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?
Martinez was suspended after the first game of the playoff finals in the Women’s Basketball League. In his absence, REG WBBC won one game and lost another, leaving their rivals Kepler WBBC leading the best-of-five series 2–1.
Ahead of the fourth game, REG WBBC decided to recall Martinez, who now faces the task of guiding his team to victory on Wednesday evening to avoid falling too far behind.
The match is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Petit Stade, following the third-place playoff between APR WBBC and The Hoops, which tips off at 6:00 p.m.
REG WBBC are the defending champions, while Kepler WBBC are aiming to secure their first-ever league title.
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.
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.
The two are part of the 28-man provisional squad unveiled by Uganda’s head coach Paul Put, who will later trim the list ahead of the matches scheduled for September 5 and 8 at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Ssekiganda, a recent APR FC signing, operates as a defensive midfielder, while Omedi is a winger renowned for his pace and attacking runs down the flanks.
Their inclusion adds to the growing list of APR FC players representing their countries, which includes Rwandan internationals Ishimwe Pierre, Nduwayo Alex, Niyomugabo Claude, Fitina Omborenga, and Mugisha Gilbert, as well as Memel Dao, who has been called up for Burkina Faso.
Meanwhile, APR FC is intensifying its preparations for the 2025 CECAFA Kagame Cup, set to run from September 2 to 15 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
At a weekly press conference in Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei refuted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s claims that Iran was behind the torching of a kosher cafe in Sydney last October and a major arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne last December.
He also responded to the Australian government’s decision on Tuesday to expel Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi.
“Naturally, any inappropriate and unjustified action at the diplomatic level will receive a reciprocal reaction. This is a new development. My colleagues are considering the issue to decide about the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Baghaei said.
The spokesman said over the past two weeks, “we witnessed million-strong demonstrations in Australia in protest to the killing of people in the occupied Palestinian territories,” adding that some of Australia’s politicians had also “in a rare move” leveled minor criticisms against Israel for its actions.
Australia’s recent action against Iran, “which is in fact an action against diplomacy and the two nations’ relations,” was aimed at compensating for those minor anti-Israel criticisms, Baghaei said.
Albanese announced on Tuesday that Australia had withdrawn its ambassador to Iran and suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran.
The Huye-based club is seeking to strengthen its goalkeeping department following uncertainty over the future of Ugandan goalkeeper Nicolas Sebwato, whose contract has not yet been renewed.
Sebwato has also been linked with a potential move to APR FC, following concerns over the team’s goalkeeping weaknesses exposed during recent friendly matches.
Sources confirmed to IGIHE that Diouf has already agreed terms with Mukura VS and is expected to arrive in Kigali this Wednesday.
The Senegalese goalkeeper featured on Tuesday when his national team lost to Morocco on penalties, missing out on a place in the CHAN 2024 final.
So far, Diouf has played five matches and conceded only two goals — one against Congo Brazzaville and another against Morocco in the tournament which is being held in East Africa.
The clashes broke out on the morning of August 25, 2025, after Wazalendo attempted to block a convoy coming from Burundi that was transporting the body of Colonel Gisore Patrick, a FARDC battalion commander who recently died in a plane crash near Kisangani.
Among those denied passage by Wazalendo were South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi, government officials, soldiers, and civilians who were accompanying the late Colonel’s remains from Bujumbura.
Following the incident, FARDC’s “Panther” battalion, which oversees the Kavimvira border, overpowered Wazalendo fighters. In retaliation, on August 26, Wazalendo launched a counterattack aimed at seizing control of the border post located in Uvira territory.
Reports from Uvira indicate that the fighting began at dawn and lasted six hours, forcing residents in nearby areas to flee or suspend daily activities out of fear.
In total, six people were killed and several others wounded. According to FARDC, one of its soldiers was killed, while five Wazalendo fighters lost their lives.
Lt. Reagan Mbuyi Kalonji, spokesperson for FARDC in South Kivu, confirmed that 14 Wazalendo fighters who attempted to defy government forces were captured and handed over to their commander.
Governor Purusi warned that continued hostilities between Wazalendo and FARDC could benefit the AFC/M23 coalition, which already controls Bukavu and large parts of South Kivu. He has called an emergency meeting between the two sides in an effort to seek reconciliation.
Ahead of his arrival, senior Mozambican officials traveled to Kigali, including Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. Cristóvão Artur Chume, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, Chief of Defence Forces Maj. Gen. André Rafael Mahunguane, and Inspector-General of Police CP Fabião Pedro Nhancololo.
On August 26, the delegation held talks with their Rwandan counterparts in a meeting chaired by Gen. (Rtd) James Kabarebe, Rwanda’s State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The discussions focused on strengthening existing bilateral cooperation and exploring new areas of collaboration.
According to Mozambique’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Amade Miquidade, cooperation between the two countries dates back to 1990. It gained momentum in 2018 with the creation of a joint cooperation commission, and in 2021 when Rwanda deployed troops to Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province to support counter-terrorism operations.
Ambassador Miquidade explained that President Chapo’s first visit to Rwanda as Head of State will reaffirm commitments in defence and security—particularly in counter-terrorism efforts—while also broadening economic cooperation.
On the afternoon of August 27, President Chapo is expected to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi, where he will pay tribute, hear testimonies, and view exhibits reflecting Rwanda’s tragic past and path to recovery.
Later that day, he will be formally received by President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro. The two Heads of State will hold a private meeting, followed by a broader session bringing together officials from both countries to discuss cooperation, with emphasis on security and economic development.
On August 28, President Chapo will meet with Rwandan investors interested in Mozambique and tour the Kigali Special Economic Zone at Masoro to observe Rwanda’s industrial achievements and identify opportunities for shared growth.
He is also scheduled to meet Mozambican nationals residing in Rwanda, many of whom are engaged in sectors such as construction. The state visit will conclude with a press briefing during which President Chapo will outline the key outcomes of his trip.
