TI Rwanda chairperson Marie-Immaculée Ingabire dies at 63

By The Inspirer.

Transparency International Rwanda (TI Rwanda) has announced the passing of its chairperson, Marie-Immaculée Ingabire, who died on the morning of Thursday, October 9, 2025, after a period of illness. She was 63.

In a statement, TI Rwanda expressed deep sorrow, saying: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of T.I Rwanda Chairperson, Ingabire Marie Immaculée, who passed away on the morning of October 9, 2025, after a period of illness.”

For more than three decades, Ingabire was a leading advocate for human rights, especially women’s rights, and a strong voice in Rwanda’s fight against corruption. She had served as chairperson of Transparency International Rwanda since 2007.

Born in Burundi, Ingabire studied journalism and communication before beginning her media career in 1994, after returning to Rwanda in the aftermath of the Genocide against the Tutsi. She worked at the then Office Rwandais d’Information (ORINFOR), now the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), describing that period as one of the most challenging times of her professional life.

Beyond journalism, she was deeply involved in advancing women’s and children’s rights through several organisations, including Réseau des Femmes Œuvrant pour le Développement Rural (Réseau des Femmes), Haguruka, and Pro-Femmes Twese Hamwe, an umbrella body for women’s rights organisations.

Ingabire was also one of the founding members of the Association of Rwandan Female Journalists (ARFEM), leaving behind a lasting legacy in both media and civil society.