Without them, Rwanda’s creative industry would be different, but their passion for entertainment has helped the industry grow by leaps and bounds, and pushed it to an international level.

The New Times looks at prominent figures who have pioneered in taking Rwanda’s creative industry notches higher.

Alex Muyoboke 

A pioneer in Rwanda’s music management, Muyoboke has stood the test of time and proved his capabilities in turning an upcoming artiste into a music star.

The likes of Tom Close, Urban Boys, Dream Boys and Charly na Nina, can attest to how far they have gone under his management.

Though it often hasn’t ended well, between Muyoboke and many of the artists he managed, his capabilities and contribution in pushing their music beyond the borders and helping them live the best of the music career are rarely questioned.

Muyoboke’s desire and commitment to fight for the future of Rwandan music inspired him to build connections with a lot of players in the music business, a network he made when he was still a student at former National University of Rwanda in Butare.

He was nicknamed ‘Manager’ due to his success in music management, a reputation he wants to keep building for Chris Hat, a new kid on the block.

Apart from doing music management under his company Decent Entertainment, Muyoboke’s experience in the music sector has also earned him confidence among people doing music business, following his recent appointment as the Managing Director of Ishusho Studio

Jacques Murigande ‘Might Popo’

Popo is using Rwanda School of Creative Art and Music to pave way for a new generation of musicians.

Igor Mabano, Ariel Wayz, Bill Ruzima, Kevin Kade, Karigombe, Ben Adolphe, Peace Hoziana and Symphony Band are thriving in their careers thanks to the skills acquired at the school and are already hungry to take Rwandan music to the international scene.  

They are now thriving and are only setting their bars high thanks to Popo who paved their way to success after connecting them to different players in the industry to help them adapt to the music market.

With Popo and the music school, the future looks bright for the new generation of Rwandan music.

Hope Azeda

She is arguably the face of performing arts in Rwanda.

Azeda is the brains behind Mashirika Performing Arts and Media Company which has over the past two decades raised a number of artists of national and international standards in different sectors of the industry from filmmaking, comedy to music and poetry.

Examples of Malaika Uwamahoro, a household name in Rwandan poetry and spoken word, and Arthur Nkusi has built a great name for himself in Rwanda’s comedy industry.

 The likes of Anita Pendo, filmmaker Eliane Umuhire, and many more are on the long list of artistes who grew through the ranks of Mashirika.

Azeda’s company Mashirika, which is also behind the creation of Ubumuntu Arts Festival, an annual festival, has become a global platform for new works and artistic responses to humanity, and her resilience in organising the past two editions in tough conditions due to the covid-19 is worth recognizing.

Established 20 years ago, Mashirika continues to be the leader in the performing arts and theatre in Rwanda.

Azeda’s role in contributing to the development of Rwanda’s creative industry remains a proof that the sector needs more women to invest their skills, power and commitment to push it to the next level.

Clement Ishimwe

A producer who doubles as a music manager under Kina Music, Ishimwe is a true definition of how a record label should be functioning in a well-organised manner.

From giving Nel Ngabo, Igor Mabano and Christopher a platform to shine to inspiring his wife Knowless Butera and Dream Boys to Primus Guma Guma Superstar prizes, Ishimwe has led the industry by example.  

Some music labels like Super Level and the Mane Music which is now staggering since its owner Bad Rama left for the United States, have struggled to flourish but Ishimwe’s strategic stability and commitment to establish a long-term business project has seen Kina Music only getting better and become a successful record label.

Joseph Mushyoma

Mushyoma’s contribution is a good example that Rwandan music is worth investing in.

Mushyoma’s passion for music inspired him to invest in it and he’s not only reaping big from it but has also been creating opportunities for local artists.

From Primus Guma Guma Superstarto New Year’s East African Party and Mutzig Beer Festival, Mushyoma has made a lease of life for Rwandan musicians, something he deserves credit for.

Musicians have been struggling financially, since the first case of covid-19 was discovered in the country in March last year but Mushyoma has always tried to make room for opportunities for artistes, by organizing Iwacu Muzika Festival, giving both established and upcoming artists a platform to perform.

Dieudonne Ishimwe

Over the past seven years, Ishimwe has not just grown the Miss Rwanda brand, but the contest as well, through his company, Rwanda Inspiration Backup.

The beauty pageant faced irregularities since its return in 2009, happening twice in five years and people, as well as young women who were aspiring to participate in the beauty contest, started to question its stability.

It was until Ishimwe took charge of the pageant in 2014 that it stabilised, making it arguably the most popular entertainment event on Rwanda's social calendar.

Winners have also reaped big, edition after edition given the fact that Miss Rwanda is now among the beauty contest paying awesomely in the world.

Epa Binamungu

The fact that most young painters look up to Epa Binamungu, shows what a treasure the 67-year-old is to the visual arts industry.

Epa’s ‘Inganzo Art Gallery’ speaks for him more than he can via any other channel of communication and his composure helps his audience understand the language smoothly.

He may be growing old but Epa will be remembered for his will to inspire the new generation to make the visual arts industry go places.

Patrick Rukundo (Patycope)

It really hurt the music promoter to see artists spend days and nights recording songs yet promotion of their works was still a missing link to their successful music distribution from Rwanda to the world.

Driven by social media, Patycope thought beyond the box and came up with a solution. 

A music enthusiast, Patycope is one of the promoters who at first used social media platforms, beginning with YouTube and Facebook in 2008, to promote Rwandan music and let the world know what Rwandan musicians can offer.

To date, Patycope is celebrating the fact that his contribution has paid dividends and his passion for music has always driven him to promote Rwandan music via his social media.

Wilson Misago

Misago takes so much credit for fighting to ensure that local films attract the attention of the international community through his online distribution platform, Zacu.

Nicknamed Rwanda's Netflix, Zacu is now home to the best of Rwandan films including Indoto series, Ejo Si Kera, Umuturanyi, Seburikoko and City Maid among others.

Misago’s City Maid was last month named among Africa’s 10 films and TV series breaking the boundaries as per the survey conducted by the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF).

His vision to introduce Rwandan films to the world via his platform has inspired local filmmakers to create more stories for the international audience, while others have started to dream of having their films, sooner or later, feature on world premiere movie platform Netflix