A Voice That Refuses to Stay Silent
The Fight Against Drug Abuse: It kills, destroys families, and steals futures. One woman refuses to stay silent — her name is Marie Claire Uwineza, also known as MUTIMAWURUGO Claire.
She is a female Rwandan music artist who has been in the industry for a long time. She has decided to speak the truth and fight drug abuse.
Her songs call on young people to stay away from drugs. Today, she leads the MUTIMAWURUGO FOUNDATION. Its mission is simple: combating drug abuse in Rwanda.
The Global Drug Crisis: Why This Fight Against Drug Abuse Matters
Drug abuse is a terrible global crisis and challenge, and Rwanda is also affected.
Many countries all over the world are still facing and fighting the drug abuse yet they take measures and regulation to end it.
Governments and private institutions publish annual reports showing that drug abuse remains a burden to both communities and the nation.
Statistics show that millions of people have died. Others are in rehab, behind bars, others are homeless, addicted, and living a meaningless life.
They are a burden and a shame to their families and their country.
The Story Behind the MUTIMAWURUGO Foundation
Claire MUTIMAWURUGO founded the MUTIMAWURUGO Foundation to fight drug abuse among children and young people in Rwanda.
Claire’s fight started on stage.
“I began this fight with my music,” she says. “The country belongs to all of us. We love our President. He urges the youth to avoid drugs. So, I chose to support him.”
Her foundation received its legal license on August 22, 2026. But Claire has been active for six years.
She does not do this for money.
“I did not establish the Foundation to make money,” she says. “My priority is fighting drug abuse.”
How Sponsorship Keeps the Mission Alive
The MUTIMAWURUGO Foundation is supported by partners who share its vision. Claire MUTIMAWURUGO extends her gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth and Arts, and the Rwanda National Police, Magasin Sport Class, Rwanda Foam, Imprisco etc.
She also thanks the media, especially Isango Star for helping spread the message. Together, they are touring the country and changing lives.
Touring the Nation, Changing Lives
Claire’s campaign runs while school is in session. She has a target, a plan, and a mission: to cover the entire country.
Uwineza started with border districts, including Gicumbi, Burera, and Nyagatare.
She also covered Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge, etc.
The work produces results.
Drug users received care and support.
Legal authorities helped them. Together, they are not just fighting drug abuse – they are rebuilding lives.
The Challenge: Resources
Though every activity went well, Claire is still facing one major challenge: a lack of resources.
“Our primary challenge is a lack of resources,” she admits.
But she does not stop.
A Dream for Rwanda’s Children
“We are volunteers,” she says. “Our goal is to see Rwandan children free from drugs and working as journalists, doctors, police officers, soldiers, or members of parliament.”
The RBC Side: What the Government of Rwanda Is Doing
Talking to Global Vibe News Journalist Emmanuel Sibomana, RBC’s Mental Health Division provided these insights into Rwanda’s ongoing fight against drug abuse.
The Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) acknowledges that drug abuse cannot be solved by one strategy alone.
According to NSANZUMUHIRE Frederic, MPH, Acting Director of the Substance Abuse Prevention & Management Unit at RBC’s Mental Health Division, the government is working through a multi-sectoral approach that spans prevention, screening, treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.
Frederic says: “Rwanda does not see the solution in any single strategy,” he explained. The approach begins with preventing first use, especially among youth, and extends to controlling access and availability, screening for substance use in health facilities, schools and communities, and linking those who are dependent to appropriate care”.
The recent national mobilization campaign has already produced measurable results.
NSANZUMUHIRE reported a significant increase in the number of people with alcohol use disorder seeking mental health services at health centers and district hospitals.
This rise was driven by a nationwide outreach effort that helped identify and screen people with excessive alcohol consumption at the community level.
Those identified with harmful use or dependence were then referred for appropriate care.
The campaign demonstrates that when awareness meets accessible services, more people step forward to seek help.
Rehabilitation: Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Dreams
On the question of treatment capacity, Rwanda currently operates one specialized rehabilitation center for substance use disorders – Huye Isange Rehabilitation Centre with a capacity of 90 beds.
In addition, people with substance use disorders who require specialized care can be treated at referral hospitals, including Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kigali Mental Health Referral Centre, university teaching hospitals, and other referral facilities.
When asked which drug poses the biggest burden on Rwandan youth today, NSANZUMUHIRE was direct: “All drugs are bad to health. There is no amount that is safe for life.”
Based on health facility data, cocaine is not currently a major substance of concern in Rwanda – only a small number of people seek help for cocaine use – while alcohol and cannabis drive most demand for treatment.
His final message to Rwandan youth was simple and clear: “Stay healthy. Do not let drugs destroy your dreams and your life. Say no, seek help early, and contribute to build the Rwanda we want.”
Inside Rwanda’s Prisons Currently: Because of Drugs
In an interview with Global Vibe News Journalist, CSP Hillary Emmanuel Sengabo, RCS Spokesperson for the Correctional Service, stated that Rwanda’s prisons currently hold a total of 8,249 inmates — 1,383 females and 6,866 males.
Global Statistics: A Crisis Without Borders
Globally, the numbers are horrifying.
Global Statistics (2026):
- 331 million people used drugs illegally – 6.2% of the global population
- Cannabis: 256 million users
- Cocaine: 25 million users
- Etc
Types of Drugs:
- Cocaine: sometimes injected
- Cannabis (marijuana): most widely used illicit drug worldwide
- Heroin: commonly injected using needles
- Etc
Al Jazeera says that the United Nations warns that drug users and traffickers undermine global security.
Despite severe penalties, many persist. In June 2026, the U.S. military killed at least three people and destroyed a vessel suspected of transporting drugs in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Towards the end of 2025, Spanish police seized 123 tons of cocaine. This compares to 118 tons in 2023 and 58 tons in 2022.
In 2026, Spanish police arrested 14 people and seized 3.65 tons of cocaine.
The world is fighting. Claire is fighting too.
Claire is neither a politician nor a billionaire but an artist with a heart for her country.
Uwineza uses her voice to save children and youth. She uses her music to send and spread a message that fights drug abuse.
Rwanda National Police: A Pillar in the Fight Against Drug Abuse
The Rwanda National Police has stood beside Uwineza Marie Claire in the fight against drug abuse — not just once, but for many years. The RNP has lent cars to carry her team and tools during her campaigns. They have worked hand in hand with her Foundation, serving the community in every possible way.
The RNP is not only a security force; it is a pillar of Rwandan society. Together with the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), they recover stolen property including bags full of laptops, money, and other valuable items and return them to their owners, whether Rwandan citizens or foreign visitors.
This is the police that protects and the one that Rwanda is proud of.
Be Part of the Change
Claire has started a good journey. But no one changes a generation alone.
Think about the children, the youth, and those struggling with drug abuse — some in jail, some in rehab, some lost forever.
There are families who have lost their loved ones and the mothers who cry at night and the fathers who feel helpless.
Claire cannot save them alone. She needs you, your idea, your support, and your hand. Even the smallest help can change a life.
Do not just read this and walk away; be part of the story and the change.
Visit her at the office:
Any kind of support, is welcome.
Location:
Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District, Kigali, Rwanda
Contact:
(+250) 788226281 (Call/WhatsApp) Or
0782058598
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