Voter turnout was approximately 52.43% in the December 28, 2025, elections, which included presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal votes. The final results will be confirmed by the Constitutional Court in mid-January.
Analysts credit Touadéra’s victory to his efforts to restore peace and security in a country long plagued by armed groups and civil conflict. These efforts were bolstered by support from Rwandan and Russian forces, which helped the government regain control over much of the territory.
Following the pacification of key armed factions, Touadéra’s administration negotiated peace agreements aimed at ending hostilities and promoting collaboration on national development projects.
During his campaign, Touadéra highlighted that while his nine years in office had brought significant progress, challenges remained that he aimed to address in a third term. The election outcome suggests that a majority of citizens continue to place their confidence in his leadership.
Touadéra has been in power since March 2016. He was permitted to run for a third term following a constitutional amendment in 2023, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in November 2025.
The discussion took place on January 5, 2026, as lawmakers reviewed a draft law amending existing road use regulations. A central provision of the draft is the introduction of a points-based penalty system, which will be managed using technology.
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MP Mukabalisa Germaine questioned how the system would operate. “Will penalties be consistent, or could a driver be penalised multiple times?”
While supporting the system, she noted its potential benefits for insurance companies, which often require proof of good driving behaviour, but stressed the need for careful implementation.
MP Nizeyimana Pie proposed a transitional period to help drivers adapt. “I recommend a three-month training period so drivers understand the system without immediate penalties. This will better equip them to follow the rules,” he said.
MP Nyirabazayire highlighted that while the law links penalties to the vehicle owner, the system must ensure the person who actually committed the offence is the one penalised.
“Points should be deducted from the record of the driver who committed the offence, not someone else. The system must ensure the right person is penalised,” Nyirabazayire added.
MP Mukabunani Christine sought clarification on the criteria for point deductions and the process for license suspension or revocation, while MP Ngiruwosanga suggested linking the points system to existing infrastructure to prevent unfair penalties.
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The Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Security Committee, Amb. Tumukunde Hope Gasatura, explained that the system is new and that additional details will be provided in a Ministerial decree.
Minister of Infrastructure, Dr. Jimmy Gasore, emphasised that the points system is intended to promote responsible driving rather than serve as punishment. He explained that drivers will start each year with 15 points, which will be deducted automatically based on violations. If a driver’s points fall below one, their license will be temporarily suspended until they regain sufficient points.
The draft law categorises traffic offences by severity, with points deducted accordingly. Drivers who flee the scene of an accident will lose six points, while failing to use a speed governor will result in a five-point deduction.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs carries a four-point penalty, and offences such as speeding, driving without a license, or ignoring traffic signals will lead to a three-point deduction. Lesser violations, including driving an uninsured vehicle or using a mobile phone while driving, will result in a two-point deduction.
“I am innocent. I am not guilty,” Maduro told the court, according to journalists present at the hearing. He told the court he had been “kidnapped” from his residence in Caracas and insisted that, despite being in US custody, he was still the president of Venezuela.
Maduro appeared alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, who also rejected all charges levelled against her by US prosecutors, saying she was completely innocent.
The court set March 17 as the date for the next hearing in the case.
The courtroom proceedings were tense and closely watched, coming just days after Maduro and Flores were seized in a dramatic US military operation. According to US officials, special forces extracted the pair from their residence within the heavily guarded Fort Tiuna military complex in the Venezuelan capital early on Saturday before flying them to New York.
During Monday’s hearing, a brief but heated exchange broke out between Maduro and a member of the public in the courtroom. At one point, Maduro described himself as a “prisoner of war”.
Earlier in the day, images circulated showing Maduro and Flores being transferred to the courthouse in handcuffs, surrounded by heavily armed officers. The scenes fuelled strong reactions both inside Venezuela and internationally.
In Caracas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president, a move that Venezuelan authorities said was aimed at ensuring continuity of government. During the ceremony, Rodríguez praised Maduro and Flores as “heroes,” accusing the United States of carrying out an illegal act against a sovereign nation.
Outside the New York courthouse, protesters gathered to denounce the US action. Demonstrators waved banners reading “Free Maduro,” “No War on Venezuela,” and “USA hands off Venezuela,” while chanting slogans against what they described as foreign intervention.
The US operation has triggered widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns across the international community, with critics warning that it represents a dangerous escalation in Washington’s long-running campaign against Maduro.
US officials have said the operation was planned for months and carried out without prior congressional authorisation. The Trump administration has defended the move as part of broader efforts to combat alleged drug trafficking networks linked to the Venezuelan leadership.
Photos from U.S. media show Maduro landed in Manhattan by a helicopter from a Brooklyn detention center and was placed in an armored car, accompanied by heavily armed law enforcement officers.
Protesters gathering outside the court were shouting slogans and holding banners writing “Free Maduro” and “USA hands off Venezuela.”
U.S. troops carried out a raid on Saturday to kidnap Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flew them out of Venezuela, then put them in custody in New York.
