UNAMID alarmed by raidsThe joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur has raised the red flag over rebel activities in the region’s south, following attacks by armed movements on three towns last week.

The heightened rebel activity was triggered by the break out of violence between Sudan and South Sudan. Though it was indicated that the fighting between the two Sudans has eased over the weekend after Juba withdrew from the contested oil-rich Heglig region, a flare up in the violence was reported. Also coming under fire was the town of Jonglei. The UNAMID force, which has a highly regarded Rwandan contingent, is one of the largest and most difficult peace-keeping operations in the world.Kenyan held over bank fraudA Kenyan woman is in custody for allegedly using fraudulent means to obtain money from Bank of Kigali (BK). The suspect, name withheld, on Monday at around 3:45pm, allegedly withdrew $2,000 (about Rwf1.2m) at the Kanombe branch of Bank de Kigali using a forged international visa card. She used a forged visa Point of Sale card to withdraw money from a bank account belonging to Krishan Sinnandurai, a client of Emirates Bank International in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). The Dubai Bank immediately notified BK saying the money had been fraudulently transacted from their client’s account. Kigali factory gutted by fire Police are yet to identify the exact cause of a fire that gutted Volta Super Factory in Gikondo, Kicukiro District on Monday in which property estimated to be worth millions of francs were destroyed. The factory comprises a warehouse, mattress and battery factories.The fire destroyed the wing of a mattress factory before a joint airports and police fire brigade put it out.The police fire brigade was called in to join the airport fire-fighter team to contain the inferno. Media docket goes back to MINALOCManagement of the media has been moved from the Ministry in charge of Cabinet Affairs back to the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC). During the handover, mid this week, Cabinet Affairs Minister, Protais Musoni, said the move is aimed at ensuring more effectiveness and efficiency in the development of the media sector.The ministry became caretaker of the media docket after the dissolution of the Ministry of Information. Musoni explained that media is a key pillar in promoting good governance and is therefore best suited to operate under MINALOC.He added that there was a transformation team and communication strategy to ensure that all action plans are implemented. Local Government Minister James Musoni dismissed worries that the transfer will derail the media reforms that are currently underway. Uganda police to strengthen cooperationThere is need to deepen cooperation between Rwanda and Uganda police forces in order to combat cross border crimes. This was said on Wednesday this week during a meeting between Rwanda’s Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana and Lt. General Kale Kayihura, Inspector General of Uganda Police in Kigali. Addressing senior police officials from the two institutions, Kayihura commended Rwanda’s police for having registered tremendous achievements in a short time. Kayihura said globalisation has enhanced the capacity of criminals saying that there was need for the two police forces to put up new advanced mechanisms to fight them.Oil exploration results due in JuneThe final interpretation results of a two-dimensional (2D) marine seismic oil survey carried out in the East Lake Kivu Graben will be released in June, according to a statement from the Ministry of Natural Resources.The Petroleum Exploration Programme was transferred from the Ministry of Infrastructure to the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2010.The exploration is being carried out in the western part of the country by Vanoil Energy Ltd, a Canadian oil exploration firm. It commenced in 2010 with an environmental impact assessment in connection with a 2D marine seismic survey. Uwinkindi seeks four months to prepare caseGenocide suspect, Jean Bosco Uwinkindi, who was transferred to Rwanda from ICTR last week, has requested for four months to prepare for his pre-trial proceedings. Appearing before Judge John Byakatonda of Nyarugenge Intermediate Court, this Thursday, Uwinkindi said he had just met a lawyer, Gatera Gashabana, in court. It is at the pre-trial hearing that the accused is formally charged and requests for bail. Uwinkindi, a former pastor with the Pentecostal Church in Kanzenze, Bugesera in the former Kigali-Rural Prefecture, is charged with two counts; genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity. He is accused of unleashing killers on thousands of Tutsi refugees during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Rwandan envoy wins African Diplomat of the Year awardRwanda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ernest Rwamucyo, has won the ‘Diplomat of the Year 2012 for Africa’ out of 164 embassies and diplomatic missions represented in London, United Kingdom. This is the first time a Rwandan envoy has won such an award. Rwamucyo scooped the award at the annual diplomat awards ceremony at the Langham Hotel in London on Tuesday night in the presence of members of the diplomatic corps.The ceremony recognises the outstanding work and achievements of London’s diplomatic community trying to improve the well-being of their respective nations. High Commissioners, ambassadors and the diplomats representing Thailand, Romania, Bahrain, Mexico, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Colombia and Macedonia were among other award winners.