RWANDAN OFFICERS IN EXILE REPLY TO PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME’S INTERVIEW.

When I left Rwanda, my intention was to re-unite my family, start a new life. Forget politics, the military and diplomacy –areas where I had previously served. I thought I would go into academics, consultancy or something different and actually take a lasting holiday from President Kagame with whom I had served for the last sixteen years. Unfortunately, this was not be, my name is always in the media for all wrong reasons. After my departure, President Kagame addressed a press conference where he labelled Patrick Karegeya and I as terrorists, while passing out cadets officers in Gako, he called us a thieves, in the Parliament he called us a flies whom he will crush with a hammer, again in parliament he called us shit, at Nyabugogo he again called us shit, with Journalist Kai Kai he called me a thief, with Jeune Afrique he called me a traitor and with Monitor, he called us reckless un accountable officers. What does this tell you about the personality of President Kagame as a leader? How much do you think we have endured in the last sixteen years? Are those comments a reflection a magnanimous leader? Last year time magazine put you on the cover as one of the top one hundred influential people in the world..... A.
The truth is that his name was put forward by lobbyists paid handsomely to flatter and deceive. Any logical person would be embarrassed by this overblown praise while in actual fact he is number 5 in the World as a media hater. If Human Rights Watch is wrong, what about Common wealth Human rights Initiative, Journalists without borders, Amnesty International! Institutions of the State should stop President Paul Kagame from wasting government money lobbying for fictitious awards, doctorates and accolodates. The parliament of Rwanda should investigate the amount of money spent for trips to America to receive those self gratifying high sounding nothings. How can a Head of State visit another country twenty times a year without any reciprocity from his counterpart? It is embarrassing that a President travels to OKlahama to attend graduation of ten students on government funds. When did he last set foot in Butare when thousands are graduating? Like all of us, Time Magazine was duped and they have realized they were riding a tiger and have started writing the truth.
　

Q. Let me ask you about your colleagues in the RPF whom you’ve had a falling out with in particular Colonel Karegeya and Gen Kayumba who have since left the country......

A. President Paul Kagame has personalized the Gen Kayumba/Col Karegeya issue. This is out of guilty consciousness. If people who participated in the struggle from day one and served at the highest level of the Army and Security are not colleagues in the Rwandan context -who is? When someone develops such a big ego of himself and with such a complex, it is difficult to define him. In President Kagame’s Rwanda, there are no elders, no colleagues and friends. Yes I know to him, his new found colleagues reside in Europe and America , but as day will follow night, when his moment of truth comes, those he calls his friends will be nowhere to be seen. He should have learnt from Sadam Hussein.

President Kagame questions if he is running a dictatorship why was I not arrested straight away. Since he said this in the monitor largely for the Ugandan readership, let me remind that before Ben Kiwanuka died, he had met Amin and so did Bishop Luwum. Since Idi Amin met these two and others before killing them- does it make him a democrat? Yes I served deep in the system, it is also true that Sadam Hussein‘s son in law served deeper than anyone else in the Iraq system. Does Kagame imply that those who run away from Amin in 1978 had no justification and should have stayed? Furthermore, he alleges that the people who run away from 1995and 1996 were maybe running away from me. Does he imply that he was not in charge at that time? Now that I have gone, let us see if there will be an exodus of returnees from exile.

Kagame talks like someone who is wronged and aggrieved. How does he justify the incarceration of my wife and children in New Delhi, evicting them out of the Embassy residence and dispossessing them of passports containing the multiple entry visas? To which institution did they have to account? Who will hold him accountable for the sufferance they endured in a foreign country where the government had sent them? If he had problems with me, what about my family? Can he deny his role in the inhuman treatment directed to them in the full gaze of the whole diplomatic community? Will he take responsibility for withdrawing citizenship from these nationals he sent in a foreign country? If President Kagame passionately hated me and my family why embarrass Rwanda he purportedly loves?

Firstly, let me remind him that while he was doing that to my family he was preparing a very expensive journey to West Point to see his son funded by a government we both worked to put in power. The irony is that in Rwanda there is only one family!

