They say the calls, made five times a day, have been disturbing residents of the Nyarugenge district, home to the capital’s biggest mosques.

But an official from a Muslim association criticised it, saying they could instead keep the volume down.

Some 1,500 churches have been closed for not complying with building regulations and noise pollution.

The majority of Rwandans are Christian. Muslims make up around 5% of the population.

The government says the Muslim community has complied with the ban.

Analysis: Rwanda’s open secret

Ally Yusuf Mugenzi: Editor of BBC Great Lakes service

To understand the latest round of regulations imposed by Rwandan authorities on religious groups, we have to look back to the 1994 genocide, in which some 800,000 people were killed.

A number of the Roman Catholic churches, where thousands of Tutsis had taken refuge, became killing grounds during the 100-day rampage.

Rwandans lost faith in the powerful institution and gravitated towards Pentecostalism and Islam.

Today’s noise pollution concerns have silenced the loudspeakers on Kigali’s mosques. But it would be wrong to say that Muslims are being targeted. They can still go to mosques and pray five times a day.

The same cannot be said for the Pentecostals.

About 1,500 Pentecostal churches across the country have been closed over the past month, leaving worshippers with nowhere to pray.

This might have something to do with Rwanda’s open secret: the country’s religious denominations are expected to pledge loyalty to the government of long-time President Paul Kagame.

Pentecostal leaders might not be toeing the line.

But the authorities are right to focus on those churches’ disregard for building regulations. Many of them hold noisy services, are badly constructed, situated in residential homes, and are a legitimate health and safety concern.

“I have found that they have begun to respect it and it has not stopped their followers from going to pray according to their praying time,” Havuguziga Charles, a local official from Nyarugenge told the BBC’s Great Lakes service.

This comes as the government continues its clampdown on substandard churches across the East African country.

Most of them were small Pentecostal churches, and one mosque was also closed.

The government says the reason is that some preachers “deceive their congregation with misleading sermons”, AFP reports.

But some preachers have accused the government of trying to control their message to congregants in a country accused by human rights groups of stifling free speech.
–
By: BBC

The post Rwanda bans Kigali mosques from using loudspeakers appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President Paul Kagame made the offer when he met with Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on the sidelines of the ongoing Global Business Forum on Africa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Q57b8jlokzlLnNnjllTcGDkYIOi7wwNS”]The structural economic reforms being undertaken by the Ghana government, including the implementation of a National Digital Property Addressing System, the issuance of a National ID card, and the introduction of a Paperless Port system, have already received commendation from international bodies such as the World Bank.

Rwanda is known for its business-friendly environment, and is ranked the highest in Africa for the ease of doing business.

Explaining the offer from Rwanda, Ghana’s Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who accompanied the Vice President said:

“Rwanda, having taken a lead in that area already, is available, willing and excited, also in line with its Pan African interest to extend a hand to Ghana, and to assist us to even quicken the pace at which we are introducing a lot of these reforms especially reforms in the area of ICT. His excellency, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia also took him through some of the reforms that we have been embarking on, and the next stage is to now formalize the exercise of cooperation, and get a team together that can now more directly tap into the Rwandan experience when it comes to doing business, when it comes to plugging ICT into various aspects of our economic and governance life as a people.”

The Forum, organized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is under the theme “Next Generation Africa”, and is taking place at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah from November 1st-2nd, 2017.

The high-profile event, held under the patronage of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will explore new opportunities to enhance economic cooperation and expand trade and investment ties between the Middle East and Africa.

The two-day forum features a total of 24 sessions that will involve the participation of heads of state, ministers and dignitaries, policymakers, CEOs, prominent entrepreneurs, and heads of private banks, as well as UAE government and business leaders.

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the METL Group in Tanzania, Mohamed Dewji, will be discussing the topic “Industrialization – the path to growth?”

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Rwanda to help Ghana undertake reforms in ICT appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Rahman, who is a former Kotoko player, completed the move on Wednesday after going through his medicals.

Details of the move are undisclosed but the player will be wearing the number 12 jersey for Augsburg who finished 8th in last season’s German league.

Rahman will be replacing Matthias Ostrzolek who is going to Hamburg and the authorities at Augsburg are delighted with Ghanaian’s arrival.

“We are delighted to have taken Abdul Rahman Baba under contract. We are convinced that his sporting qualities fit in with our team. He is a young player who has the potential to develop and he also wants to prove himself in the Bundesliga,” said Stefan Reuter, the club’s Managing Director in an interview with the club’s official website.

Rahman himself was pleased with the switch and said:

“I am glad that the transfer worked out, because I again get the chance to play in the Bundesliga. I am sure that Augsburg will give me a very huge opportunity for me to develop here.”

Rahman joins the team with some experience after playing 20 times for Greuther Fürth in the 2012-13 German Bundesliga season.

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Baba Abdul Rahman joins Augsburg appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.