Some members of parliament recently suggested the idea of government rolling out special incentives for teachers to help uplift their welfare, which, they say will go a long way in boosting the quality of education in the country. The suggested incentives include a special duty free shop where teachers can buy groceries at subsidized prices, and providing their children with free education. The MPs’ proposals last week, on Friday, June 12, during the approval of an assessment report on issues affecting quality education, follow a request of a monthly minimum salary Rwf80,000 for a primary school teacher by the National Union of Teachers in Rwanda (SNER) in 2016. The union argued that minimum pay can somehow help a teacher meet their basic needs such as meals, transport, and accommodation.Currently, a freshly recruited primary school teacher earns less than Rwf50,000 a month. The argument is that teachers are financially constrained to afford even the basic needs of life, being among the least paid civil servants in the country. MP Frank Habineza suggested that there should be a special shop for teachers just like there is a shop for the army, police and correction service, as well as similar incentives that go towards community patrol officers (abanyerondo), so that they are able to buy commodities at affordable prices. “Because a teacher gets a low salary, we should probably think of something like Umwalimu Shop to help them easily access basic groceries for their families which whelp to improve the quality of education,” he said. Techers have welcomed the idea. Laurent Habuhazi, a teacher at Groupe Scolaire Karama in Karama Sector, in Huye District, Southern Province. He has been a primary school teacher since 2016, and he gets Rwf50,000 salary per month, which he describes as meager. “I have to pay for accommodation and meals. Such salary cannot even cover subsistence expenses,” he said adding that personal development initiative like building a house remains a mirage. Though there is Umwalimu SACCO, a teachers’ Savings and Credits Cooperative, Habuhazi said that small salary is a hindrance for him to benefit from the cooperative. Umwalimu SACCO offers loans to teachers based on their salary at relatively lower interest rate of 11 percent compared to loans from other commercial banks whose interest rate is between 14 per cent and 20 per cent “If I get a loan, and say Rwf25,000 is deducted from my monthly salary to pay back the loan, I will be getting Rwf25,000 per month, which cannot cover my basic needs such as accommodation and meals,” he said. He said that the recommendation to set up shops where they can get groceries cheaply. “If a person was spending Rwf20,000 on meals, and the expense drops to Rwf10,000 [a month], then they can save the Rwf10,000 for development purposes,” he said. The General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers in Rwanda (SNER), Stephanié Mukangango said special shops for teachers would be helpful. She however acknowledges the government’s interventions already in place such as Umwalimu SACCO in which she said government injects Rwf5 billion per year to support teachers get much needed credit. She said that in 2019, there were 66,401 teachers in primary and secondary public schools, indicating that the former accounted for 42,062, while the latter were 24,339 teachers. ‘A teacher deserves more’ For MP Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye, a teacher has a great role to play in achieving quality education, and should be motivated to do their work. “There should be incentives to teachers such as guaranteeing them that their children will study up to university free of charge, That can motivate a teacher to like that [teaching] job, as well as commit to ensuring that a student gets quality education,” she said. MP Christine Mukabunani said that motivation for teachers is vital to the attainment of quality education. “A teacher is at the core of education. As long as they are not provided with adequate means to provide for their families, quality education will not be achieved,” Mukabunani said, underscoring the need for raising teacher’ remuneration. Source: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/why-mps-want-more-incentives-teachers
