Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and former senate president, Bernard Makuza, are among several officials who have paid tribute to former Minister Laurent Nkusi, who passed away on Monday, May 18.

Nkusi served in two ministerial positions and was a senator and lecturer in an illustrious career that spanned several years.

"I was deeply saddened by the news of the death of Laurent Nkusi,” Mushikiwabo wrote on her Twitter account.

The former Minister for Foreign Affairs said Nkusi was her teacher who she later replaced as Minister of Information.

"Teacher Nkusi was a scholar in linguistics but most of all he was a humble human being. May God have mercy on him and rest in peace,” she said.

Makuza, who also served with the deceased wrote, "I am sorry for the family of Prof. Nkusi Laurent.” He added "We have lost a man who is honest, truthful, intelligent, wise and humble”,

"God bless him and may he rest in peace.” Makuza wrote.

The sad news about his death was confirmed by one of his family members who was attending to him at the time.

"It is true he died. Like at 2 am in the morning” a grief-stricken family member said on Monday morning.

Nkusi was really a gentleman and always peaceful, Donatille Mukabalisa, speaker of the chamber of deputies told The New Times.

Mukabalisa pointed out that for all the years she worked with Nkusi, both in the senate and the PL political party, "He always strived to bring peace amongst colleagues.

He was an easy man to work with and everyone was comfortable working with him,” she said during a telephone interview.

I cannot forget his fight for the school of journalism and mass communication to exist” one of his students, Flavia Salafina, an Information, Education and Communication specialist at the Ministry of Education said earlier.

To me, she added "He is the foundation of existence for professional journalism and communication in Rwanda,” pointing out "He acted as a parent, counsellor, and a lecturer………RIP our director”.

Funeral arrangements set

Nkusi will be laid to rest on Thursday, May 21, at Rusororo cemetery, Gasabo District at 2pm, Mukabalisa said.