The match, held on Saturday night, September 13, 2025, at Cairo’s Hassan Mostafa Hall, saw Rwanda start strongly, taking the first set 25-20. However, Morocco responded by winning the second set 25-16.
The North African side carried their momentum into the third set, overpowering Rwanda 25-13. Rwanda bounced back in the fourth set, winning 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set. Morocco ultimately clinched the match with a 15-11 victory in the tie-break.
Rwanda will face Cameroon in their second Group B match on September 15, before closing their group stage against Kenya on September 17, 2025.
Scheduled for 22–29 November 2025 in Kigali, the festival is also expanding beyond the capital, with activities lined up in different provinces. More than 160 nominees are in the running across 23 categories, selected through the Iziwacu Cinema programme.
Festival CEO and founder Trésor Senga said the changes were designed to push the event to new heights and give more value to the individuals behind Rwanda’s fast-growing film industry.
Alongside the new car prizes for the People’s Choice categories, the festival has introduced a slot for film technicians, shining a spotlight on often-overlooked creatives. Winners in most categories will be picked by a jury, but fans will have their say through online voting, which opens on Monday, September 15. Voters will even get 20% of their money back for each vote cast.
Among the actors vying for Best Actor (People’s Choice) are familiar names such as Mugisha Emmanuel, a.k.a. Kibonge (Deceiver), Benimana Ramadhan, better known as Bamenya (Bamenya Series), and Niyitegeka Gratien, popularly known as Papa Sava. On the actresses’ side, contenders include Mumararungu Joyeuse (Micky in Igihome), Dusenge Clenia (Madedeli in Papa Sava), and Irakoze Ariane Vanessa, who fans know as Kate/Maya in Hurts Harder.
The week-long event will also feature Mashariki Market, a three-day industry forum expected to draw more than 500 film representatives from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and across Africa. For local creatives, it’s a chance to plug into international networks through platforms like Mashariki Residence and Mashariki Academy.
But the festival isn’t just about red carpets and awards. This year, film stars will tour five districts across Rwanda to connect with audiences, showcase their work, and take part in community service.
With bigger prizes, fresh categories, and wider reach, Mashariki African Film Festival 2025 promises to be its most exciting edition yet.
The session, held at the Rwanda Military Academy in Gako, was also attended by Commissioner of Police Vincent B. Sano, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations.
The contingent, made up of both army and police personnel, will relieve colleagues who have served in the insurgency-hit province over the past year. The new deployment will be commanded by Maj Gen Vincent Gatama.
Maj Gen Nyakarundi conveyed a message from President Paul Kagame, Commander-in-Chief of the RDF, reminding the troops to maintain the discipline and momentum demonstrated since Rwanda first deployed forces to Mozambique in 2021. He commended the achievements of previous contingents, stressing that the same high standards must continue to guide operations.
The troops were reminded that commitment and discipline are essential to the success of operations aimed at supporting the Mozambican state authority through combat operations and security sector reform.
Commissioner of Police Sano, in his remarks, urged the troops to foster teamwork and avoid any misconduct that could damage Rwanda’s reputation abroad.
Rwandan troops were first deployed to Cabo Delgado in July 2021 at the request of the Mozambican government, following years of attacks by Islamic State-linked insurgents.
Since then, the joint operations between Rwanda Security Forces and the Mozambican army have significantly weakened the insurgency, restored security in several areas, and enabled thousands of displaced residents to return to their homes.
The latest deployment comes weeks after a visit by Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo to Rwanda, during which a renewed Status of Forces Agreement on the support to fight terrorism in Mozambique was signed. The agreement extends Rwanda’s military support in Cabo Delgado province.
“Thanks to this cooperation, we can see peace returning to the region,” President Chapo said, acknowledging Rwanda’s role in stabilising Cabo Delgado despite ongoing sporadic attacks.
Appearing on The Long Form podcast hosted by Sanny Ntayombya, Mugisha spoke candidly about his 2018 Supreme Court petition that sought to decriminalise adultery. He argued that sending spouses to prison for infidelity undermines the family unit.
“You probably have the breadwinner in jail. What happens to that family? You end up with complicated issues of reconciliation—how do you expect reconciliation to happen after that?” he said.
“If the state were to allocate resources to support families, it might be more effective to divert them to counselling services, psychologists, or mediators, rather than criminal prosecution and investigations, which, in my view, do not make the best use of state resources.”
He argued that he still believes the law “satisfies a vendetta” but does little for the family’s long-term well-being.
