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Announcing the changes, the organizers of the concert stated that the rescheduling was due to circumstances beyond their control. However, the statement did not specify the exact reasons.

They confirmed that those who had already purchased tickets could still use them on the new concert date.

The concert, dubbed 'Sol Fest Kigali Pre Party,’ will precede the main ‘Sol Fest’ event, which is set to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 19 to 21, 2024.

The Kigali concert will feature performances by Savara Mudigi, Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano, and Polycarp Otieno, also known as Fancy Fingers, the founders of Sauti Sol.

The event will also include performances by artists such as Mike Kayihura and Ariel Wayz, while DJs such as DJ Sonia and DJ June will be mixing the music.

It is expected that there will be a VIP ‘Sol Fest’ concert on December 19, 2024, followed by the main concert for music lovers on December 21, 2024. The events will feature top Kenyan singers and rappers like Khaligraph Jones and Nyashinski.

The concert aims to preserve the legacy and honour of Sauti Sol and follows last year’s event in 2023, which was attended by more than 15,000 fans.

Sauti Sol, known for their numerous hit songs such as Sura Yako, Suzanna, Short N Sweet, and Live and Die in Africa, was formed in 2005. The group announced an indefinite hiatus in 2023.

The hiatus, the band said, would allow them to pursue individual and collective passions after 18 years of doing music together.

The much-awaited concert, which was expected to bring together former members of Kenya’s boy band Sauti Sol in Kigali on October 18, 2024, has been rescheduled to October 30, 2024.

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This funding aims to boost research, development, and manufacturing of vaccines targeting infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, Lassa fever, and Ebola.

According to an EIB statement, the financing will also strengthen the technical skills and expertise of Rwanda-based teams to support local vaccine discovery, manufacturing, and the development of vaccine delivery systems.

This initiative aligns with Rwanda’s broader goal of fostering home-grown healthcare solutions.

The latest health investment from EIB Global is part of the EU’s Global Gateway initiative for Africa, which seeks to unlock critical investments aimed at improving public healthcare access.

EIB Global’s focus is on high-impact investments that enhance healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing across Africa, strengthen health resilience, and support equitable access to healthcare on the continent.

Africa bears the highest global disease burden, and more local solutions are necessary to address these challenges. Vaccination plays a crucial role in driving investments toward universal healthcare and is key to achieving 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Akagera Medicines Africa was established in Rwanda in July 2022 to advance the pharmaceutical sector both within the country and across the continent. The company is majority-owned by the Republic of Rwanda through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).

Speaking at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, where the financing announcement was made, Michael Fairbanks, CEO of Akagera Medicines, praised the European Investment Bank’s support, expressing optimism about building human capacity and specialized infrastructure in Africa to advance vaccine development. The summit runs from October 13 to 15, 2024.

EIB Vice President, Thomas Östros, emphasized the importance of partnerships with both public and private entities in combating deadly diseases.

'The EIB is committed to further strengthening our partnership with local and international players, to scale up investment and support innovative technology together,' he said.

EU Ambassador to Rwanda, Belen Calvo Uyarra, remarked, 'Through Global Gateway, the EU is focused on advancing equitable access to health products and local manufacturing in Africa. This investment by EIB with Akagera Medicines marks another important milestone on this journey.'

The financing for Akagera Medicines complements other EU initiatives in Rwanda and the region under the Global Gateway Flagship—Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines, and Health Technologies (MAV+).

This broader effort focuses on supporting the necessary ecosystem for vaccine manufacturing and is backed by the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund (EU-AITF), which aims to increase infrastructure investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, reduce poverty, and foster economic growth in the region.

The European Investment Bank has allocated €2 million (approximately 2.9 billion Rwandan Francs) to support vaccine development in Rwanda.

Théophile Niyitegeka

The fire caused significant damage to the affected areas, reducing everything inside to ashes. Fortunately, the response by the FRB prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings.

SP Mwiseneza Jean Bosco, the Northern Province Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident, stating that while the fire has been fully extinguished, the cause remains unknown and is currently under investigation.

“The cause of the fire is not yet known. An investigation has started to determine the cause. The value of the damaged property is still being assessed,” he said.

He also reminded the public to take precautions against fire hazards and emphasized the importance of insuring properties to mitigate potential losses.

“Our message to the public is to avoid anything that could lead to a fire accident because it can result in loss of life and financial damages. We also urge business owners to ensure their businesses are insured,” added SP Mwiseneza.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported being caught off guard by the fire, which they say originated in the kitchen before rapidly spreading to other parts of the hotel.

Muhabura Hotel, a landmark in Musanze District, has been a staple of the region’s hospitality industry since 1954, marking 70 years of operation this year.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported being caught off guard by the fire, which they say originated in the kitchen before rapidly spreading to other parts of the hotel.

Different sections of the hotel, including the kitchen, bar, restaurant, five rooms, and a storage area, were completely destroyed before the Rwanda National Police (RNP) Fire and Rescue Brigade (FRB) intervened to extinguish the fire.

Fire broke out at Hotel Muhabura on the night of Monday, October 14, 2024.

The response by the Fire and Rescue Brigade prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings within the hotel complex.

The fire caused significant damage to the affected areas, reducing everything inside to ashes.

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When did the rains start beating Gachagua aka Riggy G?

The 'truthful man of God,' as he often refers to himself, finds himself in hot soup for his involvement in promoting tribal politics. The DP’s public utterances, which included 'shareholders government,' depicted the man as a tribalist who only pushed the interests of one tribe—Kikuyu—rather than fronting the interests of the entire Kenyan people.

