Le président rwandais Paul Kagame est à Davos pour participer au 44^e Forum économique mondial de trois jours qui a lieu chaque année. Ce forum économique mondial de Davos de cette année qui a lieu du 22 au 25 Janvier 2014 est placé sous le thème de « Dynamisme résilient ».

Le Forum Economique de Davos permet de rassembler les personnes les plus puissantes et influentes au monde. Ce forum réunit plus de 40 Chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement et permet de se concentrer sur des questions concernant l’avenir du monde.

Le 24 janvier, le président Kagame sera dans un débat interactif avec ses homologues africains. Ce débat qui sera animé par le Dr Kaberuka Donald, Rwandais et parton de la Banque Africaine de Développement (BAD), sera intitulé «Promesse de l’Afrique : Comment les dirigeants africains délivrent-ils la promesse du continent ».

Les chefs d’Etat qui vont participer dans ce débat interactif sont notamment celui du Gabon, Ali Bongo, le Premier Ministre éthiopien Hailemariam, Jakaya Kikwete de la Tanzanie, Raila Odinga du Kenya et Jacob Zuma de l’Afrique du Sud.

Ce sera aussi une occasion pour Kagame d’être membre du panel sur un sujet intitulé « Défis et transformation façonnant le contexte du leadership en Afrique».

Kagame sera aussi invité à débattre sur différents sujets sur la croissance économique en Afrique ainsi que les opportunités d’investissement dans le domaine agricole.

Le Président Kagame prendra part à des séances sur le rôle des dirigeants dans l’élaboration de l’avenir et leur collaboration pour trouver des solutions aux défis mondiaux communs.

Abana bato baririmbye akamaro k’urumuri rutazima rwari rubateretse imbere

Mu karere ka Nyanza abantu batagira ingano biganjemo urubyiruko nibo bitabiriye umuhango wakozwe ku cyicamunsi cya tariki 21/012014 kuri Stade y’aka karere ubwo hakirwaga  urumuri rutazima bashyikirijwe na bagenzi babo bo

Uru rumuri rwasesekaye muri stade y’akarere ka Nyanza mu masaha ya saa munani z’amanywa rwakirwa n’abantu bari bakubise bayuzuye bamwe bicaye abandi bahagaze kuko imyanya yari yabaye mike kubera ubwinshi bw’abantu bari bitabiriye kwakira uru rumuri.

Izuba ry’igikatu ntiryabujije abanyenyanza kwitabira kwakira urumuri rutazima

Mu byaranze uyu muhango harimo indirimbo yaririmbwe n’abana bato bari munsi y’imyaka 20 y’amavuko dore ko nari nacyo gihe gishize jenoside ikorewe abatutsi mu Rwanda.

Usibye iyi ndirimbo kimwe n’indi yaririmbwe n’abantu bakuru hatanzwe ubuhamya bw’umwe mu baturage bo mu karere ka Nyanza witwa Kayitesi Immaculée warokotse jenoside yakorewe abatutsi muri Mata 1994 wagaragaje uko imibereho ye yari imeze mbere ya jenoside mu gihe cyayo ndetse na nyuma yayo.

Madamu Kayitesi Immaculée atanga ubuhamya bw’uko yagiye yiyubaka nyuma ya jenoside yakorewe abatutsi mu Rwanda

Yasobanuriye  iyo mbaga y’abantu ko ubu yashoboye kwiyubaka abihuje n’insanganyamatsiko y’uyu mwaka wa 2014 igira ati “Twibuke twiyubaka”.

Ikindi cyakoze ku mitima ya benshi bari muri iyi stade y’akarere ka Nyanza ni filime yerekanwe igaragaza uko ingabo za RPF zahagaritse jenoside yakorerwaga abatutsi ndetse zikanabohora igihugu.

Abanyamahanga nabo bagiye basobanurirwa ibyaberaga kuri stade y’akarere ka Nyanza

Ubwinshi bw’abantu bitabiriye kwakira urumuri rw’icyizere rutazima ku rwego rw’akarere ka Nyanza bwanagarutsweho na Minisitiri Protais Mitali ashimira abanyenyanza ko bahaye agaciro uwo muhango bakawitabira ku buryo budasanzwe.

Yagize ati: “Abaturage bitabiriye kwakira uru rumuri ndabashimira ndetse ngashimira n’abayobozi b’aka karere babiteguye neza”

Minisitiri Protais Mitali ageza ijambo ku Banyenyanza

Atanga ubusobanuro bw’urwo rumuri yavuze ko ari umucyo umurikira buri wese ndetse rukaba n’ikimenyetso cyerekana ubuzima bwiza kandi ngo rubereyeho kwibutsa abantu bose ko bagomba guharanira ko jenoside idakwiye kongera kubaho ukundi bakabiharanira mu mitima ndetse no mu ngiro.

Yasabye abaturage bo mu karere ka Nyanza guha agaciro urwo rumuri bakanima amatwi abo yise “Inyangabirama” ngo badashimishwa n’ibyo abanyarwanda ubwabo bagezeho ndetse n’ingamba bafite zo gukomeza gukataza mu iterambere rirambye. Ati: “Izo nyangabirama akenshi zumvikana mu bitangazamakuru mpuzamahanga ariko nizo kwima amatwi”

Bamwe bagize icyo batangaza kuri urwo rumuri rutazima rwacanwe mu karere ka Nyanza batangaje ko bishimiye kurwakira kandi bakaba bagiye no kurukongeza mu bandi hagamijwe ko urumuri rw’icyizere rwaka ubutazima nk’uko izina ubwaryo ribivuga ndetse n’ubusobanuro ruhabwa n’abaruzi neza.

Icanwa ry’uru rumuri rw’icyizere rutazima mu turere twose tw’u Rwanda rurategura ibikorwa byo kwibuka ku nshuro ya 20 jenoside yakorewe abatutsi muri Mata 1994 mu gihugu maze abatutsi basaga miliyoni imwe bakahatakariza ubuzima mu gihe cy’iminsi ijana.

Umuyobozi w’intara y’Amajyepfo Munyantwari Alphonse asura urugo rw’umuturage bitunguranye

Abaturage batuye akarere ka Ruhango, kuri bo ngo ntibisanzwe kubona umuyobozi wo ku rwego rwo hejuru afata umwanya we akinjira mu rugo rw’umuturage akagenzura buri kamwe kandi ariko akugira inama zigufasha mu guhindura imyumvire n’imitekerereze.

Aba baturage bavuga ko akenshi bahurira n’abayobozi batandukanye mu nama, gusa ngo nabyo birabashimisha kuko ubundi mbere ya 1994 bitapfaga gukunda, ngo n’abo byakundaga wasangaga inama zibanda ku bitandukanya abanyarwanda aho kubashakira iterambere.

Munyantwari Alphonse aganira na Nyaminani Innocent yasuye bitunguranye

Ibi bikaba bishimangirwa na Nyaminani Innocent utuye mu kagari ka Kirengeri umurenge wa Byimana akarere ka Ruhango ubwo yatungurwaga no kubona umuyobozi w’intara y’Amajyepfo Munyantwari Alphonse ahagaze imbere y’irembo rye amusaba ko amasura.

Uyu muturage yabwiye uyu muyobozi ati “iwacu ni karibi ntitujya twanga abashyitsi”, uyu muyobozi yarinjiye agera mu gikari.

Yatangiye asuhuza banyiri rugo, atangira kubabaza muri bimwe inzego zibanze zihora zikangurira abaturage birimo kugira amashyiga ya rondereza, mitiweli, ikaye y’imihigo n’ibindi. Aha yanasuye mu bikoni, ibiraro by’inka, nyuma y’ibi byose akaba yarafashe umwanya wo gushima no kuntenga ku byo yabonye bitameze neza, ubundi ajya n’inama y’ibyakorwa kugirango itarambere rikomeze.

Abaturage banishimira ko abayobozi babo babasura bakabamenya kuko nabyo ngo birushaho kubazamurira iterambere

Uretse uru rugo uyu muyobozi yasuye tariki ya 16/01/2014, yanasuraga ibikorwa bitandukanye bigaragaza itera mbere ry’abaturage akagira n’umwanya wo kubaganiriza abasaba gukomeza kwiteza imbere.

