EALA mark EAC Day visiting Private Sector stakeholders

Posted in Press Release

EALA marked EAC Day (30th November 2015) by visiting and holding talks with different Private Sector stakeholders in Kigali.

The first activity saw the legislators visit Positivo BGH, an electronics manufacturing company which uses Information Communications Technology to transform education. The Latin-American company which has set up base in Kigali, Rwanda, envisages regional expansion in the near future.

According to the Managing Director, Positivo BGH wants to make technology accessible to transform people’s lives from education, knowledge, development and communication up to comfort at home. The Kigali based plant which is situated in the Special Economic Zone was set up in June 2014 but commenced manufacturing a year later with a roll-out of 150,000 units.

The firm is set to broaden its base through diversified product portfolio and contract manufacturing. It intends to serve the local Rwandan market and in due course expand to other African countries.

The Assembly later visited the Strawtech Building Solutions that produces robust strawboard panels from wheat straw, as primary building materials from for mass housing and commercial construction projects.

The company has created a local value chain from raw material supply to turnkey housing units leading to a number of economic benefits including income generation and a positive impact of trade, a move EALA Speaker, Rt Hon. Daniel Kidega and the Members lauded.

Job creation has also been enhanced with over 5,000 farmers supplying straw and other workers providing transport in addition to the specialised architects, engineers and specialised construction jobs.

Chief Operating Officer Til Loeper said the company had identified Rwanda as the ideal entry point into the African market due to sound leadership and effective economic reforms that have resulted in positive investment environment.

“Rwanda is keen on implementing the Green growth and Climate Resilience Strategy as well as Government’s commitment to meeting future housing and construction demands”, Loeper said.

The company has constructed 2000 pre-fabricated, modular housing units per annum.

Citizens, Legislators participate in Social Work, plant trees in Eastern Rwanda

Posted in Press Release

EALA over the weekend participated in Umuganda (Community social work) in Kizinguro, Gatsibo District in Rwanda using the occasion to join citizens in tree planting.

The occasion saw the legislators engage also in sensitisation as part of the outreach activities in the area. It coincided with the National Tree Planting Initiative launched countrywide.

Speaker Daniel Fred Kidega hailed the citizens of Rwanda for their participation in development of the country. He said the country had continued to progress and praised President Paul Kagame for his leadership. The Speaker urged the citizens to take advantage of the integration process and draw from its tangible benefits.

“Do not look at Gatsibo as the only market for the honey you produce. What is produced here should and can be sold in the five Partner States”, the Speaker said.

The Speaker called on the globe as it convenes the COP 21 in Paris, France to give the continent a fair deal.

“On Monday, governments are meeting in Paris to discuss a possible global agreement on climate change aimed at keeping global warming under 2 degrees Celsius. As EALA Members, we are calling upon our technical negotiators to push for a fair deal”, he said.

“Africa is not a major pollutant like developed countries that emit a lot of gases. Yet Africa is most vulnerable to climate change effects. The main polluters should pay more and be the main players in reducing global warming”, the Speaker added.

The tree-planting initiative in Gatsibo shall enable the citizens to plant 25,000 trees in the area. Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta hailed the Armed Forces for playing a key role in sustainability and maintained that food security and conservation of non-timber projects was vital.

The occasion took place hot on the heels of the passage of the EAC Forests Management and Protection Bill 2015 by EALA.

The EAC Forestry and Management Protection Bill, 2015 hopes to promote the development, protection, conservation, sustainable management and use of the forests in the Community especially trans-boundary forests ecosystems, in the interest of present and future generations.

It further wants to espouse the scientific, cultural and socio-economic values of forests and harmonise national forest laws.

The Bill seeks to operationalise Article 112(1)(d) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC in which Partner States undertook to co-operate in the management of the environment and agreed to take necessary disaster preparedness, management, protection and mitigation measures especially for the control of natural and man-made disasters.

The Governor of the Eastern Province, Odette Uwamariya, remarked that 15,000 hectares of land had been set aside for re-afforestation and said the Community would constantly be sensitised on importance of forestry and good governance among other thematic areas.

In attendance were senior government officials, EALA Members and the diplomatic representatives from Netherlands, Belgium and Israel. Representatives of the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority and the Rwanda Agricultural Board also attended.

In March 2011, EALA participated in the Anti-Nyakatsi drive (grass thatched houses) in Kanyinya sector, Nyarugenege district on the outskirts of Kigali and helped to construct houses during an Umuganda occasion led by President Paul Kagame.

One month later, EALA returned to the area to distribute 300 sheets of iron to underscore its desire to see shelter provided as a basic right for all.