The agreement will make matches from Rwanda’s top division available on Hudl Wyscout, a platform used by scouts, coaches and football professionals for video analysis, player assessment and recruitment.
The partnership announced on Monday, August 17, gives Rwandan clubs and players another avenue for international exposure, while introducing video and performance-analysis tools for technical teams within the league.
“The platform will also provide our technical personnel with detailed video and performance data, helping coaches, analysts and sporting departments make more informed, evidence-based decisions,” said Jules Karangwa, CEO of the Rwanda Premier League.
Rwanda national team head coach Stephen Constantine welcomed the introduction of the platform, pointing to its potential to increase the visibility of local talent.
“Rwanda is rich with untapped talent, and these young athletes deserve to be seen. With this technology, their skills can reach a wider audience, opening doors to opportunities that were previously out of reach,” Constantine said.
Mateo Bourrut Lacouture, Strategic Partnership Manager at Hudl, said the multi-year agreement forms part of the Rwanda Premier League’s wider efforts to use technology and data to improve clubs, support player development and raise the profile of Rwandan football internationally.
The partnership gives the BK Pro League a new connection to the international scouting market, potentially making Rwandan players and clubs more visible to football professionals beyond the country.
The partnership announced on Monday, August 17, gives Rwandan clubs and players another avenue for international exposure, while introducing video and performance-analysis tools for technical teams within the league.
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä followed children for eight years and found that those who spent more time using screens tended to perform better in tests of cognitive processing during adolescence.
The findings challenge the common belief that screen time is always harmful to children. However, researchers say the results should not be interpreted as a reason for children to spend unlimited time on phones, computers or other digital devices.
Instead, they suggest that what children do during screen time may be more important than the amount of time they spend in front of a screen.
The study was based on the PANIC study, which has followed children’s physical activity and nutrition over several years.
Researchers examined 260 young people, including 124 girls and 136 boys, who had an average age of 15.8 years.
They looked at screen use, physical activity and sedentary behaviour from childhood into adolescence.
The teenagers’ learning, attention and working memory were assessed using the CogState test battery.
The results showed that greater screen time beginning in childhood was associated with better cognitive processing during adolescence.
Petri Jalanko, a doctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä, said the findings suggest parents and teachers should encourage children to use digital devices for activities that involve active thinking, problem-solving, creativity and learning.
“We should not regard screen time solely as harmful but seek balance between physical activity and screen time that promotes active thinking,” Jalanko said.
The researchers also found that the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance was more complicated.
Among girls, higher levels of light physical activity from childhood were associated with better working memory during adolescence. Among boys, participation in guided physical activities was linked to better working memory.
However, the researchers did not find a clear connection between physical activity and cognitive performance when activity was measured using devices that tracked movement and heart rate.
The researchers said the differences could partly be explained by the type of activity and how it was measured.
They also stressed that the study does not prove that screen time directly causes better cognitive performance.
More research, including intervention studies, is needed to establish whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship.
More childhood screen time has been associated with better thinking skills in teens.
Africa’s leading electric motorcycle manufacturer, Spiro, has unveiled the EKON M1 V3, a new e-bike designed to meet the demands of Rwanda’s varied terrain and the needs of local riders.
The motorcycle was unveiled on August 14, 2026, at Spiro’s stand during the ongoing International Trade Fair in Gikondo, Kigali.
The launch brought together Spiro staff, customers and partners, as well as visitors attending the trade fair.
According to Spiro, the EKON M1 V3 was developed with Rwanda’s mountainous landscape in mind. The country, known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” has varying terrain and road conditions, including steep slopes and uneven or challenging surfaces.
The company said the motorcycle was designed to handle these conditions and has been given the nickname “The Motorcycle of a Thousand Hills.”
Spiro Rwanda Managing Director Amit Chawla said the new model was developed after considering the daily challenges faced by motorcycle taxi riders.
“This motorcycle is different from the ones we have previously brought to the market. When we looked at what our riders face every day, from navigating hills and different types of terrain to the need for a motorcycle that is affordable and easy to maintain, the Ekon M1 V3 is the answer,” Chawla said.
Some motorcycle taxi riders who were among the first to test the EKON M1 V3 said its design sets it apart from other Spiro motorcycles previously introduced in Rwanda.
Mfashwenimana Amiel said the motorcycle’s higher ground clearance makes it better suited to uneven and difficult terrain.
