As a part of a larger objective to spread financial services to all Rwandans and improve the links between the financial system and the masses, the launch of BioCash will lay a basis for MobiCash and for local Banks to reach people in locations that remain underserved, particularly hard-to-reach rural areas.

This new fingerprint banking system is available to every Rwandan over 16 years old, with a national ID card. Using existing fingerprint records for the national ID cards, the system exists to allow people to connect their fingerprint to a virtual bank account.

Speaking to the press yesterday after the launch, Patrick Gordon Ngabonziza, the group chief executive officer said “the mobile banking service is flexible and customers can access their accounts through proximity agents where they can register to open up accounts, deposit, withdraw and transfer money.”

“This is a mobile money platform that seeks to serve the rural poor through microfinance institutions and retail agents, including supermarkets and drug shops. You can easily load, transfer, pay, give or retrieve cash from your phone with very simple and user friendly Interactive Voice Response (IVR) based services or through the MobiCash website”, he added.

Once a BioCash account has been set up, transactions can be made without the ID card, and users are authenticated using only their fingerprint. MobiCash expects this new system will also reduce the instances of robberies in the country, as there will be less need to carry cash or credit cards as this system is adopted and reaches a critical mass.

A recent Research Note from BiometricUpdate.com suggests rising rates of security breaches and fraud have made the need for highly secure identification and verification systems extremely important and as a result, biometric banking solutions are being embraced rapidly in emerging economies.

A similar system to the BioCash in Rwanda is already underway in India. Grameena Vikas Bank has opened 105 “ultra small branches,” which essentially consist of a handheld biometric scanner to authenticate and verify users remotely. The system has also been launched in Uganda, Burundi, South Africa, and will soon open in Kenya and Tanzania.

Christophe Semuhungu, the police spokesman for Rwanda’s Eastern Province, said rescue workers from the police and the military had found no more bodies after combing through the rubble of the building in the eastern Rwanda district of Nyagatare.

He said at least 30 workers were injured in the Tuesday afternoon incident. Most were being treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital, he said, but some were in critical condition. He said the construction site employed about 45 workers but some were not on duty when the building fell.

In a statement police had earlier described the building collapse as “an unfolding tragedy.” It remained unclear what caused the collapse.

In recent years building collapses have become frequent in East and Central African countries as some property developers bypass regulations to cut costs. In March, a building collapsed in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, killing at least 30 people.

The cabinet-approved budget frame work paper shows that government spending will increase from Frw 1.4 trillion to 1.6 trillion in the 2013/14 fiscal year.

Addressing both chambers of Parliament Minister Gatete noted that the provisional 2013/14 fiscal budget is aligned to the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2).

According to resource allocation plan, Frw 808 billion which represent the 50% of the total fiscal budget will be spent on EDPRS2 thematic areas which include economic transformation, rural development, productivity and youth employment as well as accountable governance.

Economic transformation has been allocated Frw 511.4 billion (31%). This allocation will focus on agriculture transformation, increase in exports, infrastructure development and driving-off farm jobs through creation of secondary cities.

In Rural development, the Frw 161.4 billion (10%) allocation will be channeled to integrated land approach to land use and rural settlement, increase in agriculture productivity, integrated social protection programs and connecting rural populations to economic opportunities through improved infrastructure.

The productivity and youth employment pillar will take up Frw 104.5 billion (6%) and it will be used to increase off- farm jobs, develop skills and link them to labor markets.

The Frw 40.8 billion (3%) allocated to accountable governance will be used to strengthen citizen participation in delivery of development, improved accountability, service delivery and security.

The expenditure plan will also allocate Frw 676.2 billion which is equivalent to 42% of the total provisional budget to strengthen foundational issues that have already been achieved in EDPRS1. These include: macroeconomic stability, universal access to primary health, education, rule of law and proper management of public funds among others.

However for the above allocations to be expedited properly, the budget has allocated Frw 132 billion (8% of total provisional budget) for support functions such as coordination, diplomatic activities among others.

Cabinet approved last week the Second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2). The elaboration process was launched in February 2012 by His Excellency President Paul Kagame. The EDPRS2 was developed through a participatory approach that included wide consultations with the public and various stakeholders.

