“The decision follows allegations of voter inducement in today’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries in the Ayawaso East Constituency, in which Mr. Baba Jamal, a candidate, participated,” the Presidency said in the statement.
The NDC held an internal election in the Ayawaso East constituency in the capital, Accra, to select a parliamentary candidate to replace a former legislator who passed away in January.
Mahama said that while allegations of vote-buying were made against multiple candidates who contested the primaries, Baba Jamal was the only serving public officer among them.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the president considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office and to avoid any perception of impropriety or conflict with the Government’s code of conduct for political appointees,” the statement said.
NIDA Director General Josephine Mukesha said the program, which was previously conducted in the districts of Huye, Gisagara, Nyanza, Muhanga, Ruhango, and Kamonyi, will now continue in Kigali.
The enrollment process in the city is expected to take seven weeks. Each week, NIDA teams will operate in two to three sectors per district before moving to the next, depending on Kigali’s layout. Multiple registration sites may be set up in each sector to accommodate residents efficiently.
During the first week, enrollment is taking place in 17 sites across Nyakabanda, Rwezamenyo, and Gitega sectors in Nyarugenge District; 14 sites in Kimihurura and Kacyiru sectors in Gasabo District; and 12 sites in Niboyi, Kagarama, and Kicukiro sectors in Kicukiro District.
Mukesha emphasised that services will also be available on weekends to ensure citizens who work during weekdays can participate.
“We encourage parents to come and register themselves and their children. Weekend services allow parents with school-going children to accompany them without missing work,” she said.
Operating hours will generally begin at 7 a.m., with some sites extending into the evening, depending on coordination with district authorities.
Residents verifying their identities will need their parents’ National ID numbers or, for married individuals, their spouse’s ID number. Mukesha noted that challenges have included parents failing to register their children in the civil registry and outdated information for spouses. She urged residents to ensure records are up to date at the village level before attending enrollment.
NIDA has also made it possible for individuals with smartphones to verify their information online via the Irembo platform, reducing time spent at enrollment sites. “When citizens arrive at a site, the process should take no more than 10 minutes,” Mukesha said.
The Digital ID will be issued to Rwandans, foreign residents, refugees, asylum seekers, children born out of wedlock, migrants, and stateless persons residing in Rwanda.
IDs will be available in physical card form, as a QR code that can be stored on a phone or computer, and as a unique “token” number to access personal information. Physical IDs will no longer be required for accessing services.
Biometric identifiers include fingerprints, all ten fingers, and facial recognition. Children under five will receive an ID with a photo only, while full biometric data collection will begin from age five.
The program, which began in 2023, is part of a larger project in partnership with the World Bank, with an investment of approximately 200 billion Rwandan francs. The Digital ID is expected to be fully rolled out by July 2026.
The 18th edition of the Tour du Rwanda is scheduled to take place from February 22 to March 1, 2026, across several districts of the country.
With two weeks remaining before the international race begins, the Rwanda Cycling Federation (FERWACY) organised the Amahoro Criterium for the second consecutive year, following its debut in 2025, as part of efforts to evaluate riders’ form and race fitness.
The event brought together elite and under-23 male riders from various teams, including four Rwandan outfits set to compete in the Tour du Rwanda: Team Rwanda, May Stars, Team Amani, and Benediction Banaafrica Team.
A total of 54 riders lined up for the race, which started and finished at the Amahoro Stadium (Migina). The 3.9-kilometre circuit, passing through Contrôle Technique, kwa Rwahama, and Airtel, was covered over 12 laps.
Byukusenge crossed the line first in 1 hour and 15 seconds, finishing three seconds ahead of Étienne Tuyizere (Team Rwanda) and Jérémie Ngendahayo (May Stars).
Nsengiyumva Shemu and Shadrack Ufitimana, both of Team Rwanda, completed the top five. Vainqueur Masengesho placed sixth to finish as the best rider from Benediction Banaafrica Team, while Samuel Niyonkuru of Team Amani finished 13th.
Reacting to his victory, Byukusenge said the result reflected the team’s solid preparation ahead of the Tour du Rwanda.
“It was a good race. We have been preparing for some time and have spent over a month in camp. Winning doesn’t come as a surprise because we prepared well,” he said.
He added that the team is aiming for an improved performance compared to last year.
“We are confident we will perform better than last year. Our showing at the Tour of Sharjah demonstrated that we are in good condition.”
In the under-23 category, Shadrack Ufitimana emerged the winner, followed by Kevin Nshutiraguma, both from Team Rwanda, while Aimé Ruhumuriza of May Stars finished third.
Verás, known for her work with Angola’s national broadcaster, TPA (Televisão Pública de Angola), where she was praised for giving a voice to African perspectives, saw her reporting shift in early 2025 when President Tshisekedi began seeking U.S. support to stop the war in his country.
