Diva magazine issue15

EMPOWERED TO INSPIRE

Oct - Dec 2015

TRADESeCretS

ModelinGBeyond Borders

DoINg BusINessIN rwaNDa Color

the poWerful mood-setting

toolJoB creatIoNCOVER STORY

INGABIREHARRIET FREECOPY

Issue No. 15

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editor’s noteIt’s always a pleasure sharing with our readers stories from

across Rwanda. Stories that tell the Rwandan story. Stories

that culturally bind us to appreciate our unique heritage.

Some stories may be about renown persons; persons who

have made it in life. Some stories though may be about

humble people who nevertheless tell humbling stories.

One such person is Harriet Ingabire. As heart-breaking

stories continue to emerge on immigrants dying in the high

seas trying to reach Europe. You will recall the 80s to date

when the in-thing was to go to the West, "the land of plenty

and opportunity". And yes, Harriet did make it. She went to

school there, got a lucrative job, which she later abandoned

to follow her passion back home in Rwanda. We urge you to

read about how this proprietor of Redrocks is giving back to

the Rwandan community.

The world is moving towards the ‘Entrepreneurial

Globe’. It’s no secret that economic development lies in

entrepreneurship. The more people engage in businesses,

the more jobs and tax they create to develop our nation.

That’s why the story of two young entrepreneurs, Maria

Mayaja and Monica Umwari of Angaza Rwanda already

turning heads in the global market is something Rwanda

should be proud of.

Even the employment sector is responsible for driving

forth an economic agenda. Are you employed but feel

short-changed, that your employer did not deliver on

his promises? Well, see how you can match reality with

expectation in our career column, to enable you work as a

fulfilled individual.

You will like to read about Alexia Mupende who is taking

her modeling career to the international runway.

If Social media is interfering with your prayer life or quality

life with God, our devotion shares with you some of the

things you may need to do to avoid detaching yourself from

God, the source and sustainer of our lives.

We are indeed delighted to present you with stories in the

field of law, where you are encouraged to learn certain trade

secrets; interior design where you will learn the importance

of colour in our homes; health where developing good habits

of curiosity as a patient is necessary.

We never tire of appreciating those who touch and change

our lives. You, our readers, are such people. We value your

response too so please feel free to contact us with both

negative and positive feedback because we are committed to

continuous improvement. Enjoy.

Lillian M. Ndirima

PS: Remember to drop us a line or two on

[email protected]

CONTENTS

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Social Media In Your Life?

Cover Story: Harriet Ingabire

Job Creation

Modeling Beyond Borders

Doing Business In Rwanda

Special Economic Zone: Program

Economies Of The World

Barrack Obama And His Visit To Neighbouring Kenya

Start-Up Businesses

Matching Reality With Expectations

You Need To Be A Smart Patient

Color The Powerful Mood-Setting Tool

Trade Secret

The Role Of Internet Intermediaries In Defamatory Content

Riddles

Talk To Aunt Umulisa

Recipe: Slow Cook Thai Chickens

Your Feedback!

SALES & MARKETING

GLANCE MEDIA LTDP. O. Box 4665 Kigali, Gishushu, Nyarutarama Rd,Kigali - Rwanda

www.thedivamagazine-rw.com

All rights reserved. Production is whole

or in part without written permission is

strictly prohibited. The name The DIVA

is a registered trademark of Glance

Media Ltd.

Liberty; while every care is taken in

the preparation of this magazine the

publishers cannot be held responsible

for the accuracy of information herein

or any consequences arising from it.

PUBLISHERFALCON G. NDIRIMA

EDITORSLILLIAN M. NDIRIMAANN ANJAO

CONTRIBUTORSANN ANJAOCLAIRE NGANG’AEFUA HAGANFRED NKUSIJEANNE D'ARC CYUZUZOJOHN KABANAKUSTOMMARTHA AYUMAOSCAR KIMANUKAWILLIAM KARAIGA

PHOTOGRAPHYGlance Media Ltd

DESIGN AND LAYOUTGLANCE MEDIA LTD

devotion

What place have you Given

in your life?

social media

By Anne Anjao

One website reveals that 500 milliOn peOple are On Face bOOk, 175 milliOn On twitter, and YOutube

attracts mOre than 2 billiOn peOple a daY. it Further saYs peOple share mOre than 30 billiOn

pieces OF cOntent On Face bOOk each mOnth. there are 95 milliOn tweets a daY and mOre than

24-hOurs wOrth OF videO cOntent uplOaded everY minute. in additiOn, amOng the mOst “liked” Fan

pages On Face bOOk in 2010, ladY gaga’s page tOpped the list while religiOus OrganizatiOns, educatiOn, pharmaceutical cOmpanies, health,

and libraries Fared rather badlY.

THE DIVA Oct - Dec 20154

devotion

The website further reveals more interesting statistics. Among the top 10 status updates for 2010 on Face book, movies, the World Cup, the iPhone, and Justin Bieber, ruled the internet with people now spending 110 billion minutes a month on social networks.

While the merits and demerits of social media are well documented, the biggest problem with social media, in my opinion, is that it robs us of quality time we should be spending with God. What is in our hearts will reflect in the way we live our lives. What’s the first thing we reach for when we wake up? Is it the Bible, a prayer to God, a song of worship or is it the mobile phone?

How much time do you spend on social media per day? I know social media is pure bliss for those not driving but are caught up in the small but increasing, intricate and terribly annoying traffic jams.

Tucked away in coaster, bus or private car, one can easily get into social media and just while that one hour away. But how is one spending that one hour?

Probably engaged in singling people out for their sins. There are many self-righteous people out there who have perfected the art of judging others. They will dissect and analyze behaviour and use scripture to back up their judgment. The problem is social media is like a tick that won’t go away since posts can be retweeted or shared by hundreds of people in a multiplication effect.

Another one will give himself the place of a theological teacher and proceed to issue doctrine in 140 characters. Now these are simply nuggets of truth that are a disservice to the word of God. Instead of wasting five minutes in a venture that will not achieve the desired effect, why not spend one hour and do

a blog post or podcast? This is because God’s word needs elaboration and explaining in as many words as possible.

Then we have others who will want to engage in a war of words with other people on social media. It’s worse when such people are believers. Non- believers will simply cheer you on while enjoying themselves. Emotional responses on social media are not worth your time and effort. It is said we will never take back what we have published. This is not a forum for you to pour out your frustration. You are better off uttering a simple prayer to God than furiously typing away.

Still, believers too get caught up in political rants, especially nearing election time, even in international politics. It’s a shame to see us divided politically when we should all be counted as the body of Christ. We are humans after all and when we log onto Face book and

see a comment we think is annoying, we quickly offer our comments which degenerate into heated debates that leave sour tastes in many peoples’ mouths. Why not stay away from social media if you can’t control yourself?

Again there are those who will seek counsel on social media. A bad idea. Some people have warped minds so will say anything that will further depress you. The best counsel is to be found in none other than the living word of God.

There are people with a thousand friends but no meaningful relationships. A lot of time will be wasted following people and what they said, wishing unknown people happy birthday etc. Why not channel that energy and time to 10 people who mean the world to you in your life?

If social media is competing with God and His principles in your life, please ditch it.

THE DIVA Oct - Dec 2015 5

cover story

GivinG back to the coMMunity throuGh redrock

Harriet ingabire

what strikes you when you meet harriet is her contagious smile and the spirit of hospitality within her. her whole persona is a bedrock of phenomenal ideas and thus not surprising that she is the owner of red rocks.

By Cyuzuzo


cover story

Life does present itself with ironies for while many are dying in the high seas struggling to reach the West, some like Harriet opt to leave all that perceived land of opportunity and choose to set camp right here in Africa. Harriet stunned family and friends when she left a good job in Los Angeles, USA to settle in Musanze in search of answers and a sense of life.

The 25- year- old Rwandese who was born in Uganda was raised by her mother along with 8 brothers and sisters including foster brothers. Later, she went to the US and continued with her studies in the Social Sciences through the help of her foster mom.

Harriet said that after the age of 18, she was no longer interested in coming back to Rwanda, nor Africa. Instead, she would get her mom to visit. Slowly however, she felt she was getting lost; she was losing her connections and her identity: she no longer knew who she was.

Deep within her, she always thought about giving back to the community but always thought that would be an expensive venture.

“I always thought I needed a lot of money to actually do something for people…”

In 2013, she made that all important decision to return. She attended the Kwita Izina ceremony in Musanze and also reconnected with one of her foster brothers named Greg, now the owner of one of the successful transport businesses in Rwanda, Amahoro Tours. Greg told her about a nice corner of Musanze where he had a small piece of land and wanted to do something with it. Harriet picked it up from there as ideas began swimming in her mind.

Harriet decided to stay in Musanze, and with Greg they bought other land neighboring the one Greg already had. Harriet wanted to build something for tourists and at the same time benefit the community. She then asked local authorities in Muko Sector for a list of the poorest families in the area. She got a very long list and so she decided to stay with every family.

” I needed to know their lives. I needed to know what they wanted and to make sure we were on the same page so I stayed with every family that was on the list for 5 days each, “testifies Harriet.

Harriet was stunned by the poverty these families were living in, but marveled about how happy and contented they were with almost nothing.

After that experience, Harriet chose a few women to work with and together with her business partner Greg, she launched Red Rocks.

Harriet ingabire


reD rocks

Red Rocks is a guest house located near the IPRC School. Harriet once heard a tourist complaining about the fact that in Musanze, you only get to see gorillas and do hiking and then go back home and this comment greatly inspired her to bring change in Musanze.

” I therefore saw the need to introduce new and cheaper things to tourists that could also benefit local communities” says Harriet.

At Red Rocks, as a tourist, you experience camping life where in the evening you gather around a fire to listen to stories told by expert story tellers, good music and eat good local food. And the next day, if you want to, you can get to visit local families living on the islands of Lake Burera, stay there, go fishing with them or help to prepare meals which you also get to share.

If you want you can stay overnight and sleep in the same house as your hosts. The next morning you can get to see how women weave baskets, get cooking lessons, dancing lessons, milk goats, and many more. This once in a lifetime experience proposed by Red Rocks benefits the hosts as they get paid, but tourists always go back home holding in their hearts a glimpse of the everyday life of a common Rwandan family.

