Weasel was admitted to hospital on August 7 following an altercation during which his wife allegedly knocked him down. Teta Sandra was immediately [ arrested ->https://en.igihe.com/news/article/ugandan-police-confirm-arrest-of-sandra-teta] but was later released after her husband forgave her, with police deciding to drop the case.
A witness told police that Teta Sandra struck Weasel three times, causing an injury to his leg. The incident occurred at a parking lot of a bar called Chans, located in Munyonyo.
Weasel and Teta Sandra have been living together since 2018 and have two children.
However, their relationship has been marked by frequent public disputes, culminating in Teta Sandra leaving for Rwanda in 2022.
In April 2023, she returned to Uganda and reconciled with her husband. In May 2025, Weasel visited Kigali to attend a concert by his elder brother, Jose Chameleone, and at the time told IGIHE he planned to visit his wife’s family.
The plant, struck in the drone attacks launched by the Main Intelligence Directorate under the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on Monday, is Russia’s sole producer of helium used in rocket manufacturing, space and aviation industries, the report said.
Local residents reportedly witnessed drones flying near the plant, and a series of explosions were reported in the targeted area.
The assault on the Abu Shouk camp included shelling and the execution of people in their homes, the El Fasher Resistance Committees, an anti-war activist group, said in a statement. Another volunteer group, the Abu Shouk Camp Emergency Room, reported at least 40 dead and 19 injured.
The attack came as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied factions said they had repelled a major, multi-pronged ground assault by the RSF on the city. The army and its allies claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the RSF, killing more than 200 fighters and destroying or capturing dozens of combat vehicles.
Residents said the fighting began early on Monday with intense RSF shelling on several areas, including the army headquarters and the Abu Shouk camp, before ground assaults began from the city’s east, southeast, and north.
The RSF did not immediately comment on the allegations.
El Fasher, the last major city in the vast Darfur region not under RSF control, has been the epicentre of the conflict since May. The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023 over a power struggle between the SAF and the RSF, devastating the country’s infrastructure, killing tens of thousands, displacing millions, and creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
It also attracts shoppers, as Rubavu is a hub for cross-border trade. Some even refer to it as the “twin city of Goma” in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the two share many similarities and are located side by side.
According to the 2022 national census by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), Rubavu is one of the country’s most densely populated districts, with 60.9% of residents under the age of 25. This youthful demographic provides a strong foundation for rapid and sustainable development.
The district’s land use master plan outlines an ambitious 2050 vision in which Rubavu will expand through the growth of tourism, the facilitation of cross-border commerce, and significant infrastructure upgrades.
To realize this vision, a series of projects are planned to position Rubavu as a leading hub for agriculture, water-based tourism, and cross-border trade.
{{Downtown redevelopment}}
A major project is planned to construct and upgrade several key infrastructures in Rubavu’s city center, including roads, shopping centers, hotels, modern retail stores, and tourist-dedicated spaces.
Plans are also underway to build modern commercial buildings on a 1.8-hectare site currently owned by the Rwanda Defence Force and the Police—strategically located near the airport and the road to the Rubavu market.
This prime location lies just 800 meters from the Petite Barrière border crossing, 500 meters from the current bus station, and 900 meters from the new station, making it ideal for boosting cross-border trade efficiency. The facilities to be built on this site will provide services similar to those offered at the Rubavu Cross-Border Market, which opened in March 2019.
Along a 200-meter stretch of road north of the Rubavu market, commercial activity already takes place but is hindered by congestion caused by numerous parked vehicles, making it difficult for pedestrians to move around.
Given its position along the scenic Rubavu hill, there are plans to redevelop this road into a car-free zone, creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment for traders, cultural exhibitors, and tourists.
Next to the Rubavu Intermediate Court is a 0.78-hectare site currently occupied and used for parking. As the current bus station along the market road is too small, the plan is to build a new station here, with surrounding plots developed into facilities providing essential services for travelers.
