Abraham, 35, recently underwent what her manager, Chrissy Johnston, described to PEOPLE as double-disc jaw surgery.
She had her stitches removed on Wednesday, September 30, which Johnston described as a small but welcome milestone in her recovery.
Following the procedure, Abraham's jaw has been wired shut and she is expected to remain unable to speak for about two months.
She is also required to follow a strict liquid diet because she cannot open her mouth normally.
Johnston said Abraham has already lost a significant amount of weight during the recovery.
'She's understandably not having the easiest time right now,' Johnston told PEOPLE, adding that severe pain, swelling and difficulty eating and communicating have affected Abraham physically and emotionally.
Abraham has shared glimpses of her recovery with followers. She appeared on her daughter Sophia Abraham's TikTok livestream after the surgery, using a written message to explain that she could not speak.
She later described herself as feeling like 'Frankenstein' and expressed hope that the swelling in her face would subside within about three months.
Abraham had previously spoken publicly about experiencing serious jaw problems.
In May, she said she had been dealing with degenerative disc disease affecting her jaw and that she could not open her mouth normally.
She indicated at the time that the upcoming surgery was intended to address the problem rather than being performed for cosmetic reasons.
According to reports, Abraham has also attributed her jaw problems to trauma that she says was connected to an alleged sexual assault.
She has previously accused former Windsor, California, Mayor Dominic Foppoli of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2021. Foppoli has denied the allegations and has said the encounter was consensual.
These allegations have not been established as facts in the reporting about her surgery.
The recovery has also reportedly affected Abraham's hearing. Johnston said she has experienced hearing loss in her right ear and expressed hope that it will return as she heals.
Despite the challenges, Johnston said Abraham is trying to remain positive and continue moving forward.
She is also working on her campaign for Austin City Council while recovering, although her immediate focus remains on getting through the lengthy healing process.
Abraham first became widely known after appearing on MTV's 16 and Pregnant in 2009 before joining Teen Mom.
She later appeared in other reality television programs and has remained a public figure through social media and other projects.
Farrah Abraham is recovering after undergoing double-disc jaw surgery that has left her jaw wired shut and temporarily unable to speak
The way a person holds their arm during a blood pressure check can significantly affect the result, according to research led by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The study found that leaving the arm unsupported at the side can make systolic blood pressure, the upper number in a reading, appear about 6.5 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) higher than it would when the arm is properly supported.
Resting the arm on the lap also produced higher readings, although the difference was smaller.
Researchers compared three different arm positions: supporting the arm on a desk, resting it on the person's lap and leaving it unsupported at the side.
Compared with the recommended desk-supported position, resting the arm on the lap increased systolic blood pressure by 3.9 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 4.0 mmHg.
When participants allowed their arms to hang unsupported at their sides, systolic pressure was 6.5 mmHg higher and diastolic pressure was 4.4 mmHg higher.
The researchers said these differences could matter when doctors assess whether someone has hypertension.
For example, an increase of 6.5 mmHg could turn a reading of 123 into approximately 130, or a reading of 133 into about 140, potentially placing the measurement into a different blood pressure category.
The study involved 133 adults between 18 and 80 years old. Participants were tested during a single visit, with researchers carefully controlling the conditions under which their blood pressure was measured.
Each participant had their blood pressure measured repeatedly while using the different arm positions.
Before the measurements, participants walked for two minutes and then rested for five minutes.
Researchers used appropriately sized upper-arm cuffs and digital blood pressure devices.
Participants were also asked not to talk or use their phones during the measurements.
The findings support existing recommendations for accurate blood pressure measurement.
The American Heart Association recommends that people sit with their back supported, keep both feet flat on the floor with their legs uncrossed, use an appropriately sized cuff and rest the arm on a surface so that the middle of the cuff is positioned at heart level.
The researchers noted that blood pressure is sometimes measured in clinical settings while a patient's arm is unsupported or resting on their lap, despite these recommendations.
The study was led by researchers at Johns Hopkins and included Tammy Brady, M.D., Ph.D., as senior author, along with Sherry Liu and other researchers.
The findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The researchers cautioned that their findings may apply specifically to measurements taken with automated blood pressure devices and may not necessarily extend to other types of equipment.