Women working with Harriet are appreciative of what this young woman has done for them. They are more independent, confident and can think for themselves. For instance, Gertrude Mukagasisi says that she provides for her family and is no longer dependent on her husband. Her husband in turn is happy about her achievements.

Rachel Nyiramucyo is also grateful to Harriet because she has now built a house for her family, owns some businesses and still plans to develop more and buy new land, as well as build a business house to rent.

For Harriet, Red Rocks is a way for the local community to benefit from tourists where they get to see their work and buy them. For Harriet, a better way to make these women and children independent is to teach them to think for themselves and not wait for aid.

Harriet believes that with this rhythm, in 2 years, these women can manage to run Red Rocks in her absence as she plans to go back to school. She believes that these women have learned to be independent and to think beyond finding food for one day.

Harriet also plans to build cottages for tourists, in the land she and Greg bought, and also construct houses for abused women, and those who still have no houses of their own.

cover story


every year, the world’s attention turns to rwanda as the annual kwita izina ceremony is held during the month of september. this ceremony that names new baby gorillas born in the past year is also a way to protect them from extinction.

How THE now fAmous AnnuAl EvEnT of

bEnEfiTs locAl communiTiEs

The Diva sought to find out how this event as well as proceeds from tourism benefits local communities neighboring the volcanoes.

Today the known number of mountain gorillas is only 786 worldwide, which is still low as this species is still hunted in some parts of the world.

In Rwanda, some measures to protect the gorillas as well as help local communities have been taken. As explained by the In -charge of the community partnership program, Mr. Janvier Kwizera, 4 activities have been put in place, which include community awareness which consists of holding meetings with local leaders and organizing competitions in schools about gorilla protection. Another activity has got to do with the human- wildlife conflict which seeks to find solutions to the problem of illegal entry into the forest by people and also finding solutions for animals like primates and buffalos that tend to get out of the park and damage peoples’ farms.Today, a 76 km stone wall stretching from Uganda,

cover story


passing through DRC and reaching Rwanda has been built to limit these animals from getting out of the forest. To avoid hunting, ex-poachers have been grouped into cooperatives doing different income generating activities like sculpture, beekeeping, as well as attending trainings provided by NGOS and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

Much as ex-poachers are enjoying a new beneficial way of life, it has also made them realize how dangerous they once were to mountain gorillas. The revenue from tourism is shared also amongst cooperatives by ex-poachers in the form of increased funding. Since 2005, 1.2m USD has been released to support these cooperatives. These funds are used in infrastructure, solving human- wildlife conflicts while the rest goes to cooperatives.

Some mechanisms have been put in place to prevent people from entering the forest illegally. These include a nursery that has been set up for bamboo trees which people used to look for in the forest. Now they have been provided with them which they can grow outside the forest, and make and sell furniture like chairs, beds, etc.

The Kwita Izina ceremony is an opportunity for these cooperatives to advertise their products and sell them. For Agnes Uwamahoro, the President of COOPAV-MARARO Cooperative, Kwita Izina has been a great

cover story

opportunity for them because they get a place to exhibit their products where they get more orders. They feel they are a part of Kwita Izina as they also benefit from it.However, they are still facing some challenges that include a small market for their goods, lack of marketing and some drivers who tend to divert tourists from them and take them somewhere else.

This cooperative that made 3 million Rwf from June to October, is an example of success by the community living around the Virunga forest.

Pleasantly, the RDB is still looking for long lasting solutions to problems that can affect the gains already registered for the gorilla conservation venture as well as seek ways to improve living standards of the communities living around the forest.


TwO DETERMINED LADIEs whO hAvE TAkEN ENTREPRENEuRshIP

TO A whOLE NEw LEvEL

Jobcreation

By John Kabana

if you are reading this, consider changing your goal post and focus on becoming a job creator.

how? maria mayaja and monica umwari, the co-Founders of angaza rwanda share their

secrets to becoming job creators.

angaza is a swahili word that means "to illuminate" or "to shed light”. the choice of

that name was no accident.

entrepreneurship


“Our aim is to be the pioneers of environmental solutions in Rwanda, by bringing forth fresh concepts through innovation and community engagement,” explains Monica who is the Marketing Director of the company. And so Angaza is literally illuminating Rwanda to the envy and admiration of many.

Their story is traced back to 2012 when Co-Founder Maria Mayaja and a number of classmates drawn up from her Environmental Engineering class took up the challenge to inspire kids from a nearby primary school in Kigali to test their creativity and this they did by showing the kids how to play some video games and making mosaics from bottle tops.

“I began thinking about how waste could be turned into something of value. Looking around, I discovered that nothing was being done with the waste material from advertising banners in

Kigali,” she continues.

Maria settled on bags. She decided to make some prototypes and show some friends to get their feedback and this is how she met Monica.

Their product received mixed reactions from people who could not understand how they could purchase a bag made of billboard canvas and Kitenge.

The young ladies, still in their twenties, were not ready to give up their bags no matter what. They decided to invest 50,000 francs which happened to be their entire savings combined. Getting a tailor who could internalize their idea was another daunting task.

After a hard search, they finally met Felicien Mutabazi who agreed to help them make the product but on a part-time basis. They made their first coin at a Christmas party at Serena. The year did not turn out as they had

anticipated. The challenge of running a business while still having a full time job weighed heavily on them.

In 2014 they both decided to part company with their employers and concentrate fully on their company. They registered the company and moved their offices to Kacyiru co-working space called the Office, where young entrepreneurs and technology innovators are offered office space, address and free high speed internet connection. Today their business is doing extremely well in the words of enthusiastic Monica, “Our business has picked up now and we are happy to say that more and more people are appreciating our products.”

Angaza products range from purses, wallets, handbags, laptop bags among others, all made from old advertisement billboard materials, beautiful Kitenge covers and of course intricate

designs that ensure that the end product is up to international standards.

They have identified their key market as Monica explains, “The interesting thing is that most of our clients are tourists, expatriates working in Rwanda, young professionals, the Diaspora community, government agencies and the corporate world. Actually, as we speak, we just completed a delivery of 500 laptop bags to Rwanda Rotary Club.”

Their products are also getting a lot of interest from the Diaspora community from all corners of the globe. They have already made several shipments to clients in the US and parts of Europe.

The two ladies have also been lucky to get top drawer mentorship from some of the best women entrepreneurs in the world. Monica for instance benefited from a three week training and

entrepreneurship


mentorship programme, an initiative by Peace through Business group. The training was held in Dallas, Oklahoma in the United States.

Maria too benefitted from a training programme held at Do School based in New York. She tells me the training was life changing. “I came back a totally different person. My thinking changed. I see things very differently today thanks to that programme. Women who have made it in the world of business continue to guide me even today. We have been able to evade many pitfalls in our young business, thanks to these mentors,” she explains.

The Angaza journey is getting even better every day. Just recently, the company won half a million francs after participating in a marketing competition sponsored by EDUCAT-Rwanda. They intend to use the money to expand their business in the coming months.

“We intend to do a soft

launch on 22nd August this year. Our main aim is to sell our brand. We want to reach as many people as possible not only in Rwanda but also in the region. We want to get our products to the supermarkets and exhibitions across East Africa in the coming months,” Monica says.

Angaza currently has three employees. This however is set to change in the coming months since plans are underway to open a much bigger workshop. They are also planning to start a training centre that will act like a think tank of new ideas on how to turn more waste materials into cash.

All this however has not come without challenges. Maria says the first year was the most difficult because they had a difficult time selling their idea to people. Every step was a trial. They had no capital to start and this meant sacrificing their little savings.

“Getting a tailor was the

most difficult part. It took us time before actually getting a tailor who could believe in us,” Monica continues.

Angaza has received numerous offers from big businesses both locally and in the region but they say they are not ready to give away any equity just yet. They want to try and take their business to the next level.

Maria and Monica would like to challenge other women to rise up and put their ideas to work. “You don’t need to wait until you have millions to start your business. No. Start with the little you have. Try selling your idea to friends and family members. Their feedback will tell you if your idea can work or not,” remarks Maria.

They have further advice: get a mentor. He or she does not have to come from your area. Try online too. Their experience is really important especially when you are starting. Reading is also important.

Join a book club if possible and learn as much as you can,” continues Monica. They also emphasize on the need to build a network, particularly on the importance of hanging out with like-minded people.

Their relationship with God has been vital in their journey. They attend the same church and this has helped them to learn even more about each other. As a result, they have developed respect for each other which they say has helped them to stay away from many challenges that come with partnerships.Their parting shot is, “believe in yourself and in your idea even if everybody in the room thinks it’s crazy”.

entrepreneurship


fashion

By Kustom

Beyond BordersModelinG


fashion

she was chosen to be the face of the Rwanda Film Festival. The next month she became the face of the Rwanda Fashion Upgrade where she was the opening and closing act of the fashion show organized by Rwanda Clothing, one of the big brands in the local fashion industry. She started gathering pictures from her photo shoots to develop a portfolio and at the same time boost her social media reach.

Deep inside Alexia knew that wasn’t enough; she needed to invest time, money and a lot of ingenuity in her craft. As she featured in the 2nd edition of the Kigali Fashion Week, she was simultaneously completing the development of www.alexiamupende.com in partnership with Lycamedia Africa. Quality was an aspect she wasn’t willing to comprise at all. The site was ready and open to the public at the beginning of 2014. Towards the beginning of October as she prepared for another Runway show by Rwanda Clothing, she

realized she was ready to place all her chips on the table. That October she said goodbye to a lucrative job with an environmental non-profit organization and gave her passion 100% commitment.

She soon realized she couldn’t make it on her own and decided to partner with a company called Concept+ which boasts of experience in the fashion industry as well as various contacts all over the world. In November 2014 under the management of Concept+ she made her way to Dubai for her first show beyond the continent. Runway Dubai 2014 was a success and she was able to network with international designers such as Modupe Omonze with whom she later had a photo shoot while still in the United Arab Emirates.

