Rwandan Presidential Hopeful Says Kagame Government Planning to Arrest Her
By Godwin Agaba
256News
January 27, 2010
In an exclusive interview with 256news.com at her residence in Nyarutarama, a posh suburb of Kigali last evening, Ingabire revealed she has landed on plans by the Rwanda government to throw her in jail on trumped up charges.
“From well informed sources, some authorities are currently mobilizing associations of genocide survivors, widows, and others for demonstrations appealing to the Government to suspend our work and put me in jail,” Ingabire disclosed.
“But they don’t have the slightest evidence of the facts,” she stated.
Ingabire whom this reporter found reading a copy of the local news paper, Umuseso and had just come from Ugandan embassy to meet the Ugandan Ambassador to Rwanda, did not spare any words in criticizing President Paul Kagame’s government.
“I am here to register our political party, FDU-INKINGI and participate in the upcoming presidential elections,” she confirmed.
She revealed that despite a positive reception by the population, there has been a rise in state sponsored hate campaign, calls to arbitrary arrests and the muzzling of her group’s non-violent actions.
The FDU-INKINGI leader who was dressed in a maroon dress and working on a laptop said, “I call upon the Rwandan people and the international community to witness this outrageous mendacity. Powered by non-violent values we seized the opportunity of democratic process believing that the higher authorities of the country, guarantor of institutions and security were seriously ready for the multiparty system and the opening of the political space.”
“What are they afraid of? If, indeed, the performance of the system they are fighting for meets the aspirations of Rwandans, their candidate will be acclaimed in the upcoming elections. On the contrary, if they like our political program, they will vote for us.
All they need is a free, fair and transparent election,” Ingabire challenged.
She also took on the government again on issue of issuing immigration documents.
“How can one take seven months without a passport when he has applied for it, or getting a national identity card?” Ingabire asks.
She told 256news.com that she is seeking permission to meet the Rwanda immigration boss, Anaclet Kalibata over the issue of a group of UDF-Inkingi officials who were denied Rwandan citizenship.
Officials in the Rwandan Embassy in Brussels have denied UDF-Inkingi’s officials passports for over 6 months.
On 12th of June 2009, a group of UDF-Inkingi officials led by its First Vice Chairman, Eugène Ndahayo went to Rwanda House 1, Rue Des Fleurs in Woluwé-St-Lambert, in the Belgian capital Brussels to apply for passports ahead of the UDF-Inkingi’s participation in the planned presidential race.
“Four months ago, officers in charge of consular affairs refused to handle application forms for UDF-Inkingi’s First VP pretending that he might not be a Rwandan citizen, stirring anger within his organization,” Ingabire explained
She is also facing the same ordeal as she is yet to acquire a Rwanda national identity card which is a prerequisite for her to register her party. She has already applied for it.
Ingabire returned two weeks ago from 16 years in exile to participate in the August this year general elections where she hopes to challenge President Kagame (pictured).
Speaking to the press shortly before heading straight to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site at Gisozi, Ingabire said she came back to relieve Rwandans “from fear, poverty and inefficient Gacaca (genocide court)”.
She said “Rwandans live in fear” and that “there is need for all Rwandans to work together in their different parties and religious affiliations to fight the fear”.
In words that clearly suggested the “Double Genocide” theory, Ingabire said the reconciliation road has a long way to go unless those who killed Hutus during the Genocide are brought to book.
Her visit to the memorial site was seen by many as a mockery to those who died in the Genocide, an observation supported by her past utterances which reveal a deep sense of revisionism.
Related Materials:
CYNICAL MEDIA LYNCHING AND CALLS FOR ARRESTING IN RWANDA
Rwandan opposition leader stirs ethnic controversy
Rwanda: Who Is Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza?
posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 9:18 PM
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