Former employees of Choose Kigali are scheduled to meet with Moise Nkundabarashi, the President of Rwanda Bar Association on Thursday, August 7, to explore possible legal action over unpaid wages. As of now, no formal legal proceedings have been initiated, despite the restaurant's failure to comply with a signed agreement made between the company and the affected employees. Aline Umutesi worked at Choose Kigali, a high-end restaurant and art space in Kigali-Kiyovu, for 10 months. She describes her time there as “dedicated but painful,” saying she was paid for only five of those months. She publicly accused the restaurant of owing her Rwf 900,000 in unpaid wages for 5 months, despite an agreement they signed at District Labour Inspectors office on July 15, 2025. ALSO READ: Madjaliwa sues Rayon Sports over unpaid wages As per the agreement, the restaurant committed to paying Umutesi her full wages by July 30, including the RSSB contributions that were never made during her employment. Umutesi is just one of many former workers facing the same issue. Alongside 11 others, she took the matter to the Labour Inspector, but despite the collective effort, the restaurant still failed to honor the agreement. Among the affected employees is the Head Chef, Daniel Byiringiro, who is owed Rwf 15.6 million for nine months of work. Claude Nduwayezu from the marketing department is owed Rwf 6 million for six months, Joseph Nayituriki who worked as a steward is owed Rwf1.6 million for nine months, Ange Utezeneza is owed Rwf990,000 for five months while Delphine Uwimana is owed Rwf 3.7 million for 10 months. Not all employees had open-ended contracts. Some were told they would be hired permanently after a three-month probation period. They were given contract drafts, which they signed, but the restaurant management never signed them, rendering the agreements invalid. Several of the workers said they continued working despite delayed payments, hoping management would keep its word. “We kept working, believing they’d do the right thing,” said Umutesi. “We were wrong.” “This isn’t just about me. It’s about every Rwandan worker who believes in honesty, hard work, and dignity. We were loyal. We showed up. We served proudly. We deserve to be paid,” Umutesi wrote on X. The Ministry of Public Service and Labour replied to the tweet and said that they are “working together with other institutions to resolve this problem as soon as possible.” Umutesi shares the same frustration as Daniel Byiringiro, the Head Chef, who told The New Times that he worked at Choose Kigali from March 2021 until June 2025, ultimately resigning due to the mounting unpaid wages. “We need justice,” Byiringiro said. “We’re drowning in debts, most of us borrowed money from friends just to survive. Claude Nduwayezu, who worked in the marketing department, said he had maintained a professional relationship with Emmanuel Nkuranga, the owner of Choose Kigali, and even extended him the courtesy of staying silent to avoid media exposure. But now, he says, the situation has reached a breaking point. “I’ve stayed quiet out of respect,” said Nduwayezu. “But at this point, we’ve all hit rock bottom. We owe rent, and even if you’re staying with relatives, they eventually lose patience. You can’t afford the most basic things like soap and yet, you’re technically employed.” This is not the first time the restaurant has faced similar allegations. In October last year, Choose Kigali came under fire on social media platform X after one of its employees publicly raised concerns over delayed payments. A source from the District Labour Inspector’s office who preferred remain anonyomus told The New Times that the restaurant was fined Rwf300,000 in connection with the incident. However, due to repeated violations, the official said a report would be submitted to the Ministry of Public Service and Labour for further action. “The maximum fine we can impose at the district level is Rwf500,000,” the source explained. “For repeated offenses, the Ministry can fine between Rwf100,000 and Rwf2 million, depending on the gravity of the case.” The New Times made several attempts to contact the restaurant management for comment, but was unsuccessful. The lawyer did not return our calls, and the owner’s phone remained unreachable. A visit to the restaurant revealed that their manager, Abel Dewa, was present but declined to comment, stating that the matter had been referred to their legal team. However, the lawyer has yet to respond to multiple inquiries. While on site, a team from the District Labour Inspectorate was also present, conducting an assessment. They said there were no new developments beyond what had already been communicated. What does the law say? According to Article 66 of the labour law, an employee has the right to be paid for the work they have done, unless stated otherwise in the employment contract or the law. In disputes between employer and employee, the labour inspector in the area where the business operates must first attempt to mediate. If no resolution is reached, the matter is referred to court, according to Article 102, paragraph 4, regarding the amicable settlement of individual labour disputes.
