By David Himbara
The Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) is in the news for the wrong reasons — again. Its CEO was recently thrown into prison and denied bail. For God’s sake, whatever you do, don’t take a job in General Paul Kagame’s BRD. This financial institution is the most dangerous place to work in Rwanda. The Development Bank of Rwanda’s former CEOs and chairmen either fled Rwanda, or ended up in prison, and even ended up dead in mysterious circumstances. This history surely indicates that there is something terribly wrong with the institution. Take a look at the turnover record at the Development Bank of Rwanda.
1. RDB’s CEO Edith Gasana — decided to leave Rwanda for good.
2. RDB’s CEO Theogene Turatsinze — decided to leave Rwanda for good but was murdered in Mozambique.
3. RDB’s Chairman Kalisa Mupende — thrown in prison in 2009 and remains there nearly ten years.
4. RDB’s Chairman Henry Gaperi — briefly detained before leaving Rwanda for good.
5. RDB’s CEO Alex Kanyankole — thrown in prison in October 2018.
The most tragic part of the Development Bank of Rwanda’s story was the murder of Theogene Turatsinze. His death was described by the US State Department as follows:
”Mozambique police found former Rwandan Development Board Managing Director Theogene Turatsinze floating dead and tied with ropes in a lake two days after he was reported missing. Mozambique police initially indicated Rwandan government involvement in the killing before contacting the government and changing its characterization to a common crime. Rwandan government officials publicly condemned the killing and denied involvement. Domestic political observers commented that Turatsinze had access to politically sensitive financial information related to certain Rwandan government insiders. The killing remained unsolved at year’s end.”
Pray for the new CEO of the Development Bank of Rwanda and the new Chairperson.
