Many people in Rwanda still use the old way of toilet systems, where even modern flashing toilets trench their waste into long deep un cemented halls. These halls are so rampant that perpetuators of the 1994 Tutsi genocide would dump thousands of innocents inside.

With a need to have water and food security, a new style of toilets has to be adopted for sludge depositing as the following research of A.Uwimana, I.Nhapi, U.G Wali, Z.Hoko and J.Kashaigili (www.environmental expert.com) shows;

“A study was carried out to characterize the sludge produced at Kadahokwa Water Treatment Plant (KWTP) in Butare to assess the effectiveness of the sludge treatment and potential impacts of sludge disposal on the environment.

Parameters analyzed were chromium, nickel, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, aluminium, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, potassium and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The results showed that 450±244.5 tons (dry weight) of sludge are produced annually.

The concentrations of heavy metals in the sludge were below the standard limits for land application set by different countries. The high concentrations of nickel (42.3±2.5 ppm), chromium (29.9±6.2 ppm), cadmium (1.1±0.3 ppm) and lead (31.6±3.7 ppm) in the dried sludge posed a pollution risk for the wetland. The CEC was 28.4–33.3 cmol (+)/kg and pH was 6.50–7.45.

Conclusions;

• KWTP sludge is a poor source of total carbon, a moderate source of nutrients (NPK), and an important source of micronutrients, making it generally suitable for reuse for crop production.
• The CEC showed that the sludge could improve soil nutrient and water holding capacity.
• The higher concentration of aluminium (280 ppm) in the sludge creates an opportunity for recycling.”

Of course ordinarily it is difficult to prove to anyone that faeces and urine are worth any coin, but with the cost of NPK (fertilizers) being at $513 about 308,000Rfrs, one might imagine whichever proportion of NPK that can be in KWTP can cost.                                                  Therefore as you construct a toilet, think of constructing modern septic tanks, that will store that valuable sludge and there after call www.kssrwanda.com to make the following processes.

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Nk’uko bigaragazwa n’umwe mu baturage utuye mu gace k’imisozi miremire mu Karere ka Ngororero, yishimira uburyo babasha kugira itumanaho ku buryo baganira n’abari kure y’u Rwanda.

Yagize ati «Twebwe tubibona nk’igitangaza kubasha kuganira n’abantu kuri telefoni nk’aho turi kumwe kandi baba iyo muri Amerika ».

Umwe mu banyamahanga batemberaga mu Rwanda, George Cedgar, ubwo twaganiraga ari i Huye, yagize ati, “Natangajwe n’umuvuduko w’ikoranabuhanga mu Rwanda, natangajwe no kubona umuntu utuye mu cyaro cya kure arimo ahinga, agashyira isuka hasi akitaba telefoni kandi ukabona ibyo ayivugiraho ni ibimuteza imbere. Mu biturage by’iwacu mu Bwongereza sindabona umuhinzi ufite iyo myumvire».

Kuri ubu, umubare w’Abanyarwanda b’ingeri zose bagenda babona serivisi bakagombye kujya gushaka ku bacuruzi ndetse no ku bigo bitandukanye nko kuba batakijya kwishyura umuriro, kugura amakirita y’itumanaho n’ibindi.

Ndahiro Richard, umwe mu bakozi bakuru ba Banki y’abaturage y’u Rwanda ikaba ari nayo ifite abakiriya benshi mubyaro nawe yerekana ko guha serivisi zitandukanye abakiriya bayo biciye muri e-Banking bitanga uruhare mu iterambere. Ati, “Kuba umwanya wabo bawukoresha mu bindi aho kuwutakaza baza gutonda umurongo kuri banki, twibwira ko ari ikibazo twabakemuriye ku buryo babasha kwiteza imbere, bityo bakanateza imbere igihugu”.

