He is well known in media circles as a pioneer of the modern entertainment industry in Rwanda. Ally Soudy Uwizeye, a former radio presenter now artiste and music awards organiser, lives for showbiz. Even moving to the US in 2012 with his family didn’t curtail his goal to be a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry. His influence remains as intact as ever.

After almost a decade of living in America, Ally Soudy is contemplating returning home, having seen and experienced as much as there is to, to settle and contribute to the country’s development, and also re-establish his footprint in the industry he loves and is so passionate about.

Though he is yet to put a time to it, Ally Soudy says he definitely has plans to return home, not far from now.

"This day will definitely come and I actually want it so bad. I always see myself coming back home. I’m doing my best to invest some money here and there in preparation of that,” he says. 

"I want to keep that connection so that I never forget where I come from. I want to help build my country,” Ally Soudy tells The New Times.

The presenter and MC who recently started a weekly show on Instagram "Ally Soudy on Air”, where he talks about different topics, says he moved to the US to try his luck in life, but his heart has always been back home, which is why he always makes time to come back and visit family.

Life abroad

Like any other person moving to a different country, Ally Soudy says moving to the US at the age of 29 proved to be a challenging phase of life, but it is all part of the experience he was looking for.

"Moving to a new country is a big deal. You have to deal with all these challenges. You have to start from zero to become somebody. On my part, it was really challenging because I had to adapt to a new culture and learn English. 

"I was really badly off when it came to speaking English. It was like starting from zero. The other thing is that people here don’t socially communicate like it is back home,” he says, adding that even neighbours are not that close.

"Everybody minds their own business and nobody will ever talk to you, or ask you how you are doing, like people do in Rwanda. So when you have just come from a country like Rwanda, you struggle to settle in. The most you can get is a ‘hi’. This also means that sometimes you won’t get help when you need it, but as time goes on, you learn and adjust to the new life.”

Making a mark

Ally Soudy, 37, believes he has experienced most of what he was looking for. His dream now is to come back home and settle for good, but again, he has to work hard to ensure that it happens smoothly. 

Born in 1983 in Kigali, Ally Soudy grew up to become a showbiz and entertainment personality, starting off at Radio Salus in 2007 while he was a student at the University of Rwanda (NUR).

Joining the media was simply out of passion, including joining the university’s station, an opportunity which is normally reserved for journalism students who want to practice broadcast reporting.

Though he was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in economics, he somehow found a way to get on the university’s radio, and he never looked back. He would later rise to fame through Saturday and Sunday shows on Isango Star radio.

Ally Soudy was also involved in the organisation of the then popular music awards, Salax Awards, and also through emceeing popular showbiz events.

Due to public demand, he recently started an IG TV show where he talks about different topics and invites guests for one-on-one interviews. The show has since picked up, perhaps explaining why he is looking to return home and pick up from where he stopped nearly 10 years ago.

Ally Soudy pursued his education in different primary and secondary schools in Kigali, particularly in Nyamirambo, where he picked up his love for sports and music, before joining Groupe Scolaire de Rilima in Bugesera and later APAPEC Murambi, where he completed his secondary.

He later joined NUR, now University of Rwanda (UR), majoring in international economics. He also took up several short courses in media. He is a father of three.