The championships will begin with the women’s and men’s time trials. Afghan rider Yulduz Hashimi will be the first woman off the start line at 10 a.m.
Race routes across the city have been finalised, with road signage and protective barriers in place to ensure both rider safety and a clear viewing experience for fans. The starting point at BK Arena and the finish at the junction near Kigali Convention Centre are fully set up.
Elite cyclists from more than 100 countries have arrived in Kigali ahead of the competition, familiarising themselves with the streets and completing training sessions to prepare for the week-long event.
Fan zones with food and seating areas have been arranged along the course, while VIP guests will have dedicated viewing areas to follow the action up close. A total of 917 competitors will take part in the championships, showcasing the world’s top cycling talent on Kigali’s roads.
Meanwhile, the Rwanda National Police has issued a [detailed plan of road closures and alternative routes ->https://en.igihe.com/sports/article/uci-2025-kigali-road-closures-and-alternative-routes?var_mode=calcul]to help residents and motorists navigate the city during the competition.
Saudi Arabian financial news outlet Argaam reports that the MoU signed on September 17 is non-binding and will remain valid for five years. The agreement may be renewed, amended, or terminated by mutual written consent of the parties.
Under the agreement, the firm is expected to prepare a comprehensive implementation proposal covering technical, financial, and execution aspects of the project, which will be submitted to the relevant Rwandan authorities for approval.
At this stage, the company stressed that the financial impact of the MoU remains unknown.
The MoU is part of Al Kathiri’s broader strategy to expand into international markets and export modern construction technologies abroad.
The company, founded in 2016, specialises in advanced building systems and the manufacture of ready-mixed concrete products for the modern construction technology sector. Based in Riyadh, it works to provide solutions for energy-efficient and sustainable construction in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
According to the ministry, a restoration specialist took the artifact and sold it to a silver jeweler she knew. The silver jeweler then sold it to a gold jeweler for 180,000 Egyptian pounds (about 3,735 U.S. dollars), who subsequently sold it for 194,000 Egyptian pounds to a gold smelter. The smelter melted the bracelet along with other jewelry before reshaping it.
The ministry said all four suspects confessed, and the money involved was seized. Legal action has been taken against them.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported the bracelet’s disappearance on Tuesday. The item belonged to King Amenemope, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt’s 21st Dynasty who ruled from 993 to 984 BC. The bracelet, decorated with a lapis lazuli bead, vanished from a safe in the conservation laboratory on the museum’s second floor.
In response, the antiquities ministry formed a special committee to review the lab’s artifacts and circulated a photo of the missing bracelet at Egypt’s airports, seaports, and land border crossings.
The EMC is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East, housing over 170,000 artefacts. It has the largest collection of pharaonic antiquities in the world, according to the museum’s official website.
Museums housing ancient artefacts are a vital pillar for attracting tourists and a significant source of foreign currency in Egypt.
While smaller, local events have previously been held, this marks the first time a major global promotion is bringing a high-stakes, international tournament to the region, solidifying Rwanda’s role as a growing hub for world-class sporting events.
In an exclusive interview with IGIHE, Elias Schulze, General Manager of PFL Africa, shared his vision for the event, emphasising its potential to inspire Rwandan youth and cement the country’s role as a growing sports hub.
Featuring top-tier fighters from across the continent, the main card includes thrilling matchups across four weight classes: Patrick Ocheme (Nigeria) vs. Abdoul Razac Sankara (Burkina Faso) in the featherweight division; Nkosi Ndebele (South Africa) vs. Simbarashe Hokonya (Zimbabwe) in bantamweight; Shido Boris Esperança (Angola) vs. Octave Ayinda (Cameroon) in welterweight; and Maxwell Djantou Nana (Cameroon) vs. Justin Clarke (South Africa) in heavyweight.
The athletes, described by Schulze as “proven rock stars,” have advanced through gruelling quarterfinals to compete for a spot in the finals in Benin this December.
“This is really showcasing the exceptional talent that has developed up till now,” said Schulze, describing the high-calibre fighters competing in four weight classes.
Broadcast to 40 million households across the continent via Canal+, SuperSport, and other platforms, the semi-finals will also reach global audiences, putting Rwanda in the spotlight.
{{Perfect stage for MMA
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Schulze, who first visited Rwanda in 2006 as an intern, marvelled at the country’s transformation over the past two decades.
“The infrastructure development is enormous,” he noted, praising the government and private sector’s investment in sport and culture. BK Arena, opened in 2019 with a 10,000-seat capacity, is a centrepiece of this progress.
