The race will test riders’ speed, endurance, and determination as they navigate the rugged terrain. Open to all motorcycle enthusiasts, the event welcomes both experienced racers and newcomers eager to experience the thrill of enduro racing.
Spectators can expect a day filled with high-energy action as riders take on the demanding track. With free entry for all attendees, the event promises an exciting outdoor atmosphere, where fans can enjoy watching powerful bikes tackle the course while sipping on ice-cold Virunga Beer.
For those interested in competing, registration is open by calling 0789 628 762. Sponsored by Virunga Beer, the event is set to be an unforgettable gathering for motorsport fans, combining adrenaline-fueled racing with the vibrant energy of the crowd.
The event is sponsored by SKOL BREWERY through Virunga Beer brand
This growth highlights the success of the Group’s strategic transformation, which includes diversified revenue streams, enhanced efficiency, and strong regional contributions.
The Group’s balance sheet expanded by 9% to KSh1.97 trillion, with customer deposits rising by 4% to KSh1.46 trillion and net loans increasing by 8% to KSh882.5 billion. Additionally, the number of customer accounts grew to 22.4 million, supported by a robust regional distribution and digital ecosystem.
Equity’s total income increased by 12% to KSh217.7 billion, reflecting strong performance across various income streams, including a 17% rise in net interest income and a 7% growth in non-funded income.
Operational efficiency saw a notable improvement, with the cost-to-income ratio dropping from 58.2% to 51%. Over 98% of customer transactions were processed outside branches, with 88.4% of these through digital channels, demonstrating the continued demand for digital services.
Dr. James Mwangi, Equity Group’s Managing Director and CEO, attributed the performance to the Group’s successful transformation into a diversified regional financial services group.
“Our regional subsidiaries now contribute about half of our banking profitability, demonstrating the value of our pan-African footprint,” he said.
Equity’s regional operations, including those in the DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania, contributed significantly to the Group’s profitability, with profits rising by 58% in the DRC and 500% in Uganda.
Subsidiaries accounted for 51% of banking profit before tax and 48% of banking profit after tax.
Equity Bank Kenya Limited (EBKL) also posted a strong performance, with a 63% increase in PAT to KSh39.2 billion, driven by a 28% rise in net interest income. The Bank’s leadership in MSME financing was recognized at the Kenya Bankers Association Sustainable Finance Initiative (KBA SFI) Awards, where it was named the Best Bank for MSME Financing, contributing 45% of all bank lending to SMEs.
The Group’s insurance subsidiary, Equity Insurance Group, also saw substantial growth, with gross written premiums rising 75% to KSh9.17 billion. Profit Before Tax for the insurance unit grew by 36%, and insurance revenue surged by 150%.
Equity’s strong performance is underpinned by its commitment to social impact. Through the Equity Group Foundation (EGF), the Group supported 1,115 scholars with global university scholarships, empowered nearly 1 million entrepreneurs, and provided over KSh401 billion in credit to MSMEs.
Additionally, EGF is training over 600,000 youth in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, further contributing to the continent’s sustainable growth.
As part of its growth strategy, Equity Group continues to execute its 2030 vision, which includes expanding its operations to 15 countries and serving 100 million customers by 2030. The Group is positioning itself as a “Transformation Finance Institution,” mobilizing capital and driving inclusive prosperity across Africa.
Dr. Mwangi concluded, “Through our Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan, we are investing in next-generation digital and AI-enabled capabilities that enhance customer experience, strengthen risk management, and lower the cost-to-serve, while extending access to affordable credit, insurance, and investment solutions.”
Equity Group remains focused on building a future-ready institution that drives inclusive, sustainable growth across Africa, leveraging digital transformation and strategic partnerships.
