Rwanda’s pop culture is becoming increasingly vibrant with exciting performances and developments that keep the industry abuzz.
Over the past seven days, the talk in town was all about Rwandan musician The Ben and investor Coach Gael’s reunion after years of feuding, as well as Miss Rwanda 2012 Aurore Kayibanda’s wedding after her divorce from renowned photographer Egide Mbabazi.
The New Times picked some of the stories that made headlines in local showbiz over the week.
Comedian Patrick Rusine engaged
Wedding bells are ringing for Rwanda’s funnyman and radio host Patrick Rusine after proposing to his girlfriend Iryn Nizra Uwase.
The comedian announced his engagement last week on social media with a post featuring his fiancée with the engagement ring.
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Rusine also expressed his feelings with a heartfelt message to his now fiancée: "Today marks the beginning of our forever. With each beat of my heart, I choose you. Here’s to a lifetime of laughter, love, and endless adventures together. I can’t wait to spend eternity loving you. Forever and always.”
The comedian publicly revealed their relationship in February, and since then, the two have been seen enjoying each other’s company.
Miss Rwanda 2012 Kayibanda gets married
Miss Rwanda 2012, Aurore Kayibanda, once again walked down the aisle with Jacques Gatera in a stunning wedding ceremony held at Marie Auxiliatrice Church on Thursday, August 15.
Kayibanda’s wedding marks a new chapter, three years after her divorce from renowned photographer and videographer Egide Mbabazi, who gained fame after his engagement to the beauty queen in 2018.
ALSO READ: Miss Rwanda 2012 Kayibanda marries again: Photos from the lavish ceremony
This fairy-tale moment comes just months after their star-studded legal wedding in Phoenix, Arizona, and a week after their traditional introduction ceremony in Kigali.
The wedding was attended by former beauty queens Meghan Nimwiza and Naomi Nishimwe, poet Rumaga, renowned gospel artiste Tonzi, musician Platini P, Alex Muyoboke, and socialite Kate Bashabe, among others. The event also drew some of Rwanda’s finest golfers.
The Ben, Coach Gael reunite
Pictures of Rwandan music star The Ben hanging out with investor Gael Karomba, popularly known as Coach Gael, are floating on social media and entertainment watchers are happy about it.
The two had been at loggerheads for some years but recently completed the last leg of their reconciliation by meeting physically.
ALSO READ: Have Bruce Melodie and The Ben finally decided to bury the hatchet?
In a picture, tagged ‘Brothers meet again. Let’s build and take over the world’, The Ben and Gael seem to be happy about ending the long feud that made waves in Rwanda’s showbiz industry for many years.
It is said that the feud dates back to when the two met in the US and decided to work together. At the time, Coach Gael had just launched his 1:55AM record label and was looking for potential musicians to work with, and The Ben fit the bill.
The two worked together until Coach Gael invested in The Ben’s project to feature Tanzanian artiste Diamond Platnmuz but never refunded the money.
Coach Gael was reportedly demanding between $75,000 - $100,000 (approx. Rwf 99m -132m – today’s rate) from The Ben, which was the root of the problems between the two.