N’ubwo hakinengwa serivisi igendanye n’uburyo aya makirita yifashishwa mu kubikuza ku byuma bitanga amafaranga dore ko ameshi atangwa n’ikigo cya Simtel, ngo mu mpera z’umwaka wa 2011, Visa kimwe mu bigo bikomeye ku isi mu buryo bwifashisha ibyuma bitanga amafaranga cyagiranye na leta y’u Rwanda amasezerano y’ubufatanye,  Muri ubwo bufatanye na banki zo mu Rwanda ndetse n’ibindi bigo by’ubucuruzi, hateganywa ko ibi byuma bitanga amafaranga biziyongera mu gihugu bityo  ngo bizakuraho ikibazo cy’uko ibisanzwe bikunze gukora biguru ntege nk’uko n’umuyobozi wa RDB, John Gala yabitangaje.

Uwo muyobozi akomeza avuga ko mu buryo bw’ubucuruzi, abantu bagendana amafaranga meshi bikaba byabatera ibibazo ko bitazongera kubaho. Ndetse ngo anasanga uburyo bwo kwishyura ibicuruzwa bitandukanye butazajya busaba amafaranga.

Mu mwaka wa 2011 nibwo za kompanyi zose zikora ibyo gutanga serivisi ku buryo bufatika, kuri telefoni zigendanwa za MTN na Tigo zabashije gutanga indi serivisi ikenewe n’Abanywarwanda yo kohereza no guhabwa amafaranga biciye kuri telefoni,   abafatabuguzi bazo babicishije mu banki babikiriramo, by’akarusho kandi ngo ntibizasaba ko abahererekanya amafaranga bazaba bafite ifatabuguzi rimwe nkuko ushinzwe itangazamakuru n’ubucuruzi muri Tigo, Jolly Igoma abitangaza..

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Bwana Gedeon yanasobanuye uburebure bw’imihanda iteganyijwe gukorwa, aho hateganyijwe gukorwa ibirometero 89.

Ariko aha, Bwana Gedeon yavuze ko n’ubwo izo gahunda zijyanye n’ibikorwa remezo zatangiye gukorwa, ariko akaba nta gishushanyo mbonera cy’Akarere kiraboneka. Yakomeje avuga ko hategerejwe impuguke zizaturuka muri  Minisiteri y’ibikorwa remezo kugira ngo zifatanye n’abakozi b’Akarere babishinzwe gukora igishushanyo mbonera.

Uretse imihanda, harimo no gukorwa imiyoboro y’amazi mu rwego rwo kugeza amazi meza ku baturage nk’uko bitangazwa n’umuyobozi w’Akarere ka Ngororero Bwana Gedeon.  Harimo  no  gutangwa amashanyarazi hirya no hino mu baturage, ariko iyo gahunda ikaba itaragera ku baturage bose kuko muri ako karere aribwo amashanyarazi yarakihagera.

Gusa, itangwa ry’amashanyarazi muri ako karere ryashimishije abaturage kandi bibagiraho n’ingaruka nziza kuko usanga ku gacentere k’umujyi haba hashyushye, hari imirimo myinshi yatangiye gukorwa itari isanzwe, nko gufotora inyandiko, serivisi z’urwogosho  (salon de coiffure), abafotora nabo bariyongereye kubera uwo muriro w’amashanyarazi wahageze.

Abacuruza nabo barishimye kuko ngo babasha gukonjesha ibinyobwa bacuruza maze abakiriya bakabinywa bifutse.

Uretse abacuruzi, n’abaturage batangaje ko bashimishijwe cyane n’itangwa ry’amashanyarazi muri ako karere, cyane ko yatumye bava mu bwigunge kuko ubu basigaye bareba televiziyo, bakumva radiyo badafite ikibazo ko amabuye abashiriraho.

Ngo nanone basigaye bajya kwiyogoshesha bemye kuko mbere hari ubwo bajyagayo, bakabwirwa ko batogosha kuko amavuta y’imashini yifashishwaga amashanyarazi ataraboneka yashize. Ubwo ugiye kwiyogoshesha rimwe na rimwe akagarukira aho.

