Advice to Kagame: Just allow the opposition to operate freely in Rwand so they do not need to flee, and everything would be fine !
Kigali fighting back as dissidents gain upper hand with the arrest of Karake in the UK
Rwandan President Paul Kagame. PHOTO | FILE
By EDMUND KAGIRE
Posted Saturday, June 27 2015 at 11:08
Posted Saturday, June 27 2015 at 11:08
IN SUMMARY
- It's a dilemma political observers say Rwanda would have wished to avoid, as some senior opposition members could become key witnesses against the government.
- The president named Dr David Himbara, his former principal private secretary, who has now turned into a vocal government critic; Rene C Mugenzi, a Rwandan exile in the UK, and Norbert Marara as some of the people who have been pushing Western governments to take action against Rwanda.
President Kagame's remarks and the anger he expressed were seen by observers as an admission that Rwandan dissidents who now form exiled opposition groups have gained ground in their fight to discredit the government in Kigali.
The Rwandan leader accused UK and "another friendly country," in a veiled reference to the US, of "hobnobbing with foolish fellows" whom they use as witnesses who have no credible and reliable evidence against Kigali.
He said that the UK relied on the advice of "criminals" to arrest Lt Karenzi, mentioning Rene Mugenzi and Norbert Marara, whom he described as a "thugs" who ran away from the army.
He said the two men informed UK authorities that they felt threatened because the head of Rwandan intelligence was in the country.
"This man Karenzi was arrested three or four days after, in fact we didn't know it, but these fellows knew and had been writing about it online, talking about the arrest of this man. That was on June 17," President Kagame said, adding that Rwanda got to know after the extradition request had been sent by Spain.
But beyond the arrest of Lt-Gen Karake, Kigali now faces a stiff task fighting off the Spanish indictments, that have now become a focal point which will pit the government against the opposition. The opposition will use the opportunity to push Kigali to the edge.
Exiled former army chief of staff Kayumba Nyamwasa, who is also on the list of 40 senior Rwandan officials indicted by Spain, has also offered to testify if he is requested by Spain, presenting an even more complex dilemma for Rwanda.
As Kigali prepares crucial evidence to challenge the indictments by a Spanish judge against the 40 officials in a protracted legal battle, members of the opposition, including former high ranking government officials and military officers, have allied with those pushing for the trials.
It is a dilemma political observers say Rwanda would have wished to avoid, as some senior opposition members could become key witnesses testifying against the government.
"It is a conundrum Kigali would have wished to avoid because while the government will focus on trashing the indictments, on the other hand there will be key witnesses who will be willing to testify against Rwanda, just because they fell out with the system," said a lawyer, who spoke to The EastAfricanon condition of anonymity.
Dr Phil Clark, a UK based genocide scholar, however argues that Rwanda's biggest advantage will be the serious doubts over the quality of the Spanish evidence, which presents Kigali with the opportunity to challenge the indictments.
"It may be in Rwanda's interests for Lt-Gen Karake to directly challenge the Spanish charges in court, as Rose Kabuye did in a similar case in France in 2008, and highlight the weaknesses of the Spanish case," Dr Clark said.
Minister for Justice Johnston Busingye said that Rwanda is ready to present "crucial evidence" that will poke holes in the Spanish indictments but the dilemma remains — Lt Gen Karake will appear in court again on September 26 while the full extradition hearing is expected on October 29 and 30.
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Posted by: Alfred Nganzo <alfrednganzo@yahoo.com>
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The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.
I have loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore I die in exile.
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
When the white man came we had the land and they had the bibles; now they have the land and we have the bibles.
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The Voice of the Poor, the Weak and Powerless.
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