The petition sparked controversy at the time, with 48 women’s organisations opposing it, arguing it was an attempt to “legalise adultery.” Mugisha insists this was a misinterpretation, noting that most prosecutions involved two married people and that the law remains ineffective due to the difficulty of proving cases.
Although the Supreme Court rejected his arguments, he believes the debate highlighted the need for more effective approaches to family disputes.
{{Law in the age of AI
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Turning to the future, Mugisha noted that AI is revolutionising legal work, particularly research and contract drafting, but said lawyers must sharpen human-centred skills.
“AI will never close a deal. That requires negotiation, understanding clients, and convincing parties,” he said. For young lawyers, he recommended broader education—psychology, philosophy, or history—before specialising in law, to cultivate critical thinking beyond what machines can replicate.
On whether AI could replace judges, he was cautious, noting that while AI can improve efficiency and accuracy, it cannot initiate investigations or examine witnesses. He believes that human judgment will remain indispensable.
{{Free speech and legal reform
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Mugisha also discussed Rwanda’s evolving legal landscape, including his role in challenging laws that criminalised caricatures and writings deemed humiliating to government officials. While the Supreme Court upheld restrictions around depictions of the president, lawmakers later amended the law after President Kagame himself disagreed with the ruling.
“The arguments we were making before the court were that this was just endangering journalists for no good reason, because anyone could overuse the hand of the law to stifle criticism,” he stated.
{{Cross-border practice and regional integration
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As a former president of the East African Law Society, Richard Mugisha has been a vocal advocate for enabling lawyers to practice across East African borders. He expressed frustration with regional “protectionism,” noting that while the “value” of legal integration is widely acknowledged, reluctance to open markets often stalls progress.
During his tenure, Mugisha said, he pushed for collaboration in “non-jurisdiction-specific” areas like construction, mining, and project finance, where legal expertise could be applied regionally without being hindered by local laws. He emphasised that “fear” of losing local opportunities prevents the creation of East Africa-wide law firms, forcing countries to rely on external expertise for specialised legal work.
Mugisha also shared personal stories of growing up as a refugee in Uganda during Idi Amin’s regime, where arbitrary arrests and land dispossessions fuelled his passion for justice.
After studying law in Lesotho and later completing an LLM at New York University, Mugisha returned to Rwanda in 1995, working first in government before co-founding Trust Law Chambers. The decision, he said, was inspired by a desire to contribute to national development through the private sector.
“It wasn’t a hard sell at home,” he said of leaving his government job to start a firm with limited savings. “My wife had a job, we had only one child, and we could live on little while figuring things out. But it was scary, embarking on uncharted territory.”
Beyond his legal work, Mugisha serves as Lithuania’s Honorary Consul in Rwanda, a role he took on in 2019. Though voluntary, he views it as an opportunity to foster business and cultural ties, as well as to support Lithuanian nationals in Rwanda.
“I’ve enjoyed connecting people and solving problems,” he said.
The court’s ruling follows submissions from lawyers representing the DRC government, who informed judges that new witnesses had come forward to testify against Kabila.
Me Richard Bondo, one of the seven government lawyers, told the court that the witnesses would provide evidence on how Kabila allegedly transferred funds to the AFC/M23 rebel coalition and would describe his role as “a foreigner who led the DRC for 18 years.”
The court granted the lawyers’ request, setting the new start date for the trial on September 19, 2025.
Kabila’s trial initially began on July 25, 2025, in his absence. The prosecution charged him with treason, leading an unauthorised armed group, rape, and torture, asserting that the acts were committed in his capacity as a leader of AFC/M23.
Lawyers representing the DRC government argued that Kabila should not face treason charges on the grounds that he is not Congolese, but rather should be prosecuted for espionage on behalf of a foreign country.
The prosecution had sought the death penalty, while the government lawyers requested that Kabila’s assets be seized and that he be fined USD 24 billion. A ruling on the requests was expected on September 12.
Meanwhile, Kabila publicly rejected the proceedings on September 2, asserting that the trial was politically motivated and designed to shield the government from accountability for crimes, including the misappropriation of state funds.
“These politically motivated charges were orchestrated by a government that lost credibility to evade its responsibilities. No concrete evidence has been presented to support these allegations,” he stated.
The Head of State is in the Qatari capital ahead of a scheduled meeting with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar, later on Friday.
Further details on the outcomes of the meeting are expected to be shared following discussions between the two leaders.
