The unveiling of the egg-free product took place at Bicu Lounge in Kimihurura and was attended by Masaka Farms management, staff, and various partners.
The mayonnaise comes in two varieties: Eggless Lemon Mayonnaise and Eggless Cocktail Mayonnaise.
Tumusiime Peace, Masaka Farms’ Marketing Manager, said the launch marks a significant milestone for the company as it ventures beyond dairy products.
“For the past 10 years, Masaka Farms has been primarily known for dairy processing, but we are now entering a new journey of going beyond that. These new mayonnaise products symbolise the direction we want to take,” she stated.
Luke Lundberg, the CEO of Masaka Farms, described the new mayonnaise as the beginning of an expansion journey beyond dairy processing.
“Being able to release a mayonnaise is a sign of the new path we are taking. Masaka Farms is going beyond dairy – we’re stepping into producing other essential consumer goods,” the CEO stated.
He added that, in collaboration with institutions like the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (RFDA) and with support from Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), the company will continue to innovate and improve their offerings to meet consumer needs.
Masaka Farms was founded in 2015 and is known for its dairy products. The company has now expanded into non-dairy processing, with products available in various parts of the country.
The move is part of broader efforts to tighten control over foreign exchange operations and reinforce the role of the Rwandan franc as the country’s legal tender, following a rise in cases such as tenants being asked to pay in dollars for business or residential premises.
Under the new directive, individuals or businesses not authorised by the Central Bank are prohibited from quoting, advertising, or receiving payments in foreign currency for goods or services within Rwanda.
Violators face steep penalties, with fines of Frw 5 million for a first offence and Frw 10 million for repeat violations.
The revised regulation, inserted as Article 20 bis into Regulation No. 42/2022, clarifies that only payments linked to exports or imports are permitted to be made in foreign currencies.
All other domestic transactions must be priced and conducted in Rwandan francs, unless the Central Bank grants special authorisation.
The term “pricing in foreign currency” is broadly defined to include not only charging clients in foreign currencies, but also displaying prices in foreign currency, verbal or written communication of such pricing, advertising, invoicing, or including foreign currency amounts in contracts.
Additionally, unauthorised foreign currency transactions, such as accepting payment in foreign currency, are penalised more severely. First-time offenders may be fined 50% of the transacted amount, while repeat offenders risk fines of up to 100% of the foreign currency involved.
The regulation applies to both residents and non-residents operating in Rwanda. Licensed financial intermediaries and authorised dealers are also subject to penalties if they breach the foreign currency pricing rules when dealing with residents.
To ensure compliance, the Central Bank will collaborate with other relevant institutions and has been granted the authority to impose sanctions. Defaulters who fail to pay imposed penalties within 15 days will be reported to the Credit Bureau and charged an additional 1% of the unpaid amount per day of delay.
Furthermore, the regulation introduces whistleblower provisions under Article 37 bis, obligating every person to report any unauthorised foreign currency operations to the Central Bank. Whistleblowers will be protected in line with applicable laws.
The Central Bank reforms aim to promote financial stability, protect the integrity of the local currency, and combat unofficial foreign exchange activities that could distort Rwanda’s monetary policy.
The agreements were signed in Kigali on Sunday, June 1, during the official visit of Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathi Ibrahim Khalifa, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces, who met with his Rwandan counterpart, General MK Mubarakh, at RDF Headquarters.
The three-day visit marks a significant step in deepening bilateral defence relations, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to a long-term and sustainable partnership.
Discussions between the two military chiefs focused on enhancing joint military initiatives and exploring new areas of collaboration.
Earlier in the day, Lieutenant General Khalifa paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial.
According to a statement released by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two diplomats reviewed cooperation relations between Doha and Kigali, exploring avenues to enhance them.
The discussions also focused on the conflict between Rwanda and the DRC and Qatar’s role in the mediation process.