Events along the Lake Kivu shoreline often lead to heavy traffic congestion. To ease this, a project is planned to build a spacious pedestrian promenade, complete with unobstructed lake views, landscaped gardens, and leisure areas. The space will also host small boats, art and craft stalls, and food and beverage outlets.
{{New hospitals}}
Under Rwanda’s 2050 vision, each district is expected to have two hospitals. Rubavu currently has one district hospital, but there are plans for expansion.
The upgrade will include constructing four or five additional stories near the main road, with a large central courtyard for patients and visitors to rest, along with tree planting to enhance fresh air circulation.
The government also plans to build a new modern hospital in Kabumba center, located between Bugeshi and Mudende sectors, in line with national healthcare development goals.
Although there are plans to expand Gisenyi Hospital to bridge service gaps, the number of people in need of medical care is expected to continue rising, making the new Kabumba Hospital a key complementary facility.
{{Revitalized Kabumba center }}
Kabumba was once a sparsely populated forested area that began to grow when traders started selling traditional sorghum beer and fruit. It was later named in honor of a local fighter called Kabumba, commemorating his legacy.
Today, Kabumba is the only center positioned to complement Rubavu City in providing various essential services. For this reason, the Government of Rwanda plans to expand it so it can operate at a city-level standard.
Currently, Kabumba has no secondary school or vocational training center (TVET), but the government intends to expand Kabumba Primary School into a school complex that will also include secondary education.
Health services will also be improved, with plans to upgrade Gashaka Health Center in Bugeshi Sector and build another facility in Mudende Sector to better serve local residents.
The development plan also includes constructing a new sports field in Kabumba, building a modern bus terminal to improve transport and mobility, and enhancing trade connectivity.
{{Industrial zones}}
The Government of Rwanda is set to establish a 190-hectare industrial park in Rubavu District, of which 113 hectares will be dedicated to small-scale industries, with the rest reserved for large-scale manufacturing.
Small industries will focus on processing agricultural and livestock products, wholesale trade, and warehousing, while larger industries will require significant investment.
The industrial park will be developed in Rugerero and Nyakiliba sectors, specifically in Basa, Muhira, and Bisizi cells, with smaller facilities built in Kabumba and rural areas.
The government emphasizes prioritizing environmentally friendly industries and those in the technology sector, ensuring a safe buffer zone between industrial sites and residential areas to protect community health.
In 2022, Rubavu had a population of 546,683. Projections estimate the population will rise to over 669,000 by 2035 and reach around 846,500 by 2050.
This newly opened property is the latest venture by local investor Pierre Habyarimana, a native of Musanze. The lodge offers six guest rooms, a private apartment ideal for families, and an additional 14 standard rooms. It also boasts a rare feature in the area, a helipad capable of accommodating two small helicopters for guests arriving by air.
Guests at Buhanga Eco Lodge can enjoy a wide range of facilities, including a private restaurant, conference space, swimming pool, tennis, football, volleyball, and basketball courts. The property also offers a jacuzzi, massage services, a fitness room, bicycles for leisure rides, and other amenities designed to make every stay memorable.
“Inspired by the guidance of our President, Paul Kagame, who encourages us to invest in our own country and use locally made products (Made in Rwanda), I started this project to create jobs for many Rwandan families and provide high-quality services to visitors,” Habyarimana told IGIHE.
Set in a serene location surrounded by bamboo, diverse tree species, and blooming flowers, the lodge offers fresh air and a peaceful environment. Habyarimana describes it as an ideal getaway for tourists, Rwandans returning from the diaspora, and domestic travelers alike.
Rates for the Presidential Villa range from $8,250 for six to 11 guests, $6,800 for five to eight guests, and $4,000 for one to four guests. The apartment, suitable for two to four people, is priced at $2,750. The lodge also offers discounted rates for Rwandans from the diaspora.
