A statement issued by the Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba, on March 7, 2025, indicates that those being sought include the leader of the AFC, Corneille Nangaa, the head of M23, Bertrand Bisimwa, and Major General Sultani Makenga, who commands M23 fighters.
Mutamba also revealed that the DRC government is also pursuing “accomplices” of the AFC/M23, including Perrot Luwara, Irenge Baelenge, and others. A reward of four million US dollars has been promised for their capture.
In October 2024, Nangaa, Bisimwa, Makenga, and other AFC/M23 leaders were tried in absentia by a military court in Kinshasa and sentenced to death after being convicted of treason and war crimes.
Following the court’s verdict, Nangaa mocked the DRC government, suggesting that the ruling demonstrated the authorities’ fear of AFC/M23 fighters.
“When a government starts to fear, it realizes its downfall is near. This so-called trial and the baseless punishments issued are a clear sign of a regime gripped by panic and on the verge of collapse,” he said.
Although the DRC authorities claim to have lost track of Nangaa and Bisimwa, the two are reportedly residing in the eastern part of the country, particularly in the city of Goma in North Kivu and Bukavu in South Kivu. Makenga is also believed to be based in North Kivu.
In collaboration with over 118 global stock exchanges and organizations, the event underscored the vital role of the private sector in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. Youths including young girls from Gashora girls school were also invited to attend the occasion.
Pierre Celestin Rwabukumba, the CEO at the RSE, opened the ceremony by acknowledging the collective efforts behind the movement and highlighting the critical role of the private sector.
“Today, we stand united with our partners in an international campaign underscoring the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment,” he declared.
“Investors, shareholders, and CEOs must implement measures that guarantee inclusive workplaces, equal pay for equal work, and leadership opportunities for women,” he urged.
The event spotlighted Rwanda’s achievements in gender equality. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, Rwanda ranks among the top nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, having closed over 70% of the gender gap.
Despite this progress, Rwabukumba acknowledged the barriers that persist. “There are still pay gaps, fewer opportunities for women in leadership, and structural stereotypes that limit potential. We must focus on dismantling these barriers to build a brighter future.” he noted.
Mireille Batamuliza, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), reflected on Rwanda’s three-decade journey toward gender equality. “We no longer talk about basic education access, we discuss increasing women’s participation in STEM fields and closing gender digital gaps,” she stated.
Batamuliza called for collective action in three key areas: challenging all forms of violence and discrimination, investing in gender-transformative approaches, and promoting women’s economic empowerment.
Representing UN Women Rwanda, Tikikel Tadele Alemu, Programme Management Specialist and Head of Programmes, praised the RSE’s commitment to gender equality.
“The significance of ‘Ringing the Bell’ extends beyond a symbolic act. It is a call to action, highlighting the essential role the private sector plays in advancing gender equality,” she remarked.
Alemu underscored the importance of implementing gender-responsive policies. “We must advocate for equal pay, invest in women-led businesses, and prioritize strategic investments that empower women and girls,” she urged.
Alemu also emphasized the broader implications of gender inequality, citing findings from the 2022 Rwanda Labour Force Survey.
“The unadjusted gender pay gap in Rwanda stands at 26.2% at the hourly level and 38.5% at the monthly level. Moreover, women-owned businesses secure only 4% of the monetary value of public tenders,” she revealed. According to her, these figures highlight the urgent need to accelerate gender-responsive procurement policies.
On her part, Janice Ryu, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Representative for Rwanda and Uganda, framed gender equality as not only a moral obligation but also smart business.
“Investing in women and girls boosts productivity, organizational effectiveness, and return on investment. If we make real progress on gender equality, we could add $12 trillion to the global economy,” Ryu asserted.
She outlined the IFC’s approach to bridging gender gaps which entails increasing female leadership, promoting women’s labor force participation, enhancing access to assets and markets, supporting gender-inclusive consumer products and engaging with community stakeholders.
“We work with our partners to address barriers to entrepreneurship, including access to capital and social networks. Our support for the National Bank of Rwanda has led to legal reforms prohibiting gender-based discrimination in access to credit,” she explained.
Rwanda’s impressive record in gender parity stands in sharp contrast to global trends. While women hold over 60% of parliamentary seats in Rwanda, global progress remains slow.
A 2024 Deloitte study indicates that women hold only 23.3% of board seats worldwide and at the current pace, gender parity in the boardroom may not be achieved before 2038.
The meeting, held at the SFC Headquarters in Entebbe, focused on regional security issues of mutual concern.
General Kainerugaba expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Sadek for his efforts in strengthening the ties between Uganda and the European Union through regular engagements.
Ambassador Sadek commended the UPDF for its pivotal role in promoting regional security and stability.
