The sombre ceremony was marked by prayers led by different religious leaders, testimonies from Genocide survivors, as well as the laying of wreaths on mass graves at the site.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Amb. Joseph Rutabana told thousands of mourners that the same ideology which fuelled the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda continues to spread in neighbouring countries.
“We currently see it in the Eastern DRC, where local populations are mobilized to kill Congolese Tutsi (whom they relate to Tutsis in Rwanda). This is coupled by hate speech and other precursors of genocide incitement,” he said.
Rutabana emphasised that education remains one of the most powerful tools to preserve the memory of the victims and to combat the ideology that led to their deaths.
“It is important to reflect on the root causes and consequences of the Genocide so that not only Rwandans, but the world at large, take the necessary steps to punish the crime of genocide and prevent it from happening again,” he said.
Grief filled the air as mourners—mainly youth and a delegation from the HUMURA Lake Victoria Warakoze Genocide Survivors’ Association—sat in the tents, remembering the brutal and inhumane ways their loved ones were killed during the Genocide.
Alice Kaboyo, Uganda’s State Minister for the Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle and the guest of honour, noted that the rise of misinformation and hate speech, particularly online, poses a serious threat to social cohesion and peace.
“Education must therefore be at the forefront of our efforts to combat these dangers. By fostering critical thinking, promoting human rights education, we can equip Africa’s youth to reject division and violence and build a more inclusive society. Schools and universities must serve as spaces for dialogue, reconciliation and mutual respect,” she said.
A total of 10,983 victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi are buried in various memorial sites across Uganda. Kasensero Genocide Memorial site in Rakai District is the resting place of 2,875 victims; Lambu Genocide Memorial site in Masaka District holds 3,337 bodies; and Ggolo Genocide Memorial site in Mpigi District is home to 4,771 victims.
The announcement was made on Saturday in the capital, Dodoma, by Ramadhani Kailima, Director of Elections at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
While defending the commission’s tough stance, Kailima stressed that the code is a vital tool for ensuring fair and transparent elections at all levels—presidential, parliamentary, and local.
“The code of conduct is fundamental for guaranteeing integrity in the electoral process. All political parties were required to sign it,” Kailima stated, adding that Chadema was the only party out of 19 registered groups that refused to do so.
The code outlines expectations for ethical political behaviour ahead of the October polls, and failure to comply was previously flagged by the electoral body as grounds for disqualification.
Chadema’s rejection of the code stems from its longstanding call for sweeping electoral reforms.
The party has insisted that meaningful changes—such as constitutional amendments, the establishment of a genuinely independent electoral commission, and updated electoral laws—must be implemented before it agrees to participate in elections.
John Mnyika, Chadema’s Secretary General, reiterated the party’s “No Reforms, No Election” stance, arguing that the current framework is skewed in favour of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Although the government enacted limited reforms in 2024, Chadema maintains these changes fall far short of addressing systemic imbalances.
The ban marks a deepening standoff between the opposition and the state, further complicated by the recent arrest of prominent Chadema figure Tundu Lissu.
A former presidential candidate and one of the party’s most vocal leaders, Lissu was detained after a public rally where he called for electoral reform.
On Thursday, the 57-year-old politician was charged with treason after being accused of inciting rebellion and attempting to disrupt the electoral process. The offence carries a potential death sentence.
Dr. Bizimana made these remarks on April 13, 2025, as the official Genocide Commemoration Week drew to a close, a time observed in conjunction with the commemoration of politicians who were killed for standing against the genocide ideology and its execution.
He explained that Ndagijimana, who briefly served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the post-genocide Government of National Unity in 1994, now falsely claims that fewer than 350,000 Tutsi were killed, despite verified records showing over one million victims.
Dr. Bizimana also exposed lesser-known facts about Ndagijimana, stating that he uses the guise of political activism and human rights advocacy to conceal his past misconduct.
“In the Government of National Unity established in July 1994, JMV Ndagijimana was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, just two months later, he fled Rwanda after embezzling around $200,000, which belonged to the government,” Dr. Bizimana stated.
