The plant based at Musanze Industrial Park in Kimonyi Sector, was built by Indian investors at a cost of $20 million (Rwf29 billion) and is expected to use 40 megawatts of electricity per day.
Unlike plants that recycle scrap metal into new steel products, A1 Iron & Steel Rwanda Ltd will process locally sourced iron-bearing raw materials, particularly those extracted from mines in Rulindo District.
The minerals will first be smelted into steel, which will then be used to manufacture a range of products.
The plant is expected to produce more than 10 types of steel products, including nails, steel wires, steel pipes, reinforcing bars and other products mainly used in construction.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Nsengiyumva said the plant will increase the volume of products manufactured locally while adding value to available resources.
“For years our industrial sector has relied heavily on imported steel. In 2025 alone, Rwanda imported more than US$150 million worth of steel products and we expect that our growing economy will continue to drive rising demand for steel as we build our infrastructure, our cities and our businesses. But importantly, A1 Iron and Steel changes that equation,” he said.
“By processing locally sourced iron ore into finished steel products here in Rwanda, this plant helps us move up the value chain and capture more of the value our own economic development creates. This is an achievement worth celebrating,” the premier added.
The Premier added that the plant will position Rwanda among countries that export steel products, particularly within the region.
Opportunities for Rwandans
Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde said the plant demonstrates investors’ confidence in Rwanda and will contribute to the province’s development, particularly in infrastructure and industrialisation.
The plant currently employs around 500 people, the majority of whom are Rwandans, and the number is expected to increase to 1,000.
It is also expected to create opportunities for about 2,500 people working in activities outside the plant but linked to its operations.
Governor Mugabowagahunde assured the investors that the raw materials required by the plant are available in sufficient quantities in Northern Province, ensuring that its operations will not be disrupted by shortages.
A1 Iron & Steel Ltd Chief Executive Officer Himanshu Tiwari said the completion of the plant marks an important milestone and opens a new chapter in Rwanda’s industrial development.
He explained the plant will focus on using raw materials available in Rwanda to produce essential construction materials, enabling it to meet domestic demand while also exporting and generating more revenue for Rwanda.
Tiwari thanked the Rwandan Government for its clear vision for industrial development and for supporting and facilitating investors seeking to invest in Rwanda.
The $20 million A1 Iron & Steel plant was built by Indian investors in Musanze Industrial Park.Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva officially inaugurated A1 Iron & Steel Rwanda Ltd in Musanze on September 11, 2026.A1 Iron & Steel Rwanda Ltd is expected to produce up to 250,000 tonnes of steel products annually.
Dr. Gahima was elected on Friday during the General Assembly of leaders of the Anglican Church in Rwanda held at its headquarters in Kigali.
He was among the leading candidates for the position and faced Bishop Assiel Musabyimana, Bishop of the Diocese of Kigeme, in the final stage of the election.
Nathan Rusengo Amooti, Bishop of the Diocese of Kigali, had also initially been listed among those eligible for the position but later withdrew, leaving two candidates in the final race.
In March 2026, Dr. Gahima was elected chairperson of the Council of Protestant Churches in Rwanda (CPR). His election to that position brought his name into wider consideration as a potential successor to Dr. Mbanda as head of the Anglican Church in Rwanda.
Dr. Gahima had been serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Gahini and was the second bishop to lead the diocese.
Born in 1970, he grew up in Uganda after his family fled to the country. He completed his primary education at Kasonga in Uganda before continuing his secondary education at Kololo and St Andrea Kahwa’s College.
He later obtained a degree in education and pursued higher education in business studies at what was then known as Umutara Polytechnic, now part of the University of Rwanda.
He also holds postgraduate degrees in human resource management and theology, as well as a PhD in theology.
Before joining the leadership of the Anglican Church, Dr. Gahima worked in education and local government.
From 1995 to 1997, he served as deputy head of Lycée de Kigali, where he was responsible for students studying in English.
Between 1997 and 2001, he served as mayor of the former Karangazi Commune, and from 2004 to 2005, he was mayor of the former Gabiro Commune.
Following reforms in Rwanda’s local government structures, Dr. Gahima moved into church leadership in the Diocese of Gahini, where he served as deputy diocesan leader.