“It rivals venues in Paris, London, or Dallas,” Schulze declared, citing its cleanliness, modern amenities, and ability to host world-class events. “You won’t know the difference.”
The arena’s selection for the semi-finals underscores Rwanda’s growing reputation as a rising hub for international sporting events, from the Basketball Africa League to cycling and now MMA.
Schulze credited Rwanda’s visa-free policy for Africans and streamlined processes for international visitors, which facilitate events like PFL’s by enabling fighters and fans from countries like Uganda and Kenya to attend.
“Rwanda has built an ecosystem for sports, not just for East Africa but for the world,” he said.
{{Inspiring youth through resilience and discipline
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A core mission of PFL Africa, inspired by chairman Francis Ngannou’s own journey, is to create a global-quality MMA ecosystem where African athletes can thrive without leaving the continent. Schulze emphasised the sport’s alignment with Rwanda’s ethos of resilience, self-mastery, and discipline—qualities he sees reflected in both MMA fighters and the nation’s post-1994 recovery.
“When I think of Rwanda, I think of getting knocked down but saying, ‘Next time, I’ll win,’” he said. “That’s what MMA is about.”
The event aims to inspire Rwandan youth through community engagement. PFL Africa is collaborating with Rwanda’s Ministry of Sports and local combat sports federations to organise activities during fight week, including gym visits and school programs.
“I was on the phone with Francis [Ngannou] yesterday, and he was talking about how self-discipline is so important, both when you haven’t made success yet and even when you’re successful,” Schulze shared. “That message of self-mastery and resilience is what the youth need, and we hope to bring it through our athletes, with activities in gyms or schools during fight week.”
Adding a local flavour, the event features fighter James Opio, who grew up in Rwanda before relocating to Uganda. Schulze highlighted Opio’s “homecoming” as a key draw, urging Rwandans to support him.
“Come out for James, or for rockstar fighters like Ochi, Sankara, and Ndebele,” Schulze said. “This is the peak of the sport.”
Looking ahead, Schulze envisions Rwanda as the heart of MMA in East Africa, potentially across the continent.
“We want to pull top talent and grow local federations,” he said, describing PFL’s “pull and grow” model.
By empowering athletes, including women who compete for equal prizes, and fostering inspiring stories like Ngannou’s, PFL Africa aims to make MMA a top sport alongside football and basketball.
“Rwanda has the potential to be associated with the explosion of this sport,” Schulze added.
The semi-finals, with early-bird tickets already selling out, promise an “engaging, dynamic, entertaining” spectacle, according to Schulze. “Come out on October 18,” he urged. “You won’t be disappointed.”
The semi-finals are expected to boost the local economy, with thousands of attendees, including international visitors, filling hotels, restaurants, and local businesses. Schulze noted that 80 people, including 50–60 fighters and their teams, will be flown in, likely with RwandAir, while local vendors at BK Arena will see increased activity.
Named Delphi-2M, the model marks a major advance over earlier AI-based risk predictors, which typically focus on a single illness, said study co-author Moritz Gerstung, a data scientist at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. He noted that Delphi-2M could help doctors identify high-risk patients early, opening opportunities for preventive measures long before symptoms appear.
In the study, researchers adapted a large language model to forecast the likelihood of 1,258 diseases based on a person’s medical history, combined with factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and lifestyle habits like tobacco and alcohol use. The tool was trained on health data from 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank, which tracks long-term biomedical information.
Results showed that Delphi-2M matched or exceeded the accuracy of conventional single-disease models and outperformed algorithms relying on biomarker data to estimate risk across multiple conditions. The AI excelled in forecasting illnesses with predictable progression, including certain cancers, and could calculate disease probabilities decades in advance depending on medical records.
To test its broader applicability, the team validated Delphi-2M using health data from 1.9 million people in the Danish National Patient Registry, a database of nearly 50 years of hospital records. Predictions for the Danish cohort proved only marginally less accurate than those for UK Biobank participants.
Despite its promise, the researchers acknowledged limitations. The UK Biobank, for example, records only a participant’s first incidence of disease, which could affect long-term prediction accuracy. The team plans to expand testing with datasets from multiple countries to improve the model’s precision and global relevance.
The team arrived in Kigali on Thursday, September 18, 2025, aboard the national carrier, RwandAir.