Iyo ugeze mu Ngororero, ubona ibibanza bitari bike bitegerejwe kubakwa ndetse nibyatangiye kubakwa. Hari naho usanga amazu yaruzuye ageze mu cyiciro bita finissage.

Ayo mazu meza azamutse ku gasantere ka Ngororero, agaragaza isura nziza y’ako karere  karimo kuzamuka mu bijyanye n’imyubakire n’ibikorwa remezo, nk’uko byashimangiwe n’abaturage b’ako karere. N’ubwo ngo uwambaye ikirezi atamenya ko cyera, bo barabimenye kandi ngo barabyishimiye.

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Today14^th December 2011 at Lemigo Hotel, there took place a one day seminar on Geothermal Energy development targeting policy and decision makers. This workshop was organized by Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) in collaboration with JICA(Japan International Cooperation Agency), with the aim to develop common understanding of geothermal energy development process among policy and decision makers in different government institutions.

“This project lies in hand with the overall government’s target of generating 1000MW by 2017, thus through Geothermal we are to generate 310MW” State minister of infrastructure Isumbingabo Francoise said. We need to generate energy for Industry and home use since the projects’ neighbors can use geothermal energy to dry rice or to light their homes, the state minister added.

In the seminar, five Japanese experts from WEST Japan Engineering Consultants (WEST JEC) gave presentations on technical, policy and institutional aspects based on their 20years rich experiences in geothermal energy development in other countries.

“JICA will endeavor to support Rwanda in both Energy infrastructures and Geothermal knowledge such that Rwandans will undertake such projects themselves. Currently 3 EWSA Engineers are receiving geothermal training in Japan” JICA Representative Kobayashi Hiroyuki said.

Geothermal energy is a clean form of power generation because the extracted hot springs used to turn power generating turbines is cooled and sent back beneath the earth surface where it is extracted.

The Government of Rwanda has conducted several surveys to confirm the potential of geothermal resource development and found out that the potential capacity would be about 700MW and that potential sites were Karisimbi, Gisenyi, Kinigi, and Bugarama. EWSA is currently conducting a detailed surface survey in Karisimbi, Gisenyi and Kinigi.

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Iyi komisiyo ubu yamaze gushyirwaho ikazatanga raporo y’ibyo yabonye mu minsi ya vuba ifatanyije n’indi komisiyo yashyizweho n’intara mu rwego rwo gucukumbura iki kibazo.

Amabuye y’agaciro acukurwa mu birombe byo mu mirenge itandukanye igize akarere ka Kayonza yakomeje guteza ibibazo bitandukanye birimo n’ibishingiye ku mutekano. Bamwe mu bafite ibirombe bicukurwamo amabuye baherutse gutunga agatoki inzego z’ubuyobozi bazishinja kugira uruhare muri aka kajagari kanagiye gateza umutekano muke.

Nyamara ariko ubuyobozi na bwo bwavuze ko abafite ibirombe bacukura mu kajagari, mu gihe mu birombe bya Rwinkwavu, abashinzwe umutekano hamwe na polisi babuzaga abaturage gucukura amabuye y’agaciro ahantu byavugwaga ko hatemewe gucukura. Mu rwego rwo kugabanya ako kajagali ubuyobozi bw’akarere ka Kayonza bwafashe icyemezo cyo kuba buhagaritse gutanga ibyemezo biha uburenganzira abashaka gucukura amabuye y’agaciro.

Gusa ariko ubuyobozi bwabwiye abafite ibigo bicukura amabuye y’agaciro i Rwinkwavu ko imbogamizi bagaragaza bahura na zo zigiye gushakirwa ibisubizo, ubuyobozi bukajya bwiga vuba amadosiye asaba uburenganzira bwo gucukura ari nako hakurikiranwa ababikora mu buryo butemewe n’amategeko.