In 2019, he was consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Gahini, a position he held for seven years before being elected to lead the Anglican Church in Rwanda.
Dr. Gahima is married and has eight children.
Dr Manasseh Gahima is married and a father of eight children.Dr Manasseh Gahima succeeds Dr Laurent Mbanda as Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Rwanda.Dr Manasseh Gahima is the newly elected Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Rwanda.
At 8:46 a.m., a hijacked American Airlines plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Seventeen minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., a second hijacked plane struck the South Tower. There was little doubt that the United States was under attack.
Rwabukumba, who now heads the Rwanda Stock Exchange and serves as President of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), was among the Rwandans in New York that day.
Speaking to IGIHE, he said that 25 years later, the images of that day remain vivid.
“It happened in the morning as I was going to work, before the market had opened. I was trading stocks in New York. The buildings had collapsed, there was dust everywhere and there was a strong smell.”
As people around him struggled to come to terms with what was happening, Rwabukumba said his colleagues were surprised that he appeared less shaken than they were.
“The white people I worked with in New York were immediately terrified. They asked me, ‘How come you don’t seem as shaken as we are?’”
His response was shaped by his own experience of Rwanda’s history.
“The image it brought back to me was Rwanda in 1994, during the Genocide against the Tutsi. One of the things it left us with was resilience.”
Rwabukumba said he saw a significant difference between the two tragedies. The Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was aimed at exterminating Tutsi because of who they were, while those killed on September 11 were people going about their daily lives, whether at work, on planes or elsewhere, without being selected on the basis of ethnicity.
The September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people from 90 countries. Of these, 2,753 were killed in New York, 184 at the Pentagon and 40 aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania.
The victims also included emergency responders, including 343 New York firefighters, 23 NYPD officers and 37 officers from the Port Authority Police Department.
102 minutes that changed America
The first plane struck the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., followed by the second at 9:03 a.m. At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense.
At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed after burning for 56 minutes. At 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers attempted to wrest control of the aircraft from the hijackers.
At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower also collapsed.
Within a short period, the area known as the heart of New York’s financial and commercial district was engulfed in dust, smoke and debris.
His family thought he was dead
One of his strongest memories is the disruption of communications. Damage to power and telecommunications infrastructure in Lower Manhattan made it difficult even for financial institutions outside the immediate attack sites to continue operating.
For Rwabukumba, the problem was not only about work. His family could no longer establish whether he was alive.
“The phones came back later, and that was when we called each other and I told them that I was alive. They were devastated; they thought I was dead.”
The Rwandan Embassy also sought information about Rwandans in the area.
“They called us to ask whether we were safe, and we told them we were fine. Rwandans also reassured one another.”
Although many Americans were deeply frightened, Rwabukumba said most of the Rwandans he knew did not immediately consider leaving the country.
The New York Stock Exchange had not opened when the first planes struck the World Trade Center. Power, communications and security problems contributed to the closure of US financial markets. The NYSE reopened on September 17, 2001, six days later.
Rwabukumba said the attacks also came at a time when the US economy was already facing difficulties.
Data from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that the US recession had begun in March 2001, six months before the September 11 attacks.
According to Rwabukumba, investors were already concerned following the technology-sector downturn that had begun in 2000.
“The overall economic picture was not good. People were wondering where to invest their money. When the attacks happened, they pushed things much further backwards.”
Rwanda Stock Exchange CEO Pierre Célestin Rwabukumba, was in New York during the September 11, 2001 attacks.
More than 4,500 planes ordered to land
The attacks also immediately transformed air travel in the United States.
At 9:25 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted all flights scheduled to depart. At 9:45 a.m., it ordered all aircraft in US airspace to land at the nearest airports.
More than 4,500 aircraft were in the air at the time. By 12:15 p.m., the skies over the 48 contiguous US states were clear of commercial and private aircraft. It was the first time the United States had taken such a sweeping measure.
Rwabukumba said the experience still comes to mind when he travels. “Even today, when I go through an airport and I am asked to remove my shoes or belt, I immediately think about how the world changed after that attack.”
The requirement to remove shoes, however, was specifically tightened after another incident on December 22, 2001, when Richard Reid attempted to detonate explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63.