Ishyaka riharanira Demokarasi no kurengera Ibidukikije mu Rwanda (Democratic Green Party of Rwanda: DGPR), riravuga ko Guverinoma iri kureba ku nyungu gusa ntirebe ingaruka kubaka Ikigo cy’Ubumenyi n’Ikoranabuhanga mu bya Nucléaire, bizateza abanyarwanda. Ku wa Mbere tariki 15 nibwo Inteko rusange y’Umutwe w’Abadepite mu Nteko Ishinga Amategeko y’u Rwanda, yatoye umushinga w’itegeko ryemera kwemeza burundu amasezerano hagati ya Guverinoma y’u Rwanda n’iy’u Burusiya y’ubufatanye mu kubaka Ikigo cy’Ubumenyi n’Ikoranabuhanga mu bya Nucléaire ku butaka bw’u Rwanda. Abadepite babiri bo muri DGPR nibo batoye ‘oya’ kuri iryo tegeko ryemeje ko amasezerano u Rwanda n’u Burusiya byasinyiye i Sochi ku wa 24 Ukwakira 2019, yemezwa burundu. Dr Frank Habineza yavuze ko ingufu za Nucléaire zizateza ibyago byinshi kurusha ibyiza zazana. Yavuze ko guturana n’izo ngufu ari nko guturana n’igisasu cya Nucléaire n’ubundi gishobora guturika kigatwara ubuzima kikangiza umutungo w’igihugu n’ibihugu bituranyi. Yavuze kandi ko uburyo abantu batuyemo nta hantu uruganda rwazo rwakubakwa hatanga umutekano ku banyarwanda. Ati “Nk’uko tubizi ahantu hari za Nucléaire hapfa abantu bari muri za miliyoni. Dore n’ubu ukuntu Abanyarwanda dutuye n’uko ubucucike bwacu bumeze, ahantu yaba hose nta ho wavuga ngo hariherereye honyine wayishyira ngo ntizagire ikibazo ku Banyarwanda kandi ingaruka zayo zimara igihe kirekire cyane. Si akantu koroshye nka sitasiyo ya lisansi cyangwa guturana n’umunara wa telefoni, oya rwose ni uguturana n’igisasu, noneho n’igisasu cya Nucléaire ntabwo ari n’igisasu kiri aho wavuga ngo icya Katyusha, oya ni icya kirimbuzi.” Mugenzi we Jean Claude Ntezimana yakomeje avuga ko ibisigazwa n’ibindi bizajya biva muri icyo kigo bizateza ikibazo gikomeye ku banyarwanda. Muri rusange ishyaka rya Green Party ryatangaje ko “babajije ibyo bibazo kubera ko byaragaraga neza ko Komisiyo yasesenguye uwo mushinga mu Nteko Ishinga Amategeko na Guverinoma bari kugaragaza gusa uruhande rw’inyungu zo kuzana Ikigo cy’Ubumenyi n’Ikoranabuhanga mu bya Nucléaire, ariko ntibagaragaze ibibazo bizateza, bagamije ko abadepite batora babyemeza”. Dr.Frank Habineza, yashimangiye ibyago icyo kigo kizazana birimo n’ikiguzi gihambaye cyo guhangana n’ingaruka kirimbuzi, atanga ingero ku kigo cya Fukushima mu Buyapani, cyatangaje ko bizagisaba miliyari 365 z’amadolari ya Amerika. Yavuze ko izi ari ingufu za kera zitakigezweho kandi zemejwe ko zifite ingaruka ku bidukikije bityo ko zitazanwa mu Rwanda nk’agashya mu gihe ibihugu bimwe na bimwe biri kuzamagana kubera ububi bwazo. Ibisigazwa n’amazi yanduye biva muri icyo kigo nabyo ngo bizateza ikibazo gikomeye ku bidukikije mu gihugu, mu baturanyi ndetse n’Isi muri rusange. Ikirenze kuri ibyo, ibikoresho by’ibanze bikenerwa nka Uranium bisohora imirase yangiza, ibyo bikaba ari ibibazo bikomeye ku baturage no ku bidukikije. Iri shyaka ntabwo ryigeze rishyigikira uwo mushinga kuva mu 2018 u Rwanda rutangira kwemeranya n’u Burusiya ko byawufatanyamo. Muri Werurwe umwaka ushize iri shyaka ryatangaje ko uwo mushinga ari ikiza ku Rwanda n’ibihugu birukikije. Minisitiri w’Ibikorwaremezo, Amb Claver Gatete, yavuze ko hagendewe ku cyerekezo 2050 u Rwanda rwiteze ko siyansi izaba ifite uruhare runini mu nzego zitandukanye z’ubuzima byaba ari ikibazo hadakoreshejwe ingufu za Nucléaire. Ati “Tutabikoze na gato tukabyihorera twagira ikibazo ahubwo gikomeye cyane kubera ko ari ibyo kurya dukura hanze y’igihugu biba birimo Nucléaire ntabwo tuzi icyo twabikoraho tudafite nubwo bumenyi. Iyo muza hano cyangwa ugiye aho ariho hose bya byuma byo gusaka banyuzamo hasi biba bifitemo Nucléaire none ntituzi uko tugomba kubishyingura.’’ “Ibyo dukoresha hano yaba mu buzima, mu buhinzi, mu bucukuzi bw’amabuye, mu nganda, tudafite ubwo bumenyi twaba dufite ikibazo gikomeye cyane kuko ntituzi uko twabigenza. icyo dushyiriraho iki kigo ni ukugira ngo kiduhe bwa bumenyi tudafite.” U Rwanda ubu rufite abanyeshuri 50 biga mu Burusiya, rugiye kohereza abandi 20 ndetse rushaka kohereza n’abandi muri Amerika, mu Burayi, muri Aziya kugira ngo rugire itsinda rifite ubumenyi butandukanye. Source: https://www.igihe.com/amakuru/u-rwanda/article/ishyaka-rya-green-party-ryamaganye-iyubakwa-ry-ikigo-cy-ubumenyi-mu-bya
On Monday, 15th June, during a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies-Rwanda Parliament, two Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, MPs, voted against the law approving the ratification of the agreement between Rwanda and Russia on cooperation in the construction of the Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology on the territory of Rwanda, which was signed in Sochi, on 24th October 2019. Why did Green Party MPs Vote Against the Nuclear Center law: Hon.Dr Frank Habineza said that nuclear energy would cause more harm than good. He continued that “Living near a nuclear energy plant is like living near a nuclear bomb which can explode and cause destruction of life and property to the nation and its neighboring countries. Considering the high population