President Kagame and the Qatari Amir last met on March 18, 2025, during a trilateral meeting that also included President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as part of efforts to de-escalate the situation in eastern DRC.
The latest meeting comes a day after Rwanda condemned Israel’s deadly strike in Doha, which targeted Hamas leaders during a meeting on a US-proposed Gaza ceasefire.
At least seven people were killed in the attack, including two Qatari security officers, according to Doha authorities.
In an official statement on Thursday, Rwanda expressed its condolences to the State of Qatar and the families of the deceased.
The government called the attack a “wanton trampling of foundational norms of interstate relations” and warned that such actions risk creating a “no-rules-based order” with no contemporary precedent.
Through the Office of the Government Spokesperson, Kigali sharply criticised the international community for what it termed as inaction in the face of escalating violence.
“The continued escalation is senseless, and yet the international community seems content to let it continue unchecked. The hypocrisy and complacency evident in such circumstances, especially from the most powerful, leaves the world vulnerable to growing chaos and uncertainty,” the statement reads in part.
Recognising Qatar’s mediation role in the Great Lakes region and beyond, Rwanda emphasised that such efforts merit “universal appreciation and gratitude” rather than violence. The government also urged “a principled, pragmatic, and swift resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region.”
“The Government of Rwanda stands with the State of Qatar in this difficult time and calls for a principled, pragmatic, and swift resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region,” the statement reads.
Rwanda’s Health Minister, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, who coauthored the report, announced its release in a post on X.
“One year later, our @NEJM study (out today) reports how science-guided detection and rapid action stopped Rwanda’s first Marburg outbreak in weeks, achieving the lowest recorded fatality,” he wrote on September 11.
The outbreak, declared on September 27, 2024, began in two major hospitals in Kigali after a cluster of viral hemorrhagic fever cases was identified. Within a week, more than 20 health care workers had been infected.
A total of 6,340 suspected cases were tested, of which 66 were laboratory-confirmed, including 51 health workers. The outbreak’s case fatality rate was 23%, significantly lower than previous MVD outbreaks in Africa, which have ranged from 83% to 90%.
Epidemiological investigations traced the index patient to a 27-year-old miner exposed to Egyptian fruit bats, indicating a zoonotic origin. Subsequent transmission occurred primarily among health care workers and family members. Rigorous contact tracing, surveillance, and hospital protocols helped limit the spread.
Clinical management combined advanced supportive care with investigational therapies. Fifty-two patients received remdesivir, with only three fatalities, while ten patients received the monoclonal antibody MBP091. No immediate adverse effects from either treatment were reported.
Rwanda also deployed the ChAd3-MARV vaccine within 13 days of the outbreak declaration, prioritising frontline health workers and high-risk contacts. By the end of October, 1,710 individuals had been vaccinated under emergency use authorisation and a concurrent phase 2 clinical trial.
The study emphasises the role of early detection, aggressive clinical care, investigational treatments, and emergency vaccination in reducing mortality. It also highlights the importance of infection prevention in health care settings, particularly given that 77% of cases occurred through nosocomial transmission.
The authors note that Rwanda’s experience provides a model for responding to filovirus outbreaks in urban settings, showing that rapid, coordinated, science-driven interventions can save lives and prevent widespread transmission.
Rwanda, with its partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), declared the end of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak on December 20, 2024. The declaration followed 42 consecutive days without new cases.
At the centre are Prof. Omar Munyaneza, former Chief Executive Officer of WASAC Group; Umuhumuza Gisèle, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure and former head of WASAC Utility; and Dominique Murekezi, former head of WASAC Development, who were remanded in custody for 30 days, while two other officials were released on provisional bail.
Apart from Prof. Omar Munyaneza, whose arrest had already been reported, the detentions of the others were not widely covered in the media until the case reached court.
The suspects are being prosecuted for a range of offences, including abuse of authority for personal gain; making decisions based on favouritism, friendship, hatred, nepotism, or cronyism; mismanagement of public resources; illicit enrichment; failure to justify assets; and soliciting, accepting, or giving amounts of money beyond what is legally permitted.
Some charges apply to all three officials, while others are specific to each individual. The two charges they all face are abusing authority for personal gain and making decisions based on favouritism, nepotism, and cronyism, particularly regarding the recruitment of 48 employees at WASAC.
When WASAC was restructured into three companies, staff had to be deployed in the two newly created entities, alongside reassignments of existing personnel. Under the leadership of Prof. Munyaneza, WASAC sought to expedite the recruitment process. The Prosecution, however, argues that the process violated the HR policy, as candidates were tested by a panel composed mainly of University of Rwanda lecturers, who were external to WASAC.