As she made her way to Europe, the home of fashion, Alexia could see her dream starting to pick up momentum. During the flight she reflected on the sermon the pastor at Mavuno Kigali (where

THE STORY OF ALExIA UWERA MUPENDE REMINDS ME OF THE TALE OF OUR NATION. IT’S FULL OF HOPE, THE PURSUIT OF DIgNITY, HUMBLE BEgINNINgS AND THE PROMISE OF A BRIgHTER FUTURE. IT ALL BEgAN IN THE LIVINg ROOM OF HER FAMILY’S HOME IN NAIROBI WHERE ALExIA REgULARLY WATCHED FASHION TV SHOWS AND ENVIED THE BEAUTIFUL AND gLAMOROUS MODELS SHE WATCHED. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS SHY AND LACKED THE CONFIDENCE SHE NEEDED TO SEE HERSELF BOARDINg FLIgHTS IN PURSUIT OF HER CHILDHOOD DREAM. IT WASN’T UNTIL SHE BEgAN HIgH SCHOOL IN NEIgHBORINg UgANDA AT THE NAMASAgALI COLLEgE THAT SHE PUT ON HER MODELINg CAP AND PARTICIPATED IN THE VARIOUS BEAUTY PAgEANTS ORgANIZED BY THE SCHOOL, EMERgINg VICTORIOUS TIME AFTER TIME.

She says, “I didn’t have the slightest idea I would be making these great strides to achieve my dream as a professional model but then again if you asked Tyra Banks or Heidi Klum early into their career this same question, I am confident their response would be the same. Today I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to Dubai and Geneva to fulfill my passion and for that I can only give thanks to God and the friends and family who have supported and believed in me.”

It began in 2012 when Alexia won the Rwanda Premier Model Competition and from that point, there was no turning back.

They say that in order to achieve anything one must start from somewhere and to start they must begin. Alexia did just that and a lot of doors opened her way while the optimist in her was consistently exploiting each and every opportunity. Earlier that year she participated in the 1st Kigali Fashion Week and in July 2013


fashion

she serves as an associate in the Guest Experience “Connect”) had given a few months ago with the theme, “Position Yourself”. The sermon series encouraged the congregation to prepare for the things they hoped to achieve by positioning themselves to receive them. She had subconsciously followed his instructions to the letter and was now reaping the joy of the Lord’s wisdom. Once she landed in Geneva, it was straight to work as the 3rd edition of the The Africa Fashion Show Geneva was launched with a preview show held at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters in Geneva. The audience included key dignitaries from the United Nations, ambassadors and their significant others to mention but a few.

The Grand Finale was held at the exquisite Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Geneva Switzerland on 13th June 2015 and drew a crowd of multiple nationals both from Geneva and all around. As she graced the runway in designs of The Closet, Apollo Shawls, Bodhisattva, Julius Reuben, Afrochula, Pistis, Nanis alongside international models, she felt the “Agaciro” that her fellow country men and women are always so proud about sink in to her shoulders. With each stroll across the catwalk, she

envisioned a different city. She knew this was just the beginning. She was going places.

Alexia in Designs by The Closet & Apollo Shawls from India at the Grande Finale of the African Fashion Show Geneva 2015 3rd Edition at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Alexia in Bodhisattva from South Africa at the AFSG2015 preview show at the World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO) Headquarters

L-R Model Denise Desire from Cameroon, Designer Nanis from Egypt and Model Alexia Uwera Mupende from Rwanda at the Grande Finale at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Geneva, Switzerland

Alexia with one of the guests…a young model hopeful at AFSG2015 3rd Edition Grande Finale at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Behind the scenes at the AFSG2015 preview show at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters

Backstage at the AFSG2015 preview show at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters - Hair by PIKD’ASO Coiffure

Alexia in PISTIS from Ghana at the AFSG2015 preview show at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Headquarters


By Kustom

They say the best time to quit is while you are ahead. What they do not tell you is that deciding whether you are ahead or not is one of the toughest decisions you will ever make. Our fear of what lies beyond as well as the excitement of what the future holds pushes us into a state of conflict that inhibits us from choosing between left or right, in or out thereby leaving us in limbo. When was the last time you stopped yourself from quitting your job in the hope that that well -deserved promotion was around the corner? Or have you stayed on out of fear of the bills that would pile up if you embraced unemployment?

WhEN do i WAlK AWAY?

A gambler walked into the casino with just two hundred dollars. Two hours later, and with a bit of luck, he was ten thousand richer, contemplating whether he should place the bet that would change everything. If he took the risk, he would be debt free and say bye to his mortgage and personal loans in the next 15 seconds or he would go home with two hundred dollars less than he left. An optimist would say no rewarding investment has minimal risk while the pessimist would urge you not to push your luck but neither would be answering the question when do you walk away?

Neil McCauley, a character in the classic movie HEAT played by Robert De Niro said, “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.”

My pastor recently inspired and simultaneously challenged me during his sermon. As soon as he had driven his point home and concluded his sermon, I heard the inner Barney Stinson (a character from the television comedy, How I met your mother) voice in me shout out, “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.” He told the story of how he and a couple of his friends back at the university had decided to change their lives and work to become the men they hoped their wives would want to marry. It instantly hit me how selfish we are, always contemplating about how we want our significant others to be or what they must have to qualify for our affection while consistently lowering the bar for ourselves. That Sunday I decided that rather than set standards for her I was going to put the microscope above myself. You see I was walking

away from ‘myself.’

A few Sundays after and it was time for another dose of God’s wisdom. The question at hand this time was when should we stop living for ourselves and start living for God? I sat there reminiscing about my 4th week of sobriety and feeling proud about my decision to start breaking habits. It wasn’t just about saying bye to the bottle; I was trying to stop biting my nails, trying to cut down on the movies and pick up novels…. (Something I hadn’t been able to do for the past five years or so.) For once I was genuinely excited about going to church on Sunday mornings and eager to get home on Friday evenings instead of partying all night. That day I learnt that even though I had achieved quite a lot it was still just the beginning. I was enlightened by the fact that even the walk of righteousness would have its good and bad days as well as it joyful and sad moments. However that wasn’t the most important lesson that I learnt…

The most important lesson I learnt was that regardless of the situation or circumstance; whether it is a job you aren’t sure about, a marriage you want to put behind you, a bet you want to place, the direction of your salvation or even if you are contemplating giving up on that person whom you presume is the one, the decision to stay or walk away won’t come from the opinions of your peers, friends or family. It won’t be determined by the statistics put out by experts.

Only God can guide you but even He can’t decide for you. When you are ready, you will walk way.

lifestyle


business

doING BUSINESS

in rwanda

The World Bank Doing Business (DB) report 2015 ranked Rwanda in the 46th position out of the 189 countries globally evaluated in ways they have improved the business environments to attract more investment.

By Our Correspondent


Rwanda was first evaluated by the Doing Business in 2004, but not until 2008 did the country start priotising the need to effect reforms of the Doing Business. Since then, Rwanda’s performance in effecting reforms in the business environment has been a success but also a reality that other countries in the region now envy.

This success can be simply explained by the will of the Rwandan government, through its development arm- Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the country has positioned itself to make as many reforms as possible to attract more investors as it drives towards becoming an investment hub in the region.

According to the 2015 Doing Business Report dubbed ”Going beyond Efficiency” which goes beyond assessing normal regulation and also examines quality of regulation, Rwanda has made significant improvements in the following areas:

To start a business in Rwanda has far been made very easy especially that some requirements have been scrapped. For example to obtain a TIN certificate from Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) was eliminated, requirement to have a bank account at the time of VAT registration removed and Business Registration and VAT registration to be conducted by RDB.

This has resulted to the reduction in time wasted to start a business, reducing from 6.5 days to 3.5 days using World Bank 2014 methodology, to only six (6) hours in the year 2015; and abolishing the three (3) procedures counted by the World Bank in 2014.

“It’s easy and efficient and in less than five minutes they will give u a feedback If there is need to correct some documents, but customer support especially the inquires have to do more. The Rwandans have to be educated and more awareness created on how to register on line and most people don’t have access

The whole essence of implementing these World Bank business reforms in Rwanda at a faster rate compared to other countries in the region, yet these countries have an obligation to make the business environment friendly to its people and foreign investors.Karim Tushabe, the Head of Doing Business at RDB says that this is because Rwanda has managed to attain this success because of the will of the government and the private sector involvement in the consistent reevaluation of the country’s performance.

business

“Doing business reports are indicators that there is progress. From these reports we are able to gauge our performance and set goals that will enable us to mobilize investors who actually refer to the reports before coming to Rwanda” Tushabe said.

With this will to act and make the investment environment friendly for Rwandans and investors, Rwanda has seen the fruits of its initiatives with more local and foreign investors opening more business in the country.

DealINg wIth coNstructIoN PermIts:

For any investor, the question of structures, building and area of operation is the first question that comes to mind before moving in to invest anywhere.

In this case, Rwanda made dealing with construction permits easier by eliminating the fee for obtaining a freehold title and by streamlining the process for obtaining an occupancy permit. This area is one of the indicators for Doing Business and Rwanda has done a good job for now making the process of obtaining construction permits simple, faster and reliable.

The government passed a ministerial order that protects house owners and investors from falling into conflict over failed responsibility. For example, the order has an urban planning code, and categories of building faults and their administrative sanctions.

According to Mr. Tushabe, this is expected to help in speeding up the issuance of permits but also aimed at making everyone accountable so that a constructor follow specific building guidelines and in case of failure for the constructor to abide by the agreed construction requirements, the law can be applied.

To make the process of acquiring construction permits easy, the city of Kigali introduced an online registration platform which also has a new innovation of enabling one to send in an electronic signature to seal ownership of the documents.

At the same time obtaining occupation permits and freehold titles has reduced from 30 days to only 3 and free of charge cost as a result of the online filing.Unlike the previous 30 days it also now takes about 15 days maximum to get a title deed and a building permits should be given in 30 days for one who has a deed and a property contract.


GettInG CRedIt: Rwanda improved access to credit by establishing clear priority rules outside bankruptcy for secured creditors and establishing clear grounds for relief from a stay of enforcement actions by secured creditors during reorganization procedures.

Introduction of a credit scoring product by the private credit reference bureau. This new product was implemented from 13th May 2015 and it is accessible online.

The credit score system provides a guide, indicating which clients are low or high risk, a development that will enable lenders to extend loans to borrowers depending on their risk profile.

The credit rating will therefore, help banks make informed decisions concerning borrowers and bank clients to bargain for lower loan interest rates. Within two (2) weeks following implementation of the product, 152 financial institutions accessed the credit scores with the total number of credit scores accessed at 12,359.

