From Africa, by Africa

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" The age-old question. For Fred Muvunyi, "journalist" was not the answer. Having been born in exile in Uganda, Muvunyi wanted "a more significant way" to make a difference. Maybe a soldier or a politician, he thought. Later, back in his home country Rwanda, he witnessed numerous injustices and human rights violations. Many of his compatriots and those in power remained silent.

This marked the beginning of what would later become a long and meaningful career in journalism. Muvunyi enrolled at the University of Rwanda to study journalism "because of the role the media played during the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994," he says.

True to his mission, Muvunyi went on to do a lot of investigative reporting to "expose the abuses by the police and security agents." He also played a significant role in expanding press freedom in Rwanda by advocating for greater media rights: Muvunyi was appointed the first chairperson of the media self-regulatory body Rwanda Media Commission. "I fought for the independence of journalism and ensured that state actors ceased from arresting and detaining journalists during my time in office," he shares.

But this came with a price

"State officials threatened to detain me or have me killed," says Muvunyi. In 2015, he fled the country and sought political asylum in Germany. "I felt like my dream of serving fellow Rwandans was shattered. I was going to live a life where I will never see my son and my family again."

DW West Africa Correspondent Fred Muvunyi

Muvunyi later joined DW as an editor. He is currently DW's West Africa correspondent, based in Lagos, Nigeria. And how does it feel to be back? I ask him. "What a pleasure to be a field soldier again," he says, "how privileged I feel to be back in Africa telling African stories!"

Working in Nigeria comes with its challenges too. Muvunyi has been reporting on the situation in the country, covering the abductions which have become more indiscriminate across northern Nigeria. "Nigerians, especially in the north, are going through hell. Kidnappings and killings have become the order of the day. There’s little or no respect for human life," he says. As the West Africa correspondent, he is also often in the Sahel countries. "The suffering of communities in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Chad is heart-wrenching."

But having an opportunity to tell stories of the people in this region has been a great deal for his career, he says. "I get fulfilling moments especially when stories of voiceless women and men make it to international airwaves." Muvunyi’s career has had a few twists and turns, but he remains committed to his passion. "It is so satisfying to tell stories of fellow Africans. I can’t go back to Rwanda, but I can travel to many African countries, and I can still live my purpose-driven life." 

This article is part of the 2021 English issue of the DW corporate magazine Weltzeit.

Read the full magazine here: Weltzeit: Local insight, global reach. Working in a strong network with partners.