A man from Nkungu Sector in Rusizi District is suspected of vandalizing the door and window of his mother-in-law’s house following ongoing marital conflicts with his wife.
The incident occurred on October 20, 2025, in Muhora Village, Mataba Cell, Nkungu Sector, Rusizi District.
According to reports, the man went to his mother-in-law’s home around 5:00 p.m. to demand the return of his three-year-old son, who had been taken away by his mother.
The couple, who have been married for seven years and share four children, have long been entangled in family disputes allegedly linked to traditional beliefs and witchcraft. It is said that witchdoctors turned the husband against his wife and her family, worsening the situation.
In 2019, the wife suffered an illness that left her partially disabled in one leg and one arm, forcing her to stay at her parents’ home for three years.
When she returned in 2023, more quarrels erupted between the two. She briefly sought refuge at her brother’s home before eventually going back to her marital house.
In May 2025, another heated argument broke out, prompting the husband to leave the family home and return to his parents’ house, leaving the children behind. The man reportedly works as a local brewer.
The wife later said that she had received information that her children were living under poor conditions, which led her to take the eldest child, aged 14, and later the youngest, aged three, from their father’s care.
It was the retrieval of this three-year-old child that triggered the confrontation. In the process, the man allegedly damaged the door and window of his mother-in-law’s house.
Nkungu Sector Executive Secretary, Emmanuel Habimana, confirmed the incident, saying that local authorities had intervened to mediate between the two families and that those involved in the destruction of property would face legal consequences.“It is shameful and unacceptable to destroy your mother-in-law’s house,” Habimana said. “This family has a history of constant disputes. We always advise such couples that if they can no longer live together peacefully, they should seek legal separation through the courts.”
The couple’s four children range in age from 3 to 14 years old.
Recently, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Consolee Uwimana told Senators that domestic conflicts remain one of the major social challenges in Rwanda, often fueled by alcoholism and other family-related issues.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