ReGIsteRInG PRoPeRty

Introduction of One day registration of commercial and

industrial property in Kigali city. Improvement in the quality and efficiency of land administration. This reform has resulted in a reduction of registration time from 28 days to one day.

PAyInG tAxesE-payment and filing (including mobile payment) is now used by majority of taxpayers to file and pay taxes. This facility has made tax payment easier by significantly reducing the time involved to pay taxes as currently recorded Payment of taxes now takes only one day.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRsIntroduction of Single Customs territory is now operational on both Central and Northern corridors has resulted in reduction of time and cost of trading across borders. Transit time from Dar-es-salaam to Kigali is 86.6 hours approximately 3.6 days for imports and exports. The time has reduced from 26 days to only 3.6 days. The Cost has reduced from US4990 to USD4200 for imports.

enfoRCInG ContRACtsCourt judgments have been published and are now fully available to the public on the judiciary website. A time limit of 6months to adjudicate cases is provided for in the civil procedure law-Art 15.


A limit on adjournment of cases is also provided for in the law in Article 14. A case shall not, for any reasons be adjourned more than 2 times.

To prevent any other unnecessary delays in court cases, fines are also provided for in the law. Any party who intentionally delays the hearing or who seeks an appeal as a delaying tactic shall be charged a civil fine of twenty thousand (20,000rwf) to two hundred thousand (200,000rwf) Rwandan francs.

With these reforms, the publication of judgments saves time and costs incurred by court users in onsite checks of judgments issued by court. Furthermore, publication of judgments has created more transparency, accountability and efficiency in the court system. This provides confidence and certainty to the business community.

The number of days to conclude a case has reduced to only 111,07 days on average from the date of filing to ruling whereas the trial period takes only 34,7 days on average (from date of first hearing to final ruling). Voluntary mediation has been introduced. This saves costs and time for parties and ensures a mutually beneficial agreement is reached.

ResolvInG InsolvenCyWithout laws anything can happen when it comes to business dealings. To respond to this, the Insolvency law was amended to clearly state restructuring as the preferred outcome of insolvency proceedings and define the role of the administrator in meeting the above objective

There was need to increase and speed up the number of Insolvency cases undergoing insolvency proceedings in court, in particular for reorganization. Thus 15 cases of foreclosure were concluded.

This has resulted into enhancing creditors rights to access information regarding the administration of the company, clearly specify the voting rights of creditors in approval of reorganization plans and also cater for the rights of dissenting creditors and state which transactions made prior to insolvency may be voided. Due to efficiency in court proceedings, the time to resolve insolvency cases has reduced from 230 to less than 100 days.

The amended law ensures that more companies are

reorganized, thereby ensuring higher recovery for creditors and the revival of distressed companies and creditors managed to recover their debts using.

overvIew of Past yearsA quick overview from the past years (ref the content below) shows how all this magic has happened and where Rwanda has come from since 2009.

DB 2014:

stARtInG A busIness: Rwanda made starting a business easier by reducing the time required to obtain a registration certificate.deAlInG wIth ConstRuCtIon PeRMIts: Rwanda made dealing with construction permits easier and less costly by reducing the building permit fees, implementing an electronic platform for building permit applications and streamlining procedures.

ReGIsteRInG PRoPeRty: Rwanda made transferring property easier by eliminating the requirement to obtain a tax clearance certificate and by implementing the web-based Land Administration Information System for processing land transactions.

GettInG CRedIt: Rwanda strengthened its secured transactions system by providing more flexibility on the types of debts and obligations that can be secured through a collateral agreement.

PRoteCtInG MInoRIty InvestoRs: Rwanda strengthened investor protections through a new law allowing plaintiffs to cross-examine defendants and witnesses with prior approval of the questions by the court.

PAyInG tAxes: Rwanda made paying taxes easier and less costly for companies by rolling out its electronic filing system to the majority of businesses and by reducing the property tax rate and business trading license fee.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRs: Rwanda made trading across borders easier by introducing an electronic single-window system at the border.

ResolvInG InsolvenCy:


Rwanda made resolving insolvency easier through a new law clarifying the standards for beginning insolvency proceedings; preventing the separation of the debtor’s assets during reorganization proceedings; setting clear time limits for the submission of a reorganization plan; and implementing an automatic stay of creditors’ enforcement actions.

DB 2013:

enfoRCInG ContRACts: Rwanda made enforcing contracts easier by implementing an electronic filing system for initial complaints.

GettInG eleCtRICIty: Rwanda made getting electricity easier by reducing the cost of obtaining a new connection.

DB 2012:

stARtInG A busIness: Rwanda made starting a business easier by reducing the business registration fees.

ReGIsteRInG PRoPeRty: Rwanda made transferring property more expensive by enforcing the checking of the capital gains tax.

GettInG CRedIt: In Rwanda the private credit bureau started to collect and distribute information from utility companies and also started to distribute more than 2 years of historical information, improving the credit information system.

PAyInG tAxes: Rwanda reduced the frequency of value added tax filings by companies from monthly to quarterly.

DB 2011:

deAlInG wIth ConstRuCtIon PeRMIts: Rwanda made dealing with construction permits easier by passing new building regulations at the end of April 2010 and implementing new time limits for the issuance of various permits.

GettInG CRedIt: Rwanda enhanced access to credit by allowing borrowers the right to inspect their own credit report and mandating that loans of all sizes be reported to the central bank’s public credit registry.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRs: Rwanda reduced the number of trade documents required and enhanced its joint border management procedures with Uganda and other neighbors, leading to an improvement in the trade logistics environment.

DB 2010:

stARtInG A busIness: Rwanda made starting a business easier by eliminating the notarization requirement; introducing standardized memoranda of association; putting publication online; consolidating name-checking, registration fee payment, tax registration and company registration procedures; and reducing the time required to process completed applications. lAboR MARket ReGulAtIon: Rwanda increased the maximum duration of fixed-term contracts and eliminated the obligation to notify and seek the approval of a third party in cases of redundancy dismissals.

ReGIsteRInG PRoPeRty: Rwanda reduced the time required to transfer property through ongoing improvements in the property registration process.

GettInG CRedIt: Rwanda strengthened its secured transactions system by allowing a wider range of assets to be used as collateral, permitting a general description of debts and obligations in the security agreement, allowing out-of-court enforcement of collateral, granting secured creditors absolute priority within bankruptcy and creating a new collateral registry.

PRoteCtInG MInoRIty InvestoRs: Rwanda strengthened investor protections through a new company law requiring greater corporate disclosure, increasing director liability and improving shareholders’ access to information.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRs: Rwanda reduced the time required for trading across borders by introducing administrative changes such as expanded operating hours and enhanced border cooperation and by eliminating some documentation requirements.


ResolvInG InsolvenCy: Rwanda improved its insolvency process through a new law aimed at streamlining reorganization procedures.

DB 2009:

deAlInG wIth ConstRuCtIon PeRMIts: Rwanda made dealing with construction permits easier by streamlining project clearances for the second year in a row—combining the procedures for obtaining a location clearance and a building permit in a single application form—and by introducing a single application form for water, sewerage and electricity connections.

ReGIsteRInG PRoPeRty: Rwanda reduced the cost and time to register property by replacing the 6% registration fee with a flat rate, regardless of the property value, and by creating a centralized service in the tax authority to speed up the issuance of the certificate of good standing.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRs: Rwanda reduced the time for exporting and importing by extending the opening hours of customs points, implementing or improving electronic data interchange and risk-based inspection systems and making improvements in the transport sector.

enfoRCInG ContRACts: Rwanda made enforcing contracts easier by launching 3 commercial courts—in Kigali, in Northern Province and in Southern Province.

DB 2008:

deAlInG wIth ConstRuCtIon PeRMIts:Rwanda made dealing with construction permits easier by decentralizing the permit system—which reduced the time for getting a building permit and an occupancy permit—and by reducing the time for obtaining an electricity connection.

tRAdInG ACRoss boRdeRs: Rwanda made trading across borders easier by expediting the acceptance of customs declarations and liberalizing the warehouse services market.

Matters to deal with transactions states

Any transactions or disposition of property made six (6) months prior to the commencement of insolvency proceedings and up to the vesting of the estate in the administrator are void if there is evidence showing that such transactions were at an undervalue or were made with intent to defraud the creditors of the debtor and unless such they were approved by the court. The administrator can apply to the court for an order to declare all such transactions void and the property disposed of to be returned, or the position restored to what it was before the disposition took place.

If in the course of the insolvency proceeding of a company it appears that any business of the company has been carried on with intent to defraud creditors of the company, the court, on the application of the administrator, may declare that any persons who knowingly took part in carrying on the business in the above manner are to be liable to make such contributions (if any) to the company’s assets as the court thinks proper.

Any transaction that prefers a creditor, surety or guarantor by putting that party in a better position than he or she would have been had the transaction not taken place shall be voided by the courts if evidence exists to show that the company was influenced by a desire to prefer the persons listed above or any other persons to whom such a preference was made.

on request for Information by a creditor,

Every creditor of an insolvent company against which an insolvency proceeding has been commenced is entitled to request information on the administration of the company from the administrator during the course of the proceeding provided such a request is made through the duly constituted creditors’ committee set up by the administrator in relation to the insolvent company.

If the company is in administration, the administrator of an insolvent company must notify all known creditors of his appointment as soon as reasonably practicable, and must send a copy of his proposal for achieving the purpose of the administration to all creditors within six (6) weeks of his appointment


proGraM

business

By our correspondent

Specialeconomic

Zone


Special Economic zones program is designed to provide investors with industrial and commercial land, improving on availability of electricity, transport linkages, market access and availability of skills. Provide designated, serviced land for small and large scale industrial development, as well as reliable, quality infrastructure, competitive fiscal regulations and streamlined administration procedures. SEZs will provide the opportunity to cluster anchor tenants with suppliers and other service providers, thereby creating jobs in skilled sectors and encouraging knowledge transfer.

Special Economic Zones are increasingly being used as an economic policy tool worldwide. They have the ability to promote private investment, industry and export growth as they offer quality infrastructure, streamlined business regulations and incentives to investors and businesses.

