It was 2010 in an evening like this one, seated in my office with Gonza Mugi and Marcel Museminari when my phone rung n picked up;
hello, i’m i talking to Nelson Gatsimbazi?
and i was like yes, who is this?
I’m called Major.Burabyo, you are required to report in my office on thursday afternoon and you will be informed why you are summoned when you arrive….
I talked to my friends in the office,consulted a lawyer from Maitre Rwangampuhwe’s(R.I.P) office which vas very close to my office, and this lawyer told me like this;
Nelson, the person who has called you works in a place where lawyers are not supposed to escort you, even if you refuse to go,they can pick you anywhere whenever they want, it’s better to inform your colleagues where you are going and who called you and it’s good that you have told me, but i advise you to go.
when thursday came, called my editor Claver Dusabimana and went to the Ministry of defense office. reaching there, there is this soldier who was waiting for me i think from morning and rushed to climb the stairs with me to Burabyo’s office.
Major.Burabyo welcomed me in his office and he told another man suspected to be an officer that “this is Nelson Gatsimbazi” he smiled and walked out.
Immediately my friend called me and i picked the call and i said “Yes, i’m with Burabyo right now in his office”. because i had told my friend to call me and i faked that i’m talking to my lawyer to scare this man so that he should know that the whole world knows i’m with him in case anything happens to me, he will be in for it.
Our discussion started by asking me why i was traveling to Uganda often, and what i was going to do in Uganda and he reminded me that “look, you even went to Uganda last week”
Me: Look, its true i travel to Uganda now and then because i print from Uganda, i have relatives and family in Uganda, so there are many reasons why i go to Uganda.
Burabyo: we know when you go to Uganda, you meet your colleagues Charles Kabonero and Didas Gasana and we would like to know where they get information to publish on their website.
Me: As i said, when i go to Uganda, i go there because of my reasons not necessarily meeting these guys you are talkin about, and by the way what if i meet them, is it a problem? they are my comrades, i have worked with them before, we went to same school and they are not terrorists, where is the problem?
Burabyo:If you read what they write, don’t you think they are enemies of the country?
Me: well, if i read their stories, i judge their stories basing on professional ethics like any other paper i read, but i don’t know your basis to call them enemies of the country. that is beyond my knowledge!
Burabyo: well Nelson, i called you because the country needs your help and you have to be a patriot and help us to access these guys. we know very well that you meet them, even though you don’t meet them, it’s very easy for you to meet them than any other person because you are all independent journalists, criticizing the government and we shall provide all necessary facilitation for you to do that. don’t give me the answer now, just go and think about it and call me when you are ready!! have a nice evenning.
when i reached at my office, i warned these guys in kampala, and briefed them what is going on and should be careful to people they meet.
Today, Major Burabyo is in Uganda, hunting down refugees, killing them,kidnapping them. these people are being hunted down in the same way the killer Burabyo was actually planning to kill in my comrades.
when i sat down today,i re winded the tape and started recalling every thing that was happening. my question is; does these people really know that Kagame will once be no where to be seen? do they know that everything that has a start, has an end? do they know that they are actually creating burdens for themselves and their children? do they know that the killer they are serving, will turn against them to eliminate all the evidences?
Nelson Gatsimbazi
