Incumbent President Yoweri Museveni held his final rally in Kampala, the capital, where his supporters donning yellow attires marched through the streets singing and chanting.
Museveni, who is seeking a seventh five-year term in office, told his supporters gathering at Kololo Independence Grounds that the campaign was successful. He said some rallies turned out to be celebrations highlighting the achievements the country has registered.
Museveni urged voters to turn out in large numbers, assuring them that the elections would proceed without disruption.
His main challenger, Robert Kyagulanyi, a pop star-turned politician, also urged voters to turn up and vote at his final rally.
Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, is running on the ticket of the opposition National Unity Platform. This marks his second bid for the presidency after facing off with Museveni in the 2021 elections.
Six other candidates are also vying for the presidency after traversing several parts of the country and seeking support from voters.
Simon Byabakama, chairperson of the Electoral Commission, told reporters that after the close of the campaigns, no candidate is supposed to converse for votes, noting that culprits would be penalized. He assured the country that a free and fair election will be delivered.
The elections are scheduled to start on Thursday at 7:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and close at 4:00 p.m. (1300 GMT), with about 21 million registered voters expected to turn up at polling stations across the country, according to the electoral body.
The meeting marked the end of Ambassador Kneedler’s tenure in Kigali, during which he engaged with Rwandan leadership on bilateral cooperation and diplomatic relations between Rwanda and the United States.
Earlier in the day, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, also bid farewell to Ambassador Kneedler.
Ambassador Kneedler formally assumed his role as U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda on October 18, 2023, after presenting his letters of credence to President Kagame at Urugwiro Village. He succeeded Peter H. Vrooman. His appointment followed his nomination by U.S. President Joe Biden on August 3, 2022, confirmation by the U.S. Senate on July 27, 2023, and swearing-in later in August 2023.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Kneedler previously served as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing extensive diplomatic experience to his role in Rwanda.
His departure comes amid a broader diplomatic reshuffle in which the United States has recalled nearly 30 ambassadors from dozens of countries. The changes have largely affected Africa, where envoys from 15 countries, including Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and others, have been recalled. Additional recalls have also affected countries in Asia, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere.
Rwanda and the United States continue to maintain diplomatic relations spanning health, development, security and economic cooperation, with both sides reaffirming engagement through ongoing bilateral frameworks.
The Association of Insurers in Rwanda (ASSAR) told IGIHE that recent cases involve impostors setting up fake offices, collecting money from public service motorcycle operators, and issuing forged insurance certificates while posing as legitimate insurance agents.
Pamela Umutesi, the Managing Director of ASSAR, said the recent incidents targeted Mayfair Insurance Company Rwanda Ltd and strongly condemned the actions, describing them as criminal offenses punishable by law.
“There used to be other minor issues, such as people altering insurance dates instead of renewing their policies. But this is the first time we have seen people establish fake offices, charge clients, and issue certificates claiming they are insured,” she said.
She added that, in collaboration with relevant authorities, the suspects are under investigation and that several measures have already been put in place to curb the fraud, with more interventions planned.
“Since 2019, as an association, we have been issuing a unified insurance certificate through ASSAR. This means that regardless of the insurance company where a client purchases insurance, it is ASSAR that issues the certificate. It includes a scanning feature that allows authorities such as the Police to verify its authenticity using a mobile phone,” Umutesi explained.
“Because not everyone owns a smartphone, we are also planning to introduce a USSD system using a star code. The insurer will provide a code, which the client can dial to verify whether the certificate they received is genuine,” she added.
Umutesi noted that beyond financial losses, the most serious risk arises when an accident occurs and a rider believes they are insured, only to later discover they were issued a fake certificate.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) in Kayonza District, one of the areas where the scam was identified, said that toward the end of 2025, two individuals were discovered impersonating representatives of Mayfair Insurance Company Rwanda Ltd. One suspect had set up an office in Murundi Sector and was arrested, while the other remains at large.
Similar cases have also been reported in Nyamasheke and Karongi districts. Investigators say they are following leads pointing to a suspected ringleader who is still on the run.
Mayfair Insurance confirmed the incidents, saying that as soon as the fraud was discovered, the company reported the matter to relevant authorities, including RIB, ASSAR, and the regulator, the National Bank of Rwanda.
The company clarified that it does not provide motorcycle taxi (PSV) insurance and urged the public to remain vigilant when paying for insurance certificates.
“We have noted several cases where fraudulent insurance certificates were issued by rogue individuals falsely claiming to represent us. We urge the public to exercise caution when receiving insurance certificates,” the company’s Managing Director Ms. Jessica Igoma said.
