Paul Kagame Absent:Why all these rumours that the iron man of EAC is dead?Is it the first time for people to spread rumours that he is dead?

 

For several days, shockwaves have been sweeping through Rwanda and the Great Lakes region of Africa. Persistent rumors of the critical health, or even death, of President Paul Kagame are circulating widely on social media and some regional media outlets. This unprecedented situation has plunged the country into a climate of uncertainty, exacerbated by the total lack of official communication. How can this disturbing silence from the Rwandan authorities be explained?

The starting point of this information crisis lies in the sudden disappearance of the head of state from the public sphere. His official Twitter account, usually active, no longer displays any recent posts. Rwandan public media, normally quick to report on his activities, have observed an unusual silence. This media vacuum has created fertile ground for the most extravagant speculation. Some unverified sources suggest an emergency hospitalization in Germany, while others claim that a successor has already been discreetly appointed.

Disinformation is reaching worrying levels with the resurgence of old denials presented as current evidence. Videos dating back several years, in which Kagame previously denied similar rumors about his health, are being shared out of context. This manipulation contributes to further clouding perceptions of events. On the streets of Kigali and in neighboring capitals, concern is growing in the face of this information vacuum. Presidential health, a traditionally taboo subject in Rwanda, is suddenly becoming a matter of public debate.

This crisis comes at a sensitive geopolitical moment for the region. Rwanda, under Kagame's leadership, plays a key role in the stability/instability of Central Africa. His possible disappearance from the political scene raises crucial questions about the continuity of power and regional balances.

The complex relations between Kigali and Kinshasa, marked by recurring tensions, could enter a phase of heightened uncertainty. International observers are closely monitoring the situation, aware of the potential implications for regional security.

The lack of a formal denial from the Rwandan authorities raises questions. Traditionally quick to counter fake news, official channels remain strangely silent this time. This silence naturally fuels the darkest theories. A political analyst based in Goma points out: "In a country where information is strictly controlled, this communication gap is perceived as a worrying signal by the population." The rumor of Paul Kagame's death thus reveals the fragility of African political systems in the face of information storms.

Behind this affair looms a broader issue: the fight against disinformation in Africa. Social platforms, lacking effective verification mechanisms in local languages, are becoming amplifying sources of rumors. This situation illustrates the challenge posed by the health of African leaders, often shrouded in secrecy. When will we see greater transparency on these issues, which are crucial to democratic stability?

At this stage, there is no tangible evidence to support the allegations of the death or serious illness of the Rwandan president. Speculation about brain cancer or other pathologies remains conjectural. However, the political cost of this silence is growing heavier every day. The credibility of Rwandan institutions is being tested, while the population vacillates between concern and skepticism. This affair is a painful reminder of how a lack of transparency can weaken even the most established regimes.

The ball is now in the court of the authorities in Kigali. Only a public appearance or a clear official statement will be able to put an end to this collective psychosis. In the meantime, the international community is watching, aware that the future of an entire nation could be at stake in this communication crisis. The episode raises a fundamental question: in the digital age, can a government still control information when the head of state suddenly disappears from the media?

Posts faking the death of H E Kagame

I think RDF should clear air on this!

M23 and Wazalendo clash in Nyanzale

  

The security situation remains tense in the town of Nyanzale, in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu, where new fighting erupted this Sunday afternoon, June 22, between local Wazalendo fighters and AFC-M23 rebels, abruptly ending the lull observed in the morning. Intense crossfire was heard throughout the town, sowing panic among residents.

According to intelligence  collections from local sources, civilians, who had just returned to their homes in Nyanzale after a period of displacement, barricaded themselves in their homes, fearing major fighting.

Witnesses reported the presence of Wazalendo (VDP) fighters in the surrounding area, while M23 rebels are increasing their attempts to regain control of the neighboring village of Kiyeye, in the Kihondo groupement.

Earlier in the day, the Wazalendo of the CMC movement issued a statement denouncing a shelling attack on several towns, including Nyarubande, Burambo, Muhanga, Kihondo-centre, and Kiyeye, which occurred on Saturday. They announced their intention to respond quickly to what they described as a provocation.

other clashes  reportedly took place in the vicinity of Katsiru, pitting the same protagonists: M23 and Wazalendo.

The provisional death toll from Saturday's attack is two civilians killed in Kihondo-centre, a man and a woman, and ten houses burned in Nyarubande, in the Bwito chiefdom, according intelligence  sources.

Afande Muhoozi in Kinshasha sign a revised new hunt for the ADF terrorists

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commander of the Ugandan army and son of President Museveni, arrived in Kinshasa this Friday. With the agenda for  signing of the revised memorandum of understanding for Operation Shujaa is scheduled for Saturday with his Congolese counterpart, General Jules Banza of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to our intelligence collections from Kinshasha,The Ugandan army chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba is expected to sign the revised memorandum of understanding for Operation Shujaa with his counterpart from the DRC armed forces, Jules Banza, on Saturday, on Friday, June 20.

According to intelligence sources,a three-day joint meeting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) opened in Kinshasa as we learned from military sources.

The meeting focuses on revising the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing joint military operations in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, as part of the fight against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Experts from both armies are reviewing existing technical arrangements and are expected to finalize a report, which will be signed on Saturday. This is the first meeting between Lieutenant General Jules Banza Mwilambwe, Chief of the General Staff of the FARDC, and General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Commander of the UPDF and son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who arrived in Kinshasa as part of the assessment of Operation Shujaa.