Nyaminani Innocent wasuwe n’umuyobozi w’intara bitunguranye, avuga ko ibi nta kibazo byagateye umuntu utekereza, kuko ngo kuri we yabifashe nk’isomo rikomeye bitewe n’uko yahungukiye ubumenyi bwinshi bumufasha mu kongera iterambere rye.

Ati “akimbwira ngo nze ansure, ubwoba bwa nyishe, ariko bitewe n’ukuntu yaje anganiriza nk’umuturage mugenzi wanjye natinyutse dutangira kuganira nk’abaziranye ndetse yewe angira inama koko ku bintu nanjye mbona ko nirengagije gukora, ubu nkaba ngiye kubivugurura iterambere rikiyongera.”

Uretse kuba abayobozi bafata umwanya wabo bagasura abaturege mu ngo, ngo binafasha abaturage kumenya ababayobora.

Remains of genocide victims discovered on Tuesday at a construction site in Rubavu district, western Rwanda bordering DR Congo (Photo: Kigali Today)

A 54-year-old Rwandan man has been arrested this morning in The Netherlands in connection with the mass slaughter of Tutsis in a suburb of Rwanda’s capital Kigali and could be sent to back home anytime, according to Dutch ministry of justice.

The man identified as Jean Baptist Mugimba was arrested this morning in a sting operation in a town called Leusden located in Utrecht province of central Netherlands. According to extradition papers, he was allegedly responsible for the preparation and execution of mass killings of Tutsis in Nyakabanda, a district of the Rwandan capital Kigali.

Mugimba was secretary-general of the CDR party – an infamous extremist political party at the time. He is suspected of involvement in the compilation of lists of Tutsis who were to be killed. He is also alleged to have been involved in supplying weapons to militia members, erecting roadblocks and several attacks on Tutsis.

Residence Permit

The Netherlands Immigration Service revoked Jean Baptiste Mugimba residence permit in June 2013 pursuant to Article 1F of the Refugee Convention, the Dutch government said in a statement.

Officials found that there were serious reasons for considering that Mugimba was involved in the Rwandan Genocide. Mugimba’s appeal against the revocation has been dismissed by the Immigration Service and his further appeal against this dismissal is currently pending in court.

Criminal Investigation

The Netherlands National Prosecutor’s Office conducted a Dutch criminal investigation in relation to the allegations against Mugimba as well. However, the point of departure for the Netherlands Prosecution Service is that, if possible, the investigation and prosecution of International Crimes should take place in the State where the crimes were committed, which is Rwanda.

“This is where the evidence is, where legal professionals are best acquainted with the language, culture and backgrounds of the events and where usually most victims and relatives reside,” said the Dutch statement.

The Court of First Instance in The Hague has delivered a ruling last month allowing the extradition to Rwanda of a Rwandan resident of Voorburg for involvement in Genocide. The highest judicial authorities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark have also ruled that Genocide suspects can be extradited to Rwanda. The European Court for Human Rights decided in 2011 that the right to a fair trial and humane treatment were adequately guaranteed in connection with extradition to Rwanda.

Aba banyeshuri bashimangiye ko bungutse byinshi.

Abasirikare bo mu rwego rwo hejuru (aba-ofisiye) bakoreye  urugendo-shuri  mu  Karere ka Gakenke  kuri uyu wa Gatatu tariki 22/01/2014  aho baje kwiga uruhare rwo kwegereza abaturage ubuyobozi  bigamije kugera ku mutekano urambye.

Ubuyobozi bw’akarere bwagaragaje ko akarere gahagaze neza mu bijyanye n’umutekano mu gihugu,  kuko kaza mu turere twa mbere tugira ibyaha bike.  Ngo umutekano  ucungwa by’umwihariko n’abaturage bafatanyana  n’inzego zishinzwe umutekano bakora amarondo kandi batanga amakuru  ku gihe ku kintu cyawuhungabanya, bigatuma  ibyaha  bikumirwa.

Mu biganiro bagiranye, bashimangiye ko umutekano ariwo uza imbere ya byose, akaba ari yo mpamvu bashyira  imbaraga mu kuwubungabunga kugira ngo abaturage babashe gukora biteze imbere kuko udahari ntacyakorwa.

Mu bibazo bidindiza iterambere ry’akarere, Umuyobozi w’Akarere ka Gakenke, Nzamwita Deo,  yababwiye ko imiterere y’akarere k’imisozi miremire  bibangamira ibikorwa by’ubuhinzi n’ibikorwaremezo cyane cyane imihanda ishyirwamo igice kinini cy’ingengo y’imari ikorwa ariko nyuma y’igihe gito ikaba yangiritse.

Umwarimu muri iryo shuri ashyikiriza umuyobozi w’akarere impano.

Uretse imihanda,  ikibazo cy’umuriro w’amashanyarazi ukiri muke  mu  karere  gituma katanyaruka mu iterambere ariko ngo  hari icyizere ko umwaka wa 2014 uzarangira bageze nibura ku gipimo cya 12%.

Lit. Col. Muleyi ukomoka mu gihugu cya Kenya wavuze mu izina ry’abandi banyeshuri,    yemeza ko urwo rugendo-shuri bungukiyemo byinshi. Ati: “ Ibiganiro byatanzwe byongereye imyumvire yacu kuri politiki yo kwegereza ubuyobozi abaturage n’ishyirwa mu bikorwa mu Karere ka Gakenke ku bijyanye n’imiyoborere myiza, gutanga serivisi inoze, …umutekano, ubukungu, …”

Iryo tsinda ry’abasirikare bo mu bihugu bitatu  aribyo u Rwanda, Tanzaniya na Kenya bakomereje urugendo-shuri basura  Ikigo cy’Iterambere mu ikoranabuhanga [BDC], SACCO “ Kungahara Gakenke” y’Umurenge wa Gakenke ndetse na Koperative y’Abahinzi yitwa “Twihangire Umurimo”.  Bageze mu karere ka Gakenke nyuma yo gusura Akarere ka Musanze.

Mayor Ruboneza yakira amashimwe

Nyuma y’urugendo shuli bakoreye mu karere ka Ngororero kuri uyu wa 22 Mutarama 2014, abasirikare bakuru 18 bari mu masomo mu ishuri rya gisisrikare rya Nyakinama bashimye imikorere y’akarere ka Ngororero cyane cyane imikoranire yako n’abafatanyabikorwa mu guteza imbere abaturage n’akarere muri rusange.

Urwo  rugendo shuli rw’abo basirikare bakuru baturuka mu bihugu by’Uburundi, Uganda, Tanzaniya, Ghana ndetse n’u Rwanda, rwari rufite insanganyamatsiko yo kureba icyo gahunda yo kwegereza ubuyobozi n’ubushobozi abaturage ifasha mu kubungabunga umutekano n’iterambere by’igihugu.

Nyuma y’uko bakirwa n’umuyobozi w’akarere ka Ngororero Ruboneza Gedeon bakaba bahawe ikiganiro ku iterambere ry’akarere  bareba uko akarere ka Ngororero gakomeje kuva mu bukene bwakarangaga kakaba kamaze kugera kuri byinshi bishingiye kubaturage nyuma yo kubegereza ubuyobozi.

Nyuma y’icyo kiganiro, perezida w’Inama Njyanama y’Akarere ka Ngororero Emmanuel Bigenimana yatanze ikiganiro ku kuruhare rw’Inama Njyanama y’Akarere mu kwimakaza umutekano, aho yagaragaje ko gahunda zose ziba mu karere inama njyanama iba yaraziteguye ikazemeza ndetse ikazikurikirana binyujijwe cyane cyane mu makomisiyo ayigize.

Aba basirikare bari bayobowe na Lt. Col. Gatete Karuranga, banabashije gusura ibikorwa bitandukanye mu mirenge ya Ngororero na Gatumba, aho barebye uruhare rw’abakora imirimo nsimburagifungo mu iterambere ry’igihugu ndetse basura na sosiyete icukura amabuye y’agaciro mu rwego rwo kureba icyo imariye abaturage.