He added that then-Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu, a close friend of Ndagijimana and fellow native of Rusizi District, disclosed this theft in an official statement dated October 19, 1994, and in interviews with international media. Despite Ndagijimana’s frequent threats of legal action against those who accused him of theft, Twagiramungu passed away without ever being sued.
Instead, Ngarukiye Léon, then Director of Cabinet in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who had handed the money to Ndagijimana at Kigali International Airport, was the one taken to court. In a French court ruling on November 6, 2023, Ngarukiye won the case, effectively confirming Ndagijimana’s guilt.
On October 4, 1994, Ngarukiye who was part of a Rwandan delegation traveling to the UN General Assembly in New York, entrusted the funds to Ndagijimana for delivery to the newly reopened Rwandan Embassy in France.
Instead, Ndagijimana absconded with the money to France. Dr. Bizimana noted that despite losing the case, Ndagijimana never publicly acknowledged it, aware that the court proceedings exposed his theft.
Dr. Bizimana further revealed that this was not Ndagijimana’s first instance of financial malfeasance. A 1995 audit at the Rwandan Embassy in Paris uncovered that during his tenure as ambassador (1990–1994), he exploited the political turmoil in Rwanda beginning in 1992 to commit further fraud.
In September 1992, Ndagijimana illicitly sold a government-owned house in Paris without informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He sold it for 1.85 million of the then French currency, a significant devaluation from its purchase price of 3.75 million, suggesting a hasty and self-serving transaction.
Dr. Bizimana disclosed that prior to the sale, Ndagijimana falsely reported the house as damaged, even intentionally setting fire to a portion of it. He subsequently requested and received 1.3 million francs for renovations, despite initially claiming only 700,000 francs were needed.
{{Theft from his domestic worker}}
The same audit also revealed Ndagijimana’s theft of 75,200 French francs (equivalent to approximately RWF 20 million today) from his Ethiopian domestic worker. Dr. Bizimana explained that Ndagijimana instructed the embassy’s accountant, Athanase Nsengiyumva, to pay domestic workers’ salaries through his personal bank account, subsequently failing to remit the funds to his employees, particularly his Ethiopian houseworker.
Dr. Bizimana emphasized that Ndagijimana’s pattern of misconduct set a negative precedent, inspiring other Rwandan diplomats to engage in similar criminal activities after the genocide. These included damaging government properties, selling embassy assets, and unlawfully occupying government residences long after their diplomatic service ended.
Among those implicated were Ukobizaba Martin, Nderebeza Anasthase, and Shirampaka Anasthase. The most egregious case, according to the minister, involved Col Sebastien Ntahobari, Rwanda’s Military Cooperation Attaché in Paris from 1992 to December 1994.
Recalled by the Ministry of Defense, Ntahobari refused to return to Rwanda and remained in France until his death. An audit revealed his full control over embassy funds in 1993, a period marked by substantial transfers for arms procurement, and his embezzlement of over $2 million in collusion with then-Minister Augustin Bizimana, who approved the transfers, and other embassy staff.
The agreement was sealed at the conclusion of a two-day visit by Chery’s Chairperson, Xu Hui, and his delegation on Saturday, April 12. They were received by RDB CEO Jean-Guy Afrika, who signed the MoU on behalf of Rwanda.
The partnership aims to accelerate Rwanda’s transition to a green economy and boost strategic sectors aligned with the country’s development agenda.
Chery Automobile Co. Ltd, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui, China, is one of China’s leading automakers, known for its focus on independent innovation and global expansion.
Chery has been China’s number one passenger vehicle exporter for 22 consecutive years, maintaining the top spot in 2024. In 2023, it ranked first in export volume among Chinese automakers, surpassing SAIC Motor.
With a revenue of $39.09 billion, the group ranked 385th on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list, which ranks the top 500 corporations worldwide by revenue.
In a notice quietly posted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday evening, the administration revealed that smartphones, computer monitors, semiconductors, and various electronic components — including memory chips and flat-panel displays — will be excluded from the 145% reciprocal tariff introduced earlier this week.