From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Bank Tanzania Managing Director, Isabela Maganga, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event.From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Bank Rwanda Managing Director, Hannington Namara, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event. From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Bank Kenya Managing Director, Moses Nyabanda, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event.From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and EquityBCDC Managing Director, Willy Mulamba, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event. From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Life Assurance Kenya Limited Managing Director, Angela Okinda, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event.From L-R: Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Director Equity Group Foundation Operations, Dr. Joanne Korir, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event. From L-R: Equity Bank Uganda Executive Director, Claver Serumaga, Equity Group Chairman, Prof. Isaac Macharia, Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr. James Mwangi and Equity Bank Uganda Managing Director, Gift Shoko, during the FY 2025 Investor Briefing event.
He made the remarks at the tribunal as hearings over an unimplemented asylum agreement between Rwanda and the United Kingdom began on Monday, March 18, 2026.
The three-day session runs March 18–20, with Rwanda represented by Minister of Justice and Attorney General Emmanuel Ugirashebuja.
Rwanda accuses the UK of abandoning the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP), formalized in 2024 after initial agreements in April 2022, without honouring its commitments, including a £100 million fund (ETIF) intended to support refugees and host communities.
Rwanda initiated arbitration following the UK’s decision under new Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July 2024 to abandon the “Rwanda scheme,” a move that Rwanda learned about through media reports.
Speaking before the tribunal, Dr. Ugirashebuja, highlighted Rwanda’s historical empathy for displacement.
“Many Rwandans have experienced what it means to be displaced. It is this collective experience which has shaped the Rwandan Government’s policies on migration and asylum,” he noted.
Rwanda currently hosts over 130,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) welcoming people from neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, as well as from Libya and Afghanistan.
Recent examples include receiving 164 asylum seekers from Libya last month and relocating the School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA) to Kigali in 2021 for Afghan girls barred from education under the Taliban regime.
In 2023, Rwanda welcomed over 200 Sudanese medical students displaced by civil war.
Dr. Ugirashebuja explained Rwanda’s progressive refugee philosophy, noting that ‘Rwanda firmly believes that refugees make social, cultural and economic contributions to the societies in which they integrate, if they are allowed to do so’.
He referenced the 2021 joint UNHCR-Rwanda strategy for economic inclusion, contrasting it with traditional “warehousing” of refugees.
The MEDP, he said, aligned with this approach by deterring dangerous irregular migration while promoting economic opportunities.
“Both Parties described their partnership as the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, or MEDP… It reflected Rwanda’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people and built on Rwanda’s track record of welcoming and hosting refugees from around the world.”
Rwanda implemented reforms swiftly, including constitutional changes, legislation, an appeals tribunal, and reception facilities. The agreement included the Economic Transformation and Integration Fund (ETIF), with binding commitments in a June 2024 exchange of notes for £50 million payments in April 2025 and 2026.
However, after the UK government changed, the new Prime Minister declared the scheme “dead and buried.”
According to Dr. Ugirashebuja, the UK did not formally notify Rwanda in advance, with termination notice caming in December 2025.
“The simple fact remains that the United Kingdom did not give notice to terminate the Treaty until December 2025. The termination took effect only on Monday.
“The MEDP was in force for just over two months under the previous British Government, and the Finance Note for just over two weeks. Both of these binding legal instruments have been in force for over 18 months under the British Government that won the elections in July 2024.”
Rwanda claims breaches of financial obligations and Article 19 resettlement provisions for vulnerable refugees.
Dr. Ugirashebuja explained that Rwanda ‘seeks a modest sum in compensation, less than 10% of the UNHCR’s budget for Rwanda for one year alone, or alternatively an apology for the United Kingdom’s blatant disregard of this obligation’.
“The United Kingdom may well have wished Rwanda to forgo significant sums of money… Rwanda ultimately chose not to provide its consent,” Dr. Ugirashebuja said, noting Rwanda’s clear refusal in diplomatic notes.
