Martinez was suspended after the first game of the playoff finals in the Women’s Basketball League. In his absence, REG WBBC won one game and lost another, leaving their rivals Kepler WBBC leading the best-of-five series 2–1.
Ahead of the fourth game, REG WBBC decided to recall Martinez, who now faces the task of guiding his team to victory on Wednesday evening to avoid falling too far behind.
The match is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at Petit Stade, following the third-place playoff between APR WBBC and The Hoops, which tips off at 6:00 p.m.
REG WBBC are the defending champions, while Kepler WBBC are aiming to secure their first-ever league title.
One of the planes arrived earlier this month and has already begun operations, while the second touched down last night.
Each aircraft has a passenger capacity of 174 and will primarily serve short and medium-haul routes, enhancing connectivity within Africa and beyond.
“With a passenger capacity of 174, these aircraft will primarily operate on short and medium haul routes,” the airline said.
The fleet expansion is part of RwandAir’s broader growth strategy, which also includes the planned arrival of a fourth Airbus A330 later this year.
Speaking in June, Chief Commercial Officer Fouad Caunhye said the new aircraft would be delivered in phases, aiming to meet rising regional and international demand.
In addition to the two new aircraft, RwandAir operates a fleet of 13 planes, including two A330-200s, one A330-300, six Boeing 737 Next Generation jets, two Bombardier CRJ900s, and two De Havilland Dash 8-400s.
The airline’s expansion comes on the heels of its recognition as Best Regional Airline in Africa at the 2025 Skytrax Awards in June.
In a separate announcement this week, the airline unveiled a special promotion offering travellers a 50% discount on tickets booked on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through its official website or mobile app.
The offer is valid for travel until November 30, 2025, with bookings required by September 14, 2025. Destinations covered include Dubai, Johannesburg, Lagos, Paris, Kigali, and more.
“This weekend, your dream trip is half the price,” the airline said.
The agreements, formalised during a visit by Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo, reflect a shared commitment to tackling terrorism and fostering economic growth.
The first agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mozambique’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency (APIEX), was signed by RDB Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika and Mozambique’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Amade Miquidade.
The MoU aims to expand trade and investment in sectors like agriculture, tourism, and industry, building on prior frameworks to drive economic collaboration.
A second pact, a renewed Status of the Forces Agreement on the Support to Fight Terrorism in Mozambique, was signed by Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, and Mozambique’s Minister of National Defence, Cristóvão Artur Chume.
The agreement extends Rwanda’s military support in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where Rwandan forces have been deployed since 2021 to combat Islamist insurgents.
“Thanks to this cooperation, we can see peace returning to the region,” President Chapo said, acknowledging Rwanda’s role in stabilising Cabo Delgado despite ongoing sporadic attacks.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Paul Kagame emphasised the need for African-led solutions to regional challenges, stating, “Outsourcing the responsibility to external actors will not build lasting peace nor development.”
He highlighted the agreements as a step toward operationalising existing frameworks, noting that Rwanda and Mozambique share “very strong bilateral ties” and a bond as “brothers and sisters.”
President Chapo, making his first visit to Rwanda as Mozambique’s leader, praised the warm welcome in Kigali and the “excellent bilateral conversations” that underscored mutual solidarity.
He invited President Kagame to visit Mozambique and thanked Rwanda for its support in combating terrorism, paying homage to Rwandan forces working alongside Mozambican troops.
Both leaders expressed confidence in the partnership’s future. “We are on the right path to growing an already excellent partnership,” Kagame said.
Chapo echoed this optimism, noting that the agreements would strengthen relations between the two nations and their peoples.
On the second and final day of his visit, Thursday, August 28, President Chapo will meet with Rwandan business leaders interested in exploring investment opportunities in Mozambique. He will also tour the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to study Rwanda’s industrial development and identify potential areas for cooperation.
The announcement follows recent findings that Rwanda’s air quality is deteriorating due to PM2.5 particles emitted mainly from motor vehicles, with motorcycles alone responsible for 47% of harmful emissions.
Under a Ministerial Order issued on August 25, 2025, motor vehicles used for public passenger transport, cargo, driving schools, school buses, ambulances, and petrol-powered machinery in construction and agriculture will receive inspection certificates valid for six months. All other motor vehicles will be issued certificates valid for one year.
Owners of vehicles that fail inspection will be required to fix defects and present their vehicles for re-testing before being cleared.
The regulation sets a range of fines depending on the severity of the violation. The heaviest penalty, Frw 5 million, applies to those who ignore an order to stop polluting activities. Unauthorised polluting activities attract a fine of Frw 3 million, while breaching rules on air quality preservation is punishable by Frw 2 million. For minor violations of emissions rules, offenders face fines ranging from Frw 25,000 to Frw 1 million, depending on the offence.
In addition, failure to pay fines within seven days will attract an extra 0.5% daily penalty.
Inspection fees have also been set: motorcycles will pay Frw 16,638, small passenger cars Frw 34,940, and medium passenger vehicles or light cargo trucks Frw 51,578, with lower rates for re-inspections.
