Category: News

The five-year Medium-Term Senior Unsecured Bond, which was fully subscribed, carries a fixed coupon of 13.25% per annum and will pay investors semi-annual interest with amortised principal repayments starting 18 months after issuance. Proceeds will be used to refinance AMS’s foreign-denominated debt and finance its growth strategy, including expansion into new markets.

At the listing ceremony in Kigali, RSE Chief Executive Officer Pierre Celestin Rwabukumba said the transaction showcased the growing depth of Rwanda’s capital market.

“AMS Plc listing is particularly significant as it becomes the first company in the healthcare sector to graduate from the Capital Market Investment Clinic, raise money, and be profiled on the RSE special board,” Rwabukumba said.

“This serves as a good example for other SMEs and corporates on what’s possible in our capital market today.”

Capital Market Authority CEO Thapelo Tsheole added that raising funds through bonds is not only about financing but also about visibility and credibility.

“The capital market offers visibility and instils confidence, both of which contribute to strengthening the company,” he stated.

AMS CEO and founder Fabrice Shema Ngoga described the listing as a defining moment for the 17-year-old medical supplier.

“Today’s bond listing represents a new chapter in the history of AMS Plc, a chapter defined by innovation, trust, and a shared vision of progress,” Ngoga said. “This listing is not an endpoint but a beginning, and a rallying point for all stakeholders to join hands in pursuit of lasting impact.”

Founded in 2008, AMS supplies pharmaceuticals, diagnostic kits, hospital equipment, and consumables to more than 400 clients, including hospitals, pharmacies, NGOs, UN agencies, and government programs in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2024, the company reported revenues of Frw 18.5 billion and a net profit of Frw 681 million.

With this listing, AMS joins 10 other companies on the RSE’s equities board and five other corporates on its fixed-income segment, alongside 85 treasury bonds.

The assault left residential neighbourhoods in ruins and plunged the Ukrainian capital once again into grief and shock.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed the death toll, warning that it could rise as rescuers continued to search for survivors beneath the rubble. Emergency crews spent hours digging through debris in several districts, pulling out the wounded and carrying away bodies as smoke and dust filled the air.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s city administration, described the scale of destruction as devastating. In the Darnytskyi district, a five-storey apartment block was almost completely destroyed, while windows and roofs were blown out across entire neighbourhoods.

“Everything is destroyed,” Tkachenko said, capturing the despair of residents who watched their homes collapse.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a calculated effort to terrorise civilians and break the country’s spirit.

“These are not just attacks on buildings, they are attempts to sow fear and destroy our will,” he said. Zelenskyy urged the international community to respond with stronger measures, stressing, “The world must force Russia to take real steps toward peace. Silence and hesitation only encourage more violence.”

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as sirens blared and explosions ripped through the capital. A mother who survived the strikes said she shielded her child in a corridor just moments before the blast shattered their apartment.

“The glass flew everywhere. If we had stayed in the room, we would not be alive,” she recalled tearfully.

Ukraine’s military reported intercepting many of the missiles and drones, but said Russia’s use of combined drone swarms and missile barrages was designed to overwhelm defences. Despite successes, several projectiles penetrated the shield and slammed into residential areas.

The attack comes days before Ukrainian officials are due to meet U.S. representatives in New York, where Kyiv will push for renewed military and diplomatic support. Zelenskyy voiced frustration at Moscow’s continued intransigence, saying Russia was sending “arrogant and negative signals” instead of seeking genuine dialogue.

As night fell, rescue teams continued working under floodlights, while families huddled in shelters, fearing more strikes. The scenes of destroyed apartment blocks, burned-out cars, and children wrapped in blankets outside emergency centres underscored the human cost of a war that has already dragged on for more than three years.

President Chapo is in Rwanda for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

In the message he wrote in the memorial’s guest book, he noted: “This is a place of deep remembrance and painful memory. We bow with utmost respect before the suffering you endured.”

He added: “Your history is a powerful reminder that humanity must never forget the consequences of division. At the same time, it is also a beacon of hope and a testament to the resilience of the Rwandan people.”

Chapo further stated that the peace Rwanda enjoys today stands as a remarkable achievement and should serve as a lesson to Africa and the world.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the resting place of more than 250,000 Tutsi who were killed in 1994 across different parts of Kigali.

Kadasomwa and nearby villages were left in ruins — corpses scattered, families torn apart, and entire communities forced to flee.

According to Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the AFC/M23 movement, the Banyamulenge of Minembwe bore the heaviest blow.

Dozens were killed, many others wounded without access to treatment, and entire villages emptied in panic. It is a grim pattern that has become tragically familiar in a region where civilians pay the highest price for a war that remains officially nameless.

Kanyuka stressed that these attacks leave AFC/M23 fighters with no choice but to intervene to protect civilians, describing this as part of their mandate. He condemned the silence of the international community, which continues to look away while atrocities mount.

{{A ceasefire only on paper}}

In April, Kinshasa and AFC/M23 signed a ceasefire agreement. Three months later, Doha hosted a formal reaffirmation of that fragile hope for peace. Yet on the ground, artillery fire has spoken louder than diplomatic signatures.

Troop convoys and armored vehicles poured in from Kisangani, Kalemie, and even Bujumbura, showing that the DRC never stopped preparing for war. Increasingly, civilians — particularly the Banyamulenge and Congolese Tutsi communities — have become the primary targets.