It is alleged that each official assisted certain candidates in passing exams and securing jobs. For example, Prof. Munyaneza is accused of favouring Mungwakuzwe Dieudonné, with whom he had previously worked in Parliament.
The Prosecution argues that Prof. Munyaneza himself prepared the exam taken by Mungwakuzwe, and the job advert was tailored to Mungwakuzwe’s qualifications.
Mungwakuzwe reportedly passed the exam and was hired, but received a salary far above the amount allocated for the position. Instead of earning Frw 1.2 million plus a lump sum allowance of Frw 297,000, he was allegedly paid over Frw 1.6 million, along with a lump sum of Frw 1.8 million per month. Similar cases of favouritism were reported for other candidates.
In the case of Umuhumuza Gisèle, the Prosecution alleges that she allowed Rasana Ndahiro Eric to sit for an internal auditor’s exam despite not meeting requirements such as holding a bachelor’s degree (A0) and CCA level 2 or CPA level 2 certification. He passed the exam and was unlawfully hired.
The suspects are also accused of giving jobs to 22 graduates from the University of Rwanda and Ines Ruhengeri, presented as the “best performers,” although evidence later showed they were not the top candidates. They allegedly promoted employees irregularly, reassigned staff unlawfully, and forced others into early retirement before reaching the legal age.
The Prosecution presented evidence, including written notices from Prof. Munyaneza instructing staff to retire early to “make space for younger employees,” as well as call records, text messages, and testimony from affected employees.
In his defence, Prof. Munyaneza denied the accusations, saying recruitment and retirements were handled by the HR office, not him personally. He also argued that the hiring of 48 employees, the recruitment of 22 graduates, and staff reassignments were collective decisions made with the heads of WASAC’s three entities.
Umuhumuza is further charged with mismanagement of public resources. The Prosecution alleges that between 2021, when she served as Acting CEO of WASAC, and 2023, when Prof. Munyaneza took over, she used a company car while also receiving monthly lump sum allowances intended for personal transport, which is not permitted.
Although the car was fully maintained by WASAC, she allegedly received allowances totalling Frw 97 million. In response, she argued she was never informed of the policy and believed the allowances were legitimate. She said all trips were work-related and the vehicle was assigned to the CEO’s office.
Additionally, Umuhumuza, who managed WASAC Utility and oversaw the Group’s budget, is accused of authorising irregular salary payments exceeding Frw 20 million to Mungwakuzwe, who was allegedly paid beyond the scale of his position.
As for Dominique Murekezi, head of WASAC Development, he is accused of complicity in abuse of authority for personal gain in relation to the recruitment of the 48 employees. Both he and Umuhumuza argued that Prof. Munyaneza initiated the decision, presenting it as a proposal that was eventually implemented. Murekezi added that his role was limited to oral interviews, which he claimed were conducted properly.
The Nyamirambo Primary Court ruled that the three officials be remanded in custody for 30 days, citing serious grounds for suspicion of the alleged crimes.
{{Two officials released on bail
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The court ordered the provisional release of Dieudonné Mungwakuzwe, who had been accused of unlawfully receiving inflated salary payments. The court ruled that there were no substantial grounds to keep him in detention. It found that he had not appointed himself, merely signed an employment contract, was not responsible for his own payroll, and had legitimately taken and passed the recruitment exam. As a result, the court concluded there was no strong basis to suspect him of the alleged offence. He was provisionally released on September 3, 2025.
Another official released on bail was Mugwaneza Vincent de Paul, Director of Water Supply at WASAC. He was being tried separately and faced charges including sexual exploitation, making decisions based on favouritism, hatred or nepotism, as well as failing to justify assets.
The Prosecution alleged that Mugwaneza exploited female interns at WASAC, promising them jobs in return for sexual favours. Testimonies were presented from five women, anonymised with codes such as MN, RTC, BIF and MG, who claimed they had sexual relations with him and later received his support in job placements. One witness, MN, testified that Mugwaneza deceived her by saying he was single, while he was in fact married, and that they met during her internship at WASAC.
The Prosecution also submitted evidence, including testimony and messages exchanged between Mugwaneza and the women, which were said to be inappropriate for a supervisor and of a sexual nature.
Additionally, he was accused of failing to explain the origin of Frw 25 million found in his possession. During a closed hearing, Mugwaneza explained that the money had been lent to him by a friend, Bikorimana Aimable, to pay an engineer building his house.
