The New Times

National Police's anti-gender based violence (GBV) offices received computers and cameras worth Rwf 8.5 million from Actionaid Rwanda to support their efficiency in curbing the vice.

The equipment will be dispersed to Police GBV offices in Nyaruguru District, Southern Province and Musanze District, Northern Province, in a bid to circulate capacity of all their offices.

Upon her tour of police facilities, Joanna Kerr, the Chief Executive of Actionaid International, pledged more support in terms of training and equipment to aid police.

Libya’s LAP Green has lost the chance to reclaim the assets of its former troubled telco Rwandatel which are up for sale in the ongoing liquidation process, Rwandatel’s Administrator has disclosed. Lap Green had earlier on approached the authorities for a possible bid to reclaim assets of its former subsidiary.

The liquidation process has attracted big players in the telecom industry including Bharti Airtel, which is set to commence operations in Rwanda before the end of this year. 

The laptops were destined for local leaders at the cell level, who needed to improve service delivery with the help of latest technologies. PAC heard that on November 16, 2009, the Ministry of Local Government through the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority contracted DIDADA Supply S.a.r.l, to supply the laptops within a period of 45 days.

For instance, the Broadband Commission meeting that took place on 8-9 September, 2011, focused on the role of youth in defining new ICT services and driving take-up.

Rwanda has an exceptionally young population, with 42% of people under the age of 15.

The conference attracted Broadband commissioners and representatives of several countries in Africa, the private sector and civil society. They examined how to get the continent wired to high-speed networks and also involve the role of the youth in getting Africa online.

With this new approach to learning, the children will become more creative and innovative as the laptops help enhance what they are taught in schools in a more practical way.

The country has invested a lot in technology, as evidenced by the completion of the laying of the fiber optic.

According to the OLPC programme coordinator, Rwanda targets to have half a million laptops in primary schools across the country.

President Paul Kagame will, this week, host members of the Global Broadband Commission for Digital Development, to a two-day event that starts September 8, in Kigali.

The broadband commission brings together some of the world's top leaders in governments, industry and international community to devise strategies for accelerated deployment and access to broadband technology globally.

President Kagame co-chairs the commission alongside Mexican Billionaire, Carlos Slim.

London based emerging markets broadband provider, Augere, is set to expands its African operations with the launch of broadband services in Kigali. The UK firm announced its expansion plans to Rwanda and Tanzania this week, beginning with in Kigali in November this year.

Business was booming until November last year. But now, dealers in IT equipment are crying foul over the Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed by Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) insists that mobile phone users in the country will hit six million next year even as latest statics depict a decline in mobile penetration rate.

According to the most recent statistics from RURA, the mobile penetration rate was 36.3 per cent in March this year but slid to 34.4 per cent in April before rising slightly to 36 per cent in May.

The decline in mobile penetration rate, according to industry experts, is one of the effects of RURA's decision to revoke Rwandatel's mobile license.