With a declining diplomacy on international and regional levels, Rwanda also excels in blunders at the internal level in terms of rights violations: the closure of temples and churches bans the right to worship; soldiers suspected of hindering power who are dismissed; the persecution of political dissidents which hardly stops; the continuation of a war that everyone castigates, etc. This analysis outlines a series of scandals that the Kigali regime continues to cause to its citizens whom it describes as enemies of the country according to his unusual reasons.
Facts
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has sacked senior military officers in the latest purge of the country’s disciplined forces. Among those shown the door is Major General Martin Nzaramba, Colonel Dr Etienne Uwimana and 19 other senior and junior officers for misconduct. According to a statement released by Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF), the President also authorized the dismissal and contract termination of 195 other military personnel of various ranks from the army. Brigadier General Ronald Rwivanga, the RDF spokesperson, told local media that Maj-Gen Nzaramba was dismissed due to corruption and mismanagement of funds meant for the welfare of soldiers when he headed the Nasho Military Training Institute. He said Col Dr Uwimana was fired for violating the military code of conduct and for grave mistakes he made, without giving details.The spokesperson said others were also dismissed for corruption and other forms of misconduct that violated military regulations. The dismissals came a day after President Kagame met with the top military brass to discuss the country’s security priorities. Details of the meeting were not released to the media.RDF has often taken a tough stance on the conduct of military officers, and dismissals have included high-ranking officers. One such case was that of Maj-Gen Aloys Muganga, who was dismissed for what the force said was due to excessive alcohol consumption. Brig Gen Francis Mutiganda was sacked for insubordination in 2023. Some 228 other soldiers of various ranks had their contracts terminated or were dismissed. Maj-Gen Nzaramba, the latest high ranking military officer to be dismissed, had been retired in August 2023, along with other senior officers. It is not yet clear how he was dismissed, but it is common practice for retired officers to continue working as part of the reserve forces or in some other capacity. RDF code of conduct stipulates that any officer who engages in activities that undermine the integrity of the military profession, such as drunkenness, drug abuse, or any behavior that puts the institution under disrepute, sets him or herself up for dismissal. Serious violations of military values, a soldier caught in acts of corruption, intrigue, or formation of factions can also lead to dismissal. Colonel Dr Uwimana, one of those dismissed, had a long service record at Kanombe Military Hospital, including a stint as head of the hospital’s radiology department.
Analysis
1) Maj-Gen Nzaramba and Col. Dr Uwimana fired for unofficial reasons
Maj-Gen Nzaramba is a brother-in-law of two Rwandan opponents Gahima Gearald former prosecutor general and then deputy chief justice and Dr Theogene Rudasingwa former secretary general of RPF and then ambassador to the US. Married to their sister Captain Doreen Kayitesi, he was compelled to file for a divorce before the Primary Court of Kacyiru over fabricated charges. Retired in august 2023, he was appointed in reserve forces. Charges of corruption and other misconduct are false pretexts since he is no longer prosecuted before a court but the real reasons of this dismissal are his kinship with those Rwandan dissidents. Besides, as King David, unduly desiring to marry Betsabee, plotted the death of her husband, the soldier Uriah, by sending him to the hard battle where he was killed to get rid of him, there was recently decided to deploy him in the eastern war where some soldiers were instructed to assassinate him simulating a death at the battlefield. Aware of such a danger, he resorted to his friend Colonel Dr Uwimana Etienne to get a medical rest. Discovered thanks to the various spies assigned to all services, this strategy to escape from the deadly mission angered the plotters who resolved to hunt the two high ranked officers. As misfortune never comes alone, Colonel Dr. Uwimana Etienne is the brother of the Minister of in charge of Sport, Mrs. Munyangaju Aurore Mimosa, recently dismissed from the government
2) General Kazura Jean Bosco: He was dismissed from the post of chief of army staff then demobilized. Close to the First Lady, he quickly climbed the ladder until he was commissioned as a full genera skipping the rank of lieutenant general. According to sources close to the military intelligence, he is suspected of having had sexual relations with her and of being the real biological father of the first daughter and is accused of opposing the war in the DRC.
3) Fear of dissent
With the daily human losses of a war in the eastern DRC that only benefits the great leader, the military is starting to tire of it and this malaise within the army risked leading to a putsch which, it seems, had often failed. In a bid to boost their morale, it is necessary to chase away the troublemakers, i.e. the commanders suspected rightly or wrongly, and promote those who remain in terms of ranks and related financial benefits. This is why, after having chased away and demobilized many officers in bulk, they proceeded to promote several soldiers of different ranks.
4)The hunt for opponents abroad continues
After the Rwandan president had recently publicly attacked the fierce opponent Victoire Ingabire, accusing her of being born from genocidal families, for having falsely accused her mother Dusabe Thérèse of having committed the genocide in Butamwa where she served as a nurse, the Kigali agents managed to set fire to the residence of the latter in the Netherlands.
5)The closure of the sects that the regime itself created
Among the leaders of the sects that abound in the country, we find former senior army officers often sent there to monitor what is happening there in terms of security and if necessary, dismantle them if they do not manage to control them. This is the case of Tom Nsanganiye former officer of the RDF and elder brother of general Fred Ibingira, who was deputy representative of the ADEPR, the retired Colonel Fred Nyamurangwa who heads CELPAR church, Mignone Alice Kabera the leader of Noble Family Church, former intelligence agent, apostle Gitwaza Paul who pretending to be a close friend of the former president of Burundi, the late Pierre Nkurunziza took the opportunity to poison him, Cardinal Kambanda, a former senior officer of the RPA and very close to President Kagame, many pastors and priests who were part of RPF rebellion, to cite a few
6) Musonera Germain, deputy candidate: genocidal or victim of ethnicity
Musonera Germain was enlisted as a deputy candidate but he was removed at the last minute and the reason alleged was that he was suspected of having committed genocide in his native village in Nyabikenke where he held a bar in 1994.The issue is that he was not apprehended by judicial institutions either criminal courts or gacaca courts which closed their activities in 2012.He has been a staff of different NGOs, planning officer at the Ministry of Labor and recently as policy analyst in the prime minister’s office. Then, even if the crime of genocide is not prescriptible, there is wondered why during 30 years none denounced him especially survivors of genocide who lost their relatives and waiting just his appointment as deputy. This is a trend of the Kigali regime to prosecute Hutu people when they access the better paying positions. Examples are numerous: deputy Nirere Beatrice was arrested after 6 months of service; Hategekimana Leonard was arrested after being appointed national prosecuted and courts acquitted while his post was taken; Habumuremyi former prime minister now jobless and whose all businesses were declared bankrupt many Hutu traders who are impoverished when they fall prosperous especially Mporanyi Charles; Mironko François; John of Kicukiro shell; Hadj of Nyanza; Sina Gerard; to cite the most outstanding ones
Conclusion
The Kigali regime remains mystical in its methods of recruitment or dismissal of staff and especially when it comes to positions of high responsibility. Generals and senior officers sacked or unjustly condemned; the imputation of crimes not committed against high authorities no longer desired; no post is stable in Rwanda especially when it involves advantages. With the Kigali regime, one must expect everything; one man forewarned is a forearmed.
Therwandan
