On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, Rwanda received 106 families, a total of 382 people returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they had lived as refugees for many years. The group was welcomed at the La Corniche border between Goma and Rubavu by Rubavu District Mayor Prosper Mulindwa.
Mayor Mulindwa commended their decision to come back home, saying they made the right choice to return to Rwanda and rebuild their lives. He assured them that the government will provide full support from their arrival until they reunite with their families, emphasizing that Rwanda’s leadership always puts its citizens first.
He added that life in Rwanda would be different from what they experienced in the DRC, where some were encouraged to stay in exile for others interests. “Rwanda has long ended exile,” he said, explaining that national policies now guarantee security, justice, and welfare for all citizens.
These returnees add to the 280 who came back last month and 533 in August, following an agreement reached in July between Rwanda, the DRC, and the UNHCR to repatriate refugees willing to return voluntarily. After their arrival, the returnees were transferred to Nyarushishi in Nyamasheke District for short-term integration before reuniting with their communities.
