The ugly underbelly of Rwanda's YouTube industry continued to reveal itself this week, with more embarrassing videos surfacing online, creating more controversy and drama – adding to an already volatile situation. The unravelling of the industry continues with more accusations of blackmail, defamation, character assassination and even threats to life, in a scandal which even involves odd claims of witchcraft. At the end of August, a ‘YouTube’ war triggered by one Innocent Nyarwaya, commonly known as Yago, a YouTuber-cum-singer, who took social and mainstream media by storm, following a series of allegations he made targeting fellow YouTubers, journalists, and some members of the showbiz industry, who he accused of trying to sabotage him. Just over a week after Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) said that some of the utterances made during the unravelling of the YouTube sector could tantamount to crimes, more drama continued to unfold with more videos ‘exposing’ Yago’s purported enemies, emerging. The initial storm was ignited by several allegations made by Yago against fellow YouTubers Sabin Murungi of Isimbi TV, Irene Murindahabi, Phil Peter, DJ Brianne, Cyprien Uzabakiriho, known as ‘Djihad’ and many others, who he said tried to sabotage him not just as a YouTuber, but also as a musician. In a lengthy interview with journalist Jean de Dieu Bagirishya, Yago, who has since apologised said that he fled the country because after a four-year fight with his alleged nemeses, he felt his life and mental health were at stake, which is why he left the country. Yago, who joined the music industry in November, 2022, on August 31 announced through his social media platforms that he had fled the country to run away from a ‘clique’ of fellow YouTubers and some members of the showbiz industry, who are allegedly after his life. In a scathing attack that drew in musicians such as Bruce Melodie, Ariel Wayz, dancer Titi Brown and many others, who he claims to have helped in their careers but abandoned him when he needed them, several embarrassing videos have since been released, including one targeting Djihad. It is not clear whether Yago himself released the videos but what is clear is that they are connected to the saga. At the centre of it came utterances which RIB said were straying from showbiz and heading towards discriminating people and sowing ethnic divisions in society, acts which are punished by the law. It was also revealed later that before he left the country, Nyarwaya was being questioned by RIB on the suspected crimes, which Dr. Thierry B. Murangira, the spokesperson of the investigative body, said he continued to commit in subsequent videos that he released after he left. Murangira confirmed to The New Times that Nyarwaya Innocent, commonly known as Yago, is still under investigation. “After fleeing the country, he began using divisive language that could potentially incite division, and has also started attacking others' parents, calling them criminals,” the RIB Spokesperson said. He added that he is also being investigated for blackmail-related cases, particularly involving the publication of indecent information in electronic form, where he is a suspect. The RIB publicist also says the saga has created cliques in society, with some sort of fan groups being formed, where some people gang up to side with one group or individuals over the others. To RIB, it is that serious. Among others, Murangira cited ‘Big Energy’, which he said is a movement of people that support Nyarwaya, a tagline he often uses, being among the groups fanning the fire by circulating the same videos where those utterances that tantamount to crimes are made. However, in an interview with Bagirishya, commonly known as Jado Castar, the YouTuber, who is believed to be in Uganda, said that he did not intend to commit crimes but he rather felt that he was never accorded the support he needed to take his own measures to seek justice for himself. “It had become all too much to me. I had reported some of these cases to the institutions but the clique continued to witch-hunt me. I had filed a case against one Djihad, who was doing live videos attacking me,” he said in the interview, adding that he had shared his own evidence with RIB. He also denied forming a movement or creating divisions in society. He admitted that at some point RIB requested the YouTubers to amicably resolve their issues, which were social in nature, but the attacks tarnishing his name continued, which is how he decided to leave. More videos surface Amidst it all, more embarrassing videos allegedly targeting Yago’s enemies surfaced online, particularly one targeting Sabin Murungi, following an indecent one before that targeted Djihad. Shortly after Yago left the country, Murungi, who runs Isimbi TV, one of the most popular YouTube channels in Rwanda, said he had taken a break from the channel because he was sick. Earlier this week, a video first released by another YouTube channel, Clara TV, dispelled the claims