PHQ-9 was translated to Kinyarwanda using translation-back translation and validated by a discussion group. For validation, PwE of greater than or equal to15 years of age were administered the PHQ-9 and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) by trained psychiatry staff at Visit 1. A random sample of 20% repeated PHQ-9 and HDRS after 14 days to assess temporal stability and intra-rater reliability. Internal structure, reliability and external validity were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, reliability coefficients and HDRS-correlation, respectively. Maximal Youden's index was considered for cut-offs. Four hundred and thirty-four PwE, mean age 30.5 years (SD ±13.3), were included of whom 33.6%, 37.9%, 13.4%, and 15.1% had no, mild, moderate and severe depression, respectively. PHQ-9 performed well on a one-factor model (unidimensional model), with factor loadings of 0.63-0.86. Reliability coefficients above 0.80 indicated strong internal consistency. Good temporal stability was observed (0.79 95% CI: 0.68-0.87). A strong correlation (R = 0.66, p = 0.01) between PHQ-9 and HDRS summed scores demonstrated robust external validity. The optimal cut-off for the PHQ-9 was similar (greater than or equal to5) for mild and moderate depression and greater than or equal to7 for severe depression. PHQ-9 validation in Kinyarwanda creates the capacity to screen PwE in Rwanda at scores of greater than or equal to5 for mild or moderate and greater than or equal to7 for severe depression. The availability of validated tools for screening and diagnosis for depression is a forward step for holistic care in a resource-limited environment.