Rwandan singer Suzanne Nyiranyamibwa, known for songs including Ese mbaze nde, Ndavunyisha and Nkumbuye iwacu, has died at the age of 83.
Nyiranyamibwa died on Friday, October 16, 2026, following an illness, according to a report published by Umunota. She was a veteran musician who gained recognition through the Isamaza cultural troupe and songs commemorating victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Other songs associated with her include Nimuberwe bakobwa, Ituze, Nyumva Mana and Inkera y’abahizi.
Nyiranyamibwa spent about four decades living abroad before returning to Rwanda to settle permanently. She left the country in 1973, fleeing persecution and recurring violence against Tutsi.
She initially sought refuge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she lived for 16 years before moving to Belgium.
Her family had already experienced violence. Her father was killed in 1963 after being thrown into the Rusumo River, according to the report. Her mother, Mukanzigiye Carolina, died during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi after returning to Rwanda from Belgium, where she had gone for medical treatment and to visit relatives.
Nyiranyamibwa’s music and cultural work helped preserve Rwanda’s musical heritage, while her songs about the Genocide contributed to remembrance of its victims.
Her family said arrangements for her farewell and burial would be announced later, allowing relatives, friends and admirers to pay their final respects.
