Media Review: Friday 10 April 2020

Summary:

• African Business reports that with the initial lockdown period extended by an extra 14 days – ending on April 19, the government rolled out a food distribution scheme as a way of providing for the most vulnerable people in the society.

• Le Monde reports that as the lockdown has halted all public ceremonies, the Rwandan community took it to social media to remember and honour the victims of the Genocide against Tutsi.

• The East African reports that Rwanda has recalled a Kenyan-made anti-fungal cream following complaints of poor packaging that damages its quality standard.

• RFI reports that in Burundi, the delayed arrival of coronavirus was attributed to "God's protection". Now that the country has three cases, authorities again see divine intervention at work and little reason to interrupt everyday life.

• VOA reports that Botswana said the entire parliament, including the president and speaker, are under a 14-day mandatory quarantine Friday, a day after a health care worker at parliament tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

• Reuters reports that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson left intensive care yesterday evening as he continues to recover from COVID-19, but he remains under close observation in hospital.

Local News 

• President Paul Kagame has thanked different leaders from across the world who shared messages of comfort with Rwandans as the country started a one week commemoration of 26 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

• The family of Matthew Robert Wilson, a British national who passed away on April 3 in Kigali, says he died of natural causes, clearing rumours that he could have succumbed to COVID-19.

• State Minister in charge of East African Community (EAC) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe has been removed from his position.

=========================== Rwanda unveils social protection for the vulnerable during COVID-19 (African Business - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- With the initial lockdown period extended by an extra 14 days – ending on April 19, the government rolled out a food distribution scheme as a way of providing for the most vulnerable people in the society starting with the urban poor who are unable to work and have no garden to get food from during the lockdown. Read more Coronavirus : en France, les Rwandais se retrouvent sur Internet pour commémorer le génocide (Le Monde - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- A cause du confinement lié à la pandémie liée au coronavirus, toutes les cérémonies publiques et les commémorations officielles ont été reportées sine die. C’est donc sur les réseaux sociaux que la communauté rwandaise se recueille et se souvient de la tragédie qui a fait environ 800 000 morts, en grande majorité des Tutsi. Read more La France et le génocide des Tutsis: l'ONG Survie s'inquiète du point d'étape de l'enquête (RFI - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- Mais elle note suscite déjà l’inquiétude de l’association Survie, comme nous l'explique l’un de ses membres, Francois Granner, co-auteur du livre L’État français et le génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda, joint au téléphone par Pierre Firtion. Read more Rwanda recalls Kenyan-made anti-fungal cream over quality (The East African - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- Rwanda has recalled a Kenyan-made anti-fungal cream following complaints of poor packaging that damages its quality standard. Read more  I&M Bank Rwanda reduces interest rates by 0.5% to cushion customers from COVID-19 (CNBC Africa - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- In an attempt to ease the burden of high interest costs on customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, I&M Bank Rwanda has reduced their interest rates by 0.5 per cent. CNBC Africa spoke to CEO, Robin Bairstow for more. Watch more Burundi shrugs off pandemic, citing 'God's protection' (RFI - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- In Burundi, the delayed arrival of coronavirus was attributed to "God's protection". Now that the country has three cases, authorities again see divine intervention at work and little reason to interrupt everyday life. Read more Uganda's Museveni releases indoor workout video amid lockdown (Aljazeera - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has released a video to encourage people to keep fit at home under lockdown, after banning outdoor exercise in a bid to halt the spread of the new coronavirus. Read more Entire Botswana Parliament Under Quarantine After Health Care Worker Test Positive for COVID-19 (VOA - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- Botswana said the entire parliament, including the president and speaker, are under a 14-day mandatory quarantine Friday, a day after a health care worker at parliament tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Read more UK PM Johnson leaves intensive care, remains under observation (Reuters - Thursday 09 April 2020) --- Prime Minister Boris Johnson left intensive care on Thursday evening as he continues to recover from COVID-19, but he remains under close observation in hospital, his office said on Thursday. Read more Local News  Kwibuka 26: Thank You For Standing With Us- Kagame To World Leaders (KT Press - Thursday 09 April 2020) ---  President Paul Kagame has thanked different leaders from across the world who shared messages of comfort with Rwandans as the country started a one week commemoration of 26 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Read more Briton Who Died In Rwanda Tested Negative For COVID-19 (KT Press - Friday 10 April 2020) ---  The family of Matthew Robert Wilson, a British national who passed away on April 3 in Kigali, says he died of natural causes, clearing rumours that he could have succumbed to COVID-19. Read more  Nduhungirehe dropped from cabinet (The New Times - Friday 10 April 2020) --- State Minister in charge of East African Community (EAC) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe has been removed from his position. Read more IMF predicts worst economic fallout in 2020 (The New Times - Friday 10 April 2020) --- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that the global economy will witness sharp negative growth in 2020 when the institution releases its economic outlook next week, affecting at least 170 countries as a result of COVID-19. Read more Rwanda confirms three new COVID-19 cases (The New Times - Friday 10 April 2020) --- Rwanda has on Thursday, April 9, confirmed three more COVID-19 cases, increasing the country's total recorded positive cases to 113. As of now, seven of these reported cases recovered and the country has not yet recorded any death. Read more

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Rwandan Community Abroad- Turkey

Salim NIYIGENA- Coordinator Faustin RUTAYISIRE- Vice Coordinator Tel: +90 531 949 26 91 / +90 536 257 76 47