The strategy follows the successful implementation of EDPRS I (2008 – 2012) which registered a unique hat trick of; high growth (8.2%), poverty reduction and reduction in inequality. This resulted in more than one million people being lifted out of poverty and made important strides towards the achievement of the Vision 2020 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

EDPRS2 targets to transform Rwanda into a middle income economy. This will be achieved through accelerated growth averaging 11.5% from 2013 to 2018 and reduced poverty from 44.9% to 30% over the same period.

These targets are set to be achieved through four thematic areas and foundational issues that include: Economic Transformation, Rural Development, Productivity and Youth Employment as well as Accountable Governance.

The Strategy will put a strong focus on growing the private sector, increasing exports, urbanization and rural development, increasing agriculture productivity, creating jobs especially for the youth and improving efficiency in service delivery in both public and private sectors.

The strategic plan that has been approved is the seventh of its kind that offers guidance to the numerous achievements that have been realized by the combined efforts of three countries of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo; implemented through Rwanda Development Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority and Congolese Institute of Conservation and Nature-ICCN, with their partners in the region.

Talking about the new strategic plan, Rica Rwigamba, the Chairperson of GVTC and Head of Tourism and Conservation at the Rwanda Development Board said; “The strategic plan that was reviewed today came up with a reinforced legal framework of the trans boundary collaboration to enable our countries to ensure a better management of the wildlife ecosystems in the region”.

The strategic plan that was adopted by the regional collaboration aims at improving the conservation of wildlife habitats in the three countries and strengthens the ecological services and thus contributes to improving the socio-economic benefits to the communities.

The Greater Virunga Landscape is estimated to have 880 Mountain Gorillas, which accounts for almost half of the total number of the primates in the world. Gorilla tracking is one of the most high-profile tourism activities in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Eastern Congo.
It attracts thousands of visitors to the region and makes up the largest share of tourism-related income for the RDB – Tourism & Conservation, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and ICCN.

In 2006, a 10-Year Trans-boundary Strategic plan for the Greater Virunga was developed and approved through a participatory process by the three Protected Areas Authorities of Rwanda, Uganda and DRC.

Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration is a Mechanism for strategic, transboundary, collaborative management of the Greater Virunga Landscape. Set up by Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN), Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Uganda Wildlife Authority(UWA) with their partners in the region, it started with ranger collaboration to protect mountain gorillas in Mgahinga, Bwindi, Virunga and Volcanoes NPs in 1991.

Later it has expanded in scope (tourism, community conservation and research and monitoring). The area also now extends to central and north Virunga (DRC), Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki NPs (Uganda). The Executive Secretariat sits from 2008 in Kigali to coordinate and link stakeholders on behalf of the Protected Area Authorities.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources is well known for its goals of ensuring food security, and promoting suitable and sustainable programs aimed at increasing crop production. Because there is an existing potential of increasing sugar cane production that is currently underutilized and unexploited, this memorandum was created in the hope of boosting the industry.

The MoU targets the sugarcane value chain. MINAGRI will be providing technical support to sugarcane growers through already-existing extension services, both at the national and district levels, as well as strengthen the organizational capacity of and mobilize the outgrowers by facilitating sugarcane stakeholder meetings. The Ministry will be working to introduce new, high-yielding, and resistant clones of sugarcane through the promotion of research. In addition, MINAGRI will target its efforts to mobilize funds aimed at wetlands development and water management infrastructure development in direct benefit of sugarcane cultivation.

In turn, Kabuye Sugar Works will be actively engaging in upland cultivation with the objective of expanding the land under sugarcane cultivation, and collaborating with public extension services to support farmers in improving farm management techniques to increase yields. Plans of modernization and expansion of the current sugar factory are to be facilitated by the company, with the objective of producing at least 50,000 tons of brown sugar annually.

Kabuye Sugar Works will be co-investing with the Dutch government in the Nyabarongo Land Reclamation Project with the objective of securing about 2,000 hectares of land from the Nyabarongo marshlands for sugarcane cultivation.

In attendance of the MoU signing was the Permanent Secretary of MINAGRI, Ernest Ruzindaza. Also in attendance was Mwine Jim Kabeho, Director of Madhvani Group of Companies, M. Thiru Navukkarasu, General Manager of Kabuye Sugar Works SARL, Plantation Manager P. Babu, Administration Manager Ansilme Habirama, and Telesphore Ntivuguruzwa, MINAGRI professional in charge of Export Crops.