The exemption, which is retroactive to goods shipped or released from bonded warehouses on or after April 5, does not extend to the separate 20% levy targeting China’s alleged role in fentanyl trafficking.
The move marks a significant shift in the White House’s trade posture, following an outcry from technology firms over the potentially devastating impact of the tariffs on supply chains and consumer prices.
“This is a game-changing development for the tech sector,” said Dan Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush Securities. “Big Tech can exhale. These exemptions remove the black cloud hanging over companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia.”
Analysts had warned that without the exemption, U.S. consumers could see the price of an iPhone surge to more than $3,000, with ripple effects across the broader economy. Apple, which relies on China for around 90% of its iPhone manufacturing, was particularly exposed. The tech giant has reportedly lost over $600 billion in market value since Trump’s tariff announcement last week.
Despite the tariff relief, the White House maintains that the long-term goal remains the repatriation of tech manufacturing.
“President Trump has made it clear: the United States cannot remain dependent on China for critical technologies,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday.
“These exemptions are temporary — they provide breathing room while companies accelerate plans to onshore production.”
Trump echoed that sentiment during a brief exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One.
“We’re taking in a lot of money,” he said. “But we’re also being strategic. There will be exceptions — smart ones — to protect American jobs in the long run.”
The tariff exemptions, covering 20 product categories, are part of a wider recalibration of Trump’s trade strategy.
Earlier in the week, the president imposed a universal 10% tariff on imports from most countries — excluding China — while granting a 90-day grace period to nations that had not retaliated against U.S. trade measures. China, however, remains subject to heightened penalties after its own retaliatory tariff hike of 84% on U.S. goods.
Notably, the exemptions apply to components that are difficult or costly to source domestically, such as microchips and flash storage. These are vital to the operations of not only American tech firms but also Asian manufacturing giants like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and South Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix, which may benefit from continued U.S. demand.
Even as the exemptions ease immediate concerns, questions linger over the long-term trajectory of U.S.-China trade after China on Friday announced a 125% retaliatory tariff on products imported from the U.S.
In a strongly worded statement issued on April 12, the group accused SAMIDRC troops of participating in a joint military operation alongside the Congolese army (FARDC), the FDLR militia, and the Wazalendo group in an attempt to retake Goma, which has been under rebel control since January.
The group said the offensive, launched on the night of April 11, was decisively repelled by its forces. It also demanded the immediate withdrawal of SADC forces from Congo and the surrender of Congolese soldiers stationed within United Nations mission facilities.
“The attacks… violate the existing SADC agreements and delay the rehabilitation of Goma Airport,” said AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka.
“We demand the immediate withdrawal of SAMIDRC forces and the surrender of FARDC troops stationed within MONUSCO facilities.”
The breach comes just weeks after the rebels and SAMIDRC troops signed an agreement on March 28 to facilitate the peaceful withdrawal of regional forces following their defeat and the rebels’ takeover of Goma.”
Negotiated in Goma, the deal outlined the immediate and orderly withdrawal of SAMIDRC troops, allowing them to leave with their weapons and equipment, while stipulating that any FARDC arms in their possession be left behind.
The accord also included plans for SADC to support the rehabilitation of Goma International Airport and conduct a joint technical assessment to ensure its operational readiness for troop withdrawal.
However, the recent clashes have raised doubts over the future of the ceasefire and the credibility of the withdrawal process.
“The AFC/M23 reaffirms its unwavering commitment to protect and defend the civilian population, in all its diversity, whatever the cost,” the rebel group said, while warning it may be forced to reconsider its stance if provocations persist.
The event brought together media professionals, government officials, and genocide survivors in a solemn ceremony to honor their fallen colleagues and reflect on the media’s role, both harmful and healing, during one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history.
Cleophas Barore, Director General of RBA, spoke of the devastating impact the Genocide had on the media sector. He emphasized that many journalists were killed not for violating professional ethics, but simply because they were Tutsi.
“Many journalists were killed not because they had broken professional or ethical rules but simply because they were Tutsi. Even if they had, the punishment was not death,” Barore said.
