Through a post on the social media platform X, Kanyuka stated, “General Chirimwami is dead,” describing the military general as the “Commander-in-Chief of the FDLR,” a terrorist group composed of the remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
He added: “He was killed in Kasengezi while visiting the front lines to have his photo taken.”
Maj. Gen. Cirimwami was widely known as a strong supporter of armed groups such as Wazalendo and FDLR. He openly demonstrated his role in coordinating operations between the Congolese army (FARDC) and these groups, especially in their conflict with the M23 rebels.
Numerous expert reports have indicated that Maj. Gen. Cirimwami played a key role in strengthening ties between the FDLR, the Congolese government, and its military forces.
The military governor’s killing was reported just hours after the M23 announced its intention to seize the city of Goma, considered the capital of North Kivu Province in DRC.
The group’s political spokesperson stated that the residents of Goma were suffering and promised their liberation.
Earlier in the day the M23 fighters had clashed with Congolese forces near the city of Sake, located just over 20 kilometres from Goma, before seizing the town.
The Congolese military deployed fighter jets in areas near Sake in an attempt to push M23 forces out of the city. Reports indicate that Maj. Gen. Cirimwami had gone to support the troops on the ground but was ultimately killed in the clashes, as confirmed by M23.
M23 forces are not only present in Sake but also control other areas surrounding Goma, including Minova near Lake Kivu and Kibumba in the Nyiragongo territory.
M23’s political spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, stated on January 23, 2025, that while the group has assured it harbours no hostile intentions toward the peacekeeping forces, they are preparing to defend themselves against potential attacks.
M23 fighters, engaged in clashes with the Congolese army and allied forces, seized Sake, a town located just over 20 kilometres from Goma, on Thursday after repeatedly warning UN and SAMIDRC forces to stay out of the ongoing conflict.
“All signals indicate that MONUSCO and SAMIDRC are ready to attack us. Therefore, we will defend ourselves,” Kanyuka wrote on his X page.
The capture of Sake, a key strategic point, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing violence between the rebel group and government forces. M23 says it is defending the interests of minority Congolese Tutsis, many of whom have suffered discrimination and exclusion in DRC.
Footage from the Sake-Goma road showed Congolese forces, alongside UN and SADC troops, retreating eastward.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Congolese army has begun deploying warplanes in an effort to dislodge M23 fighters from Sake, even as the group vows to advance and capture Goma
“The people of Goma have suffered greatly, like other Congolese. The AFC/M23 is on its way to liberate them, and they must prepare to welcome this liberation. They need not fear anything: the AFC/M23 is coming to bring them peace,” the spokesperson added.
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, made this pledge during a diplomatic reception held in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to celebrate the incoming U.S. administration.
The event, organized by Rwanda’s Embassy in the United States and Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien, brought together members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, business leaders, and friends of Rwanda.
During the gathering, which was attended by Mathilde Mukantabana, the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the United States, Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized Rwanda’s commitment to fostering stronger partnerships with the U.S. and other nations represented at the reception.
“Rwanda is committed to further strengthen its relations with the United States of America, under the Trump Administration,” he said.
Ambassador O’Brien’s presence at the gathering was particularly significant. He served as the 27th U.S. National Security Advisor between 2019 and 2021. As President Trump’s principal advisor on all aspects of American foreign policy and national security, O’Brien previously led the U.S. government’s diplomatic efforts on hostage-related matters.
The event served as a platform to celebrate the incoming U.S. administration and underscore Rwanda’s vision of continued bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
President Trump was inaugurated on Monday, January 20, after defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the presidential election held in November last year.
Earlier in the month, President Paul Kagame expressed optimism about potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy under Trump’s leadership, particularly concerning African matters.
This includes the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been fueled by ongoing clashes between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army, along with allied militias such as the FDLR—a group composed of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
President Kagame shared his views during a New Year press conference on January 9, 2025, where he addressed various topics.