Beyond Buhanga Eco Lodge, Musanze District hosts more than 50 hotels, including several five-star establishments catering to high-end international travelers.
According to Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde, these hotels play a major role in the district’s and the province’s economic growth.
“We have hotels ranging from five-star to one-star, so every visitor can find a suitable option and be well accommodated,” he said.
The governor also noted that the hospitality sector creates numerous jobs, from tour guides and hotel staff to food service providers, drivers, and other service workers, benefitting local communities. Many hotel projects also use locally sourced materials, particularly volcanic stone, which is abundant in the region.
On August 8, 2025, RDB announced the start of the second phase of its collaboration with Bayern Munich. The revised agreement extends the partnership until 2028, shifting its focus from the “Visit Rwanda” promotional campaign to strengthen youth football scouting and development programs.
The changes prompted speculation in some outlets that Bayern Munich had pulled out of its deal with Rwanda. The German champions, however, issued a statement rejecting that narrative.
“Yesterday, FC Bayern announced that there have been substantive developments in its cooperation with the Rwandan Development Board [RDB]. In some media coverage, the impression may have arisen that FC Bayern had ended its partnership with the RDB. This is not correct,” the club stated.
“Following positive and constructive discussions, we have jointly decided to transition the commercial element of our previous agreement [“Visit Rwanda”] into a new cooperation for youth football, running until 2028. As a result, the entire focus of our partnership — which also includes the Ministry of Sports of Rwanda — is now on expanding the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali,” adds the statement.
{{Investing in Rwanda’s football future}}
Rwanda’s football history boasts memorable highlights, including the men’s national team’s debut at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and the U-17 national team’s qualification for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.
That U-17 squad had been specially prepared for the tournament, but since then, no youth or senior team has made a similar breakthrough on the international stage.
Today, Rwanda is committed to nurturing young sporting talent, with the government viewing sport as both a driver of national pride and a growing industry built on skill and performance.
Since the partnership began in August 2023, Bayern Munich has played an active role in this vision. The club established the FC Bayern Academy in Kigali two years ago, now home to 30 fully sponsored young players.
The academy offers a professional environment rarely seen in Rwanda, with access to high-quality training, modern facilities, and expert coaching—including staff from Germany.
Training sessions take place at the Kigali Pelé Stadium, with evening practice made possible by floodlights, ensuring players get the most out of their development programs.
The collaboration is already producing results. Two Rwandan players, Ndayishimiye Barthazar and David Okoce, have been selected to join Bayern Munich’s U-19 team—a sign that the partnership is beginning to open professional pathways for local talent.
With the renewed agreement, both Bayern Munich and Rwanda aim to build a stronger foundation for the future of football in the country, turning potential into lasting success on and off the pitch.
In a conversation with Daniel Bernard, co-founder of Ride For Unity, she shared how her personal journey mirrors Rwanda’s own recovery—rooted in unity, visionary leadership, and accountability.
Ride For Unity is a global movement using cycling to build bridges, empower communities, and create lasting social impact.
Mukazayire’s life story is inseparable from Rwanda’s own. Born and raised in the country, she studied economics at the University of Rwanda and went on to earn a master’s degree.
A lifelong athlete, she played basketball in secondary school, at university, and briefly for the national team. Even today, she remains active through CrossFit and weightlifting. “Sport has always been part of my day-to-day,” she shared.
Her journey, however, is not just one of personal achievement but a reflection of Rwanda’s resilience. “As a Rwandan, it’s difficult to dissociate one’s journey from the country’s,” she noted. Emerging from the devastation of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda faced a complex reality: survivors, returning refugees, fractured families, and a destroyed economy.
Mukazayire’s own family history mirrors this complexity, with some members as survivors and others, including her mother, involved in the genocide. “I had voices telling me you cannot make it,” she admitted. Yet, Rwanda’s visionary leadership provided a platform for her and countless others to rebuild their lives.
