way.

"The challenge is (that) there are two to three dozen members of the House Republican caucus that don't share that," he said. "It only takes two or three dozen to obstruct the will of the majority.

Brig. Tolit appointed defence envoy to AU

2013-10-16T01:34:00.002-07:00

Brig. Fred Tolit, Uganda’s defense attaché to the African Union

newvision

President Museveni has deployed the former Chairman of the General Court Martial, Brig. Fred Tolit, as Uganda’s defense attaché to the African Union (AU) headquarters in Ethiopia.
The army spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda, confirmed that the president had appointed Tolit as a defense attaché to AU headquarters in Addis Ababa on a three-year renewable contract.

Before the president appointed him to chair the army court for a one-year term that expired in May, Tolit served as a defense advisor to the Uganda permanent mission to the United Nations during the time when Uganda chaired the UN Security Council with Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda as the country’s permanent representative.

Ankunda said Tolit would take up his new assignment soon. Tolit served as director of military intelligence and security from 1993 to 1998.

He also served as chief of operations and training in UPDF in 1998, 2nd Division commander, Defense liaison officer in the East African Community secretariat between 2005 to 2009 and assistant chief of staff from 2001 to 2003.

He was commander for 2nd division and infantry division (2000 to 2001), army MP (2001 to 2006), operation intelligence officer, division intelligence officer and battalion intelligence officer among other appointments.

He disposed of a case of spreading harmful propaganda and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline against Brig. Henry Tumukunde that had been before court for eight years. Tolit sentenced Tumukunde to severe reprimand, a strong warning in the military.

He also sentenced Pte. Patrick Okot to 90 years for killing ten civilians and soldiers in Bombo town in March. During his tenure as chairman of the army court, Tolit rehabilitated the court building, procured new furniture and improved the welfare of the staff. He also initiated plans for the construction of a library at the army court.

How Genocide survivor beat the odds to become an enviable farmer

2013-10-16T01:11:00.000-07:00

Currently, Iribagiza owns about 20 cows, including a number of calves. The New Times/ Jean Pierre Bucyensenge

The 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi left Azela Iribagiza, of Ruhango District shattered.

Not only did the Genocide take the lives of her beloved relatives and friends, it left all her and her family’s worldly possessions in shambles, and with orphans to look after.

“I was very, very poor,” Iribagiza says. “I tried my luck on farming but production was very little, especially due to lack of fertilisers.”

The mother of eight looked ahead with anger, distress, frustration and desperation as she couldn’t clearly see what the future held for her.

And she started settling into the life of a destitute, much as this was life that was strange for her and this was unsettling.

“You see before [the Genocide], I owned a shop and was moderately rich by village standards. But after the Genocide, I was left in total ruins; with nothing to start from,” she insists.

Her life was that of total deprivation until about six years ago when luck came her way.

In 2007, just months after the inception of the Gir’inka programme, Iribagiza was among the first people in her area who were selected to receive cows as part of government efforts to uplift the lives of poor people across the country.

Targeting the most impoverished in communities, Gir’inka programme (One Cow per Poor Family) is a government programme that was launched in 2006 through which cows are distributed to the most vulnerable individuals within the community to help them improve their living conditions.

A lease of life

“When I received a cow, I felt extremely happy,” she says. “Since my childhood, I had liked cows and had owned cows well before the Genocide,” Iribagiza says.

Iribagiza, a resident of the rural Gafunzo Cell, Mwendo Sector of Ruhango District still has the cow she received six years ago and proudly showcases it to any visitor.

“This is the cow that opened a new chapter in my life,” she tells this reporter as she points to a black cow amidst a herd of Friesian cows she owns today.

The woman, a celebrated model farmer in her district, says after receiving the cow she made sure she looked after it well. And this paid off.

Currently, Iribagiza owns about 20 cows (including a number of calves) that she keeps in a shed in her home village. The cows give her about 30 litres of milk a day, she says.

She has donated more to her neighbours.

“When luck came my way and the cow started delivering, I felt it was my obligation to help my neighbours improve their lives too,” she says proudly.

