“I Hate Kagame and the Inkotanyi” – Moses Turahirwa Breaks His Silence on a Painful Past
The Editorial Staff
Apr 13, 2025
Moses Twahirwa - Fashion Designer
Rwandan fashion designer Moses Turahirwa, founder of the world-famous brand Moshions, has shocked the nation with emotional and painful revelations about his past and a direct attack on President Paul Kagame and the Inkotanyi regime.
"I cried all night when the First Lady told me Kagame would wear the shirt I designed," Moses wrote on Instagram. “I grew up hating him.”
This message was not just fashion drama. It was a cry from a man carrying deep trauma and scars from a regime he says destroyed his childhood, tore apart his family, and used his success as a political image.
From Tailoring Presidents to Telling the Truth
Moses is known as one of Rwanda’s biggest fashion stars. His work has walked international runways. His label, Moshions, was once proudly worn by the Rwandan elite, including Paul Kagame himself.
But behind the brand was a personal hell. Moses revealed that his father, a Christian pastor, was arrested by Inkotanyi soldiers and beaten without cause. Moses was only six years old.
“Inkotanyi beat my father while he tried to greet me. They locked him up like a criminal. I never forgot that,” he said.
In another shocking post, he says his digital passport was manipulated by the government, leading to a 76-day jail stay in Mageragere prison.
“That’s how I ended up in jail. They changed my passport. They wanted to silence me.”
Ange Kagame Accused of Ordering a Raid
One post even accused Kagame’s daughter, Ange Kagame, of sending troops to search Moses’ home for marijuana:
Moses did not hold back. He said he will never forgive Kagame or the Inkotanyi for what they did to his family and to many others.
"Sindabababarira Kagame n’Inkotanyi Zose"
Moses repeated this chilling phrase more than once:"I will never forgive Kagame or any of the Inkotanyi. Not now, not ever."
He called out Kagame's regime for abusing power, using national resources to promote fear, and trying to silence all voices of truth. He asked a haunting question:
"Nubu turacyahirwa?" (Are we still being hunted?)
Behind the Regime’s Smile, a Dictator’s Grip
This moment is symbolic. The same regime that once celebrated Moses for promoting "Made in Rwanda" is now exposed as the one that traumatized him and used him for image.
“He wore my shirt. But he imprisoned my heart.”
This is not just fashion. It’s rebellion. It’s truth. And it’s brave.
READ ALSO | America Rejects Kagame’s One-Sided Genocide Narrative
The Bigger Picture: Kagame’s Long Trail of Silencing Critics
Moses now joins a long list of Rwandans artists, journalists, politicians who dared to speak out and paid the price. From Paul Rusesabagina to Diane Rwigara, Kagame’s regime has a dark history of jailing, exiling, or even disappearing critics.
But Moses is still speaking.
“I’m not afraid anymore.”
For years, Moses Turahirwa stitched elegance into clothes worn by the very system that oppressed him. Today, he is stitching together truth and resistance.
As Rwanda continues to silence critical voices, Moses’ voice rises louder, not just as a designer, but as a witness, a victim, and a fighter.
