Does anyone know where Paul Kagame is since the NBA-All event on February 14, 2016? Before he heads to Houston for February 22-26 energy conference? The King is hardly ever in Rwanda. He lives in his presidential jets and presidential suites and villas in foreign countries. So who really runs Rwanda?
This is a question I have considered for a long time. Is it the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) that runs the country? No. The party died long time. The Chairman of the party, Kagame, became the party. Is it the military? Forget it. Rwanda military leadership is Kagame. The other generals take turn in Kagame’s prisons – or overseas ambassadorships where he dumps them he no longer needs them.
So who runs Rwanda?
Three women run Rwanda:
* Madam Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame
* Pitchette Kampeta Sayinzoga
* Ines Mpambara.
MADAM JEANNETTE NYIRAMONGI KAGAME
The powerful and power-hungry wife of the Rwandan strongman – Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame is on top of the pyramid. She literally is the invisible Deputy President of Rwanda, in total control of especially the Office of the President. Globally, she has built a network of friends and supporters in aid donors through her Imbuto Foundation. She is Dr Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame via an Honorary Doctorate, Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa from Oklahoma Christian University. Chief Justice, President of the Senate, Speaker of Parliament, cabinet ministers attend her meetings. She is a powerful presence in the ruling party RPF, and any organ that determines national agenda.
PITCHETTE KAMPETA SAYINZOGA
Anything to do with money, Sayinzoga is in total control – whether domestic revenues or foreign aid. Sayinzoga is closely connected to the Kagames – she is married to President Kagame’s nephew and business partner Byusa. Most importantly, Pitchette Kampeta Sayinzoga is Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. She is also the Secretary to the Treasury. She is Deputy Chairperson of Rwanda Revenue Authority. She also chairs the Development Partners Coordination Group, which gathers government and donors at senior level in Rwanda.
INES MPAMBARA
Mpambara is first and foremost Deputy to Madam Nyiramongi Kagame in her Imbuto Foundation. From this position, Madam Nyiramongi Kagame planted Mpambara in the Office of President initially as a junior analyst in Strategy and Policy Unit (SPU) in 2007. Within a year, Mpambara had risen to the very top of the pyramid in the presidency becoming the Director of Cabinet or Kagame’s Chief of Staff. Ministers and military generals shake in their pants in the presence of this young lady. Mpambara has stamped her name in Rwanda government as an embodiment of scheming, crafty, malicious, revengeful, and cruel. Her main preoccupation is spy, report, humiliate, and destroy anyone perceived to be “enemy of the state.” And in her world, “enemy” is defined as having a brain.
THE LADIES’ CHARM
When not using the big stick against their perceived enemies, the three ladies can turn on the charm and make you believe blue is red. They easily fool those whom they just met into believing in Rwanda the Singapore of Africa lie. But those who have been victimized by their tactics stand by helplessly – or pay a heavy price.
Dr David Himbara