“We also encourage the public to remain vigilant as authorities continue with efforts to apprehend all suspects and put an end to these fraudulent activities,” she added.
Mayfair Insurance, which has operated in Rwanda for nearly a decade, offers a wide range of general insurance products, including motor, property, marine, travel, and specialized corporate insurance solutions.
Members of the public are advised to verify insurance certificates using QR codes on the documents, deal only with authorized agents listed on Mayfair’s official website, or contact the company directly at 0788 381 844.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a security conference in Sweden’s Salen, Kubilius said he shared Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s view that a forced takeover would deal a fatal blow to NATO and severely damage transatlantic ties. He added that such a move would also trigger a strong negative reaction among Europeans.
Kubilius said he did not believe a U.S. invasion was imminent, but noted that Article 42.7 of the EU treaty obliges member states to provide mutual assistance if a member country is subjected to armed aggression. He said the bloc could step up support for Greenland at Denmark’s request, including by deploying troops and expanding military infrastructure such as naval presence and counter-drone capabilities.
Denmark and the United States, both NATO members, are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the Greenland issue. Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale, while U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted Washington must “own” Greenland without ruling out the use of force.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Europeans within NATO were discussing ways to strengthen the alliance, but stressed that such work should not be based on any presumption that NATO would stop functioning.
Also at the security policy conference in the western resort town of Salen, Kristersson on Sunday criticized recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and Trump’s “threatening rhetoric” toward Denmark and Greenland, warning that such moves undermine international law and increase risks for smaller countries.
Kristersson said Washington should instead show gratitude toward Denmark, as it has been a longstanding ally. He also pledged Swedish support for Denmark.
Since taking office in January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring control of Greenland, stating that he would not rule out the use of “military or economic coercion” to achieve that goal.
Last month, Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as U.S. special envoy to Greenland, renewing diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Danish Realm. Trump said in a recent interview that the United States “absolutely” needs Greenland.
Jeune Afrique, citing sources privy to the tensions that followed the capture of Uvira, reports that Kinshasa feared the conflict could spread to other provinces, including Kalemie in Tanganyika, and sought help to counter the rebel advance.
However, Angola refused to send troops, reminding President Félix Tshisekedi that even when the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force was deployed in North Kivu, Angolan soldiers had not been involved. Instead, Luanda proposed political mediation.
On December 14, Tshisekedi visited Angola to meet President João Lourenço, who also chairs the African Union (AU), to discuss dialogue options. Tshisekedi returned on January 5, 2026, agreeing with Lourenço that discussions should include a broad range of Congolese actors, from political opponents to armed groups such as AFC/M23, with talks planned for Kinshasa.
Following the meetings, Lourenço conducted discreet consultations with potential participants, including former President Joseph Kabila and his close associates Moïse Nyarugabo and Raymond Tshibanda. The aim was to prepare a new phase of dialogue, although both governments have avoided calling it a “new peace process.”
AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa, who had earlier communicated the withdrawal of M23 fighters from Uvira in a “confidence-building measure”, requested clarification on how these discussions would differ from the ongoing Doha talks. The rebels were invited to Luanda as part of preparations for the Kinshasa talks, but sought assurances that the initiative would not undermine previous agreements.
Tshisekedi returned to Luanda on January 8 to finalise the list of participants, according to diplomatic sources.
Angola is said to be engaging church leaders and opposition figures in the proposed Kinshasa talks, while carefully avoiding the term “new peace process.”
The behind-the-scenes efforts mark a subtle relaunch of Angola’s role as a mediator in the DRC conflict after President Lourenço had announced he was stepping back from mediation following his election as African Union chair in March 2025.
Trump wrote that the tariff policy is “effective immediately” and described the order as “final and conclusive.” He did not provide further details about the legal authority under which the tariffs would be imposed nor about whether the policy applies to all Iranian trading partners.
The tariffs would be paid by U.S. importers of goods from countries that continue doing business with Iran, a long‑sanctioned member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Iran exports large quantities of oil and other products, with major trading partners including China, Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and India.
Beijing strongly criticized the announcement. The Chinese embassy in Washington said it opposed what it called unilateral sanctions and the extension of U.S. jurisdiction beyond its borders, warning that China would take necessary measures to safeguard its interests.
Officials from Japan and South Korea said they were monitoring the situation closely but did not announce specific actions.
Trump’s comments come as Iran experiences significant anti‑government protests, described by rights groups as the largest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and as Washington weighs how to respond to the unrest. Tehran has indicated it is keeping lines of communication open with the United States even amid heightened tensions.