of sickness, instead claiming that Murungi fractured his legs after he jumped off a fence as he avoided being caught in an uncomfortable situation. The video shows onlookers, including a lady, attempting to help him off the ground and get him an ambulance. In the video there is a lady identified as Josette Ngwinondebe, also a YouTuber, who was seen in the company of the journalist, who is seemingly in pain. Ngwinondebe, a former traditional dancer with Inyamibwa, often had interviews on Isimbi TV and runs a different channel with her twin sister. Social media posts purported that the two were together. It is alleged that the two were in some sort of relationship. In the video, a woman is overheard asking Ngwinondebe if she is the wife of the grounded man and she responds in affirmative. The video has elicited yet another social media storm and become a subject of talk shows on local media, with many analysing the circumstances in which the incident, which the YouTuber is yet to deny, happened. Oswald ‘Oswakim’ Mutuyeyezu, one of the journalists who have analysed the video, says while its authenticity is no longer in question, what remains unclear are the events that happened in the lead up to the incident. “The claims made cannot be ascertained based on the video we have seen. You cannot see anybody jumping, nor can you confirm the alleged rumours. This means that the victim in the video can take legal action against anyone claiming anything other than what is seen in the video,” Mutuyeyezu says. However, by press time, another video that emerged on September 12, shows a different perspective of the alleged incident, with the duo appearing seemingly distressed, before another angle showing a man said to be the YouTuber, running through a suffocated corridor between houses, before reportedly scaling a perimeter fence to jump to his escape. The video does not show the jumping part but the next angle is the part of the video which has been making rounds already, of a man on the ground writhing in pain, as onlookers try to help. The clothes in both videos match. Mutuyeyezu, who happened to interview Yago on his show on ‘Zinduka’ on Radio TV10, says that he does not believe the ‘Suwejo’ singer created a group or movement with hidden intentions. “Big Energy is a slogan which he normally uses in his shows because perhaps that is what he feels, some sort of motivation, and he asks those who watch him to have ‘big energy’, and when this saga broke out, ‘big energy’ started trending. I believe there isn’t much more than that,” Mutuyeyezu argues. Nonetheless, for law enforcement, anything can be twisted to mean something else. The drama has also drawn in exiled negative groups who jump into the conversation to leverage the buzz and advance their own agendas and ideologies. With everything that has been going on, RIB says it is monitoring YouTube platforms as potential avenues for committing crimes, given how things have spiralled out of control, to border towards dragging Rwandans into divisions with discriminatory utterances. “Some statements may meet the legal criteria for criminal acts and are being investigated. We also summon social media users and content creators who may raise concerns, advising and warning them before their activities escalate into criminality,” Murangira says, advising YouTubers and social media users to be careful. “They should avoid engaging in activities or making statements that could lead to criminal consequences. Instead, they should capitalize on the many opportunities that these platforms offer, such as generating income and expressing themselves positively,” “We encourage social media users to maintain decent online behaviours,” Murangira noted, adding that at the moment their focus is to ensure that no crimes are committed and they are yet to make any arrests. “Our focus remains on preventing crime. Personal disputes and apologies over mistakes in relationships are not a major concern for us unless they escalate into criminal acts,” Asked whether he believes that red lines have been crossed, Murangira says that there is still room for the young people to correct themselves and get back on track, to focus on things that benefit them economically. “There is no immediate cause for concern. RIB's primary focus is to ensure that these platforms are used within the bounds of the law and to thoroughly investigate any criminal activities, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” he added. In his interview with Bagirishya, who acted like his ‘big brother’, said that he would be happy to put the issues behind and focus on his work and at the same time focus on positive things, but for now, the storm still rages on. The evolving nature of Rwanda’s YouTube industry has been of concern not just for RIB, but also for the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), the media self-regulatory body, which says the platform is used to produce unprofessional content that does not meet ethical standards, which is fed to the public.