Perezida wa Njyanama yakira amashimwe

Lt.Col.Gatete Karuranga yashimye ubuyobozi n’abakozi b’akarere ka Ngororero kuko bishimiye imikorere yabo inoze ndetse ngo biteguye kuba abavugizi b’akarere kuko aho banyuze hose basanze ngororero ikataje mu mikorere yihuse kandi abaturage bafite mo uruhare, bityo intego yabo ikaba yagezweho uko babyifuzaga.

Mu kugaragaza ibyishimo byabo, abo basirikare bakaba bageneye impano ubuyobozi bw’akarere ka Ngororero hamwe n’inama njyama yako. Muri abo basirikare harimo abigeze kuba mu karere ka Ngororero mu myaka yashize, bakaba batangajwe n’aho kageze mwiterambere ndetse ngo bazasaba n’abandi baze kuhafatira urugero.

MISCA Force Commander,Brig.Gen Martin Tumenta lauds RDF officers shortly after the rescue operation.(photo.RDF)

Rwanda Defence Force peacekeepers in Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday rescued 37 Muslim civilians from being killed by Anti-balaka (pro-Christians) armed group during a violent attack.

The rescued civilians were handed over to the French troops for evacuation to a safer area.

According to sources in Rwanda Defence Forces, the Muslim civilians were rescued when RDF peacekeepers conducted ‘search and rescue’ operation at Begwa, 13 kilometers from CAR’s Capital, Bangui.

This month, a contingent of 850 heavily armed RDF peacekeepers was airlifted by US military planes to the war- torn Central African Republic.

The contingent is under the command of Lt Col Jean Paul Karangwa.

During the departure of the first batch of peacekeepers, RDF spokesperson, Brig.Gen Joseph Nzabamwita confirmed that the battalion assigned to CAR is different from other RDF peacekeepers around the World, based on the situation in the country.

“We are sending an infantry mechanized battalion of peacekeepers who are heavily armed with weapons. Their mandate is to operate under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and this means that they will be charged with protecting the population, restoring peace and disarming the enemy-which will in some cases involve the use of weapons,” said Brig.Gen.Nzabamwita

According to RDF officials, the operation also involved disarming Ant-Balaka armed group fighters, several arms and ammunitions were seized.

Fire arms and ammunitions seized during the rescue operation include; 5 Sub-Machine Guns, one Rocket Launcher 7 with two bombs, Radio communication, military uniforms and other military equipments, among others.

RDF peacekeepers in CAR are under International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA).

The 850 officers contingent is under Rwanda Mechanized Infantry battalion (RwaMechBatt1)

MISCA hails RDF peacekeepers

After the operation, Force Commander for the African Union Peace keeping Mission to the Central African Republic- MISCA, Brigadier Gen. Martin Tumenta lauded RDF peacekeepers for the brave operation conducted to save civilians from being killed.

The commander of RDF peacekepers in CAR, Rt.col.Jean Paul Karangwa said that his force held meeting with Muslims and Catholics in Marché Abetayi, a suburb which is 15 kilometres from Bangui to purposely build confidence and trust between MISCA Forces and Local Community.

“We dispatched a confidence building patrol around Bangui from our Headquarters. We tried to calm the local population and finally after the meeting, the Muslim and Catholic communities situated separately on both sides of the road were convinced to sit together and hold a meeting”, said the Commanding Officer of RwaMechBatt1.

He added that: “After the “peace message” by the Rwandan Contingent, the local population expressed their hope to re-establish peace and security.

The local population welcomed RDF peacekeepers growing loyalty to them. One of the area residents was quoted as saying to RDF peacekeepers that: “At least you come and talk to us..This gives us hope that you are coming for peace.”

Among other tasks, RDF mission in CAR is has been charged with maintaining security for the newly elected CAR interim president, Catherine Samba-Panza.

On 17 September, 1994, the entire interim government of Rwanda which had been overseeing the mass slaughter of Tutsis since April, crossed into the then Zaire (now DR Congo). Among the flood of officials is a man called Djumatatu Nzeyimana. As New of Rwanda reports in this exclusive investigation, Nzeyimana went on to be hosted at the personal residence of Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete in Dodoma for several months.

For the past 18 years, Djumatatu Nzeyimana has lived in a rural area between France and The Netherlands. He chose this place to be able to hide away from the praying eyes the law due to his role in the extermination of Tutsis back in Rwanda. The specific position Djumatatu held in the political establishment is unclear, but was senior political strategist for the MRND party of former president Juvenal Habyarimana.

When the interim government was sworn in led by Theodore Sindikibwabo, Djumatatu rose up the ranks of the extremist establishment to become a principal advisor to the minister of territorial administration.

Who exactly is Djumatatu Nzeyimana?

Djumatatu Nzeyimana is the current vice president of PDR-IHUMURE, the political grouping of Paul Rusesabagina, the man whose story is the inspiration of the Hollywood theatrical “Hotel Rwanda”. Nzeyimana is the one who signs on all press statements of PDR-IHUMURE.

Rusesabagina formed the group as opposition platform to the government of Rwanda around 2007. Hotel Rwanda movie had been released back in 2004, prompting Rusesabagina to gain international fame for supposedly saving some Tutsis while he was a hotel manager at Hotel Mille Collines in Kigali during the genocide.

However, all the people Rusesabagina names as having saved from the killing machine have disputed his version of event. Several books have been published by survivors from the hotel dismissing the movie. The survivors accuse the former taxi driver in Brussels of using the painful plight for personal enrichment. The survivors and film critics have described the movie as “fiction”.

Back to Djumatatu Nzeyimana, he is a breed of former government bureaucrats in Rwanda, who formed the fabric of the extremist views, which laid ground for the meticulous execution of the genocide against Tutsis. Before 2007, Djumatatu Nzeyimana was living a quiet life in the rural area between France and The Netherlands.

Overnight, he rose through the ranks to become a very close confident of Paul Rusesabagina and the vice president of his political group PDR-IHUMURE. Djumatatu is married to Safia Sengondo, who has since changed her names to be simply as “REHEMA”. It is this name that her neighbours and anybody who knew her after 1994 actually knows.

In comes President Kikwete

While the genocide was being executed in Rwanda, Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete was the head of security and intelligence in (CCM), the party which has single-handedly ruled Tanzania for decades. In that position, he was more powerful than a cabinet minister, because he essentially was among the few people who vetted the ministers.

According to information corroborated from various sources, the period when Djumatatu Nzeyimana with his family – along with the entire interim government fled to Zaire, Lt Col Kikwete had direct contact with some of these officials. News of Rwanda’s concern in this article is Djumatatu Nzeyimana.

A few days after arriving in the infamous Mugunga camp, some kilometers from Goma, Djumatatu with wife and children travelled to Dodoma. They lived in the personal residence of Lt Col Kikwete until he was appointed finance minister in early 1995.

Between June and July of the same year, Djumatatu and wife with their children were provided with Tanzanian passports as well as visas to travel to their current place of residence. However, while in Tanzania, Djumatatu was helped to get a job at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), which was being set up.

According to individuals at ICTR at the time, chances were high that he would get the job. But a ferocious campaign from prosecution investigators forced the registrar to drop Djumatatu from possible candidates for employment. His tormentors accused him of taking part in the genocide. “I am very sure it is the reason his hosts in Tanzania realized keeping Djumatatu around was a very dangerous thing to do,” said one of our sources.

Djumatatu FDLR links

As principal advisors to the minister of territorial administration of the interim government, Djumatatu was the man doing the minister’s dirty work. According to evidence given at various judicial instances, Djumatatu was in charge of securing the arms and crude weapons like machetes from Felicien Kabuga’s network, and facilitating them to reach the villages across Rwanda.

Using local administrators and militia leaders, these arms were distributed to the rampaging local population to do “the work”, a term used to refer to the hunt for Tutsis wherever they were hiding.

When Djumatatu and the other officials arrived in Zaire, they were escorted by tens of thousands of heavily armed soldiers from the then defeated army. According documented data, as the RPF rebels advanced south, west and north of Rwanda, the ex-army carried all their arms to the camps. Mugunga camp is one exception that stood out.

