Author: Sam K. Nkurunziza

The company announced this achievement during a training session organized in collaboration with the World Bioenergy Association, aimed at exploring ways to provide schools with clean cooking energy solutions.

The training focused on promoting the use of biomass pellets, produced from wood residues such as sawdust and other waste materials, as an alternative to firewood and charcoal.

The event was attended by government officials, private sector representatives, energy experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

Founded in 2020, BioMassters is a Rwandan company committed to combating climate change by promoting environmentally friendly fuel alternatives.

It operates a factory in Rubavu and has retail outlets in Kigali, having already supplied 6,500 advanced stoves designed to provide a clean cooking experience while reducing environmental impact.

The company offers two types of stoves; metal stoves and locally made clay stoves. Both are designed for efficient cooking, minimizing smoke emissions and utilizing eco-friendly fuel sources.

Claudia Muench, CEO of BioMassters, emphasized their goal of introducing modern cooking methods that protect Rwandans from respiratory diseases, remain affordable, and contribute to environmental conservation.

“By promoting the use of biomass pellets made from wood residues in Rwanda, we are working to reduce harmful cooking emissions while ensuring modern, sustainable cooking solutions for students in schools,” she said.

Dr. Christian Rakos, President of the World Bioenergy Association, acknowledged the significance of this approach, expressing optimism about BioMassters’ impact.

“This initiative, with the right support and strategic planning, can be expanded to benefit many more people in Rwanda and beyond,” he said.

Sylvain Rucyaha, a BioMassters official, noted that the company’s school-based clean energy project has successfully reduced smoke emissions and contributed to environmental protection by limiting deforestation.

He also highlighted that the transition from traditional firewood has lowered costs for schools, making cooking more affordable.

Dr. Peter Sommerer, a representative of Erlauf Investment GmbH, encouraged investment in such projects that enhance environmental sustainability, improve public health, and stimulate economic growth.

“Investing in initiatives like this will play a crucial role in environmental conservation and securing a sustainable future,” he stated.

As Rwanda continues its efforts to promote renewable energy, companies like BioMassters and the World Bioenergy Association are expected to play a key role in advancing this agenda.

Army units fired celebratory gunshots into the air after securing the symbolic seat of power, signaling a significant blow to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti.

The SAF also announced that they had retaken large swaths of Khartoum from RSF control, continuing a weeks-long counteroffensive that has seen government troops recapture Khartoum North and the East Nile district.

Despite the gains, RSF fighters remain entrenched in southern parts of both Khartoum and its twin city, Omdurman, on the opposite bank of the White Nile, where the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Since war erupted between the former allies-turned-rivals, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than 12 million forced to flee their homes, around 3.5 million as refugees in neighboring countries including Rwanda.

The conflict has devastated urban centers, collapsed public services, and triggered one of the world’s worst displacement and humanitarian crises.

Reports indicate that RSF fighters and allied militias have raided homes in eastern Khartoum, carrying out summary killings, arbitrary detentions, and looting of essential supplies from community kitchens and medical clinics.

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has also received “worrying allegations of sexual violence in the Al Giraif Gharb neighbourhood,” according to spokesperson Seif Magango.

Meanwhile, SAF-affiliated fighters have reportedly engaged in similar looting and criminal activities in Khartoum North (Bahri) and East Nile, with widespread arbitrary arrests ongoing in the latter, raising concerns over lawlessness and reprisal violence on both sides.

Residential areas across Omdurman and Khartoum are increasingly being targeted, contributing to a growing humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies report severe shortages of food, medicine, and safe shelter, as fighting continues to displace tens of thousands and cripple essential services.

As the army consolidates its hold over the heart of the capital, local authorities are shifting focus to recovery and reconstruction.

Khartoum State Governor Ahmed Osman Hamza met with Minister of Urban Development, Roads, and Bridges Salah Hamid Ismail to coordinate efforts to repair vital infrastructure damaged during the conflict, particularly the Shambat and Halfaya bridges linking Khartoum and Omdurman.

