The court also ruled that Mutamba is ineligible to run for office or vote for the next five years. He has been ordered to repay nearly 20 million US dollars allegedly diverted during his tenure. The funds had originally been allocated for the construction of a new prison in Kisangani.
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Mutamba was accused of withdrawing the money from the Reparations and Compensation Fund for Victims of Uganda’s Illicit Activities in the DRC (Frivao). Prosecutors said he transferred the funds in April to an account under the name of Zion Construction, a company allegedly selected without following proper public procurement procedures.
According to the prosecution, the move amounted to embezzlement and was intended to enrich the company fraudulently. The court, while handing down a lighter sentence than the maximum ten years sought, ruled that Mutamba’s actions breached procurement rules and undermined state funds.
A lawyer by profession, Mutamba consistently denied the charges. He insisted that the money remained intact and that no diversion had taken place. His defence team argued for his acquittal, maintaining that the case was politically motivated.
On the day of sentencing, Mutamba appeared in court in a tracksuit, sandals, and a surgical mask. He had been escorted from his home, where he was under house arrest, by security forces. Relations between him and Prosecutor General Firmin Mvonde, who oversaw the case, were reportedly tense throughout the proceedings.
In an advisory issued on Tuesday, September 2, MINICOM encouraged businesses to view the championship as an opportunity to boost trade and deliver high-quality services to participants, visitors, and cycling fans from around the world.
“Your active participation and preparedness are essential to the success of this world-class event,” the advisory reads in part.
Businesses were advised to stock up goods in advance to avoid disruptions during temporary road closures, and to schedule deliveries during night hours when roads will be open. Truck drivers will also be facilitated during night operations, the ministry added.
The 2025 championship will mark the first time the prestigious global cycling event is held in Africa, positioning Rwanda as a hub for international sporting activities and sports tourism.
To ensure smooth logistics, the government has announced temporary road closures along designated race routes during specific hours. Alternative and detour routes will be clearly marked in coordination with traffic authorities. Fan Zones will also be set up across Kigali, allowing residents and visitors to follow the action up close.
Further measures include the closure of schools across Kigali City during the competition, coordinated by the Ministry of Education, and a shift to remote work for public servants and private institutions where possible. Essential services will continue uninterrupted.
The UCI Road World Championships is one of cycling’s most prestigious annual competitions, bringing together national teams from across the globe under the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). First held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1921, the championship most recently took place in Zürich, Switzerland, in 2024.
Rwanda’s edition is expected to attract a large influx of athletes, delegations, and fans, alongside visitors keen to explore the country’s tourism offerings. Authorities say the event is not only a milestone for sports but also an opportunity for local businesses to showcase Rwanda’s hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit.
The development came as Ingabire was scheduled to appear alongside other defendants, including former members of the banned Dalfa-Umurinzi party and Umubavu TV journalist Nsengimana Théoneste.
The presiding judge noted that Ingabire had submitted a written request to postpone the trial for three reasons:
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Ingabire requested to be represented by a Kenyan lawyer, Emily Kwamboka Osiemo, in addition to her current counsel, Gatera Gashabana, who represents nine other co-defendants in the same case. She argued that her Kenyan lawyer should be allowed to represent her, a request requiring approval from the Rwanda Bar Association.
The question of Emily Kwamboka’s representation has frequently arisen during Ingabire’s previous hearings, including her provisional detention case.
The President of the Rwanda Bar Association, Lawyer Nkundabarashi Moise, has noted that under international legal practice, there is a principle of reciprocity. To be allowed to practice in another country, that country must similarly allow lawyers from your country to practice there. Currently, this reciprocity is not in place between Rwanda and Kenya.
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The defendant submitted that she had filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the High Court’s order authorising a full investigation against her, which she argued was inconsistent with the constitution.
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She claimed she had insufficient time to prepare her defence after receiving the prosecution’s case file on August 20, 2025.
When asked by the presiding judge about her choice of legal representation, Ingabire immediately recused the entire bench, stating that the court had already taken sides by ordering the investigation and that she could not expect impartial justice.
Under Rwandan law, recusal must be submitted in writing before judgment is delivered. The request must be filed within one day following the hearing. If the court accepts the recusal, the judge is replaced, and the trial is rescheduled. If rejected, the trial continues.
The bench suspended proceedings following the recusal. A decision on the acceptance of the recusal will determine when the trial resumes.