He underscored that laws governing journalistic conduct do not prescribe the death penalty for ethical breaches, stressing that professional accountability must never be confused with persecution.
Senator Emmanuel Havugimana also addressed attendees, reflecting on the dangerous role some media outlets played in fueling division and inciting violence before and during the Genocide. He issued a firm reminder that Rwanda has since drawn a line in the sand. “We will not allow this country to burn again because of the media,” he stated.
Peacemaker Mbungiramihigo, a media policy analyst at the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), gave a personal testimony on the hostile environment that Tutsi journalists endured prior to the Genocide. He revealed that many were unfairly branded as traitors by their own colleagues.
“Tutsi journalists were regarded by their colleagues as accomplices of the Inkotanyi before the Genocide,” Mbungiramihigo shared.
A survivor himself, Mbungiramihigo found refuge at Hôtel des Mille Collines during the Genocide. In the aftermath, he went on to contribute to the rebuilding of Rwanda’s media by working at Radio Muhabura and later at Radio Rwanda.
Scovia Mutesi, the Executive Secretary of the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), emphasized that journalists must prioritize integrity and conscience over academic qualifications when fulfilling their duties.
She called on media professionals to remain grounded in ethical principles and resist being swayed by financial gain or other influences that could compromise their role.
“What should guide a journalist is not just the degree they hold, but the conscience they carry. We must refuse to be used for purposes that tarnish our country’s image. Our responsibility is to inform, not to mislead,” Mutesi said.
As Rwanda commemorates 31 years since the Genocide against the Tutsi, the media fraternity continues to honor its own, those whose voices were silenced not for what they said, but for who they were. Their memory remains a call to uphold truth, unity, and responsibility in journalism.
Speaking at the international diplomacy forum underway in Antalya, Turkey, Nduhungirehe highlighted Africa as the continent with the richest natural resources and a youthful population that could drive sustainable development.
“We have countries that are inexplicably poor, yet we are a rich continent. We have youth, with a majority under 18. I believe that by 2050, one-third of the world’s youth will be African,” he said.
He pointed out that persistent conflicts continue to hinder Africa’s development and are often rooted in poor governance, lack of job opportunities for youth, and discrimination.
“As you know, the root causes of conflict on this continent are the same, bad governance, lack of opportunities for young people, youth unemployment, and discrimination. We must solve these problems now, because if we don’t, they’ll return in five or ten years,” he emphasized.
Nduhungirehe explained that many of these conflicts have their origins in colonial-era borders and stressed the importance of regional cooperation to resolve them.
“We have committed to working together, investing, adding value to what we produce, and reaping the benefits of our collaboration.” He warned that without such cooperation, external forces, intent on keeping African countries dependent, will succeed in dividing the continent.
“Otherwise, there are indeed external forces that want to turn Africa into a battleground, dividing us from all sides so we remain dependent, instead of self-reliant.”
The minister stated that it is up to African nations to recognize the wealth they possess and facilitate movement and trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Bulgarian mystic, whose real name was Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova, died at the age of 84 in 1996 having become famous for her clairvoyance.
Blind since early childhood, she claimed to have gained her powers during a terrible storm, and managed to predict 9/11, the death of Princess Diana, and global warming events such as mass flooding.
Also known as the ‘Nostradamus of the Balkans’, Baba Vanga is believed to have had such accurate visions that 85% of them have been shown to be correct. And since her death, more of her predictions have come true, including 2025 being the year of shattering earthquakes.
She sadly proved correct. As well as Myanmar and Thailand, the Oceania nation Tonga was also struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1, prompting a tsunami warning for the Pacific Island country.
Myanmar’s leadership declared a week of national mourning following the devastation, while the UN issued an urgent appeal for £6.2 billion to support the nation through the worsening humanitarian crisis.
While Baba’s earthquake prediction was eerily correct, her other future foresights are also worrying. She further warned of “cruel wars” and a global “apocalypse” for next year.
One of the events she described was a conflict on mainland Europe, adding that she believed a new war would break out in 2025 between two countries, with the ramifications rippling out across the world.
