Kagame Sides With Journalist Against His Own Foreign Minister

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.