The Director General of Rwanda Media Council (RMC), Mutesi Scovia, has once again cautioned journalists against producing interviews or stories that invade people’s private lives, stressing that such practices undermine the credibility of the profession.
She made the remarks during Rwanda’s celebration of African Media Day.
The use of social media in Rwanda continues to grow, with platforms like X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and others being used both for sharing news and for daily personal activities. While these platforms offer opportunities for information dissemination, unregulated use can lead to crimes, especially when individuals’ private lives are targeted under the guise of reporting on public figures.
On June 13, 2025, the Nyarugenge High Court sentenced Sengabo Jean Bosco, also known as Fatakumavuta, to two years and six months in prison and fined him Rwf 1,300,000. The verdict followed convictions for acts including incitement, spreading false information, and defamation.
Mutesi emphasized that journalists should not create content that targets the private lives of others, regardless of their position or fame.
She said, “A major challenge with social media users is that they often claim immunity under the principle that everyone has a right to speak freely, but the Constitution provides clear boundaries that must be respected.”
Mutesi added, “Often, when these violations occur, even professional journalists fail to maintain ethical standards, contributing to a noisy environment where respect and accountability are absent. One must ask: what public value does the story provide? What does it teach? What does it clarify? What harm might it prevent?”
She noted that some sports and entertainment journalists assume that public figures do not deserve privacy, but stressed that ethical considerations apply to everyone. “Even in a forest, whether private or state-owned, one cannot act without following established rules. So why should journalists assume that being famous removes a person’s right to privacy?”
Journalists acknowledge that updating Rwanda’s media policies is essential to strengthening professional ethics and ensuring that such privacy violations are addressed.