In response to a question from an Al Jazeera journalist about what new developments might be expected from the new U.S. administration regarding the DRC, President Kagame stated that he respects the changes in leadership, acknowledging that they were made for valid reasons.
“I respect the change that has taken place in the United States because for it to happen, it must have been for very good reasons that the Americans endorsed with their vote,” he said.
Kagame also noted that while the transition represents democratic processes, the U.S.’s approach to political issues is expected to evolve.
“There are many things, even geopolitically, at least the approach, that are going to change for sure […] I think that it will be the same with the approach to how African matters may be dealt with generally, and specifically with Eastern Congo. The same might see change happen,” he remarked.
“That’s what I think from a distance, and I am just waiting for what will follow,” he added.
The President has, in the past, accused the international community of turning a blind eye to the root causes of tensions in eastern Congo. He insists that the issues stem from, among others, arbitrary drawing of borders during the colonial era and governance issues.
President Kagame and First Lady Jeannette arrived in Turkey on January 22, 2025, for an official working visit.
On January 23, they visited Anıtkabir, the resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and laid a wreath in honor of the leader who held power from 1923 until his death in 1938.
Anıtkabir mausoleum complex is located in the Çankaya district of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It was constructed between 1944 and 1953.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, renowned as Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, was a Turkish Field Marshal and political leader who spearheaded the revolution that established Turkey as an independent and modern republic.
President Kagame is also scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Following their private discussions, the two leaders are expected to address the press and later attend a state dinner together.
The bilateral relations between Rwanda and Turkey have grown significantly since Rwanda opened its embassy in Ankara in 2013.
The following year, Turkey reciprocated by opening its embassy in Kigali. To strengthen this partnership further, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, visited Rwanda in May 2016.
During this visit, three cooperation agreements were signed, focusing on foreign affairs, education, and easing travel between the two countries.
Currently, the governments of Rwanda and Turkey have 18 cooperation agreements, covering areas such as culture, science, technology, and innovation.
Some of these agreements were signed in January 2023 during a visit to Rwanda by Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, reinforcing the long-standing ties between the two nations.
OpenAI said on Tuesday that it would team up with SoftBank and Oracle to build multiple data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States. The companies expect to commit 100 billion U.S. dollars to Stargate initially and invest 500 billion dollars into the venture over the next four years.
“SoftBank and OpenAI are the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility,” the joint statement noted.
“They don’t actually have the money,” Musk wrote in a series of posts on X on Tuesday. “SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.”
Altman fired back at Musk in an X post Wednesday. “Wrong, as you surely know,” Altman said, responding to Musk’s allegation that SoftBank was short of capital.
Altman added that Stargate is great for the country. “I realize what is great for the country isn’t always what’s optimal for your companies, but in your new role, I hope you’ll mostly put America first.”
xAI, like OpenAI, is hungry for infrastructure to develop its AI systems. Musk’s company is estimated to have spent 12 billion dollars on its single data center in Memphis and could spend billions more upgrading the facility, according to a report by TechCrunch.
Other partners include Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, Paraguay, the Philippines, UNICEF, and the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children.
British High Commissioner Alison Thorpe expressed her delight at Rwanda’s participation from the outset of this crucial campaign. She commended the Rwandan government for its dedication to children’s social care reform, particularly through its support for the Kigali Declaration on Child Care and Protection Reform in 2022.
“I look forward to building on this momentum, jointly championing this cause, so we can strengthen the global alliance and improve the lives of children everywhere,” Thorpe said.
Rwanda’s Tubarerere Mu Muryango (TMM) programme, part of the national childcare reform strategy, has already achieved significant milestones in de-institutionalizing children.
By the end of 2022, over 90% of children without disabilities who had been in institutional care since 2012 had transitioned to family-based care.
The Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to collaborating with the UK to launch and promote the global campaign.
This commitment aligns with Rwanda’s belief that “caring for vulnerable children is a responsibility of the whole community” and that every child deserves to grow up in a family setting.
The UK Foreign Secretary emphasized the importance of ensuring that every child worldwide has the right to a safe and loving family environment.