He concluded by expressing regret over the need for arbitration but confidence in the tribunal; “Rwanda has enormous faith in this Tribunal to reach the right legal result. Whatever the outcome, Rwanda remains committed to finding solutions to the global migration crisis, including providing safety, dignity and opportunity to refugees and migrants who come to our country.”
The Peace Palace is an international law administrative building in The Hague, the Netherlands that is often called “the seat of international law” because it houses the Permanent Court of Arbitration and International Court of Justice. Photo by Stephanie YeowThe Migration and Economic Development Partnership between Rwanda and UK had been signed in April 2022, before unilateral cancellation.
Lumumba, who became prime minister of the newly independent Democratic Republic of Congo in 1960, was reportedly overthrown and killed in January 1961 by Belgian-backed mercenaries, just months after taking office. In 2002, a Belgian parliamentary investigation acknowledged Belgium’s “moral responsibility” for Lumumba’s death.
Davignon, who was a junior diplomat at the time, is facing charges of war crimes, including complicity in the unlawful detention, transfer, and mistreatment of Lumumba.
He is also accused of being involved in the murder of Lumumba’s political allies, Maurice Mpolo and Joseph Okito. Prosecutors claim that Davignon participated in depriving Lumumba of a fair trial and subjected him to degrading treatment.
According to Reuters, the trial is a significant victory for Lumumba’s family, with his granddaughter, Yema Lumumba, describing it as a “step in the right direction.”
It also signals a reckoning with Belgium’s colonial history, as Davignon becomes the first Belgian official to face trial in connection with the 1961 killing.
Congo’s Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba waves as he sits in car for the drive from Idlewild Airport, New York July 24, 1960 [AP]
Senegal had beaten Morocco 1-0 in the January 18 final, but the match was marred by controversy when Senegal’s players refused to continue after Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the score level.
Play resumed after a 17-minute delay. Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved before Pape Gueye scored the winner for Senegal in extra time.
CAF said an appeals board had since ruled that Senegal forfeited the match. The result was recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
Morocco has been awarded the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title after the Confederation of African Football overturned the result of the final following Senegal’s walk-off.
Senegal had beaten Morocco 1-0 in the January 18 final, but the match was marred by controversy when Senegal’s players refused to continue after Morocco was awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the score level.
Play resumed after a 17-minute delay. Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved before Pape Gueye scored the winner for Senegal in extra time.
CAF said an appeals board had since ruled that Senegal forfeited the match. The result was recorded as a 3-0 victory for Morocco.
In a statement, CAF said Senegal breached Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations regulations, triggering the application of Article 84.
Article 82 states that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee’s authorization is considered to have lost and is eliminated from the competition. Article 84 adds that such a violation results in a 3-0 defeat and permanent elimination.
Senegal players celebrate with Africa Cup of Nations trophy after the final against Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 18, 2026.Players of Morocco express their despair after the Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 18, 2026.
The courses have equipped them to serve as professional company commanders, platoon commanders, company sergeant majors, and platoon sergeants.
While presiding over the graduation ceremony, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen MK Mubarakh congratulated the trainees for their dedication and achievement. He noted that the courses are essential in shaping professional military leaders.
The CDS commended the discipline and commitment demonstrated throughout the training.
He emphasized the relevance of the training in modern operations, highlighting that the experience gained is critical for today’s complex security environment.
He further stressed that training goes beyond theory, urging the graduates to apply what they have learned in their respective duties.
The comprehensive training focused on enhancing military skills, tactical thinking, leadership, and management, marking a significant step in ongoing efforts to professionalise the force and prepare for current and future security challenges.
The comprehensive training focused on enhancing military skills and tactical thinking among others. The CDS commended the discipline and commitment demonstrated throughout the training.Trainees underwent militart career courses at Gabiro Combat Training Centre.
The concert, attended by a large crowd from various nationalities, also saw the foreign minister in attendance. Amb. Nduhungirehe shared his thoughts on the event in a post on his ‘X’ account, noting that, although he has attended many concerts at BK Arena, Doja Cat’s concert was by far the most exciting.