“Murakaza neza i Kigali! This morning, we had the pleasure of flying the @BritishCycling team from London to compete in the UCI Road World Championships, proudly hosted in Rwanda from 21–28 September 2025. Join us in wishing them the very best in the races ahead!” RwandAir shared the news on X.
The championships, taking place from September 21 to 28 in Kigali, will feature thirteen races and bring together 1,400 participants from 109 countries and teams. A total of 917 riders are registered to compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys.
In the men’s category, the Elite Road Race will see the largest field with 219 riders, followed by the Men’s Junior Road Race with 172 participants. The Men’s Under 23 Road Race and the Team Time Trial Mixed Relay will feature 149 and 117 riders, respectively. Among women, the Elite Road Race has 129 confirmed riders, while the Women’s Junior and Under 23 events will host 91 and 107 participants. Individual time trials across categories will see competitors ranging from 53 to 103 riders per race.
Rwanda has registered 54 riders, placing it among the top six delegations. Other notable delegations include Spain (67), Italy (66), Canada (63), and Great Britain (34).
The event is expected to attract massive global attention, with 700 accredited journalists from 124 countries covering the races. Some 80 television broadcasters will air the competition worldwide, reaching an estimated 330 million viewers.
This will be the first time the global cycling showpiece is held on African soil, marking a historic milestone for Rwanda and the continent.
Organisers expect more than 15,000 visitors, including cycling stars, coaches, officials, fans, and dignitaries. Alongside the competition, guests will rely on Kigali’s hotels, restaurants, and service providers to experience the best of Rwandan hospitality.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has already listed a number of establishments expected to play a central role in receiving participants and spectators.
In Kigali and beyond, operators say preparations are well advanced. Mutabazi Clément, a manager at RSB, which owns 14th Avenue Wine Bar and Restaurant and Soy Asian Table, confirmed that their venues are fully ready.
“We have redecorated the restaurant with cycling-themed designs in UCI colours so that customers can enjoy the race atmosphere. Our staff have been given sufficient rest to ensure they are ready to deliver during peak service,” Mutabazi said.
In Musanze, Meza Malonga, a high-end restaurant offering African cuisine, has already secured early reservations.
“So far, around 25 guests have booked with us,” said Mushime Théoneste, the manager. “We also see this as an opportunity to build long-term business connections.”
Hotels and eateries across the capital are reporting similar levels of readiness. At The Rock Bistro, known for its meat dishes, manager Uwitonze Audrey said they have completed all necessary preparations:
“International visitors tend to give quick feedback if something isn’t right. This motivates us to further improve our services while presenting Rwanda positively,” she explained.
At Boho Restaurant in Kimihurura, Head of Business Development Apophia Katukwire said they have trained staff to handle large numbers of visitors and hired additional temporary workers to cope with the expected surge. Similarly, Khana Khazana, an Indian restaurant in Nyarutarama, has expanded its kitchen to serve more people during the event.
Hospitality operators agree that the championships will not only generate significant revenue but also provide an opportunity to showcase Rwandan cuisine and service excellence to a global audience. Many believe the event will reinforce Rwanda’s position as a premier destination for international conferences and sporting events, while leaving a lasting impression on visitors.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the party intends to bring back the plan during a recent interview with GB News, where he responded to questions about the scheme’s effectiveness.
Asked how many migrants had been sent to Rwanda while Conservatives were last in government, Philp noted that none were removed due to a protracted legal battle that delayed the process, except for four who moved voluntarily.
Philp added that preparations were completed and the government was ready to begin removals in July 2024. However, the plan was halted two weeks before its scheduled launch by Keir Starmer and the Labour Party.
“And the reason no one ended up going to Rwanda is that the scheme was cancelled by Keir Starmer and Labour, two weeks before it was due to start.”
The next UK general election is scheduled for 2029, and Philp indicated that if the Conservatives return to power, the Rwanda migration scheme could be reinstated.
“We’re definitely going to bring that back,” he added.
The UK’s Labour government formally scrapped the plan last year to remove migrants who enter the UK illegally for further processing, citing legal and ethical concerns. Since then, it has faced mounting pressure for not offering a credible alternative to manage irregular migration.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration remains under scrutiny domestically for the absence of a replacement policy.
Meanwhile, the European Union is reportedly warming up to a similar scheme, and the United States has also signed an agreement with Rwanda to address its own migration challenges.
A first group of seven migrants from the US arrived in Rwanda in mid-August under a bilateral agreement to resettle up to 250 migrants. The Rwandan government has stated that all individuals will receive support, including accommodation, healthcare, and workforce training, to help them integrate into Rwandan society or potentially relocate to other countries.