The position of a person's arm during a blood pressure check can affect the accuracy of the reading
The call was made during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening held in Accra, Ghana, on September 24, 2026, and hosted by the Mastercard Foundation under the theme, 'Reimagining Higher Education for Africa's Human Capital Development.'
The convening also marked the inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize ceremony, which recognized five institutions for advancing sustained, institution-wide transformation.
'Transformation is not just a better university. It is a university that makes the whole economy around it work better for young people,' said Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
She said universities need curricula developed with employers, credentials that reflect what graduates can do, institutions that prepare young people to lead emerging technologies, and research that moves beyond campuses into industry, government and communities.
Throughout the convening, participants explored how universities can strengthen research and innovation, prepare young people for changing labour markets and build stronger links with industry. Discussions also highlighted the need to focus research and skills development on areas where Africa has strategic advantages and potential for greater impact.
Young people called for their experiences and aspirations to be reflected in decisions on education, work and opportunity, while emphasizing their role as active partners in shaping the systems that affect their lives.
'Africa's young and growing population presents one of the world's greatest opportunities,' said Dr. John Nkengasong, Executive Director for Higher Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation.
'Higher education transformation is not simply an education agenda. It is an economic imperative,' he said, calling for governments, universities, industry, investors and development partners to work together to build systems that enable young people and economies to thrive.
The discussions align with the African Union's Decade of Education and Skills Development (2025–2034), which seeks to strengthen education systems and skills development in line with the continent's long-term development priorities, including Agenda 2063.
'The African Union's Decade of Education calls on us to view higher education as a strategic investment in Africa's future,' said Professor Saidou Madougou, Director of the African Union Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
He noted that higher education spending averages less than 0.8 percent of GDP, while research and development receives less than 0.5 percent of national budgets, calling for greater collaboration, faculty and student mobility, and systems that allow talent, knowledge and innovation to move across borders.
Prof. Kayihura M. Didas has received the inaugural AHEFT Prize on behalf of the University of Rwanda.
University of Rwanda among five AHEFT laureates
The convening also recognized Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, Muni University in Uganda, and the University of Rwanda as the inaugural AHEFT Prize laureates.
Backed by a USD 500 million commitment, the prize is expected to recognize at least 150 institutions across Africa over the next decade, with each winning institution receiving USD 3 million to scale transformative initiatives.
For the University of Rwanda, the prize will be used to build on progress in health education, research and innovation.
'This recognition affirms the University of Rwanda's commitment to developing a health workforce that responds to the needs of our country and communities,' said Prof. Kayihura M. Didas, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.
'With the support of the Mastercard Foundation, we will build on the progress already made in health education, research and innovation, while strengthening our capacity to translate knowledge and research into meaningful impact for communities,' he said.
Other laureates also highlighted the broader role of universities in Africa's development.
'Africa's greatest resource is its young people. Our universities therefore have a responsibility not merely to prepare them to participate in the future, but to equip them to shape it,' said Samuel Kifle, President of Addis Ababa University.
Assoc. Prof. Anguma Simon Katrini, Vice Chancellor of Muni University, said universities should also strengthen their links with surrounding communities.
'The future of African universities is not within our walls alone; it is also in our communities,' he said. 'Universities need to move beyond the ivory tower to the people, listen to their challenges, and put our knowledge to work alongside them.'
Susan Chomba, Chair of the AHEFT Jury, said the inaugural laureates demonstrated different approaches to meaningful institutional transformation.
The Mastercard Foundation said applications for the 2027 AHEFT Prize cycle will open later this year.
The Accra discussions concluded with a call for universities, governments, industry, investors and development partners to translate the emerging consensus into system-level action, strengthening links between education, employment, research and investment so that more young Africans can learn, earn and lead.
Prof. Kayihura M. Didas was joined on stage by Rwanda's High Commissioner to Ghana, Rosemary Mbabazi; Dr Edward Kadozi, Director General of the Higher Education Council of Rwanda; and Prof. Abraham H. Mitike, Principal of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.The inaugural AHEFT Prize ceremony brought together higher education leaders and partners in Accra, Ghana.Higher education leaders and partners attended the inaugural AHEFT Prize ceremony in Accra.The inaugural AHEFT Prize has recognised five universities for their efforts to transform higher education in Africa.