density of Rwanda, there is no place where the plant can be built and the safety of Rwandans and neighbors will be at great risk,” he said. Hon.Jean Claude Ntezimana said that “nuclear waste management would pose a serious challenge for Rwanda. He queried whether the possible benefits and side-effects of the nuclear Centre were weighed to ascertain whether the Nuclear Centre is important or not important for Rwandans”. This question was posed because it was clear the Parliamentary commission and the Government only focused on the advantages of having the nuclear center in Rwanda and never mentioned any disadvantage so that MPs could make an informed judgement. Hon. Dr.Frank Habineza, highlighted several dangers of having the nuclear center in Rwanda, which included: High risk to exposure of radiation to the population in case of an accident and high costs involved to deal with the impacts of nuclear damage and leaks, giving examples of Fukushima in Japan and Chernobyl in Ukraine He also mentioned that, nuclear energy is an old technology with proven risks to the environment and the planet which should not be thought of as an innovation to the Republic of Rwanda, since many of developed nations like Germany, Sweden are all de-nuclearizing, because of so many dangers involved. Furthermore, he stated that, nuclear waste and water pollution from the nuclear plant would cause a serious environmental challenge to the country, its neighbors and the world at large. More to that, raw materials needed to operate the nuclear Center, such as Uranium emit harmful levels of radiation, which is a great risk to the population and the environment. -End -
This Friday 12th June 2020 during a plenary session in Rwanda Parliament, Dr.Frank Habineza pleaded for teachers to get a specialised market, as it is the case for those working in the security sector and an increament in thier salary, since the past increament did little to change thier livelihood, this would help in the improvement of quality education. Below are the submisions: Government is requested to establish a special market for teachers (Umwarimu ISOKO), whereby teachers could be able to purchase necessities on a subsidized price, as it’s the case for Policemen, Soldiers and local security personnel (Abanyerondo) Ensure that all pupils and students get something to eat while at school. I have proposed to at least take porridge at break-time (10:00 AM) and at Lunch time (12:00-13:00), since providing food has become difficult. Parents are encouraged to contribute something in order to make this a success. I have renewed the call to increase teacher’s salary, since the past increment made no significant changes to their income and livelihood. -End
The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda would like to inform the public that it neither owns nor supports a new online Newspaper in the names of Rwanda Tribune. It has come to our attention that Rwanda Tribune and its social media platforms have published some articles attacking other politicians. We hereby disassociate ourselves from those publications. Whomsoever that contributed to those articles did so on their own capacity and not in the names of the party. Facts about ownership of this Newspaper can be retrieved from the office of the Registrar General, at Rwanda Development Board and from the Rwandan Association of Media Professional (ARJ). We take on this opportunity to caution all party members who occupy positions in the party structures but are at the same time working as journalists to either resign from the party leadership portfolios with immediate effect or stop working as journalists, since the Rwandan media Law, does not allow active politicians to work as journalists. Done at Kigali, 12th June 2020 Dr. Frank Habineza [MP] President, DGPR
Democratic Green Party s new National Executive Committee Members Approved by the Political Bureau, 20th July 2019 During its ordinary seating on 20th July 2019, the Political Bureau elected new Party Commissioners and therefore, confirmed the new National Executive Committee. It’s imperative to note that in addition to the Commissioners the National Executive Committee is also made up of 9 members from the Central Executive Committee who were elected by the Party Congress last year. Below is the full list of NEC Members. Central Executive Committee: President: Hon.Dr.Frank HABINEZA First Vice President: Ms.Carine MAOMBI Second Vice President: Mr.Leonard GASHUGI Secretary General: Hon.Jean Claude NTEZIMANA Deputy Secretary General: Ms.Seraphine MUKAMANA National Treasurer: Ms. Icyizanye MASOZERA Deputy National Treasurer: Ms. Denyse