On August 6, U.S. Border Chief Tom Homan defended the agreement while openly criticising Britain’s failure to follow through on its own arrangement with Rwanda.
“They’re not the United States of America. They don’t have President Trump running the show,” Homan said, blaming what he described as weak leadership in London for the UK plan’s collapse.
According to officials, the updated framework is designed to balance household affordability with the need to strengthen national production, encourage industrial efficiency, and support investment in green infrastructure.
In a statement released on Wednesday, RURA Director General Evariste Rugigana announced the expansion of the first block of household consumption from 15 kilowatt hours to 20 kilowatt hours per month, while the tariff for this essential band remains unchanged at 89 Frw/kWh.
This measure is intended to protect vulnerable households and promote universal access to electricity. Beyond this, however, significant adjustments are introduced: households consuming between 20 and 50 kWh will now pay 310 Frw/kWh, up from 212 in 2020, while those using more than 50 kWh per month will pay 369 Frw/kWh, compared to 249 under the previous schedule.
For non-residential customers, tariffs have also been reviewed upwards. Those consuming up to 100 kWh will now pay 355 Frw/kWh, while usage above 100 kWh is charged at 376 Frw/kWh, compared to 227 and 255 respectively in 2020.
At the same time, RURA has introduced preferential rates for health facilities, schools and higher learning institutions, setting their tariff at 214 Frw/kWh, significantly below the general non-residential rate to ease operating costs for critical services.
Sector-specific customers will also see changes. Telecom towers will now pay 289 Frw/kWh, up from 201, while broadcasters face an increase from 192 to 276 Frw/kWh. Hotels have been split into two categories: those consuming less than 660,000 kWh annually will pay 239 Frw/kWh, while larger hotels are grouped with small industries and charged at 175 Frw/kWh. Commercial data centres, which paid 179 in 2020, will now also pay 175 Frw/kWh.
Industries face a mix of higher energy charges but also new incentives to shift usage to off-peak hours. Small industries will now be charged 175 Frw/kWh, up from 134, while medium industries rise to 133 Frw/kWh from 103.
Large industries move to 110 Frw/kWh, compared to 94 previously, while steel, mining and cement industries consuming more than one million kWh annually will pay 97 Frw/kWh.
Crucially, while maximum demand charges during peak and shoulder hours remain unchanged—11,017 Frw/kVA for small industries, 10,514 for medium, and 7,184 for large industries during peak hours—off-peak demand charges have been cut to zero.
Previously, industries were required to pay between 886 and 1,691 Frw/kVA for off-peak consumption. This represents a major policy shift designed to encourage night-time production and reduce strain on the grid during peak hours.
For industrial customers without smart meters, prepaid flat rates have also risen. Small industries will pay 175 Frw/kWh, up from 151, medium industries 156 Frw/kWh compared to 123, and large industries 124 Frw/kWh up from 106.
Speaking after the announcement, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa, said the new tariff adjustments are intended to boost national production by guaranteeing factories affordable and reliable power. He underscored that the Government of Rwanda remains committed to ensuring that households retain affordable access to electricity despite the increases in higher consumption bands.
Murangwa further noted that the tariff revision is only one element of a broader energy strategy. He pointed to ongoing efforts to expand Rwanda’s electricity grid and highlighted the country’s exploration of nuclear energy development as part of long-term plans to diversify supply, improve reliability, and lower costs.
By combining household protection, targeted social sector support, and industrial incentives, the revised tariff framework is expected to provide a more sustainable foundation for Rwanda’s energy sector. RURA emphasised that the changes also align with the country’s climate and economic goals, particularly by promoting investment in green infrastructure and e-mobility charging stations.
The three had previously been remanded in custody by the Nyarugenge Primary Court, which cited serious grounds to suspect them of the alleged crimes.
Prof. Munyaneza faced charges of abuse of authority for personal gain, making decisions influenced by favouritism, nepotism or hatred, and unlawfully receiving or granting payments beyond the legal limit.
Umuhumuza was charged with abuse of authority for personal gain, biased decision-making, and mismanagement of public resources. Murekezi faced a charge of complicity in abuse of authority for personal gain.
After being ordered to 30 days of provisional detention by the Primary Court, the trio appealed. Their case was heard on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
On September 17, the Intermediate Court upheld their appeal, overturning the Primary Court’s detention order and granting them provisional bail.
