Population Control
Rwanda is planning to limit the number of children to be born in each family to three. This could make it the only country in Africa to restrict the number of births as a measure for economic growth. A 2002 census estimated Rwanda's population at 8.2 million people, most of whom are subsistence farmers and it was expected to reach to 9.3 million by 2007. At current fertility rates of between 5.8 and 6.1, Rwanda's population will double by 2030.
Since the 1994 Genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 people died, the tiny central African state's population has seen a very sharp rise, with the population growing at an average 3.3 percent per year. A Rwandan woman on average gives birth to up to six children, one of Africa's highest, which makes this tiny central African and former Belgian colony the most densely populated country on the African continent at 343 people per square kilometre. Currently, only 10 per cent of Rwanda's population uses family planning measures, but the government wants this to increase to 70 per cent within five years.
Business Center Closed Due to Improper Sewage Disposal
Kigali City Council on Tuesday evening closed Kigali Business Centre (KBC), a popular business building near Kimihurura roundabout, following findings that the building has been dangerously disposing of its sewage to the neighbourhood. A source in KCC told The New Times yesterday that KBC management had for many years ignored a directive to build a sewage system with a capacity to recycle and treat the sewage internally. KBC houses a host of business entities - including Business Communication Solutions (BCS), Baba's Restaurant, Planet Club, Electrogaz (power and water utility) branch office, Mutara Enterprises office, SMS Media and an art and crafts shop.
According to one of the affected businesspersons, Baba, the proprietor of Baba's Restaurant, the development will cause a lot of losses to various business units at the building. However, some KBC tenants accused city authorities of handling the sewage issue selectively. They alleged that most buildings in Kigali, including hotels, operate without proper drainage or sewage systems. The closure comes barely weeks after KCC closed Alpha Palace Hotel over similar reasons. The hotel was reopened shortly afterwards after promising to fix the problem.
Sex-Workers Appeal to Government for Support
WESTERN PROVINCE : RUSIZI - Over 40 sex-workers who were on March 11 rounded up from Kamembe Town in Rusizi District, are asking the Government for financial support to start up income-generating activities. The sex-workers were rounded up from entertainment places of Ten to Ten Paradise Hotel, Isimbi Lodge, Kukabasazi and Kuryakane by a police patrol unit at midnight. The illicit traders, most of who are in their late twenties are currently detained at Kamembe police post in Kamembe Sector. Talking to The New Times, the group said they need to get alternatives in order to leave the "street business" which they do to earn a living.
When contacted for comment, the District Police Commander, Superintendent Francis Muheto said that they (police) arrested the culprits for causing chaos and insecurity in the area especially at night. "We were forced to apprehend them because they normally cause chaos and insecurity in the area during the night. Some men even fight each other over these prostitutes," Muheto said.
Man Shot Dead By LDU
NORTHERN PROVINCE: MUSANZE - A local defence unit personnel (LDU) in Busogo Sector of Musanze District survived an irate mob after shooting dead an area resident. Emanuel Habirora, 23, a local defence personnel in the district last Saturday shot and seriously injured a resident identified as Jean Paul Serugendo, 43, a driver.
Eye witnesses told the New Times that the shocking incident happened at around 6 p.m. in Byangabo trading centre. The victim (Serugendo) was rushed to Ruhengeri Hospital in critical condition, where he later died the same day at around 9 p.m. The killer (Habirora) was rescued by police from angry residents and is being detained at Muhoza Sector Police station. Police at the district confirmed the incident, but said the motive of the shooting was yet to be established and investigations have been launched. The District Police Commander, Superintendent Elias Mwesige said the killer was attached to Mutobo demobilisation centre guarding the recently released prisoners.
"Yes, our LDU guard shot and injured a resident in Byangabo. We arrested him and he is being held pending investigations. We have heard the victim later died from the hospital, but we haven't established the motive of the incident," he said.
This is the second death occurring from what is widely viewed as misuse of fire arms by LDU since the beginning of the year, according to Police sources. The first one happened on February 27 in Nyange Sector. One LDU man only identified as Rukoreki now incarcerated at Ruhengeri central prison, shot and killed his wife Shelly Dusabira after accusing her of eloping with his brother. Mwesige disclosed that as a preventive measure, all rifles were due to be withdrawn from the local defence personnel and plans were underway for refresher courses for all LDU personnel, after which they will be screened to get rid of those deemed undisciplined. "Police has been instructed not to release guns to LDU except under special circumstances which can be supervised by a police constable," Mwesige disclosed.
[Note: In an early posting to this blog entitled, “Sunday Stroll and an Incident”, the LDU mentioned in this article is the same group I reference in that posting.]
These articles were copied from local news sources and have been edited by me for length only.
