Rwandan President Paul Kagame met with a former Nigerian president on Tuesday, as his office dismissed rumours about his health following a lengthy absence from public engagements.
As indicated on his X account, Kagame, 67, had not made a public appearance since June 6. This led to speculation online and within the country due to his typically vibrant and visible presence.
However, on Tuesday, his office shared images of him with former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo, who has been involved in peace talks regarding the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Rwanda allegedly supports armed insurgents against the Congolese government.
“There is nothing to be worried or concerned about,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told Taarifa, a local news site.
For many Rwandans, Kagame is viewed as a visionary leader who has transformed the nation, yet some regard him as a brutal dictator who ruthlessly suppresses dissent.
He has been in control of Rwanda since 1994, after he led a rebel movement that overthrew the extremist Hutu regime responsible for the genocide that claimed the lives of over 800,000 Tutsi individuals.
Kagame was re-elected last year for a fourth term, garnering more than 99 per cent of the votes.
A dissident residing in Canada alleged this week that the president is suffering from a “brain injury” and is receiving treatment in Germany. However, a German diplomatic source informed AFP that they had no information.
The Rwandan army, in a post on X, labelled as “fake” a statement falsely attributed to them on social media, claiming the president was facing a “serious health crisis”.