Trump made the comments in a January 7, 2026, interview with The New York Times, where he emphasised that simply having a military presence on the island is not enough for him.
Trump argued that owning Greenland outright would provide strategic and psychological advantages that cannot be achieved through existing agreements or leases. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark with significant self‑government, already hosts a U.S. military presence under a Cold War‑era defence agreement, but Trump said that “ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do” through those arrangements.
When asked by a New York Times reporter whether it was psychologically important to him personally or to the United States as a whole, Trump responded without hesitation that it was “psychologically important for me.” He added, “Maybe another president would feel differently, but so far I’ve been right about everything.”
In the interview, Trump also hinted that he would be willing to consider using military force if necessary to acquire the Arctic territory, though he acknowledged that such action “might upset NATO,” since Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member.
The idea of owning Greenland has drawn widespread criticism from both allies and experts. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated Denmark’s commitment to Greenland’s sovereignty and self‑determination, and many European leaders have rejected the notion of a U.S. takeover.
Greenland’s own government has strongly rebuffed Trump’s comments, insisting that decisions about the territory’s future belong to Greenlanders and Denmark under international law. EU officials have warned that any attempt by the United States to take over by force could jeopardise the future of NATO, as the alliance would be obligated to defend a fellow member state.
China has also criticised Trump’s stance, calling it self‑serving, and military analysts have dismissed the idea that ownership is necessary for defence, noting that the U.S. already maintains extensive global military partnerships without controlling foreign territory.
Trump’s remarks come amid rising geopolitical competition in the Arctic, where strategic resources and new shipping routes are attracting attention from major powers including Russia and China. As debates over Greenland’s future continue, Trump’s comments have added a controversial chapter to U.S. foreign policy discussions.
In a statement, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) said it was deeply concerned by reports that Grok, an AI tool available on X, had been used to create and share illegal non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material.
The office described the case as “the highest priority” and noted that it could block access to the service “where appropriate.”
If the investigation determines that the company has breached the law, Ofcom said it can require the platform to take specific measures to come into compliance or remedy harm caused by any violations. The regulator can also impose financial penalties of up to 18 million pounds (24.27 million U.S. dollars), or 10 percent of the company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.
In what it described as “the most serious cases of ongoing non-compliance,” Ofcom said it can apply to a court for orders to require advertisers or payment providers to withdraw from the platform, or to demand internet service providers to block access to a site in the country.
However, the regulator stressed that such measures would be taken only “where appropriate and proportionate to prevent significant harm to individuals” in Britain.
X’s Grok AI tool has come under mounting criticism following reports that it was used to generate allegedly illegal sexual content. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had previously said that the use of Grok to create illegal images was “disgraceful” and “disgusting.”
The decision was announced by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, during an exclusive interview with Jeune Afrique.
The deadline for submitting candidacies closes at the end of April. Mushikiwabo’s current term is due to expire later this year.
If re-elected, Mushikiwabo, who has steered the international Francophone network advancing language, culture, and cooperation since 2019, would join former Senegalese president Abdou Diouf as the only Secretary General to have served three terms.
According to Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s decision to put forward Mushikiwabo for a third term follows consultations with her and reflects what Kigali sees as a strong and widely recognised record of leadership.
“At the last OIF ministerial conference, held in November in Kigali, several member states expressed their wish to see Louise Mushikiwabo run for a third term,” Nduhungirehe said. “This recognition represents a strong political signal, which Rwanda has taken into account.”
“Since 2019, under her leadership, the OIF has embarked on a deep, structured, and coherent transformation that has strengthened its political credibility, institutional clarity, and operational effectiveness. We are therefore fully confident in the success of this proposal,” he added.
Rwanda hosted the 46th Conference of Ministers of La Francophonie (CMF) for the first time in November 2025, bringing together more than 400 delegates from 65 member states and governments.
Held under the theme “Thirty Years After Beijing: The Role of Women in the Francophone World,” the meeting coincided with the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women and underscored the OIF’s renewed focus on gender equality and women’s leadership.
Since taking office, Mushikiwabo has overseen a deep institutional transformation of the OIF, aimed at strengthening its political credibility, institutional clarity and operational effectiveness.
Reviewing progress since the 2024 CMF in Paris during the summit, Mushikiwabo highlighted the organisation’s electoral assistance missions and high-impact campaigns against disinformation in countries including Lebanon, Moldova and the Central African Republic.
Under her leadership, the OIF has also stepped up efforts to support Francophone candidates seeking leadership roles in major international institutions such as the African Union, the African Development Bank and UNESCO.
