These soldiers were captured at different times after retreating from combat against the M23 rebel group in South Kivu.
The military prosecution had charged them with offenses including desertion, murder, attempted murder, and sexual violence.
However, 72 soldiers were acquitted after the court found no evidence linking them to any of the alleged crimes.
Additionally, 90 other soldiers are currently on trial at the Military Court of Uvira in South Kivu, also facing charges related to desertion.
Sibi was expelled after the WFP office in Burundi issued a directive instructing its staff to stockpile food, water, and cash sufficient for two weeks in case of a deterioration in security in Bujumbura.
French international radio journalist Esdras Ndikumana (RFI) reported that both officials left Burundi on February 14, 2025, traveling to Rwanda by air.
The directive, which later circulated on social media, caused controversy, with the Burundian government interpreting it as an attempt to spread panic among citizens and diplomats.
Concerns over security in Burundi have been growing amid the ongoing military gains of the armed M23 group, which has been defeating Burundian and Congolese troops in battles underway in South Kivu, eastern DRC.
South Kivu borders Burundi’s Cibitoke province in the northwest.
“They discussed the need for a political solution to the security crisis in eastern DRC involving all relevant parties. President Kagame reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution that addresses Rwanda’s longstanding security concerns in a sustainable manner,” read a statement from the President’s Office.
The conflict between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) continues to escalate, with M23 recently seizing control of Goma and several other areas in North Kivu.
The DRC government has long accused Rwanda of backing M23 and providing it with military support in its fight against the Congolese army and its allied militias.
Kinshasa has also claimed that Rwanda has troops on its territory and has consistently lobbied the international community to impose sanctions on Rwanda, though these efforts have largely been unsuccessful.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied any involvement with M23, instead raising concerns over the Congolese government’s alliance with the FDLR, a group comprised of remnants of perpetuators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi along with Burundian troops, European mercenaries, and SADC forces in what it sees as a direct threat to its security.
As various stakeholders explore possible solutions to the conflict, M23 recently declared its intention to continue its military advance toward Kinshasa, aiming to overthrow the current government.
However, the group has stated that it would be open to halting hostilities if Kinshasa agrees to dialogue, a proposition that President Tshisekedi has consistently rejected. On February 14, 2025, M23 announced the capture of Kavumu, a town in South Kivu, further expanding its territorial control in eastern DRC.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) have urged the Congolese government to engage in talks with M23 as a pathway to lasting peace.
The issue at hand stems from Ssemakade’s reaction against a ruling in December last year where Musa Sekaana halted the Uganda Law Society extra ordinary meeting that was set to take place on 17th December 2024.
Ssemakadde accused Ssekaana of bias, corruption and having unholy alliances with government officials.
Court records indicate that between December 11 and December 22, 2024, Ssemakadde launched scathing and offensive posts on X under the hastag #SsekaanaMustGo where he claimed the judge was compromised and working against the independence of the legal profession.
In his landmark ruling, Justice Ssekaana vividly said that while criticism of judicial decisions is allowed, personal attacks against judges amount to contempt of court. He emphasized that the judiciary has a role to protect itself against scandalous attacks which discredit its independence.
This ruling comes at the height of disagreements between the Uganda Law Society led by Ssemakadde and the judiciary. Last week, Ssemakadde dragged his feet, banged the tables and refused to apologize for attacks on the judiciary.
This ruling also comes exactly 3 years since the same judge Ssekaana sentenced then Ssemakadde’s friend Hassan Male Mabirizi to 9 months in prison for contempt of court.
“The respondent has continued to make relentless attacks on the judge and the entire judiciary with the sole purpose of undermining Its authority. Such conduct erodes public confidence in the judicial system and must be punished,” reads part of the ruling delivered by Ssekaana.
In a separate ruling, Justice Ssekaana also overturned a decision by ULS and its election committee chairman, Moses Mwase, which had excluded Pheona Nabasa Gladys Wall from the list of nominated candidates for the Judicial Service Commission.
“The respondents were functus officio after nominating the applicant and had no legal basis to omit her from the final nomination list,” he ruled, ordering ULS to cover the costs of the application.