Muslims faced suspicion
Rwabukumba also remembers how Muslims, Arabs and people perceived to resemble them increasingly faced suspicion following the attacks.
“Life became difficult for foreigners, starting with Muslims, Arabs and people who looked like them.”
Looking back, Rwabukumba said the attacks did not fundamentally change who he was. Instead, they reinforced lessons he had already learned from Rwanda’s history: resilience and the need to seek solutions rather than wait for others to provide them.
“It changed my mindset and taught me to become even stronger and to look for solutions within myself. It taught me that I should not wait for someone else to come and solve my problems.”
More than two decades after working in New York’s financial sector, Rwabukumba is the CEO of the Rwanda Stock Exchange and serves as President of ASEA, an association bringing together securities exchanges across Africa.
For him, there is a meaningful connection between the work he once did in the United States and what he does today in Rwanda.
“Today, I work with others to build my country without having to go or live in New York. I am doing what I know and love in my own country. There, I was working with other people’s assets; today, we are building our own. We have our own Wall Street and our own financial system.”
The World Trade Center was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The agreement was signed on September 8, 2026, by Rwanda’s Ambassador to Brazil, Lawrence Manzi, on behalf of the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), and Prof. Dr. Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior, Provost for International Cooperation at USP.
The MoU provides a framework for cooperation between USP and Rwandan higher learning institutions in areas of mutual interest.
Under the agreement, the institutions will facilitate exchanges of students, faculty members, researchers, as well as technical and administrative staff.
They will also collaborate on joint research projects, scientific and cultural activities, and the exchange of academic information, publications and programmes.
The agreement builds on growing education ties between Rwanda and Brazil.
In November 2025, the two countries signed an agreement on cooperation in education. This was followed by the signing of 35 memoranda of understanding between Rwandan and Brazilian universities in May 2026.
In August 2026, the first group of Rwandan Master’s and doctoral students arrived in Brazil to pursue their studies at three Brazilian universities, marking the beginning of the implementation of some of the academic cooperation agreements between the two countries.
The latest agreement with USP is expected to create additional opportunities for Rwandan students and researchers while strengthening collaboration between higher learning institutions in the two countries.
The partnership is also in line with Rwanda’s efforts to build a knowledge-based economy through investment in education, technology, innovation and research.
USP, one of Brazil’s leading universities and research institutions, is expected to provide a platform for Rwandan academics and students to access research opportunities, develop joint projects and exchange knowledge with their Brazilian counterparts.
The cooperation also adds to broader Rwanda-Brazil relations by strengthening institutional and people-to-people ties and promoting South-South cooperation in education and research.
Rwanda’s Ambassador Lawrence Manzi and USP’s Prof. Dr. Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior exchanging documents during the signing ceremony.The agreement was signed on September 8, 2026
The results were released on Friday, September 11, 2026.
NESA Director General Dr Bernard Bahati said 108,732 students registered for the examinations, including 55.05% girls and 44.95% boys.
Of the 108,406 students who sat for the examinations, 102,261 passed, representing an overall pass rate of 94.33%.
Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana said the results were a reflection of the collective efforts of students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders.
“We are glad that the results are good, because 94 per cent of the candidates passed,” he said.
The pass rate among boys stood at 95.94%, compared with 93.02% among girls.
Manzi Nshuti Kabanda Brave, who studied Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (MCB) at Petit Séminaire Saint Aloys in Rusizi District, topped the Sciences combination with 98.40%, the highest weighted percentage recorded among General Education candidates.
Umwali Deborah, who studied History, Literature and Psychology (HLP) at Cornerstone Leadership Academy in Rwamagana, led the Arts and Humanities combination with 97.52%.
The exams, administered nationwide from July 15 to 22, 2026, covered three tracks: General Education (GE), Technical Secondary School (TSS), and Professional Education (PE).
General Education recorded the largest number of candidates, with 56,330 of 56,516 registered students sitting the exam and 53,050 passing, a 94.18% pass rate. Among learning areas, Humanities posted the strongest performance at 95.86%, ahead of Science at 93.87% and Languages at 93.61%.
In Technical Secondary School, 42,793 of 42,912 registered candidates sat the exam, with 40,459 passing for a 94.55% pass rate. Performance varied sharply by sector: Arts and Crafts recorded the highest pass rate at 99.45%, while ICT and Multimedia trailed at 89.24%, the lowest among all TSS sectors, followed by Hospitality and Tourism at 90.65%.
