Author: Nicole Kamanzi Muteteri

The ruling was delivered on August 28, 2025, after the bench considered Ingabire’s application for release. She and her defense lawyer Gatera Gashabana, had argued that her initial 30-day remand order had expired without lawful extension.

On July 18, 2025, the same court had issued a remand order committing Ingabire to 30 days of provisional detention while investigations continued. By statutory calculation, that period ended on August 17, 2025.

Under Rwanda’s Code of Criminal Procedure, a person placed in provisional detention may remain in custody for 30 days, subject to judicial extension. The law permits extensions of up to three months for serious crimes and up to six months for grave offenses. If no extension is granted within the time limit, the accused may petition for release.

Ingabire’s defense submitted that the Prosecution failed to comply with the deadline, since it filed its case on August 18 — one day after the expiration of the 30-day order. On this basis, they requested her immediate release.

The Prosecution countered that its filing was within time, arguing that August 17 fell on a Sunday, a non-working day, and therefore the statutory period lawfully extended to the next working day, Monday, August 18.

In its ruling, the Kicukiro Primary Court considered two issues: whether the Prosecution had filed out of time, and whether Ingabire should be released from custody. The court found that the final day of the 30-day detention was indeed August 17, but that filing on August 18 complied with procedural requirements, as it was the next lawful working day.

On those grounds, the court rejected Ingabire’s application and upheld her remand, ordering that she remain in pre-trial detention. The case has since been referred for further proceedings before the competent judicial body.

Ingabire faces multiple charges, including forming an armed group, incitement to insurrection, undermining state authority, dissemination of false information intended to discredit the Government of Rwanda abroad, spreading rumors, conspiracy to endanger state security, and organizing unauthorized demonstrations.

He made the remarks on August 27, 2025, in Singapore, where he attended the 5th Singapore–Africa Ministerial Exchange Visit (SAMEV).

Through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Rwanda also organized an investment forum aimed at attracting investors and showcasing the country’s advantages as an investment destination.

Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized that Rwanda serves as a gateway to the African market.

“By investing in Rwanda, you are not only investing in our market. You are also connecting your business to the 3.4 trillion-dollar large African market, and its 1.3 billion consumers,” Amb. Nduhungirehe said.

He further explained that Rwanda continues to position itself as a hub for investment in Africa, focusing on innovation and technology-driven growth.

Minister Nduhungirehe reaffirmed Rwanda’s long-term development goals: to achieve Upper Middle-Income Country status by 2035 and to become a High-Income Country by 2050.

By 2035, Rwanda aims to be ranked among the top 10 countries in the world for ease of doing business, and among the top 20 countries with the most resilient economies. By 2050, the country aspires to be in the world’s top 10 performing economies.

To meet these ambitions, Rwanda has set a target for its economy to grow at an average annual rate of at least 12% of GDP between 2018 and 2035, and 10% between 2036 and 2050.

An RDB report shows Rwanda registered new investments worth $3.2 billion (about 4.5 trillion Rwandan francs) in 2024, up from $2.4 billion in 2023. Of this, manufacturing, finance and insurance, and real estate constituted 77.9%.

The Kigali International Financial Center (KIFC), a project designed to transform the country into a globally competitive financial hub has been vital to these endeavors.

Since its launch in 2020, the KIFC has attracted 180 investors, of which 70% are African with 30% coming from other regions of the world.

The Bioko Provincial Tribunal delivered the ruling on Tuesday, 26 August, finding Engonga and five other senior government officials guilty of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the public treasury in the oil-rich Central African state.

In addition to embezzlement, Engonga faced charges of abuse of office and misappropriation of funds.

He was ordered to pay a fine of $220,000. According to reports, the court also convicted Ireneo Mangue Monsuy Afana, Rubén Félix Osá Nzang, and Baltasar Ebang Engonga Alú—former directors general in the finance ministry—sentencing each to eight years in prison and imposing heavy fines.

Other government officials, including Rolando Asumu Ndong Oyé, Carmelo Julio Motogo Ndong, and Florentina Ngangá Iñandji, were found guilty as accomplices. They each received three-year prison terms and fines ranging between 16 million and 31 million CFA francs.

Engonga had already been suspended from his post in 2024 after a sex scandal in which hundreds of explicit videos leaked online, allegedly involving him with over 400 women—many of them connected to influential families in the country. The videos, some reportedly filmed in his office, went viral and caused widespread outrage.

Nicknamed “Bello” for his good looks, Engonga was arrested in October 2024 amid accusations of siphoning large sums from the state treasury and concealing the money in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands. Despite the allegations, he has not publicly commented on the charges.

