Emmanuela Belle Uwimbabazi of Kigali Marriott Hotel has received the prestigious J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, one of the hotel chain's highest global recognitions. Uwimbabazi is the Director of Rooms Operations at Kigali Marriott Hotel. She received the award at Marriott International Headquarters in Washington DC on Monday, May 11. ALSO READ: Rwandan hotel named among TIME’s greatest places of 2026 The award named after Marriott’s founder is presented annually to only 10 associates worldwide. It recognises employees who demonstrate exceptional achievement, character, dedication, effort, and perseverance while exemplifying the company’s core values through outstanding service. Cheerleading pom-poms, applause & proud smiles all around at @MarriottIntl HQ in Washington, D.C. as #Rwanda’s own Emmanuela Uwimbabazi was honored with Marriott International’s top award, presented annually to only 10 associates globally. A well-deserved recognition of her... pic.twitter.com/BO9VVXkwZd — Mathilde Mukantabana (@AmbMukantabana) May 12, 2026 According to Marriott International, the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence honours the company’s finest associates whose work reflects the culture and standards upon which the hospitality giant was founded. In addition to the individual awards, Marriott also recognises teams and initiatives in areas such as corporate citizenship, diversity and inclusion, innovation, leadership development, and employee wellbeing through its TakeCare programme. ALSO READ: Investor confidence grows as Mövenpick enters Rwandan hospitality scene Uwimbabazi was recognised for her leadership and operational excellence at Kigali Marriott Hotel, where she oversees room operations. She is credited with helping maintain seamless service delivery, particularly during high-profile events and international gatherings hosted at the hotel. Her hospitality journey with Marriott International began in 2012 through the Akilah-Marriott partnership after completing her studies at the Akilah Institute for Women. She later contributed to several hotel openings across the Middle East and Africa, including the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi, and Kigali Marriott Hotel. Uwimbabazi holds a bachelor’s degree in international hotel management and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree. Since assuming her current role in Kigali in 2022, she has led efforts to strengthen coordination across departments, including front office, housekeeping, and spa and recreation services. She has also overseen operations for protocol-sensitive delegations, including international summits, sporting congresses, and high-level government events. Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United States, Mathilde Mukantabana, congratulated Uwimbabazi on the award. “A well-deserved recognition of her commitment to excellence. Rwanda is proud of you,” Mukantabana wrote in a post on X.