“With other motorcycles, when you reach an uphill area or a bad road, the motorcycle can sometimes hit the ground. But the EKON M1 V3 is high enough that even when you ride on uneven roads, it does not hit the ground. That makes it the best for our roads,” he said.
Spiro says the EKON M1 V3 can help users save up to 35 percent compared with using a petrol-powered motorcycle in the same category.
The company also says replacement parts for the model can cost up to 40 percent less, potentially reducing maintenance and operating costs for users.
The launch comes as Spiro continues to expand Rwanda’s electric mobility infrastructure.
Over the past three years, the company says it has invested in developing and expanding electric transport infrastructure across the country, including battery-charging stations in different locations.
Spiro has also launched seven large “mega stations” as part of efforts to strengthen the infrastructure supporting electric motorcycles in Rwanda.
The company plans to continue promoting the EKON M1 V3 across the country, giving motorcycle riders and other potential customers an opportunity to learn more about the model and its features.
Spiro’s management in Rwanda affirmed that the new EKON M1 V3 is designed to handle Rwanda’s hilly terrain.Spiro Rwanda officials attended the unveiling of the new motorcycle.Riderman entertained those in attendance.Expo attendees in Gikondo also attended the unveiling of Spiro’s new motorcycle.These motorcycles were designed with Rwanda’s terrain in mind.
The survey, conducted by the International Budget Partnership and launched in Rwanda by Transparency International Rwanda (TI-Rwanda), assessed 82 countries on budget transparency, public participation and oversight.
Rwanda scored 55 out of 100 for budget transparency, up from 50 in 2023 and 45 in 2021. Kenya ranked first in East Africa with 56 points.
Rwanda ranked sixth in Sub-Saharan Africa and recorded a notable improvement in public participation, with its score rising from 16 in 2023 to 26 in 2025. However, this remains the country’s weakest area.
Budget oversight improved from 56 to 61 points. Legislative oversight increased from 44 to 47, while audit oversight rose sharply from 78 to 89, making it one of the strongest areas of progress.
The survey, however, identified continued challenges in the timely publication, completeness and accessibility of budget information.
TI-Rwanda Executive Director Apollinaire Mupiganyi said the findings show continued progress while underscoring the need to ensure that budget information is timely, comprehensive and accessible, alongside stronger opportunities for citizens to participate in budget processes.
“The improvement recorded in the OBS 2025 demonstrates that Rwanda has continued to strengthen its budget accountability systems. At the same time, the findings remind us that progress should go beyond producing budget documents to ensuring that information is published on time, is comprehensive and accessible, and that citizens have meaningful opportunities to participate and see how their contributions are considered. Strengthening these areas will be important for translating budget transparency into greater accountability and more responsive public services,” he said.
Globally, budget transparency averaged 47 points, while public participation averaged 18.
Legislative and audit oversight averaged 45 and 60 points respectively. Public participation remained the weakest pillar worldwide despite a modest improvement from previous years.
Rwanda has ranked second in East Africa in budget transparency
Makolo made the remarks on Sunday, August 16, 2026, in response to DRC Government Spokesperson and Minister of Communication and Media Patrick Muyaya, who accused Rwanda of using the massacre for political purposes.
In a post on X, Makolo blamed Muyaya for continuing to “twist a day of remembrance for the victims of the Gatumba massacre into another platform for anti-Rwanda propaganda.” “The Banyamulenge who were slaughtered in 2004 by DRC’s Burundian allies were Congolese,” Makolo said.
She said the memory of the victims should not be used as a political tool by Kinshasa or as a basis for what she called “selective outrage” while the FDLR and other groups continue to operate in the DRC.
“Their memory is not Kinshasa’s political tool, nor is it an invitation for selective outrage while the Kinshasa-sponsored FDLR and other genocidal remnants still operate with impunity on DRC soil, in violation of the Washington Peace Agreement,” she wrote.
Makolo further accused Kinshasa of deliberately diverting attention from what Rwanda considers the underlying causes of insecurity in eastern DRC.
“Deliberately obscuring/distracting from the real sources of insecurity in eastern DRC is the core of ‘instrumentalisation’,” she said. Muyaya had said the Banyamulenge are Congolese rather than Rwandans living in Congo and accused Rwanda of using the Gatumba massacre to advance its political agenda. Rwanda has repeatedly denied accusations that it is responsible for insecurity in eastern DRC.
The Gatumba massacre occurred on August 13, 2004, at a refugee camp near Burundi’s border with the DRC. More than 150 Congolese refugees, most of them Banyamulenge, were killed, while more than 100 others were injured.