RSSB Tigers BBC qualified for the intercontinental competition after winning the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) title.
Randall, who joined the team on loan, played three games in the tournament, logging 113 minutes and scoring 77 points at an average of 25.7 points per game. He also averaged 2.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per contest.
FIBA selected Randall to the tournament's standout team alongside Tournament MVP Eric Dixon and Lester Quinones of NBA G League United, Francisco Cáffaro of Boca Juniors, and Kay Bruhnke of Rytas Vilnius.
Randall's selection came on the same day he signed a new two-year contract extension with APR BBC following the conclusion of his loan spell at RSSB Tigers BBC. He will continue with APR BBC alongside a core roster that includes Chingka Kennedy Garba, Hubert Sage Kwizera, Teafale Lenard Jr., Antino Jackson, Axel Mpoyo, and Ntore Habimana.
The expansion was officially launched on August 30, 2026, although preparatory works had begun nine months earlier. The project is being implemented by Chinese company Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Company.
Among the works already completed is the widening and compaction of sections that will temporarily carry traffic as construction of the elevated section gets underway.
At Prince House, the starting point of the project, the road has been widened on both sides of the existing carriageway near the intersection leading towards Remera Bus Park. The newly widened sections have been compacted and are expected to carry traffic while the elevated road is being built.
Drainage works are still underway on the upper side of this section.
Further down the road, below Zigama CSS, a stone retaining wall above the road has been completed, while the section below it has also been compacted.
Another widened and compacted section runs from SABANS Pharmacy past Hilltop Hotel towards the intersection connecting to Kanombe and the road to an area known as 'Kuri 15' .
Traffic continues to use the existing tarmac section in the middle. From this intersection towards 'Kuri 15', trees along the upper side of the road have been cleared to make room for the expansion, although earthworks have not yet started.
Meanwhile, machinery is currently compacting the section running past Hilltop Hotel towards the Kanombe intersection.
Businesses expect new opportunities
Businesses along the road say they expect the project to bring more customers and create opportunities for expansion once construction is completed.
Ngabo Désiré, who runs Come Again bar near the road, said the project's proximity to Kigali International Airport could increase the number of people visiting the area.
'This place is close to the airport, so the project will increase the number of people coming here. We plan to expand our services, construct a multi-storey building and add accommodation facilities. Being closer to the road will also be an advantage,' he said.
Iragena Rebecca, who manages a restaurant near SABANS, said the business has already recorded a 10% increase in customers, partly due to workers involved in the road project.
She said meals that previously took time to sell now often run out, sometimes requiring the restaurant to prepare additional food.
Ndikumana Zachée, manager of Epimac Resto & Coffee Shop, said traffic has declined in some areas because activities and structures have been removed to facilitate construction. However, he expects business to pick up once the road is completed.
'The elevated section will improve traffic flow, and we have enough space to expand our business if the number of customers increases,' he said.
Staff at The Planet Salon also expect to expand their services, saying some customers previously avoided the area because of congestion.
More jobs expected
The Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) says 132 people are currently employed on the project, with more expected to be hired as construction activities increase.
Relocation of people and other activities along the road alignment are more than 95% complete.
Some workers said the project has provided them with a source of income and helped them meet household needs. One worker said he has earned Rwf130,000 per month over the past nine months, which has helped him pay his child's school fees and cover other expenses.
The expanded road will have four lanes, up from the existing two, and will include a 1.3-kilometre elevated section.
The project is expected to take 30 months and cost more than Rwf130 billion. China will contribute Rwf95 billion, while Rwanda will provide Rwf35 billion.
The FTC has broad authority to examine unfair and deceptive practices affecting consumers in the United States.
The scope of the investigation has not been disclosed, and the launch of an inquiry does not mean the companies will face charges of wrongdoing.
The probe comes amid heightened concerns about AI safety. Anthropic and OpenAI have reported cases in which their AI systems operated beyond their intended environments, including an incident in which OpenAI agents reportedly escaped a sandbox to breach Hugging Face, another AI company.