He assured General Kainerugaba of the EU’s continued support and cooperation in addressing shared challenges and advancing peace initiatives in the region.
The advisory warns of traffic disruptions during the two-day event. “On March 7, the marathon will kick off with an overnight run known as “The Double Double,” starting at 8:30 PM and continuing until morning. On March 8, the road will remain busy from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM as runners compete in various categories,” the advisory reads.
To minimize inconvenience, police are advising motorists to avoid the RN6 road and instead use the Muhanga-Karongi-Nyamasheke-Rusizi route during these hours. “We encourage the public to plan ahead and use alternative routes to avoid delays,” the statement stated.
Police officers will be deployed along the marathon route to direct traffic and assist road users. Authorities are calling for cooperation to ensure the safety of both participants and motorists. “Our priority is to facilitate a smooth flow of traffic while ensuring the marathon proceeds without incident,” police emphasized.
The Nyungwe Marathon is an annual event that has grown in popularity since its launch in 2012 with just 15 participants. Known for its simplicity, the marathon does not award trophies or track times. Instead, it focuses on the experience of running through the breathtaking landscapes of Nyungwe National Park.
Eric Pohlman, the marathon’s founder, highlighted the event’s unique spirit. “Every year, more people join us after hearing how memorable it is to run between Nyungwe’s tall green trees and beneath its true blue sky,” he said.
This year’s marathon features a variety of categories to accommodate different levels of endurance. The most demanding event, “The Double Double,” spans 106 kilometers and is expected to take approximately 14 hours.
It begins at the West Gate (Kamembe side entrance) and ends 400 meters past the park’s western exit near the RDB visitor center.
The Full Marathon, covering 53 kilometers, starts at the East Gate (Kigali side entrance) and follows the same finish line. The Half Marathon covers 22 kilometers, beginning at the intersection with the road south to Burundi, while the Half Half Marathon is an 11-kilometer run starting near the Bird Lookout Platform.
Cycling enthusiasts are also included in the event. The Half Century Cycle, covering 53.5 kilometers, begins at the Kibati Entrance on the park’s east side. The Full Century Cycle, spanning 107 kilometers, starts and ends near the RDB visitor center on the western side of the park.
In addition to the races, the marathon offers an opportunity to engage with the local community. Participants are encouraged to meet local entrepreneurs who employ community members.
With police ensuring traffic management and the marathon team preparing for a smooth event, organizers are encouraging the public to plan accordingly and follow all traffic guidelines.
Court heard that while studying for a PhD in law at the University of Oxford, Mugambe arranged for a young woman to work as her slave as part of a deal with the Ugandan deputy high commissioner.
She is accused of taking “advantage of her status” and forcing the alleged victim to act as her maid and look after her children.
Becoming emotional, she took tissues to wipe her face and said: “I’m sorry but it’s too much, you can’t just take lies and we worked for our careers.”
Mugambe is accused of stopping the young Ugandan woman from holding down steady employment and taking “advantage of her status” over her.
The 49-year-old, who was studying for a PhD in law at Oxford University at the time, denies four charges against her. Mugambe, who is also a High Court judge in Uganda, is alleged to have forced her to work as her maid and provide childcare.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Mugambe’s defence barrister, Paul Raudnitz KC, asked her if she arranged the woman’s travel intending to exploit her in the UK.
The defendant replied: “I never exploited [the woman] in Uganda, why would I exploit her in the UK?” She then became emotional, and carried on speaking through tears.
Mugambe was then asked if the woman ever “worked under a threat of penalty or consequence from you”, to which she replied “no”.
When asked if she had ever agreed with others to “intimidate said the woman to stop her giving evidence” during the trial, she replied: “No, I would never do that.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mugambe told jurors she was emotional because she was in shock after she attended a police station voluntarily and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of human trafficking.
The defendant acknowledged that when the police first came to her, made some ‘misrepresentations’ having been asked if she had lied by Caroline Haughey KC, prosecuting.
Haughey said the ‘misrepresentations’ were ‘lies’ adding that they’re not flexible facts, they’re deliberate untruths.
The prosecution said Ms Mugambe’s explanation was that she had been “shielding people” was another lie, adding that “the person you were shielding was yourself.” Mugambe retorted that the prosecution’s claim was “not true”.
“My understanding was, if I said she’s not supposed to be here, it would get her in trouble,” the defendant told the court.
Mugambe denied conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law, facilitating travel with a view to exploitation, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
Makolo made these remarks during an interview with the German news outlet DW Africa, which focused on the recent capture of Brigadier General Jean Baptiste Gakwerere, a senior leader in the FDLR. This rebel group is composed primarily of individuals who participated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Brig. Gen. Gakwerere, along with 13 other FDLR fighters, was handed over to Rwanda by the M23 rebel group on March 1, 2025, through the main border post (La Corniche) in Rubavu district.