Programmatic initiatives have included a mobility scheme for French-language teachers, which recently brought a third cohort of 50 educators from 15 countries to Kigali to exchange expertise with Rwandan counterparts. Similar deployments have taken place in Ghana and Seychelles, with Cambodia next on the list.
Mushikiwabo also emphasised the growing role of the Francophonie économique, citing successful economic missions, including one to Benin that resulted in several commercial contracts, one valued at €30 million.
On gender issues, she called for increased support to the “Francophonie With Women” fund and invited member states to join a new initiative aimed at training and integrating girls and women into emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Rwanda’s announcement comes against a backdrop of regional tensions in the Great Lakes area, a subject also addressed by Nduhungirehe in his Jeune Afrique interview.
He defended the Washington and Doha agreements aimed at resolving the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), arguing that they provide an adequate framework for lasting peace if implemented in good faith. He also rejected the need for additional mediation efforts, following recent diplomatic initiatives led by Angola.
Asked whether strained relations between Rwanda, the DRC and Burundi could affect Mushikiwabo’s candidacy, Nduhungirehe pointed to the right of every OIF member state to support or nominate a candidate of its choice.
“The principles of the OIF are clear: every member state has the right to present a candidate for the post of Secretary General, and Rwanda is not opposed to an open, healthy and respectful competition,” he said.
He added that Rwanda’s position rests on Mushikiwabo’s “documented and measurable” record, which he noted had been unanimously praised at the OIF summits in Djerba and Villers-Cotterêts.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) reveal that, between 2019 and 2024, a total of 54,287 people in Rwanda were diagnosed with HIV. The highest numbers were recorded in the City of Kigali and the Western Province.
In 2024 alone, 9,019 people tested positive for HIV, including 3,503 men and 5,516 women, out of 1,026,851 individuals tested that year. In 2023, more than 1.1 million people were tested, with 9,270 positive cases (3,752 men and 5,518 women), marking a slight increase from 2022, when 8,507 people tested positive (3,404 men and 5,103 women) from over 1.1 million tests. In 2021, 9,422 people were diagnosed, comprising 3,673 men and 5,749 women from more than 1.5 million tests.
In 2020, 9,279 people tested positive out of over 2.09 million tests, including 3,577 men and 5,702 women. This was an increase compared to 2019, when 8,790 people were diagnosed (4,040 men and 4,750 women) from 2.6 million tests.
{{Kigali and Eastern Province most affected
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The City of Kigali continues to record the highest number of HIV cases in the country. In 2024, 2,883 residents tested positive, compared to 2,811 in 2023 and 2,756 in 2022. Previous years saw 2,983 cases in 2021, 3,136 in 2020, and 3,707 in 2019.
The Eastern Province follows Kigali in new infections. In 2024, 2,439 people tested positive, compared with 2,675 in 2023 and 2022, 2,398 in 2020, and 2,676 in 2019.
The Southern Province also reported significant numbers, with 1,573 positive cases in 2024, compared to 1,543 in 2023, 1,420 in 2022, 1,589 in 2021, 1,665 in 2020, and 1,045 in 2019.
In the Western Province, 1,257 people were diagnosed in 2024, compared to 1,431 in 2023, 1,400 in 2022, 2,460 in 2021, 1,319 in 2020, and 852 in 2019. The Northern Province recorded 867 new cases in 2024, compared with 810 in 2023, 728 in 2022, 932 in 2021, 761 in 2020, and 510 in 2019.
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Over the six-year period, most HIV diagnoses were among people over 25 years old, totaling 41,385 cases, followed by young people aged 15 to 24, who accounted for 11,234 cases. Among pregnant women, 1,221 were living with HIV in 2024, up from 1,141 in 2023, while earlier years recorded 1,420 in 2022, 1,625 in 2021, 1,314 in 2020, and 1,831 in 2019.
In 2024, 5,570 women living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy, representing 99.0% coverage. That year, 67,761 couples were tested, with 3,350 found to be discordant, meaning one partner was HIV positive while the other was not.
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As of December 2025, the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) reported that 234,000 people were living with HIV in the country. HIV-related deaths are estimated at around 2,500 annually, while new infections among people aged 15 to 49 stood at 2.7%.
Rwanda has achieved and surpassed the United Nations 95-95-95 targets, which aim for 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to be on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression. The country currently stands at 96-98-98.
The Ministry of Health notes that strong investment in HIV care is yielding positive results. In 2025, people aged 50 and above accounted for 30% of all individuals living with HIV, reflecting improved life expectancy among patients.
