Rubavu/Rusizi — A total of 99 households comprising 367 Rwandan citizens who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have voluntarily returned to Rwanda through two border crossings, according to Rwandan emergency management and local government officials.
Of the total, 314 people crossed through the Grand Barrier at La Corniche, which links Rubavu District with the city of Goma. The remaining 53 people, forming 14 households, were received at the Rusizi I border crossing, which connects Rusizi District with the city of Bukavu.
Reception at the Border
Local officials welcomed the returnees at the border. Prosper Mulindwa, Mayor of Rubavu District, and Alfred Habimana, Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Rusizi District, received the groups and encouraged them to rebuild their livelihoods, integrate into their communities, and contribute to Rwanda’s socio-economic development.
Temporary Shelter and Support
According to official statements, all the returnees have been transported to the Kijote Transit Centre in Nyabihu District, where they will be temporarily sheltered and registered. After completing the necessary repatriation procedures, they will be reunited with their relatives already living in Rwanda.
The Rwandan government is providing initial reintegration support to the returnees. Each person aged 18 and above will receive US$188 as start-up capital, while those under 18 will receive US$113. In addition, each returnee will receive basic food supplies worth 45,000 Rwandan francs to help them settle in quickly after their return.
Background to the Repatriation
The repatriation exercise was carried out under a tripartite agreement previously signed between Rwanda, the DRC, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The agreement is intended to ensure that refugees return to their country of origin on a “voluntary, safe, and dignified” basis. According to UNHCR figures, more than 3,000 Rwandan citizens have returned from the DRC since January 2026, while the total number of returnees since early 2025 now exceeds 8,900.
Some of the returnees said in interviews that they had long been misled by false information suggesting that Rwanda was still unsafe, which had delayed their return. Speaking at the reception ceremony, Rubavu Mayor Mulindwa called on the returnees to distance themselves from the divisive forces that had originally driven them into exile, and to value the country’s current peace and unity.
