Back to the Motherland: The Return of Suedi Murekezi
I was trekking from Burera Beach Resort toward Rugarama Market, my thoughts adrift like the morning mist over Lake Burera—unhurried, reflective, and light. Somewhere along the way, a signpost caught my eye—simple, hand-painted, and almost bashful in its invitation: Mpinga Camping Ground. My nosy-self paused for a moment, then turned and followed its lead.
The air was hushed, save for the gentle rustling of eucalyptus trees and the faint, rhythmic lap of the lake below. From the hilltop, I could see Cyuza and Bushongo islands stretched out in the distance. Just days earlier, I had stood on Cyuza Island, gazing toward this very spot through binoculars—never imagining that the hill I was idly scanning would soon cradle one of the most unexpected encounters of my visit to Burera.
When I heard the owner was around, I asked if I could meet him. Minutes later, I was shaking hands with Suedi Murekezi.
He was welcoming, with no trace of the storm he endured in the past. As we walked through the grounds, he shared fragments of his journey: born in Rwanda in late 1980s, uprooted as a child to refugee camps in Tanzania and Zambia, later resettled in the USA. He served in the U.S. Air Force, ventured into cryptocurrency, got entangled in the war in Ukraine, and eventually found his way back home.
From the hilltop, I could see Cyuza and Bushongo islands stretched out in the distance. Just days earlier, I had stood on Cyuza Island, gazing toward this very spot through binoculars—never imagining that the hill I was idly scanning would soon hold a story that would stay with me long after I left Burera.
There was a quiet precision in how he spoke, like someone who had learned to ration pieces of himself. He revealed just enough to stir questions, but not enough to fully satisfy them. I left Mpinga with more questions than answers. And that night, back in my room, those lingering questions wouldn’t let me sleep. I finally Googled his name. To my surprise, his ordeal in Ukraine and the high-profile prisoner swap that secured his release had made headlines globally.
Suedi was captured by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2022. What the heck was he doing in Ukraine? "Drawn by the country's crypo-friendly policies and the desire to immerse myself in a new language and culture, I moved there after leaving the Airforce," He told me. But when Russian troops occupied the city, Suedi—an American citizen with a military background—was arrested.
Locked up in cramped cells, he was tortured for four harrowing months. He shared beds, floors, and fears with fellow detainees—some of whom were on a death row. He even slept on the same mattress once used by Paul Urey, a British national who didn’t make it out alive.
In 2024, Suedi returned to Rwanda—not to escape the world, but to rejoin it. After a solo camping trip to the tranquil shores of Lake Burera, he fell in love with the area. Eventually, he bought land there and set up Mpinga Camping Ground.
In 2024, Suedi returned to Rwanda—not to escape the world, but to rejoin it. After a solo camping trip to the tranquil shores of Lake Burera, he fell in love with the area. Eventually, he bought land there and set up Mpinga Camping Ground.
But his vision goes beyond tourism. Mpinga is alcohol-free and vegetarian—a place where the mind can rest and the body can recover. It's a healing sanctuary. Yes, resettling in this paradise allowed him to heal.
Suedi extends a helping hand to his neighbors. Case in point, he offers free English and swimming lessons to local children. The idea to incorporate swimming into his volunteer work was conceived after a tragic drowning incident.
Driven by his commitment to giving back, he also built a secure dock for local fishermen—safeguarding their canoes from theft, drifting, or crashing against the rocks. In addition, he has planted more than 2,000 trees along these shores so far.
As I made my way back to the trail, the sun now higher in the sky, I realized that stumbling upon Mpinga wasn’t just a detour—it was a quiet revelation. In a world often preoccupied with noise and speed, Suedi Murekezi is building something profoundly different: a life rooted in stillness, service, and a sense of belonging. His story lingers, not because of its headlines, but because of its humility. And somewhere between the eucalyptus rustle and the shimmer of Lake Burera, I felt it too—that quiet pull toward purpose.
In a world often preoccupied with noise and speed, Suedi Murekezi is building something profoundly different: a life rooted in stillness, service, and a sense of belonging.