Professional Education posted a 94.28% pass rate, with 8,752 of 9,283 candidates passing. Within this category, the Teacher Training College (TTC) and Associate Nursing Program (ANP) options recorded pass rates above 99%, while Accounting (ACC) lagged at 88.59%.
The results also point to a broader improvement in candidate performance nationwide. The share of candidates scoring below 50% dropped to 5.63%, down from 10.91% the previous year, while those scoring 70% or above nearly reached half of all candidates, at 48.98%, up from 38.63%.
Candidates can access their individual results online at https://rne.sdms.gov.rw/. NESA said appeals on examination marks must be submitted within 30 days of the results’ publication, exclusively through the School Data Management System (SDMS) and only by head teachers on behalf of candidates.
A total of 94.33% of students who sat for Rwanda’s 2025/2026 national examinations, marking the completion of senior secondary school, have passed, the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) has announced.
Mukantaganzwa made the remarks on Friday, September 11, 2026, while addressing members of the press, two days after France’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court, confirmed the dismissal of the long-running case concerning the alleged failure of French troops to intervene to protect Tutsi who had sought refuge in the Bisesero hills in western Rwanda.
“What I can say about it is that it is a decision that Rwanda’s judiciary is not pleased with because, as you know, France is one of the countries that has tried many people involved in the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, although most of them, I believe, were Rwandans,” Mukantaganzwa said.
The case was brought in 2005 by six Genocide survivors and human rights organisations, who accused French soldiers serving under Opération Turquoise of knowingly failing to protect Tutsi civilians at Bisesero, where hundreds were killed between June 27 and 30, 1994.
French courts subsequently halted the investigation, with the dismissal upheld at several stages before the Court of Cassation rejected an appeal on September 9, 2026.
The Court of Cassation found that French soldiers could not be expected to act without precise orders from their chain of command and found no evidence that officers intended to facilitate crimes against Tutsi civilians.
The court also said the delay before the rescue operation reflected the time needed to clarify a confused situation, while the soldiers had limited information about the killings and the nature of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Mukantaganzwa said the decision would remain a matter of discussion, while acknowledging that judicial matters are handled through established legal channels within sovereign states.
“So perhaps, because it concerns their own citizens, that is where the issue arose. But it is an issue that will continue to be discussed. We cannot say that we are pleased with it, but at the same time, in terms of national sovereignty, judicial matters have their own channels through which they must proceed,” she said.
The Bisesero case has remained one of the most contentious legal issues surrounding France’s role during the Genocide against the Tutsi.
The decision by France’s highest court brings the particular legal proceedings against the French soldiers to an end, although questions surrounding the conduct of French forces during Opération Turquoise continue to feature in broader discussions about accountability and France’s role during the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Supreme Court President Domitilla Mukantaganzwa speaks to members of the press in Kigali on September 11, 2026.
According to the Office of the President, the two leaders discussed the strengthening of Rwanda-France relations, cooperation in areas of mutual interest, as well as regional and global developments.
The meeting came as Kagame attended the International Space Summit, a two-day gathering convened by Macron that brought together Heads of State and Government, space agency leaders and industry representatives to discuss governance, security and sustainable development in the space sector.
Addressing the summit, Kagame called for greater African participation in the rapidly growing global space economy, warning against reproducing existing inequalities in the sector.
“For a continent with a young and increasingly connected population, this sector offers enormous potential,” Kagame said, arguing that African countries should be contributors to science, research and global decision-making rather than merely users of space technologies.
He highlighted Rwanda’s national space policy and the use of space technologies and artificial intelligence in agriculture, infrastructure and disaster management.
Kagame also raised concerns over access to orbital and spectrum resources as satellite constellations expand, citing Rwanda’s support for African efforts to regain several orbital slots through the African Telecommunications Union.
He called for clear international rules for the space sector, with developing countries given a meaningful voice in shaping global frameworks and greater access to technology and knowledge.
“Ultimately, we should avoid reproducing in space the inequalities that exist in other domains,” he said, adding that Rwanda was ready to work with France, Europe and other partners to deepen space cooperation.
