It has been a showbiz-filled week in Rwanda’s world of entertainment. The New Times looks at the showbiz stories that made headlines last week: The Ben and Pamela now husband and wife August 31, 2022 will always remain in The Ben’s memory lane as a special day when he accepted to spend the rest of his life with his fiancée Pamela Uwicyeza with vows that they made before friends, family and the law. Held in Kimihurura Sector in Gasabo District, the civil wedding came months after Pamela, a former Miss Rwanda contestant, said ‘yes’ to the ‘WHY’ hit maker in a colorful proposal that took place in October last year, in Maldives Islands, where the two had been spending holidays together. Their legal vows mark the end of the an intense pressure under which the US-based musician faced from his music supporters who on many occasions asked him what the future holds for Uwicyeza ever since musician Meddy married his Ethiopian darling Mimi Mehfira back in May last year. Singers Meddy, K8 Kavuyo, Uncle Austin, former manager Alex Muyoboke, journalist David Bayingana, and producer Lick Lick are among celebrities who witnessed the couple’s civil wedding.The Ben, who is a Christian, is now working on taking Pamela to church on a yet to be confirmed date. Bruce Melodie stranded in Burundi but...the show must go on Burundians were anticipating the best of Bruce Melodie’s music after failing twice to perform for them. The singer could not wait to finally show the Rwandan neighbors what he’d been preparing for quite some time. But upon arrival in Bujumbura on August 31, he was arrested following allegations that he failed to reimburse the money he was paid by one Burundian entertainment guru known as Toussaint to perform in 2018, after failing to show up. Toussaint accused the ‘Saa Moya’ hit maker for taking an advance payment for an earlier performance in Bujumbura but didn’t refund the money or show up for the concert. He requested that Melodie remains in police detention until he pays his back a staggering Rwf17 million that includes a refund of Rwf2,000,000 that he received as advance and an extra Rwf15,000,000 to cover the losses that the business man encountered from the show which Bruce Melodie never performed. Bruce spent 48 hours in custody even though manager, Coach Gael, paid the money that his singer owed. Rwanda's embassy in Bujumbura, later came to the rescue and he was released just hours before his performance and the Rwf17 million that he paid earlier got withheld by the Burundian court after the case was taken to the court of justice. The singer did his two concerts as planned, including a VIP one at Zion Beach on Friday before headlining a regular one at Messe des Officiers. Meddy’s wife breaks silence on mother-in-law’s death Meddy’s wife Mimi Mehfira never said anything when the singer’s mother passed on. She did not even travel with her husband to Rwanda to say her last goodbyes to her mother-in-law. To Mimi however, that the singer’s late mother was ‘a special person’ that she feels lucky to have known. The Ethiopian broke her silence last week and said that the past three weeks had been nothing less than heartbreaking ever since she heard that the late Alphonsine Cyabukombe had passed away. Mimi is still mourning her late mother-in-law whom she describes as selfless and caring not only to her kids but, to everyone around her before sending a comforting message to her husband. “May the loving memories help ease your suffering and pain,” she posted on her Instagram account last week. Meddy and Mimi became husband and wife in May last year and have a child together. Trace Mziki East Africa honors Buravan Buravan’s passing was a loss not just for Rwandan music but to the region and Africa at large. It is against that background that renowned regional entertainment TV station on Friday, September 2, dedicated a 30-minute segment (from 9PM to 9:30 PM) in Trace Mziki show to pay tribute to the late singer weeks after he succumbed to pancreatic cancer, aged 27. Winning the Prix Découvertes RFI musical award in 2018, not only propelled him to the bigger stage but was also seen by international media agencies as one of world’s future music stars. The world still mourns him and Trace Mziki was no exception.