The alliance aims to strengthen families to prevent child separation and promote alternative forms of family-based care, such as kinship care, where a child is cared for by a relative or close friend.
This alliance represents a significant step in the UK’s broader campaign to end the institutionalization of children, which is up to five times more costly than family-based care.
Later this year, the campaign will advance with the launch of a Global Charter to further this mission.
The growth, fueled by foreign investments in Rwandan businesses and assets, reflects the country’s increasing appeal to international investors and highlights the government’s efforts to improve its investment landscape.
FDI was the dominant contributor to Foreign Private Capital (FPC), making up 80.8% of total inflows. FPC increased by 33.8% to reach USD 888.9 million in 2023.
The report attributes the remarkable growth to several factors, including robust economic performance, with Rwanda maintaining an average GDP growth of 8.2% in both 2022 and 2023.
The growth in FDI inflows was driven by significant increases in equity capital, reinvested earnings, and intra-company borrowings. Equity capital alone grew by 22.7%, while reinvested earnings rose by 36.2%. Intra-company borrowings saw the highest jump at 72.9%, reflecting confidence among international parent companies in their Rwandan subsidiaries.
Sectors leading the charge included the financial sector, which attracted 21.4% of total FDI inflows, followed by manufacturing (19.1%), ICT (13.9%), and wholesale and retail trade (13.8%). Notably, real estate activities saw a drastic surge of 1,966%, demonstrating a growing demand for infrastructure development.
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Mauritius emerged as the top source of FDI, contributing 28.2% of total inflows in 2023. Investments from Mauritius were predominantly directed towards electricity, gas, financial services, and wholesale and retail trade.
India followed with a 12.2% share, focusing on ICT and education sectors, while Kenya accounted for 9.5% of the total, despite a decline compared to previous years. The United States, France, and Germany also significantly increased their investments, with growth rates of 86.6%, 408%, and a staggering 1,350%, respectively. These countries’ contributions were concentrated in real estate, manufacturing, and agriculture.
FDI’s impact extended beyond financial metrics, contributing to a 20.3% growth in employment within FPC enterprises. Over 10,000 new jobs were created, primarily in managerial and technical roles, underscoring the transformative potential of these investments in enhancing local skillsets and livelihoods.
The Rwandan government’s Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) aims to double private investment from $2.2 billion in 2023 to $4.6 billion by 2029.
Key initiatives, such as the Manufacture and Build to Recover Program (MBRP), are expected to sustain this momentum. With USD 2.38 billion already mobilized through MBRP, the government remains optimistic about meeting its targets.
The Foreign Private Capital (FPC) survey is conducted by the Central Bank, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), and the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).
The suspects allegedly killed the woman identified as Clementine Mukandekezi, who lived alone in her home in Munazi Cell, Save Sector, Gisagara District.
The suspects are said to have broke into Mukandekezi’s house, raped her, and then murdered her before stealing some of her belongings.
During the attack, Mukandekezi screamed for help, alerting neighbors who immediately contacted the police.
Witnesses reported that Mukandekezi called out the name of one of the suspects during the assault.
Police responded around 1 a.m. after hearing the commotion. Neighbors used the sector leader’s vehicle to rush Mukandekezi to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Three suspects were initially arrested and detained at Save Police Station. However, by 5:30 a.m., it was discovered that they had escaped by digging through the wall of their cell and removing bricks.
Rwanda National Police Spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga confirmed the incident, saying the suspects identified as Nshimiyimana Eric, 22, and Nshimiyimana Innocent, 20, fled the station by digging a hole in the wall.
“After the escape was noticed, we launched a search operation. At around 12:30 p.m., a police officer encountered two of them in hiding. They resisted arrest, and the officer shot them. The third suspect, Gabiro Jean de Dieu, was apprehended,” ACP Rutikanga explained.
An investigation is underway to determine how the suspects managed to escape from custody and to uncover the motive behind their heinous crime against Mukandekezi.
IGIHE has learnt that one of the suspects, Nshimiyimana Innocent, had recently been released from prison where he was serving a two-year sentence for theft. He had been allowed to complete the remainder of his sentence outside prison.
