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Speaking to IGIHE, three years after reintegrating into civilian life, Musoni underscored Rwanda’s resolute stance against any recurrence of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and warned of the dangers posed by the FDLR, a terrorist group established by perpetrators of the Genocide.

Musoni emphasized Rwanda’s unwavering commitment to preventing a return to the dark past.

“Rwanda will not tolerate anyone bringing problems back to the country,” he said. “The Rwandan Patriotic Front [RPF] knows how it came to power and the state the country was in. They will neither allow that chaos to resurface nor permit the conflicts of that era to return.”

He stressed that those responsible for the genocide, an imprescriptible crime, face justice, saying, “You can’t commit genocide and expect to roam freely. That’s not how it works.”

However, Musoni urged younger generations born in exile, now in their 30s or 40s, to leave the forests of the DRC and return to Rwanda, their true home. “What are they doing in the forest with no end in sight? They’ll grow old there, and their children will die there. That is not their country—Rwanda is.”

Rejecting claims that the FDLR, often portrayed as a group of aging members, no longer threatens Rwanda, Musoni argued that even a small number of rebels can destabilize a nation.

“Rebels, no matter how few, can disrupt security,” he said, pointing to insurgencies in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso as examples. “The FDLR has proven it can create instability.”

He also highlighted the group’s internal fractures, noting that many fighters have returned to Rwanda, weakening its structure over time. Musoni attributed part of the FDLR’s persistence to its collaboration with the DRC government, which he accused of inconsistency.

“Those still working with the DRC should stop trusting its government—it shifts its stance too often,” he cautioned, urging fighters to return and contribute to Rwanda’s future alongside their compatriots.

Musoni also debunked misinformation spread by some in the Rwandan diaspora, who claim that Rwanda is unsafe and that returnees face oppression.

“No one is oppressed in Rwanda; all Rwandans are one,” he countered. “They will come and live the same life as others. If they ask how things are, they’ll hear the truth: people are living well. In Rwanda, life and development belong to all, and they should join in uplifting our country.”

He noted that ethnic divisions, once a hallmark of Rwandan society, have been replaced by unity and reconciliation—a transformation that surprised him upon his return.

“There’s no longer talk of ethnicity; it’s about being one people,” he said.

Reaffirming Rwanda’s commitment to safeguarding human life, Musoni declared, “Rwanda will never allow a repeat of the genocide. Human life is sacred and must be protected at all costs.”

He called genocide “the most serious crime above all others” and urged those contemplating such acts to recognize the sanctity of life. “It’s a gift from God—we must protect it. No one should say others don’t deserve to live,” he said.

“Once those abroad understand this, they’ll see there’s no discrimination in Rwanda. Different religions coexist, and ethnic labels are gone. Those who divide people by ethnicity don’t grasp what it means to be human.”

Boulos is currently in Rwanda, touring various parts of the country. On April 8, 2025, he held talks with President Paul Kagame focused on strengthening U.S.-Rwanda relations and addressing insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Trinity Metals confirmed on Thursday that the senior Trump envoy had visited their Nyakabingo mining site.

Trinity Nyakabingo, operated by Trinity Metals Group, expressed its pleasure in hosting Boulos at the site, where he learned about the source of the key mineral and the company’s growth plans.

“We were honored to host U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, at Trinity Nyakabingo Mine—Africa’s leading tungsten producer. He came to learn about Trinity’s growth plans and toured the mine to see firsthand where the minerals come from,” the company stated.

The Nyakabingo Mine produces over 1,000 tons of wolfram annually, with production expected to double within the next four years.

Wolframite is a highly valuable mineral from which tungsten is processed. Tungsten is an extremely hard metal used in construction, aircraft, tanks, satellites, firearms, ammunition, and other applications requiring high-strength materials.

Rwanda currently lacks a facility to refine wolfram into pure tungsten, so the mineral is exported at 68% purity. Once abroad, it is refined to 99.999% purity, resulting in high-grade tungsten.

Nyakabingo’s wolfram is exported primarily to Austria, where it is prized for its exceptional quality. In 2024 alone, 1,107 tons were exported.

Trinity Metals Group has invested $40 million across its mining operations, including Nyakabingo; Musha, which produces cassiterite and coltan and is under exploration for lithium; and Rutongo, which also produces cassiterite.

