No evidence Rwandan president Paul Kagame called his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu Hassan a 'murderer'

According to this viral graphic, Rwandan president Paul Kagame called Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan a "murderer". However, we found no evidence that he ever made such a statement.

A graphic attributing a controversial quote to Rwandan president Paul Kagame is making the rounds on social media.

In the quote, Kagame appears to label Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan "a murderer".

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

"I can't congratulate a murderer. I'm emotional about Tanzania's blood," the graphic reads.

Hassan was declared the winner of the country's 29 October 2025 elections with 98% of the vote, but the opposition rejected the results. The election was marred by violence that resulted in deaths and destruction of property.

Amid the unrest, Hassan was sworn in for a second term on 3 November in a ceremony attended by fellow heads of state and other foreign dignitaries.

The graphic emerged amid speculation that Kagame did not send a congratulatory message to Hassan.

But is it legit? We checked.

No evidence

Even in times of disagreement, presidents and senior government officials use diplomatic language to maintain good relations with their neighbours and protect their interests. It is unlikely that Kagame would publicly label his counterpart a "murderer" over a disputed election.

Kagame has often used his official Facebook and X pages to update his followers on his engagements and thoughts. We did not find such remarks on these social media platforms.

Similarly, it has not been reported by any credible media outlet or published on diplomatic platforms, like before.

All indications suggest that the graphic is fake and should be disregarded.