Ingabire Immaculée, who served as the Executive Director of Transparency International Rwanda, has passed away at the age of 63 after an illness, TI-Rwanda announced in a statement on 9 October.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of T.I Rwanda Chairperson, Ingabire Marie Immaculée, who passed away on the morning of 9th October 2025 after a period of illness,” the statement read.
Ingabire was widely known for her outspoken fight against corruption and injustice in Rwanda. As the head of TI-Rwanda, she dedicated her career to promoting integrity and accountability in public institutions.
Born in Rwanda and raised as a refugee in Burundi, Ingabire often shared how her tough childhood inspired her passion for justice. She once told IGIHE that living in exile and realizing her family didn’t truly have a home motivated her to return to Rwanda and help rebuild her country.
After studying abroad, she came back in 2001 with a strong will to make a difference. She held a Master’s in Gender Studies and Human Rights from the University of Pretoria, a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Communication from Université de Lille.
Ingabire was one of the founders of Transparency International Rwanda, created in 2004, and later became its Chairperson in 2007. Moreover she strongly supported women’s rights and justice.
She worked at the former Office Rwandais d’Information (ORINFOR), now known as the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), a time she described as one of the most demanding phases of her professional journey.
In addition to her journalism work, she collaborated with various organisations advocating for the rights of women and children, such as Réseau des Femmes Oeuvrant pour le Développement Rural (Réseau des Femmes), Haguruka, and Pro-Femmes Twese Hamwe — the umbrella organisation for women’s rights groups.
Ingabire was also among the founders of the Association of Rwandan Female Journalists (ARFEM).
Nadia Umutoni / The Kaminuza Star