In recent months, Verás has repeatedly framed the DRC conflict in ways that echo accusations from the Tshisekedi government. Claims such as “Rwanda is supporting AFC/M23,” “Rwanda attacked the DRC,” and “Rwanda’s aggression” began appearing in her coverage, with calls for the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Rwanda.
Since April 2025, Verás has largely ignored crises affecting other African nations, including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Sahel region, despite claiming to cover continental issues. Her posts on platforms like X and YouTube have focused almost exclusively on DRC.
Neo Africa reported on February 6 2026, that “Verás has turned the DRC issue into her personal and professional battle.” The journalist has not denied these claims, instead continuing to amplify them.
Her approach has drawn sharp criticism from fellow journalists and officials. Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda said:
“Please don’t insult journalism by calling this woman one. She is a political hack paid to tarnish the name of Rwanda. What she doesn’t know, if she cares at all, is that her lies cannot hide the truths about DRC’s violations of the accords.”
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, also condemned her actions:
“She pretends to speak for ‘the African people’ in Washington. Yet, she travelled to Kinshasa twice in a year, where she met President Tshisekedi; she accepted a gift from him before cameras, and broadcasted her interview with President Ndayishimiye only on DRC public television (RTNC),” Nduhungirehe said on Saturday, responding to a video showing the journalist holding a microphone of the Congolese state media RTNC, where officials have been making ethnically charged statements and anti-Tutsi rhetoric.
He added, “Lately, she was going around at the Capitol with extremely biased questions, displaying her unprofessionalism and obsession against Rwanda. And today, we are now discovering that she was holding a RTNC microphone at the White House; yet, she had never revealed that she was on Kinshasa payroll. Someone should have to explain this fraud.”
Verás’ reporting intensified even after Rwanda and the DRC signed peace and economic cooperation agreements on December 4, 2025, facilitated by the United States. Observers noted that her questions at the White House appeared to be prompted by the DRC government, as she seemed to allege and push President Donald Trump to comment on the alleged presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC.
Following her recent trips and interviews with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye, analysts warn that Verás appears unaware of key facts, such as the identity and local presence of AFC/M23 fighters.
Verás’ coverage has been criticised for amplifying the DRC government’s claims without independently verifying them on the ground or posing balanced questions to leaders accused of lacking good faith in resolving the eastern DRC challenges.
Observers warn that Verás’ reporting exemplifies the risks when journalists become tools for political agendas rather than independent observers of conflict.
He made the comments in a post on X, highlighting the indirect negotiations between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Friday.
Pezeshkian said that the discussions took place as a result of the follow-up efforts by “friendly” governments in the West Asia region, emphasizing that dialogue has consistently been Iran’s chosen strategy for resolving issues peacefully.
Meanwhile, speaking at a national conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who headed the country’s delegation at Friday’s talks, said, “No one can tell us what to have and what not to have.”
He assured that Iran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, while firmly rejecting any form of bullying.
Araghchi said: “If they speak to Iranian people using the language of force, we will respond to them with the same language. However, if they talk to us using the language of respect, their response will be given with the same language.”
The Friday talks were held amid heightened regional tensions between Washington and Tehran, including a recent U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and Iran’s stepped-up preparations.
After the conclusion of negotiations, Araghchi said: “In general, I can say that it was a good start. However, the continuation of the process depends on the two sides’ consultations in their capitals and their decisions about how to continue it.”
State-owned SABC reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa informed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last month of South Africa’s decision to withdraw its troops from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
South Africa is among the top 10 troop-contributing countries to MONUSCO, with over 700 soldiers currently deployed to support the mission’s peacekeeping mandate. According to the president, the decision to withdraw is driven by the “need to consolidate and realign the resources of the South African National Defence Force”, following 27 years of supporting UN peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.
The move comes after Pretoria had earlier repatriated several hundred troops from a Southern African Development Community (SADC) military mission in the DRC, following the deaths of 17 South African soldiers amid escalating conflict between Congolese government forces and the M23 rebel group.
SADC’s intervention force, SAMIDRC, which included troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, was deployed in December 2023 to combat M23 and other armed groups. Despite a one-year extension in November 2024, the mission struggled to achieve its objectives and suffered significant battlefield losses, including during the capture of Goma in early 2025.
The withdrawal of South African troops from MONUSCO is expected to be completed before the end of 2026, marking a major shift in the peacekeeping landscape in eastern DRC amid ongoing efforts to achieve a political solution.
Shema was elected on Saturday, February 7, during the CECAFA 2026 General Assembly in Djibouti, where member associations chose new leadership and discussed the development of football in the region. Twelve associations attended the assembly, which elected officials to serve four-year terms.
Shema, elected FERWAFA President in August 2025, will join the CECAFA Executive Committee to support sustainable development, enhance regional competitions, and strengthen cooperation with CAF, FIFA, and other stakeholders. He has also recently joined FIFA’s committee tasked with combating racism and discrimination in football.