“Congratulations to my brother, President Mamadi Doumbouya, on his election as President of the Republic of Guinea. We look forward to deepening our strong bilateral relations and working closely together to advance our shared priorities and the prosperity of our nations,” President Kagame said in a post on X.
Doumbouya’s win was confirmed by Guinea’s Supreme Court on Sunday, formalising his transition from junta leader to democratically elected president. The court validated the provisional results announced earlier, crediting Doumbouya, 41, with 86.72% of the vote.
The runner-up, Abdoulaye Yero Baldé, received 6.59% of the votes. The court noted that Baldé, who had initially challenged the election results with the Supreme Court, had since voluntarily withdrawn his complaint.
The election marks Guinea’s first presidential vote since Doumbouya led a coup in September 2021, which ousted Alpha Condé. The vote was held under a new constitution that removed the ban on military leaders running for office and extended the presidential term from five to seven years.
Rwanda and Guinea enjoy cordial relations, reinforced through exchanges of visits and cooperation across multiple sectors. President Kagame last visited Conakry in November 2025, joining President Doumbouya for the launch of the Simandou Iron Ore Project, considered the largest ongoing mining project in the world.
The Simandou deposit is estimated to contain approximately 3 to 4 billion tonnes of high-grade recoverable iron ore and is expected to reach full production capacity by 2030, with an annual output of around 120 million tonnes.
Bilateral cooperation has also been strengthened through agreements signed on October 9, 2024, in Kigali during a session of the Joint Cooperation Commission. According to announcements from both countries’ foreign ministries, the 12 agreements cover areas such as public administration modernisation, export promotion, tourism development, special economic zones, migration data management, defence and security, justice, economy, and trade.
“The partnership between our two countries is based on complementary and a win-win approach,” said Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. He noted that Rwanda can benefit from Guinea’s expertise in mining, while Guinea can learn from Rwanda’s experience in public service innovation and digitisation.
Although relatively new, the bilateral relationship has strengthened since Rwanda opened its embassy in Conakry in January 2024. President Doumbouya has expressed interest in adopting Rwanda’s development model, and the two leaders have met frequently to explore cooperation opportunities.
In addition to the agreements, both countries have established a follow-up mechanism to ensure proper implementation of recommendations from the first session of the Joint Cooperation Commission.
The report shows that the formal industrial sector also posted an annual average growth rate of 6.3 per cent, signalling sustained momentum despite month-to-month fluctuations in some activities.
Growth in November was driven largely by the electricity sector, which expanded by 14.1 per cent year-on-year, making it the biggest contributor to overall industrial growth. Electricity alone accounted for 2.8 percentage points of the annual increase, reflecting rising demand from households, businesses and industry.
The manufacturing sector, which carries the largest weight in the index at 68.1 per cent, grew by 4.9 per cent compared to November 2024. Within manufacturing, output gains were supported by a 2.6 per cent increase in chemicals, rubber and plastic products, as well as a 1.8 per cent growth in beverages and tobacco production.
However, the report highlights uneven performance across manufacturing sub-sectors. Textiles, clothing and leather goods contracted by 7.5 per cent, while wood and paper products, including printing, declined by 6.0 per cent, pointing to continued pressure in some traditional industries.
Mining and quarrying recorded a 4.1 per cent year-on-year increase, maintaining positive growth despite volatility in monthly output. Meanwhile, water and waste management activities expanded by 6.6 per cent, reflecting steady growth in urban services and environmental management.
The November figures are published using a new 2024 base year, following a rebasing exercise by NISR aimed at better reflecting Rwanda’s evolving economic structure. The rebasing captures the rapid expansion of manufacturing, utilities and other industrial activities over recent years, and aligns the index with international statistical best practice.
NISR noted that the IIP focuses on formal sector activity and excludes construction due to data limitations, but remains a key short-term indicator for tracking industrial trends and complementing quarterly GDP estimates.
The incident occurred late on Saturday evening, just before 8 p.m. local time, when a large wooden canoe carrying 52 passengers overturned on the Yobe River near Garbi town. The boat had departed from Adiyani village in neighbouring Jigawa State and was en route to Garbi when it capsized.
Mohammed Goje, head of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, said that 13 passengers have been rescued alive and are receiving medical attention, while 25 bodies have been recovered so far. Rescue operations involving emergency responders, local volunteers and security agencies remain ongoing to find the 14 people still unaccounted for.
Police in Jigawa State confirmed the accident and indicated that the canoe may have capsized due to leakage. A spokesperson noted that safety regulations, including bans on night travel and overloading, were reportedly ignored.
“It was a market day, and the victims were returning home after trading. If the driver survives, he will be prosecuted for negligence,” said Lawan Adam, the state police spokesperson.
Investigators say the boat was carrying more passengers than it should have, and authorities have warned that the operator could face prosecution for negligence if he survives.
Residents said the victims included people from both their village and the destination town, many returning home after a market day. When the boat failed to arrive on time, relatives raised the alarm and discovered that it had overturned partway across the river. Divers and emergency crews recovered some of the bodies.