In 2024, Trinity Metals exported a combined total of 2,226 tons of wolfram, cassiterite, and coltan. By 2029, the company plans to increase its annual exports to 5,201 tons.

The Office of the President at Urugwiro Village confirmed the meeting, but did not disclose further details about the topics discussed.

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The company aims to provide simpler, faster, and safer solutions for the world’s biggest brands and their customers. Its AI-powered service portfolio includes front-office customer care, back-office functions, operations consulting, and high-value digital transformation services.

Teleperformance also offers specialized services such as collections, interpreting and localization, visa and consular services, and recruitment process outsourcing.

With multilingual experts across nearly 100 countries, Teleperformance’s global presence enables it to support communities, clients, and the environment.

In 2024, Teleperformance was named one of the top 10 World’s Best Workplaces by Fortune and Great Place To Work, ranking 7th among the top companies. This marked the fourth consecutive year that Teleperformance had earned a spot on the world’s top employer list.

Teleperformance could be a valuable partner for Rwanda, particularly as the country continues to invest in AI across various key sectors.

On March 3, a new AI-powered center was officially opened in Rwanda, focusing on the collection and storage of health-related data, underscoring AI’s significant role in strengthening the country’s health sector.

The center’s opening coincided with the commencement of the Global AI Summit on Africa.

Sources within the country’s political and business circles say Angeline used her influence to orchestrate the arrest of Rwandan businessman Dushimimana Protais, the head of Dupro International Trade Company (DITCO), an oil import firm that recently beat Prestige in a government fuel procurement deal.

Dushimimana’s company had secured contracts to supply fuel to various government ministries, a move that placed him at odds with Prestige, which had been struggling to recover from an earlier setback involving the detention of its fuel shipments in Tanzania due to tax evasion allegations.

According to insiders in Gitega, Dushimimana was arrested in early 2025 and is currently being held at the overcrowded Mpimba Central Prison in Bujumbura alongside his lawyer, Ciza Felicien.

Neither of the two has been granted access to a court hearing, with their release reportedly hinging on direct orders from the First Family.

The Rwandan businessman is accused of playing a role in the blockage of Prestige’s fuel shipments from Bahrain—an accusation some believe is being used to justify his detention and eliminate him from the competition.

Observers say this move has further exacerbated Burundi’s fuel crisis, as one of the few functioning suppliers has now been silenced. Prestige, meanwhile, is reportedly positioning itself as the sole fuel importer, tightening Angeline Ndayishimiye’s grip on the country’s critical energy sector.

Fuel prices in the country have skyrocketed—now five times higher than previous levels—forcing many Burundians to resort to black market purchases.

Daily life has become unpredictable, with the state petroleum company, SOPEBU, posting last-minute fuel distribution lists on X. Vehicle owners face strict rations, with taxis limited to just 20 litres of fuel per week.

Frustration is mounting. “You post the list at 3 p.m. while we’ve spent the whole day queuing at the wrong station. How is this fair?” one of the consumers vented.

Anger is also growing toward President Ndayishimiye and his family, who are increasingly seen as enriching themselves at the expense of a nation that ranks among the five poorest in the world, with a GDP per capita of just $193. Critics argue that the First Family’s alleged attempts to monopolize strategic sectors like oil are worsening the plight of Burundians.

“Corruption and the misappropriation of public funds are at the root of this crisis,” said Patrick Nkurunziza, leader of the opposition coalition Burundi Bwa Bose, in an interview with AFP.

“These odious practices are so deeply embedded in the current political system that any effort to reverse them is almost futile.”

Despite regularly presenting themselves as pious figures—often seen giving public sermons—President Évariste Ndayishimiye and his wife now face growing scrutiny over the stark contrast between their religious image and their actions, which many see as exploitative and self-serving.

There are growing fears that the First Family’s actions to silence business rivals could deepen instability, cripple the energy sector, and dash any remaining hopes of recovery for millions of Burundians.

His arrest came as a shock to many who had begun to believe he would never be found. As Rwandans often say, “A thief has only 40 days”, his time had finally run out.

Rwanda’s then-Minister of Justice, Johnson Busingye, said that Kabuga’s arrest was a great relief and a major milestone. “Having been on the run for 26 years, this shows that you can run, but you can’t hide forever. People had started to think he’d never be caught,” he said.