“In terms of productivity, there must be a joint effort to embrace new areas for outgrowing systems and organizing farmers. We have to make sure that we have a proper forum so that the government, farmers, and private sector alike can discuss all kinds of issues. As the Ministry, it is our responsibility to provide this forum so that the sugar value chain will improve,” Permanent Secretary Ernest Ruzindaza stated as a conclusion to the MoU signing.

In a statement released in line with the International Labour Day marked yesterday, CESTRAR argued that their demand is based on the increasing market prices or cost of living especially in Kigali.

Trade Unions CESTRAR and the Labour Congress and the Brotherhood-Rwanda want the government to set the daily minimum wage for casual labourers at village level at Rwf 1,500 and Rwf 2,000 for those living in the City of Kigali.

The current minimum wage of Rwf100 was set in 1974 and Trade Unions say government should come out strongly to protect its labour force from what they term as exploitation.

They cited casual labourers such as tea pluckers said to be earning Rwf300 a day.

Others are in the construction industry and factories that are also said to be earning as low as Rwf 10,000 a month.

But Anna Mugabo, the Director General in charge of labour and employment in the Ministry of Public Service and Labour said the ministry is gathering ideas on minimum wage.

“All Rwandans as beneficiaries will have a say on it, and the ministry will make sure that it is fair and felects the life style as envisaged under the IDPRS 2,” she said yesterday.

Mugabo also said the labour law is clear.

“If an employee gets a problem, they should report to their employers, and if they do not respond satisfactoriry, the labour inspector can hear it and take action,” she said adding that employers should be fair to their staff.

Employees take

Employees who spoke to The New Times said there was need for a minimum wage and over time pay.

“Companies are growing but the win-win situation between the employers and employees is just a dream. We work for 18 hours per day but the salary is fixed. Most employees fear to complain lest they be dismissed,” an employee of a telecom company in Kigali said.

“The salary rarely increases but prices shoot up all the time.”

A guard who earns Rwf40, 000 a month said the money is not enough to meet demands such as rent, food and school fees.

“Worse still, we never get a day off,” the guard said on condition of anonymity.

Employers react

However, some employers said they try their best as far as the welfare of workers is concerned.

Dr Jean Nyirinkwaya, the owner of La Croix du Sud Hospital said no salary is enough.

“If I pay you Rwf20 million every month, six month later you will ask for an increase,” he said.

M-AHWIII Ltd. is developing Agro-FIBA platform, which will serve as an interactive, real-time, and up-to-date channel providing farming techniques and market opportunities with easy access to farmers and farming cooperatives. It will also act as an interface between agro-experts, farmers, and cooperative facilitators. Experts from the Rwanda Agricultural Board are a source of information and guides communicating modern agricultural techniques to trained facilitators working with farmers, who can ensure quality and increased productivity of agro-based commodities. Long-term results are to improve food security and income generation.

This platform will connect farmers to markets using various ICT technologies, including the web and mobile technologies (SMS, IVR, USSD, etc.). More specifically, it will disseminate technical guidelines and expertise in extensions services, allow farmers to easily report pests and diseases, link farmers to potential agro-businesses and markets, as well as make opportunities present within government, donors, NGOs, financial institutions, and insurance agencies available to farmers and facilitate them to easily and cost-effectively pursue them.

This application will focus on three different interfaces, targeted towards agro-experts, facilitators and farmers, and buyers and sellers.
This is an opportunity to push farmers again to make their shift as passive farmers to active market players, aligning with national priorities of Rwanda during economic growth. The platform also poses a huge opportunity for basic ICT, agricultural capacity building amongst rural farmers and agro-dealers, and an efficient fertilizer distribution.