Officials say the new enforcement regime is part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to improve air quality, including incentives for a shift from fuel-powered motorcycles to electric alternatives.
The airline confirmed that the discount applies exclusively to tickets purchased on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through its official website or mobile application.
Travelers booking during these days will enjoy half-price fares across all of RwandAir’s destinations.
“This weekend, your dream trip is half the price,” the airline said.
While the promotion is valid for travel until November 30, 2025, customers must book their tickets no later than September 14, 2025, to benefit from the discount.
With flights to more than 23 destinations, the offer gives passengers the chance to explore a wide range of cities at reduced fares — from Dubai and Johannesburg to Lagos, Paris, Kigali, and many more.
According to the Office of the President, the two Heads of State immediately held a tête-à-tête meeting to discuss key areas of ongoing bilateral cooperation.
Earlier in the day, President Chapo was welcomed at Kigali International Airport by senior government officials, including Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe.
Also present were Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Mubarakh Muganga, Inspector General of Police, CP Felix Namuhoranye, and Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISSR), Aimable Havugiyaremye.
This marks President Chapo’s first visit to Rwanda since taking office in January this year.
The visit seeks to deepen collaboration in priority sectors, particularly defence and security cooperation — with Rwanda continuing to support Mozambique in its fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado Province — as well as broader economic ties.
As part of his itinerary, President Chapo is expected to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi, where he will pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and reflect on Rwanda’s resilience and recovery.
On Thursday, August 28, President Chapo will engage with Rwandan business leaders interested in exploring investment opportunities in Mozambique. He will also tour the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to learn from Rwanda’s industrial development and identify potential areas for cooperation.
President Chapo was welcomed at Kigali International Airport by senior government officials, including Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Gen (Rtd) James Kabarebe.
Also present were Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Mubarakh Muganga, Inspector General of Police, CP Felix Namuhoranye, and Secretary General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISSR), Aimable Havugiyaremye.
This is President Chapo’s first visit to Rwanda since assuming office. The visit seeks to deepen collaboration in key sectors, particularly defence and security — with a focus on combating terrorism in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado Province — as well as economic cooperation.
On the afternoon of August 27, President Chapo is scheduled to tour the Kigali Genocide Memorial at Gisozi to pay tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, hear testimonies, and learn about Rwanda’s path to recovery.
Later in the day, he will meet with President Paul Kagame at Village Urugwiro for a private discussion, followed by a bilateral meeting between officials from both countries to explore areas of cooperation.
On August 28, President Chapo will hold discussions with Rwandan business leaders interested in investing in Mozambique.
He will also visit the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro to observe Rwanda’s industrial growth and identify potential lessons for Mozambique’s own development efforts.
The two are part of the 28-man provisional squad unveiled by Uganda’s head coach Paul Put, who will later trim the list ahead of the matches scheduled for September 5 and 8 at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
Ssekiganda, a recent APR FC signing, operates as a defensive midfielder, while Omedi is a winger renowned for his pace and attacking runs down the flanks.
Their inclusion adds to the growing list of APR FC players representing their countries, which includes Rwandan internationals Ishimwe Pierre, Nduwayo Alex, Niyomugabo Claude, Fitina Omborenga, and Mugisha Gilbert, as well as Memel Dao, who has been called up for Burkina Faso.
Meanwhile, APR FC is intensifying its preparations for the 2025 CECAFA Kagame Cup, set to run from September 2 to 15 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
At a weekly press conference in Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei refuted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s claims that Iran was behind the torching of a kosher cafe in Sydney last October and a major arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne last December.
He also responded to the Australian government’s decision on Tuesday to expel Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi.
“Naturally, any inappropriate and unjustified action at the diplomatic level will receive a reciprocal reaction. This is a new development. My colleagues are considering the issue to decide about the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Baghaei said.
The spokesman said over the past two weeks, “we witnessed million-strong demonstrations in Australia in protest to the killing of people in the occupied Palestinian territories,” adding that some of Australia’s politicians had also “in a rare move” leveled minor criticisms against Israel for its actions.
Australia’s recent action against Iran, “which is in fact an action against diplomacy and the two nations’ relations,” was aimed at compensating for those minor anti-Israel criticisms, Baghaei said.
Albanese announced on Tuesday that Australia had withdrawn its ambassador to Iran and suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran.
The Huye-based club is seeking to strengthen its goalkeeping department following uncertainty over the future of Ugandan goalkeeper Nicolas Sebwato, whose contract has not yet been renewed.
Sebwato has also been linked with a potential move to APR FC, following concerns over the team’s goalkeeping weaknesses exposed during recent friendly matches.
Sources confirmed to IGIHE that Diouf has already agreed terms with Mukura VS and is expected to arrive in Kigali this Wednesday.
The Senegalese goalkeeper featured on Tuesday when his national team lost to Morocco on penalties, missing out on a place in the CHAN 2024 final.
So far, Diouf has played five matches and conceded only two goals — one against Congo Brazzaville and another against Morocco in the tournament which is being held in East Africa.