OpenAI canceled a model release on Monday over safety concerns, while executives from both companies have proposed coordinated slowdowns to strengthen safety measures.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a broad investigation into artificial intelligence (AI) safety practices at Anthropic and OpenAI.
The agreements were signed with the Rwanda Garage Association (RGA), Rwanda Wood Value Chain Association (RWVCA), Rwanda Tailors Association (RTA) and Rwanda Hospitality Association (RHA) during a ceremony held at RTB offices in Kigali on September 29, 2026.
The partnerships, supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Rwanda and Never Again Rwanda, are expected to make it easier for students to access workplaces where they can practise the skills they acquire in class.
The agreements provide for workplace placements, internships, apprenticeships, industrial attachments and other structured workplace-learning opportunities.
Industry associations will help mobilise suitable businesses, identify workplace mentors and in-company instructors, and support practical training.
The four associations collectively represent more than 1,680 businesses, in addition to around 1,500 individual tailors. RGA represents 332 garages, RWVCA brings together 300 companies, RTA represents 350 companies and RHA represents between 700 and 800 businesses.
RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi said the agreements would help address the gap that previously existed between TVET institutions and the private sector, which sometimes affected students when they entered the labour market.
'These agreements aim to ensure that students are trained based on the needs of the labour market. Private-sector companies will follow students from the time they join school so that, when they reach the stage of workplace learning, the companies will receive students they know and whose training they have contributed to,' he said.
The partnerships will also give industry a stronger role in identifying priority skills, occupational analysis, curriculum development and review, training delivery, assessment and quality assurance.
Deputy Chairperson of the Rwanda Garage Association, Niyitegeka Jean Gilbert, said some students had previously struggled to find suitable places for workplace training, particularly in larger companies.
'We are pleased that this will now be given a clear framework so that every student can undertake workplace learning in an environment that matches the skills they are pursuing,' he said.
Opportunities for experienced workers
The agreements will also benefit people already working in the private sector who have practical skills and experience but lack formal qualifications.
Umukunzi said RTB would assess their existing competencies through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and provide certification to those who meet the required standards.
'We have many Rwandans working in private companies who have different skills and are active in the labour market but do not have formal qualifications. Through these agreements, we will assess the skills they have and provide them with qualifications corresponding to those skills,' he said.
RWVCA Chairperson Abdu Karemera said certification could help experienced workers gain confidence in their professions and create their own businesses.
The agreements also provide for short courses, upskilling and reskilling to help workers adapt to new technologies and changing industry requirements.
RTB said it will continue engaging other industry associations and private-sector actors to expand workplace learning opportunities to more sectors and learners across Rwanda.
Nicole Ansoni, Board Secretary of the Rwanda Hospitality Association, has signed the MoU on behalf of the association.The Deputy Chairperson of the Rwanda Garage Association, Niyitegeka Jean Gilbert (right), has signed the MoU.RWVCA Chairperson Abdu Karemera has signed the MoU alongside RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi.The President of the Rwanda Tailors Association has also signed the MoU.RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi has said there was previously a gap between TVET institutions and the private sector.RTB plans to continue engaging other industry associations and private-sector actors to expand workplace learning opportunities to more sectors and learners across Rwanda.
Minister of State for Health Dr Yvan Butera revealed this on Wednesday while opening the fifth Africa HealthTech Summit (AHTS) at the Kigali Convention Centre.
The three-day summit, running from September 30 to October 2, brings together governments, health technology companies, investors, development partners and innovators under the theme 'Wellness for All, Powered by Intelligent Health Systems.'
Butera said Rwanda's experience with health intelligence had prompted other countries to establish similar centres, with Tanzania, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia among those pursuing the model.
'Ever since that time, since we set up our health intelligence centre here in Rwanda, we have 11 countries that are also setting health intelligence centres in their own countries,' Butera shared.
He said the countries are also working through the Health Intelligence Center for Africa, a network headquartered in Kigali that aims to coordinate collaboration and allow countries to learn from each other.
Rwanda established its National Health Intelligence Centre to bring together data generated across the health system and turn it into information that can support decision-making.
The hub was launched on the sidelines of the Global AI Summit on Africa on April 3, 2025. The centre employs a diverse team, including medical doctors, data scientists, software developers and programmers.