Boat accidents are unfortunately common in Nigeria’s rural regions, where waterways are often used for transport due to limited road infrastructure, and safety measures are frequently lacking. In a separate tragedy last September, an overloaded boat sank in Niger State, killing at least 60 people after it struck a tree stump.
In a post on X, which has since been deleted, Minister Bizimana alleged that Qatar was using its influence and financial resources to dissuade the United States from taking action against Rwanda, which he accused of violating a Washington-brokered agreement.
“It is important to stress Qatar’s negative role using its influence and cash to dissuade US from taking action,” Bizimana wrote on Sunday.
The post sparked immediate backlash, prompting Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye to intervene.
In a statement on X, President Ndayishimiye emphasised Burundi’s appreciation for Qatar’s longstanding bilateral relations and mediation role in the DRC.
“It is important to clarify any misunderstanding & wrong statement regarding Qatar’s contribution in development and peacebuilding,” he wrote.
Responding to the clarification, Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, acknowledged President Ndayishimiye’s retraction and reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to regional peace and stability.
“Guided by its principled approach, the State of Qatar remains steadfast in its commitment to peacebuilding, mediation, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and will continue to engage constructively with all partners in support of stability and lasting peace,” Al-Khulaifi said in a post on X.
In recent days, Burundi and the DRC have heightened their accusations that Rwanda is supporting the AFC/M23 rebel alliance in eastern DRC and have called on the international community to impose sanctions on Kigali. Rwanda has rejected the allegations, insisting that sanctions cannot resolve the problems affecting the Congolese people, for whom the conflict is primarily a local issue.
Analysts note that Minister Bizimana’s deleted remarks targeting Qatar reflect internal political pressures and the stance of the government he represents, even as President Ndayishimiye sought to calm the situation and repair the diplomatic fallout.
“If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said in a phone interview with The Atlantic. Maduro was taken by U.S. forces away from his country on Saturday and is now in custody in New York to stand trial on alleged drug charges.
Trump made clear that he would not stand what he described as Rodríguez’s defiant rejection of the armed U.S. intervention, according to the magazine.
Trump also stressed that the United States needs Greenland “absolutely,” reaffirming that Venezuela may not be the last country subject to U.S. intervention, according to The Atlantic.
“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” Trump said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in another media interview Sunday morning that Trump will keep all options open on how to “run” Venezuela, assess if the country’s interim leadership can “make right decisions,” and will not rule out the U.S. military presence in the country in the future.
“We expect to see more compliance and cooperation than we were previously receiving,” Rubio said of Rodríguez on CBS.
“Our objectives when it comes to how Venezuela impacts the national interest of the United States have not changed, and we want those addressed. We want drug trafficking to stop. We want no more gang members to come our way,” Rubio said.
At least 80 Venezuelan people were killed during U.S. airstrikes, a New York Times report said Sunday, citing Venezuelan officials.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice ordered late Saturday that Rodríguez assume the role of acting president of the country in the absence of Maduro.
The U.S. raid on Venezuela has drawn worldwide condemnation and concern.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said India’s continued buying of discounted Russian oil was unacceptable to the United States. While he described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a good guy” who understood his concerns, Trump made it clear that Washington is prepared to take stronger economic action if needed.
“They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump told the press when asked about India’s Russian oil imports, underscoring that trade measures remain a key tool in U.S. foreign policy.
The latest warning comes after the U.S. already doubled tariffs on most Indian imports to 50% last year, largely as punishment for India’s heavy purchases of Russian crude. Despite this steep tariff rate, among the highest applied by Washington against any trading partner, India’s exports to the U.S. actually grew in late 2025, demonstrating resilience amid rising economic tensions.
In response to U.S. pressure, Indian authorities have taken a step toward greater transparency by asking refiners to report weekly data on their crude oil purchases from both Russia and the United States, according to people familiar with the plans. This reflects New Delhi’s effort to balance its energy needs with the pursuit of a potential trade agreement with Washington.
Indian officials expect that imports of Russian crude are already declining and could fall below 1 million barrels per day as the country seeks to find common ground with U.S. negotiators.
Modi and Trump have spoken by phone several times since the tariffs were first imposed, but the discussions have not yet produced a definitive resolution. High-level trade officials from both countries have also met recently to discuss economic ties, yet major differences remain particularly on energy and agricultural policy.
India’s commerce ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump’s latest remarks. Still, New Delhi has historically resisted external pressure on its energy strategy, emphasizing its right to pursue policies based on national interests and energy security.
At its core, this dispute highlights a broader geopolitical tension: the United States is pushing allies and major democracies like India to cut ties with Russian energy as part of pressure related to Russia’s war in Ukraine, while India maintains that affordable energy supplies remain critical to its development and stability.
The use of tariffs as leverage shows how trade policy has become interwoven with global diplomatic goals making the U.S.-India relationship both economically vital and strategically complex.