Secondly, I saved President Kagame’s life twice during the struggle when everyone else had abandoned him in Nkana and Kanyantanga. Where were all those who are telling him that I am a traitor? History will tell who betrayed who. Those who served with us know the truth including those who opportunistically vilify me most.

Q. Does it bother you that people you’ve been with in government including people you were with in exile are willing to run off into exile rather than have these issues resolved internally?

A. President Kagame said he does not understand and cannot put his finger on the reasons why people run to exile. Surely the President must be having a very short memory. His entire family spent more than thirty years in exile. Does he insinuate that his parents were adventurers when they left Rwanda and somehow they gained their senses after 1994? That is the highest level of cynicism, hypocrisy and arrogance by a man who talks passionately about the demeaning refugee life during his youthful years! Just after sixteen years in power he has forgotten why people run to exile! After another seven years more in power he will have forgotten his names. He talks so casually about it indeed absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The answer is simple. In a democracy, people resort to courts of law for conflict resolution and in a dictatorship, people run for their dear lives. If a leader does not know why his/her citizens are running away then he is incapable to govern. This reminds me of Animal Farm. After Napoleon chased Squealer using the vicious dogs purportedly bred to guard the farm, he would always explain that Squealer had joined Jones and was trying to restore human beings on the farm. Of course some animals kept believing until they were sold off or killed. Anyhow, this did not stop Napoleon from remaining leader of the farm and life did not improve for those who remained on

the farm although they had to keep praising him as the only leader when life was worse than the times of Jones. In Kagame’s Rwanda, Gen Kayumba and Col Karegeya are terrorists and working with genocidaire!

As a result of incapacity to govern, dictators always need scapegoats and rumour mills to perpetuate their rule. I was the perfect choice because I had some modest amount of credibility to destroy. Somehow, the project is still viable in an electoral period even when I am long gone. This serves the purpose of intimidation and diversion. However, since I am not within reach, alternatives had to be found. Some Generals had to be arrested to demonstrate to ‘the doubting Thomas’ that the Emperor is unshakable. The faint hearted will be forced to confess for the crimes they have not committed, be appointed Senators or Ambassadors with selected subordinates to undermine them.

After all what is the value of a Minister or General in Rwanda? When President Kagame was asked about Generals under house arrest, his response was that under his rule he would beat up, tie up, handcuff and throw them in prison. No mention of investigation, prosecution and fair trial in a court of law. In a spurn of time he became the judge, jury and hangs man. So where were the institutions he so much likes talking about? If this is not dictatorship then what is it?

Author: Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa

For purposes of clarity and for the sake of our families, friends, countrymen and all those who read your publication, I am forced to respond to put the record straight. In my presentation, I may make comparisons and analogies but they are by no means intended to offend. Otherwise silence may mean consent.

President Kagame is not honest when he alleges that we run away from accountability. Disagreements centred on governance, tolerance, Insensitivity, Intrigue and betrayal of our colleagues. Furthermore, it is my considered opinion and strong convictions that we struggled for a country where there would be freedom of speech and association. On the contrary, towards the end of the last century these ideals started shifting and the focus was no longer the country and Party but President Kagame. This phenomenon was nurtured and promoted by opportunists and sycophants. I despised the trend of events and the category of people involved. The meeting prior to my departure was despicable and I held a number of people involved in contempt having transformed the RPF into a party where its main pre-occupation is furthering intrigue and hatred. President Kagame should have told you that in 2003 together with another colleague, we asked to leave the Army and Government because we felt we did not fit in the scheme of things. He objected and expressed fear that if we left – we would cause trouble outside. I kept soldiering on hoping that there would be some sense of reason and may be things may change somehow. In retrospect, maybe I was naive or trusted too much or continued in self denial like some of my friends are today.

President Kagame accuses us of escaping from accountability –‘Gen Kayumba and Col Patrick Karegeya are reckless and run away from accountability’. We believe accountability is paramount but what we do not agree with is that an unaccountable person should victimize his perceived opponents in the name of accountability. If accountability is going to be used as a political weapon to flame perceived opponents, then it ceases to be meaningful or useful. We should all be ready to account for all our commissions and omissions at all times but to legitimate institutions not to self seekers.

