The club has also obtained the necessary International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to register Amissi, who joins from Al-Qadsiah FC in Saudi Arabia, where he last played two years ago.
Amissi had previously signed with Kiyovu last season but was unable to feature due to the sanctions. Last month, he was spotted training with Rayon Sports, showcasing his fitness and readiness.
“Kiyovu Sports has now settled all outstanding payments required to register new players,” said club spokesperson Minani Hemed.
The club continues to strengthen its squad ahead of the new season and is reportedly in advanced talks with defender Ishimwe Jean Rene from Marine FC.
Co-chaired by President William Ruto of Kenya, Chairperson of the EAC, and President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, Chairperson of SADC, the summit brought together leaders and representatives from 13 countries, including President Paul Kagame and his DRC counterpart Félix Tshisekedi.
The gathering aimed to accelerate progress on peace and security in the troubled eastern DRC region, where the AFC/M23 rebels are in conflict with Tshisekedi’s administration.
A statement released on Friday indicated that the summit recalled earlier decisions of the 1st and 2nd Joint EAC-SADC Summits, African Union Peace and Security Council resolutions, and UN Security Council Resolution 2773, all emphasising the need for coordinated, African-led efforts to stabilise the region.
As part of the outcomes, former Botswana President H.E. Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi was appointed to the Panel of Facilitators, which will guide mediation efforts under a consolidated mandate. The summit also approved key enabling documents, including a framework merging the Nairobi and Luanda processes, a proposed structure for an independent secretariat, and a resource mobilisation plan to support the initiative.
The summit endorsed the immediate consolidation of technical secretariats from the AU, EAC, and SADC into a Joint Secretariat led by the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa. This unified structure will ensure that the AU mediator and the EAC-SADC Panel of Facilitators operate under a coordinated African-led mandate.
Leaders further welcomed ongoing initiatives, such as the Washington Accord 2025 between Rwanda and the DRC and the Doha Declaration of Principles 2025 between the DRC and the AFC/M23 rebels, and called for their alignment with the African-led mediation process. They also urged the immediate mobilisation of humanitarian and other resources under AU coordination.
The summit commended Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame for embracing dialogue and expressed appreciation to the AU, EAC, and SADC secretariats for their preparatory work.
The Joint EAC-SADC Co-Chairs were tasked with overseeing implementation of the summit’s decisions to ensure lasting peace and security in eastern DRC.
Recently, during an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Minister Nduhungirehe said Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for helping resolve long-standing security challenges in eastern DRC, a conflict that has persisted for over three decades.
“The conflicts in eastern Congo have lasted for more than 30 years. One of the armed groups involved in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi has been destabilising our country throughout this period. Anyone, including Trump, who can help end these conflicts deserves the Nobel Peace Prize,” Nduhungirehe said.
Other leaders publicly supporting Trump for the prize include Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Gabonese President Oligui Nguema, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Government of Pakistan.
Trump has previously been recognised as a potential Nobel Peace Prize candidate for his role in resolving international conflicts, including the Abraham Accords between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The Nobel Peace Prize honours individuals whose extraordinary efforts promote peace, security, and human welfare globally.
Speaking on August 14, 2025, at the closing of the 15th Itorero Indangamirwa intake at the Nkumba Civic Education Centre, Dr. Nsengiyumva said the program equips young people with a strong moral and civic foundation to complement their formal education.
“As young people, we expect you to build on the lessons from Itorero and contribute to Rwanda’s development journey,” he said.
“Wherever you go, carry Rwanda in your heart, uphold our values, and take pride in being Rwandan,” he added, urging the youth to counter those who tarnish the country’s image and to defeat them with the truth.
The Prime Minister urged the graduates to reflect on their role in strengthening the country’s key pillars — the economy, social well-being, good governance, and security — stressing that determination has been central to Rwanda’s progress.
The 15th intake brought together 443 participants. These included 208 women and 235 men. Among them were 105 Rwandans studying abroad and 103 from international schools in Rwanda. The group also included 235 outstanding youth from Urugerero (national service).
Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana said over 5,500 young Rwandans have graduated from Itorero Indangamirwa since its inception. He announced plans to expand the Nkumba centre and roll out similar programs across all districts to instil civic values and cultural pride among more youth.