Even after leaving for Tanzania, and eventually rural France into hiding, Djumatatu maintained his role as fundraiser and political ideologue for the interahamwe militia – who maintained a campaign of attacks into Rwanda for years to come. In Mid 2000, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) was formed from the jungles of eastern DRC. Djumatatu was on the executive committee.

Despite being in Europe, like Djumatatu, all other political leaders of the group were also there. Ignace Murwanashyaka and Straton Musoni – both president and vice president were living in Germany, and using phones at their work places to coordinate FDLR in the DRC jungles, according to data produced in court at ongoing trial of the two men.

Kikwete and FDLR

On 26^th June 2013, President Kikwete made the unthinkable, as has been widely reported previously. During a closed-door African Union heads of state special summit on DRC in Ethiopia, President Kikwete called for talks between the government of Rwanda and the FDLR.

The months that followed saw a near-complete breakdown of relations between Kigali and Dodoma, as Rwandan officials and ordinary population believed they had a serious large enemy on its eastern border. Rwanda foreign affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo was so angry that she described President Kikwete in subsequent media interviews, as “spokesman” of FDLR.

However, Tanzania’s connections with the FDLR are not new. Around mid-last year, FDLR deputy commander General Stanislas Nzeyimana (aka Izabayo Bigaruka) was announced to be in Tanzania. But weeks later, news surfaced that he had disappeared – prompting questions as to why he was in Tanzania in the first place.

Observers say President Kikwete’s comments may have come as a surprise to many, but have cast doubt on whether they were accidental. One observer said the comments were a well-planned scenario which had been prepared for years.

Last week, News of Rwanda, broke the news of the visit of former Rwanda prime minister Faustin Twagiramungu to Dodoma at the personal invitation of President Kikwete. Reaction from Tanzania has been that of utter shock and dismay at the news considering that during the previous week, the same Twagiramungu had announced an alliance with the FDLR rebels.

In Twagiramungu forming alliance with the FDLR, the rowdy politician said in a statement last week that he wants to force the government in Rwanda out by use of arms. Before January 2014, no Rwandan political organization or international group has ever given public backing to the FDLR.

Twagiramungu now falls within the FDLR agenda which does not agree with existing global agreement that Tutsis were targeted in Rwanda, in a clearly planned mass slaughter set in motion by the government at the time. The FDLR agenda is to return the extremist politicking in which Rwanda lived through for years before 1994.

In December 1995, Kikwete would go on to be appointed foreign minister, a post he held until 2005. Could it be possible that President Kikwetwe has maintained links with FDLR which we do not know?

Dr Theogene Rudasingwa (R) with Condo Gervais are the ones meeting FDLR commanders in Tanzania on behalf of RNC

Two founding members of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) including Dr Theogene Rudasingwa are meeting in Dar es Salaam with top FDLR rebel commanders at the private residence of Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, say our sources.

The two delegations arrived at the Dar es Salaam venue on Thursday (23^rd January), according the sources in Tanzania. RNC coordinator Dr Theogene Rudasingwa and adviser Condo Gervais are representing RNC. FDLR is being represented by its executive secretary Lt Col Wilson Irategeka and Col Hamadi, the operations commander.

Lt Col Wilson Irategeka is the current public face of the Rwandan FDLR rebels very often appearing in media interviews. However, these are not his real names, as he is called Ndagijimana. Both Dr Rudasingwa and Condo are based in Washington.

The FDLR officers are travelling on Tanzanian passports, which is how FDLR emissaries have travelled previously. It is not entirely clear if the passports are provided officially by the State of Tanzania, or have been obtained via the backdoors by an elite faction to avoid public scrutiny.

As News of Rwanda reported this past week, former prime minister Faustin Twagiramungu was in Tanzania on the same mission since 19^th January. However, he left Tanzania on Thursday for Lyon (France) where there was to preside over a scheduled delegates conference of his political group RDI Rwanda RWIZA on Saturday. Twagiramungu left before the RNC team arrived.

Meanwhile, Twagiramungu was also supposed to be at the same Dar es Salaam venue with RNC and FDLR, but had to leave for Lyon. News of Rwanda has not been able at this point to establish why exactly Twagiramungu chose to stay away. However, what is publicly known is that the former PM does not want to ever again go into a political marriage with a group involving the four RNC founders.

As the first post genocide prime minister, Twagiramungu resigned from government barely a year later. The ex-PM remains bitter with especially Dr Theogene Rudasingwa and Kayumba Nyamwasa for making his job impossible for him until he threw-in the towel. The two men were very senior officials wielding enormous political and military power.

Twagiramungu and several other Rwandan extremist groups have vowed never to go into political alliance with people who formed the establishment back in Rwanda, only to fall out of favour. For example, many of the exiled extremist politicians accuse former prosecutor general Gerald Gahima of witching-hunting them with fabricated genocide charges. Many say they had to buy their freedom even when they were innocent just to keep Gahima away from their tracks.

According to our sources, it is not the first time RNC emissaries representing its founder Kayumba Nyamwasa, have met FDLR rebels. As recent as around 20^th December 2013, the same Lt Col Wilson Irategeka and Col Hamadi travelled on Tanzanian passports to Mozambique for clandestine talks with the RNC emissaries.

As has been reported, Tanzania’s insider establishment is providing the base for organization and facilitation for travel to the FDLR rebels. Around mid-last year, FDLR deputy commander General Stanislas Nzeyimana (aka Izabayo Bigaruka) was announced to be in Tanzania. But weeks later, news surfaced that he had disappeared – prompting questions as to why he was in Tanzania in the first place.

In Tanzania, the opposition is not impressed with President Kikwete’s overtures to the FDLR. Back in August last year, CHADEMA, the biggest opposition party in Tanzania, accused President Kikwete of not walking the talk back home but interfering in internal affairs of Rwanda.

“There is no prudence in President Kikwete’s statement that Rwanda should have talks with the FDLR” militia group which has been in the DR Congo jungles since 1994, said Dr. Wilbroad Slaa, CHADEMA’s General Secretary at the time.

“How come President Kikwete cannot negotiate with opposition here at home,” Dr Slaa reportedly said at a CHADEMA Youth conference for economic and employment (BAVICHA) in Dar es Salaam.

He added: “… [President Kikwete] has not taken any measure against the murderers of journalist Daudi Mwangosi…He (Kikwete) was advised to take measures against police commander in Iringa Region (Province) Michal Kamuhanda but instead he has promoted him.”

Abayobozi bo ku rwego rw’igihugu barimo abaminisitiri batatu bagendereye akarere ka Rutsiro tariki 24/01/2013 basura ibikorwa bitandukanye ndetse baganira n’abaturage hamwe n’ubuyobozi bw’akarere mu rwego rwo gushyira mu bikorwa icyemezo guverinoma y’u Rwanda iherutse gufata cyo kureba icyakorwa mu buryo bwihuse kugira ngo imbogamizi akarere ka Rutsiro gafite zivanweho na ko kabashe gutera imbere nk’utundi turere.

Abo bayobozi barimo Minisitiri w’Umutungo Kamere, Stanislas Kamanzi, Minisitiri ufite Ubucuruzi n’Inganda mu nshingano ze, François Kanimba na Minisitiri Seraphine Mukantabana, ushinzwe gucyura Impunzi no kurwanya Ibiza, bagejejweho bimwe mu bikorwa by’ingenzi byakorwa mu gihe cy’imyaka ibiri bikaba imbarutso y’iterambere mu karere ka Rutsiro hashingiwe cyane cyane ku byakurura abashoramari, ibitanga imirimo ku bantu benshi ndetse no kubyakorohereza akarere kugeza umusaruro ku masoko.

Umuyobozi w’akarere ka Rutsiro, Byukusenge Gaspard yavuze ko kimwe muri ibyo bikorwa bikenewe ari ukwihutisha iterambere ry’umujyi w’akarere ka Rutsiro. Kugeza ubu icyamaze gukorwa ni igishushanyo mbonera kigaragaza agace umujyi uherereyemo. Akarere kifuza ko hagaragazwa ibibanza byo kubakaho, hagakorwa uduhanda tubigeraho ndetse hagashyirwaho amashanyarazi n’amazi ku buryo uwakenera kubaka muri cya kibanza nta zindi mbogamizi yagira kuko ibyangombwa byose byaba byarahageze.

