Rwanda Roundup: Kagame begins Oman visit, 7,188 pupils ordered to resit exams and youth leadership takes centre stage

Kagame begins two-day visit to Oman as bilateral ties expand

President Paul Kagame arrived in Oman on September 7, 2026, for a two-day official visit aimed at deepening political, economic and investment ties between Rwanda and the Gulf state. Kagame and his delegation arrived at the Royal Airport in Salalah, where they were received by the Governor of Dhofar. Oman’s Diwan of Royal Court had announced the visit on September 5, saying it would take place on September 7 and 8 and would focus on issues of mutual interest and ways of expanding cooperation. The visit comes as relations between Rwanda and Oman gain momentum. Diplomatic relations between the two countries date back to 1982, but recent cooperation has increasingly focused on trade, investment, transport and technology. One of the biggest changes has been direct air connectivity. An air services agreement took effect in January 2026, followed by the launch of the first direct SalamAir flights between Muscat and Kigali in July. Oman’s Ministry of Economy says cooperation is also expanding into logistics, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, cloud computing, airport management and dry-port operations.

More than 7,000 pupils ordered to resit national exams after widespread cheating

More than 7,000 Rwandan primary school pupils have been ordered to retake their national examinations after an investigation found widespread cheating during the 2025/26 school year. Rwanda’s Ministry of Education said its investigation found irregularities in 254 examination rooms involving 7,188 pupils across the country. The affected pupils will have to sit the examinations again. The story was reported by BBC Gahuzamiryango on August 31. The examinations had begun on July 7, when Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana officially launched the national primary-leaving examinations in Kigali. According to the BBC report, the Ministry of Education concluded after its investigation that cheating had taken place collectively in the affected examination rooms rather than being limited to isolated pupils. The decision to require thousands of pupils to resit the tests is significant because the ministry has rarely acknowledged examination cheating on this scale in recent years.

Jeannette Kagame tells young leaders that professional success is not enough

First Lady Jeannette Kagame has urged young Rwandans who are increasingly being entrusted with leadership roles to pay equal attention to their families, character and personal relationships. She made the remarks at the Young Leaders Prayer Breakfast in Kigali on Sunday, September 6, organised by the Rwanda Leaders Fellowship under the theme, “Rwanda begins at home: Raising stable families in a complex world.” Kagame said Rwanda had deliberately placed young people in positions of responsibility across institutions. She said that trust is often based on education, intelligence, knowledge, professional experience and values, but argued that these qualities alone do not necessarily prepare people for the challenges of family life. “Being intelligent can help you excel at work, but when it comes to your home, your relationship with your spouse, the way you raise your children and how you protect family unity during difficult times, intelligence alone is not enough,” she said. The First Lady also raised concern about changing attitudes towards marriage among younger generations. She noted that fewer people are marrying, while others are marrying later or choosing not to marry at all.

Rwanda and Oman deepen partnership in aviation, logistics and technology

Beyond Kagame’s official visit, Rwanda and Oman are building a more structured economic relationship centred on connectivity, investment and logistics. The partnership has accelerated considerably in 2026. The implementation of the bilateral air services agreement in January laid the groundwork for direct flights, while SalamAir’s Muscat-Kigali service launched in July, giving the two countries their first direct air connection. The link is significant for Rwanda because it strengthens access to the Gulf and potentially to wider Asian markets, while giving Oman another commercial route into East Africa. The partnership is also moving beyond aviation. Oman’s Ministry of Economy says the two governments are exploring cooperation in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, cloud computing, airport management and dry ports. For Oman, Rwanda fits into its Vision 2040 strategy of diversifying economic links beyond traditional markets. For Rwanda, the relationship offers another source of investment and an opportunity to reinforce Kigali’s position as a regional aviation, logistics and services hub.

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Kicukiro court highlights pressure on Rwanda’s busiest primary courts

Kicukiro Primary Court is handling the highest number of cases, drawing attention to the heavy workload facing parts of Rwanda’s judicial system. The briefing itself does not provide the period covered or the precise current caseload, and I could not verify a newly published 2025/26 judiciary figure that supports a specific number. Historical Judiciary reports, however, consistently show Kicukiro among the country’s busiest primary courts. For example, Rwanda Judiciary data for 2023/24 recorded 6,023 cases allocated to Kicukiro Primary Court, compared with 6,097 at Gasabo Primary Court. An earlier Judiciary report recorded 5,648 cases at Kicukiro, including 3,901 substantive cases and 1,747 detention-related cases. Kicukiro Primary Court also continues to handle high-profile criminal cases. On September 3, 2026, it ordered 13 suspects to be held on 30-day remand over allegations linked to the manufacture and distribution of illicit alcoholic drinks. Among those remanded were former Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority Director General Prof. Emile Bienvenue and Samuel Ntihanabayo, owner and manager of Ingufu Gin Factory. Three other suspects, Elizabeth Uwamahoro, Patrick Rwabukumba and Oluwatosin Ajayi, were ordered to face prosecution while out of custody.