Marie Immaculée Ingabire, the Chairperson of Transparency International Rwanda, a non-governmental organization fighting corruption and injustice, passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 64 due to illness.
Her passing was confirmed by family members and colleagues at Transparency International Rwanda.
Early life
In various interviews with IGIHE, Ingabire shared that she was deeply affected by the traumatic experiences of her childhood, particularly the hardship of living as a refugee.
These experiences fueled her passion for fighting injustice and corruption.
As a young girl, Ingabire realized that her family’s home in Burundi was not truly theirs. This revelation sparked her determination to return to her homeland, Rwanda, and contribute to its development with all her strength and knowledge.
Although she grew up in Burundi, where her family had sought refuge, she always dreamed of returning to Rwanda. She had grown weary of the life of persecution and lack of full rights, a situation she faced as a refugee.
Ingabire attended primary and secondary school in Burundi and pursued university studies in other countries before returning to Rwanda in 2001.
She held a Master’s Degree in Gender Studies and Human Rights (University of Pretoria – South Africa), a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Communication (Université de Lille – France), and a Diploma in Law and Human Rights from Institut de Droits de l’Homme de Strasbourg, France.
Career
Ingabire is one of the founding members of Transparency International Rwanda, established in 2004. In 2015, she was elected for the second term as the organization’s chairperson.
In an interview with IGIHE, she stated, “Before joining Transparency International Rwanda, I worked at many institutions, but my focus was always on women’s rights and advocating for sustainable development.”
“I worked at ORINFOR for many years, and also in various print media outlets, as well as with organizations such as Pro Femmes Twese Hamwe, IBUKA, and other women’s rights groups.”
Ingabire was known for her outspoken nature, often condemning wrongdoings publicly, which occasionally led to people labeling her as an antagonist. However, she once stated that those who saw her in that light were misunderstanding her.
She said, “It’s true that people often misunderstand me because of my work, which requires making tough decisions. But in reality, I am just a simple person who is humble and approachable. I have no quarrels or grudges against anyone. I’ve never fought anyone since I was born.”
Throughout her life, Ingabire lived by three core principles: prayer, respect, and perseverance.