Interestingly, Baba Vanga’s warnings for next year also line up with another famous fortune teller, Nostradamus. The pair may have been separated by several centuries, with Nostradamus dying in 1566, but it seems they both agreed on certain events for 2025.
A number of predictions made by the 16th century prophet, real name Michel de Nostredame, in his book “Les Prophéties” have come true in the years since it was released.
The French seer is said to have accurately predicted the rise of Adolf Hitler, the shooting of President John F Kennedy, the start of the Covid pandemic, and even 2022’s cost of living crisis.
Nostradamus used the alignment of the stars to make his predictions for the future, and looking at 2025 from 500 years ago, he warned that ‘those from the lands of Europe’ would become embroiled in ‘cruel wars’ at some point.
Troublingly, he added that the UK would be involved, while he also pointed out that, “The ancient plague will be worse than enemies.”
The five-day tour to the neighboring countries, lasting from Monday to Friday, will be Xi’s first trip abroad this year.
The visits will come days after the Chinese leader called for building a community with a shared future amongst China’s neighboring countries at a recent central conference on neighborhood work.
“Neighboring countries are China’s priority in its diplomacy, and China and Southeast Asian countries are good neighbors, good friends and good partners with a shared future,” said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
From Monday to Tuesday, Xi will travel to Vietnam for a fourth state visit as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
Xi last visited Vietnam in December 2023, where both sides agreed to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of strategic importance. Economic ties have strengthened, with China remaining Vietnam’s largest trading partner since 2004, and Vietnam being China’s largest ASEAN trade partner since 2016.
Bilateral trade reached US$260.65 billion in 2024, a 13.5 percent year-on-year increase, while Chinese direct investment in Vietnam surpassed 2.5 billion US dollars the same year.
Xi’s upcoming visit to Malaysia follows his last state visit there in 2013, after which ties were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade hitting US$212.04 billion in 2024, a record high. Malaysia’s tropical fruits, including durian, mangosteen, and jackfruit, have become increasingly popular on the Chinese market.
In Cambodia, Xi’s last visit was in 2016. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited China in September 2023 on his first official trip, reinforcing the countries’ “ironclad friendship.”
China and Cambodia have advanced cooperation under the “Diamond Hexagon” framework, particularly through the industrial development corridor and fish, rice corridor initiatives.
China remains Cambodia’s largest foreign investor and trading partner. The China-Cambodia free trade agreement, effective since January 1, 2022, was Cambodia’s first bilateral FTA. Bilateral trade reached US$15.1 billion in 2024, a 23.8 percent increase from the previous year.
{{Strategic or symbolic visits?}}
Amid rising tensions in China–U.S. trade relations, many observers argue President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visits to the three countries represent a carefully calculated diplomatic and economic maneuver.
By reinforcing ties with Southeast Asian neighbors, China is diversifying its economic partnerships and reducing reliance on Western markets.
China on Friday announced a dramatic increase in tariffs on U.S. goods, from 84% to 125%, in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this week to raise U.S. duties on Chinese imports to a staggering 145%.
The tit-for-tat exchange marks a major escalation in the ongoing trade war, raising fears of deeper disruption to global supply chains and markets.
In a strongly worded statement, China’s Ministry of Finance blasted the U.S. tariff hike as “unilateral bullying and coercion,” accusing Washington of violating international trade norms and disregarding basic economic principles.
The President’s visits symbolize Beijing’s broader effort to solidify its role as the region’s economic anchor, deepen trade under mechanisms like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and push forward strategic infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road initiative.
At the same time, China is positioning itself as a reliable partner in contrast to the U.S. led Indo-Pacific economic strategies, emphasizing mutual benefit and shared development.
It is fair to say that through appeals to camaraderie, win-win cooperation, and “ironclad” friendship, China is advancing a soft power narrative centered on solidarity and shared futures.
This aligns with Beijing’s growing efforts to lead a stronger Global South bloc, offering itself as a credible alternative to western-led governance structures and economic models.