The team departed Kigali International Airport on Tuesday morning, September 2, led by Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA) president Shema Ngoga Fabrice. A 20-man squad was on board, with four additional players — Kavita Phanuel, Mugisha Bonheur “Casemiro,” Kwizera Jojea, and Buhake Twizere Clement — set to join the team in Lagos before heading to Uyo.
The match is scheduled for Saturday, September 6, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Amavubi will be looking to replicate their last visit to Nigeria, when they stunned the Super Eagles with a 2–1 victory in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. However, Nigeria had the upper hand in their most recent meeting in Kigali, winning 2–0 in the reverse World Cup qualifier.
Group C remains tightly contested. South Africa currently lead the table with 13 points, while Rwanda and Benin are level on 8. Nigeria sits just behind on 7 points, followed by Lesotho with 6, and Zimbabwe at the bottom with 4.
The law establishing the DST was passed in February 2025 and applies to services originating outside Rwanda. Jean Paulin Uwitonze, RRA’s Deputy Commissioner for Taxpayer Services and Communications, confirmed that the tax will take effect at the start of the 2026 fiscal year.
“From 2026, digital services tax will be collected. It will cover online businesses such as Airbnb, Netflix, Amazon, and others. They will be required to pay tax on the services they provide in Rwanda, based on the revenues they generate,” Uwitonze said.
He added that RRA is finalising preparations to ensure a smooth rollout of the tax.
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In addition to the DST, a tourism accommodation tax introduced in February 2025 came into force on July 1, 2025. It is charged at a rate of 3% of the amount paid or payable for accommodation, excluding value-added tax (VAT).
The law requires accommodation providers, including hotels, lodges, apartments, motels, and Airbnb hosts, to register with RRA, collect the tax from clients, and remit it monthly.
According to RRA, taxpayers have largely complied since collections began on August 15, 2025.
“The tax is collected every month. For example, a business collects it from the 1st to the 30th of a given month and submits it to RRA no later than the 15th of the following month,” Uwitonze explained.
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RRA has also warned businesses attempting to evade taxes. Uwitonze said the authority is working with partners, including buyers and the Electronic Billing Machine (EBM) system, to identify and penalise defaulters.
“Those who do not want to pay will be caught quickly. We can detect all unpaid taxes and ensure compliance,” he said.
Of the 106,418 candidates who registered, 106,079 sat for the exams, and 89 percent achieved a pass mark of at least 50 percent. Among them, the pass rate for boys was 93.5 percent, compared to 85.5 percent for girls.
The announcement was made on September 1, 2025, with officials noting that overall performance across all categories was encouraging.
Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana explained that the results were released earlier than in previous years to prevent students from losing valuable time.
Previously, results were published in November or December, often preventing unsuccessful candidates from retaking exams in time and delaying successful students from starting university.
He emphasised that announcing the results in September allows those who passed to proceed directly to higher education without interruption, while those who failed have sufficient time to prepare and retake the exams alongside their peers.
Performance varied across different categories of study. In the general education stream, 61,737 students sat for the exam, with 83.8 percent passing. In the Technical, Vocational, and Education Training (TVET) stream, 36,141 students took the exam, with 35,393 passing, resulting in a 98 percent success rate.
Among professional courses, 8,201 candidates sat for the exam, and 89.8 percent passed. All 438 nursing students passed, while in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs), 3,829 candidates sat for the exam, and only seven failed to meet the 50 percent pass mark. In the accounting stream, 3,916 students were examined, and 825 did not reach the pass mark.
By academic stream, 41,182 students specialized in sciences, with 81.45 percent passing. In humanities, 10,091 candidates sat for the exam, achieving a pass rate of 90.78 percent. For language studies, 10,410 candidates were examined, and 86.1 percent achieved the passing score.
The Ministry also recognised top-performing students in each field. In sciences, Arengerwe Merci Alliance from Cornerstone Leadership Academy in Rwamagana achieved the highest score with 96.06 percent.
In humanities, Kagemana Jean Lambert from ES Cyabingo in Gakenke scored 95.73 percent, while in languages, Mugisha Abayo Jennifer from Collège du Christ-Roi in Nyanza topped with 93.49 percent.
District performance varied significantly. Kayonza led with a 96.9 percent pass rate, followed by Kirehe at 95.6 percent, Rulindo at 94.9 percent, Ngoma at 93.8 percent, and Nyamasheke at 93.6 percent.
On the other hand, Kamonyi recorded the lowest performance at 85 percent, while Nyarugenge scored 87.1 percent. Gatsibo, Rutsiro, and Karongi each registered a pass rate of 88.6 percent.
