Residents complain they have not received the promised compensation.

Kigali authorities say the hundreds of houses have been destroyed to save lives.

At least 45 Rwandans have died from lighting strikes, landslides and other rain-related incidents  in the past three months.

With more heavy rain expected in coming days, houses near wetlands in danger of being destroyed by mudslides or flooding are being demolished.

Rwanda, known as the land of a thousand hills, is heavily reliant on agriculture and hydro power.

The United Nations says the weather in Rwanda has become more and more unpredictable. This has left  the country highly vulnerable to natural disasters 

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They’re seeking compensation for those affected by this which they argue violates the treaty establishing the East African Community.

The case in the East African Court of Justice will take years to hear.

The civil society groups are hoping the publicity it generates now will give the governments of Uganda and Rwanda pause to the think about the effects of their diplomatic spat.

The groups say women traders at the border posts are being driving into poverty.

Since February, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has blocked goods coming into his country from Uganda and  prevented his citizens from crossing into the neighbouring country.

The government of Kigali and Kampala have exchanged accusations of interference in each others’ affairs.

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The pact struck in Kigali yesterday will have rich counties begin the process of cutting use off the gases that do more damage to the environment than half a billion motor cars.

World leaders hail the agreement by more than 150 countries to cut the use of HFC, the fastest growing greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says: “It’s an historic breakthrough and it can reduce the warming of the planet by a half a degree centigrade.

Conservation groups have reservations, however, saying too many concessions have been made to developing countries like India which will stop using HFCs only in 2028

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The request  will go the U.N. Security Council.

ends intro

The African heads of state gathered in Kigali were responding to a communiqué issued by IGAD Plus.

The body represents East African countries plus Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria.

It  called on the U.N. Security Council to extend the U.N. mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, with a revised mandate.

That revised mandate, it specified, should include the deployment of a regional protection force to separate South Sudan’s warring parties.

AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui says the AU envisions sending an African force with a robust peace enforcement mandate to South Sudan like the African intervention brigade in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Washington’s posted the troika from various missions in South Africa to take the top jobs in Malawi, Rwanda and Botswana.

The diplomats still have to get US Senate approval to take up their ambassadorial posts.

Erica Barks Ruggles the Consul General in Cape Town has already faced a Senate hearing.

She’s been tapped as ambassador to Rwanda.

Virginia Palmer, who was second-in-command in Pretoria, has been appointed ambassador to Malawi.

Earl Miller, who’s Consul General in Johannesburg will be Uncle Sam’s chief representative in Botswana.

None of the three is able to talk to the media about the appointments until the Senate that approved them.

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