To prevent further deterioration, the government has restricted heavy trucks from using the Halfaya Bridge. Governor Hamza also called for expedited maintenance in coordination with the Turkish firm overseeing reconstruction work.

Minister Ismail reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to rebuilding war-torn infrastructure and announced the symbolic relocation of the ministry’s headquarters back to Khartoum.

This move marks the first federal institution to officially resume operations in the capital since the outbreak of the civil conflict in 2023.

While the SAF’s recapture of the Presidential palace marks a symbolic victory, reports of continued violence and worsening humanitarian conditions underscore the fragile and volatile state of Sudan’s capital and the wider country.

Mbonera stated that as Rwanda continues to advance its technological infrastructure, discussions are underway on how AI can be leveraged to enhance justice delivery, with promising potential benefits.

“We have identified key judicial services that could be facilitated using AI. There are certain cases with minimal complexities that, when fed into a system, could be processed based on critical inputs, allowing for faster resolution,” he explained.

“In the Prosecution Service, AI could be used to compile case files, and we have already given this significant thought. We are also exploring the technological requirements necessary to improve efficiency and service delivery,” he further elaborated.

According to Mbonera, a feasibility study is currently being conducted to assess how AI can be implemented effectively.

“We are examining which tasks within our justice system could benefit from AI and to what extent it should be applied. We will also engage stakeholders, beneficiaries, and experts to determine the best approach. This initiative will help us modernize the justice sector,” he added.

The President of the Bar Association, Moise Nkundabarashi, acknowledged the potential benefits of AI in the justice system but emphasized the need for caution.

“AI can be useful, but it must be applied with great care because justice requires human judgment and critical analysis,” he said.

He stressed the importance of conducting thorough studies to ensure that AI integration does not compromise the fairness of judicial processes.

“AI should be introduced to address specific challenges rather than create new ones. Proper oversight is essential, and I appreciate that the justice sector is already making significant progress in adopting technology,” he added.

Judiciary Spokesperson Harrison Mutabazi highlighted that AI could play a crucial role in various legal functions, including research and documentation.

“We see potential in AI assisting with tasks such as court transcription, legal research, and drafting judgments. In fact, some organizations have already approached us with proposals on AI-driven justice solutions, and we are actively considering them. As technology evolves, our courts must also adapt,” Mutabazi explained.

He reaffirmed that wherever AI proves to be effective and beneficial, it will be implemented. Mutabazi also emphasized that Rwanda’s Judiciary has embraced digital transformation to enhance service delivery and will continue to leverage technology to improve justice administration.

Reports indicate that Qatar has shown a strong commitment to resolving this war, which is why it has decided to listen to all parties involved. By inviting M23, Qatar seeks to understand the group’s grievances, which have often been overlooked at the international level.

One of the major criticisms of previous peace efforts in eastern DRC has been the exclusion of M23 from negotiations, despite its direct involvement in the conflict.

Qatar extended this invitation shortly after, on March 18, the Emir of Qatar hosted a meeting between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi. The discussions focused on easing tensions between the two countries.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later announced that Presidents Kagame, Tshisekedi, and Sheikh Tamim reaffirmed their commitment to cease hostilities in eastern DRC, following the resolutions made by African leaders.

The leaders also agreed to “continue the Doha-initiated talks to establish a solid foundation for lasting peace, in alignment with the ongoing Luanda and Nairobi discussions.”

However, following these talks, the leader of AFC/M23 stated that their fighters would not recognize any resolutions from Kagame and Tshisekedi’s discussions unless their demands were directly addressed.

Meanwhile, AFC/M23 recently declined to attend peace talks in Luanda, Angola, citing sanctions imposed by the European Union on some of its leaders.

These sanctions were initiated by Belgium’s government at the request of President Tshisekedi. According to AFC/M23, these measures would only escalate the war in eastern DRC.

Speaking to Reuters on March 20, AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa, accused the Congolese government of disregarding their demands, stating, “We have nothing left to lose. We will fight until our cause is understood.”