The court found there were no strong grounds to continue suspecting him of illicit enrichment, since Bikorimana’s testimony supported his explanation and the Prosecution had not provided evidence to the contrary. Moreover, it noted that it was not unusual for an employee earning more than Frw 3 million per month to receive such a loan.
On the charge of sexual exploitation, the court ruled that the evidence was insufficient. Witness statements were contradictory; some admitted he was not their supervisor, while others confirmed they had obtained jobs independently despite their personal relationships with him.
Based on these findings, the court ordered Mugwaneza’s provisional release, ruling that there were no strong grounds for continued detention.
Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said the charges stem from a March attack by the White Army, an ethnic militia reportedly linked to Machar, on a military base in the northeastern town of Nasir. The assault killed more than 250 soldiers, including a general, and targeted a UN helicopter, resulting in the death of its pilot.
“Evidence further reveals that the White Army operated under the command and influence of certain leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-iO), including Dr. Riek Machar Teny,” Justice Minister Geng said.
The minister added that the case sends a clear message that those responsible for atrocities against South Sudanese citizens, armed forces, and humanitarian workers will be held accountable.
Hours after the charges were announced, President Salva Kiir suspended Machar from his government role, along with Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, who faces charges alongside Machar. Both have been under house arrest since March, alongside other Machar allies. Thirteen additional suspects remain at large.
Machar’s spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, condemned the charges as a “political witch-hunt,” arguing that they were “designed to dismantle the peace agreement” signed in 2018 and that South Sudan’s judicial system is “politically directed.”
The charges mark the latest escalation in tensions between Machar and President Kiir, whose forces fought a five-year civil war from 2013 to 2018, killing nearly 400,000 people and displacing roughly a third of the population.
A 2018 peace deal established a unity government, but relations between the two leaders have remained strained, with sporadic violence continuing across the country.
International actors, including the UN and the African Union, have called for calm and warned that Machar’s detention could reignite civil conflict. Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, urged that the trial be conducted by “a competent court of law, not a kangaroo court.”
Machar has not publicly responded to the charges. The government has urged that the matter be left to the courts, without political or diplomatic interference.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of conflict, but internal divisions and ethnic rivalries have continued to fuel instability.
At least seven people were killed in the attack, including two Qatari security officers, according to Doha authorities.
In an official statement on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Rwanda expressed its condolences to the State of Qatar and the families of the deceased.
The government called the attack a “wanton trampling of foundational norms of interstate relations” and warned that such actions risk creating a “no-rules-based order” with no contemporary precedent.
Through the Office of the Government Spokesperson, Kigali sharply criticised the international community for what it termed as inaction in the face of escalating violence.
“The continued escalation is senseless, and yet the international community seems content to let it continue unchecked. The hypocrisy and complacency evident in such circumstances, especially from the most powerful, leaves the world vulnerable to growing chaos and uncertainty,” the statement reads in part.
Recognising Qatar’s mediation role in the Great Lakes region and beyond, Rwanda emphasised that such efforts merit “universal appreciation and gratitude” rather than violence. The government also urged “a principled, pragmatic, and swift resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region.”
“The Government of Rwanda stands with the State of Qatar in this difficult time and calls for a principled, pragmatic, and swift resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region,” the statement reads.
Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, had earlier described the Tuesday attack as “state terrorism” and called for a “collective response” from the region, warning that the entire Gulf region is at risk.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining peace efforts in Gaza and said Israel’s actions have “killed any hope” for hostages still believed to be alive.
Sheikh Mohammed added that regional partners are consulting on legal avenues to hold Netanyahu accountable for violating international law.
The Qatari government also condemned Israel’s threats of future attacks and highlighted its ongoing mediation efforts, which include hosting Hamas officials at the request of the United States and Israel.
The attack in Doha is part of a broader escalation by Israel, which has struck six countries in the past 72 hours and continued its bombardment of Gaza, where more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
The Israeli government’s rationale for this broad campaign is to dismantle Hamas’s military and political infrastructure wherever it exists.
Since the October 7, 2023, attack, which Israel states was orchestrated by Hamas leadership, Israeli officials have repeatedly declared that there is “no difference between a terrorist with a Kalashnikov and a terrorist in a three-piece suit” and have vowed to pursue Hamas leaders in “every corner of the world.”
This aggressive strategy is not limited to Hamas alone. Israel has also conducted strikes in other countries, such as Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, against groups it considers to be proxies of Iran, including Hezbollah and the Houthis.