“I have been to many concerts at BK Arena, but this one was certainly the best performance and entertainment I’ve ever seen in that place. Doja Cat is indeed an incredible showgirl with a unique energy from outer space!” he wrote.
Amb. Nduhungirehe’s sentiments echoed the feelings of many concertgoers who, despite not being familiar with Doja Cat’s music, were captivated by her talent and the high energy she brought to the stage.
During her hour and a half-long performance, Doja Cat entertained the crowd with hit songs such as ‘Paint the Town Red,’ ‘Woman,’ ‘Get Into It (Yuh),’ ‘Agora Hills,’ ‘Say So,’ ‘Cards,’ ‘Gorgeous,’ ‘Take Me Dancing,’ and many others.
After her performance in Kigali, Doja Cat, who is also in the process of promoting her new album ‘Tour Ma Vie,’ is expected to perform next in South Africa on March 20, 2026.
Move Afrika is a pioneering music touring circuit by Global Citizen, that aims to drive economic growth, job creation, and entrepreneurship across Africa through world-class entertainment events.
Since its inception in 2023, Move Afrika has already created over 2,500 jobs.
Doja Cat becomes the third artist to perform in the ‘Move Afrika’ series, following Kendrick Lamar, who performed in 2024, and John Legend, who performed in 2025.
The 30-year-old artist has been in music for almost 15 years. She is well known for songs like “Say So,” “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA, “Streets,” and many others.
oja Cat’s performance at the ‘Move Africa’ concert left everyone in awe.Kigali was buzzing with excitement at the ‘Move Africa’ concertDoja Cat took Kigali by storm with her signature style and energetic performance at the ‘Move Africa’ concert
The news about the supreme leader being in Russia for treatment is a “new psychological war,” Jalali said on X. “Iranian leaders do not need to flee and hide in shelters; their place is on the streets among the people.”
Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida reported over the weekend that Mojtaba Khamenei was transported to Russia on a military aircraft and had already undergone surgery at a private clinic, citing a high-ranking source close to the new supreme leader.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the report during his briefing on Monday.
Iran has denied the transfer of recently selected Supreme leader to Russia for treatment.
He said in a social media post that Argentina communicated this decision through a note addressed to the United Nations Secretary-General on March 17, 2025.
In accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the withdrawal takes place one year after that notification.
“Our country will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, fully safeguarding its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies,” Quirno said.
The Argentine government announced the decision to withdraw from the global health body in February last year.
Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni told a press conference at the time that President Javier Milei had instructed the Argentine foreign minister to withdraw the country’s participation in the UN specialized agency.
The spokesperson said that the decision “gives the country greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context and interests that Argentina requires, as well as greater availability of resources, and reaffirms our path towards a country with sovereignty also in matters of health.”
President Javier Milei had instructed his foreign minister to withdraw the country from WHO
“Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” the command said.
“The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait,” it added.
Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that Washington is “not ready” to end its strikes on Iran, now in its third week.
Trump admitted that his demand for a joint escort mission through the Strait of Hormuz has been rejected by most NATO members and U.S. allies, saying he is “disappointed” in NATO’s decision and asserting the United States does “not need the help of anyone.”
He said Japan, Australia and South Korea also rejected his escort call.
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian parliament speaker, said in a post on X on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz “won’t return to its pre-war status” but gave no further details.
In a recent report by J.P. Morgan, analysts warn that oil producers in the Middle East could sustain output for “no more than 25 days” if the Strait of Hormuz were completely shut.
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside Iran itself, depend on this narrow passage to export their crude oil.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told U.S. media last week that the strait remained open to international shipping, except for vessels belonging to the United States, Israel, and their allies.
The United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, disrupting global shipping, sending oil prices soaring and shaking the global economy.
U.S. has claimed a strike near the Strait of Hormuz