The attack was attributed to fighters from Burundi’s FNL, a predominantly Hutu rebel movement. The victims were largely Banyamulenge, a Congolese community commonly associated with the Tutsi population of eastern DRC.
The FNL initially claimed responsibility for the attack, although one of its former leaders later denied that the group had issued such a statement.
Burundi’s role in the events has also been questioned beyond the fact that the massacre occurred on its territory. Investigations reported that Burundian soldiers and police did not intervene even though the killings were taking place only metres from their military installations.
In the DRC, allegations also emerged after the massacre that some Congolese Mai-Mai fighters may have been involved in the attack. Kinshasa was urged to conduct a thorough investigation into the possible involvement of its nationals, particularly individuals who may have been serving in the national armed forces.
The massacre has remained a subject of calls for accountability, with survivors and relatives of victims renewing efforts to pursue justice in recent years.
In 2024, survivors and relatives of those killed renewed efforts to seek justice, filing complaints against individuals suspected of involvement in the massacre. Information relating to the cases was also submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Rwanda Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo has criticized the DRC for using the Gatumba massacre against the Banyamulenge to target Rwanda.
American actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise, has died at the age of 36.
Her representative confirmed her death on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Her father, Alan “Skip” Panettiere, also confirmed the news in a statement shared with the media. No cause of death has been announced.
Panettiere’s death came just days before her 37th birthday, which would have been celebrated on August 21. News of her passing has shocked fans who followed her career from childhood into adulthood.
Panettiere began acting as a child and went on to build a successful career in both television and film.
She gained worldwide recognition after playing Claire Bennet in the NBC science fiction series Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010.
Her character was a high school cheerleader with the ability to heal herself, making Panettiere one of the most recognizable young stars on television at the time.
She later took on another major role as Juliette Barnes in the musical drama Nashville. Her performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a television series.
Her film credits included Remember the Titans, Ice Princess, Scream 4 and Scream VI. She also lent her voice to the animated film A Bug’s Life and appeared in several other television and film projects.
Following her death, Panettiere’s father paid tribute to his daughter, describing her as “an incredible light and a force of nature” who brought love and joy to those around her.
He also acknowledged the millions of people who watched her work on screen over the years. The family has asked for privacy as they mourn her death.
Panettiere had recently returned to the public spotlight after releasing her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in May 2026. In the book, she reflected on her childhood fame, personal struggles and experiences in Hollywood.
Her final years also saw her speak more openly about the challenges she had faced throughout her life, while using her story to encourage conversations about difficult personal experiences.
With her death at just 36, Panettiere leaves behind a career that began in childhood and included some of television’s most memorable roles of the 2000s and 2010s.
Her performances as Claire Bennet and Juliette Barnes helped make her a familiar face to audiences around the world, while her work in film further established her as a versatile actress.
Her legacy will now be remembered by fans who watched her grow from a child performer into one of Hollywood’s recognizable television stars.
Hayden Panettiere died at 36, leaving behind a lasting Hollywood legacy.
The Prime Minister spoke at the 14th annual Rwanda Shima Imana interfaith gathering at Amahoro Stadium on August 16, 2026.
The event brought together Rwandans from across the country, including members of different religious organisations and churches, to pray for the country and thank God for protecting Rwanda and its people.
The gathering also marked 32 years since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi was stopped and provided an opportunity to reflect on Rwanda’s progress over the past three decades.
Dr. Nsengiyumva thanked religious organisations and churches for their contribution to Rwanda’s development over the past 32 years, saying their partnership with the government has been important in the country’s transformation.
He said the Rwanda Shima Imana gathering was an opportunity to recognise the contribution, achievements and cooperation between the Government and religious organisations in building the country.
“If the Government had worked alone, what we have achieved and are thanking God for today would not have been possible,” he said.
The Prime Minister said religious organisations have contributed to Rwanda’s development by promoting strong values among citizens, strengthening families, promoting love, unity, peace and forgiveness, encouraging transparency and fostering patriotism.
He also recognised their role in contributing to the national economy, helping heal Rwandans and addressing wounds resulting from the country’s past.
However, he urged religious leaders and churches to maintain their efforts and continue contributing to the country’s development.
“We ask you to continue educating Rwandans about what can help them develop and move out of poverty, while protecting them from people who deceive them and lead them in the wrong direction,” he said.
