As dozens of Rwandan celebs head to Kinigi for the gorilla naming ceremony, known locally as Kwita Izina, others are gearing up to attend Dieudonné Ishimwe and Elsa Iradukunda’s wedding that takes place in a few hours.
The wedding, considered by many as the most noteworthy event in Rwanda's showbiz industry since producer Clement and musician Knowles Butera tied the knot, has become a topic of conversation in town. This is partly due to the couple's love story, which has been making headlines for the past few months.
Their story
In 2016, Elsa Iradukunda graduated from King David Academy. The following year, she represented the Northern Province in the preliminaries of the Miss Rwanda beauty pageant and emerged as the winner, defeating Guelda Shimwa to claim the crown.
It is through the competition that Iradukunda met Ishimwe, popularly known as Prince Kid, who is also Chief Executive of Rwanda Inspiration Backup, the firm that used to organise the pageants before they were halted.
The New Times understands that the two got close in 2017 when Prince Kid’s Inspiration Backup was managing the former beauty queen’s project to promote locally made products as part of the package for being crowned Miss Rwanda 2017.
In April 2022, Prince Kid was arrested on charges of sexual abuse towards the contestants of Miss Rwanda, which led to the halting of the competition.
A few days after, Iradukunda was also arrested for allegedly interfering with the investigations of the sexual assault and harassment that Prince Kid was being charged with.
The beauty queen was then reported to be lobbying former Miss Rwanda contestants to dismiss, through writing, reports that the accused had in any way sexually assaulted any of them, during or after the contest.
Colourful ceremony
After Prince Kid was released in December 2022, preps for their wedding immediately started. The couple got legally married on March 3, and their traditional wedding was held yesterday at Jalia Garden in Kabuga, Gasabo District, in a ceremony that left many talking.
Musician Platini P, Masamba Intore and Mariya Yohani, socialite Kate Bashabe, Miss Rwanda 2018 Liliane Iradukunda, Miss Rwanda 2019 Meghan Nimwiza, and Prince Kid’s long-time friend Joseph Mushyoma alias Bubu are among celebrities who graced the colourful ceremony. Bubu, a renowned businessman in the music industry, was the groom’s best man.
The lovebirds are now about to tie the knot in a religious wedding ceremony at Intare Conference Arena (Pavilion).
After the religious ceremony, a reception will be held at the same venue, which is anticipated to be attended by influential figures in Rwanda's entertainment industry.