Akarere kifuza ko imihanda iri hirya no hino mu karere ifite uburebure bwa kilometero 40 ihuza umuhanda munini wa kaburimbo ugiye gutangira kubakwa mu karere n’ikiyaga cya Kivu yatunganywa neza, kuri iyo mihanda hagashyirwaho amazi n’amashanyarazi.

Umujyi w’akarere ka Rutsiro ukeneye na gare ndetse n’isoko rya kijyambere kugira ngo koko uzabe usobanutse. Akarere gasanga kubaka isoko mpuzamahanga rya Maziba  ari ikindi gikorwa gikenewe kandi kihutirwa kuko ryafasha mu bucuruzi bwambukiranya imipaka hagati ya Congo n’u Rwanda.

Ngo hakenewe n’irindi soko rya kijyambere ryakubakwa  ahitwa i Gakeri ku muhanda munini wa Kaburimbo ugiye gutangira kubakwa mu mpera z’ukwezi kwa gatatu. Hakeneye no kubakwa ibyambu bya Ruhingo, Muramba n’ikindi cyakubakwa ku isoko rya Maziba.

Umuyobozi w’akarere ka Rutsiro yagaragaje ko akarere ayobora kakiri inyuma mu bijyanye n’amahoteli, dore ko nta hoteli n’imwe ibonekamo, ndetse n’iyo akarere katangiye kubaka kakaba kifuza gushyigikirwa mu kuyubaka kugira ngo irangire vuba.

Akarere kifuza ko hajyaho uruganda rutunganya ubuki rwakubakwa i Gakeri, kimwe n’urundi rwakubakwa mu mujyi wa Congo Nil no mu isantere ya Maziba ho gukusanyiriza no gutunganyiriza umusaruro w’isambaza n’amafi uva mu kiyaga cya Kivu.

Hifuzwa n’uruganda ruciriritse rutunganya ubwoya bukomoka ku ntama ziboneka mu bice by’imisozi miremire by’akarere ka Rutsiro, ndetse n’uruganda ruciriritse rutunganya amabuye y’agaciro. Izo nganda zibonetse ngo zatanga imirimo ndetse zikongerera agaciro bimwe mu biboneka mu karere ka Rutsiro.

Akarere gakeneye ahantu hatunganyijwe ho gukorera ubukerarugendo

Umuyobozi w’akarere ka Rutsiro yabwiye abaminisitiri bamugendereye ko nta na hamwe akarere kagira hatunganyije, mu gihe nyamara akarere gafite ahagera kuri 26 haberanye n’ubukerarugendo.

Itsinda ryarebye ibikenewe mu karere ka Rutsiro byakwihutishwa mu gihe cy’imyaka ibiri ryatekereje ko hashyirwaho inzira abantu bazajya banyuramo bagiye gusura pariki igiye gukorwa mu mashyamba ya Gishwati na Mukura aboneka mu karere ka Rutsiro, hakabaho n’ahantu ho gucumbika haberanye n’ubukerarugendo (tourism camp sites) i Ruhingo, Bwinyana na Kinunu hagafasha abakorera ubukerarugendo ku nkengero z’ikiyaga cya Kivu.

Gukora umuhanda uva mu murenge wa Mushubati mu karere ka Rutsiro ukagenda ku nkengero z’ikiyaga cya Kivu kugera i Rubavu, na byo ngo byatuma abantu bagenda iruhande rw’ikiyaga neza kandi uwo muhanda ugatuma ba mukerarugendo biyongera. Ikindi akarere gakeneye ni ubwato nibura butatu bwajya bufasha abakora ingendo zo mu Kivu.

Mu bijyanye n’ubukungu, ishoramari no kubona inguzanyo ngo biracyari hasi cyane cyane ku bantu bashaka gukora imishinga ibyara inyungu. Gushyira mu bikorwa ibikubiye mu gishushanyo cy’umujyi wa Rutsiro ngo bizatuma n’abagiye bagaruka kuko ikibazo akarere gafite ni uko n’abafashijwe kubona inguzanyo muri Hanga Umurimo, iyo bamaze kubona amafaranga bahita bajya gukorera mu mijyi cyane cyane iya Rubavu na Kigali.

Igihingwa cya kawa na cyo ngo gikeneye kwitabwaho, by’umwihariko hakubakwa uruganda rutunganya umusaruro uyikomokaho kugeza ku cyiciro cya nyuma. Hifuzwa n’uruganda rutunganya umusaruro w’inanasi mu murenge wa Musasa ndetse n’uruganda ruciriritse rutunganya ibikomoka ku mata i Kalumbi no muri Mukura.

Umuyobozi w’akarere yavuze ko i Rutsiro hera ingano, ibigori, ibirayi, icyayi n’urutoki, ariko ikibazo gihari ni uko abantu barenga imisozi myinshi babyikoreye ku mutwe bitewe n’uko nta buryo buhari bwo kugera kuri uwo musaruro no kuwugeza ku masoko neza. Mu karere hari imihanda igera hirya no hino ahantu hera ibyo bihingwa bitandukanye ifite uburebure bwa kilometero 154, ariko ngo ntabwo imeze neza cyane cyane ku binyabiziga.

Byukusenge ati “tukaba twumva iyo mihanda itunganyijwe byadufasha ko umusaruro wose wabonetse, abafite amamodoka bashobora kuhagera bakawutwara”

Akarere ka Rutsiro kifuza guteza imbere ubworozi bw’amafi mu kiyaga cya Kivu buzwi ku izina rya kareremba bugera nibura ku byuzi 200. Ni ubworozi bw’amafi butanga umusaruro cyane ku buryo n’abandi baturage babubonye bakwitabira kubukora.

Nyuma yo kumva ibikubiye muri iyo raporo nk’uko byagaragajwe n’umuyobozi w’akarere ka Rutsiro, Minisitiri ushinzwe ubucuruzi n’inganda, François Kanimba yahaye icyumweru kimwe itsinda rihuriweho n’akarere ndetse n’inzego z’ubuyobozi bukuru bw’igihugu kugira ngo babe barangije gukora inyandiko ikubiyemo ibyavugiwe muri iyo nama bijyanye n’ibikenewe mu karere ndetse n’ibitekerezo byatanzweho.

Kanimba yavuze ko agiye gutumizaho inama mu buryo bwihutirwa y’abayobozi barebwa n’ibibazo byagaragaye mu karere ka Rutsiro. Yifuje ko muri iyo nama akarere ka Rutsiro na ko kazaba gahagarariwe na bamwe mu bayobozi bako ndetse n’abandi bagakoreramo kandi bagasobanukiwe kugira ngo baganire n’inzego zitandukanye zifite inshingano zo gushyira mu bikorwa ibikenewe mu karere ka Rutsiro. Ibyemezo bizafatirwa muri iyo nama ngo bizashyikirizwa guverinoma bitarenze ukwezi kwa kabiri uyu mwaka kugira ngo ibifateho umwanzuro.

The ex-PM Faustin Twagiramungu (2nd from right) with RDI Rwanda Rwiza group leaders inside the conference hall in Lyon. News of Rwanda has obtained more photos from the closed-door session

Last week, News of Rwanda revealed exclusively how the exiled former Rwandan Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu was on a secret trip to Tanzania to meet President Jakaya Kikwete as he looks for ways to launched armed rebellion. The politician himself has confirmed the reports.

Twagiramungu told delegates at a closed-door conference held in Lyon, France, on Saturday that he had indeed been to Tanzania from 19-23 January. According to our sources, Twagiramungu left Dodoma on Thursday where he had been meeting President Kikwete at secret locations.

The ex-premier arrived in Lyon on Friday evening ahead of the conference for his political organistion RDI Rwanda Rwiza which had been on schedule weeks before. The 3-hr conference from 3pm (16hrs GMT) took place at Salle Halle in Grains at the address 61 Rue Président Salvador ALLENDE 69200 Vénissieux.