Minister of Agriculture Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe and AfDB Rwanda Country Manager Aissa Touré Sarr signed an aide-mémoire on August 12 for a $995,000 grant to support feasibility, environmental, and social studies for the Gabiro Agribusiness Hub expansion.
The second phase of the project will cover 10,000 hectares across Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts—nearly twice the size of the 5,600-hectare first phase. Once complete, the entire hub will span 15,600 hectares, making it one of Rwanda’s largest agribusiness developments.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the studies will assess the viability of establishing a special agro-industrial processing zone at the hub, integrating cold storage facilities, aggregation centers, and other infrastructure to support smallholder farmers. The partnership also aims to strengthen agricultural value chains and reduce post-harvest losses.
The AfDB grant will also benefit Kivu Cold Group, a Rwanda-Japan joint venture developing an environmentally friendly, off-grid cold chain system to promote climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.
Aloysius Ngarambe, CEO of Gabiro Agribusiness Hub Ltd—the company managing the project—said the feasibility study will determine the investment required for Phase II and help attract financiers.
“This will be a critical step toward implementation,” he told The New Times.
Phase I, located in Nyagatare District, is 98 percent complete and equipped with advanced irrigation infrastructure. The government has invested $118 million (approximately Frw170 billion) in its development, with Israeli firm Netafim overseeing construction. Official handover is expected in September.
For Phase II, Ngarambe said the feasibility study contract is expected to be awarded within the next three months, although the study’s duration has not yet been determined.
The Gabiro Agribusiness Hub is a flagship project aimed at boosting productivity, modernising farming practices, and improving market access for Rwandan farmers, while contributing to the country’s food security and export growth.
The Cabinet approved 18 hectares for the campus on July 30, 2025, during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame.
In an exclusive interview with IGIHE, Dr. Edgar Kalimba, Deputy CEO in Charge of Medical Services at King Faisal Hospital Rwanda (KFHR), detailed that the institution aims to transform healthcare not only in Rwanda but across Africa by training skilled professionals and reducing the need for patients to seek specialised care abroad.
“The land provided by the government will allow us to develop a comprehensive campus with all the facilities necessary for workforce training, research, and medical education,” Dr. Kalimba said.
Launched in September 2024 by KFHR in partnership with the Ministry of Health, AHSU is a key component of Rwanda’s “4×4 reform” to quadruple its healthcare workforce, with a vision to serve the broader African region.
The university currently runs residency programs in six specialities—paediatrics and child health, obstetrics and gynaecology, general surgery, anesthesiology and critical care, emergency medicine and critical care, and internal medicine—alongside a school of midwifery, offering a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Midwifery.
The first cohort, which began training in September 2024, is expected to graduate in 2028, producing roughly 60 specialists and 40 midwives.
The Rusororo campus, still in the strategic planning phase, will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to establish AHSU as a leading medical school for Africa.
“It’s going to serve as an international medical school,” Dr. Kalimba emphasised. “The ambition is to set a high standard, making it comprehensive with undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs that attract students from across the region.”
Plans are underway to start additional master’s degrees and introduce Ph.D. programs, including a combined medical and research degree (MBBS-PhD track) to train doctors who will lead medical research and teach future healthcare professionals.
The campus in Rusororo is expected to be operational within five years, according to Dr. Kalimba, and will complement KFHR’s ongoing expansion, which aims to triple its capacity by early 2028. The expansion will introduce specialised services previously unavailable in Rwanda, reducing the need for patients to seek care elsewhere in East Africa.
To ensure sustainability and regional reach, AHSU is adopting a mixed funding model. Rwandan residents are sponsored but commit to five years of service in public and teaching hospitals under a Ministry of Health retention contract.
Meanwhile, AHSU is actively recruiting students from across the continent, with growing interest evident in application statistics.
“This is not just for Rwanda. It’s an African medical school, and we want it to grow into a proper international institution,” Dr. Kalimba said.
International students will pay fees, ensuring long-term financial viability while training professionals who can elevate healthcare standards across the continent.
AHSU’s impact is already taking shape through partnerships with level 2 teaching hospitals and district hospitals like Kibuye, Kibungo, Kacyiru, and Muhima, where 30 faculty specialists have been deployed to train residents and enhance care.