Rwanda’s target is to escape the “commodity trap” by diversifying its exports into targeted products and services, innovating and increasing productivity, and serving higher margin, niche markets. To ensuring success in implementing the Special Economic Zones Program in Rwanda will significantly contribute to Rwanda’s Development Goals while ensuring proper resource allocation. This would then lead to a rapid growth of Industry, job creation and skills transfer, and

business

increase in both domestic foreign investments while at the same time diversifying exports.

Since this program was put in place, more activities were undertaken in order to move forward the Special Economic Zones program. These activities are related to regulatory framework, and development of Kigali Special Economic Zone and other potential zones around the country. The regulatory framework is progressing well and now, the program has reached the operational phase.

At the regulatory framework level, the Special Economic Zones Authority of Rwanda (SEZAR) has been established to regulate, coordinate, administer, and provide strategic planning and monitoring for Special Economic Zones in Rwanda in accordance with the Zones Law and Regulations. This Authority is based at the Rwanda Development Board. Legal instruments that have been formulated and enacted.

Looking at the implementation, Kigali Special Economic Zone has been set up through the merger of former Kigali Free Trade Zone and the original Kigali Industrial Park projects.

The whole zone is developed in two phases with the first phase made up of 98 Hectares while the second phase is made up of 178 Hectares.


The Kigali Special Economic Zone Phase I is one of the phases of the Kigali Special Economic Zone project having 98 hectares of land. It is serviced with roads, electricity, water and firefighting systems, sewage and fiber optic cables that will serve in easing the operations of prospective investors. The number of plots in that phase is 97 plots divided as follows:

■ One plot sheltering a control room where all the electricity of the zone converges and is controlled.

■ One plot sheltering water tanks supplying potable water to individual plots

■ One plot sheltering a sewage treatment plant that will treat all the sewage water from industries.

■ 94 plots that will accommodate industries/warehouses.

The Kigali Special Economic Zone Phase II is one of the phases of the Kigali Special Economic Zone project having 178 hectares of land. It is serviced with roads, electricity, water and firefighting systems and sewage network. The number of plots in that phase is 66 plots divided as follows:

■ One plot sheltering a control room where all the electricity of the zone converges and is controlled.

■ One plot sheltering water tanks supplying potable water to individual plots

■ One plot sheltering a sewage treatment plant that will treat all the sewage water from industries.

■ 63 plots that will accommodate industries/warehouses including one plot that will serve as an ICT PARK.

INfrastructure curreNt status

kseZ PhAse IThe current state and progress of infrastructures in Phase I is the following:

■ Roads: the progress is at 98% where the remaining works are the road marking and vertical signage.

■ Water supply and distribution network and firefighting system: the progress is at 98% where the remaining works are to connect each plot to the firefighting system.

■ Sewage network: the progress is at 80% where the remaining works are concentrated in installing the laboratory and some components of the treatment plant.

■ Electricity: the progress is at 99%.

kseZ PhAse II

The current state and progress of infrastructures in Phase I is the following:

■ Roads: the progress is at 80% where the remaining works are the laying of the tarmac layer, road marking and vertical signage


■ Water supply and distribution network and firefighting system: the progress is at 70% where the remaining works are to construct water tanks for the supply of water and connection to individual plots.

■ Sewage network: the progress is at 70% where the remaining works are concentrated in finalizing the construction of some components of the treatment plant and their installation.

■ Electricity: the progress is at 65% where the remaining works consist in the cabling of the whole zone and connection to individual plots.

curreNt usage status

kseZ PhAse I● The number of operators that are operational: 25● Operators that are still under construction: 37● Operators that have not yet started construction: 15Reasons hindering them:Most of them are still undertaking studies of their project

kseZ PhAse II● The number of operators that are operational: 1● Operators that are still under construction: 0● Operators that have not yet started construction: 18The first phase is operational while construction for individual investors is ongoing. The second phase is booked up to 80% meaning that only 20% of the available land is remaining.

On infrastructure, the first phase is fully serviced with all the infrastructure up to 98% while the second phase is now at around 78% with more works on access roads, sewage and water provision.

The procedure to obtain space (plot) starts with depositing your business plan and drawings with the Developer (Prime Economic Zones Limited PEZ) who, upon allocation of the plot will enter into a sale agreement with the user (Investor). Upon signing the sale agreement, the investor comes to SEZAR for the construction permit for which they pay a maximum of Frw. 60,000 per plot.

Two forms of incentives are considered in the SEZ program, the non fiscal and Fiscal incentives. The non fiscal incentives include the availability of serviced land, streamlined procedures and ease of Institutional collaboration. The fiscal one include tax exemptions which apply mainly to companies licensed as EPZ and Free Trade Zones. Here Import duties and VAT are exempt. The rest do benefit from the incentives provided under the current Rwanda Investment code.

All companies can operate in the SEZs except those dealing in products and services that are mentioned in the negative list. These are items that are not allowed by law. Some of the examples of such items on the negative list include among others, the plastic paper products, fire arms and some chemicals.


exPort ProcessINg ZoNes (ePZ)

EPZ is one of the components of special economic zone in Rwanda, which implies a designated part of the customs territory where any goods introduced are exempted from import duties and all other taxes and regarded as being outside the customs territory but are restricted by controlled access PRoCeduRes & ReQuIReMents

1. Application letter addressed to the Head of Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZAR); requesting a License to operate the Export Processing Zone.

2. Pursuant to section 169 of the Customs Management Act, the operator of an Export Processing Zone shall be required to provide the following requirements in the designated area:

a) The applicant shall have a rental contract whose duration is longer than the duration of the license applied for or furnish a proof of ownership of the premises;

b) Fence-structured premises of at least 2 meters high;

c) Inside EPZ shall have concrete or cemented ground/ floor;

d) Suitable offices with all facilities for Customs and other stakeholders;

e) A computerized system in place capable of generating arrival notices of goods;

f) Systematic procedure of Entry and Exit of goods in the EPZ;

g) Electronic weighing equipment approved by competent authorities;

h) Provide keys and locks for securing the doors at the EPZ;

i) Provide all necessary labor and materials needed for treatment, sorting, packing, examining, weighing and storing;

j) Provide insurance for the goods inside the EPZ;

k) Keep records of all types of plant, machinery and equipment, raw materials and goods manufactured in the processing zones and keep that record at all times available for examination by the proper officer;

l) Adequate lighting for security purposes;

m) The EPZ should have one single entry gate;

n) The EPZ operator shall be required to give security in the amount not being less than the duty chargeable on the goods, for the due arrival and re-warehousing of goods within such time as the proper officer may consider appropriate.

the application to develop, operate or as a user with ePZ status shall satisfy at least the following requirements:

1 º Fill out a prescribed form;

2 º Engage in one of following activities: Manufacturing, commercial and service activities for the sole purpose of producing goods or services for export (at least 80 per centum quota).

3 º A feasibility study and business and financial plan depending on the proposed area of activities

4 º Payment of a non-refundable fee for each application (Developer, Operator or EPZ Enterprise of USD 2,500 paid annually.


business

They say globalization has made the world a global village. As communication gets cheaper and transport gets faster, developing countries intend to close the gap with

their rich-world counterparts. However, inequality still impacts and erodes even deeper in some of the ‘third’ world countries, especially in Africa.

Many factors are at play in understanding why nations differ in wealth; inheritance, education, ambition, talent, health, personal connections, opportunities, and luck, just

to mention some of these factors. The question of why a country becomes richer or poorer cannot be given one simple answer.

the analoGy of the rich and poor

economieS

By Oscar Kimanuka

worldof tHe


business

The theory of comparative advantage says that poor countries produce goods requiring large amounts of unskilled labour while rich countries focus on things requiring skilled workers. As global trade increases, unskilled workers in poor countries are high in demand; skilled workers in those same countries are less coveted. With more employers clamoring for their services, unskilled workers in developing countries get wage boosts, whereas their skilled counterparts do not. Differences in productivity between rich and poor countries are systematically larger in sectors that require skilled labour and extensive research and development.

The perception is that more economically developed countries are richer, meaning that they make more money and the people in those countries have more money to spend on health, education, food and luxuries. They earn enough money so that they can borrow even more and buy their own houses and cars. They do jobs in the service industries. A poor economy on the other hand is said to be characterized by lack of appropriate education, adequate social security systems, missing infrastructures, too dependent on agriculture, foreign aid and a poor developed export economy.

Conversely, this difference between poor and rich countries seems not to reside in the available natural resources which should be an added advantage. Japan has a limited territory, 80% mountainous; inadequate for agriculture and cattle rising, but it is one of the top world economies. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw materials from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.

Another example is Switzerland which does not grow cocoa but has the best chocolate in the world. In her little territory she raises animals and plants crops four months per year. She even produces dairy products of the best quality. It is a small country that transmits an image of security, order and labor, which makes it one of the world’s safest countries.

Africa is presumed to be one of the poorest continents despite being the richest continent in mineral deposits among other precious natural resources. Many countries here fall among the meager economies in the world which has always formed the basis of the developed countries’ constant donor support establishment to reduce the subsequent poverty and offer other humanitarian support.

Unfortunately, aid disbursements from rich countries to poor countries are often dwarfed by wealth flows that run in the other direction, to the point where poor African countries are effectively developing rich countries. Perhaps most critically, aid is not actually designed to reduce poverty, but operates as a tool that the elites of rich countries leverage to extract wealth, resources, and political compliance.

By continuously ranking the continent’s poor economies, the aid paradigm prevents development practitioners – and the public – from understanding the real causes of poverty, and therefore precludes meaningful solutions. Donors and international agencies try to “engineer prosperity” either by foreign aid or by urging poor African countries to adopt good economic policies. But there is widespread disappointment with the results of these well-intentioned efforts.

the solution to African countries transforming their economies solemnly lies with the continent. A change of attitude, embracing good governance and cultivating a culture of independence and hard work could catapult the African continent to greater heights of prosperity. In addition, there is no doubt that good institutions and policies are important in transforming a country’s economy.

Rwanda is a good example of a country with national policies that motivate people to become productive with protection of their private property rights, predictable enforcement of laws and national agenda, opportunities to invest and retain control of the market, control of inflation, and open exchange of currency. It is evident that people are inspired to work hard if they have opportunities to invest their earnings profitably and not when they rely on some donor funding.

