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Kigali – General Paul Kagame, yesterday, called on investors to add value to what they produce prior to exporting, since it will not only improve on the quality of the country�s exports, but will bring in higher revenues for investors and the country.

General Kagame made the call while commissioning a factory which will be adding value to cassiterite, one of Rwanda�s leading minerals exports, before it is sold on the international market.

The factory, Bashyamba Processing Plant, which is located in Kigali Sector, Nyarugenge district, is part of a US$15 million consortium known as Roka Rwanda which specialises in mining, processing and exporting cassiterite, wolfram and coltan.

�First of all, this is inline with the country�s thinking and policy of trying to add as much value to what we produce. It has been a tradition for many years that minerals or other things are exported in raw form,�

�What that means is that it benefits others more than us who actually produce such things. The more value we can add the more benefits for the country and for others. I think this is a pacesetter,� Kagame said.

The President emphasised that the factory should set an example for many other investors, even outside the mining sector.

�I am sure many other Rwandans or investors will learn a thing or two from this kind of investment and the philosophy behind it. The country is set to benefit more,� he noted.

The factory has modern processing equipment which is expected to reduce on minerals wasted as a result of traditional methods of extraction.

Kagame commended the proprietors of the plant and said that it was in line with the wider government policy of promoting value addition, not only in mining, but other sectors as well. He added that value addition will be one of his areas of concentration in the next seven years.

�We have been promising people that we will do more than what we have done in the past, so this helps me to build on and say yes, after all, some of these things we say are possible,� Kagame said.

Kari Gahiga, the chairman of Roka Rwanda, which has three mining concessions and 24 mines around the country, said that the group was encouraged to invest in the factory as a result of the good investment climate the government has put in place.

�I am so impressed by the way things are done here. The Government is helping many investors in so many ways and so efficiently. That�s very impressive for investors,� Gahiga said.

According to Emery Rubagenga, the CEO of the firm, other than the mining concessions, Roka Rwanda will be buying minerals from individual miners and cooperatives.
�We believe Rwandans will be earning good revenues from what we will be buying,� Rubagenga said, adding that Rwanda�s cast cassiterite elite and coltan are of high quality and highly sought after on the international market.

The plant will be processing the minerals up to 60% purity before export. The plant has a capacity of producing 12 tons a day, but management says plans are underway to upgrade it to 24.

[New Times]

Arusha – The US government has again affirmed that the most wanted Genocide fugitive, billionaire Felicien Kabuga, has not left Kenya � disputing claims that he has relocated to Belgium with all his money.

The United States Ambassador at Large for War Crime Issues, Stephen Rapp said Tuesday at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) that he had received reports in 2010 suggesting Kabuga was still in Kenya.

�We have continued citing reports that come to us of his presence in Kenya in 2010,� Rapp said at the end of a two-day visit of the Tribunal, based in Arusha, Tanzania.

In March, Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo told reporters in Nairobi that the most wanted fugitive could not be in Kenya � citing the good relations between Kigali and Nairobi.
�Felicien Kabuga is the man who financed the genocide. We have no idea where he is. It has been said he has been living in Kenya but the administration has assured he is not around,� Mushikiwabo said.

Then in June, her Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetangula was in Kigali where he also made it clear than ever that Kabuga had relocated to Belgium after moving all his money.

Kenya�s top diplomat told reporters after meeting President Kagame there was no way Kabuga could be still living in Kenya without any money.

“Naturally a man lives where his money is,” said Wetangula.

But it seems the US government which has put a $5million bounty on Kabuga�s head is not convinced.

In Arusha on Tuesday, the US Ambassador for war crimes recalled that he had similar information in 2005 through 2007 but the arrest was not affected due to lack of collaboration between the ICTR Prosecutor and the Kenyan authorities.

Rapp said he believes the recent meeting between the ICTR and Kenya and establishment of the new constitution in Kenya would enhance the cooperation to effect the arrest and ultimately transfer of Kabuga to ICTR.

��It is not impossible that this information has not been followed up because of lack of collaboration between the prosecutor and Kenyan authorities,� he said.

The Ambassador clearly stated that the ICTR prosecutor did not have enough investigators, police or an army which would track down the culprit but depended on the members of United Nations like Kenya to collaborate in the arrest and transfer of the fugitives.

[ARI-RNA]

Pretoria – Five more people are in the custody of South African authorities in connection with the shooting of dissident Gen. Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa on June 19 in Johannesburg, SA police revealed Wednesday.

The new arrests were made in June and July but it was not necessary to publicize them, according to South Police Spokesman, Brig. Govindsamy Mariemuthoo.

On Wednesday, the five suspects appeared in court, and that is how they became known to the public. The new suspects bring to 10, the total number of people in custody for the shooting which has strained Rwanda-SA relations.

Originally, Police had 6 suspects but two saw charges against them dropped including Rwandan ex-army officer Francis Gakwerere. Then later it emerged that another Rwandan Pascal Kanyandekwe had been arrested for alleged links to the failed murder attempt.

Kanyandekwe charged along with Juma Huseni, Ahmed Ali, George Francis and Shafiri Bakari for the shooting on the General outside his home in Melrose north of Johannesburg on June 19. All these men were said to be foreigners and the authorities are yet to authenticate their papers.

Their court cases were scheduled to being on Wednesday last week but had to be moved due to the ongoing public sector strike across South Africa. Their case was moved to today August 25.

In court Wednesday, South African Police and Prosecutors presented the new five suspects.

Police spokesman Mariemuthoo told the media that the arrests were made quietly, with no public announcement.

Meanwhile, information from South African officials suggests Gen. Nyamwasa, whose extradition request from Rwanda is being considered, is under protection from the state at a secret location.

Rwanda wants him back to face the courts in connection to the grenade blasts which rocked Kigali earlier this year. He denies all the charges.

Related:
South Africa says no decision yet on return to Rwanda of recalled ambassador Gwadiso

[ARI-RNA]