The initiative tracks the efficiency of public health equipment, such as ambulances and hospital refrigeration systems, while collecting and analysing medical procedure outcomes to inform policy.
A key feature of the facility is its data warehouse, which stores patient care records, routine reports from healthcare facilities, and feedback from community health workers and the public.
The data is used to assess service delivery, monitor hospital performance and improve health system efficiency.
The approach is part of a wider digitisation of Rwanda's health system, including the use of community electronic medical records.
Butera said more than 54,000 community health workers have been equipped with smartphones containing a Rwanda-tailored community electronic medical record system.
The system allows health workers to record and follow up patients, identify people at risk and provide information that health authorities can use to monitor emerging health trends.
Butera said the technology had also changed how health authorities identify and respond to emerging problems.
'From my office, I'm able to see, quickly scan the entire country, what's happening and what is mushrooming,' he revealed, citing the ability to identify issues such as medicine stock-outs and concentrations of conditions including high blood pressure.
The system is also being used to improve maternal healthcare by allowing information gathered at community level to be accessed by health centres, hospitals and specialists.
Butera said Rwanda had recorded a 30% reduction in maternal mortality over the past two years through interventions including earlier identification of high-risk pregnancies and better coordination between levels of care.
He also highlighted Rwanda's virtual hospital, which connects district hospitals with specialist doctors who can support healthcare teams remotely.
Specialists can follow procedures taking place in district hospitals in real time and guide general practitioners through complex cases, including surgery.
Butera said the programme had helped save around 15 mothers who were classified as near-miss cases.
Eric Remera, Director of Rwanda's National Health Intelligence Centre, echoed the sentiments, saying, 'Our mission is to change the traditional direction of information, whereby data flowed only upwards. Currently, we also want advantages that move the other way: giving providers better tools, reducing paperwork, and helping them make better decisions at the right time.'
He added that Rwanda's experience was not being presented as a finished model, but as an ongoing process from which other countries could learn.
'We hope that our experience can contribute to the wider conversation about how we build intelligent, sovereign, and people-centred health systems,' Remera said.
The expansion of Rwanda's health intelligence model comes as African countries look for ways to address shortages of healthcare workers while extending specialised services to underserved communities.
WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Rwanda Dr Brian Chirombo, speaking on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, said Rwanda's experience showed the importance of connecting health workers with data, digital tools and support.
He said digital transformation should focus on equity, trust and measurable impact, while ensuring that data privacy, security and human rights remain central to the development of intelligent health systems.
The UN is supporting Rwanda in areas including the National Health Intelligence Centre, telemedicine, disease surveillance, digitisation of health facilities and community electronic medical records.
Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, chairman of AHTS and Chief Digital Advisor for Africa CDC, said the summit was increasingly focused on moving digital health initiatives beyond individual projects and into systems that can operate at scale.
He said Rwanda had been the first country to establish a National Health Intelligence Centre on the continent and was also working towards fully digitising primary healthcare.
The summit has attracted about 4,300 registered delegates from Africa and beyond, according to Nsengimana, with dozens of sessions planned during the three-day event.
Minister of State for Health Dr Yvan Butera presided over the opening of the fifth Africa HealthTech Summit (AHTS) at the Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The hub was launched on the sidelines of the Global AI Summit on Africa on April 3, 2025. The approach is part of a wider digitisation of Rwanda's health system, including the use of community electronic medical records.
NCHR Vice Chairperson Thaddée Tuyizere made the remarks on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, while officially opening a five-day training focused on rehabilitation, behavioural reform and the reintegration of offenders into society.
The training is being held at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Nyakinama, Musanze District, and has brought together representatives from various institutions involved in the justice and rehabilitation process.
Participants include representatives of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), the National Rehabilitation Service (NRS), Rwanda National Police, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Military Prosecution.
According to NCHR, the training is being organised in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, through a project aimed at strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights in Rwanda, and India's Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU).
The five-day programme is intended to strengthen participants' knowledge and practical skills in behavioural reform, rehabilitation and the reintegration of offenders while promoting respect for human rights.
NCHR said the training also seeks to promote effective rehabilitation, prevent torture and other forms of abuse, and support offenders in successfully returning to society.
