Veteran television cameraman Valens Rwamukwaya, whose lens helped document Rwanda’s modern history for nearly four decades, has died at the age of 69.

Rwamukwaya, who worked for Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) until his retirement in 2020, passed away on Monday, February 2, at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali after a long illness, his family confirmed.

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Speaking to The New Times, Felix Rwamurangwa, a relative of Rwamukwaya, said the veteran journalist died after battling illness for some time. The vigil is being held at his residence in Niboye Sector, Kicukiro District.

Rwamukwaya served as a cameraman at RBA for 26 years, playing a key behind-the-scenes role in capturing major national events, public affairs and everyday stories that shaped the country’s broadcast journalism. In total, he dedicated 38 years to the profession.

Born in 1956 in Nyaruguru District, Southern Province, Rwamukwaya fled Rwanda with his family at the age of three and grew up in Burundi, where he spent much of his early life as a refugee. It was there that he discovered his passion for journalism.

In 1982, he quit his studies at the University of Burundi to take up an internship at Radio Burundi. Two years later, in 1984, he joined the pioneering team tasked with establishing Burundi’s national television, becoming one of its first cameramen.

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Rwamukwaya later became one of the few media professionals to be part of the founding teams of both Burundi Television and Rwanda Television. After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, he returned to Rwanda in July that year, and joined the then Office Rwandais d’Information (ORINFOR), which later evolved into the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency.

At RBA, he briefly worked on sports programming and was involved in the early development of television sports shows before returning fully to camera work. He went on to mentor several journalists and camera operators who later became prominent figures in Rwanda’s broadcast media.

Known for his towering build and physical strength, Rwamukwaya often joked that his stature helped him secure better shots, especially in the early days when television equipment was heavy and resources were limited. Among the tools he fondly recalled was the Betacam, a large-format camera he described as his favourite during his long career.

His professional development included a three-month training in Germany in 1992, where he studied camera work and television production, an experience he credited with strengthening his technical skills and discipline.

In a 2020 retirement interview with The New Times, Rwamukwaya described his decision to return and serve in Rwanda as one of the proudest moments of his life, saying working in a country he called home was his greatest motivation.

His retirement prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and the public, with many praising his humility, professionalism. Following his passing, fellow journalists have once again taken to social media to remember him as a calm, dedicated mentor who valued accuracy and storytelling through images.

Rwamukwaya is survived by his wife and six children.

The family said funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course.