Emmanuela Belle Uwimbabazi of Kigali Marriott Lodge has obtained the distinguished J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence, one of many resort chain's highest international recognitions.
Uwimbabazi is the Director of Rooms Operations at Kigali Marriott Lodge. She obtained the award at Marriott Worldwide Headquarters in Washington DC on Monday, Might 11.
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The award named after Marriott’s founder is introduced yearly to solely 10 associates worldwide. It recognises staff who exhibit distinctive achievement, character, dedication, effort, and perseverance whereas exemplifying the corporate’s core values by excellent service.
Cheerleading pom-poms, applause & proud smiles throughout at @MarriottIntl HQ in Washington, D.C. as #Rwanda’s personal Emmanuela Uwimbabazi was honored with Marriott Worldwide’s prime award, introduced yearly to solely 10 associates globally.
A well-deserved recognition of her… pic.twitter.com/BO9VVXkwZd
— Mathilde Mukantabana (@AmbMukantabana) Might 12, 2026
In response to Marriott Worldwide, the J. Willard Marriott Award of Excellence honours the corporate’s best associates whose work displays the tradition and requirements upon which the hospitality big was based.
Along with the person awards, Marriott additionally recognises groups and initiatives in areas equivalent to company citizenship, variety and inclusion, innovation, management growth, and worker wellbeing by its TakeCare programme.
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Uwimbabazi was recognised for her management and operational excellence at Kigali Marriott Lodge, the place she oversees room operations. She is credited with serving to preserve seamless service supply, significantly throughout high-profile occasions and worldwide gatherings hosted on the resort.

Her hospitality journey with Marriott Worldwide started in 2012 by the Akilah-Marriott partnership after finishing her research on the Akilah Institute for Girls. She later contributed to a number of resort openings throughout the Center East and Africa, together with the JW Marriott Marquis Lodge Dubai, Courtyard by Marriott World Commerce Middle, Abu Dhabi, and Kigali Marriott Lodge.
Uwimbabazi holds a bachelor’s diploma in worldwide resort administration and is at the moment pursuing a Grasp of Enterprise Administration diploma.
Since assuming her present position in Kigali in 2022, she has led efforts to strengthen coordination throughout departments, together with entrance workplace, housekeeping, and spa and recreation companies. She has additionally overseen operations for protocol-sensitive delegations, together with worldwide summits, sporting congresses, and high-level authorities occasions.
Rwanda’s Ambassador to america, Mathilde Mukantabana, congratulated Uwimbabazi on the award.
“A well-deserved recognition of her dedication to excellence. Rwanda is happy with you,” Mukantabana wrote in a put up on X.














