Bikoro resigns from Parliament Lawmaker Bikoro Munyanganizi this week resigned his parliamentary seat just a few days after the Lower Chamber of Parliament lifted his immunity. This was done to facilitate investigations into allegations that he evaded taxes. He tendered in his resignation Monday evening. U.S. Africom Commander Jets in Gen. William E. Ward, Commander of the United States Africa Command - U.S. AFRICOM, arrived in Rwanda on Monday afternoon for a two-day official visit. While in the country, Gen. Ward met with the CDS (Chief of Defence Staff), Gen.James Kabarebe and, high on agenda was the enhancement of capacity in as far as peace keeping operations is concerned. NEC, Parties, draft new Electoral Code The National Electoral Commission (NEC) this week organised a consultative workshop for stakeholders and players in the country’s political sphere to bring forth their views on the draft of the Electoral Code ahead of next years’ Presidential Elections. The new code which is currently undergoing a ‘cleaning’ process before it is adopted by the two chambers of parliament will be used during next year’s presidential elections. ORINFOR board dissolved Two days after the arrest of the Director of the state-run media agency, ORINFOR, Oscar Kimanuka, the government this week dissolved the agency’s board. The board which was appointed by the cabinet meeting of June 20, 2008 was composed of Paul Mbaraga who was the chairman, and deputised by Henriette Zimurinda. Others are Prisca Mujawayezu, Anaclet Kalibata, Rosemary Mbabazi, Joseph Habumukiza and Bakuramutsa Nkubito. According to the Minister of Information Louise Mushikiwabo, ignorance and failure to unearth and solve the irregularities that have long characterised ORINFOR were why the board was diussolved. Kagame ends one day visit to Uganda President Paul Kagame Tuesday returned to Kigali from a one-day visit to Uganda for talks with his Ugandan counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni. The consultations held at State House Entebbe, focused on the East African Community (EAC) matters in preparation for the upcoming EAC Summit to be held in Arusha, Tanzania next week, as well as bilateral issues. Speaking to the press after the meeting, President Kagame, who is also the chairman of the EAC bloc, commented on the current crisis between Uganda and Kenya over ownership of the tiny Migingo Island on Lake Victoria. Kagame said that the conflict was not yet a concern of East African Community because “it is not yet a matter as complicated as it is reported and not yet a matter for the EAC to attend to.” “It is an issue for the surveyors and there are records to follow which the two countries will use in resolving the dispute”. African Rights unearths Genocide fugitive in Malawi African Rights, a human rights watchdog released a new report that says the key architect in the massacres in Nyanza town during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is freely running a business in Malawi. The release of the report coincided with the date the massacres began in the town which is in the Southern Province. 20,000 refugees to be repatriated from Uganda All Rwandan refugees in Uganda will be repatriated and integrated by July 31 this year, officials from both countries have agreed. There are about 20,000 Rwandan refugees who are spread in the two camps of Nakivale and Nshungerezi. ICTR pins Munyakazi on Nyamasheke massacres The ICTR Prosecution in Arusha on Wednesday said that it was in possession of enough evidence implicating former businessman Yusuf Munyakazi in the massacres that occurred in 1994 in Nyamasheke, Western Province. Munyakazi, a former wealthy rice farmer in the Western Province, is charged with counts of genocide, or complicity in the alternative and extermination as a crime against humanity. He is one of the suspects the Tanzania-based UN tribunal had referred to Rwanda for trial by the Chief Prosecutor, a move that was later blocked by the Trial Chamber. Ends
