President Paul Kagame publicly criticized Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe over his dispute with journalist Scovia Umutesi, saying the journalist was not the one who owed an apology.
An unusual confrontation inside Rwanda's political establishment unfolded publicly on Monday when President Paul Kagame criticized his own Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, over an earlier dispute with journalist Scovia Umutesi.
The exchange occurred during Kagame's wide-ranging August 24 press conference, attended by journalists, international media representatives and social-media personalities. The Update reported on the wider press conference and the issues discussed.
Kagame Says His Minister Should Have Apologized
The dispute originated from Umutesi's interpretation in Kinyarwanda of remarks Nduhungirehe had made in French concerning the DRC and a meeting at which Congolese officials were reportedly not represented.
Nduhungirehe criticized the journalist's interpretation, arguing that his comments had not been accurately conveyed. The disagreement subsequently spilled onto social media and developed into a public exchange. Kigali Today reported on Kagame's criticism of Nduhungirehe over the exchange with Umutesi.
When the controversy resurfaced at Monday's press conference, Kagame questioned why the dispute had escalated so far.
The president argued that journalists have every right to scrutinize information provided by ministers and determine whether what officials say is accurate. Being a government minister, Kagame indicated, does not make someone the exclusive authority on what is true.
Kagame then delivered the remark that quickly attracted attention in Rwanda.
Addressing Umutesi, he said that the minister should have been the one apologizing --- not her. Kigali Today reported Kagame as saying in Kinyarwanda that the minister should have apologized for the way he had spoken rather than expecting the journalist to do so.
RWANDA POLITICS
Kagame Sides With Journalist Against His Own Foreign Minister
Aug 24, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
4 min read
Published
Updated:
President Paul Kagame publicly criticized Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe over his dispute with journalist Scovia Umutesi, saying the journalist was not the one who owed an apology.
An unusual confrontation inside Rwanda's political establishment unfolded publicly on Monday when President Paul Kagame criticized his own Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, over an earlier dispute with journalist Scovia Umutesi.
The exchange occurred during Kagame's wide-ranging August 24 press conference, attended by journalists, international media representatives and social-media personalities. The Update reported on the wider press conference and the issues discussed.
Kagame Says His Minister Should Have Apologized
The dispute originated from Umutesi's interpretation in Kinyarwanda of remarks Nduhungirehe had made in French concerning the DRC and a meeting at which Congolese officials were reportedly not represented.
Nduhungirehe criticized the journalist's interpretation, arguing that his comments had not been accurately conveyed. The disagreement subsequently spilled onto social media and developed into a public exchange. Kigali Today reported on Kagame's criticism of Nduhungirehe over the exchange with Umutesi.
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When the controversy resurfaced at Monday's press conference, Kagame questioned why the dispute had escalated so far.
The president argued that journalists have every right to scrutinize information provided by ministers and determine whether what officials say is accurate. Being a government minister, Kagame indicated, does not make someone the exclusive authority on what is true.
Kagame then delivered the remark that quickly attracted attention in Rwanda.
Addressing Umutesi, he said that the minister should have been the one apologizing --- not her. Kigali Today reported Kagame as saying in Kinyarwanda that the minister should have apologized for the way he had spoken rather than expecting the journalist to do so.
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An Unusual Public Rebuke
The moment was striking because the criticism came directly from Kagame and was directed at Rwanda's sitting Foreign Minister in front of journalists and cameras.
Kagame did not suggest that Nduhungirehe should leave office, nor did he announce disciplinary measures against him.
Instead, his criticism focused on how the minister handled disagreement with a journalist.
Kagame said that if Umutesi had incorrectly represented the minister's remarks, Nduhungirehe could simply have corrected the inaccurate portion rather than allowing the disagreement to develop into a prolonged confrontation.
The president's intervention effectively placed him on the journalist's side regarding the question of who should have apologized.
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Kagame Defends Journalists Questioning Ministers
Beyond the personalities involved, Kagame's comments also addressed the relationship between government officials and the media.
He argued that fact-checking or challenging statements made by a minister is normal journalistic work.
According to Kigali Today's account of the exchange, Kagame stressed that a minister does not possess a monopoly on truth and that journalists are entitled to examine official statements and determine whether they are accurate.
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