“This leadership,” she emphasized, “instilled hope and equal opportunity. The vision of the leadership that picked up all the pieces set a path for me and so many others to be where we are.” Through unity, forgiveness, and reconciliation, Rwanda created an ecosystem where merit and hard work could thrive.
She acknowledges that her rise would not have been possible without the post-1994 transformation.
“We all, including me, got an opportunity to live again, to see hope, or see a belief that there can be a future because of a leadership that had a vision,” she said.
That vision, she added, was rooted in unity, reconciliation, and rebuilding—a national foundation that created equal opportunities and allowed merit to drive progress.
Mukazayire credits her achievements to both the environment Rwanda has created and personal discipline.
“Confidence is realizing the unique talent in you… Competence means putting in the work… Consistency equals discipline,” she explained. For her, these values are as essential in life as they are in sport.
Mukazayire believes Rwanda’s success lies in its ability to “live what you say.” Governance, she noted, is anchored in accountability through systems like the National Dialogue—where citizens and leaders evaluate the nation’s progress—citizen outreach visits where ministers answer directly to the public, and performance contracts that hold leaders to their promises.
“We’ve understood that Rwanda is what we’ve got. There’s no us without Rwanda,” she said.
While Rwanda has made remarkable economic progress—from a GDP collapse in 1994 to over $1,000 per capita —the challenges ahead are significant.
“Without economic transformation, without alleviating poverty, you’ll still be struggling,” she cautioned. The country’s ambitions are bold, targeting $4,000 GDP per capita by 2035 and $12,000 by 2050. Achieving this, she said, will require strategic investment, import substitution, job creation, and harnessing the energy of the nation’s youthful population.
On sport’s role in this vision, Mukazayire considers it as a key driver of transformation. She cited studies showing that every dollar invested in sport can generate $124 through its ripple effect on other sectors.
“Our leadership has been clear that this is a sector where you have to invest before you attract,” she said.
Mukazayire also spoke of sport as an engine for national transformation, underpinned by her three guiding principles: confidence, competence, and consistency.
She highlighted Rwanda’s “invest before you attract” approach, exemplified by facilities like BK Arena builtn in just six months, alongside ongoing efforts in talent development and the growth of a vibrant sports-business ecosystem.
{{Women empowerment}}
Mukazayire is particularly proud of the country’s progress in empowering women in sport. Female referees, coaches, and technical staff are now common.
Through the “Isonga” program, schools must field both boys’ and girls’ teams in multiple disciplines. Yet she stresses that quotas alone, such as the constitutional requirement for at least 30 percent female representation in decision-making positions, are not enough.
“Are we building ourselves to take up those opportunities and being bold enough to know we can do it… Are they confident enough to seize opportunities they have, to build their skills and their abilities and knowledge to take up the 30%? That’s the biggest challenge,” she said.
For Mukazayire, serving as Minister of Sports is about harnessing the unifying power of sport to inspire, transform lives, and position Rwanda as a beacon of possibility for Africa and beyond.
The event, held at the Intare Conference Arena in Rusororo, was attended by dignitaries including the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa, along with university leadership, faculty, parents, and invited guests.
This year’s cohort included 486 master’s degree recipients, 38 postgraduate diploma holders, 1,129 bachelor’s degree graduates and students from the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) program received professional certificates.
The university also recognized students who completed certificate programs through its Center for Equity and Inclusiveness, an initiative promoting skills, diversity, and inclusion within and beyond the campus.
In his address, UoK Chancellor Dr. Carlos Fernando Sotz commended the graduates for their resilience, innovation, and commitment to excellence. He highlighted their ability to turn challenges into opportunities.
“You have demonstrated that being an overcomer is not about having a smooth path, but about the ability to rise, adapt, and thrive despite the hurdles. You have done exactly that. Your journey has required not only intelligence and dedication, but also resilience, emotional strength, and vision,” he stated.
Dr. Sotz reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, research, innovation, and holistic student development, urging graduates to uphold these values, use their knowledge to solve problems, and make a positive impact in their communities.
