At 106, Capt. Nyagashotsi Epimaque still walks upright and maintains a sharp memory, good hearing, and clear eyesight. He could be Rwanda’s oldest living man.
Taarifa visited the towering former gunner at his home in Gatsibo District, a house gifted to him five years ago by President Paul Kagame.
“How old are you now?” a Taarifa reporter asked.
“I am now 106 years old,” Nyagashotsi replied in a faint but steady voice.
The war veteran was seated outside his gate, enjoying the warmth of the evening sun and watching passersby, many of whom stopped to greet him and exchange friendly conversation.
He was also waiting for his cow to return from grazing. The cow had likewise been gifted to him by President Kagame.
Nyagashotsi had earlier requested a cow, saying that access to milk would improve his health.
His youngest child, Ingabire Yvonne, moved to Kigali after securing a job. He now lives with a relative who helps care for him, tends to the cow, and assists with household chores.
In 2021, President Kagame gifted the World War II veteran a fully furnished house, more than a hectare of farmland, and a hybrid dairy cow.
Nyagashotsi remains hardworking. His land is well cultivated and produces impressive yields each season. The cow later died after giving birth to a calf, which has since grown into a healthy heifer and is expected to calve in the coming weeks.
He expressed deep gratitude to President Kagame for transforming his life.
“Kagame gave me milk and food. I am healthy and no longer hungry. God bless our leader,” Nyagashotsi said.
However, he made one request: assistance in processing the title deed for the land gifted to him.
“Whenever I go to buy fertilizer, I am required to present the UPI for the land, but I do not have it. I have tried to speak to the mayor, but I have not received any help,” he said while showing the maize in his garden, which appeared to need fertilizer.