ACP Rutikanga commended the residents for reporting the incident to the authorities and aiding in the search.
“We appreciate the residents’ cooperation in reporting the crime and providing information that led to the apprehension of the suspects. We assure Rwandans that the police will continue to pursue anyone who commits crimes and tries to evade justice. Ensuring the safety of Rwandans is our duty,” he said.
He also urged citizens to remain vigilant and report anyone involved in criminal activities to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
The dam will have a height of 27.5 meters, a crest length of 377 meters, and a reservoir capacity of 6.5 million cubic meters, with a catchment area of 56.9 square kilometres.
The initiative aims to improve agricultural resilience to climate change and will facilitate the irrigation of 2,640 hectares of farmland in Gisagara District.
The concessional financing loan agreement was formalized during a signing ceremony attended by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa, and China’s Ambassador to Rwanda, Wang Xuekun. The agreement reflects the growing economic partnership between the two nations.
The project supports Rwanda’s Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) goals, which promote water-saving technologies to boost irrigation productivity and drive economic growth.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Minister Murangwa praised China’s continued support, noting that the partnership will help achieve Rwanda’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“China has been a steadfast development partner for Rwanda, supporting various sectors critical to our development aspirations. The Giseke Dam and irrigation project will significantly contribute to the sustainable transformation of agriculture, as outlined in NST2,” he said.
Ambassador Wang Xuekun, on his part, hailed the project as a milestone in implementing President Xi Jinping’s “10 Partnership Action Plans” for China-Africa cooperation.
“This project is a tangible outcome of the China-Rwanda collaboration and holds significant importance in advancing Rwanda’s agricultural modernization and production capacity,” Ambassador Wang remarked.
An estimated 915 households, comprising 4,578 individuals, will directly benefit from the irrigation infrastructure, enabling them to cultivate crops more efficiently.
The project is also expected to boost the commercialization of agricultural products in local and regional markets, driving economic growth in Gisagara District and beyond.
The deal reinforces the robust economic cooperation between Rwanda and China, which has seen significant investments in infrastructure, education, health, and energy.
Currently, China’s financial support to Rwanda includes $600 million in concessional loans and grants, with $450 million allocated to loans and $150 million to grants.
Mondlane of the Podemos party made the comments during an interview with the BBC, signalling a potential thaw in the icy relationship between the two political rivals.
The overture comes after months of unrest following Mozambique’s contested October 2024 election, which Chapo won with 65% of the vote. Mondlane, who secured 24%, has consistently denounced the results as fraudulent.
In the interview with the BBC, Mondlane stated that he had decided to temporarily halt protests. However, he outlined three demands as conditions for resolving the ongoing political crisis.
These include the unconditional release of 5,000 individuals detained during the demonstrations, financial compensation for the families of those killed by security forces, and the provision of free medical treatment for those injured in the post-election unrest.
“If [President Chapo] meets these conditions, I will open a window for negotiations,” Mondlane told the BBC. He added that he would be willing to serve in Chapo’s government if the president genuinely sought dialogue.
President Chapo of the Frelimo party was inaugurated on January 15, 2025, in Maputo in a ceremony conducted under heavy security.
Addressing around 2,500 attendees, Chapo vowed to unify the nation, stating, “Together, we will restore patriotism and pride in being Mozambican.”
He also pledged to combat corruption and deliver reforms aimed at decentralizing power, promoting human rights, and improving the economy.
“Mozambique cannot remain a hostage to corruption, nepotism, and incompetence,” Chapo declared.
Chapo affirmed his pledge to create job opportunities for the nation’s youth, adding that economic revitalization was key to stability.
“We must recover our country economically… it’s easy to destroy, but building is not an easy task,” he said.
President Chapo has also indicated openness to forming an inclusive government.
“We are considering profiles of individuals who demonstrate competence, patriotism, and meritocracy,” Chapo said, referring to ongoing discussions about involving opposition members in governance.
