The Nyarugenge Primary Court has ordered a 30-day provisional detention for Prof. Omar Munyaneza, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Water and Sanitation Corporation Group (WASAC Group).
The ruling follows his arrest by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) on August 7, 2025, alongside two senior WASAC officials over corruption, abuse of office, and misconduct allegations.
Prof. Munyaneza, who led WASAC Group from September 2023 until his removal in July 2025, is facing charges of abuse of authority for personal gain, soliciting and granting undue financial advantages, and making decisions influenced by favoritism, nepotism, and personal connections. Prosecutors also accuse him of intimidation while exercising his duties.
During a hearing held on August 27, 2025, Munyaneza and his executive assistant, Dieudonné Mungwakuzwe, pleaded not guilty and applied for bail. However, the court sided with the prosecution, ruling that strong grounds exist to suspect the alleged crimes, and ordered that Munyaneza remain in custody for 30 days pending trial.
Munyaneza, a seasoned hydrologist with a PhD in Hydrology and Water Resources Management from UNESCO-IHE in the Netherlands, previously served as a Member of Parliament between 2018 and 2023, chairing the National Budget and Patrimony Committee. He also held academic and leadership roles in water management, including chairing the WASAC Board of Directors from 2014 to 2018.
His arrest marked a dramatic fall for the technocrat who had been appointed to head WASAC Group in September 2023 during a government restructuring of the utility. On July 16, 2025, Asaph Kabaasha was appointed as the new CEO, replacing Munyaneza.
WASAC, the Water and Sanitation Corporation Group, is a state-owned utility tasked with providing water supply and sanitation services across Rwanda. Established in September 2023, the group operates through two subsidiaries—WASAC Utility, responsible for service delivery, and WASAC Development, which focuses on infrastructure projects.
