Blog

Léonard Ndagijimana elected new PDC president

The election took place in Kigali on Sunday, August 9, 2026, during a congress that elected members of the party’s leadership at all levels. It was attended by representatives of the party from district to national level.

Ndagijimana secured 79 of the 103 votes cast, defeating his challenger Mukakarangwa Clothilde, who received 24 votes.

The new PDC president said his priorities will include strengthening unity within the party, building its institutional capacity and securing permanent premises for its operations.

The party currently operates from rented offices and owns two undeveloped plots of land that it intends to develop into permanent headquarters.

“First and foremost, it is about building fraternity. We also have plots of land that have remained undeveloped for a long time, and we have to build offices on them,” Ndagijimana said.

He also said he would focus on making the party’s political programmes more appealing to young people, who he described as an important part of the party’s membership and its future.

Ndagijimana has been a member of PDC for 34 years and served as its Secretary General since 2015.

He served in the Chamber of Deputies from 2018 to 2024 and previously worked as a commissioner at the National Electoral Commission. He has also held positions in the former Ministry of Environment and Tourism, as well as responsibilities related to education, research and project management.

Mukabaranga, who has now left the party’s top leadership position, first headed PDC in an acting capacity in 2009 before being elected for two terms. Her second term ended in 2023, when new elections were expected to be held but were delayed until this year.

Several other officials were elected to work with Ndagijimana in the new leadership.

Lawyer Vincent Rugema was elected First Vice President with 80 votes, while Mukabasebya Claudette was elected Second Vice President with 95 votes.

Ildephonse Nkiliye was elected Secretary General with 95 votes, while Benoît Sikubwabo became Treasurer after receiving 53 votes.

Bénie Niyodusingiza was elected president of the PDC-affiliated youth league, while Aline Umubyeyi was elected to lead the party’s women’s league.

The party also elected provincial representatives, including Espérance Nyiraneza for the Western Province, Jean-Baptiste Gatsinzi for the Eastern Province, Augustin Uwereyimfura for the Southern Province, Thierry Niyibizi for the Northern Province and Clémence Uwamahoro for the City of Kigali.

Other party officials, including members of various PDC commissions, were also elected.

PDC’s history

The PDC was established in 1991 by Jean Népomuscène Nayinzira and other political figures amid growing pressure for Rwanda to adopt a multiparty political system beyond the ruling MRND party under President Juvénal Habyarimana.

The party was initially established as the Christian Democratic Party (Parti Démocratique Chrétien). It later changed its name to the Centrist Democratic Party (Parti Démocrate Centriste) following constitutional restrictions on political parties based on religion.

PDC was among the political parties that supported the Arusha Peace negotiations, which sought power-sharing and a lasting political settlement in Rwanda.

Following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the party continued its political activities, and in 2003 it joined an alliance of political parties that supported the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the presidential and parliamentary elections.

PDC won three seats in the Chamber of Deputies in the 2003 elections, while its then-president, Alfred Mukezamfura, was elected Speaker of the Chamber.

The election took place in Kigali on Sunday, August 9, 2026, during a congress that elected members of the party’s leadership at all levels.

The new committee representing youth at the PDC

Agnès Mukabaranga has led the party for more than a decade.

August 10, 2026
Trump’s options for walking away from Iran war have narrowed: media

Trump for weeks “had been laying the groundwork to declare victory in the Iran war should Tehran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even floating the idea privately to senior aides that he’s willing to walk away without a nuclear deal,” the report cited U.S. officials as saying.

The report noted that Trump sought to include nuclear talks as part of broader negotiations with Iran, “but those have proven too difficult, leading the White House in recent weeks to focus more on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.”

That “scaled-back objective,” however, became more difficult when Iran insisted Saturday “on its highest price yet” for seeking billions of dollars in U.S. payments, the removal of American troops from the region, and an end of the U.S. naval blockade, among other things, the report said, adding that “recent chaos in negotiations signaled Tehran is prepared for a long and grinding conflict.”

The latest report came two days after CNN reported that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine has, over the last few weeks, privately told other top Trump advisers and Cabinet officials that the United States needs to find an off-ramp from the war with Iran.

Meanwhile, growing concerns over U.S. ammunition stockpiles have raised doubts about how long military operations against Iran can be sustained in a war now in its fifth month.

Media reported that U.S. military had exhausted nearly 80 percent of the interceptors for a key missile defense system during the war, as military commanders warned that the army’s munitions stockpile was “dangerously low.”

On Thursday, Trump acknowledged that although overall U.S. ammunition stockpiles remain sufficient, supplies of certain types of ammunition are “a little bit tighter,” without elaborating.

According to a report by The Washington Post on Saturday, the Pentagon is asking the U.S. defense industry to “rapidly escalate the production and delivery of weapons,” including munitions that are “in extreme shortage” due to the war.