Dr. Nsengiyumva said Rwanda continues to face challenges related to alcohol abuse and drug use, which particularly affect young people but also concern Rwandans more broadly.
He urged religious organisations to step up efforts to address the problems, saying alcohol abuse and drug use are inconsistent with Rwandan values and Christian values in general, amid a recent nationwide crackdown on toxic liquor that has seen hundreds of manufacturers shut down and dozens of people arrested.
He said the problems not only harm the health of young people but can also contribute to the breakdown of families and trigger conflicts within households.
“As we gather here to thank God, we ask you to continue using your voices to teach the values that should define us as Rwandans and to fight the harmful culture of alcohol abuse that often affects our youth,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that religious organisations reach large numbers of people, giving them an important role in improving the lives of citizens, as they have done over the past 32 years.
He said the government’s efforts to combat alcohol abuse and drug use are intended to help Rwandans protect the gift of life that God has given them.
“We want all Rwandans to continue protecting the gift of life that God has given us, so that we can also use the strength God has given us to care for our families,” he said.
Jimmy Muyango, head of Peace Plan Rwanda, which organizes Rwanda Shima Imana, and pastor of Potter’s Hand Ministries Church, thanked God for giving Rwandans good leadership that has guided the country on a path of unity and protected it from division.
“It is not something ordinary that God has given us good leadership that loves its people and has transformed the history of this country, leading Rwandans on the path of unity and reconciliation under the leadership of our respected President of the Republic,” he remarked.
Pastor Ndayizeye Isaïe, head of the committee organising the Rwanda Shima gathering, said Rwandans should thank God for the progress the country has made since emerging from the difficult period that characterised its past.
“We should thank God that we have emerged from the darkness marked by a history of division, poverty, conflict, bad leadership, killings and other evils,” he urged.
Amahoro Stadium was packed with Rwandans and their friends who gathered to thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon the country.
Rwandans turned out in large numbers for the gathering, thanking God for their lives and Rwanda’s progress.Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva joined thousands of Rwandans at the 2026 Rwanda Shima Imana gathering.
Pastor Jimmy Muyango, head of Peace Plan, which organises Rwanda Shima Imana, thanked God for blessing Rwanda with good leadership that has guided the country along the path of unity.
Pastor Ndayizeye Isaïe, head of the committee organising the Rwanda Shima Imana gathering, said Rwandans should thank God for helping the country emerge from its troubled past and earn respect on the global stage.
PM Dr. Nsengiyumva thanked religious organisations and churches for their contribution to Rwanda’s development over the past 32 years, saying their partnership with the government has been important in the country’s transformation.
“The most pressing challenges are still terrorism and cross-border crime,” Rwivanga said during an interview with The New Times’ The Context podcast.
The former Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson, who took over as Director of the EASF in May, identified Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups among the threats facing the region, noting that insecurity along the eastern coast can disrupt the movement of goods and services.
Regional countries, he argued, need closer cooperation in areas including maritime security and cross-border policing to address threats that transcend national borders.
Testing operational readiness
The EASF has been conducting exercises and force verification missions to ensure member states can deploy the personnel and equipment they have pledged to the regional standby arrangement, Rwivanga explained.
Established in 2004, the EASF is one of the African Union’s five regional standby arrangements. It is mandated to support peace support operations, conflict prevention, crisis response and post-conflict reconstruction in Eastern Africa.
The organisation achieved full operational capability in 2014 after evaluating the forces pledged by member states, according to Rwivanga.
He stressed, however, that readiness is not a one-off process and requires regular exercises and verification.
“We have a checklist to verify the readiness of the forces such that when the need arises for us to engage these forces, we will prove that they are ready for integration,” he noted.
The EASF has conducted command-post, field-training and maritime exercises across member states to strengthen interoperability and ensure that different national forces can operate together.
Rwivanga spoke shortly after a force verification exercise in Uganda, where EASF officials were assessing the country’s pledged capabilities.
Similar verification exercises have been conducted in other member states and will continue as part of the organisation’s readiness programme, he added.
Beyond military threats
While military preparedness remains central to the EASF’s mandate, the organisation is broadening its focus to humanitarian assistance and disaster response, Rwivanga explained.
Member states are increasingly pledging capabilities that can be deployed during natural disasters and other humanitarian emergencies.
Ethiopia has pledged C-130 aircraft for strategic airlift, while Rwanda has committed medical evacuation support and Kenya has pledged air reconnaissance capabilities. Uganda is also expected to contribute search-and-rescue capabilities.