The meeting comes on the heels of a similar diplomatic engagement on Saturday, when Sheikh Mohammed held talks with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf to discuss ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict between the two neighbouring countries.
Qatar has taken a leading role in efforts to restore peace in the Great Lakes Region. Talks between the DRC government and the AFC/M23 rebel group, which says it’s fighting for the rights of marginalised Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in the eastern DRC, are being held in Qatar.
The DRC accuses Rwanda of aiding M23 hostilities in the eastern DRC. Rwanda has repeatedly dismissed the claims, insisting that its primary concern is the continued presence and collaboration between Congolese forces and the FDLR militia group. The group, linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, continues to pose a security threat on the border with Congo, fueling the conflict between Rwanda and the DRC.
Meanwhile, the African Union has also taken a central role in the region’s peace efforts following the early 2025 decision by the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to merge the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes into a unified framework. This unified initiative, coordinated by the AU, aims to streamline regional mediation efforts.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement released late on Saturday night, said the two leaders reviewed the evolving situation in Africa, with particular emphasis on diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the protracted conflict in eastern DRC.
The talks also focused on enhancing cooperation between Qatar and the AU in promoting peace and regional stability across the continent.
Chairperson Youssouf commended Qatar’s growing role in supporting African peace initiatives, especially its mediation efforts in the Great Lakes Region, where tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have persisted despite multiple peace attempts.
Qatar has taken a leading role in efforts to restore peace in the Great Lakes Region. Talks between the DRC government and the AFC/M23 rebel group, which says it’s fighting for the rights of marginalised Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in the eastern DRC, are being held in Qatar.
The DRC accuses Rwanda of aiding M23 hostilities in the eastern DRC. Rwanda has repeatedly dismissed the claims, insisting that its primary concern is the continued presence and collaboration between Congolese forces and the FDLR militia group. The group, linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, continues to pose a security threat on the border with Congo, fueling the conflict between Rwanda and the DRC.
Meanwhile, the African Union has also taken a central role in the region’s peace efforts following the early 2025 decision by the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to merge the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes into a unified framework. This unified initiative, coordinated by the AU, aims to streamline regional mediation efforts.
Togo is currently guiding the final stages of this mediation process, in coordination with a panel of distinguished African leaders who were appointed as facilitators of the process earlier this year. The leaders include former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa), Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), and Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia).
The international community has also increased its engagement. In May, U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, announced that Washington had presented a draft peace agreement to the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC for their review.
A historic ceremony is scheduled for June at the White House, where Presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi are expected to formally sign the peace accord in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump.
It wasn’t unusual to see children playing in front of these fragile homes, causing parents to feel an instinctive fear as if their hearts had skipped a beat, worried that the walls might crumble on them at any moment.
Rainfall posed a major threat not only to the residents but also to local authorities, as it had the potential to destroy homes or even claim lives.
This persistent fear is what prompted the City of Kigali administration to commit to improving housing in the area, which lies at the entrance to the city.
The authorities came up with a plan to resettle residents in better-quality homes without displacing them. Additional housing was also built to accommodate those relocated from other life-threatening locations.
Today, after a relatively short period of construction, the area has undergone a complete transformation. The once-disparaged zone of Dobandi and similar neighbourhoods has become Ubwiza Modern Village, a new estate set to host more than 680 residents.
This village consists of 18 apartment blocks, each three storeys high (G+3), and is expected to serve as a model for affordable, modern, and environmentally friendly urban housing.
Residents of the new estate express disbelief and joy at their new living conditions, something they say they never imagined, like Umutoni Clarisse, who lives with her family of seven.
“We used to live in a terrible place that was a real threat to our lives. The houses were so weak, and when it rained, you’d go to bed unsure whether you’d wake up again. Then the government came up with this idea and built us these homes,” she said.
“We’re very happy now. We are thankful to His Excellency the President of the Republic, who made this happen. We never imagined we’d live in such houses, or that we could sleep peacefully. Now, it rains and we sleep soundly throughout the night. The place we came from was awful.”