MUKANSANGA Organizing Secretary: Ms. Aime Marie UWIZEYIMANA Communication Secretary: Mr.Jean Deogratious TUYISHIME Commissioners: Commissioner General: Mr.Alexis MUGISHA Commissioner for Economic Affairs: Mr.Alphonse RURANGWA Commissioner for Democracy and Good Governance: Mr.Peter NDUWAYEZU Commissioner for International Relations and Diplomacy: Mr.Vincent HABUMUGISHA Commissioner for Environmental Affairs: Mr. Jean Marie Vianey MWISENEZA Commissioner for Gender and Youth: Ms. Jackie UWERA Commissioner for Vulnerable Groups: Ms. Goreth NIMUKUZE Commissioner for Legal and Human Rights Affairs: Ms. Antoinette MUKARUREMA Commissioner for Elections and Mobilization: Mr.Eugene RANGIRA Commissioner for Planning, Research and Development: Ms. Berna MUKANDOLI Commissioner for Civil Society Affairs: Mr. Peter NDAMUKUNDA Commissioner for Political and Cultural Affairs: Mr.Sylvestre HITIMANA Commissioner for Information and Communication: Mr. Augustin MPARAYE
Parliament Chamber of Deputies has revisited the organic law governing elections to allow the bill to make sense to the current situation four years after the latest review.The law of 2003 revised in 2015, was tabled for approval on July 22. However, it came with the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda raising debate on major changes that will come with the new bill. The new bill retained that the initiative to call a referendum lies within the ambit of the President of the Republic and a Presidential Order determines the election day of referendum and its purpose. However, using his experience from running for the 2017 presidential election, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) President Dr. Frank Habineza said that the law was limiting in many aspects especially requiring an independent to gather the required signatures and limiting the powers to the president to call for referendum. “Why is it not possible to have citizens call for a referendum? As we saw in the 2015, citizens proposed one to vote on presidential term limits,” Dr. Habineza said. Also in other points, an independent presidential candidate will be required to collect 600 signatures or fingerprints, including at least twelve (12) people in each District. This according to Green Party was another challenge. “It is better we reconsider this because to get 600 people endorse a candidate is a problem. I would rather suggest that a candidate should bring 200 signatures as it is required in the registration of a political party,” Habineza said. The chairperson of Political and Gender Equality Committee Emma-Furaha Rubagumya said that retaining the number at 600 signatures intended to show that the candidate is capable of being a leader. “If one cannot raise 600 signatures, I am tempted to doubt their capacity to be a good leader,” Rubagumya said, asking the Minister of Local Government, Prof. Anastase Shyaka to elaborate the logical perspective behind this choice. Prof. Shyaka said that to keep the number at 600 signatures was informed by the constitution, and the fact that one has to show that they are able to represent a community of 12million Rwandans. Green Party’s Dr. Habineza also opposed a requirement for independents to collect at least 5% of the votes asking that this should be reduced to at least 2% or 1%. Habineza was also joined by fellow party member MP Pie Nizeyimana to oppose the passing of the articles requiring candidates for the 80 parliamentary seats to present power of attorney papers and to bring recommendations from their party presidents. Meanwhile, registration for senate candidates for September 17 elections kicked off on July 22 and will run through August 9. Source: https://ktpress.rw/2019/07/parliament-passes-the-amended-electoral-bill/
On July 20 last week, I was invited to engage members of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda on the delicate but important subject of electoral reform, the political and electoral systems, and how to strengthen democratic institutions in the country. Interestingly, during the question and answer session, the recurrent question asked and commented on by members is “why the Green party hasn’t yet been ‘given’ cabinet and other positions in government yet it’s a constitutional requirement”. The President of the party, Dr. Frank Habineza responded to his members by saying that he has raised the issue with concerned authorities─like the Senate and Rwanda Governance Board and the Speaker of the Lower Chamber of Deputies, without getting a response. Habineza added that that he will be writing to the President of the Republic as the custodian of the Constitution requesting him to do