Qatar has earned a strong reputation as a mediator in global conflicts, with extensive experience in facilitating peace negotiations worldwide.

George Glezmann, 66, was released after weeks of negotiations led by Qatari and US mediators. The source said a breakthrough was made by Qatar during a recent meeting with the Taliban.

US hostage envoy Adam Boehler had also been in close contact with his Qatari counterparts to secure Glezmann’s release, the source said. Boehler was expected to accompany Glezmann on the journey back to the US from Kabul.

Photographs of Boehler and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad meeting with Taliban officials were released by a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Khalilzad confirmed Glezmann’s release on X, saying: “Today is a good day. We succeeded in obtaining the release of an American citizen, Georg(e) Glezmann, after two years in detention in Kabul.”

“The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to (the US president) and the American people. George is on his way home to his family,” he added.

Glezmann was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, some 16 months after the group retook control of Afghanistan, and was declared wrongfully detained by the US in September 2023.

He had traveled to Afghanistan for a five-day trip “to explore the cultural landscape and rich history of the country,” according to US Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who campaigned for Glezmann’s release.

The two lawmakers said last July that Glezmann was held in “a nine-foot by nine-foot cell with other detainees and has been held in solitary confinement and underground for months at a time.”

In the period up to July 2024, Glezmann had not been granted any consular visits by US officials and had “only seven phone calls totaling 54 minutes with his family,” the senators said.

They added that Glezmann received “limited in-person visits with representatives of Qatar.”

The US does not have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, having closed its embassy there after the Taliban takeover in August 2022. Instead, Qatar represents the US in Afghanistan, acting as its “protective power.”

Glezmann is the third US citizen to be freed from Afghanistan this year, after Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released in a prisoner exchange in January.

The deal to release Corbett and McKenty was struck in the last hours of former President Joe Biden’s time in office after the Taliban agreed to swap them for Khan Mohammed, a Taliban member who was serving a life sentence for narco-terrorism in a US prison.

That agreement was also facilitated by Qatar, which hosted several rounds of US negotiations with the Taliban and also provided logistical support to the operations to get the pair out of Kabul, according to multiple people familiar with the details of the swap.

US officials had wanted Glezmann and another American held in Afghanistan, Mahmoud Habibi, to be part of the deal, and expressed disappointment at the time that the two weren’t handed over in January. However, they said they couldn’t turn down the offer for at least Corbett and McKenty.

The Taliban has never acknowledged holding Habibi but the US still considers him a hostage.

Glezmann’s wife Aleksandra Glezmann said last July that her husband’s health was failing. In a letter to Biden, she wrote that he had a benign tumor on one side of his face, was losing vision in one eye and had developed sores and ulcers on his body.

The French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has requested an expanded investigation into Kanziga’s alleged involvement in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

According to previous investigations, PNAT noted that the inquiry had been conducted on a limited scope and called for hearing more witnesses and further investigating additional actions.

Attorney Richard Gisagara explained that the French judiciary had initially examined Kanziga’s involvement in crimes committed from April 7, 1994, despite it being known that French forces evacuated her from Rwanda on April 9, 1994.

He further stated that PNAT is now requesting an investigation into crimes committed as early as March 1, 1994. Gisagara also revealed that the prosecution seeks to add the charge of participation in the planning of the genocide, which would hold accountable individuals who played an indirect role in the crimes.

The prosecution’s request was originally set to be reviewed in a closed-door session on March 19, 2025. However, according to the French international broadcaster RFI, the hearing did not take place due to missing documents required by the Court of Appeal. The court has now rescheduled the review for May 21, 2025, as reported by the media outlet.

In 2007, the Rwandan government issued an arrest warrant for Kanziga, accusing her of genocide and crimes against humanity. However, the French judiciary refused to extradite her and later suspended its investigation.

The Collective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR), an organization advocating for justice against genocide fugitives in France, stated that Kanziga provided financial support to RTLM, a radio station that broadcasted hate speech targeting the Tutsi.

