Kigali, Rwanda – A social media exchange between Angolan journalist Hariana Verás Victória and Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has sparked widespread debate over media integrity, impartiality, and the responsibilities of journalists covering conflicts in Africa.
Verás is a prominent journalist and producer accredited as a permanent correspondent at the White House, U.S. Senate, Pentagon and State Department.
She recently posted a video from the White House compound attempting to question President Donald Trump about alleged violations of the Washington Accord and U.S. plans to advance peace in Sudan.
In the post, shared in English, French, and Portuguese, she wrote, “We weren’t able to get a response today, but we will return and continue seeking his views,” underscoring her commitment to pursuing answers on sensitive geopolitical issues.
Soon after, Minister Nduhungirehe publicly challenged her reporting, questioning her professional integrity and impartiality.
While Verás defended herself, insisting that her work is guided by “truth, accuracy, and ethical reporting” and that “facts remain facts regardless of who may feel uncomfortable with them,” the minister highlighted what he described as serious omissions and biases in her coverage.
“Professional integrity should not be just proclaimed by the journalist him/herself; it should be demonstrated by the quality of the regular reporting,” Nduhungirehe wrote.
He pointed to her long-standing silence on the FDLR, a genocidal militia in eastern DRC, and its collaboration with the Congolese army, as well as her failure to report on repeated attacks and persecution of Congolese Tutsi communities, including the Banyamulenge.
Citing airstrikes, the destruction of 300 homes in Masisi territory in October 2023, blockades of markets in Minembwe, and public lynchings, the minister questioned whether these victims are “not human beings enough to warrant her attention.”
Nduhungirehe also criticized Verás’s conduct in December 2025 when a senior Congolese army spokesperson disparaged Tutsi women on state television. Her subsequent appearance holding an RTNC microphone at the White House, he argued, raised ethical concerns.
Additionally, he questioned why, during interviews with Presidents Tshisekedi of DRC and Ndayishimiye of Burundi, she did not challenge threats against Rwanda or investigate the use of foreign mercenaries in violation of UN resolutions.
The exchange comes at a time when Rwanda was concluding its 2026 National Dialogue Council, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and regional security.
Nduhungirehe’s pointed critique indicates a broader concern over selective reporting and the role of journalists in shaping narratives that affect international perception and humanitarian understanding.
With these inconsistences, the debate has shifted from freedom of the press to the ethical duty of journalists to present comprehensive, unbiased accounts of ongoing crises, particularly in regions where human lives and rights are at stake.
This exchange has ignited discussions across social media, with many questioning whether Verás’s affiliations and actions compromise the standards of independent journalism she claims to uphold.