In the conference hall attended by about a dozen delegates, Twagiramungu with pride informed them that he had been to Tanzania on a “very important mission”. Amid lengthy applause from the delegates, Twagiramungu said he had no obligation to reveal the exact motives of his week-long Tanzania trip.

The day Twagiramungu left Tanzania for France is when another Rwandan dissident group RNC was hosted in Dar es Salaam with FDLR rebels by President Kikwete, according to our sources.

Twagiramungu has entered into alliance with the FDLR, a militia group which executed the genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda, and fled to DR Congo in 1994. These meetings meanwhile, come after President Kikwete has publicly called for negotiations betweem Kigali and the militia group, a suggestion that brought Kigali-Dodoma relations to near-collapse.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, Maina Kiai

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, Maina Kiai, has commended Rwanda’s progress made in the last 20 years after the genocide against Tutsis, and pointed out some of the considerable measures needed for the country to promote human rights and freedom.

The UN special Rapporteur made the remarks on Monday, while addressing the media on the findings of the just concluded assessment he conducted on ‘the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly’ in the country.

In a report that was posted on UN’s Special Raporteur website, Mr. Maina Kiai said that he was honuoured by the invitation of the government to carry out his mission and commended the Government for being the first country in Africa to extend an invitation to his mandate since its establishment by the Human Rights Council in October 2010.

The UN Rapporteur was in the country to assess the country’s democraticy and freedoms, where he based on three principles which are; Freedom of peaceful assembly, Freedom of association on Non-governmental organizations operating in the country as well as freedom for Political parties.

He said that his visit to Rwanda was an opportunity to express his sympathy and wish courage to Rwandans who have stood together to rebuild the nation that had been left into ashes by the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

“As Rwanda, and indeed the world, prepare to honour the memory of the victims of the Genocide 20 years since 1994, I would like to extend my best wishes and strength to the people of Rwanda, all of whom have been touched by this most egregious of human rights violations. Bon courage,” he said.

He further said that he was humbled when I visited Rwanda during the 10^th and 15^th commemorations of the Genocide against the Tutsis.

“As a Special Rapporteur, I am independent from the United Nations and I work voluntarily in my personal capacity. The overarching purpose of my visit to Rwanda is to contribute to the efforts it has undertaken in its path towards democratization, greater protection of human rights, and development with recommendations as to how Rwanda can better respect, promote and implement international human rights law and standards as it applies to the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association.”

He added that: “Rwanda has come a long way since 1994. There has been remarkable progress in developing infrastructure, building institutions and ensuring stability and security. Twenty years is a short time in the life of a nation, which makes the achievements all the more outstanding.

Indeed few could have predicted that the reconstruction of the Rwandan State could have reached such broad and deep levels in 1994.  I am truly impressed by the resilience of the Rwandan people, the vibrancy of the economic sector, the relatively low levels of corruption, and efforts at providing universal healthcare and social safety nets, and the neat and clean environment. This must be recognized, and applauded.”

Following his assessment, Maina Kiai commended the government’s will to use the above progress made in implementing the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the country.

“In the spirit of constructive dialogue, I wish to make some preliminary observations and recommendations that the Government has assured me that it sees this as an opportunity to consolidate the progress made over the years towards the realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the country.

Rwanda has ratified key international human rights instruments and committed itself to observe them. Moreover, in 2011 during the Universal Periodic Review, Rwanda accepted all recommendations pertaining to the freedoms I am mandated to monitor,” he said.

During his assessment visit to the country, the UN Special Rapporteur met with top government officials including the Prime Minister, ministers as well as top leaders in security and justice sector where they discussed a range of issues related to rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.

Encouraging authorities to facilitate peaceful assemblies

The UN Special Rapporteur called on authorities in the country to improve on their policies especially on facilitating peaceful assemblies in the country.

“From my meeting with the Inspector General of the Police, it came out clearly that law enforcement officials view peaceful assemblies solely as an issue of ensuring public order, instead of adopting a human rights based approach that would facilitate assemblies as an integral right of every person in Rwanda to be protected robustly.”

“Let me emphasize that peaceful assemblies should not be feared. Rather they should be encouraged for there is value in expressing disagreement and differences peacefully and publicly. Indeed, there is no better gauge of what citizens think than peaceful protests.

And it is in the interests of the state to allow public and peaceful assemblies as a “release valve” in order to avoid recourse to other means of dissent and disagreement that are not desirable. As stated by the Human Rights Council, “everyone must be able to express their grievances or aspirations in a peaceful manner, including through public protests without fear of reprisals or of being intimidated, harassed, injured… arbitrarily arrested and detained.”

However, the UN Rapporteur added that in his meeting with Justice Minister, Johnson Busingye, he was honoured by his assurance of the government’s willingness to facilitate peaceful assemblies.

“I was therefore heartened to hear the Justice Minister’s assurance which I hope can be implemented that: “if you are dissenting peacefully, please go ahead.”

Bamwe mu batuye umurenge wa Busogo mu karere ka Musanze, baravuga ko kuba umunyarwanda birenze kuba ufite indangamuntu y’u Rwanda, ahubwo akaba ari umuntu wimakaza indangagaciro z’ubunyarwanda.

Ibi bikaba ari ibyavuzwe kuri uyu wa mbere tariki 27/01/2014 ubwo hatangizwaga igikorwa cyo gusobanurira gahunda ya ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ abafashamyumvire bo muri uyu murenge, kugirango nabo bazayisobanurire mu tugari dutandukanye tw’uyu murenge.

Mukeshimana, umwe mu bafashamyumvire bahuguwe, avuga ko yari asanzwe aziko kuba umunyarwanda kwe gushingiye ku kimuranga gusa, cyakora ngo ubu abonye neza ko birenze icyo cyangombwa gusa.

Ati: “Kuba umunyarwanda ni ukuba uw’u Rwanda, nawe rukaba urwawe. Nari nziko icyemeza ko ndi umunyarwanda ari indangamuntu gusa, ariko ntabwo ari ibyo gusa. Umunyarwanda akunda igihugu cye n’abagituye mbere yo kwireba we ubwe”.

Prof Shyaka Anastase, umuyobozi w’ikigo cy’igihugu cy’imiyoborere, yagaragaje ko ubunyarwanda ari indangagaciro ihetse izindi, ikaba ingabo idukingira, ikaba umusemburo w’iterambere ndetse n’ibyiza byose biranga abanyarwanda.

Yavuze kandi ko gahunda ya ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ari gahunda ngari, yo kubaka igihugu mu kwigira kwacyo ndetse no mu iterambere ryacyo. Yavuze kandi ko iyi gahunda atari nshyashya mu Rwanda.

Ati: “Gahunda ya Ndi Umunyarwanda ntabwo itangiye ejo. Yatangiye kera, yatangiranye n’urugamba rwo kwibohora, ariko ubu ni indi ntambwe turimo dutera kugirango turusheho kwihuta mu iterambere”.

Ikiciro cya kabiri kuri gahunda ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ kikaba cyatangiriye mu mirenge yose y’igihugu, aho abagize inteko ishinga amategeko n’abandi bayobozi ku nzego zitandukanye ari gusobanura iyi gahunda, ikazakomereza mu midugudu k’umunsi w’Intwari.

The last batch of 850 Rwandan peacekeepers boarded a US Air Force plane for peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic yesterday, January 28, 2014.

The troops were flagged off by Gen. Frank Mushyo Kamanzi, the Rwanda Defence Force Army Chief of Staff, in the company of US Deputy Chief of Mission, Jessica Lapenn.

Rwanda and the US have agreed on joint collaboration to airlift the troops and 1,000 tonnes of equipment to Bangui in three weeks

However Ambassador Gerard Araud the French UN envoy has said that the United Nations may need at least 10,000 troops to end unrest and grim situation in Central African Republic.

The EU has agreed to send up to 600 troops to help African and French troops already deployed there. There are about 1,600 troops in CAR, working with some 4,000 from African countries, inclusive of 850 peacekeepers from Rwanda.