Paulos Weldehaimanot Andemariam of Eritrea was elected CECAFA President, with Ali Abdi Mohamed of Somalia as Vice President. South Sudan’s Francis Amin Michael also joins the Executive Committee.
CECAFA’s current members include Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, Zanzibar, and South Sudan.
The election comes as CECAFA prepares to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
“The Americans are proposing that the parties end the war by the beginning of this summer, and they will likely exert pressure on the parties in line with this timetable,” Zelensky told reporters.
He suggested that the proposal deadline is linked to the start of the U.S. Congress election campaign.
Currently, there are four documents that will form the basis of security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the hostilities, Zelensky said.
He said the documents include a security guarantees agreement between Ukraine and the United States, an agreement on the creation of the Coalition of the Willing, a document on prospects for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union, and a short framework document that links the other three.
Data from Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) show that coffee imports into Kenya declined by 2.9 percent during the quarter under review, falling from 248.93 tonnes in 2024–2025 to 241.81 tonnes in 2025–2026. Despite the lower volumes, the total value of imports rose by 11.8 percent to $1.64 million, up from $1.47 million a year earlier, reflecting higher prices and changing consumer preferences.
The shift saw Rwanda overtake Uganda as Kenya’s leading coffee supplier during the period. This transition is largely driven by Rwanda’s specialisation in high-quality Arabica coffee, which accounts for approximately 98 percent of its total production. Unlike the bulk Robusta typically sourced from the region, Rwanda’s Arabica is prized for its bright acidity and complex flavour profiles, making it the preferred choice for Kenya’s expanding speciality coffee houses.
With the shift, Rwanda accounted for 43 percent of Kenya’s coffee imports, while Uganda’s coffee exports to Kenya declined from $1.13 million to $0.48 million during the period.
Rwanda’s stronger position in Kenya’s coffee market comes amid a record year for its global coffee exports. In 2025, Rwanda earned more than $148.6 million (about Rwf 216 billion) from coffee exports, the highest level on record, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).
Export volumes rose by 39 percent year-on-year to 23,860 tonnes of green coffee, while revenues increased by 65 percent compared with 2024, when exports totalled 17,142 tonnes valued at $89.8 million. Higher global prices also supported earnings, with the average export price rising by 19 percent to $6.2 per kilogram.
NAEB said the growth was driven by increased production from newly maturing coffee trees, improved farming practices and sustained investment across the sector. Market expansion efforts, particularly in specialty segments in Europe and North America, also contributed to the gains.
NAEB Chief Executive Claude Bizimana said the 2025 performance puts Rwanda on track to meet its medium-term targets under the second National Strategy for Transformation, which aims to raise coffee exports to 32,000 tonnes and generate $192 million in revenues by 2029.
For farmers, higher export earnings translated into improved returns. In 2025, growers earned an average of Rwf 900 per kilogramme of coffee cherries, above the minimum farm-gate price of Rwf 600 set by NAEB.
The disclosure was made by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, during the National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano) held on February 5–6, 2026.
Rwanda’s health sector has long faced staffing shortages, at times leaving a single health worker responsible for as many as 1,000 patients.
Dr. Butera said the government responded to this challenge by launching an ambitious strategy aimed at quadrupling the number of health workers within four years under the 4×4 programme, which is already showing positive results.
“Our biggest challenge was the shortage of health professionals. Before 2024, only about 1,600 people joined the health sector each year. In the most recent year alone, that number rose to 6,400, nearly four times higher, in line with our goal of expanding the health workforce fourfold within four years,” he said.
The growth has been particularly significant among nurses and midwives. Training capacity for nurses has expanded from around 200 students per year to nearly 2,000, while the annual intake of midwives has increased dramatically from 72 to about 1,000. This expansion is intended to bring maternal and general health services closer to communities across the country.
“With this momentum, we expect health services to become more accessible to citizens in the near future,” Dr. Butera noted.
He also highlighted progress in specialized healthcare services. Over the past three years, Rwanda has carried out kidney transplants for 83 patients, resulting in savings of approximately USD 800,000. In cardiac care, 543 children and 318 adults have undergone heart surgery.
Rwanda currently has 15 teaching hospitals that combine service delivery with medical training. The 2025/26 academic year also saw an increase in secondary schools offering nursing programs, rising from 12 to 18. In addition, both public and private universities and higher learning institutions are enrolling large numbers of students expected to help bridge remaining workforce gaps.
Launched in 2024, the 4×4 programme aims to improve the doctor-to-patient ratio from one doctor per 1,000 people to four doctors per 1,000. As of early July 2024, Rwanda had more than 25,000 health professionals, a figure projected to reach 58,582 by 2028 once the programme is fully implemented.
The initiative is supported by an investment exceeding USD 395 million, allocated to scholarships, training resources, medical equipment, infrastructure development and rehabilitation, and other key components aligned with the programme’s objectives.