I would wish to address the broad context of accountability in Rwanda. First and foremost, accountability should begin from the top, beginning with the President before he demands accountability from his subordinates. The three arms of the state should work in tandem but independent of each other in furthering accountability. Government should be accountable to parliament, parliament to the electorate and the judiciary should adjudicate. In Rwanda, the Head of State is most unaccountable person and has no moral authority to demand accountability from anybody. In Rwanda, the President Kagame is the Institutions. I would wish to illustrate my point as follows:

Firstly since President Kagame likes to talk about accountability to institutions, I would expect him to have appeared before parliament to account for owning two XR Executive Jets which he hires to himself and makes at least two trips to America a month to receive fictitious honors, doctorates for himself and his wife or visiting his children. The minimum cost for each trip is close to one million dollars. The two aircraft were bought by government money and registered in the names of a pseudo company. Government pays to this Pseudo Company and money finally deposited on non official accounts owned by proxies. He should appear before the Ombudsman together with his advisor and an Embassy official to explain where they got $100,000,000 to buy the two executive aircraft. The minister of Finance should tell Parliament why government should service privately owned aircraft. Does this reflect zero tolerance of corruption which the President constantly enforces?

Secondly President Paul Kagame should explain to parliament who is the owner of the Embassy building in London and his connection with the Company in whose names the Embassy building is registered. Let me remind the readers that Idi Amin bought the Embassy building for Uganda in London. For Rwanda, the embassy building is registered on the portfolio of a proxy.

Thirdly he should explain to the party and to the people of Rwanda why he heads a party without a treasurer and how much money does RPF have since it owns all the biggest companies in the country and contributions of party members.

Fourthly, why was Arab Contractors simultaneously constructing his private residence in Muhazi together with the Ministry of Defense using government facilities? Minister Bikoro had to account for one container of tiles, how much money did President Kagame pay to Revenue Authority for construction materials for his own houses?

Fifthly does the facilities and environment at his private home at Muhazi demonstrate austerity and humility or profligate living?

There are many cases, but this is only to illustrate that kleptocratic leaders cannot morally demand accountability. Everyone knows that his accountability demands are a farce, demagogue and playing to the gallery. Of course acting tough and ‘spitting fire’ insulates him from the inquisitive eye. However, everyone knows it is meant to intimidate, dupe the international community and create impressions for donors. To sustain all this, he employs intrigue, treachery, manipulation and betrayal. This was my point of departure.

As far as I am concerned, I always made sure that my property declaration forms were submitted to the ombudsman on time and fortunately I have all the receipts to that effect. I have never appeared on the list of government officials suspended for lack of accountability. President Kagame would have been too happy to have me arrested if there was any irregularity in my

declarations. The question of accountability did not feature in the meeting attended by the ombudsman prior to my departure.

President Kagame is on record commending me as an exemplary officer when I was Army Chief of Staff and served for un interrupted five years as Ambassador in India. At what stage did I become unaccountable officer and terrorist? How can he turn around to ask for accountability after ten years? Col Karegeya served as Intelligence chief for uninterrupted ten years. President Kagame called him nothing, useless and now terrorist! At what stage did President Kagame learn that Col Karegeya was useless and nothing after all those years! The people of Rwanda are used to this mudslinging. Last month he appointed Commander of the Reserve Force and arrested him for abuse of office after one week. When did investigations take place? Another General is arrested for committing immoral acts – who is the complainant?

During President Kayibanda’s regime, political dissenters were labeled ideological traitors. Later, President Habyalimana would say that those escaping to exile were afraid of peace and tranquility. In the 1980s President Habyalimana would remind Rwandans and the international community that his government was registering the highest GDP in the region, an Island of peace and no one should talk about the democratic deficit that existed. These days President Kagame accuses his perceived opponents of genocide ideology or terrorism and corruption. Everyone is expected to sing that Kigali is clean and we have developed. Do we develop without consciouses? I am afraid Rwanda has not changed a bit in terms of leadership.

Q.