Rwanda is a central east-African country, landlocked and estimated to be among Africa’s smallest nations with an area of 26,338 sq.km and a high population density rating over 436 inhabitants/sq.km.
Since the 1994 power takeover by the RPF Inkotanyi, Rwandan nationals have suffered terrible land problems.
First, Kagame and the RPF aristocracy took the best land properties they wanted from the vast eastern plains to the western mountain crests of the country. A large number of Rwandan natives faced eviction from their lands and homes without any legal expropriation requirements fulfilled. This new form of colonization plagued all over the country and the land conquerors brought the feudal system with ranch as land unit. The former landowners either knew disappearances without trace or charges of genocide were trumped up against them and they were sent to prison. Those who survived this doomsday fled to the neighbouring countries and the rest became something of a shanty ghetto. As these pillages were done by the powerful men and women of the RPF, the victims have no possibility to bring them before the justice. Why? Because those who should authorize the resolution of the issues are the main connivers in the game. And any person who dares to raise the voice about persecution becomes the enemy of the country and they incur the worst of fates. That’s why in Rwanda there is thunderous silence in the face of oppression. Once bitten, twice shy.
Second, Kagame seized all marshlands from local peasants and put them in the hands of private entrepreneurs.
For example, after 1995 Colonel Dodo took the marshland of Kibagabaga in Kigali and there he implanted an important part of his business. The marshlands of Gasogi and Mbandazi became private properties of Rumanyika (ex-boss of Sky Hotel) and Kalisa also known as BCDI. The land along the valley of River Nyabarongo measures about 80,000 acres and was leased to Madivan Investments for 99 years without consent of the owners.
All these illicit enrichments were carried out without considering the detrimental effect on the local owners. In a country where 95% of the population depend on the agriculture, people couldn’t escape from the far-reaching economic effects of such atrocious conquests.
Very few people can eat twice a day in Rwanda and severe malnutrition diseases are present everywhere. The little development that there is appertains to the ruling elite and it is limited to urban areas. In rural areas the poor get poorer on a daily basis and in cities the rich get richer. In fact, there’s but development in separateness.
Now, instead of seeking how the land titles issued to companies and individuals should be cancelled to solve the problem of Rwandans living in ghettos and mudslide-prone areas, Kagame recently signed a bargain with the States of Israel and Libya to ship 70,000 illegal immigrants from the aforementioned countries to Rwanda and give them permanent residence. Kagame and his sycophants call this a humanitarian act but it really is not. It is selling the country. Kagame heard the sum of US$5,000 that he’s going to be paid per immigrant and the total amount of US$350,000,000/70,000 immigrants made him turn a blind eye to overpopulation and land crises that are devastating Rwanda and he hurried to sign the treaty without balancing the prons and cons.
The question is: If Kagame wants to do charity, why couldn’t he help in the repatriation process of those Africans to their respective countries in lieu of promising them castles in the air while multitudes of Rwandans have no place to call their own? Some commentators argue that Kagame is masquerading the preparation of his final war in the deal of questionable motives of charity. Thus, they say that Kagame is gathering foreign mercenaries who will fight on his side during an Armagedon style of exit from power he’s expecting to outbreak soon or late. Plainly speaking, Paul Kagame is importing mercenary terrorists who will battle themselves unreservedly and help him to crash everything since they have no relatives nor possessions to save on the soils of Rwanda. The context of geopolitical events shows that Kagame and his RPF oligarchy are encircled by fear because they know that their crying crimes against humanity will neither pass unpaid nor go unpunished. So, let the Kagame regime throw its last throes!
Written by:
Jean Rukika
A London-based independent activist