Minister Murangwa congratulated the graduates, stressing that the challenges they will face in their careers should be seen as opportunities to grow and excel.
“The world you are stepping into is full of complexity, but also full of opportunity. Climate change, inequality, technological disruption, economic volatility—these are among the many challenges that define our era,” he noted.
“Every challenge is a door waiting to be opened by someone like you, an overcomer. Whatever path you choose, pursue it with passion and integrity. Build networks. Learn continuously. Listen deeply. And never underestimate the influence you can have, no matter where you begin,” the minister added.
Chairman of the Board of Promoters, Professor Nshuti Manasseh, urged graduates to acquire knowledge that would enable them to make a meaningful impact on society.
“Be fearless in your pursuit of purpose. Be authentic in your relationships. Stay curious. Remain grounded. And always remember: success is not just about what you gain, but about what you give back,” he advised.
“Whether you become policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, or innovators, the world will measure your greatness not only by your achievements but by the lives you touch and the legacies you build,” added Prof. Nshuti.
Chairman of the Governing Board at the University of Kigali, Philibert Afrika, highlighted key pillars that will shape the strategic direction of the university in securing a future-ready institution.
These pillars include sustainability leadership, innovation in teaching and learning, deeper global partnerships, and a focus on staff development and financial sustainability, all of which are expected to guide UoK’s growth in the next chapter.
“In line with our Green Campus ambition, we are integrating environmentally friendly infrastructure, promoting digital innovation, and fostering a culture of ecological responsibility, positioning the University of Kigali as a model for sustainable higher education in Rwanda and beyond,” Afrika said.
Since its inception in 2013 with just 35 students, the University of Kigali has experienced remarkable growth, now boasting a vibrant community of over 8,000.
The latest cohort includes 1,653 graduates, comprising 807 males (49%) and 846 females (51%).
Speaking in an interview published by the local Saturday Punch, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the spokesman for the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said no amount of pressure from Washington could persuade Nigeria to rescind its decision against accepting some foreign nationals deported from the United States, some of whom are directly from prison.
“Even if other African countries are accepting deportees from the United States, Nigeria will not accept them,” he said, reiterating that the country has its own issues that “we are struggling with.”
With a population of more than 200 million people, Nigeria is not in a position to accommodate foreign deportees, especially those with potential criminal backgrounds, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar said in a separate interview with local media last month.
Nigeria’s unwavering stance signals a new layer of complexity in diplomatic relations between Washington and African nations, according to Tuggar, adding that acceding to such requests could set an unsustainable precedent for future deportations.
Youssouf made the call in a statement issued Saturday in observance of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which falls on Aug. 9 each year. The day aims to raise awareness about the rights of indigenous populations worldwide and to acknowledge their contributions to pressing global issues.
Highlighting the essential significance of recognizing the rich heritage, knowledge systems, and resilience of indigenous communities across Africa and beyond, he underscored the vital role they play in preserving cultural diversity, protecting the environment, and fostering sustainable development in alignment with the AU’s 50-year continental development blueprint, Agenda 2063.
The chairperson called on AU members, partners, and all stakeholders to work together through inclusive policy-making, equitable resource-sharing, and respect for traditional knowledge systems.
He also stressed the crucial importance of ensuring that “indigenous voices are heard, their rights upheld, and their contributions fully valued in building a more inclusive, just, and sustainable Africa for all.”
Youssouf emphasized the 55-member continental organization’s resolve to promote and safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples, as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other continental instruments.
He urged African countries to enhance measures aimed at protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and to reaffirm their commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which serves as a global normative framework that complements AU instruments.
According to the UN, there are approximately 476 million indigenous people worldwide, residing in 90 countries and speaking a significant majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages, while also representing around 5,000 distinct cultures. Despite their rich cultural diversity, indigenous peoples face common challenges in safeguarding their rights as distinct communities.