The CPCR also claimed that Kanziga, a prominent member of the “Akazu” inner circle, was involved in compiling lists of influential Tutsis to be killed during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Speaking on the matter, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that his ministry is actively working to secure clemency for Nduta, though it is not seeking to overturn the charges against her.

Nduta was arrested in Vietnam after being caught with cocaine at the airport. Reports indicate that she had managed to pass through security screenings in Ethiopia and Qatar before being apprehended.

Vietnam, known for its strict anti-drug laws, imposes harsh penalties, including capital punishment, for drug-related offenses.

Mudavadi also revealed that Nduta’s case is not an isolated incident. According to the ministry, over 1,000 Kenyan nationals are currently facing various legal charges in different countries. However, further details on these cases remain undisclosed.

The news of Nduta’s looming execution has sparked widespread concern, with many Kenyans calling on the government to intervene and prevent her from facing the death penalty.

Advocacy groups and members of the public have urged authorities to engage in diplomatic negotiations to secure a more lenient sentence.

As efforts continue, the government remains in discussions with Vietnamese officials, emphasizing the importance of diplomatic engagement in such cases. The fate of Nduta now depends on the success of these negotiations, as well as Vietnam’s response to Kenya’s appeal for clemency.

The government noted that many imported hybrid cars were outdated, with their hybrid technology often malfunctioning or failing after a short period. Between July 2021 and July 2024, data revealed that 45% of hybrid vehicles imported into Rwanda were between 10 and 14 years old.

During a parliamentary session on March 19, 2025, where amendments to the VAT law were discussed, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Godfrey Kabera, explained that several previously exempted items had become obsolete and needed to be taxed.

“The list of goods now subject to VAT includes technology equipment and services related to media and telecommunications, road transport for goods, mobile phones that use SIM cards, hybrid vehicles, and their batteries,” Kabera stated.

Some exemptions remain, but only for a limited period. Fully electric vehicles and electric charging station equipment will continue to be tax-free until June 30, 2028.

Equipment related to renewable energy will remain tax-free until June 30, 2028, while industrial machinery and raw materials for manufacturing will be exempt until June 30, 2026.

{{Rwanda’s environmental and economic justification}}

Kabera pointed out that many imported hybrid cars were too old to function effectively as hybrid vehicles and ended up relying solely on gasoline or diesel, thereby defeating the environmental purpose of tax exemptions.

“When these cars are too old, they operate only on gasoline or diesel, meaning that our environmental goals are not being met. Now that people are familiar with hybrid cars, we want to encourage the purchase of newer models. That is why we introduced a tax system that varies based on the car’s age,” he explained.

Kabera emphasized that Rwanda aims to encourage the importation of new or fully electric vehicles to align with its environmental protection policies. “For VAT, we believe it is time for people to adapt. Fully electric cars remain exempt, and we want to ensure that our environmental protection and climate preservation strategies focus primarily on promoting fully electric vehicles,” he added.

The new VAT policy on hybrid cars will be based on their age at the time of importation. Vehicles under three years old will be taxed at 5%, those between three and eight years old at 10%, and those older than eight years at 15%.

{{VAT reintroduced on mobile phones}}

The government has also decided to reinstate VAT on mobile phones, citing the fact that over 80% of households in Rwanda already own one. Initially, telecommunications devices were exempt from VAT to encourage digital adoption, but the high penetration rate has led to a policy shift.

Kabera clarified that the new tax would not significantly increase phone prices or discourage their use.
“The issue is not the cost of smartphones but the fact that many people lack the knowledge to use them effectively,” he noted.

MP Jean Claude Ntezimana raised concerns about how taxing mobile phones could impact Rwanda’s digital transformation efforts.

“In the past, the government encouraged citizens to adopt digital technology to accelerate development. Now that over 80% of households own phones, I worry that introducing taxes could hinder efforts to achieve 100% penetration, which is crucial for national progress,” he said.

Kabera reassured lawmakers that the government was working on initiatives to improve digital literacy so that more Rwandans could effectively use smartphones and other technological tools.