The meeting follows another engagement between Kagame and Macron in Paris in June, when they inaugurated a monument honouring victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
At the event, Kagame commended Macron for acknowledging France’s historical responsibility, describing his recognition of the country’s failures as “something more valuable than an apology.”
The latest talks come as Rwanda and France continue to strengthen cooperation across political, economic and technological areas, alongside discussions on regional and international affairs.
President Macron hosted his Rwandan counterpart, President Paul Kagame, for talks at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Friday morning.According to the Office of the President, the two leaders discussed the strengthening of Rwanda-France relations, cooperation in areas of mutual interest, as well as regional and global developments.
The Seoul Central District Court delivered the verdict, ruling that it cannot be definitively concluded that there was an intent to obstruct the investigations into a marine’s death.
The team of independent counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon, who led investigations into the marine’s death, sought a five-year prison term on charges of aiding the criminal suspect’s flight and abusing presidential power.
Yoon was accused of ordering the appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia to help him flee the country in November 2023, about four months after the marine’s death.
The special counsel team alleged that Yoon helped Lee, a primary suspect at the time, flee the country through the appointment to cover up the marine’s death.
The court handed down blanket acquittals for several former top-ranking officials involved in lifting Lee’s travel ban and fast-tracking his appointment.
Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February for the insurrection stemming from his martial law declaration and 30 years in prison in June for the general treason relevant to the infiltration of drones into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The emergency martial law was declared by Yoon on the night of Dec. 3, 2024, but it was revoked hours later by the National Assembly.
He was indicted under detention in January 2025 as a suspected ringleader of the insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted.
South Korea’s ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrives to attend his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, Pool, File)
Foster made the remarks in an exclusive interview with IGIHE on the sidelines of the SportsBiz Africa Forum in Kigali, where he discussed the growth of esports across Africa and the steps Rwanda needs to take to establish itself in the sector.
He pointed to Rwanda’s connectivity, fibre infrastructure, power supply and internet capacity as a strong foundation for the development of esports.
“The key thing is that Rwanda has the physical infrastructure to support esports,” Foster said.
He added that the next step would be strengthening the organisation of the sport in the country, including establishing an esports federation under the relevant national sports structures.
Rwanda is not currently a member of the Global Esports Federation, a gap Foster said needs to be addressed if the country is to participate more fully in the international esports ecosystem.
“Rwanda has to become a member of Global Esports Federation. It currently isn’t. So that’s a very important first step,” he noted.
Foster said Rwanda would first need to establish a national esports federation before joining the global body, adding that the African Esports Federation was ready to help the country accelerate the process.
“We’re having a meeting later today, actually, on exactly that topic. So we hope that it can accelerate. We’re ready for that,” he revealed.
Africa’s esports opportunity
Foster described Africa as one of the most promising regions for esports, noting that the African Esports Federation already has about 35 countries within its membership, with more countries considering joining.
“The development in the last two or three years in Africa has been significant. So I think the time for Africa is right now,” he noted.
He argued that esports has an advantage because it can be adapted to different markets, cultures and languages across the continent.
“Whether it’s in a smaller country or a larger country, in the islands, the north, the south, the centre, east or west, you can have e-sports,” Foster explained.
The growth is being driven by a large and digitally connected young population, which Foster believes is well positioned to participate in the industry’s expansion.
“Young people are digital natives. They’re born digital, so they’re ready to go, and I think the world will be waiting for them,” he added.
Rwanda’s esports scene takes shape
Rwanda has already begun building a competitive esports scene, with local tournaments providing a pathway for players to compete at continental level.
Last month, Praise Steven Nyamwasa won the national EA SPORTS FC 26 championship at BK Arena, defeating Sami Muhamedssin Mohamednour Atta 4-2 in the final to claim the Rwf1 million top prize.
Nyamwasa, Atta, Tresor Irasubiza and Franklin Gacinya qualified to represent Rwanda at the second edition of the SportsBiz Africa Esports Cup, which will bring together 32 players from eight African countries in Kigali on September 12-13.
The continental tournament will feature players from Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Madagascar, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt and Morocco, competing for a $10,000 prize pool.
Nyamwasa, who finished fourth when he represented Rwanda alone at last year’s tournament, said having four players this time gives the country a stronger presence.
