By David Himbara
Do You Remember Him? Kagame Rewarded Him With The Management Of RwandAir, After Ndagano Presided Over A Court Case As Both The Judge And A Witness Against His Military Comrade.
Meet the notorious Colonel Chance Ndagano. Remember him? General Paul Kagame appointed Ndagano CEO of RwandAir in April 2017. Another soldier, Lt. Col. Silver Munyaneza became deputy CEO of RwandAir in charge of Operations. Kagame’s civil aviation and airline were now in military hands — Ndagano and Munyaneza joined Col Silas Udahemuka in charge of civil aviation. In any event, Ndagano was dumped on the same day as James Musoni on April 6, 2018.
So what was Ndagano’s occupation prior his appointment as RwandAir CEO?
Kagame’s appointments are most unusual. To say that Kagame follows opaque and arbitrary methods in making appointments is a gross understatement. His criteria and basis of selections of public servants are shrouded in secrecy.
Take the case of Colonel Chance Ndagano. He was a military judge who in 2014 made legal history in Rwanda. In the case of Col Tom Byabagamba, Ndagano was not only a judge but also became a witness in the same case. Rwandan Defence Force Colonel Byabagamba was arrested in August 2014, after returning from a tour of duty in South Sudan where Rwanda contributes soldiers to a U.N. peacekeeping mission.
Among the evidence Ndagano gave against his military comrade was that Byabagamba disrespected the national flag. Prior to giving evidence against Byabagamba, Ndagano was the presiding judge that denied Byabagamba, bail. Ndagano will forever represent the crudest legal conflict of interest ever committed in Rwanda.
Where in the world can a judge become a witness in the same case?
Only in a dictatorship, would an individual act as both a judge and witness in the same court case. In countries governed by laws, not even a lawyer, let alone a judge can be council as well as a witness in the same case. Welcome to Kagame’s Rwanda.