Cyprien Ngendahimana

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Such laws also reinforce the function of the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), which will provide the regulatory framework for private investors. With new interconnections between Rwanda and the sub-region, there is the potential for the country to share power with its neighboring countries through a common power pool and possible export and import of power.  Potential areas of interest to investors in the energy sector are Hydro power, Geothermal, Peat, Solar energy, Papyrus and Hydrocarbons.

Concerning the Hydro power, the natural terrain of Rwanda provides abundant opportunities for hydroelectricity. More than 333 potential micro hydro sites have been identified across the country which can be developed by private companies with mini stand-alone grids that sell electricity to local people and the excess power to the national power utility. Currently 21 of these 333 sites are being developed. There are also attractive large scale regional hydro projects which require investors; Rusizi III (Rwanda, Burundi and DRC) with an estimated installed capacity ranging from 80 to 140MW. Feasibility studies have been completed and the report is available; Rusizi IV (Rwanda, Burundi and DRC) with an estimated installed capacity of 205MW. Pre-feasibility study available; Rusumo (Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi) with an installed capacity of 62 MW. Feasibility studies for both the power plant and transmission lines to the three countries were completed in June 2009 with World Bank and ADB funding.

About the Geothermal area, Rwanda is one of the only African countries with potential prospects for geothermal resource utilization. Assessment to evaluate its potential has been completed.  A remote sensing survey, geochemical surveys and geophysical reconnaissance surveys (Magneto Telluric-MT and Transient Electromagnetic-TEM) have been carried out. Preliminary results indicate that a medium to high temperature geothermal system may exist south west of Karisimbi Volcano.  Additional MT/TEM data points for detailed modeling have been planned to accurately define the size and depth of the heat source, reservoir size and inflow/outflow/ recharge zones, collect information on the reservoir characteristics and capacity, and propose an appropriate development plan.

Peat

Rwanda has about 150 million tons of peat in its marshlands, of which approximately one third is commercially extractable and can be burnt as source of heat or for the production of electricity. This is also another important area of interest for investors. While power production from peat is still at the planning stage, the use of peat as fuel has already been tested in community institutions, for brick making and in the cottage industry. This sector is open to potential investors.

Solar energy panels

The Solar energy sector has two options: the Solar Voltaic where solar power systems will electrify households and institutions located very far from the grid to be connected in the near future. A high number of solar power systems will need to be procured for the electrification of public institutions and households, providing an opportunity for suppliers, installation and maintenance companies in Rwanda.

Solar Water Heater (SWH)

The second option is the (SWH) that will provide significant amount of electricity which can be utilized to extend the electrical grid. It is estimated that heating water through solar energy in the service sector (60 hotels, 400 health centers and 20 hospitals during the EDPRS period) will require approximately 20,000 m² of solar sensor surface. This will create savings of 2,000 tons of oil equivalent (TOE) per year or 40,000 TOE during the average life span of the equipment (20 years). This corresponds to a saving of USD 28 million for an initial investment of USD 10 million. The internal rate of return would be 7 years considering the expenses for maintenance and management. The Government and people of Rwanda would benefit from the SWH initiative in different ways.

Papyrus as another potential area of investment is a renewable resource covering 23,000 hectares mostly around Kigali City. It can be harvested on a 6 month rotation basis without damage to the environment and has a yield of 15 tons per year. This is enough to generate 75,000 tons of charcoal which could replace traditional charcoal in Kigali City.

Regarding the Hydrocarbons; the government encourages the participation of independent power producers into the power generation business. The energy remains a key driver for social economic growth and Rwanda has to prioritize energy in its agenda. The methane gas power plant is expected to increase the current power capacity in Rwanda by 40% and would reduce the cost of electricity. The extraction of gas from Lake Kivu is also likely to reduce the possible risk of eruption and avoid major loss of life along the Lake. Currently Rwanda’s domestic power comes from hydropower, limited solar energy and diesel-fired energy and firewood.

Kivu Methane Gas Project

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