Benithe lsingizwe

#christian |Femtor | Founder @TheirvoiceI

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

feeling excited 😇

[Creative Action Institute @CreativeAction_]

In Karongi #Rwanda girls from our Sauti ya Dada club led a Creative Advocacy Practicum on how familial conflict & substance abuse affects girls, using #mural painting, theater, & small group discussions with parents. https://t.co/LGDtvaMVXJ Thanks @TheirVoiceI @jemimaArtist

[Kigali Today @kigalitoday]

Mu myaka itandatu ishize, ubwo Dr. Marie Chantal Umunyana yari atwite umwana we wa mbere w’umukobwa, yahuye n’indwara yari amaze imyaka yiga kandi azi neza nk’umuganga, ariko atigeze atekereza ko na we ubwe yayirwara.

Nk’umuganga ukiri muto wari ufite intego nyinshi mu buzima ndetse akaba yariteguraga kuba umubyeyi, yagize ikibazo gikomeye ubwo yari atwite, gitera kuruka bikabije (hyperemesis gravidarum), kikaba gishobora kugira ingaruka zikomeye ku buzima bw’umubyeyi n’umwana atwite.

Nubwo yari asobanukiwe neza iyo ndwara mu buryo bw’ubuvuzi, kuyinyuramo no kuyibamo nk’umurwayi byamweretse ko ubunararibonye bw’ukuri butandukanye cyane no kuyimenya mu nyigisho gusa.

Soma inkuru irambuye kuri KT Press:
https://t.co/JBsK8SZq31

[Glory Iribagiza @glory_iribagiza]

Hello @RIB_Rw,
I would appreciate answers to these critical questions that stemmed from your shocking response to my appeal to @PaulKagame regarding my case.

[Lydie Mutesi Mwambali @mutesi_lydie]

I don’t know when this will happen, but sanitary pads should be free and available everywhere. Hygiene is a basic right, not a privilege, and everyone who needs them deserves access without barriers.

[Glory Iribagiza @glory_iribagiza]

Dear @PaulKagame
I implore you to intervene in my case and help me get justice because only you can. I ask not a favour from the justice system, but a right.

[Wycliffe Nyamasege @w_nyamasege]

Rwanda Coding Academy (RCA) has been named among the top 50 schools globally shortlisted for the inaugural $1 million Global Schools Prize 2026, a prestigious initiative that recognises institutions transforming education through innovation and impact.

The school, based in Nyabihu District, was selected from nearly 3,000 nominations and applications submitted from 113 countries.

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

@reg_rwanda We have been without power for 2 days. A technician confirmed the fault must be fixed by REG. We called 0788330057,were referred to 0780677897 were promised a visit but none has come.We've called &visited your office. No response.can u assist ?
@RURA_RWANDA

[Judence Kayitesi @JudenceK]

On April 13, they came to kill me.
They left me there… thinking I was already gone.

My body was broken.
My head was cut.
I was covered in pain and silence.

But inside me… life was still there.

I don’t know how I survived.
I don’t know how I opened my eyes again.
But I did.

This picture shows what they did to me.
The wounds. The scars. The moment they thought my life was finished.

But look at me now…

I am alive.
I am breathing.
I am standing.

I carried my pain.
I cried.
I healed slowly.

I rebuilt myself piece by piece.
And today… I rise.

They thought they ended my story.
But my story continued.

I am not just a survivor.
I am life that refused to die.

[Frank M. Gashumba @FrankGashumba]

Attending the 32nd commemoration of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. At Ggolo genocide memorial site in Mpigi.
#Kwibuka32
@RwandaMFA
@RwandaisOpen
@UrugwiroVillage

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

Kwibuka is a time when the heart feels heavy, when you stand in solidarity with a friend who has lost their loved ones. It is a time filled with grief and profound pain.
To all survivors, may God bring you comfort and grant you strength to carry on.
#kwibuka32

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

neither the donkey nor the zebra chose the man. I’m so sorry for them 😊😊

[Fahad Nyonjo King @kingFahad_17]

A zebra may be more beautiful than a donkey, yet a man brings the donkey home and leaves the zebra in the forest, though he keeps visiting the forest just to admire the zebra.
Yeah that’s it

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

@habimanaabdoul1 @Rutambii Above 120k is highest income group ? Just 120k ?

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

Through our Sauti ya Dada Club this Saturday ,we fostered girls leadership through engaging girls in discussions on climate change and gender equality
We believe informed, confident girls become transformative leaders in their communities
#SDG5 #SDG13
@CreativeAction_

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

@alice_kanyana Congratulations Alice 🎉

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

@PascalMurasira @_AfricanFood @RwandaAgri @AGRA_Africa Congratulations 🎉

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

Even UCI happened in Rwanda not Uganda 😊

[Engineer Faisal @PyeparFaisal]

Speed opted to go to Rwanda to see the Gorillas VS some country with not just Gorillas but 2 planting season and up to 56 lakes

I wonder why 🤔. Oh and by the way, he skips UG and goes to Kenya tomorrow 😂😅

[Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala @NOIweala]

Nice to make (for the eighth time) the @Forbes List of the 100 most powerful women of the world 2025 and to be on the cover of the magazine. With power comes responsibility! We are doing our best to fight for and reform the rules-based multilateral trading system which the world needs to avoid a chaotic approach to world trade that would hurt the smallest and the least powerful countries. Congratulations to all my sisters on the list, and in particular my African sisters, HE Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of Namibia @SWAPOPRESIDENT, HE @SuminwaJudith, PM of DRC, Mpumi Madisa, CEO of Bidvest, @MoAbudu, CEO EbonyLife Group and HE @miaamormottley, PM of Barbados.