It is in the same spirit that African countries have to make an economic overhaul; reduce aid-dependence and use locally available resources, opportunities and human capital for sustainable economic development. Indeed, a successful economic development strategy must focus on improving the skills of the area's workforce, reduce the cost of doing business and making available the resources businesses need to compete and thrive in today's global economy.


feature

and his visit to neiGhbourinG kenya

What rWandans thouGht about

us president

barrack obama

By Anne Anjao


barrack obama

feature

In this regard, the DIVA took a special interest in what President Obama said about girls and women, a topic at the heart of this magazine. The Huffington Post compiled this story from several sources:

As the first sitting U.S. President to visit Kenya, Barack Obama used the opportunity to call out the country for some of its practices that harm women and girls, urging it to discard those traditions for measures that are

more empowering.

Before finishing up his historic trip on Sunday, Obama took time to address, and criticize, some of Kenya’s oppressive traditions towards its women and girls. He called on the nation to put an end to female genital mutilation, violence against women and to increase its education opportunities, the Guardian reported.

“Treating women as second-class citizens is

a bad tradition: it holds you back,” Obama said while speaking to a crowd of 4,500 people who convened at a sports arena in Nairobi. “There’s no excuse for sexual assault or domestic violence, there’s no reason that young girls should suffer genital mutilation, there’s no place in a civilised society for the early or forced marriage of children. These traditions may go back centuries; they have no place in the 21st century.”

However, Obama was also just as quick to offer accolades to women who have defied the odds and have demonstrated how much potential women and girls hold.

Among the women he mentioned, Obama praised Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, who fought for the environmental conservation and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta who has committed to raising funds to reduce maternal and child deaths, the Daily Nation reported.Any nation that fails to educate these girls or maximize their potential is doomed to fall behind in the global economy,” he said. Obama said the tradition of treating women as second-class citizens, beating them and denying them the same opportunities as men was wrong.

It is in this same spirit of

celebrating women and the person of President Obama that our readers delightedly share their views with us:

maNI martIN,a musIcIaN

To me Obama should be an inspiration to those Africans who undermine themselves thinking they do not possess the ability to do great things in the world. Here is a Kenyan man who has made it as the first African-American President in the United States of America. I admire the fact that he has not forgotten Kenya, his father’s land. This is a critical lesson to me: never to deny who I am and whatever the circumstances, with determination, I can leave a mark on the world. I was so excited to hear him mentioning this Kenyan lady who came up with an invention in information systems that has transformed farming in Kenya. I really appreciated his commitment to African women and young girls. I hope Africa will have more positive women's initiatives in the future.

media practitioners will tell you that there are certain determinants that are considered before an item becomes a news item. such determinants include prominence and proximity. and this is exactly why many rwandans, over 1180kms away from nairobi, displayed great interest in us president barrack Obama’s visit to the east african nation of kenya. prominence here featured the person of barrack Obama, arguably the world’s most powerful man residing in the united state’s prestigious white house. president Obama has made history for not only being the first african-american president of the united states (long dominated by racism) but in being re-elected as well to continue where he left in 2012. proximity without a doubt raised the interest of rwandans to his visit, given that rwanda is part of the east african community, and an Obama visit to kenya might as well have been an Obama visit to rwanda.


because of anything else other than that he is about to end his term and he didn’t want to go without visiting Africa again.

saNDrINe BwIZa, ImagINe we emPloyeeI think President Obama really comprehends what some unfortunate women in Africa are going through. Considering his heritage, it was a case he could make better than any previous US President. To me he comes across as a very sensible person. In the Grammy Award of 2015, he also talks about ending domestic violence perpetuated against women which makes me think Obama certainly is an ardent defender of women’s rights. In his book The audacity of hope, his brilliance is displayed as that rare politician who can write movingly and genuinely about himself. He is a cool guy.

wINNIe NaBaasaI think Obama is a good leader who is leading by example by preaching what is right and also giving courage and

teta maryamObama has proved to be a good president, with every high expectations placed on him due to the fact that he is the first African-American president. Caught between a rock and a hard place, he must be careful how he handles state matters to not favor the black people more than the white or not have the whites too satisfied for the black not to feel left out. He has registered distinct achievements such as building relations with the hostile Middle East, a free healthcare system and been very supportive to Africa mainly in giving opportunities for leadership and entrepreneurial growth, showing he believes in a bright future for the continent. Pre-historical practices such as genital mutilation have truly prevented the African society from waxing great. Giving a chance to women to participate in social, political and economic affairs will create a dual-system which is successful as proved in the United States of America and other developed countries rather than a mono-male

system that has proved to be weak for decades. President Obama shared on an important factor for socio-economic change in Kenya and the rest of Africa at large. If his vision sees the light of day, Africa’s future will be catapulted into sustainable development.

cyuBahIro roBert, tv PreseNter What struck me about this visit is that Obama is a great man who seems to be very humble. I was not surprised by his speech because it was full of emotions since he was standing on the ground of his father's home; what he talked about was from his heart. For us who watched the speech on screens, we could tell by his body language that he was speaking from the heart. He talked about women being treated with dignity, which is good. As an African, I think it is one of those things that is holding us back because some of our cultural practices are not welcome in this century. Honestly, things like FGM should end. I also think he didn’t come

motivation to other Africans, showing them that they can be great and achieve what they’ve always wanted as long as they make the right decisions. I support Obama’s sentiments and believe that women in Africa should be given freedom and not forced into early marriages and into practices they don’t want just because it honors their parents. I believe women can make their own decisions and don’t need men to decide for them like it was done during our ancestors’ time for we are now in the 21st century.

feature


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buSineSSeS

business

Start-up Three ways To survive failure


By John Kabana

business

Rwanda is doing exceptionally well especially when it comes to businesses started by women. More than 40% of all businesses in the country are run by women. Only Cape Verde, at 43% and Ghana at 44% rank higher.

The figures above are very encouraging for any woman planning to try it out in entrepreneurship. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the fact that a good number of start-ups by women hardly realize their full potential. Are there aspects that women need to adjust to avoid some of these pitfalls that are actually swallowing their fruits before they lay their eyes on them? Many reasons have been given with regard to this very tricky subject but women continue to make costly mistakes.

Luckily, there is no rocket science in business; too much information may not be what you need at

the moment as this may only serve to complicate your already challenging situation. For this reason, I will elaborate three important points that should resonate with any lady in Rwanda today.

1. fear of faIlureStart today if you are one of those women who has been postponing for days, weeks, months and now years. Start now before someone else takes away your idea.

To be able to get where you want to get as an entrepreneur, it’s important that you develop a thick skin. Don’t give in to pressure. Find easier ways of solving every problem.“I failed many times; I had many products that did not work. I tried again and again until that time that I got my breakthrough. Entrepreneurship is not an overnight success; failure actually helped me to become better every day,” said Daymond John, Founder, President, and CEO of FUBU.

Remember, there is not even one successful entrepreneur who will not confess to having failed. Give it a go again today.“One of the things every one of these successful entrepreneurs will tell you is that along with incredible successes, they’ve had some failures as well, and they’ve learned from them, but they haven't given up,” said US President Barrack Obama.

2. you DoN’t NeeD to Do It ‘the maN way’ to succeeDMany women will agree with me that they have tried at one time to do things the masculine way to get things going. Studies have shown that this does not really help the business or the role the woman is playing in the long run.

Women are naturally more keen on things. They analyse things more carefully than men. This means that with confidence and self belief, a woman is generally a better manager. Women don’t need to be aggressive and fired up to be successful in business. A great deal of intuition coupled with a natural ability to establish good relations with people are just but examples of great qualities a lady should take advantage of. Be a woman that you are; define your path and push on.

3. get a meNtor I can give you thirty ways to be successful as an entrepreneur but the most obvious thing is that you are likely to find yourself repeating the same mistakes yet again when you actually start the business. Why, because what works in the financial sector is not necessarily the case in agriculture or manufacturing. What you need is the guidance of a person who has done it in your area of interest and succeeded. These are people who will tell you NO, that can’t work or this is the risk if you do this and that. Their advice will help you avoid pitfalls they fell into before. They may be local or international. Try get in touch with them. Discuss your idea with them and get to hear what they have to say. It is important to listen to several mentors on a particular idea. This further equips you with more knowledge on how to prepare better, package better, market better, network better and also expand your business. They will definitely ask you very tough questions but it is through their questions that you will be able to even understand the dynamics of your business and the industry itself. Get in touch with a mentor today.

the global entrepreneurship monitor 2014 women’s report reveals that only less than a third of all businesses started by women have grown to see their third birthday. the worrying statistics show that more than two thirds of them fail. why is this the case? do we have some specific issues that hinder the growth of enterprises started by women?


career

A story is told of Solange, whose life on earth was tragically cut short by a bus and she arrived in heaven where she was met at the Pearly gates by St. Peter himself. St. Peter informed her that they were going to do things differently where she would have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and choose wherever she wanted to spend eternity. And with that St. Peter put

Solange in an elevator and it went down-down-down to Hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the plush green grass of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends. They were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice

guy and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing.

With expectations

matcHing reality

By Claire Ngang’a


career

Solange was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates where St. Peter was waiting for her. “Now it’s time to spend a day in Heaven,” he said. So Solange spent the next 24 hours lounging around on the clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it, her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.

“So, you’ve spent a day in Hell and you’ve spent a day in Heaven. Now you must choose your eternity,” he said. Solange paused for a second and then replied, “Well, I never thought I’d say this. I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell.” Obligingly, St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up garbage and putting it in sacks for the evening meal. The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her and laughed at her. “I don’t understand,” she stammered. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable.” The Devil looked at her and grinned: “that’s because yesterday we were recruiting you…but today you’re staff.”

This anecdote might appear comical but it is the sad reality in many organisations. According to a Glassdoor online survey by Harris Interactive, 60% of employees say they have found aspects of a new job different from expectations set during the interview process. This is one of the major factors that contribute to attrition in organisations. Most interviewers are quick to ask candidates how long they will stay in an organisation but forget to consider that it is the employer’s responsibility to retain employees.

So what are some of the steps employers can take in order to avoid an experience such as Solange’s? Companies should ensure that candidates get a complete look at the role they are interviewing for and how it fits into the company. This should also include information on the level of responsibilities required from the position. Additionally, the interview panel should talk about the organisation’s culture so that candidates know what to

expect because it helps the candidates understand how people at the organisation work together. The workplace should not be something that people dread every day. Employees should look forward to going to work. In fact, they should have a hard time leaving because they enjoy the challenges, the company of their co-workers, and the atmosphere. While the work may be difficult, the culture should not add to the stress of work.