Despite the initial celebration, Kabuga’s trial soon became a highly unusual legal case. He was the only Rwandan to be tried by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) in The Hague. Others were tried earlier in Arusha, before that tribunal closed.

During the three years before the trial was suspended in 2023, the proceedings were filled with unprecedented events. Kabuga’s trial was not business as usual, nor a mockery, but it was full of legal and procedural complexities.

A highly unusual trial

Kabuga’s courtroom appearances were limited to only 90 minutes per session, unlike other defendants who could sit through full-day hearings. His trial was scheduled three times a week, also unlike the intensive daily trials others faced. Due to reported health issues, Kabuga often attended via videoconference.

Five medical experts assessed him and concluded that he was not fit to stand trial. In September 2023, based on their report, the court formally suspended proceedings against him.

Kabuga became the first accused to be released from trial obligations due to health-related unfitness.This decision deeply disappointed many Rwandans, especially Genocide survivors, who had hoped for justice and accountability.

A billion-franc debt to the UN

Another astonishing aspect of Kabuga’s case is that he became the first Rwandan tried at the UN level to owe the organization money. Initially, Kabuga claimed he couldn’t afford a lawyer and was appointed French attorney Emmanuel Altit.

However, the court later opened an investigation into Kabuga’s finances and found he had enough means to cover the cost of his defense.

His eldest son, Donatien Nshimyumuremyi, unintentionally revealed this in a press statement on September 22, 2022, saying his father had substantial wealth and could hire any lawyer he wished. The court followed up, requesting detailed information about Kabuga’s assets.

On October 18, 2022, his son provided the requested information. A year later, in October 2023, the court concluded that Kabuga indeed had the capacity to pay back the $1,184,500 (approx. Rwf 1.7 billion) in legal fees and trial preparation costs.

Assets were identified in France, the UK, Belgium, Kenya, and Rwanda, including bank accounts, properties, and other valuables. Although exact figures remain confidential, the court confirmed that Kabuga had sufficient resources to pay the full amount.

Asset freezing and international cooperation

The court moved to freeze his known assets across the four countries. However, collecting the funds has proven difficult due to legal procedures in each country. Some governments have been slow to cooperate.

Additionally, even after the court ruled him unfit for trial, Kabuga remains detained in The Hague. Two countries declined to accept him on their soil, citing his role as a major architect of the Genocide against the Tutsi.

Though the court has not yet ruled out extraditing him to Rwanda, medical experts claim his condition makes such travel unsafe.

As of now, Kabuga is in legal limbo, neither standing trial due to illness, nor released, as no country is willing to accept him. It’s reminiscent of the biblical curse on Cain. “Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground… you will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

The FDLR, a group long entrenched in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was created by individuals, many of them fugitives from justice, who fled Rwanda after orchestrating or participating in the genocide.

These included former military officers and ideologues who swore never to return to Rwanda unless it was under their control.

Gakwerere, once a lieutenant stationed at the ESO military academy in Butare, later became the Secretary General of the FDLR. But his legacy is steeped in blood, beginning with the role he played in the early days of the genocide.

According to testimony from CG Evariste Murenzi, a former FDLR member quoted in a 2007 African Rights report, Gakwerere used to openly joke about his involvement in the killings.

“He bragged that he ordered soldiers to storm the residence of Jean-Baptiste Habyarimana, the Prefect of Butare,” Murenzi revealed. This was no ordinary act.

Habyarimana, a member of the opposition Liberal Party (PL), had defied the genocidal regime’s push to initiate mass killings in Butare. He promised local residents that he would protect them, a stance that infuriated the interim government led by Théodore Sindikubwabo.

On April 19, 1994, Sindikubwabo condemned Butare residents for not joining the killings. Just two days later, Habyarimana was arrested, by a unit led by Gakwerere, and taken to Gitarama, where he was killed. His murder marked the brutal turning point for Butare.

Among the most shocking crimes linked to Gakwerere is the assassination of Queen Rosalie Gicanda, widow of King Mutara III Rudahigwa. On the morning of April 20, 1994, a military unit including Gakwerere arrived at her modest home in Butare.

They abducted her along with six other women and executed them behind the national museum. Her death devastated survivors and remains one of the most haunting symbols of how far the genocidaires were willing to go.