Umutesi Vestine, who received a four-bedroom house where she also runs a business, echoed the words, saying, “The area we lived in used to put many lives in danger. There was a time when the Mpazi River overflowed and swept away a house nearby, along with a couple and all their belongings. We recovered the woman’s body, but we never found the man’s.”
She described how, during floods, the drainage channels would overflow and destroy homes. People couldn’t dig latrines, and makeshift roofs were held in place with tyres or stones.
She also noted that the new houses matched the value of the land residents previously owned, with some receiving two or three homes, depending on what they had before.
Uwimana Denise confirmed she received two homes, one of which she now rents out for Frw 80,000 per month.
The Mayor of Kigali, Dusengiyumva Samuel, stated that this approach will be replicated in other disorganised neighbourhoods across the city and encouraged private investors to participate in this kind of development.
“I just want to say that Elon has worked tirelessly, helping lead the most sweeping and consequential government reform programme in generations,” said Trump.
Trump credited Musk with “a colossal change in the old ways of doing business in Washington” and said some of his staff would remain in the administration.
“I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president,” Musk told reporters after Trump handed a golden key as a gift.
Having spent approximately 300 million U.S. dollars to back Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republicans, Musk recently said that he plans to cut his political spending substantially, because “I think I’ve done enough.”
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Musk criticised Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” describing the legislation, a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement, as a “massive spending bill” that increases the federal deficit and “undermines the work” of DOGE.
Widely regarded as the father of the medical abortion pill, Baulieu revolutionised reproductive healthcare with the development of mifepristone (also known as RU-486), offering millions of women around the world a safe, non-surgical option to end a pregnancy.
“His research was guided by his commitment to progress through science, his dedication to women’s freedom and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,” said his widow, television producer Simone Harari Baulieu, in a statement on Friday, May 30.
Baulieu is survived by three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed him as “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom,” adding, “Few French people have changed the world to such an extent.”
Born Étienne Blum in Strasbourg on 12 December 1926 to Jewish parents, Baulieu joined the French Resistance as a teenager during the Nazi occupation. He later adopted the name Émile Baulieu, adding Étienne back after the war.
Raised by a feminist mother following the early death of his father, he would go on to devote his life to scientific discovery and women’s rights.
After studying medicine and working in the United States, Baulieu was mentored by Gregory Pincus, the American biologist known as the father of the contraceptive pill. Under Pincus’s guidance, Baulieu began focusing on the biology of sex hormones, a path that would define his career.
His breakthrough came in 1982 when he developed a method to block the hormone progesterone, which is vital for a fertilised egg to implant in the uterus. This discovery led to the creation of mifepristone, which would become a cornerstone of medical abortion.
The drug was approved for use in France in 1988 and has since been authorised in over 100 countries.
However, Baulieu’s groundbreaking work was not without controversy. He faced threats, legal battles, and fierce opposition from anti-abortion groups, particularly in the United States.
In 2023, following Wyoming’s decision to become the first US state to ban the abortion pill, Baulieu described the move as “scandalous,” reiterating that he had spent much of his life fighting to “increase the freedom of women.”
Despite the resistance, mifepristone has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as an essential medicine since 2010. While critics continue to question its safety, scientific studies show it has a lower fatality rate than many common over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin.
Beyond reproductive health, Baulieu’s research extended into ageing, depression, and neurodegenerative conditions. Even into his mid-90s, he continued working from his office in Paris, with ongoing projects that explored treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and severe depression.
“I would be bored if I did not work anymore,” he once said.
In 2023, President Macron awarded Baulieu the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest national distinction.
At the ceremony, Macron praised his resilience in the face of vilification: “You, a Jew and a member of the Resistance, were heaped with the most atrocious insults and compared to Nazi scientists. But you held firm, out of love for freedom and science.”