the needful. At a press conference with journalists after the training and meeting of his party’s politiburo, Habineza repeated his call for cabinet positions. In the September 2018 parliamentary election, the Green Party and PS-Imberakuri garnered the required constitutional threshold of 5 percent to join parliament and each secured two seats in the Lower Chamber of parliament. Legally, this milestone gives these parties a legal right to be represented in government. Article 62 of the 2003 Constitution stipulates that, in the spirit of power-sharing, cabinet positions will be distributed in proportion to seats held in parliament, and parties represented in parliament will also be represented in government. Paragraph One of Article 62 states: “Power sharing is respected in State institutions in accordance with the fundamental principles set out under Article 10 of this Constitution and the provisions of other laws”. While it must have been an oversight on the part of constitutional framers to suggest “power-sharing in state institutions”─which by definition “state institutions” would include the military, police, security agencies and prisons, we will take it that constitution framers meant the “government” NOT “state institutions”. For while a state is permanent and its members not elected or a result of “sharing” from different parties, government is elected for a specific period of time─currently seven years and five years in the revised constitution of 2015. What power-sharing in government would mean is, besides presence in cabinet, political parties represented in Parliament would also get positions in other institutions of government and ambassadorial positions. Specifically, Paragraph Three of the above article states: “Cabinet members are selected from political organisations on the basis of seats held by those political organisations in the Chamber of Deputies. However, a political organisation holding the majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies cannot have more than fifty (50%) per cent of Cabinet members. It is not prohibited for other competent persons to be appointed to Cabinet”. The Green Party members have been consistent in demanding that this provision of the constitution be implemented. The reasons why no member of the Green Party or PS-Imberakuri has been appointed either to cabinet or any other position in government, have only remained a matter of speculation. Some assert that, perhaps, these parties haven’t yet gained the confidence of the appointing authority, to be entrusted with weighty responsibilities. Others claim that since these parties are still “small” and nascent, they don’t have enough qualified and experienced members to serve in high positions while others say that, perhaps, the President hasn’t found time to scrutinize and decide who to appoint to what position in government. Whatever the reasons however, appointing some members of the Green-Party and PS-Imberakuri would advance constitutional rule and consolidate “consensual-powering” political settlement. Remember, this political settlement has origins in our violent and exclusionist politics that the post-genocide leadership decided to abandon in favour of inclusive and consensual politics to undermine violent contestations for power. This also means that, despite some individuals who claim that the demand made by the Green Party for position in government is only an individual plea for positions motivated by self-aggrandizement on the part of its leaders, is superfluous. This demand is, instead, a call for a higher cause: strengthening constitutional rule through implementing constitutional provisions. Remember, Article 98, Paragraph Two of the Constitution states that: “The President of the Republic is the defender of the Constitution and the guarantor of national unity”. And Article 112 empowers the president to enact presidential orders, including orders appointing and dismissing ministers and various other senior officials in government. Clearly, it’s a constitutional responsibility for the President, as the custodian of our constitution to do the needful, and it’s appropriate for aggrieved parties to request him to fulfil this important constitutional requirement. Doing so would also greatly strengthen what the preamble to our constitution says; which is that, Rwandans “COMMITTED to building a State governed by the rule of law” and “building a State based on consensual and pluralistic democracy founded on power sharing”. Dr.Chritopher KAYUMBA Source:https://www.chronicles.rw/2019/07/23/giving-green-party-and-ps-imberakuri-govt-positions-would-advance-constitutional-rule/