“Last time I went alone, now I’m going with four companions, and I believe they’re going to do better,” he said.
The competition also highlights some of the gaps Foster identified. Nyamwasa has called for more investment and regular competitions, noting that he had taken part in only three tournaments over the past year, compared with countries where players can compete almost every month.
Foster says Africa is emerging as a major esports market, with 35 countries already in the federation.
From gaming to an investment opportunity
Foster also pushed back against the perception that esports is simply young people playing games for entertainment.
He argued that gaming has become a social and cultural ecosystem in which players build communities and interact across borders.
“It’s much more than that,” he said, noting that technological advances have enabled gamers to connect with friends and communities around the world.
That growing community, he suggested, represents an opportunity for companies and investors seeking to engage younger consumers, particularly Generation Z.
Foster said the global gaming ecosystem already involves around four billion players, while the Global Esports Federation has 180 federations.
He expects the sector to attract more capital as esports matures.
“The industry of eSports is known to be $600 billion by 2030,” he said.
He added that the pace of technological change means esports is developing rapidly and requires organisations and investors to continually adapt.
“It’s still young. And the developments are fast, maybe faster than any other sport,” Foster added.
A pathway for young gamers
Foster believes Rwanda’s young gamers can move from casual participation to elite competition if they are given opportunities to train, compete and gain international exposure.
He pointed to national, regional, continental and global competitions as potential pathways for young players to develop their skills and build careers in esports.
“They’ll focus on it, they’ll get better at it, they’ll practice more, they’ll become elite,” he stressed.
SportsBiz Africa project lead Bridget Mutoni has in the past also highlighted opportunities beyond competitive gaming, including event organisation, commentary, refereeing, game development and education.
Foster said esports can create opportunities for a broad range of participants, regardless of gender, age or disability.
“Everyone can choose their game,” he said. “And the most important thing is to have fun.”
The SportsBiz Africa Forum brought together policymakers, investors, sports administrators, entrepreneurs and athletes in Kigali to explore opportunities for expanding Africa’s sports economy, including through technology and digital entertainment.
In an exclusive interview with IGIHE on the sidelines of the SportsBiz Africa Forum in Kigali, Foster discussed the growth of esports across Africa and the steps Rwanda needs to take to establish itself in the sector.
Dr. Nsanzimana made the call on Thursday during a two-day working visit to the Southern Province, where he is assessing the quality of healthcare services at primary and secondary health facilities while also engaging communities and young people on health and wellbeing.
In Nyanza District, the minister visited Nyamiyaga Health Centre, Gati and Gasoro Health Posts, as well as Nyanza District Hospital, assessing the delivery of health services from the community level to specialised care.
The facilities form part of Rwanda’s decentralised healthcare network, which includes Community Health Workers (CHWs), health posts and health centres.
According to the Ministry of Health, these services have helped reduce travel time for patients by up to 45 minutes and can manage up to 95% of healthcare service demand, bringing care closer to communities.
During the visits, Dr. Nsanzimana engaged with frontline health workers, particularly Community Health Workers, whom he described as the backbone of Rwanda’s health system.
He stressed the importance of ensuring that increased access to healthcare is matched by quality services, reaffirming that “decentralized, quality care remains a top priority.”
The minister also met students from different schools in Nyanza as they marked the start of the new academic year.
Following a friendly volleyball match, he encouraged the students to make physical activity part of their lives and to resist peer pressure that could lead them to substance abuse.
Reminding them that they “only have one body,” Dr. Nsanzimana urged the students to make responsible choices that would protect their health and support their education and future.
Artists DJ Ira, Nel Ngabo and Tom Close also took part in the event, performing for the students while reinforcing the message on sobriety, healthy living and commitment to education.
The Health Minister tours a health facility in Nyanza as part of his two-day visit to the Southern Province.Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana engaged with frontline health workers during his visit to Nyanza District.Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana (second left) engages with frontline health workers during his visit to Nyanza District.Dr. Nsanzimana assessed healthcare services at Gati Health Post in Nyanza District.The Health Minister , Dr. Nsanzimana was welcomed by Southern Province Governor during his visit. Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana interacts with healthcare personnel in Nyanza District. Community Health Workers engaged with Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana during his visit to Nyanza District.