It has also been confirmed that Tshisekedi will not attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), scheduled for February 15-16, 2025.
Tshisekedi is currently in Munich, Germany, attending “a high-level political and security conference involving nearly 70 countries,” as explained by his spokesperson, Tina Salama.
According to Jeune Afrique, Tshisekedi’s plane is expected to depart from Germany at 8:00 PM and arrive in Kinshasa overnight between February 14 and 15, 2025.
Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will represent Tshisekedi at the AU summit and has already arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the AU headquarters is located.
Tshisekedi’s early departure from Germany follows M23 rebels seizing key areas from the Congolese army, including the town of Kalehe, Kavumu, and its airport.
According to Congolese media, Prime Minister Suminwa has been tasked with urging AU member states to condemn Rwanda, which the Congolese government accuses of supporting M23, allegations that Rwanda has repeatedly denied and referred to as baseless.
The AU summit will also include key agenda items such as confirming Angola’s President João Lourenço as the new Chairperson of the AU and electing a new Chairperson of the AU Commission.
Trainees include those from Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). The course was conducted in partnership with Carabinieri, the Italian Police.
The five-week course covered safety procedures and equipment, hazard awareness and safety, safe riding techniques, emergency braking techniques, motorcycle riding and patrol techniques as well as patrol tactics and motorcycle accident handling.
Ujeneze appreciated the excellent cooperation between Rwanda National Police and Carabinieri through which various courses have been conducted both in Rwanda and Italy.
“Rwanda National Police prioritizes capacity building to accomplish its mission and build a professional and capable force. To achieve this, it requires us to conduct career, professional and specialized courses like this,” Ujeneze said.
She added that Rwanda’s economic growth and its openness to foreign investors, VIPs and dignitaries expanded the RNP tasks from the maintenance of road safety to escort duties, which are vital in modern policing.
“Motorcycles play a key role in ensuring road safety and intervening against security threats due to speed, the ability to maneuver during traffic jam situations; which provide an upper hand to the police in emergency situations,” she said.
She observed that with the increase in road safety demands, and acquisition of new motorcycles, resulted in skills gaps and created need to increase the number of officers, who are able to competently operate motorcycles.
“The knowledge and skills you acquired will only serve the purpose if they are effectively used. I, therefore, urge you to practice what you have learned and maintain discipline on and off duty,” she emphasized.
Training facilitators also included five RNP understudy trainers. The commandant of PTS, Commissioner of Police (CP) Robert Niyonshuti, said that RNP will now start conducting similar courses on its own.
Several sources have confirmed that the deceased passed away in an incident that caught the attention of Ugandans who took to their different social media platforms to send their condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
The Uganda Police Force while confirming his death took to their X to issue a statement. Ugandans thanked the deceased for his contribution to the society while he alive.
“The Uganda Police Force is mourning the death of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Okoth Ogola, who served from 1981 to 1985. He passed away today, February 14, 2025, at Nakasero Hospital,” police said.
The current IGP Abas Byakagaba has extended condolences to the family and ensured that the late IGP is honored in a manner fitting his legacy.
The police will provide updates on funeral arrangements. Okoth Ogola’s leadership and contributions to the Uganda Police Force will be remembered and cherished. May his soul rest in eternal peace.
The delegation engaged with key stakeholders, including the Private Sector Federation (PSF) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), to discuss potential investments in agriculture, real estate, urban development, and trade. Rwanda’s business-friendly environment and strategic position in East Africa were highlighted as major attractions for investors.
During their visit, a cooperation agreement was signed between PSF and FSC, establishing the Saudi-Rwanda Chamber of Commerce to facilitate economic partnerships. PSF Chairperson Jeanne-Françoise Mubiligi emphasized that this initiative would boost trade, investment, and cultural cooperation between the two nations.
President Paul Kagame received the delegation on February 13, reaffirming Rwanda’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with Saudi Arabia. This courtesy call underscored the growing trade relationship between the two countries and reinforced investor confidence.
The Saudi delegation’s visit is part of a broader investment mission across Africa, including stops in Kenya and Tanzania. Business forums in these countries aim to foster trade engagements between Saudi investors, private sector players, and government representatives.