It is vital for recruiters to note that traditional approaches to recruitment may not necessarily apply in this day and age, especially with Generation Y employees. Companies should consider leveraging on their own employees. Employers can help add to the candidate’s understanding of the company by encouraging employees to share their opinions of what it’s like to work at their company via social media channels. For example, encourage them to share company reviews on Glassdoor in where they can share the best reasons to work at the company and any downsides they might want others to be aware of.

Finally, as the old adage says, ‘honesty is the best policy’. Recruiters should not be afraid to share some of the areas that the company is trying to work on and improve. Candidates will appreciate your honesty, plus should they accept a job offer, the excitement that comes with the honeymoon period of a new job will quickly give way to the realities and normalcy that come with the job.

Matching expectations with reality is a win-win situation. For the employer, being upfront and transparent right from the start can lead to better-fitting new hires who will stay longer, reducing attrition costs. For the job candidate, this can lead to really knowing what he or she is about to embark on, which facilitates job satisfaction and success at the company.


health

PATIENT

You nEED To bE A

sMART

By Martha Ayuma

wIth the aDveNt of techNology, It’s uNforgIvaBle for aN eDucateD PersoN to totally DeNy hImself kNowleDge IN

matters meDIcal. whIle we celeBrate our Doctors who work tIrelessly to save our lIves, we must also Be cogNIZaNt of

the fact that they are humaN too, aND may Be ProNe to error. BesIDes, Doctors work loNg hours aND you coulD Be DIagNoseD at that PoINt wheN the Doctor caN harDly keeP hIs eyes oPeN. moreover, we caNNot rule out quacks that

are fleecINg thousaNDs of INNoceNt PeoPle aND also PlayINg trIal aND error games wIth PatIeNts.


health

a frIeND of mINe NarrateD her exPerIeNce:

“I had numbness in my right hand, and being hypertensive, was alarmed hence sought medical treatment. I was surprised I never had my temperature, weight or Blood Pressure taken, as is normal standard procedure. The doctor waved me away with a prescription. Well, I never bothered to take the medicine. I instead went to a bigger and ‘better’ hospital, or so I thought. This sweet talking doctor sent me for an MRI scan and then asked me to book an appointment with the relevant doctor who laughed himself almost to death because of what was written on the MRI report. The doctor explained that had I been as sick as the report stated, I would be dead by now. This doctor only prescribed tablets which I took and the problem has never surfaced.”

what Does It meaN to Be smart?

Be curIous

Being a smart patient means you need to develop a sense of curiosity about your illness or disease. Most of us have disturbingly surrendered the realm of medical knowledge to

medical personnel. We are too lazy to even find out what is contained in an aspirin tablet. We get intimidated when we see certain medical terms and percentages of ingredients contained in these medicines. Most medicines are accompanied with comprehensive write ups about the particular medication. How many of us bother to read or make enquiries on these write ups?

Be BolD

Develop some boldness to ask the doctor as many questions as possible. We have this attitude the doctor knows everything so we sit limply and meekly at their feet, see them scribble things we cannot read, and by childlike faith proceed to swallow whatever they prescribe. I for one will never leave the doctor’s place until he has explained what I need to know, for example, what exact medicine he has prescribed, if I should complete the dosage, when I should see him if things don’t work out right etc.

Be ProactIve

Being smart also means you need to do a Google search before you visit the doctor. Try to Google the words, “causes of headaches,” and the

search engine will bring up a forest of knowledge on that topic. By the time the doctor sees you, you will have an idea of what ails you and whether you need to follow this doctor’s diagnosis or seek another opinion. Today, one cannot rule out the money factor, especially by doctors who want to make the quick buck such that they will recommend a caesarian section for a patient who does not need it.

the BeNefIts of BeINg a smart PatIeNt

• Youwillimprovethedoctor/patientrelationshipsothat you won’t waste other patients’ time by being overly argumentative or by being so naive the doctor has to over exert himself explaining simple things.

• Itwillenableyouavoidamisdiagnosisasithappenedto my friend above. She actually went and Googled the MRI report.

• Youwillbeausefulmemberofthesocietyintheevent someone has a similar case as yours because you will offer advice, or even know what to do in an emergency. For instance, if you have invested in knowledge on first aid for burns, when you encounter one such case, your advice at that point will be critical.

• Itmaygiveyoupeaceofmindinsomesituations.If for instance you thought your problem was humongous and after reading, you discover it’s nothing to worry about, you will derive comfort from that knowledge. The reverse is also true-when you encounter a doctor who downplays your condition and then you discover it is serious, you may take steps that could end up saving your life.

Times have changed. So should we with respect to how we handle our health.


interior design

Small rooms should be kept tidy to maintain an airy feel

the poWerful Mood-settinG tool

Color

Imagine a world with no colors, hues or tones; a world where we see only black and white. Thankfully, contrary to this scenario, color is all around us and in everything we see! Furthermore, color is at the very heart of the world of design, and it is what breathes life into it. In addition to making any room visually pleasing, color is capable of affecting our moods because it is a powerful design tool that can make a room feel peaceful, lively, cozy, dramatic, and so on.

By Efua Hagan


Small rooms should be kept tidy to maintain an airy feel

While colors can have a positive effect on us, they can also affect us negatively. For this reason, it is important to understand different colors and their influence on us. Furthermore, every room in a home serves a unique purpose. Therefore, it also helps to consider the room’s function before picking a color scheme. Understanding colors and the moods they create will lead to wiser choices, and a home of comfort that is an expression of your style.

You may be someone who is drawn to a particular color because it triggers feelings of relaxation, happiness or warmth. Identifying the colors that make you feel great is a good starting point when deciding on a mood for your home. Although some colors have different meanings in various cultures, let’s take a practical look at some examples and the general moods they invoke.

create a lIttle Drama At the warm end of the color wheel, is red, a fierce and intense color which is said to be the color of romance. This color has the ability to

increase your blood pressure and stimulate brain activity as well as appetite. Its bold nature easily dominates and commands the attention of the eye. For this reason, it is a useful option for adding drama into a room. Red makes it a good color choice for your dining room, kitchen or other social areas. With this in mind, too much red can be over powering and might create the sense of entrapment rather than positive energy.

Matching suggestion: red, yellow and charcoal grey

where comfort meets relaxatIoN

Blue is a cool color that is associated with peace and relaxation as it brings to mind calming images of the sea and sky. It is known to lower blood pressure and conveys loyalty, reliability and productivity. You may wish to use this color in the bedroom, bathroom or any other room where one would go to relax. An overuse of darker shades of blue can make a room feel cold and gloomy instead of calming. Suggestion: light blue, mustard yellow and grey

interior design

for warmth aND cheer

Warm colors such as orange can make a large room feel more cozy and intimate without the additional expense of moving walls. Orange strikes a balance between attention seeking and welcoming. It is a cheerful and vibrant color that communicates energy and encourages socialization. It is therefore good for rooms where people meet together.

Matching suggestion: orange, yellow and brown

relIevINg the teNsIoN

Like any other color, green comes in numerous hues. Olive green and other muted shades of this color can be refreshing and relaxing when used in a room. Being the color of nature, it is comforting, relieves tension and is commonly associated with youth and growth. Its stress-relieving effects make it

a good option for study rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms.

Matching suggestion: green, bronze and white

soPhIstIcatIoN

The color purple is a mixture of red and blue; it’s made from a blend of warmth that derives from red combined with the serene effect of blue. Purple is a color associated with creativity, wisdom, romance and luxury. In its darkest tones, purple can bring drama and sophistication in a room. Lighter versions such as lavender create a calm and restful atmosphere, ideal for bedrooms and living rooms.

Color suggestion: lavender, pink and blue

Although these are guidelines with a general look at how we can use colors to our advantage, remember that we all respond to colors in a personal way, therefore make selections that reflect you and your lifestyle to bring out the best in you!


law

SeCretSTRADE

By William Karaiga


law

IN toDay’s comPetItIve BusINess eNvIroNmeNt, a comPaNy’s aBIlIty to Be successful DePeNDs largely oN Its aBIlIty to acquIre aND maINtaIN traDe secrets or BusINess INformatIoN.

are you a comPaNy maNager or Do you owN a certaIN BusINess?

Allow me space to inform you that trade secrets are probably the most valuable, unique and irreplaceable assest a company can own and protecting that information needs to be every company’s key goal, because breaches in information security can have serious legal and financial consequences for a company, jeopardizing its reputation, losing its competitive power and its ability to continue operating. Besides, there is no question that if a competitor gets its hands on your trade secrets or confidential information, then the harm would be immeasurable.

what Is a traDe secret?A trade secret can be any kind of confidential information used in business and kept secret from others that gives the business a competitive advantage over other businesses.

In many countries, trade secrets may be any information including but not limited to, technical or non technical data, process, a formula, pattern, compilation of information, programme, device, method, technique, drawing process, financial data, or a list of actual or potential customers or suppliers.

how caN you kNow that certaIN INformatIoN Is a traDe secret?Well, trade secrets are generally known by three main elements: the information must be secret in itself, it must confer some sort of economic benefit because it is secret, and the holder must show reasonable efforts, steps to keep the information secret (e.g. confidentiality agreements).

For information to be legally protected as a trade secret, it must fulfil all the above conditions. However, the violation of trade secret is viewed as an offense for breach of confidence and an act of unfair competition. Nevertheless, trade secrets misappropriation can be extremely damaging with severe consequences for the business, such as financial losses. Any company is vulnerable to theft of its critical business information and should consequently take measures and implement a range of best practices to maintain confidentiality.

what measures shoulD Be takeN By BusINesses to ProtecttheIr traDe secrets?

- Identification of trade secrets. To identify trade secrets, two fundamental questions should be asked: Does the information bring any economic benefit to my business? And would its leak hurt my business?

- store confidential information safely. Store trade secrets in places where access is allowed under authorisation, such as archives, safes or other appropriate locked rooms.

- Include confidentiality agreements within employee’s contracts. Sign nondisclosure agreements with employees during and after employment, and also oblige them not to use the trade secret for competition purposes.

- employee awareness. Perhaps to avoid your business strategy being disrupted, employees should be aware of the company’s security policy and their duty with regard to confidentiality, as well as the consequences of a breach of such duty.