For Freddy Kaniki, president of the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement and vice president of the AFC, these are not isolated flare-ups but part of a calculated campaign: “The genocide began in 2017 and is now in its final stage. They want to finish what they started; otherwise, there would be no reason to send troops to Minembwe, where some residents still remain.”

Statistics paint a chilling picture: 357 Banyamulenge villages burned in eight years and more than 700,000 cattle — the backbone of this pastoral community — looted.

Behind these figures lie shattered families, children denied an education, women driven into exile, and elders torn from their ancestral lands.

{{The silence of the world}}

Despite repeated warnings, the international community has turned away. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, then UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, raised alarm several times over the plight of the Banyamulenge. Her appeals were ignored.

At the same time, human rights organizations continue to produce reports targeting AFC/M23 and the Rwandan army , without credible evidence, reinforcing a narrative that masks and indirectly shields the crimes committed by Kinshasa and its allies.

“Whether they are Interahamwe, Wazalendo, or within Congolese government, their crimes are plain to see. Refugees arrive at our borders every day, while others are massacred in silence,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame declared on August 25, addressing troops in Gabiro.

Each new attack on civilians makes the Doha agreements increasingly meaningless.

Without international pressure on Kinshasa, the ceasefire has become little more than a diplomatic façade — a cover under which massacres and forced displacements continue unchecked.

And in eastern Congo, where war has become part of daily life, the Banyamulenge — like so many other communities — live with a haunting question: How much longer will the world stand by as they face slow extermination?

The announcement follows recent findings that Rwanda’s air quality is deteriorating due to PM2.5 particles emitted mainly from motor vehicles, with motorcycles alone responsible for 47% of harmful emissions.

Under a Ministerial Order issued on August 25, 2025, motor vehicles used for public passenger transport, cargo, driving schools, school buses, ambulances, and petrol-powered machinery in construction and agriculture will receive inspection certificates valid for six months. All other motor vehicles will be issued certificates valid for one year.

Owners of vehicles that fail inspection will be required to fix defects and present their vehicles for re-testing before being cleared.

The regulation sets a range of fines depending on the severity of the violation. The heaviest penalty, Frw 5 million, applies to those who ignore an order to stop polluting activities. Unauthorised polluting activities attract a fine of Frw 3 million, while breaching rules on air quality preservation is punishable by Frw 2 million. For minor violations of emissions rules, offenders face fines ranging from Frw 25,000 to Frw 1 million, depending on the offence.

In addition, failure to pay fines within seven days will attract an extra 0.5% daily penalty.

Inspection fees have also been set: motorcycles will pay Frw 16,638, small passenger cars Frw 34,940, and medium passenger vehicles or light cargo trucks Frw 51,578, with lower rates for re-inspections.

Officials say the new enforcement regime is part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to improve air quality, including incentives for a shift from fuel-powered motorcycles to electric alternatives.

The airline confirmed that the discount applies exclusively to tickets purchased on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through its official website or mobile application.

Travelers booking during these days will enjoy half-price fares across all of RwandAir’s destinations.
“This weekend, your dream trip is half the price,” the airline said.

While the promotion is valid for travel until November 30, 2025, customers must book their tickets no later than September 14, 2025, to benefit from the discount.

With flights to more than 23 destinations, the offer gives passengers the chance to explore a wide range of cities at reduced fares — from Dubai and Johannesburg to Lagos, Paris, Kigali, and many more.

According to the Office of the President, the two Heads of State immediately held a tête-à-tête meeting to discuss key areas of ongoing bilateral cooperation.

Earlier in the day, President Chapo was welcomed at Kigali International Airport by senior government officials, including Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe.

Also present were Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Mubarakh Muganga, Inspector General of Police, CP Felix Namuhoranye, and Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISSR), Aimable Havugiyaremye.

This marks President Chapo’s first visit to Rwanda since taking office in January this year.

The visit seeks to deepen collaboration in priority sectors, particularly defence and security cooperation — with Rwanda continuing to support Mozambique in its fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado Province — as well as broader economic ties.

As part of his itinerary, President Chapo is expected to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi, where he will pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and reflect on Rwanda’s resilience and recovery.

On Thursday, August 28, President Chapo will engage with Rwandan business leaders interested in exploring investment opportunities in Mozambique. He will also tour the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to learn from Rwanda’s industrial development and identify potential areas for cooperation.

President Chapo was welcomed at Kigali International Airport by senior government officials, including Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe.

Also present were Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Mubarakh Muganga, Inspector General of Police, CP Felix Namuhoranye, and Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISSR), Aimable Havugiyaremye.

This is President Chapo’s first visit to Rwanda since assuming office. The visit seeks to deepen collaboration in key sectors, particularly defence and security — with a focus on combating terrorism in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province — as well as economic cooperation.

On the afternoon of August 27, President Chapo is scheduled to tour the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, hear testimonies, and learn about Rwanda’s path to recovery.

Later in the day, he will meet with President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro for a private discussion, followed by a bilateral meeting between officials from both countries to explore areas of cooperation.

On August 28, President Chapo will hold discussions with Rwandan business leaders interested in investing in Mozambique.

He will also visit the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to observe Rwanda’s industrial growth and identify potential lessons for Mozambique’s own development efforts.