Rwanda and Saudi Arabia already enjoy strong diplomatic and economic relations, with agreements in healthcare, education, energy, and infrastructure. In October 2025, Rwanda’s Football Federation endorsed Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, reflecting their expanding cooperation beyond business.
As Saudi Arabia increases its trade footprint in Africa, Rwanda emerges as a key partner, offering vast opportunities in technology, finance, tourism, and manufacturing.
The visit confirms strengthen ties in economic collaboration, positioning Rwanda as a strategic investment hub in the region.
The Office of the President said through a post on X that the discussions focused on strengthening Rwanda’s collaboration with the World Bank in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, and skills development, among others.
The World Bank has been a key development partner for Rwanda, supporting projects in energy generation and distribution, education, agriculture, and socio-economic development.
Rwanda became a member of the World Bank in September 1963, and in 1970, the bank’s board approved the country’s first loan of $18.8 million.
By the end of 2023, the World Bank had provided Rwanda with over $8 billion in loans, funding critical sectors such as education, infrastructure, agriculture, and livestock.
In December 2024, the bank allocated more than $255 million to Rwanda in support of private sector investments aligned with the country’s green growth agenda.
Additionally, in the previous month, the World Bank committed $200 million to enhance skills training for over 200,000 young people. These funds are part of the Priority Skills for Growth and Youth Empowerment (PSGYE) program, which aims to equip youth with the necessary skills to compete in the job market.
In October 2024, Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente also met with Qimiao Fan during his first official visit to Rwanda since assuming his current role. Their discussions centered on ongoing development projects under Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
Speaking about the World Bank’s commitment to supporting Rwanda’s development agenda, Qimiao Fan emphasized the institution’s focus on environmental sustainability, long-term infrastructure investment, education, healthcare, social welfare, job creation, and agriculture.
This follows the 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign assistance recently announced by President Donald Trump. However, Malawi’s government says it is working to ensure that students can continue their education.
USAID has provided financial support to thousands of students in several Malawi universities, including the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mzuzu University, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, and the Malawi University of Science and Technology or MUST.
James Mphande, the communications manager at MUST, said the U.S. foreign aid freeze is a big blow to several USAID-funded projects the school was implementing.
“And what it means now is that everything has been suspended,” he said. “So, if we were developing a curriculum, we can’t proceed. If we had some outreach activities, we can’t proceed. If we were in the process of making some procurements, we can’t proceed.”
He said some sponsored students may face the impact next semester. “Fortunately, we are in the middle of a semester. So, probably fees or support for this semester was already sorted out. But for the upcoming semesters or years, it means the students will have to look elsewhere for support or they risk withdrawing,” Mphande said.
However, Patience Yamikani Chakwana, a beneficiary of USAID at MUST, told VOA that she is already feeling the impact. Chakwana, a first-year student in business information technology, said the foreign aid suspension was imposed before students received money for their daily upkeep.
“It was really unexpected. It was, like, we have just started school after a week, then we are getting the news,” she said. “At the time, we didn’t have the money, and the pocket money had not been given. … I heard the news while I was in class. I didn’t know what to do. That was the only hope I had.”
Chakwana said USAID was paying for her tuition and accommodation, as well as giving her money for groceries and the internet connection for her mobile phone. She said she now survives on money she borrows from friends.
Jessie Kabwila, Malawi’s minister of higher education, said the aid suspension is discouraging, but the Malawi government is working to find other sources to help students.
“We have engaged local partnerships that are in the private sector to see how they can help us. We have also engaged international partners. For example, we have got a standing agreement with the Republic of Morocco. We have also engaged the Czech Republic, and we will be engaging others, too,” Kabwila said.
Alexander Kude, deputy director for the Commonwealth Students Association, said that the US foreign aid suspension should be a wake-up call for developing countries to start investing more in education and reduce overdependence on foreign aid.
“Look, the budget that the United States of America uses to fund us through USAID, it’s just a per cent of their money and budget. If you look how much that is and where they get it from, why not stand alone and do it ourselves?” Kude said.
The Trump administration says it imposed the 90-day freeze to review USAID spending and make sure it aligns with U.S. policy and interests. The freeze will extend through April 20.
