Rwanda’s Anne Rwigara is Dead

By Claver Ndushabandi, KIGALI Rwanda

Anne Rwigara, the sister of Diane Rwigara who attempted to contest for president in Rwanda, is dead. She was 41. 

Anne Rwigara, who was a daughter of deceased prominent Rwandan businessman, Assinapol Rwigara, passed away on Thursday in the United States where she lived.

The cause of her death remains unclear. 

Anne’s mother was quoted by the media as saying her daughter’s death was a “mystery” since she was not sick. 

It is understood that Anne complained of stomach complications before she died a few days later. 

Anne and her mother Adeline Rwigara spent a year in jail in Rwanda over alleged tax evasion and electoral malpractices. 

A wave of shock and grief has swept through social media platforms as reports surface about the untimely death of Anne Rwigara, a vocal opposition figure in Rwanda.

Multiple users are sharing heartbreaking details of her passing, alleging that after eight hours of complaining about stomach pain, she succumbed to multi-organ failures, fueling speculation of poisoning.

These online accounts are pointing fingers at the Kagame regime, accusing it of silencing dissent, especially as Rwanda gears up for elections.

In May 2017, Anne’s sister Diane Rwigara announced she would run in the presidential election against President Kagame.

The National Electoral Commission would later stop Diane from participating in the election, ruling that the hundreds of signatures she submitted to validate her candidacy were forged.

The Rwanda Revenue Authority subsequently notified the Rwigara family that they owed $6.7 million in taxes.

As a result, the government closed the family business and froze their bank accounts.