According to AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the assaults began on the night of Wednesday, August 27, 2025, when forces from the Congolese army (FARDC), the Burundian military, Imbonerakure militia, FDLR fighters, Mai Mai,Wazalendo militia, and foreign mercenaries launched attacks in Mikenke, Minembwe highlands, and parts of Kalehe Territory.

“Since the night of August 27, the coalition of Kinshasa government forces has been indiscriminately bombing heavily populated areas in Minembwe [Mikenke] and Kalehe [Katana, Kavumu, Katasomwa, Nyabibwe], using CH-4 drones and heavy weapons. The attacks are still ongoing,” Kanyuka said.

The MRDP-Twirwaneho movement confirmed that drones, allegedly operated by mercenaries, first struck Rugezi in southern Minembwe around 1:00 a.m., damaging telecommunication infrastructure.

Additional bombardments were reported in Kahololo village in the Itombwe mountains of Fizi Territory and in Uvira, with reports suggesting Kinshasa had issued direct orders to target Banyamulenge-inhabited villages in Minembwe.

These strikes follow earlier attacks in Kadasomwa on August 26–27 and in Minembwe on August 27, which AFC says resulted in significant civilian casualties.

AFC/M23 argued that the escalation proves President Félix Tshisekedi and his allies have chosen war instead of pursuing negotiations facilitated by Qatar.

The group also reaffirmed that it would continue to “protect and defend civilians” in eastern DRC.

Dr. Kabaasha was appointed CEO of WASAC Group during the Cabinet meeting of July 16, 2025, succeeding Prof. Omar Munyaneza, who had held the position since September 2023.

With more than 10 years of experience in water distribution, Dr. Kabaasha held roles in various government institutions that later merged to form today’s WASAC Group, where he has served since 2007.

In an exclusive interview with IGIHE, he underscored the urgent need to improve water distribution efficiency and reduce the amount of water lost before reaching consumers losses that could otherwise be put to productive use.

{{IGIHE: How prepared are you to take on your new responsibilities?}}

{{Dr. Kabaasha:}}

I am honored to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading WASAC Group. I sincerely thank His Excellency, President Paul Kagame, for the confidence he has placed in me. I accepted these duties with the full understanding that water is life, it is not just another service.

Drawing on my experience and commitment to serving my country, I am fully prepared to deliver on this mandate.

{{What are key areas that require more effort to ensure that Rwandans have reliable access to clean water?}}

In my view, four priorities stand out. First, professional service delivery is key. As WASAC staff, we must enhance the way we work by adopting modern technologies and developing robust water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure. This will allow us to provide reliable, high-quality, and customer-friendly services.

Secondly, we need to place citizens at the center. Our people deserve better services. I will focus on listening to their feedback, providing them with accurate and reliable information, explaining the challenges we sometimes face in service delivery, and ensuring timely responses to their concerns.

Integrity and accountability come third. Every decision we make will be guided by wisdom, honesty, and the public interest. Our ultimate goal is to deliver dependable services built on trust.

Lastly, there is a need to invest in employees. WASAC staff are the institution’s greatest asset. They are central to achieving all organizational goals. I will prioritize staff welfare and foster a positive work environment where they can perform with dedication, showcase their talents, and grow professionally.

{{In recent weeks, different parts of the country have been experiencing water shortages. What is causing this?
}}

Indeed, there is currently a significant shortage of water across the country, particularly in Kigali City. Two main factors are responsible.

First, the dry season has led to a drastic reduction in water levels in the River Nyabarongo compared to previous years, which has in turn reduced the supply capacity of the Kanzenze water treatment plant.

Second, the demand for water among residents has sharply increased during this period.
To mitigate the situation, WASAC Group implemented a water rationing program. However, recent assessments have shown that challenges remain. Some neighborhoods have consistent water access, while others especially in Kicukiro District in Kigali go long periods without any supply.

To address this imbalance, WASAC Group is currently reviewing and improving its water distribution strategy to ensure that areas frequently facing shortages can receive a more reliable supply.

{{What measures are being taken to ensure that everyone has access to clean water?}}

Generally, there is still a gap between the demand for water and WASAC Group’s supply capacity. This challenge worsens during prolonged dry seasons.

In the short term, our solutions include revising the water rationing program and reducing losses caused by leakages, so that all water produced actually reaches the population as intended. We also want to ensure rationing is applied fairly across all communities.

Long-term strategies focus on two main aspects: implementing new projects to build additional water treatment plants and upgrading existing ones to expand capacity nationwide. At the same time, we are working to reduce water losses, which currently stand at more than 38%, to at least 25–30%.

{{Water losses along the network are significant. What is being done to address this?}}

Indeed, WASAC currently has a Non-Revenue Water (NRW) level of about 38%. Over the years, we have worked with several development partners to address this issue. For example, in Rwamagana and Nyagatare branches, we partnered with a Dutch organization called VEI, and water losses were significantly reduced.