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

Kenyan President William Ruto told the UN General Assembly that excluding Africa from permanent Security Council membership is unfair and undermines the UN’s credibility, noting the continent bears the “heaviest cost of instability.

[Hopewell Chin’ono @daddyhope]

A Kenyan court has suspended the implementation of the US$2.5 billion health “aid” deal signed with the US government last week over serious data privacy concerns.

This deal is terrible not only for Kenya but for the entire African continent because it hands over sensitive health and genomic data to a foreign government without proper safeguards, and it exposes millions of Africans to potential surveillance and data exploitation. It is sad that the Kenyan government did so little thinking before signing such a treacherous and dangerous agreement.

On 4 December 2025, Kenya and the United States signed a five-year Health Cooperation Framework in Washington. The agreement, worth up to US$1.6 billion, directs new funding toward HIV, malaria, maternal health and disease surveillance. Many have celebrated it as a major investment in Kenya’s overstretched health sector.

Yet across Africa, the deal has triggered serious concern because of provisions that grant long-term access to Kenya’s biological samples, genomic data (all the information contained in an organism’s DNA) and surveillance information. That issue, more than the money itself, has now become the centre of the debate.

The questions arise from clauses that reportedly sought multi-decade rights over Kenyan pathogen samples and related data. Even in revised form, the agreement’s language remains vague enough to raise fears of long-term commitments that outlive the funding cycle.

These concerns are sharpened by the continent’s past experiences. In 2007, Indonesia challenged the global health system after discovering that its shared H5N1 samples were being used to develop vaccines it could not afford.

In 2021, South Africa and Botswana were punished with travel bans immediately after openly sharing genomic data on the Omicron variant (a highly mutated strain of the virus that causes COVID-19).

During the West African Ebola crisis, biological samples left the continent without any assurance that affected countries would benefit from the discoveries or intellectual property that emerged later. These precedents cast a long shadow over today’s negotiations and deal between Kenya and America.

What is happening in Kenya fits into a much larger global contest. Biological samples, genomic data and pathogen information have become strategic assets, capable of driving the next generation of vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and artificial intelligence models in health.

This has drawn intense interest from major powers. China, through BGI (one of the world’s biggest genomics and biotechnology companies), has invested in genomic laboratories across Africa. European institutions are building deeper data partnerships, while private technology and pharmaceutical companies see immense value in Africa’s large and genetically diverse populations.

Kenya is therefore not negotiating a quiet bilateral agreement. It is operating at the centre of a geopolitical struggle over who will shape the future of biotechnology.

For Africa, the implications go beyond Kenya. The African Union’s New Health Security and Sovereignty Agenda aims to strengthen public health institutions, govern data responsibly and expand local manufacturing so that the continent can produce 60 percent of its vaccines by 2040. So any agreement that gives external partners preferential access to Africa’s biological resources undermines that vision.

It also risks weakening domestic research institutions. In Kenya’s case, the Kenya Medical Research Institute could find itself competing with foreign partners who enjoy privileged access to samples or who set the direction of research. And because these deals are rarely subjected to parliamentary scrutiny, decisions with profound long-term implications for Kenya’s biological sovereignty will be made without public oversight.

The stakes become even higher when considering the rest of the continent. Kenya has stronger negotiating capacity than many African states. If Nairobi accepts terms that compromise long-term sovereignty, poorer and more vulnerable nations will feel compelled to follow suit, especially when offered short-term financial support.
This could create a pattern in which African health priorities are increasingly shaped by external actors rather than by national and continental interests.

Africa must now recognise that fragmented national bargaining over biological resources is no longer sustainable. The African Union and Africa CDC need to establish enforceable continental rules that protect sovereignty while enabling fair and transparent partnerships.

This requires a coherent framework governing pathogen access and benefit sharing, clear rules on technology transfer and intellectual property, mandatory disclosure of all bilateral health agreements that involve samples or data, and stronger domestic laws to ensure that biological material cannot leave the continent without guaranteed African rights over resulting discoveries.

Without such protections, Africa risks becoming a perpetual exporter of raw biological inputs for technologies developed and commercialised elsewhere.

The U.S.–Kenya pact unquestionably brings resources that can strengthen health services and save lives. But it also exposes the next major frontier of African sovereignty, control over the continent’s biological and genomic wealth.
The question emerging from this deal is no longer simply about funding. It is about whether Africa will gain or lose power in the health technologies of the future.

If Africa does not set the rules now, others will, and the continent’s biological destiny will be determined far from African decision-makers.

[Benithe lsingizwe @BenitheI]

The problem is who select the leaders!! It's more looking like giving the gifts more than giving responsibilities.....