- document marking. Although employees are under a confidentiality obligation, marking documents can prove to be crucial by allowing employees to properly treat the documentation. (E.g. confidential, make no copies, distribution limited to…., covered by a non disclosure agreement, etc).


law

internet intermediarieS

the role of

in defamatory content

By Fred Kennedy NKUSI

Internet intermediaries – a broad term which includes web hosting companies, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), search engines and social media platforms - play a crucial role in enabling people to access the internet and in transmitting third-party content. Without ISPs, there would be no access to the internet and to the wealth of information that we have become accustomed to being able to access at the click of a mouse. Without social media and blogging platforms, ordinary internet users would lose a valuable way of publishing their opinions and instantaneously sharing information.

In recent years, there has been increasing pressure on internet intermediaries to act as ’gatekeepers’ of the internet. Using a variety of means, a growing number of governments have started to enlist - or in some cases -compel intermediaries to remove or block their citizens’

access to content which they deem illegal or “harmful.” While some of these restrictions are applied directly by a state regulator, many states have adopted legal regimes for civil liability that have effectively forced internet intermediaries to police aspects of the internet on the state’s behalf. Since there is no international law on internet usage, internet users’ rights, including the right to freedom of expression and the rights to privacy and access to information, are easily subject to abuse.

According to law n° 02/2013 of 08/02/2013 regulating media in its Article 9 provides:

Censorship of information is prohibited. However, the freedom of opinions and information shall not jeopardize the general public order and good morals, individual’s right to honour and reputation in the public eye and to


law

the right to inviolability of a person’s private life and family; the freedom shall also be recognized if it is not detrimental to the protection of children.

The provision prohibits all mediums of communication, including online publication, from publishing information that is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable, for example, via social media, namely Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Myspace, Ubuntu Forum, Tianya etc.

Meanwhile, under their terms and conditions, various intermediaries (in particular social media platforms and electronic payment systems) ban certain types of content (e.g. nudity or information about reproductive rights services), usually outside the scope of any internationally-recognized legitimate limitations on freedom of expression. The problem is further compounded by the lack of transparency in the way in which these limitations are implemented, the lack of clear guidelines to which users can refer, and the absence of appropriate mechanisms to appeal against any decisions made by the ISP, all of which amount to the censorship of user-generated content. This effectively means that online content is increasingly being regulated and censored via private contracts which offer limited transparency and accountability.

tyPes of INtermeDIarIesGiven the complexity of the internet, there are a number of different types of intermediaries:

INterNet servIce ProvIDers (IsPs): this term can be confusing because it is commonly used to describe both access providers (those who control the physical infrastructure needed to access the internet, who typically make this infrastructure available to individual subscribers in return for payment) and hosts. Examples: MTN, TIGO, Rwandatel, Airtel etc.

weB hostINg ProvIDers or ‘hosts’: hosts are bodies (typically companies) that rent web server space to enable their customers to set up their own websites. However, the term ‘host’ has also taken on a more general meaning, i.e. any person or company who controls a website or a webpage which allows third parties to upload or post material (e.g. YouTube).

socIal meDIa Platforms: the distinctive feature of social media platforms (such as Facebook or Twitter) is that they encourage individuals to connect and interact with other and to share content. They are

usually considered to be ‘hosts’ because they allow third parties to post content.

search eNgINes: are software programmes that use sophisticated algorithms to retrieve data, files or documents from a database or network in response to a query. The information retrieved is usually indexed and presented as a series of hyperlinks on a webpage, for example, Google, Yahoo etc.

All of the above are distinct from ‘content producers’, that is those individuals or organisations who are responsible for producing information in the first place and posting it online.

shoulD we theN holD INterNet INtermeDIarIes accouNtaBle IN DefamatIoN actIoNs?According to Article 15 EU Electronic Commerce Directive clearly stipulates that ISPs have no general duty to monitor information that passes through or is hosted on their system. In effect, it provides a ‘safe haven’ for the exemption of ISPs’ liability when they are host providers, unless they have actual knowledge of unlawful activity or information and have failed to act expeditiously to remove the materials or disable access to the information upon obtaining such knowledge or awareness. In effect, the Directive has set up a notice-and-take-down regime for online intermediaries.

At international level, international bodies have commented on liability regimes for intermediaries. For example, in their 2011 Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and the Internet, the four Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression recommended that:

• Nooneshouldbeliableforcontentproducedbyothers when providing technical services, such as providing access, searching for, or transmission or caching of information;

• Liabilityshouldonlybeincurrediftheintermediaryhas specifically intervened in the content, which is published online;

• ISPsandotherintermediariesshouldonlyberequiredto take down content following a court order, contrary to the practice of notice and takedown;

• Itisarguedthatintermediariesarebestplacedtoblock, filter or remove the material at issue since they have the technical and financial means to do so.


RIDDLES

Math Addition Puzzles

children’s corner

Question: What two things can you never eat for breakfast?Answer: Lunch and dinner!

Question: What tastes better than it smells?Answer: A tongue.

Question: What asks but never answers?Answer: An owl!

Question: When is 99 more than 100?Answer: A microwave. Generally when you run a microwave for '99' it runs for 1 minute and 39 seconds. '100' runs for 1 minute.

8 + 5 + 10 =

+ + + +

9 + 7 + 10 =

+ + + +

10 + 10 + 9 =

= = = =

+ + =

6 + + 3 =

+ + + +

3 + + = 10

+ + + +

+ 5 + 8 =

= = = =

+ 13 + 15 = 50

Try these math puzzles and engage your brain


Talk toAunt UmulisaDear Aunt Umulisa,

It’s been seven years since I

got married in a celebrated,

beautiful wedding ceremony

in my local church in

Gikondo. What started off

as a peaceful marriage now

knows no peace. The reason

is simple: we have not been

blessed with children yet.

Our situation has been

complicated by my in-laws

who have left me more

confused. They were once

sweet and understanding

but have taken a huge turn-

around the last year and half.

What hurts me is that my

husband seems to be in their

loop because there are times I

walk in on them talking (my

husband included) and they

all shut up, an indicator that

ours is a home with secrets.

Perhaps the most biting of

all is that my husband and I

have been to several clinics

where the diagnosis has

always been the same: he is

the problem, having a low

sperm count. The doctors

have counseled us and given

us all known medical and

non medical options like

fertility clinics, adoption etc

but my husband will hear

none of it. He has dismissed

the doctors saying they are

confused from too much

reading.

The problem seems to be

spiraling out of control

because his mother advised

him to get himself a second

wife. She said monogamy is

nonsense that was sneaked

into the Bible by the white

man to suit his cultural

setting. My husband always

listens to his mother more

than anyone and recently

took me for dinner to discuss

this possibility to solve our

problem.

I need help aunt before I go

bonkers because my senses

are screaming for me to

leave.

Beatrice.

Dear Beatrice,

Truly a child is everything

in the African context. Our

African culture has also not

made it easy on childless

couples. It starts even before

the wedding where comments

and suggestions begin to

surface: you need to tie the

knot soon enough so we can

see our grandchildren; when

are you getting married since

you are getting too old to get

children etc.

It gets worse once you are

married. The comments only

pile unnecessary pressure

on the newlyweds. It’s sad

because I know people who

get married for love and

actually purpose to put child

bearing on hold for whatever

reason.

What is happening to you fits

perfectly into a situation we

describe as ironical. That

your husband is medically

responsible for the lack

of children yet he carries

himself around like the

aggrieved party! What cheek!

Yes, you do have a problem.

A serious one. I say so

because your husband is

obviously in denial. I can

understand why. A man

usually suffers from egoism.

This time your husband’s ego

will not allow him to own

the problem. Instead, he has

allowed himself to be lulled

by his mother’s machinations

to slap the blame entirely on

you. Sadly, he finds comfort

in that false feeling that he is

a man in the African sense

and that nothing is wrong

with him, and believes that

it’s women who are the

problem when it comes to

fertility issues so that the

man becomes the solution

provider. In this case,

polygamy is his solution.

Another disturbing thing is

that your husband seems to

have no stand of his own.

Gossiping is certainly not a

mark of character, especially

for a man. He strikes me as a

mama’s boy.

Much as I agree with you that

you have a situation in your

hand, I do not agree that you

leave. Marriage in Africa is

for life even when the going

gets tough. I am sure there

must be somebody he listens

to either from his side or

church or community. This

is the person you need to

approach and have a serious

conversation with. He/she

must be a person who will

convince him of the need to

abandon the polygamy path,

who will convince him to

accept reality so that you

may both go for realistic

solutions, and a person who

will impress upon him the

need to stand on his own as

a man, independent of family

views.

Prayer too works. Pray

without ceasing because God

has a way of showing up

when we are almost giving

up.

Do you have queries?

Send them to

[email protected]


INGREdIENtS:

• Skinless,bonelesschickenbreasthalves-cutinto1/2

inch strips

• 1largeredbellpepper,seededandslicedintostrips

• 1largeonion,coarselychopped

• 1/2cupchickenbroth

• 1/4cupsoysauce

• 1tablespoongroundcumin

• 3clovesgarlic,minced

• 1/2teaspoonredpepperflakes

• Saltandpeppertotaste

• 2tablespoonscornstarch

• 2/3cupcreamypeanutbutterorGroundnutsauce

• 1tablespoonsoysauce

• 1/4cuplimejuice

• 3greenonion,chopped

• 1/4cupchoppedfreshcilantro

• 1/2cupchoppedroastedpeanuts

• Addallingredientstolist

dIRECtIoN

• Placethechickenbreaststrips,bellpepperandonioninto a slow cooker.

• Pourinthechickenbrothand1/4cupofsoysauce,thenseasonwithcumin,garlic,redpepperflakes,saltand pepper.

• Stirtoblend,thencoverandcookonLowfor41/2to5 hours.

• Remove1cupoftheliquidfromtheslowcooker,andmixthiswiththecornstarch,peanutbutter,1tablespoon of soy sauce and lime juice. This should blend into a fairly thick sauce.

• Stirthesaucebackintotheslowcooker,andplacethe lid on the pot.

• CookonHighfor30minutes.Garnishwithgreen

food

Courtesy of Chill to Grill Restaurant

chicken thaiSLOW COOK


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Diva magazine issue15

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Transcript of Diva magazine issue15