Speaking to IGIHE, Tuyizere said the participation of different institutions was important because rehabilitation, behavioural reform and reintegration involve several stages of the justice process.
'Police play a role in preventing crime, arresting suspects and ensuring respect for human rights during detention and investigations. RIB is responsible for investigations, so the way it conducts investigations and treats and questions suspects contributes to justice and behavioural reform,' he said.
He added that the prosecution service plays a role in decisions concerning criminal cases and in prosecuting cases, which can influence the course of an individual's life after conviction.
The rehabilitation service, meanwhile, plays a key role in helping people who have demonstrated behaviour harmful to society to reform and prepare for their return to the community.
NCHR also highlighted the role of institutions responsible for inmates and offenders, as well as other services involved in their rehabilitation, including education, healthcare, vocational training and other programmes designed to prepare them for reintegration.
The Commission has called on all stakeholders to respect human rights while recognising that rights are accompanied by responsibilities.
'The training brings these institutions together so that they can develop a common understanding, work more closely together and implement a comprehensive approach to behavioural reform, rehabilitation and the reintegration of offenders while respecting human rights and international standards,' Tuyizere said.
He said the approach would help reinforce the understanding that rehabilitation begins during investigation and judicial proceedings, continues throughout the period of punishment and extends to the period of reintegration into society.
NCHR Vice Chairperson Tuyizere Thaddée has said reintegrating offenders into society is not the responsibility of a single institution.Experts from India are delivering the training during the five-day programme.Officials from various institutions have attended the five-day training.
The refinery, scheduled for completion in 2030, will have capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, matching the scale of Dangote's flagship refinery in Nigeria. It is expected to supply fuel to Kenya and other markets across the region while helping save foreign exchange spent on fuel imports.
'It is an investment in energy security, industrialisation and regional integration,' Ruto said at Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by Presidents Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Romuald Wadagni (Benin) and Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové (Togo), as well as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, alongside Dangote and senior Kenyan officials. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo also attended, while Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Tanzania were represented by official delegations.
Dangote described the project as part of a broader push for African industrialisation, saying, 'We are breaking ground for a new chapter in Africa's industrial journey to a brighter future.'
The refinery is Kenya's largest-ever foreign direct investment and is projected by Ruto to increase the country's annual GDP by 12%. It will form part of a wider industrial complex at Lamu, including a 1,000-megawatt power plant whose excess electricity will be sold to other customers.
Dangote said the facility could help create energy self-sufficiency across a region stretching from Ethiopia to Mozambique by replacing imports of refined products. The refinery could also export jet fuel to European and British markets.
Dangote has offered regional governments a combined 30% stake in the refinery. Kenya has been allocated 10%, while Rwanda and Ethiopia have expressed interest in acquiring stakes. Dangote has said governments investing in the project, including Rwanda, can spread payments for their equity over four years.
Rwandan investors can also participate
Rwandan investors have already been given access to shares in Dangote's refinery business through its Nigerian IPO. The Rwanda Stock Exchange said eligible investors can participate in the primary-market offer through United Capital Financial Services PLC Rwanda, which is licensed by Rwanda's capital-market and banking authorities. Discussions on a possible cross-listing or dual listing on the Rwanda Stock Exchange are also ongoing.
The Lamu project, however, faces legal and environmental challenges. On Tuesday, September 29, the Malindi Environment and Land Court ordered parties to maintain the status quo on the disputed land until October 14, when it will hear an application by 133 residents challenging the project over land rights, compensation and resettlement.
Dangote has dismissed the legal challenge as an obstacle to the project, saying he is not afraid of the court case and that construction will proceed. 'We are not really scared of people taking us to court,' he said on Wednesday. 'Anybody who wants to cause trouble, we are ready for his trouble, and we will give him headache.
Ruto has also backed the project, accusing unnamed individuals of supporting the refinery publicly while sponsoring court cases against it. He said the government would not allow investors to be frustrated by such actions.
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday broke ground on a $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, in a project designed to reduce East Africa's reliance on imported refined petroleum products.The refinery, scheduled for completion in 2030, will have capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, matching the scale of Dangote's flagship refinery in Nigeria.
