Members of the media fraternity have paid tribute to Valentin Umuhire, a veteran journalist, who passed away aged 43, on Thursday, January 7.

Umuhire, who was the owner and Managing Director of ValueNews, died at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK). He died from a respiratory condition days after he was cleared of Covid-19.

Umuhire worked in different media houses including Radio Rwanda, which is part of Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), and private media houses such as TV10, Isango Star, Radio Huguka, Pax Press, Syfia Grands Lacs, and others.

He was also one of the moderators of a media talk show sponsored by Rwanda Journalists Association (ARJ) that aired on different private media houses and community radios.

Muhire, who was staying in Musanze District with his family, had started practicing journalism in 2003.

Latifa Akimana,  who worked with him at Radio Rwanda, said: "Umuhire was a talented journalist. He was very good at generating story ideas that had a human interest angle. His death has shocked me a lot.”

"I do not remember well when he joined us but it was a long time ago. But when he joined he became radio presenter because of his eloquence and would also cover field stories. He was flexible and also good at giving good advice to young journalists,” she said.

Jean-Baptiste Karegeya, who was his friend and colleague, added: "Umuhire was a talented journalist and a workaholic. The media industry has lost an experienced journalist.”

Valentin Umuhire is survived by a wife and two children.

Rwanda journalists Association (RMC)  also sent condolence messages eulogizing the fallen colleague.

"Rwanda Journalists Association is grieved by fallen colleague, Valentin Umuhire. We comfort his entire family, friends, workmates in the media sector. RIP.”