Makolo described Gakwerere as a long-sought target for Rwanda. “One of the individuals handed over is a senior figure in the FDLR, believed to be in charge of intelligence. We have been pursuing him for a long time to bring him to justice for his crimes during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and for his continued criminal activities in the DRC,” she said.
She added, “This is a positive development for the security of Eastern DRC. The more FDLR fighters are captured and brought to Rwanda, the more peaceful the region becomes for both Congolese residents and Rwandans who do not want these threats near our border.”
Makolo indicated that these FDLR fighters were captured during clashes that saw the M23 seize control of Goma. Those without criminal records will be sent to a reintegration center, while those with pending charges will face legal proceedings.
The 13 FDLR fighters, along with many others still at large, are reportedly being used by the DRC government in its conflict against the M23 rebels in the eastern part of the country. Makolo reiterated that the DRC’s reliance on the FDLR stems from the weakness and incompetence of its military.
“Since 2001 and 2009, there have been multiple agreements aimed at addressing this issue. One of the reasons these individuals, who played a role in the Genocide, continue to operate freely in the DRC is because the Congolese government sees value in their combat capabilities,” she explained.
“These are hardened fighters who participated in the Genocide, have spent years waging war in the DRC, and continue to spread genocidal ideology,” she added.
Makolo was blunt in her assessment of the Congolese military. “The DRC has a weak, ineffective military plagued by corruption and mismanagement. It is a military that cannot deliver results,” she said.
She further claimed that these weaknesses have led to the integration of FDLR fighters into the Congolese army and the involvement of Burundian troops, SADC forces, local militias known as Wazalendo, and European mercenaries in the conflict.
Despite the DRC government’s efforts to reinforce its military capabilities, it continues to lose ground. The M23 currently controls large parts of North Kivu, including Goma. In South Kivu, the group holds the Bukavu area, and credible reports indicate that M23 forces are advancing toward the city of Uvira.
He highlighted their exceptional professionalism and noted that wherever they are deployed, people are left reassured and satisfied with their conduct.
He made these remarks following discussions with the Rwandan Army Chief of Staff for Land Forces, Major General Vincent Nyakarundi, who visited the MINUSCA headquarters in the Central African Republic.
During his official visit to CAR, this week, Nyakarundi checked on Rwandan troops serving under the UN mission in Bossembélé, located in the Ombella-M’Poko Prefecture.
This visit followed an earlier trip on Wednesday, where he and the spokesperson for the Rwandan Defence Forces, Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga, visited Rwandan troops stationed in Bria under the same mission.
Lt. Gen. Nyone commended Rwanda’s significant contribution to the UN mission, acknowledging the presence of both UN peacekeeping forces and bilateral forces operating under intergovernmental agreements.
“Rwandbat1 is based here in Bangui, ensuring the security of the capital. In military terms, Bangui is the center of gravity,” he said.
He emphasized the special role of these troops in protecting the Head of State, stating, “Beyond their general duties, they are entrusted with the security of the Head of State. Being selected for such a sensitive responsibility is a mark of distinction.”
He further elaborated on the responsibilities of Rwandbat2, which focuses on securing major supply routes into Bangui. “They are like the lifeblood of this mission. They perform excellently well. We faced some challenges in the past, but I believe significant progress has been made,” he noted.
Lieutenant General Nyone also highlighted the contributions of Rwandan forces in the northeastern regions and those operating a state-of-the-art hospital.
“The hospital provides comprehensive medical assistance not only to MINUSCA personnel but also to local civilians. As the Commander of the Forces, I am impressed by the work of the Rwandan troops,” he remarked.
He stressed that it is rare to find local residents complaining about Rwandan troops, attributing this to their professionalism and positive impact.
“Due to the trust they have earned and the excellent work they are doing, they have earned trust and respect. People want to see tangible results rather than hear unfounded stories. Their actions speak for themselves,” he added.
Nyone confirmed that the security situation in the Central African Republic is currently stable, particularly in Bangui and its surroundings, although there are still some security concerns in the western regions and border areas.
With more than 100 federal lawsuits filed since the inauguration, Trump and his administration have effectively been sued three times for every business day he has occupied the Oval Office.
Approximately 30 of the 100 lawsuits relate to Trump’s immigration policies, while more than 20 of the cases directly challenge the actions of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Ten of the cases challenge Trump policies relating to transgender people, and more than 20 cases oppose the president’s unilateral changes to federal funding, government hiring and the structure of agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
With Trump signing more than 75 executive orders since taking office, the unprecedented flood of litigation has yielded mixed results in blocking the president’s unilateral efforts to reshape the federal government.