These capabilities could allow the region to respond collectively when a crisis overwhelms the capacity of an individual country, Rwivanga noted.
He pointed to natural disasters and climate-related emergencies as threats that should form part of the region’s broader security preparedness.
“We should not just look at the enemy in the sense of rebel forces,” he said. “You should look at the enemy even within with climate-related issues that could easily spiral out of order.”
Reducing reliance on external support
Rwivanga also highlighted efforts by African countries to increase their financial contributions to continental peace and security initiatives.
Greater African funding, he maintained, would help reduce dependence on external partners and strengthen the region’s ability to respond to crises.
He pointed to increased contributions by Ethiopia and Kenya to the African Union’s peace and security architecture as an indication of growing African ownership.
“At least in our small but very determined way, we are ready to operate even without that external support,” he stated.
The EASF is also seeking greater support from its member states to strengthen its resources and operational capabilities, he added.
Cooperation against cross-border threats
Regional cooperation is essential because terrorism, organised crime and other security threats do not stop at national borders, Rwivanga observed.
He cited joint security engagements between Rwanda and Uganda, as well as Rwanda and Tanzania, as examples of countries working together to address cross-border insecurity.
“Working together helps to deal with all the grey areas, the blind spots along the border,” he said.
He called for stronger cooperation between regional organisations, arguing that economic integration and security cooperation are closely linked.
Disruptions to the movement of goods and services can affect economies on both sides of a border, making security cooperation important not only for defence but also for regional economic activity, he explained.
Ultimately, the EASF’s objective is to ensure that member states are prepared to respond collectively when a crisis emerges.
The organisation is seeking to become more cohesive and better prepared to address both traditional security threats and humanitarian emergencies across the region, Rwivanga stressed.
The former Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) spokesperson, who took over as Director of the EASF in May, identified Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups among the threats facing the region, noting that insecurity along the eastern coast can disrupt the movement of goods and services.
In a social media post on Sunday, Museveni congratulated Ruhamya and fellow Ugandan cadet Bakyira Ruyondo on completing their military training at the prestigious academy.
“Congratulations Ruhamya, congratulations Bakyira,” Museveni said, adding that military service provides young Ugandans with a good foundation.
Ruhamya, the son of UPDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, graduated from Sandhurst on Wednesday, August 5, alongside Bakyira and other international cadets.
The training prepares cadets for military leadership, command and operational responsibilities as they begin their careers as officers.
Museveni also congratulated the parents of the two newly commissioned officers and encouraged young Ugandans to consider army service.
“Army service gives you good foundation,” he said.
Ruhamya’s graduation marks another connection between the Kainerugaba family and Sandhurst. His father, Gen Muhoozi, graduated from the academy in 2000 after joining Uganda’s military in 1999 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
Gen Muhoozi recently shared photographs of Ruhamya during his training at Sandhurst, including a comparison with his own experience at the academy 27 years ago.
Sandhurst, formally known as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, trains officers for the British Army as well as military personnel from countries around the world.
Ruhamya now joins the UPDF following his training, alongside other Ugandan officers who have received military training at the British academy.
Ruhamya (second from left) joins a growing number of UPDF officers trained at Sandhurst, The training equips cadets with skills in military leadership, command, and operational planning as they prepare for roles as officers in their respective armed forces.
The final round of matches took place on Saturday, August 15, across venues including the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium, with the top three sides earning passage to next year’s Regional Final.
Rwanda dropped its final fixture to unbeaten Uganda by six runs, wrapping up the tournament in third place within the six-team table.
Uganda claimed top spot to win the tournament, while Nigeria finished second. Joining Rwanda in the top three, both sides advanced to Division 1, where they will meet Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania in 2027 to decide Africa’s representative at the 2028 showpiece event.
The week-long tournament brought together six nations, Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique, competing for three progression slots.
On the individual leaderboards, Nigeria’s Kenneth Boniface stood out after capping his campaign with an unbeaten century (100 off 74 balls) against Sierra Leone.
Uganda’s Robert Owilli finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 234 runs, while Ghana’s Stanley Carson topped the bowling charts with 12 wickets.
The third-place finish keeps Rwanda’s target intact as the squad advances to the final regional stage of 2028 U19 World Cup qualification.
Rwanda dropped its final fixture to unbeaten Uganda by six runs, wrapping up the tournament in third place within the six-team table.Uganda claimed top spot to win the tournament, while Nigeria finished second. The week-long tournament brought together six nations, Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique, competing for three progression slots.