But Gakwerere’s blood-stained trail didn’t end there. He is also said to have led a 15-man unit that attacked the Catholic Diocese of Butare and a nearby convent on May 17, killing six people, including young girls, some of whom were stoned to death.

Furthermore, investigations revealed that Gakwerere was the commander of a notorious new military division known as “New Formula,” responsible for mass killings of Tutsi at roadblocks and various sites across Butare.

Survivors remember the terror instilled by these killings, many watched their families slaughtered in broad daylight, often after being falsely promised protection.

For decades, Gakwerere evaded justice, rising through the FDLR ranks while hiding in the Congolese jungles. His capture by M23 fighters and handover to Rwanda in 2025 marked a crucial step toward accountability.

For survivors, it is a moment that reaffirms their pursuit of justice, memory, and truth. Justice may be delayed, but it is not denied. The haunting memories of Gakwerere’s victims, and the survivors who live with those scars, demand that the world never forget the scale of evil that took root in 1994.

His trial will not only expose the depth of his crimes but also serve as a testament to the resilience of those who survived and the ongoing commitment to never allow such horror to happen again.

Speaking during the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi on Monday, April 7, Kagame reminded the nation that despite the weight of a painful past and the cruelty of current misrepresentations, Rwanda must hold its head high.

He emphasised that Rwanda’s survival hinges on its people’s refusal to be crushed by historical trauma and ongoing external pressures.

“The dark past and the cruel present—how do you manage that?” Kagame asked rhetorically, acknowledging the inseparable link between the Genocide against the Tutsi, which scarred Rwanda and claimed more than a million lives 31 years ago, and the challenges it faces today.

“From the beginning, we were under no illusion that the two were siblings, and we had to deal with them as such. You are either crushed in between and cease to exist, or you stand up and fight.”

Kagame framed Rwanda’s resilience as a hard-earned strength, forged through adversity.

“What didn’t kill us and finish us 31 years ago has hardened us,” he asserted, assuring the nation that the worst is behind them.

“The hurricane came, and we took cover… it has passed, and we rebuilt. I don’t think there’s any other hurricane that will come and sweep across the country, destroying everything.”

He urged Rwandans to reject passivity, warning that while standing up carries risks, inaction guarantees defeat.

“There is a risk you may die when you stand up to fight. But if you don’t, it’s a sure thing you’re going to die,” he said.

He added, “And fighting does not involve invading anybody’s territory, does not involve going after something that is not ours. Fighting, I mean, is if you find us here and want to treat us the way you want, that you have seen in the past, I just want to assure you, you will not succeed.”

The president did not shy away from confronting international critics, accusing Western powers and the United Nations of perpetuating a “cruel present” through hypocrisy and selective justice.

Kagame also voiced frustration at what he described as double standards in international diplomacy—particularly regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the treatment of Congolese Tutsi refugees in Rwanda.

“They’re fine with that. And they expect us to accept it also ourselves, in broad daylight—hate speech, killings of people for their identity, uprooting them from their homes. And most of them are refugees here in this country.

“We have 125,000 people living as refugees in camps, uprooted from their homes in eastern Congo. Then these powerful people come here and pick one, two, three—another day, five, if there are many—to go and settle them in their beautiful countries. And they leave the majority here.”

He condemned African leaders he described as “puppets,” who enrich themselves while their citizens suffer in poverty.

“Find billionaires in a sea of poverty,” he said. “These are the ones received in Western capitals and praised.”

Kagame also dismissed claims that Rwanda was plundering minerals in eastern DRC and denounced calls for sanctions.

“If the allegations about the minerals were actually true, Rwanda would be as rich as those making the accusations. In fact, we wouldn’t need your money at all.”

Extending his message beyond Rwanda, Kagame challenged Africans to resist dehumanisation and dependency.

“My message goes to other Africans who live like this on a daily basis—who are dehumanised, and they accept it, and they beg,” he said. “I can’t beg to live. When can Africans refuse to be mistreated like this? To be told their lives have to be lived as a favour?”

April 7 is recognised as the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994. The day is observed globally to honour the memory of more than one million lives lost in just 100 days.

Earlier, President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame lit a flame of hope at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, marking the official start of the commemoration week and the 100 days of remembrance activities.

The First Family also laid wreaths on the mass graves and paid tribute to the victims.