This photo taken on April 7, 2026 shows a view of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

August 10, 2026
Want greater heart protection? Study points to 9 to 10 hours of exercise a week

Researchers found that 560 to 610 minutes (roughly 9 to 10 hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week was associated with more than a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

This is about three to four times the current public health recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.

The findings come from an observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Researchers from Macao Polytechnic University in China examined how physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness were associated with cardiovascular disease risk.

The researchers analysed data from 17,088 people enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2013 and 2015.

The participants had an average age of 57, with women accounting for 56% of the group.

Each participant wore a wrist device for seven consecutive days to record their usual physical activity.

They also completed a cycling test that researchers used to estimate their VO2 max, a measure of how efficiently the body takes in and uses oxygen during intense exercise.

The researchers also considered factors including smoking, alcohol use, self rated health, diet, body mass index, resting heart rate and blood pressure.

During an average follow up of 7.8 years, researchers recorded 1,233 cardiovascular events. These included 874 cases of atrial fibrillation, 156 heart attacks, 111 cases of heart failure and 92 strokes.

Participants who met the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week had an 8% to 9% lower cardiovascular risk.

However, activity levels of 560 to 610 minutes per week were associated with a reduction of more than 30%.

Only 12% of participants reached this higher level of physical activity.

The study also found that people with lower fitness levels may need slightly more exercise than highly fit individuals to achieve similar cardiovascular benefits.

For example, a 20% reduction in cardiovascular risk was associated with about 370 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each week among people with the lowest fitness levels, compared with about 340 minutes among those with the highest fitness levels.

The researchers said the findings suggest that future exercise recommendations could consider individual fitness levels instead of relying entirely on a single target for everyone.

The researchers say, “This finding highlights the steeper challenge faced by deconditioned populations.”

However, the study cannot prove that higher levels of exercise directly caused the lower cardiovascular risk because it was observational.

The researchers also noted that the participants may have been healthier and fitter than the general population, while fitness was estimated rather than measured directly.

Despite these limitations, the researchers said the current 150 minute recommendation remains a reliable minimum, while higher levels of physical activity may provide greater protection against cardiovascular disease.

Adults may need considerably more physical activity than the current minimum recommendation to achieve a substantial reduction in their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

August 9, 2026
Netanyahu says Israel rejects U.S.-backed 15-point Gaza peace plan

The announcement marks Israel’s first official and straightforward rejection of the plan.

Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting that Israeli forces, which Israeli officials had previously estimated control about 70 percent of Gaza, will continue to carry out attacks in the enclave to “thwart threats.”

“When I say disarming Hamas, I mean the heavy weapons, the less heavy weapons — all weapons,” Netanyahu said.

Israel is still in talks with the United States about the document of the plan, he said. “They have ideas, some of which are acceptable to us and some of which are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters.”

The plan was drafted in May by Nickolay Mladenov, “high representative for Gaza” of the “Board of Peace,” and officially announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in late July, who said back then the board had reached an agreement on the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

A day after Trump’s announcement, Hamas said it had agreed to the “latest version of the roadmap” for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement after “fierce” negotiations, but conditioned weaponry arrangements on a complete halt to “aggression,” Israeli withdrawal from the enclave, and progress on reconstruction.

Since a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect in October 2025, Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,250 people and injured over 4,100 others in Gaza, according to Gaza-based health authorities.

Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting that Israeli forces, which Israeli officials had previously estimated control about 70 percent of Gaza, will continue to carry out attacks in the enclave to “thwart threats.”

August 9, 2026
Joe Biden’s cancer has spread further and is ‘very painful’, son reveals

Hunter Biden said the cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2025, has metastasised beyond his father’s bones and is “very painful” and “very debilitating in many respects”.

“It’s really, really hard, and it’s really sad to watch,” Hunter Biden told the BBC’s Newsnight in an interview broadcast on Friday.

“I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good,” he said, adding that the former president remained active and engaged despite his illness.

Biden, 83, announced in May 2025 that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had already spread to his bones. His spokesman said later that year that he was undergoing radiation treatment and hormone therapy.

The former president was the oldest person to win the US presidency when he was elected in 2020. His physical health and mental acuity became a major focus during his presidency, particularly after his poor performance in a June 2024 debate against Donald Trump contributed to his decision to abandon his re-election campaign.

Hunter Biden also reflected on his father’s health during the BBC interview, describing him as the centre of their family and praising his resilience.

“He’s the best father, the best husband, the best grandfather,” Hunter Biden said.

He added that Biden remained determined to continue speaking publicly and engaging with issues important to him.

The interview also covered Hunter Biden’s controversial presidential pardon, which his father granted in December 2024 shortly before leaving office.

