Sixteen injured as grenade attacks hit Kigali »
Sixteen people were injured in two simultaneous grenade attacks in Kigali last night at around 7pm. The attacks happened in Kimironko, close to the taxi rank, and in Kinamba, near the Gisozi Genocide memorial. The bombings occur less than one month after similar attacks in central Kigali. Only on Wednesday, President Paul Kagame blamed the [...]
Victoire Ingabire (does not) seek refuge at UK High Commission »
This story appears to be a hoax. I’m told Ingabire had a meeting at the UK High Commission and then went home. I can hardly wait until the presidential race starts for real. Just imagine the jolly japes…
According to her party’s Facebook page (basically a feed of press releases), the 2010 Rwanda presidential election hopeful, [...]
How to shop at Kimironko market »
If you want to go shopping at the excellent Kimironko covered market, east of central Kigali and you don’t look Rwandan there are two rules you might want to follow. First, hire a guy to watch your car. You won’t find this too tricky as you’ll be mobbed by potential employees as soon as you [...]
Kigali City Council crackdown on restaurant hygiene »
It’s good to hear that Kigali City Council are cracking down on unhygienic restaurants and bars in the capital. However, I couldn’t help but raise a smile at the gentile way in which this New Times reporter eased his way into describing the problems facing customers,
A mini survey carried out around premises in Kacyiru and [...]
My Neighbour My Killer »
There is be a free screening of Annie Aghion’s documentary film My Neighbour My Killer at Heaven Restaurant in Kiyovu this coming Sunday Dec 13 at 7pm. The film focuses on the local Gacaca court system which has been used to try to bring a form of justice to Rwanda following the 1994 genocide. The [...]
Newspaper buyer beware »
I buy newspapers from the many street sellers hawking the streets Kigali at least once per week. I tend to buy local Kinyarwanda language papers – which I don’t understand – and I ask some Rwandan friends to tell me a little about what’s inside. Umuseso – which I’m told means “from dawn to dusk” [...]
No. 1 in Central Africa »
Roto Tanks are number 1 in Central Africa, apparently. At least they are according to this quincaillerie in downtown Kigali. It’s not just in Central Africa they’re popular, but over in Ethiopia too – on roundabouts in the centre of Addis Ababa. I’d never heard of Roto Tanks before I moved to Kigali, but pretty [...]
There’s something missing »
I was just about to jump into this taxi on the outskirts of downtown Kigali earlier today when I noticed the front tyre pictured above. The rears weren’t much better. It wasn’t raining and I fancied a thrill, so I hopped in. I wonder what his chances of passing his next MoT are…
Yankees “spotted” in central Kigali »
The New York Yankees, who won a baseball competition misleadingly called The World Series earlier this week, may be pleased and surprised to find they have at least one fan in Rwanda. In our continuing series of minibuses come poster campaigns, come artmobiles, come advertising campaigns, see exhibit 2 above – The Yankeesmobile in central [...]
It’s curtains for Kigali »
There’s one thing we didn’t squeeze into the box when we moved to Kigali – curtains. Fortunately, there are a couple of curtain making shops in central Kigali. Interestingly, all of these shops are owned and staffed by Pakistani immigrants. Leaving my curtain woes aside for two seconds, I’m hoping to start a regular feature [...]
