Former employees of Choose Kigali, a high-end restaurant and art space in Kiyovu, may soon get their unpaid wages following negotiations with their former employer on Thursday, August 7. The meeting brought together the former workers, the employer, with mediation from the Rwanda Bar Association and the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA). ALSO READ: Top Kigali restaurant staff seek legal redress over unpaid wages The mediation was convened following public outcry and multiple complaints from the former staff over unpaid wages dating back months, despite earlier agreements reached at the District Labour Inspector’s office. Some workers, including Head Chef Daniel Byiringiro and marketing staff Claude Nduwayezu, said they are owed as much as Rwf15.6 million and Rwf6 million, respectively. During the meeting, the affected employees were accompanied by two pro bono lawyers from the Rwanda Bar Association an official from labour ministry in charge of labour inspection. Moise Nkundabarashi, President of the Rwanda Bar Association, confirmed that the meeting led to a consensus between the workers and the employer. “The parties agreed that this matter will be fully resolved by August 15, ideally before then. What we facilitated was mediation, and both parties committed to settling the dispute amicably,” he said. The mediation included two categories of workers: those who had already taken the matter to the labour inspector and had agreements in place awaiting implementation, and others who had similar claims but had not yet filed official complaints. “To address everything at once, we worked in collaboration with MIFOTRA to ensure a coordinated approach,” Nkundabarashi told The New Times on Thursday evening. According to the Bar Association, their intervention was in response to a concern raised by the workers and in the spirit of upholding their right to legal assistance. Following the mediation, Aline Umutesi, who had previously accused the restaurant of failing to pay her Rwf900,000 over five months, expressed optimism about the meeting's outcome. After several days of silence, we finally had a significant meeting today with Ingagi Hospitality (the company behind Choose Kigali), in the presence of representatives from MIFOTRA, the Rwanda Bar Association, and the Labour Inspector of Nyarugenge District, she wrote in a post on X. “We want to sincerely thank the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, the Head of the Bar Association, and the Labour Inspector for standing with us. Your presence today gave us a sense of dignity and hope that justice is possible,” she wrote. Umutesi, who has previously accused the restaurant management of ignoring their claims for months, maintained that they were hopeful but also cautious. MIFOTRA is expected to monitor the situation closely, ensuring that the mediation outcomes are implemented and respected.