Other troops have been sent from Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Chad and Equatorial Guinea and are mandated to use force to protect civilians in Central African Republic, where reports of vicious cycle of vengeance between Muslim and Christian militias have been reportedly increasing.

Since their deployment on January 16, Rwandan forces have managed to intervene in the crisis by securing 37 civilians under attack to safety, recovering looted property and ammunitions and most importantly also trying to bring both the Muslim and Christian communities to a roundtable to sort out their difference

Apparently, the UN Human Rights says the security situation in CAR is getting worse despite the inauguration of a new leader, and about a million people – 20 percent of the population – have fled their homes during months of religious violence, after rebels seized power last March.

An elite force of the RDF has been tasked with maintaining security of the newly-elected CAR Interim President, Catherine Samba-Panza, guarding strategic installations in North Bangui including the Airport and Key Institutions like The Presidency Office and the Parliament.

In the meantime, Rwandan Peacekeepers in MISCA are working together with other African Troop Contributing Countries from Burundi, Cameroun, Chad, Gabon, and Republic of Congo.

These FDLR combatants surrendered on 30 December 2013 in Walikale, eastern DRC. The group RNC is one of the Rwandan political platforms giving voice to the militia group which executed the genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda

There is growing frustration within the ranks of the Rwandan dissident group the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) as senior members say their views have been sidelined in favour of an agenda that is destroying the group.

The frustration was openly played out in South Africa last December. Members at a closed-door meeting on 21st December spoke out against the bloc which had emerged aligned to either Patrick Karageya or Kayumba Nyamwasa.

“For two years, there [was] tensions between Karegeya and General Kayumba Nyamwasa,” a senior RNC member tells Jeune Afrique, a French magazine, in its article published Tuesday.

“Kayumba supported the candidacy of his brother-in-law, while Karegeya had his own candidate.”

The Jeune Afrique source was referring to elections which took place in November in which Frank Ntwali emerged as chair for RNC. However, Karegeya prefered Kennedy Ndahiro and his nephew David Batenga. These two got lowe level positions.

The source also narrates that anger is visible among RNC branch leaders in other countries who feel both Kayumba and Karegeya were incompetent. This particular source says he had his last days in RNC when FDLR, a militia group which executed the genocide, expressed condolences for death of Karegeya.

“I’m not the only one in RNC who is overly irritated about our political line, which summarizes all too often into anti-Kagame obsession that has obscured the absence of a tangible program,” says this RNC official.

The members of RNC also tell of a reign of terror inside RNC. “Some members of the RNC who have tried to distance themselves from actively supporting the status quo have been threatened,” he says.

UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai

The Rwandan government has dismissed part of the report by the UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai that questioned the law concerning peaceful demonstrations in the country.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur Mr. Maina Kiai argued in a statement that the law regarding the  “the authorization to carry out peaceful demonstration was unnecessary”.

The Minister for Justice Mr. Busingye Johnston responded stressing on the purpose of such request for authorization as a measure “to be able to deploy maximum security towards the demonstrators and free up the roads to be used as provided by the law”.

The UN Special Correspondent was in Rwanda on an official visit that lasted for Seven days and concluded on Monday 27^th January 2014.

During his assessment, Kiai discussed about freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association and freedom of political parties.

Minister Busingye told the special rapporteur that Rwanda’s first mandate is to build a unified Rwandan community and protect the safety of its people in all sectors. “People have freedom to choose what is best for them” Busingye added.

The Justice Minister also commented about freedom of political parties, saying that RPF does everything possible to the development of all Rwandans in all sectors; adding that “RPF is the best thing that happened to Rwanda since 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi”.

On the other hand, the rapporteur’s own report seemed contradictory: in one part, the report questions Rwanda’s human rights protection whereas on the other side; it commends the government’s outstanding efforts and progress.

The report asserts “Democracy is well practiced” and that Rwandan Government should “keep up the good pace that they are in with regards to human rights protection” and urges the Government of Rwanda to keep on improving service delivery in the mentioned areas, admitting that “democracy is not a one day issue, but rather a process”.

The statement from Rwanda’s Ministry of Justice that was released on Tuesday 28^th January 2014 and comes ahead of Maina’s final report that will be presented in June 2014.

One of the trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Bangui from the Cameroonian border escorted by the Rwanda peacekeepers

Rwandan forces serving in the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) have opened a humanitarian corridor at the Cameroon-Central African Republic border, at 700 kilometers from Bangui.

The forces carried the first ever assortment parked in a convoy of 70 Lorries and 30 vehicles intended for aid to Central African residents who have almost lost everything due to the increasing crisis in their country.

Reports indicate that Bangui had run short of humanitarian and other goods with the supply route from Bangui to Cameroon border cut-off by different armed groups who were disarmed by the Rwandan forces recently.

MISCA Force Commander, Brig Gen Martin Tumante led the entourage which also received a warm welcome from the residents.

Since their deployment on January 16, Rwandan forces have managed to intervene in the crisis by securing 37 civilians under attack to safety, recovering looted property and ammunitions and most importantly also trying to bring both the Muslim and Christian communities to a roundtable to sort out their differences.

Apparently, the UN Human Rights says the security situation in CAR is getting worse despite the inauguration of a new leader, and about a million people – 20 percent of the population – have fled their homes during months of religious violence, after rebels seized power last March.

Lt Joel Mutabazi’s lawyer has quit the case over the accused inconsistency

The lawyer of embattled terror suspect Lt. Joel Mutabazi, on Wednesday surprised High Military Court Judges in Kanombe by throwing in the towel over what she said was ‘her client’s contradictions’

Lt. Mutabazi’s lawyer, Antoinette Mukamusoni told a fully-packed military court yesterday that ‘‘she could not manage defending a suspect who does not stand by his word.”

“We had earlier agreed after discussing the case together that the suspect should not plead guilty but when he appeared in court, he surprised me by pleading guilty, then again pleading not guilty.

He has also decided to maintain silence, so I have no business in this trial and I request to leave,” Said a visibly disappointed Mukamusoni.

Mukamusoni told Court that Lt. Mutabazi was “full of surprises” and that he would have to look for another representative in court.

In an earlier hearing, Mutabazi first surprised his lawyer by giving contradictory statements, where he even, at some point denied having deserted the army.

However, earlier in the day, Diane Gasengayire, Mutabazi’s sister-in-law and a co-accused revealed how she lied about Mutabazi’s desertion from the military.

Gasengayire told court that she was asked by her sister Gloria (Mutabazi’s wife) to get two bullets which she never did and that someone else provided them.

When the judges asked Mutabazi to react to the accusation, he just said: “I do not trust this Woman; she betrayed me and made me get arrested.”

She (Gasengayire) later revealed to court how she lied to the authorities on Mutabazi’s deserting from the Army.

“When you deserted J2 called me asking me about your whereabouts and I lied that you had gone to Uganda to preach the gospel. When you left Rwanda, I took care of your property and when your wife gave birth, I travelled to Uganda several times to take care of her and then you stand here and accuse me of betrayal?”Asked Gasengayire.

The court has decided to visit Mutamba’s home in Rwamagana, a scene where the pistol that was allegedly used to shoot on Mutabazi’s home in Uganda had been hidden to redo the events and determine whether Mutamba dug up the pistol and how it was given to Mutabazi’s brother.

This website run a story about the Pistol incident here: http://www.newsofrwanda.com/english/22133/family-members-accuse-lt-joel-mutabazi-of-stage-managing-his-shooting-in-uganda/

Mutabazi and his 15 co-accused are before the Military High Court in Kanombe, Kigali, to answer terrorism-related charges.

The suspect is charged with deserting the military, terrorism, crimes against the state; attempt to harm the person of the President, murder, illegal possession of a firearm, spreading rumours with intent to incite the public to rise up against the state and formation of an armed group.

As Rwanda prepares to commemorate the Kwibuka20 by taking around the country a flame of hope, the UN Security Council has officially confirmed it as the “1994 Genocide against the Tutsis

The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a new global reference to the 1994 mass slaughter in Rwanda as “genocide against the Tutsi”, after years of confrontational campaigning by the Rwanda government and survivors’ groups, say diplomats.