“This has reduced referrals to tertiary hospitals and improved patient care, creating a model that can be replicated regionally,” Dr. Kalimba explained.
Global collaborations with several institutions like the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and specialized hospitals in India and in other overseas centers are strengthening AHSU’s programs, with residents gaining exposure through external rotations at advanced medical centres. These partnerships position AHSU to share expertise and resources with other African nations.
Despite the progress, Dr. Kalimba acknowledged ongoing challenges, particularly in recruiting qualified faculty and developing infrastructure.
“Getting skilled personnel is a challenge everywhere,” he said, emphasising that training a medical specialist can take more than ten years, from undergraduate studies through postgraduate residency.
At the same time, Rwanda’s growing population, with approximately 300,000 births annually, epidemiological shift of diseases and progressively higher demand on the healthcare providers underscores the urgency of closing the doctor-to-population gap (and healthcare provider-to population gap), which remains far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people.
Dr. Kalimba noted that support from the Government of Rwanda, along with the involvement of expatriate specialists, is helping to address these hurdles. Meanwhile, the KFHR expansion, scheduled for completion by late 2027 or early 2028, will provide a state-of-the-art environment for training and healthcare, benefiting both Rwanda and the wider region.
Dr. Kalimba envisions AHSU and KFHR as catalysts for making Rwanda a healthcare hub for Africa.
“Instead of people having to travel overseas from within African countries, why wouldn’t they come to Rwanda and be given equally good services that they would get from elsewhere?” he asked.
By combining world-class infrastructure, comprehensive training, and a focus on research, the Rusororo campus aims to reduce reliance on overseas care, boost medical tourism, and train professionals who will serve across the continent.
As construction plans advance, AHSU is set to play a pivotal role in elevating healthcare standards in Rwanda and beyond, fulfilling a vision of regional excellence.
The remains, believed to belong to prominent leaders of the 1896–1897 uprising against colonial rule known historically as the First Chimurenga, were seized by British forces after brutally suppressing the revolt.
Among them are the skulls of revered spiritual leaders Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, as well as chiefs such as Chinengundu Mashayamombe and Makoni Chingaira, who played key roles in resisting settler expansion.
For decades, the remains were held in European institutions, including the Natural History Museum in London, the University of Cambridge’s Duckworth Laboratory, and an unidentified museum in Switzerland. According to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, at least 11 sets of remains are confirmed in the UK, with others believed to be in South Africa.
The agreement follows years of lobbying by Zimbabwe, with calls for repatriation dating back to the presidency of Robert Mugabe, who in 2015 described the retention of the skulls as “one of the highest forms of racist moral decadence.” Negotiations gained momentum in recent years, leading to formal commitments from UK museums to return the remains.
An inter-ministerial committee comprising the Ministries of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, and Local Government has been tasked with coordinating the repatriation process. Its responsibilities include resource mobilisation, developing a formal programme for the return, and ensuring adherence to cultural protocols in consultation with traditional leaders and descendants of the fallen heroes.
Authorities are also planning to construct a high-tech storage and preservation facility to house the remains upon their return. This will serve both as a conservation site and a memorial to the leaders who paid the ultimate price in resisting colonial conquest.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi, confirmed to the local media that the process has entered its first phase.
“We hope to complete the repatriation in the shortest time possible,” he said, adding that cultural sensitivity will guide every step.
The announcement came earlier this week as Zimbabwe marked its 45th Heroes Day commemorations, which honour those who fought for the nation’s liberation.
The return of the heroes’ remains mirrors similar repatriation efforts across Africa, such as Namibia’s successful retrieval of Herero and Nama remains from Germany in 2018.
The event will mark the first time the prestigious cycling competition is held in Africa.
In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the government announced that temporary road closures will be in effect along designated race routes during specific hours. Residents and visitors are advised to plan ahead and use clearly marked alternative routes.
All schools within Kigali City will close for the duration of the championships, with the Ministry of Education coordinating with administrators and parents to ensure a smooth transition.
Additionally, the government has encouraged public servants to work remotely, except for those providing essential services. Private institutions are also urged to adopt virtual work arrangements where feasible.