Similarly, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supported WASAC in cutting water losses at the Kacyiru branch in Kigali.

These interventions will now be scaled up and applied across other branches in Kigali before the end of this year. We expect this will help bring water losses in the city down from 38% to between 25% and 30%.

{{What progress has been made with the project to install leak detection machines (SCADA)?}}

Currently, SCADA systems are already in use at WASAC’s water treatment plants and in some reservoirs. However, using SCADA specifically to detect damaged water pipelines is still at the pilot stage. We are also seeking partners to help us implement this project at full scale.

What are the major projects currently underway to address Rwanda’s persistent water challenges?
We have several projects across the country aimed at increasing the supply of water and ensuring it reaches the population.

One of these is the project to rehabilitate and expand the Karenge Water Treatment Plant. Once completed, the plant’s capacity will rise from the current 12,000 cubic meters per day to 36,000 cubic meters per day. The water produced will serve the City of Kigali and Rwamagana District.

Another project is the rehabilitation and expansion of the Ntora-Remera water pipeline. This project will rehabilitate and extend 190 kilometers of pipelines in Kigali City, particularly in Gasabo District (Gisozi, Remera, Kinyinya, and Kacyiru Sectors), helping to address the existing water shortages.
There is also a project to rehabilitate the Nzove I Water Treatment Plant, which will then have a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters of water per day.

Outside Kigali, there is the Kivu Belt Water Supply Project. It involves constructing a water treatment plant with a capacity of 13,000 cubic meters per day and laying 125 kilometers of water pipelines. This project is expected to increase water supply in Rubengera and Bwishyura Sectors in Karongi District.

The Muhazi Water Supply Project will establish a water treatment plant with a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters per day and build 256 kilometers of pipelines. This project will benefit residents of five sectors in Gatsibo District (Remera, Rugarama, Kiziguro, Kiramuruzi, and Murambi) and three sectors in Kayonza District (Rukara, Murundi, and Gahini).

There is also the Volcano Belt Water Supply Project, which will rehabilitate and expand the Mutobo Water Treatment Plant, raising its capacity from 12,500 cubic meters per day to 43,000 cubic meters per day, along with constructing 178 kilometers of pipelines. Once completed, the project will increase water supply in Musanze, Nyabihu, and Rubavu Districts.

Finally, we are also focusing on the Huye-Nyaruguru-Gisagara Water Supply Project, which will have a capacity of 24,000 cubic meters per day and involve the construction of 473 kilometers of water pipelines.

{{Do you consider prepaid water systems a sustainable solution?}}

Yes, prepaid water systems are a promising solution. They allow customers to monitor their water usage and avoid accumulating arrears. For WASAC, they ensure faster and more efficient revenue collection.

A pilot program has already started at 200 public water taps in Kigali and the Eastern Province. After proving effective, we are now seeking funding to expand prepaid systems to more public taps nationwide.

Additionally, WASAC has invited companies manufacturing household prepaid meters to conduct a six-month pilot program beginning in October this year. The results will provide key insights for deciding on a large-scale rollout to households.

{{Are smart meters still part of your vision?}}

Yes, smart meters remain part of our future strategy. We plan to test two types: prepaid meters (pay-before-use) and postpaid meters (which automatically transmit usage data without requiring WASAC staff to manually read them monthly). These solutions will improve transparency, minimize errors, and enhance customer service.

{{Why is water pricing for large institutions and industries considered very high?}}

It is often said that industrial water tariffs are too high, but this is not entirely accurate. Water tariffs are determined based on the actual costs of treatment, distribution, and ensuring sustainable service delivery.

For industries, one cubic meter of water (equivalent to 50 jerrycans) costs 736 RWF (excluding VAT). Considering the costs involved in producing and delivering reliable water, this rate is not excessive.

Speaking on Thursday, August 28, 2025, during a Business Leaders’ Roundtable, President Chapo shared that his journey to Kigali required a stopover in Addis Ababa, describing the detour as unnecessary and a hindrance to closer cooperation.

The meeting, organized by the Rwanda Development Board, aimed to explore new avenues for investment and strengthen collaboration between the two countries.

Chapo praised President Paul Kagame for the invitation to Rwanda and commended the role of Rwandan troops in helping to restore peace in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province, urging business leaders to build on that achievement.

He noted that Mozambique has vast fertile land that can feed Rwanda and beyond, as well as opportunities in energy, maritime resources, and industry. He encouraged Rwandan investors to consider Mozambique as a destination for investment.

Using his own travel experience to illustrate Africa’s air transport challenges, President Chapo explained that he had passed through Addis Ababa before landing in Kigali.

He revealed that he had already raised the issue with President Kagame, proposing the establishment of direct flights between the two capitals.

