Just like any other institution, Kigali’s universities have some terminologies which can only be interpreted by a campus student. These slangs identify and sometimes unify these young adults.

In Rwanda most slang is in the local Kinyarwanda language.

Some of the slang is not only limited to campus, however, some are only interpreted by the "campusers” as like listed below:

Gucyika; this word can be loosely translated as "striving”. At campus it means studying.

Amacyika; is the related noun for Gucyika, it means lessons or studies.

Guterura; is literally translated as lifting, in Kinyarwanda. At campus, it is the act of testing students with the same, or close to similar questions as you gave them in class.

Gukaranga; is the direct opposite of Guterura. It means asking complicated questions in an exam or test.

I kebo (pronounced as cable) means a car. A student with ‘I kebo’ is respected as moneyed.

Gucya akavuyo, or Kugabanya akavunyo; is the act of dodging a test intentionally, especially when one is not prepared. It is common among students, as they hope to apply and be awarded a special test later.

Amavubi mato; are those who seem to be unserious in class but excel in their studies. They include those who spend most of their time in bars.

This is the latest slang, after the success of the Rwanda Junior Wasps team in the U17 FIFA world Cup.

Babylon; is a student who pretends to be uninformed or unserious with studies yet they read a lot when no one is around them.

Agati; means marijuana- not saying that you will find it anywhere around the school compound.Umuzwida; is crude waragi, or local calabash beer.

‘Channel’; means the movie hall. Most of the ‘channels’ are untidy dining rooms.

Ghetto; though this word has a different meaning in English, university students refer to it as single or double roomed houses where they put up during their period of study. You won’t expected to find any furniture of tidy utensils in ghettos.

Amarigara; share the same meaning with ghettos, though this wording is not as popular.

Ibiporezo; is food. It comes from "guporeza” which means, eating.

Umwana; means child in Kinyarwanda. At campus, it means a girl, especially a good looking one- possibly picked from the urban dictionary word, babe.

I bolo; is something valuable including money and jewellery.

Abapede; are boys who dress like R’N B stars. It could be translated as gays.

Gutigyita; is moving in a rushing and troubled manner. A telling example can be, running with a document through several offices to get a signature.

Kubirangyiza; is simple, making love.

Ingoma; is not a drum or throne as literally translated in Kinyarwanda. At campus it means music. Icigoma can mean a crank hit, or a singular word for songs.

Ends