“Private institutions capable of remote work are strongly encouraged to adopt virtual working arrangements during the championship,” the notice reads in part.
Citizens and visitors have also been invited to experience the event, with Fan Zones set up across Kigali for close-up views of the competition.
“Alternative and detour routes will be clearly marked and communicated in advance, in coordination with traffic authorities, to minimize disruptions caused by road closures,” the notice adds.
The UCI Road World Championships is an annual international road cycling competition, bringing together national teams from around the world under the organisation of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
The event is expected to attract numerous participants from across the globe, along with visitors who will come for both the event and tourism activities.
First held in 1921 in Copenhagen, Denmark, the most recent edition of the championship took place in Zürich, Switzerland, in 2024.
In a report released on Wednesday, August 13, the survey found that 81% of respondents felt financially hopeful in the second quarter, buoyed by 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter and government measures to strengthen key industries.
Thirty-eight percent reported household income growth in the past three months, five percentage points higher than a year ago, while 37% said their finances were better than expected.
“Rwandan consumers are demonstrating remarkable resilience and optimism in the face of economic challenges. The strong sense of financial hope reflects a broader national momentum toward inclusive growth,” said Thabo Molefe, head of Africa regions, TransUnion.
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According to the survey, job losses were the most common setback, affecting 29% of households. In addition, 20% reported wage cuts, 14% had reduced working hours, and 12% saw a household business close or lose orders.
Looking ahead, 51% expect to miss at least one bill or loan payment in the next three months. To manage, 39% plan to make partial payments, 39% intend to take on gig work, and 39% will use money from savings.
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Consumer behaviour suggests cautious spending growth. Thirty-eight percent expect to increase discretionary spending in the next quarter, compared with 30% who expect to cut back. Rising costs are anticipated for medical services (45%) and digital services (42%).
The survey also highlights gaps in credit access. Almost all respondents (99%) said access to credit is important, but only 41% felt they had enough access. Over half (55%) plan to apply for new or refinanced credit within the next year, with personal loans (46%), student loans (26%), and home loans (23%) as the most common goals.
However, 49% abandoned credit applications, mainly due to high borrowing costs (27%), concerns about income or employment (22%), and lengthy application processes (19%).
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More than half (58%) of respondents reported being targeted by fraud in Q2, with high-income consumers reporting the highest rate (59%). The most common scams were gift card fraud (49%), phishing (31%), and vishing (28%).
Cybersecurity risks remain a barrier to digital adoption, with 37% citing online threats and 30% worried about identity theft. While 72% have access to their credit information, concerns over privacy invasion (63%) and identity theft (59%) are widespread.
Molefe said improving access to credit and building trust in digital platforms will be critical to sustaining consumer confidence.
“As access to credit and digital trust become increasingly vital, it’s clear that empowering consumers with the right tools and protections will be key to sustaining this positive trajectory.”
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, eSwatini, and Zambia.
The latest findings are based on TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse Survey of 345 adults, conducted between 5 and 25 May 2025 in partnership with third-party research provider Dynata. The survey targeted Rwandan residents aged 18 and above, using an online research panel accessed via desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.
The sanctions target PARECO-FF for overseeing mining sites in Rubaya, a mineral-rich region, where the group collected illegal fees, engaged in smuggling, and committed human rights abuses, including forced labour and executions.
The group emerged in 2022 as a successor to PARECO, in response to the rise of the M23 rebel group.
In addition to PARECO-FF, the Treasury sanctioned the Congolese mining company Cooperative des Artisanaux Miniers du Congo (CDMC), which operated on Rubaya’s largest mining concession and sold minerals sourced from areas controlled by PARECO-FF. Two Hong Kong-based companies, East Rise Corporation Limited and Star Dragon Corporation Limited, were also sanctioned for buying minerals from CDMC.
“The conflict minerals trade is exacting a deadly toll on Congolese civilians, fueling corruption, and preventing law-abiding businesses from investing in the DRC,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.
“The Treasury Department will not hesitate to take action against groups that deny the United States and our allies access to the critical minerals vital for our national defence.”
Under the sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated entities within the U.S. or controlled by U.S. persons are blocked. Transactions involving these entities are prohibited unless authorised by Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