Baulieu’s passion for life extended beyond the laboratory. A literature enthusiast, he befriended artists like Andy Warhol in the 1960s and expressed admiration for those who “claim to have access to the human soul.”
The operation was particularly challenging because liver surgery in infants requires advanced technology to prevent excessive bleeding, which can lead to death during the procedure.
Liver surgery is inherently complex due to the medications involved and the significant risk of blood loss, especially critical in a six-kilogram infant with a limited blood supply.
The child was initially taken to a private hospital where doctors discovered an abdominal mass. The mother was advised to transfer the child to CHUK, which had better equipment and more specialised doctors. At the time, the baby was only two months old.
Upon admission to CHUK and after a thorough examination, the child was diagnosed with liver cancer. The tumour had completely infiltrated the liver.
Since such tumours can sometimes respond to medication, the child was put on treatment, which helped shrink the tumour, leaving it confined to the right lobe of the liver.
After extensive analysis of medical images, the team of doctors determined that although most of the liver was affected, approximately 30% of healthy liver tissue remained.
Dr. Alain Jules Ndibanje, a paediatric surgery specialist at CHUK and the lead surgeon in the operation, told IGIHE that this 30% was sufficient for the liver to continue performing its vital functions.
The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying blood, storing and releasing glucose, aiding digestion, and more.
“After detailed analysis, we decided to operate and remove the part severely affected by cancer. The surgery was successful, and we left 30% of the liver that was still healthy,” Dr. Ndibanje said.
The complex procedure involved a team of around 20 medical professionals, including paediatric surgeons, paediatric oncologists, imaging experts, anaesthesiologists (who faced the delicate process of administering anaesthesia to a baby with compromised liver function), and a collaborative team from the University of Michigan working with Rwandan doctors.
To prevent excessive blood loss, advanced surgical technology was employed. The surgeons carefully tracked every blood vessel connected to the liver, mapping them out before and during surgery.
“We used specialised tools to isolate each blood vessel to avoid bleeding. We progressed very slowly. The operation lasted about nine hours. The baby is now awake, feeding again, and we’re hopeful for continued recovery,” Dr. Ndibanje explained.
The paediatric surgeon described the case as the most serious liver condition they’ve encountered in children, noting that they usually deal with more manageable issues.
Despite the complexity and high cost of the surgery, all expenses were covered by the national health insurance scheme, Mutuelle de Santé. Dr. Ndibanje also acknowledged the invaluable support from the University of Michigan team.
The surgery comes on the heels of other major medical milestones at CHUK, including the recent non-invasive removal of a coin from the stomach of an 18-month-old and a pioneering procedure where a foetus received a blood transfusion while still in the womb — a first for Rwanda.
The group shared the figures on Friday, May 30, 2025, during the presentation of its human rights report on areas under its control, challenging earlier estimates by the DRC government and organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Delion Kimbulungu, a secretary of the AFC/M23, stated that the group discovered the bodies in Goma between February 2 and 13.
“It’s clear that the figure of 3,000 announced by the Kinshasa government was fabricated,” Kimbulungu stated.
He also addressed separate claims linking the AFC/M23 to a deadly incident at Munzenze Prison in Goma.
According to Kimbulungu, the events at the prison, including a fire and mass escape, occurred before M23 fighters entered the city.
On the morning of January 27, videos circulated on social media showing Munzenze Prison engulfed in flames as inmates escaped.
The United Nations Human Rights Office later reported that 165 women died in the blaze and that all had been sexually assaulted by the fleeing prisoners.
UN Human Rights spokesperson Seif Magango confirmed the figures came from the DRC justice system, stating, “We haven’t independently verified the justice report, but we believe it is credible.”
“These incidents at Munzenze Prison happened before M23 forces got there,” Kimbulungu added, distancing the group from any involvement.
The AFC/M23 report includes supporting evidence and testimonies. It also outlines the state of human rights in Bukavu since the coalition took control of the city in February 2025.