The meeting held on 23th april at MINAGRI discussed the joint UN Program new initiative by the four UN Agencies, namely: the United Nations for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP), all of whom are combining efforts to promote the economic empowerment of rural women in Rwanda.
UN Women, IFAD, FAO, and WFP agreed to spearhead a more comprehensive UN system response in support of rural women’s economic empowerment through a 5-year strategic program. The Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources is central to rural women’s economic empowerment through agriculture and livestock. Women play a significant role in agriculture, ranging from agriculture labor force, food security, production and nutrition, child rearing and unpaid domestic work, all amidst daily challenges, including restricted access to productive resources such as land, technology, finance, credit, and agriculture inputs.
This joint program will reduce costs, ensure collective accountability and responsiveness, and most importantly, create effective outcomes in socioeconomically empowering rural women among other comparative advantages. The new joint initiative will also focus on an integrated way to eliminate malnutrition and provide social protection to the vulnerable. The program will work with stakeholders within the local government, the private sector, NGOs, donors, and governments to eliminate malnutrition and increase income opportunities.
The meeting was concluded with a recommendation to carry out a study on how best to deal with vulnerability. A stakeholders’ consultative workshop on the joint UN Program accelerating progress toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women is planned to take place mid-May of 2013.

John Bosco Sendahangarwa, the Head of ZEZAR said that “the regulations will facilitate us to ensure that the zone is governed in a more transparent and flexible way and that the investor experience is even made much better.”

He added that the issuance of the regulations will effectively enable the Developers and Operators to acquire the necessary licences which clearly provide for streamlined procedures. A similar regulation for various Special Economic Zone users would serve a similar purpose; with these particular regulations, SEZAR will now also commission the services of the One Stop Shop that will be established in the SEZ. “This will go a long way to ensure that the investor experience is truly enhanced.” Sendahangarwa explained. Currently, the users in the first phase are 54 with 89 plots and 7 for the second phase.

The four regulations issued by SEZAR were gazetted in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda No.08 of 25/2/2013 are:

Regulation No. 02/2012/SEZAR of 20/12/2012 on the Zones One-Stop-Shops. The Special Economic Zones Regulatory Authority of Rwanda (SEZAR) will be empowered to set-up a one-stop-shop for each Zone to provide the Developer, Operator, Zone Users and Zone Residents streamlined procedures in a single one-stop-shop assembling representatives from all relevant and concerned governmental bodies.

Services to be rendered by the One-Stop-Shop will include all services which might be required by Zone Developer, Operator, Zone Users, and Zone Residents including those required for entry, stay and residence, start-up, operation and closing of business. The One-Stop-Shops shall be administratively managed by SEZAR.

Regulation No. 01/2012/SEZAR of 20/12/2012 on the Development and Operation of Special Economic Zones.
The purpose of this regulation is to regulate Zone developers and operators through the issuance of the Developer/Operator licenses of the Rwanda Special Economic Zones.

The issuance of Licenses shall be followed by the execution with SEZAR and the selected developer and operator of a development or operator agreement.

In the event of violation of the Zones Law, its implementing orders, the license, the provisions of the developer agreement or operator agreement or any Law by the Zone developer or operator licensee, SEZAR reserves the final decision to the effect.

Regulation No. 03/2012/SEZAR of 20/12/2012 on the Special Economic Zones Users
This regulation regulates Special Economic Users licenses, rights and obligations which means that any applicant wishing to obtain a Zone User license should submit an application with SEZAR in its office.

SEZAR shall either grant or reject the granting of the Zone User license within three (3) working days from the date of submission of a complete application. Application forms will also be available on the SEZAR website that is still under construction. This will provide a facility for on-line application.

Regulation No. 04/2012/SEZAR of 20/12/2012 on the Designation of Special Economic Zones in Rwanda.
This regulation regulates the procedure for the designation of Special Economic Zones.

All determinations of Zone designation shall be based on written applications submitted to SEZAR. Such applications may be prepared and filed by either private, public or public-private applicants, including SEZAR itself which can decide to establish a Zone based on its own initiative. The application submitted by an entity other than SEZAR must be in the form provided by SEZAR. Such a form will also be available on the SEZAR website that is currently under construction and on-line applications will be highly recommended.

SEZAR shall ensure that the evaluation criteria provided for by the Law regulating Special Economic Zone in Rwanda and those provided for by Article 10 of this Regulation are adhered to before recommending the designation of a particular Zone.

The Special Economic Zones provide designated, serviced land for small and large scale industrial development, as well as reliable, quality infrastructure, competitive fiscal regulations and streamlined administration procedures. The Special Economic Zones provide the opportunity to cluster anchor tenants with suppliers and other service providers, thereby creating jobs in skilled sectors and encouraging knowledge transfer.