Hunter Biden acknowledged that the pardon was open to criticism and said he understood arguments that it was not good for the American people, the Constitution or his father’s legacy. However, he said he remained “eternally grateful” to his father for the decision.

The pardon covered Hunter Biden’s federal gun conviction, a tax case and potential federal offences dating from 2014 to 2024.

Hunter Biden also discussed his past struggles with addiction, saying he wanted to focus his future efforts on helping others recover from drug and alcohol dependence rather than seeking elected office.

Hunter Biden said the cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2025, has metastasised beyond his father’s bones and is “very painful” and “very debilitating in many respects”.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden attends a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in New Castle, Delaware, U.S., May 30, 2025.

August 9, 2026
Rwanda could join Formula 1 calendar in 2028

Rwanda, South Africa, Argentina and Thailand are reportedly the leading candidates for new races on the Formula 1 calendar, although no country has yet been officially confirmed.

“Negotiations are progressing very well in Africa. We are having other discussions in South America. We have discussions in the Far East,” said Domenicali during a media briefing with assembled international motorsport journalists, including representatives from PlanetF1 early this month.

“One thing that I can tell you is that we have more requests in China and Japan, but for the moment, we want to stay with one race in China because we need to consolidate the market before thinking about having other options there.”

Rwanda has been working to bring Formula 1 to the country as part of a broader strategy to establish itself as a major destination for global sports. President Paul Kagame formally announced the country’s bid to host a Grand Prix in December 2024 during the FIA General Assembly in Kigali.

Formula 1 has not held a race in Africa since the South African Grand Prix in 1993.

Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria and Morocco have all expressed interest in bringing the championship back to the continent.

President Kagame has since visited Formula 1 facilities in Azerbaijan and Qatar, including the Baku City Circuit and Lusail International Circuit.

The proposed Formula 1 circuit in Rwanda is expected to be built in Bugesera District, near the new airport currently under construction.

In July, Sports Minister Nelly Mukazayire said Rwanda remained committed to hosting a Formula 1 race.

Formula 1 is the world’s premier single-seater motor racing championship, known for its high speeds, advanced technology and global following.

The championship is contested through a series of races known as Grands Prix, held on purpose-built circuits or temporary street circuits.

Drivers and teams earn points based on their results in each Grand Prix, with the driver and team accumulating the most points over the season crowned world champions.

Rwanda has been working to bring Formula 1 to the country as part of a broader strategy to establish itself as a major destination for global sports.

August 9, 2026
Elle Muhoza joins 123 contestants in Vietnam for Miss World 2026

The delegates include Miss Uganda Trivia Elle Muhoza, who shares a strong connection to Rwanda through her maternal lineage.

The 73rd edition will feature contestants from countries around the world, with Eritrea, French Guiana, Maldives, Mozambique and Pakistan set to participate for the first time.

Several countries that did not take part in last year’s competition are also returning this year. They include Aruba, the Bahamas, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Guinea-Bissau, Kosovo, Laos, Malawi, Morocco, Norway, Saint Lucia, South Korea, Tanzania and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This year’s pageant coincides with celebrations marking 75 years since Miss World was established. It is one of the world’s longest-running and most prominent international beauty pageants.

Rwanda is not participating in this year’s competition, while several other East African countries, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda, will be represented.

Rwanda made its Miss World debut in 2016, when Jolly Mutesi became the country’s first representative. Contestants, including Elsa Iradukunda, Liliane Iradukunda, and Meghan Nimwiza, followed her.

Naomie Nishimwe, who was crowned Miss Rwanda 2020, did not compete at Miss World following the cancellation of the 2020 global pageant due to the COVID-19 pandemic and her subsequent departure from the local organizing agency. Grace Ingabire represented Rwanda in 2021 and remains the country’s last contestant to appear on the Miss World stage.

Divine Muheto, crowned Miss Rwanda 2022, was unable to compete at Miss World 2023 after the national pageant’s operations were suspended.

The latest contestants will compete for the crown currently held by Thailand’s Suchata Chuangsri, who won Miss World 2025.

The delegates include Miss Uganda Trivia Elle Muhoza, who shares a strong connection to Rwanda through her maternal lineage.

This year’s pageant coincides with celebrations marking 75 years since Miss World was established.

August 9, 2026
RSSB Tigers drawn in Group A of FIBA Intercontinental Cup

The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced the draw on Saturday, August 8, with the tournament scheduled to take place in China from September 22 to 27, 2026.

RSSB Tigers will compete in Group A alongside Rytas Vilnius of Lithuania, representing Europe, and Shanghai Sharks of China, representing Asia.

The Rwandan side earned its place in the competition after winning the 2026 BAL title in Kigali, becoming the first Rwandan team to win the continental championship.

