Marie Immaculée Ingabire

Ingabire in 2021

Marie Immaculée Ingabire (1961 or 1962 – 9 October 2025) was a Rwandan feminist and human rights activist, a dedicated gender and social justice advocate who spent all her career in advancing women's rights in Rwanda and in the Region. She had led Rwandan delegations and represented Rwandan in different high level forum and movement such as the Fourth World Conference on Women 1995 in Beijing and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, where she was the chairperson of the Regional Women Forum.

Quotations

I believe that we can heal Rwanda - and our world - by healing one heart at a time. To me, I think justice is part of forgiving, if it is well done with love.

Forgiving the men who killed my parents and brother was a process, a journey into deeper and deeper prayer.

• od examples, they ignore family responsibilities and are not strict enough with their children the way parents were in the past.
• I love the American dream. I feel this is the place I was supposed to be in. It's beautiful. I love it.
  • "Transparency Rwanda wins governance award", The New Times (June 6, 2012)
• “This vice is like a pest. It’s never that obvious and by the time you see it, so much has been damaged. We need to fight corruption at all levels, without leaving any type behind. We may assume that we have gotten somewhere when there are some aspects that are blocking our country from progressing,
  • "Survey shows gender-based corruption highest in varsities". Transparenc International Rwanda. November 29,2022.
• "It is sad to see that people are more scared of police than they are of Covid-19, which kills! It seems like we have abandoned the government to fight this battle alone,"
  • "ti-rwanda urges collective efforts fight-against-covid". TI-Rwanda urges collective efforts in fight against Covid. July 03,2021.
• Women should be confident because they are capable, and the country needs them. They should do all they can such as study University, show that they can also manage to do things and are also talented.
  • "agasaro magazine". Ingabire Marie Immaculée. November 21, 2014
• We know the role of taxes, we also know that developed countries were able to achieve that status as a result of the taxes paid by their citizens... But, in taxation policy, you also consider the taxpayers' financial means

[https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/3153/news/economy/civil-society-seek-more-citizen-participation-in-setting-tax/ampNOVEMBER 30,2022

• There is a saying that many or high taxes spoil taxation. What this means is that if you ask people for taxes that are within their means, you will encourage more people to honour their duties. It is always better to increase gradually
  • "The New Times(Kigali)". Rwanda: Activist - We Need an Open Conversation On Land Tax. December 24,2020
• Traffic police officers these days tell car drivers to go and pretend to urinate in a nearby place, then put the bribe where they can see so that they come and continue the journey. The Police officer goes and pick it later.
  • Bribe in disguise: activists warn of changing corruption tricks. Rwanda Inspirer. (February 2020)
• If a person wants to give a bribe to a given official, they go through a chain of people whose network is difficult to link. For instance, a person wanted to offer bribe [via mobile money] to a prosecutor and passed it through [the phone number of] their former house servant.
  • Bribe in disguise: activists warn of changing corruption tricks. Rwanda Inspirer. (February 2020)
• I do not accept the statistic that unity and reconciliation among Rwandans is 94%, because genocide ideology is still visible both among adults and children.
  • Imibare igaragaza ibipimo by’ubumwe n’ubwiyunge mu banyarwanda sinyemera Kigali Today (15-08-2023)
• “If you go to RIB and ask for the data … we have it, not just in my head but in our work, and in all districts.”
• There is no one to challenge those in leadership; some people misappropriate State funds because there is no one caring, no follow up, money is used as they wish.”
• “If you are a parent and you accept that someone who abused your child is released, if a parent allows someone to go free after abusing a child, what about the next one?” Plus: “That person deserves to be punished in prison… children from other families should be safe.”
• In Rwanda, politicians go into politics to grab bread more than to serve citizens.”
• “This sends a message that there is no impunity for people who try to stop the fight against corruption… Although justice is done, we are not satisfied because this is a capital offence which deserves a maximum sentence…”
• “Although justice is done, we are not satisfied because this is a capital offence which deserves a maximum sentence.”
  • Transparency International reacts to prison terms given to those who murdered TI Rwanda staffer TRANCPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ( 11 August 2011 )
• “However it is disturbing that so many of our citizens experience cases of gender-based corruption in their offices, that is why I call on all employers to immediately put in place mechanisms to prevent and punish such cases.”
  • Gender-based corruption is present in Rwandan workplaces TRANCPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ( 11 August 2011 )
• .” (In Rwanda, politicians enter politics to get “bread” instead of serving citizens)
• 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.
  • https://en.igihe.com/news/article/immaculee-ingabire-chairperson-of-transparency-international-rwanda-dies. igihe.com (September 19, 2026).
• Like many Rwandans, I was unfortunate to be born in exile
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• It shaped me, it made me who I am today
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• They were not valued at all. I thought it was unacceptable.
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• We made noise, and they heard and changed it
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• When we say that we are fighting for more women in decision-making bodies, it’s not just because they are women
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• I am a gender promoter, not a feminist
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• They should know how to distinguish between positive feminism and radical feminism
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• I don’t know what it means to work under the armpit of the government
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• Transparency International is not an opposition party.
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• All I know is that those people out there want to have the platform to themselves
  • Outspoken and defiant: Ingabire reflects on decades of advocacy for women’s rightsThe New Times( January 26, 2025)
• Challenges remain in addressing corruption in specific sectors, particularly in service delivery
  • New index shows 18% drop in bribery encountersThe New Times( December 11, 2024)
• We surely need all actors to collaboratively take actions to fight gender based corruption because it exists in our community
  • “Gender-Based Corruption is present at the Workplace in Rwanda” – New TI-RW’s SurveyTI-Rwanda( September 28, 2022)
• In the light of the existing clear legal framework & high political will to curb corruption
  • Gender-Based Corruption is present at the Workplace in Rwanda” – New TI-RW’s SurveyTI-Rwanda( September 28, 2022)
• If I rent the land I live on, I should not be asked to pay tax
  • NewsKigaliToday( March 02,2021)
• Bars became restaurants, and village leaders and those they worked with all knew
  • Corruption has increased in Guma mu Rugo - Ingabire Marie ImmaculéeKigaliToday(May 10, 2021)
• I never thought of marrying another man, except that I didn't waste time with men in my life because at that time I was interested in the lives of those I was raising.
  • Learn more about the life of Ingabire Marie Immaculée, who turned 58 years old before she passed awayKigaliToday(June 13, 2020)
• If you find a man who wants to look at your phone when it's yours, or cheats on his partner, squanders the family's resources. Imagine if he drinks about two thousand a day, how much does he earn, and how much does he not have to pay for others
  • Learn more about the life of Ingabire Marie Immaculée, who turned 58 years old before she passed awayKigaliToday(June 13, 2020)
• When a child does not receive love, they cannot love
  • Ingabire Immaculée reveals how a bad home is better than prisonKigaliToday(January 8, 2018)
• I tried to understand the importance of Miss, but I couldn't find it.
  • Ingabire Marie Immaculee does not understand the importance of Miss RwandaKigaliToday(January 23, 2019)
• Beauty depends on the person looking at you
  • Ingabire Marie Immaculee does not understand the importance of Miss RwandaKigaliToday(January 23, 2019)