Speaking at a press briefing in Goma on Monday, Nyarugabo alleged that the Burundian troops are reinforcing local militias and the Congolese army in operations aimed at wiping out his community, a campaign he says began in 2017.
Nyarugabo, who hails from the Minembwe highlands, explained that the attacks were started by Mai-Mai militias from the Fulero, Bembe, and Nyindu communities, who swore to end their attacks only once the Banyamulenge were exterminated.
He accused the Congolese government of initially ignoring the violence until the creation of MRDP-Twirwaneho, a self-defence group formed to protect the Banyamulenge.
“More than 400 villages have been burned, thousands of people killed, and around half a million cattle looted. Many survivors fled to refugee camps in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, while others sought safety abroad,” he said.
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Burundi and the DRC signed a 2022 agreement to jointly combat armed groups such as RED Tabara and FOREBU. But Nyarugabo said the Banyamulenge were shocked to see Burundi, once a haven for their community, now cooperating in operations against them.
“The Burundian state was once a refuge for us. They received us, hosted us. Even after the Gatumba massacre, despite no real accountability, people continued to flee there whenever conflict erupted in Uvira or the highlands, and they were treated well. Even now, some remain there,” he added.
He said there are currently between 12 and 15 battalions, comprising more than 10,000 Burundian soldiers, stationed in the highlands.
“You may wonder, what are more than 10,000 Burundian soldiers doing in those mountains? They claim they came to hunt down RED Tabara, their enemies. But strangely, RED Tabara in that region allied with the Mai-Mai against us. And when the Burundians arrived, they too joined forces with the Mai-Mai.
“Between 12 and 15 Burundian battalions, comprising over 10,000 soldiers, are now stationed in the highlands. Officially, they claim to be pursuing RED Tabara, but in reality, they have joined forces with Mai-Mai groups and FARDC to attack our people,” he said.
According to him, Burundian forces fought RED Tabara, which then fled into Mwenga forests. But instead of pursuing them, Burundi joined the FDLR, the DRC army, and Mai-Mai militias in attacking and looting Banyamulenge communities in Minembwe and beyond.
Nyarugabo claimed Burundian troops are deployed in Bijombo, Gahuna, Kagogo, Mugeti, Irango, Nyakirango, Murambya, Gatanga, Gitaka, Kanono, Mitamba, Marimba, Rurambo, and other locations.
He further alleged that drones launched from Kisangani and Bujumbura have carried out repeated strikes in Minembwe, killing civilians and destroying villages. On August 31, he said, drones mistakenly hit an FARDC base in Karunga, killing between 36 and 48 Congolese soldiers, including a battalion commander.
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Nyarugabo appealed to Burundi to withdraw from what he described as “Kinshasa’s plan to annihilate the Banyamulenge” and urged the international community to step in.
“We have no quarrel with Burundi. They should not allow Tshisekedi’s politics to stain Burundian history with the blood of innocent Banyamulenge,” he said. “If they are truly fighting RED Tabara, let them work with us, not with Congo, Mai-Mai, and the Interahamwe.”
He vowed that the Banyamulenge would continue to defend themselves if targeted.
“I swear, the Banyamulenge will never allow themselves to be exterminated,” he declared.
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Although the Banyamulenge formed Twirwaneho for self-defense, some of their leaders chose to remain aligned with the Congolese government. These include Lt Gen Pacifique Masunzu, commander of the 3rd military region, and Urban Development Minister Alexis Gisaro.
Both have publicly denied that atrocities are being committed against the Banyamulenge, undermining the very rationale for MRDP-Twirwaneho’s existence.
Nyarugabo claimed their stance is driven by a form of “Stockholm Syndrome.”
“In short, they are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a mental condition where victims sympathise with their abusers. That’s their illness,” he said.
He added that despite their denials, they are well aware that their communities in South Kivu have been uprooted by attacks from Mai-Mai, government forces, and allied militias.
“When Sukhoi jets and drones strike Minembwe, they do not discriminate between kin. Those who die are our people—and theirs too. Among the dead we bury every day are our own relatives as well as theirs.”
Nyarugabo urged Banyamulenge collaborating with Kinshasa to “wake up, abandon delusion, and return to truth,” warning that anyone complicit in harming South Kivu civilians would also be held accountable.
“If they cannot speak the truth for their own safety, that I can understand. But they should remain silent rather than deny reality. One day they will be questioned, and they will feel shame—because what I am saying is the truth.”
He made the remarks on Monday, September 1, during a Youth Town Hall session at the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, Senegal, where he joined host President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal and leaders in agri-food systems from across the continent.