In Group B, Chinese side Beijing Royal Fighters will face Boca Juniors of Argentina, representing South America, and NBA G League United, a team made up of selected players from the NBA G League that will represent the United States.

RSSB Tigers will open their Intercontinental Cup campaign against Rytas Vilnius on September 22.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the tournament bringing together champions and leading clubs from basketball leagues across the world’s major regions.

The competition will give RSSB Tigers an opportunity to test themselves against clubs from Europe and Asia after their historic BAL triumph.

The Rwandan side earned its place in the competition after winning the 2026 BAL title in Kigali, becoming the first Rwandan team to win the continental championship.

August 9, 2026
Iran sets tough conditions for US before reopening Strait of Hormuz

In a statement on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the strategic waterway would remain closed until Washington “corrects its behaviour.” Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the council’s secretary and a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said the US must permanently end its military campaign against Iran and its regional allies, lift sanctions, withdraw its military presence from the region, release frozen Iranian assets, and compensate Tehran for war-related damages.

The demands come as negotiations mediated by Oman continue, with just over a week remaining before the 60-day deadline for reaching a final agreement. The current interim deal, signed in June, envisioned a phased lifting of sanctions and discussions on compensation, while leaving the long-term administration of the strait to further negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks with Oman on navigation arrangements were nearing completion, particularly on determining a transit route. However, he stressed that reopening the strait remained contingent on broader political issues, accusing the United States of violating the June agreement.

Oman’s foreign ministry said discussions were continuing in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine progress.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained under an effective Iranian blockade since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran in late February. Tehran has also sought to impose tolls on vessels using the waterway, a proposal opposed by Washington and one that conflicts with established international maritime law governing international straits.

Meanwhile, tensions in the waterway escalated after the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of firing a missile at a tanker owned by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the strait. Emirati authorities said there were no casualties.

Later on Saturday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel east of Khasab, Oman, had been struck by a projectile that caused a fire, which was quickly extinguished. It was not immediately clear whether the incident involved the same vessel reported by the UAE.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil trade, making it one of the most strategically important waterways for global energy supplies. The disruption to shipping has already pushed up global oil prices, driving higher fuel costs in many import-dependent countries, including Rwanda, where motorists and businesses have felt the impact through rising pump prices.

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on August 3, 2026. In a statement on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the strategic waterway would remain closed until Washington “corrects its behaviour.”

August 9, 2026
AFC/M23 accuses Kinshasa of dragging feet on Doha prisoner protocol

In a statement issued on Saturday, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the release of the 15 detainees, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was “encouraging” but “insufficient” because many people it says were arrested over alleged links to the movement remain in detention.

The 15 detainees were handed over to AFC/M23 in Bunagana on August 7 after travelling from Beni through Uganda in an operation facilitated by the ICRC under the Doha peace process.

The 15 detainees were handed over to AFC/M23 in Bunagana on August 7.

According to the movement, nine of the released individuals were among a list of 768 detainees it had previously submitted to mediators for release. It said the remaining six included one Ugandan national with no links to the group and five Congolese citizens who were not on its original list, arguing that this showed the list was not exhaustive and that more people remained in custody.

AFC/M23 accused Kinshasa of continuing to arrest Congolese citizens on allegations of links to the movement and called for the immediate release of all detainees covered by the prisoner release protocol.

The group also urged the DRC government to publish a complete and updated list of detainees still awaiting release and provide a clear timetable for their release.

The movement further revealed that it has, for nearly a year, made several thousand captured members of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and allied Wazalendo fighters available to the ICRC for transfer to Kinshasa, but the government has refused to receive them. It said this could be used to delay or prevent the release of detainees held by the government.

“The AFC-M23 is concerned that the Kinshasa regime’s refusal to receive its own soldiers could be used as a pretext to delay or prevent the release of our compatriots who are being unlawfully detained, while continuing to arrest other Congolese citizens on allegations that they are associated with or acting in concert with our Organisation,” reads the statement.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is responsible for facilitating transfers under the Doha prisoner protocol.

Despite accusing Kinshasa of failing to honour its commitments, AFC/M23 said it remains committed to the Doha peace process and urged the DRC government to fully implement both the ceasefire agreement and the prisoner release protocol.

The statement came a day after the ICRC confirmed it had facilitated the transfer of the 15 detainees between August 6 and 7 at the request of both parties under the Doha Mechanism signed in September 2025.

According to the ICRC, the detainees voluntarily agreed to the transfer and travelled from Beni through Uganda before being handed over to AFC/M23 in Rutshuru Territory. The humanitarian organisation expressed hope that the operation would pave the way for additional detainee releases and help reunite more families separated by the conflict.

AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the release of the 15 detainees, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), was “encouraging” but “insufficient” because many people it says were arrested over alleged links to the movement remain in detention.

August 9, 2026