“We face challenges in connecting our countries through air travel. To get here, we first had to pass through Addis Ababa before coming to Kigali. The other possible option was to go through Johannesburg. Yesterday, I told my counterpart, President Kagame, that we need to establish direct flights linking Maputo and Kigali,” he noted.

At present, airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways operate on the route (Kigali-Maputo), but passengers are forced to connect through other cities.

President Chapo began his state visit to Rwanda on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, holding talks with President Kagame and visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

The first day was also marked by signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mozambique’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEX), signed by RDB Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika and Mozambique’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Amade Miquidade.

The MoU aims to expand trade and investment in sectors like agriculture, tourism, and industry, building on prior frameworks to drive economic collaboration.

A second pact, a renewed Status of Forces Agreement on the Support to Fight Terrorism in Mozambique, was signed by Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, and Mozambique’s Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Artur Chume.

The agreement extends Rwanda’s military support in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where Rwandan forces have been deployed since 2021 to combat Islamist insurgents.

Relations between Rwanda and Mozambique date back to 1990 and gained renewed momentum in 2018 with the creation of a Joint Cooperation Commission.

President Chapo is in Rwanda for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

In the message he wrote in the memorial’s guest book, he noted: “This is a place of deep remembrance and painful memory. We bow with utmost respect before the suffering you endured.”

He added: “Your history is a powerful reminder that humanity must never forget the consequences of division. At the same time, it is also a beacon of hope and a testament to the resilience of the Rwandan people.”

Chapo further stated that the peace Rwanda enjoys today stands as a remarkable achievement and should serve as a lesson to Africa and the world.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the resting place of more than 250,000 Tutsi who were killed in 1994 across different parts of Kigali.

Kadasomwa and nearby villages were left in ruins — corpses scattered, families torn apart, and entire communities forced to flee.

According to Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the AFC/M23 movement, the Banyamulenge of Minembwe bore the heaviest blow.

Dozens were killed, many others wounded without access to treatment, and entire villages emptied in panic. It is a grim pattern that has become tragically familiar in a region where civilians pay the highest price for a war that remains officially nameless.

Kanyuka stressed that these attacks leave AFC/M23 fighters with no choice but to intervene to protect civilians, describing this as part of their mandate. He condemned the silence of the international community, which continues to look away while atrocities mount.

{{A ceasefire only on paper}}

In April, Kinshasa and AFC/M23 signed a ceasefire agreement. Three months later, Doha hosted a formal reaffirmation of that fragile hope for peace. Yet on the ground, artillery fire has spoken louder than diplomatic signatures.

Troop convoys and armored vehicles poured in from Kisangani, Kalemie, and even Bujumbura, showing that the DRC never stopped preparing for war. Increasingly, civilians — particularly the Banyamulenge and Congolese Tutsi communities — have become the primary targets.

For Freddy Kaniki, president of the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement and vice president of the AFC, these are not isolated flare-ups but part of a calculated campaign: “The genocide began in 2017 and is now in its final stage. They want to finish what they started; otherwise, there would be no reason to send troops to Minembwe, where some residents still remain.”

Statistics paint a chilling picture: 357 Banyamulenge villages burned in eight years and more than 700,000 cattle — the backbone of this pastoral community — looted.

Behind these figures lie shattered families, children denied an education, women driven into exile, and elders torn from their ancestral lands.

{{The silence of the world}}

Despite repeated warnings, the international community has turned away. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, then UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, raised alarm several times over the plight of the Banyamulenge. Her appeals were ignored.

At the same time, human rights organizations continue to produce reports targeting AFC/M23 and the Rwandan army , without credible evidence, reinforcing a narrative that masks and indirectly shields the crimes committed by Kinshasa and its allies.

“Whether they are Interahamwe, Wazalendo, or within Congolese government, their crimes are plain to see. Refugees arrive at our borders every day, while others are massacred in silence,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame declared on August 25, addressing troops in Gabiro.

Each new attack on civilians makes the Doha agreements increasingly meaningless.

Without international pressure on Kinshasa, the ceasefire has become little more than a diplomatic façade — a cover under which massacres and forced displacements continue unchecked.

And in eastern Congo, where war has become part of daily life, the Banyamulenge — like so many other communities — live with a haunting question: How much longer will the world stand by as they face slow extermination?

The airline confirmed that the discount applies exclusively to tickets purchased on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through its official website or mobile application.

Travelers booking during these days will enjoy half-price fares across all of RwandAir’s destinations.
“This weekend, your dream trip is half the price,” the airline said.

While the promotion is valid for travel until November 30, 2025, customers must book their tickets no later than September 14, 2025, to benefit from the discount.

With flights to more than 23 destinations, the offer gives passengers the chance to explore a wide range of cities at reduced fares — from Dubai and Johannesburg to Lagos, Paris, Kigali, and many more.