Anne Marie Niwemwiza

Anne Marie Niwemwiza (also written Anne-Marie Niwemwiza) is a Rwandan journalist and social media specialist at KT Radio in Kigali. She describes herself as a dedicated journalist committed to accountability, fairness, and professionalism with integrity, and is an alumna of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). She is known for reporting and presenting on KT Radio, including news programmes and talk shows in Kinyarwanda on public affairs, and for encouraging women to see journalism as a serious career.

Niwemwiza studied journalism but has said that many people saw it as a low-status job for women, with low pay, early mornings and abuse. She was encouraged by the Rwandan association of women journalists, ARFEM, whose chairperson told her that she had a good voice for radio. At that time KT Radio was small and existed only as a website, but she convinced the outlet to start broadcasting and worked so hard that, as she put it, people thought she never slept. She was given the news to present, which was unusual for a woman, since she was one woman among eight men, and she has said that she asked herself whether she could do it before being encouraged by others.

During the COVID-19 pandemic she took part in a UNESCO training for Rwandan journalists on reporting on the pandemic. She said afterwards that a journalist's role is of great importance in supporting the government and the public in combating the pandemic, and that solution journalism helps prevent public panic while exposing what needs improvement. She is active on social media, where she comments on public services and current affairs in Kinyarwanda and English.

Quotes

• "...I was one woman among 8 men."
  • On being given the news to present at KT Radio in its early days. Media: A Voice for All – Final Evaluation Report Search for Common Ground (October 31, 2014)

• "...the role of a journalist is of paramount importance..."
  • On the role of journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic, after a UNESCO training. Rwandan Journalists equipped with skills to report on the COVID-19 pandemic UNESCO

• There is a factor of some female journalists who are lazy and don’t want to make an effort; this is on both men and women but because of the little number they only condemn girls and leave behind boys.
  • https://www.ktpress.rw/2022/10/female-journalists-covering-soft-topics-because-of-men/ KT Press October 28, 2022
• In some cases, a girl can pitch a story idea but the editors who are men may think that she would pass it to a man to handle. Women are able but sometimes they are not given equal opportunities as men,
  • https://www.ktpress.rw/2022/10/female-journalists-covering-soft-topics-because-of-men/ KT Press October 28, 2022
• I thank my leaders to give me a space to exercise my leadership capacity where I work from, this mindset is causing gap in terms of gender inequality, a woman used to fear to talk in the history of our country, where we are today we can celebrate an achievement but there is still a gap
  • Mindset, Culture hinder females from having ownership and leadership in Rwanda’s mediaRwanda Inspirer(Mar 26, 2019)
• In schools, women are fully represented but on labour market their number is still small
  • Mindset, Culture hinder females from having ownership and leadership in Rwanda’s mediaRwanda Inspirer(Mar 26, 2019)
• I have learnt that the role of a journalist is of paramount importance in supporting the government and the public to combat the pandemic
  • Rwandan Journalists equipped with skills to report on the COVID-19 pandemicUNESCO(6 August 2021)
• In orienting our reporting in solution journalism, we help prevent the public panic, but also unveil what should be improved by responsible public information while responding to the pandemic
  • Rwandan Journalists equipped with skills to report on the COVID-19 pandemicUNESCO(6 August 2021)
• A survey indicated that the number of female journalists is still smaller.
  • Female Journalists Covering Soft Topics ‘Because of MenKT PRESS(October 28, 2022)
• Being famous isn’t the goal. What truly matters is understanding who you serve, your audience
  • ICK Journalism Students Inspired by Visit from Prominent AlumniICK Journalism(May 17, 2025)
• When people tell you, ‘Thanks to your reporting, I found a job,’ that’s the greatest reward.
  • ICK Journalism Students Inspired by Visit from Prominent AlumniICK Journalism(May 17, 2025)