Kagame cautioned against Africa’s overreliance on external support despite its abundant resources, noting that the continent’s vast arable land, water, and technology should be enough to achieve food security if coupled with strong political will and youth-driven innovation.
“We have conferences, we have forums, we’re everywhere, saying the right things. But in the end, what can we measure? What results are there to show for the efforts? We must start working the talk and move from talking to doing,” Kagame said.
He emphasised that governments, youth, and women all have shared responsibilities in driving change, pointing to Rwanda’s demographic structure—where women make up over half of the population and 75% are under 35—as proof that inclusive action is essential.
Kagame also highlighted Rwanda’s partnerships in agriculture, citing initiatives such as the Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture (RICA), which trains young innovators from across Africa, and the Rwanda Ireme Invest fund, which mobilised $100 million at COP27 to support climate-smart agriculture.
The President urged young people to complement their demands for support with active participation in entrepreneurship, innovation, and responsible leadership.
“You can’t hold people accountable when you are not playing your part,” he noted. “Young people must feel an obligation. There is no sitting back and waiting until someone comes to help—you must be actively engaged.”
This year’s Africa Food Systems Forum is being held from August 31 to September 5, 2025, at the CICAD and Diamniadio Expo Center in Dakar under the theme “Africa’s Youth Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation.”
The summit has drawn over 5,000 delegates, including heads of state, ministers, business leaders, researchers, farmers, and young entrepreneurs. Discussions are focusing on youth-led agribusiness, digital innovation, agricultural financing, and building resilience against climate change, while also addressing the inclusion of marginalized groups.
The AFSF, formerly known as the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), has been held annually since 2010. Last year’s edition took place in Kigali, Rwanda.
The index, which assesses the capability and effectiveness of governments across 120 countries worldwide, placed Mauritius at 51st globally, maintaining its position as Africa’s top performer for the fifth year in a row despite slipping from 36th in 2021. Rwanda followed at 59th, while Botswana secured 61st place.
Other African countries that made the continent’s top ten include Morocco (75th), South Africa (77th), Tanzania (78th), Egypt (81st), Senegal (83rd), Ghana (86th), and Algeria (90th).
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The report notes that Rwanda scored particularly well in Financial Stewardship, Global Influence & Reputation, and Helping People Rise, placing it ahead of most of its regional peers.
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The CGGI reveals that Africa continues to face significant governance challenges, with the region posting the lowest average score globally. Nonetheless, there was a modest improvement between 2024 and 2025, after declines during the pandemic years.
Of the 28 African countries ranked, only Rwanda and Tanzania improved their positions between 2021 and 2025, while the rest recorded declines.
Tanzania, in particular, rose from 82nd in 2021 to 78th this year, making it the most improved in the region. Its progress is attributed to reforms under the Digital Tanzania Project, new data protection laws, and a surge in foreign investment.
The CGGI is designed not only to measure performance but also to provide practical benchmarks that governments can use to identify gaps and adopt good practices from peers. The seven pillars assessed include Leadership and Foresight, Robust Laws and Policies, Strong Institutions, Financial Stewardship, Attractive Marketplace, Global Influence and Reputation, and Helping People Rise.
Akagera National Park attributes the population boom to effective protection and habitat management, thanks to partnerships with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the conservation NGO African Parks.
“Thanks to the partnership between RDB and African Parks, the Akagera giraffes are well protected, and their habitat remains intact,” the park said in a post on X on Monday, September 1, 2025.
Nearly 40 years after Masai giraffes were introduced to Akagera from Kenya, their population has increased from just six to ~ 115. Thanks to the partnership between @RDBrwanda and @AfricanParks, the Akagera giraffes are well protected, and their habitat remains intact. #Rwandapic.twitter.com/KnNSXAnL2m
Large mammals like giraffes reproduce slowly and are vulnerable to predation and habitat changes, making the increase a notable conservation success. The population roughly doubled every eight years, reflecting decades of sustained wildlife management.
Established in 1934, Akagera National Park spans 1,120 square kilometres and hosts a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, buffalo, hippos, and lions, the latter recently reintroduced after a 20-year absence.
In August, Akagera National Park announced a significant increase in its lion population, which has risen from just seven individuals to 62 over the past decade.
The announcement coincided with the International Day of Lion Health.
The lion reintroduction program began in 2015, when the Government of Rwanda received seven lions, including five females, from South Africa as part of efforts to restore the species in the park.
Similar population growth is expected for the 70 southern white rhinos relocated to Akagera National Park in June this year.