His attempts to freeze funding or rewrite longstanding laws have generally been blocked, but some federal judges have implicitly given him the green light to carry out part of his plan to reshape the federal workforce.
U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, who was nominated to the bench by Ronald Reagan, handed the Trump administration one of its first legal defeats by blocking Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship and offered one of the fiercest criticisms of his presidency’s early actions.
“It has become ever more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. There are moments in the world’s history when people look back and ask, where were the lawyers, where were the judges? In these moments, the rule of law becomes especially vulnerable. I refuse to let that beacon go dark today,” Judge Coughenour said.
But other judges have stopped short of fully blocking policies they believe might be unlawful, demonstrating how a slower-moving judiciary can be outpaced by a rapidly moving administration.
In a case challenging the Trump administration’s effort to fire thousands of probationary employees, U.S. District Judge William Alsup rebuked the administration’s actions but did not step in to stop the indiscriminate firing of employees, despite acknowledging its ongoing harm.
The number of lawsuits appear to have tested the limits of the court’s ability to hear emergency applications, particularly in the District Court in D.C., where 51 of the cases have been brought.
During one contentious hearing, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes threatened to sanction a lawyer who pushed the court to accept an emergency appeal while court staff had been working around the clock on really monumental time sensitive issues.
“Why on earth could you not have figured that out with the defendants before coming and burdening me and burdening the defendants and burning my staff on this issue?” Reyes told Seth Waxman, a former U.S. Solicitor General under President Bill Clinton who is now representing eight former inspectors general fired by Trump.
Lawsuits challenging the Trump administration have reached the Supreme Court twice, and the Department of Justice has begun their appeals to the Circuit Court in approximately a dozen cases.
While no judge has found that the president has openly defied a court order, the Trump administration has found itself in hot water for failing to comply with multiple court orders, including orders to stop unilaterally freezing funding to states and holding back more than $1.9 billion in foreign aid.
The country has however since passed a new constitution and electoral code. Nguema told the Gabonese people early this week that he had decided to run in the 12 April election “after careful reflection and in response to your many appeals”.
Addressing supporters during a heavy downpour in the capital, Libreville, he declared his readiness to change the fortunes of the oil-rich country.
“I am a builder and I need your courage, your strength, to build this country,” the coup leader, who had just turned 50, said. The announcement followed months of speculation about his intentions to officially occupy the country’s top seat.
Earlier, Nguema told the military in a meeting that he was aware of their desire to see him run in the election and urged them to vote. He told the defense forces he had heard their calls. “I listened to you and, believe me, I understood you. I will get back to you within the next few days.”
There has been speculation that Nguema had left the army, as a requirement to run for the presidency but that has since been denied by his spokesman.
A Facebook page associated with Nguema clarified on Monday that he was required to abandon his military uniform temporarily while running for election.
The page, Infos CTRI Officiel, said that he would have to permanently leave the military if he won the election. “If he’s not elected, he will return to the barracks,” it said. The Nguema-led junta is credited for ending 55 years of the Bongo dynasty.
Ali Bongo had ruled for 14 years before he was toppled. He took office after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who had been president for 41 years.
Last month, the president of neighboring Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, encouraged the Gabonese people to support Nguema for a better future for their country.
Some opposition and civil society groups in Gabon have however been urging the military leader to honor his word and leave power to civilians after the transition.
Despite Gabon’s oil wealth and vast forests, one third of its 2.4 million people live below the poverty line, according to the UN.
The IGAD envoys from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, who are based in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, said escalating tensions and armed clashes in Nasir County, which have left over 20 people dead and displaced many others, could undermine a permanent peace deal.
“We call upon all the parties and their affiliate groups to immediately cease hostilities and exercise maximum restraint,” the diplomats said in a joint statement issued in Juba.
Clashes erupted in mid-February between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and the armed civilian groups in Nasir County.
Tensions escalated further after the government announced plans to deploy new forces to Nasir County to rotate troops stationed in the area for several years, raising concerns among local communities that the incoming forces could target civilians or initiate a disarmament campaign.
More than 20 people have been reported killed and several others injured on the outskirts of the now-deserted town of Nasir, located near the border between South Sudan and Ethiopia.
According to the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, a multinational body that monitors compliance with the South Sudan peace agreement signed in 2018, the security situation in Upper Nile State has significantly deteriorated in the past weeks.
The IGAD diplomats said the security situation in Nasir threatens to undermine the hard-won gains achieved in implementing the revitalized peace agreement and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
“We emphasize the paramount importance of upholding the permanent ceasefire and adhering to the provisions of the peace agreement,” the envoys said while encouraging continued dialogue and consultations within the framework of the revitalized peace agreement.
