Rwanda
-- Communication
and Mass
Media
Telephone
and Telecommunications
Before
the war
there were
12,600 telephone
lines in
Rwanda,
over 90%
of which
were in
Kigali,
the capitol
city. The
Japanese
company
Nikkon agreed
in April
1997 to
help rehabilitate
and develop
Rwanda's
telecommunications
system.
Postal
Service
Rwanda has
27 post
offices
which handle
about 16,489
pieces of
mail annually.
This is
an 1988
estimate.
Radio,
Television
and Film
Radio is
an important
medium for
the dissemination
of news
in Rwanda.
Even though
Radio Rwanda
is state
controlled,
it is sufficiently
independent
to broadcast
allegations
against
ministers.
Publishing
and Press
The
written
press is
largely
confined
to Kigali.
Its operation
is limited
by the high
cost of
paper and
ink as well
as by the
poverty
of its prospective
readership.
In spite
of these
difficulties,
over 15
newspapers
have appeared,
most of
these since
1994. These
include
the English
language
paper Rwanda
Time, L'Arc-en-ciel,
Le Messager,
a newspaper
dominated
by the Mouvement
Democrate
Republican
(MDR) that
has been
highly critical
of the RPF
and the
army.
Telephone
system:
Telephone
system does
not provide
service
to the general
public but
is intended
for business
and government
use. domestic:
the capital,
Kigali,
is connected
to the centers
of the prefectures
by microwave
radio relay;
the remainder
of the network
depends
on wire
and HF radiotelephone
international:
international
connections
employ microwave
radio relay
to neighboring
countries
and satellite
communications
to more
distant
countries;
satellite
earth stations1
Intelsat
(Indian
Ocean) in
Kigali (includes
telex and
telefax
service)
Telephones:
6,400 (1983
est.)
Radio
broadcast
stations:
AM 1,
FM 1, shortwave
0
Radios:
630,000
(1993 est.)
Television
broadcast
stations:
1
Televisions:
NA
Source:
CIA World
Fact Book
1999