[Joseph Nkurunziza Ryarasa @JosephRyarasa]

When tools improve but local governance declines.

Roughly from 1998 to 2008, Rwanda’s local government system was defined by a rare blend of efficiency, discipline, and selfless leadership. Mayors at that time were far from perfect, but many embodied a spirit of service that visibly transformed districts and improved citizens’ lives. What makes that era remarkable is that these leaders operated under incredibly difficult circumstances. Districts had no electricity, no internet, very limited transport, and sometimes struggled even with basic office supplies. Yet, despite the scarcity, they delivered.

Back then, service meant improvisation. A mayor would walk long distances to visit communities, sit with farmers under a tree, and mobilize citizens around development priorities. Sectors functioned almost entirely on community trust and leadership humility. Teamwork was not optional; it was the only way anything got done. This collective spirit laid the foundation for Rwanda’s early development milestones, including the impressive progress toward Vision 2020.

Fast forward to today, and the story feels very different.

Local leaders operate in a vastly improved environment. Districts and sectors have electricity, internet, computers, data systems, and transport. With 4G coverage reaching even remote areas, a mayor can hold a virtual meeting from anywhere. Leaders have access to resources their predecessors could never have imagined: brand new TXLs or Prados, fuel allowances, airtime packages, travel facilitation, full secretariat support, and technical teams for planning, monitoring, and reporting.

And yet, despite these staggering advantages, many districts are struggling. Mayors are failing to deliver on basic service outcomes. Districts are scoring poorly on governance and service indicators. Food insecurity is rising in certain regions, youth unemployment remains high, and the implementation of national priorities often lags behind.

This contradiction points to a deeper issue that tools alone cannot solve.

What went wrong?

One of the most overlooked drivers of underperformance is the process through which mayors are selected. Over time, political proximity has increasingly influenced appointments. Individuals are often elevated not because they possess strong leadership experience, deep sector knowledge, or proven managerial capability, but because they are close to a particular personality or enjoy the protection of a "godfather." This informal system of patronage undermines the entire decentralization model.

When leaders are chosen to please power structures rather than serve citizens, their accountability shifts upward, not downward. They hesitate to challenge poor decisions, fear losing patronage support, and focus more on survival than transformation. This dynamic creates a class of leaders who may hold the title of mayor but lack the autonomy, vision, or courage required for bold district reforms.

In the early decentralization era, mayors were chosen primarily for their leadership spirit, community trust, and proven commitment to public service. Today, the government must seriously reconsider the vetting system if Rwanda expects a different outcome. The quality of leadership is directly tied to the quality of selection.

Another key challenge is constant turnover. Many mayors step down or are dismissed before completing their mandates. This has occurred repeatedly in Musanze, Gisagara, Nyaruguru, Kayonza, Rubavu, Nyabihu, and several other districts. Constant turnover disrupts continuity, weakens institutional memory, and makes long-term planning nearly impossible.

In the early decentralization period, mayors worked closely with executive secretaries and sector leaders. Today, district leadership is increasingly defined by internal intrigues, competition for influence, and fear-driven decision-making. When leaders are busy navigating political tensions or personal rivalries, service delivery inevitably suffers.

It is ironic that leaders today have more tools than ever, cars, the internet, and data systems, yet deliver less impact. Rising hunger, poor service indicators, and slow implementation of national priorities point to a growing distance between leaders and communities. Many citizens now see district offices as purely administrative spaces rather than drivers of transformation.

Are Elected Councils Still Effective?

Elected councils should provide oversight, hold mayors accountable, and ensure quality leadership. Yet many councils struggle to exercise this authority. Some lack the technical capacity required to evaluate district plans. Others hesitate to challenge the executive. The result is an oversight system that often reacts too late.

Given the frequency of mayoral resignations and dismissals, where are the councils when performance begins to decline? Why are issues detected only after the situation has deteriorated? Strengthening councils is essential for restoring accountability.

Rwanda’s early transformation came from leadership culture, not technology. That culture can be rebuilt through several strategic shifts:

1.Reform the Vetting Process: Competence, character, and leadership skills must matter more than political proximity. Rwanda needs mayors who are chosen for what they can do for citizens, not for whom they know.

2.Empower Councils: Equip councils with the expertise and confidence to perform their oversight functions without fear or favor.

3.Reconnect Leaders: Bring leaders closer to the everyday realities of households. Plans must reflect what families experience on the ground, not only what indicators demand on paper.

Rwanda has already demonstrated that great leadership can deliver remarkable progress even with limited resources. Imagine what could be achieved today if the advanced tools available were finally matched with leaders chosen through a rigorous, merit-based system, and guided by the same spirit of selfless service that defined the country’s early decentralization era.
https://t.co/04hpqDMaAv

[THEIR VOICE INITIATIVE @TheirVoiceI]

Sauti ya Dada Club led a Creative Advocacy Practicum at GS Shyorongi using skits,mural art & dance to spark dialogue on the importance of parental support in girls’ education.
Parents discussed healthy parent–teen relationships&made commitments
Special thanks to @CreativeAction_