The Council has been in long negotiations for the past weeks as the mandate for the sanctions regime on the Democratic Republic of Congo ended.

To renew the regime and since the text makes reference to Rwanda and the genocide, disagreements arose among diplomats at the Security Council over the exact wording for the 1994 Genocide.

DRC interference

During the debate on January 28^th, the representative of the DRC raised the issue about Rwanda and the M23 rebels.

In response, Rwanda’s Deputy Permanent Representative Olivier Nduhungirehe replied with a series of questions whether it was Rwanda who killed Lumumba or responsible for Mobutu who hosted and failed to separate the genocidaires from Rwanda in 1994.

In the course of adopting a resolution on the sanctions against Democratic Republic of the Congo the Un Sec
urity Council instead shifted its focus on how to refer to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, having earlier been put ‘in blue’ in final form, during the Security Council’s debate on January 28.

Rwanda’s Deputy Permanent Representative to UN posted on his Twitter account earlier before the resolution was adopted that: “It’s worth noting that this Resolution is the very first since 1994 to recognize “genocide against the Tutsi”, away from the “Rwandan genocide.”

“We fought hard for the last days but I am proud tonight. You may be surprised but our strongest ally in this fight was…”

As the Security Council debate ended yesterday, a compromise was reached, in PP 13: a reference to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, during which Hutu and others were killed.

A Rwandan diplomat told Inner City Press that during the Genocide, Hutus killed were not because of their ethnicity but because they opposed the genocide against the Tutsi, adding: “This is a precedent,”

Ibuka issues a statement

Meanwhile, Ibuka, an umbrella association of Genocide survivors issued a statement on Thursday, calling on the World to revise what they called “A growing conspiracy by some in the international community’ to turn the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDRL), perpetrators of the Genocide against Tutsi, into a powerful political and military force.

“IBUKA is speaking out today to awaken the world community to a growing conspiracy by some in the international community to turn the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), perpetrators of genocide against the Tutsi, into a powerful political and military force.

The FDLR, the vast majority of whom killed our families during the Genocide against Tutsi in 1994, have operated for years in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Since they fled to Zaire (DRC today) they have remained the same people, retained the same ideology of Genocide and are more armed than ever before,” the communiqué reads in part.

President Kikwete implicated in sympathizing FDRL and Twagiramungu

FDLR have now been joined by Faustin Twagiramungu, president of RDI- Rwanda Nziza.  He declared on 12^th January 2014, that he had joined FDLR, a known terrorist organization.

His recent visit to the United Republic of Tanzania at the invitation of President Jakaya Kikwete raises serious concerns. It shows that President Kikwete who made a choice to be a voice of FDLR according to his statement on 26^th May 2013 is now fully supportive of the organization.

He is using tax payers’ money to support a terrorist organisation and facilitate their plan to come back to Rwanda and finish their job.

We are not ready to be victims twice.

In the communiqué, Ibuka reminded that: “The United Nations turned its back on Rwanda and a million Tutsi were killed before their eyes.  The International community claimed to not be fully aware that Genocide was happening.

The same international community has decided not to appreciate FDLR as a terrorist group. Consequently, there is no clear plan to neutralise these terrorists.

Survivors are better positioned to predict clearly the danger of giving a platform to the terrorist group such as FDLR and the impact of political conspiracy by international community to support their plans.

The world has not learned from the past. We want to remind the citizens of the world that in 1959, when 30,000 Tutsi were killed and more than 80,000 forced into exile, evidence shows that those events were fueled by foreign political interests. This was done in the name of so-called democracy “1959 Hutu revolution”. It gave power and legitimacy to the former president Habyarimana and Mobutu to slaughter innocent Tutsi in 1994.”

“The same pretext of democracy and freedom of speech is being used by President Kikwete and President Kabila to support and give political cover to a known terrorist group (FDLR).

We shall never wait again to be brutally slaughtered. We have to speak out now.

Survivors of the Tutsi Genocide have been part of the long journey of reconciliation and rebuilding the social fabric that genocidaires destroyed in 1994.

But it is as if our willingness to accept and live with those who killed us have been exploited particulary by those who created, supported and supervised the implementation of Genocide against Tusti. The fact is that we shall never allow to die again.

We will remain grateful to the former Rwanda Patriotic Army for their heroic courage we owe our current survival.

We want also to take this opportunity to dismiss the idea by some people who wrongly made some people, such as Paul Rusesabagina, our saviour and heroes. Survivors know better than anybody else who saved their lives.

These are self seekers who sold chicken, food and hotel rooms and those who had no means were killed by genocidaires at Mille Collines’s gate.

IBUKA calls upon the international community, world leaders , peace lovers and survivors wherever they are in the world to raise their voice against this growing political conspiracy to support negative forces  (FDLR) to come back and kill us again as they did in 1994.”

In the build-up to the 20^th commemoration of the Genocide against Tutsis, the Kwibuka (remember) Flame of remembrance on Thursday reached Nyaruguru district, Southern Rwanda.

Over 1,000 men, women and children could be seen seated in the Kibeho parish ground, keenly listening to a disturbing testimony of Angélique Uwase.

Uwase, who was 15 years old when the Genocide happened in 1994, recounted how her family’s neighbours turned into their worst enemies and began their hunt to kill Tutsis. She was lucky to survive.

A Kibeho Genocide memorial site lies a few meters away. And it’s right here, at Kibeho parish, where over 28,000 Tutsis were brutally killed mainly with machetes and grenades – as they sought refuge at this parish − in the country’s 1994 Genocide against Tutsis that claimed over a million lives in a hundred days.

“This flame is a very significant symbol. It’s hope. It’s another step forward towards renewal”, said Nyaruguru district’s Mayor, François Habitegeko.

Nyaruguru district is the Kwibuka Flame’s eighth stop, with the district expected to host it for three days. It comes from Gisagara district, still in the South, and from Nyaruguru it will then head to Nyamagabe district for another three days.

By April 7, when the 20^th commemoration of the Genocide against Tutsis officially begins, the Kwibuka Flame will have toured all of Rwanda’s 30 districts.

According the Rwanda government, the Kwibuka Flame symbolizes remembrance as well as the resilience and courage of Rwandans over the past twenty years.

Carried in a simple lamp, it will be used to light other lamps in communities around Rwanda. To mark the 20th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi, all memorial fires throughout the country will stem from this single Kwibuka Flame.

On returning to Kigali, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame will use the Kwibuka Flame to light the National Flame of Mourning. This will take place on 7 April 2014, marking the official beginning of the national mourning period.

The flame will also be the source of the fire used at the candlelit vigil at Amahoro National Stadium on the evening of 7 April 2014.

Kibeho “Holy Land” name jeopardized 

To many Catholics across the world, and indeed throughout Rwanda, Kibeho rings a bell.

Back in 1981, the Virgin Mary is reported to have appeared, in different moments, to three school girls at a Kibeho-based high school.

Two decades later, in 2001 that is, the Catholic Church authenticated the apparitions and a pilgrims’ influx ensued. At least 100,000 pilgrims make it to Kibeho every year for prayers.

But during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis, Kibeho made a dramatic u-turn – from “holy” to hell.

Kibeho was the site of the mass murder of students from Marie Merci high school. And thousands of Tutsis were killed at the local Catholic Church where they had sought sanctuary.

The Interahamwe militia shot into the church, threw in grenades and asphyxiated victims with smoke from outside.

The French-led Opération Turquoise, which provided a safe haven for génocidaires’ transit into neighbouring Zaire – now the Democratic Republic of Congo − after the end of the Genocide, made Kibeho became a stronghold of the Interahamwe up until the Rwanda Patriotic Front liberated the area in 1995.

Below is a snapshot of the Kwibuka Flame event at Kibeho, Nyaruguru district

The Kwibuka Flame

Nyaruguru district’s Mayor, François Habitegeko, making his welcoming speech

Among the crowd, a white woman who works in the area seeks shelter in an umbrella amid biting sunshine to follow the Kwibuka Flame event

School C\children watch as a group carrying the Kwibuka Flame passes by

A group of young boys and girls singing a remembrance song, whose main message rotated around hope, unity and renewal

A young girl recites a poem at the event