When she realised her cattle keeping activities were paying off, Iribagiza seized the opportunity to venture into commercial agriculture.
Currently, she grows maize, Soya beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, banana and rice – all for commercial ends. She also grows geranium, a plant she says is used in the making of perfumes.

“Farming has always been part of me. It is in my blood and heart,” she states. “It is my passion.”

As years went by, Iribagiza’s life continued improving.

She has since managed to educate her children from the proceeds.

She also runs a small retail shop and a banana fruit shop in a trading centre near her home village.

She owns a Fuso truck that she uses in her farming activities

“My life has significantly improved over the past few years,” Iribagiza says with a smile as she toured her banana plantation.

Iribagiza also employs between 30 and 70 people each season.

“It required a lot of efforts, hard work and sacrifice but I am proud to have pulled this off,” she adds before outlining a number of other income generating projects she intends to embark on in the near future, including the extension of her banana plantation and starting a pepper farm.

‘I have struggled to achieve all this. But today I am confident that none of my children will have to endure the same challenges I experienced,” Iribagiza states.

“I look ahead to the future with happiness and great prospects.”

Advice

Iribagiza says the secret to wealth lies in hard work, dedication and innovation.

She also advises women to join cooperatives saying they are good platforms to exchange ideas and experiences for mutual development.

How African innovation can take on the world.

2013-10-15T07:22:00.001-07:00

Professor Calestous Juma on agricultural innovation

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Africa must shift to technology-driven development, says Professor Calestous Juma
Invest in biotechnology, and adapt learnings to other sectors, he says
Africa must support tech startups and help them to scale up

Editor's note: Calestous Juma is professor of the Practice of International Development and faculty chair of Innovation for Economic Development Program at Harvard Kennedy School. He co-chairs the African Union's High-Level Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation, and is author of The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa. Twitter @calestous

(CNN) -- In this period of gloomy economic forecasts, Africa's rise has become a widely discussed international policy topic. The sweeping optimism about Africa's economic prospects has been reinforced by 2013 projections that the continent will grow faster than the world average.

The content of the growth, however, has been a source of discomfort among African leaders. They worry that this growth is linked to a commodity boom which is fueled largely by China's demand.

Africa's ability to sustain its current growth will depend largely on how quickly it will be able to shift from reliance on traditional commodity markets to modern economic structures that focus on technology-driven development. The focus on innovation is emerging as a key theme in the Africa Union's long-term strategy, Agenda 2063.

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Calestous Juma

The African Union appointed a high-level panel on science, technology and innovation to provide proposals on how the continent can leverage the world's fund of technological knowledge for economic transformation. The panel is chaired by myself and Professor Ismail Serageldin, director of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt.

Building on emerging trends across the continent, the panel's draft report, "On the Wings of Innovation: Africa 2024," makes key recommendations related to harnessing emerging technologies, constructing basic infrastructure, investing in higher technical training, and promoting entrepreneurship.

As a latecomer Africa has the benefit of tapping into vast quantities of technological knowledge available worldwide. The continent's leapfrogging into the mobile revolution illustrated the power of latecomer advantages. Africa is now the origin of new industries such as mobile money transfer. The mobile revolution is still in its infancy and is already being extended to other sectors such as health, education and agriculture.

Biotechnology

Another important area that promises to transform Africa is agricultural biotechnology. To date, only four African countries (South Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt and Sudan) have adopted transgenic crops. African scientists in additional countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana are at the forefront of leveraging biotechnology to address local agricultural challenges. They are focusing on problems such as pests, disease, drought and low nutritional content of staple crops.

Juma: Biotech can help small farmers

Africa's biotechnology advantage

In addition to technical work, policy makers across the continent are starting to review the laws that govern the same development of biotechnology to create freedom to innovate. This is akin to past efforts to liberalize the telecommunications market to create space for the entry of mobile phones.

Biotechnology is already a multi-billion dollar industry and the associated technical knowledge can be adapted to other sectors, such as health, industry and environment management. The experience gained in adopting mobile technologies and biotechnology will make it easier for Africa to move into other fields, such as nanotechnology and new materials. The debate over biotechnology is therefore a strategic battle to position Africa as a global player in the field of new technologies.