Health insurance: New guidelines for RAMA card holders spark controversy

By: Julius Bizimungu

A nurse attends to a patient at a Kigali hospital. / File

A new directive by the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) that requires RAMA insurance card holders to only go to private polyclinics or private hospitals on referral, or risk footing a bigger bill, has drawn sharp criticism from private practitioners.

Dar plans to boost tourism earnings

Correspondent PIUS RUGONZIBWA in Mwanza

THE government has expressed zero tolerance on saboteurs in the tourism sector as it plans to ramp up its contribution to the economy.

The Natural Resources and Tourism Deputy Minister Mr Ramo Makani said here last week that the government was determined to increase tourism contribution to the national development in

Three banks each have over 50pc in bad loans

DAILY NEWS Reporter

THREE banks have more than 50 per cent of non-performing loans ratio in this year’s quarter one as banks loan repayment default rate soars to record high.

Z’bar capital account continues to improve

DAILY NEWS Reporter

ZANZIBAR current account has registered surplus thanks to a fall in imports and increased inflow of official project grants.

TV show to promote farming as ‘cool’ for youth

A vegetable farm. A reality TV show, Don’t Lose the Plot, targets youth. PHOTO | FILE |   NATION MEDIA GROUP

By MARYANNE GICOBI

In Summary

• The four contestants in Don’t Lose the Plot, were picked from a pool of 200 youth who applied.
• The four will each be given an acre of land in Limuru near Nairobi, where they will live and farm for nine months.
• They will choose what to plant and pitch a budget of their expenses to the judges before getting funding for farm inputs

Why EU is sending poll observer mission to Kenya but not Rwanda

European Union election observers in Kenya in February 2013. The EU is preparing to deploy observers to the country ahead of the August 8, 2017 polls. PHOTO| FILE  

By IVAN R MUGISHA

In Summary

• An EU observer mission is expected in Nairobi from mid next month.
• A key concern is the likely flare-up of election-related violence as that which befell Kenya in 2007.
• Rwanda National Electoral Commission chairman Kalisa Mbanda said bodies wishing to observe the country’s polls would be invited for accreditation next month.

Uganda shortlists four firms for oil refinery project

Uganda plans to construct an $4.27 billion electrically heated pipeline transporting 200,000 barrels of oil per day. TEA GRAPHIC | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By JULIUS BARIGABA

In Summary

• There have been eight companies/consortia in the bidding, which the Ministry of Energy had been considering.
• A decision needs to be reached soon to enable the joint venture partners – CNOOC, Total and Tullow – to make their final investment decision by December 2017.