Some of the politicians pushing for his impeachment also claim that Gachagua clandestinely supported the deadly Gen-Z protests that ensued in June. The peaceful protests were hijacked by goons who looted supermarkets and shops, resulting in violent confrontations with the police and leading to dozens of deaths. Even a layman knows that the event of June 25, which led to the capture of the National Assembly and Senate premises, wasn’t just a normal protest.

DP Gachagua’s miscalculated moves on his boss—it’s reckless and uncalled for to undermine and blackmail the sitting Head of State. If I say that DP Gachagua’s goose is cooked, I wouldn’t be wrong, and I wouldn’t face any form of contradiction. My submission is substantiated by the fact that his conduct against his boss is intolerable. There was no way Mr. Gachagua would sit in the Cabinet, agree on the policies and programs with President Ruto, and later oppose meeting resolutions.

The DP also crossed the line when he launched a scathing attack on the Head of the National Intelligence Service, Noordin Haji. He labelled him incompetent over alleged failure to inform the President about the violent Gen-Z protests. However, the man had done his job, and if there were reasons to believe that the spy chief was playing with such a sensitive docket, the Head of State would not have hesitated to kick him out.

Will Gachagua survive the guillotine?

Despite his link to capital offenses bordering on treason, including claims that he was leaking state secrets, the man from Mathira still stands a chance to survive impeachment. In a constitutional democracy like Kenya, everybody has the right to be heard. The DP petitioned the High Court of Kenya to stop his impeachment proceedings, which are underway in the Senate. The court will have to interrogate the process, assess its constitutionality, and deliver the ruling.

Furthermore, there is another avenue for Gachagua’s survival, and that’s if he persuades members of the Senate to vote in his favour. If the motion fails to garner two-thirds of the Senators, Gachagua will have succeeded against a well-planned and coordinated plan to oust him.

However, many people believe the DP won’t survive the impeachment, owing to various tangible reasons, including his limited numerical strength both in the Upper and Lower Houses, despite having a robust legal team that is arguing his case.

In my opinion, Mr. Riggy G has crossed the Rubicon. His impeachment will, beyond any reasonable doubt, yield success. My advice to the 'Son of Mau Mau' is to resign and save his political career. He might stand good chances come 2027, as an impeachment would mean a vote of no confidence to occupy any public office in the future.

The author is a commentator who dissects matters- politics, governance, security & economics.

Sam A. Sewanyana-Jr

The 6th World Media Summit, held on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, brought together over 500 participants from 106 countries and regions, including Rwanda.

Under the theme “AI and Media Transformation,” representatives from 208 institutions—ranging from media outlets to government agencies and international organizations—engaged in thoughtful discussions about AI’s transformative effect on the media industry.

The summit delved into how the role of the media is evolving in the face of this technological revolution.

One of the key outcomes of the event was a joint statement that highlighted the need for a balanced approach to adopting AI in media, ensuring that journalistic ethics and professional standards are upheld.

The statement also stressed the importance of enhanced global collaboration to share AI advancements, promoting high-quality development across the industry.

In his keynote address, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, emphasized the need for the media to embrace technological advancements while safeguarding the core values of journalism.

“We should proactively align with the technological wave, closely track the advancement of AI, particularly generative technologies like ChatGPT and Sora, and seize every opportunity for media innovation,” he said.

The summit also featured findings from a global survey conducted by the Xinhua Institute, a think tank under Xinhua, as part of a report titled “Responsibility and Mission of News Media in the AI Era.”

The report revealed that over half of the media organizations interviewed had already integrated generative AI into their operations. Technologies like algorithmic recommendations, voice interaction, and image generation are being widely applied across news collection, production, distribution, and audience feedback.

While media leaders acknowledged the immense potential of AI, they also pointed out the critical role humans must continue to play.

Fu Hua cautioned against a purely technology-driven approach: “We should move beyond ‘tech-centric thinking’ and effectively leverage the initiative of editors and reporters. Ultimately, humans must have the final say in human-machine interaction.”

Other media leaders echoed these sentiments, recognizing AI’s valuable contributions to newsrooms while emphasizing that human oversight is essential to maintaining journalistic standards and ensuring the production of high-quality, trustworthy content.

This year’s summit was jointly organized by Xinhua and the Xinjiang regional government.

In addition to discussing the core values of journalism—objectivity and truth—the event offered attendees a unique opportunity to experience Xinjiang’s vibrant culture firsthand.

Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China, described the summit as a valuable chance for journalists to gain deeper insights into Xinjiang’s development.

With its diverse cultural heritage, Xinjiang, which covers about one-sixth of China’s territory, has seen significant economic growth in recent years.

In 2023, it ranked among the top five provincial-level regions nationwide across six major indicators, including GDP growth, investment, consumption, and income levels.

Situated at the heart of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang is increasingly emerging as a vital hub, connecting Asia and Europe while serving as a key gateway for China’s westward expansion.

The 6th World Media Summit brought together over 500 participants from 106 countries and regions.

The opening ceremony of the The 6th World Media Summit, took place on Monday, October 14, 2024, in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.

Representatives from 208 institutions—ranging from media outlets to government agencies and international organizations—engaged in thoughtful discussions about AI’s transformative effect on the media industry.

Volunteers pose for a group photo outside the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center, venue of the sixth World Media Summit in Urumqi.

The summit delved into how the role of the media is evolving in the face of this technological revolution.

A report titled “Responsibility and Mission of News Media in AI Era” was released during the 6th World Media Summit in Urumqi.

The aerial view of the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center where the sixth World Media Summit took place in Urumqi.

All photos: Xinhua

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