The discussions also addressed the need to rehabilitate and continue construction of the Kasindi-Beni-Kisangani road.

Launched on November 30, 2021, Operation Shujaa is a joint military initiative of the FARDC and the UPDF aimed at neutralizing the ADF, a group accused of massacres of civilians in the DRC and attacks in Uganda. Several ADF strongholds have been dismantled since the operation began, notably between the villages of 47 and Kota-Okola, near Mamove.

In May 2024, the two armies had already carried out a joint assessment, noting partial successes in the fight against terrorist groups.

In a video reporting on the conclusions of the work on the memorandum of understanding related to the hunt for Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) jihadists in North Kivu (East) and Ituri (Northeast), it was announced that the signing will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Kinshasa, by the two chiefs of staff of the two countries' armed forces.

Viva UPDF....Viva FARDC.........

PRELIMINARY PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN KINSHASA AND KIGALI: Will the fruits live up to the promise of the flowers?

Under the auspices of the United States, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda initialed a peace agreement in Washington on June 18, with the official signing scheduled for June 27.

This preliminary agreement was reached after several days of intensive dialogue and behind-the-scenes negotiations between experts from both countries, meeting in Uncle Sam's country, under the watchful eye of U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker. It marks an important step in the search for peace and solutions to their ongoing conflict. This preliminary agreement is, to say the least, an important step in the process of rapprochement between Kinshasa and Kigali.

If the Agreement is officially signed, it would be a decisive step in the search for peace.

This is all the more true given that, aside from the Doha summit on March 18th, which brought together Presidents Félix Tshilombo and Paul Kagame alongside the Emir of Qatar, no high-level meeting has been held that brought together experts from these two countries in direct discussions.

The aim was to find a compromise to resolve the crisis and lay the foundations for lasting peace in this conflict that is poisoning the atmosphere between Kinshasa and Kigali and has already left many victims on the ground. This preliminary agreement is all the more a source of hope for a de-escalation between the two neighbors, given that no mediation has so far succeeded in making them smoke the peace pipe.

In any case, there is reason for hope. Because, following the official signing of this agreement scheduled for a week from now, according to some sources, a summit meeting between the two heads of state is looming in the very near future, in the presence of the White House occupant himself, President Donald Trump. This shows how encouraging the signs are.

Be that as it may, in the interest of efficiency and consistency in international efforts, Qatar was involved in the Washington discussions, where Doha participated as an observer. This also shows how everything is being done in advance to ensure a successful outcome of this initiative. The question that arises is whether the fruits of this preliminary agreement will live up to the promise... of the hopes raised. This question is all the more valid because, until the official agreement is signed, anything remains possible in this conflict, where the protagonists have accustomed us to twists and turns amidst delaying tactics and missed opportunities.

This is why we're keeping our fingers crossed, hoping that the June 27th deadline will be met. Because misunderstandings can easily arise if yet another event, or even a third, disruptive event, does not jeopardize the ongoing process. In any case, if the Agreement is officially signed, it would be a decisive step in the search for peace in this conflict that threatens the stability of the entire Great Lakes region.

If the process were to reach a successful conclusion, it would be a diplomatic victory for Trump.

This region has long been shaken by decades of armed conflict amid rivalries and disagreements between neighboring countries. In any case, if the process were to reach a successful conclusion, it would be a diplomatic victory for President Donald Trump, who would undoubtedly reap the political dividends. Even if the contrast between his image as a peacemaker between the DRC and Rwanda and his attitude of blind support for Israel in the merciless war that the Jewish state has unleashed against Iran remains striking. But such is the way of the world. Only interests guide the way.

And it's all the more understandable that the United States is investing in the Congolese issue, doing everything it can to reconcile the two antagonistic presidents, given that, upstream, Washington was engaged in negotiations aimed at making its assistance in securing eastern DRC conditional on easy access to the rare minerals that provide all the wealth of this vast Central African country.

In any case, now that the process is underway, the key is to reach an agreement. And everything suggests that Donald Trump holds all the cards to achieve this. Will peace in the DRC then come through Washington? It's a wait-and-see situation.

UPDF leaders visit NLM at Murindi in Gicumbi

 

A group of Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) leaders visited the National Liberation Museum located at Mulindi w Intwari in Gicumbi District, where they were briefed on the history of the Rwandan liberation struggle.

Rwanda national police closes a training for senior officers

 The rwanda national police College located in musanze district will host the closing ceremony of the 13th batch of the one-year Police Senior Command and Staff Course, consisting of 34 students at the level of Senior Officers from nine African countries.

DRC files a complaint against Rwanda

WHAT IS THIS LETTER?

This is an official notice from the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, informing us that it will render a judgment in a case between the DRC and Rwanda.

WHAT IS THIS CASE?

The DRC filed a complaint against Rwanda before the African Court because of:

Rwandan aggression through the M23,

massacres, looting, population displacement, and other serious human rights violations in eastern Congo.

PURPOSE OF THE LETTER:

The Court announces that it will soon decide whether:

1. It has jurisdiction to hear this case between the DRC and Rwanda.

2. The DRC's complaint is admissible (i.e., does it meet the rules for being heard).

This is not yet the final judgment, but it is a very important step that could pave the way for an international trial against Rwanda.

WHEN WILL THE DECISION TAKE PLACE?

June 26, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. (Arusha time)

From the seat of the Court in Arusha, Tanzania

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Because for the first time, an African international institution may recognize that Rwanda is committing crimes in the DRC.