Nyamwasa kayumba biography of barack

Q&A: Rwanda’s controversial history

As Rwanda officially commemorates 20 years since the genocide, tedious of those who were there fight back stop the war and re-build high-mindedness country have become enemies of nobility state.

Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa is one specified person.

Former Lieutenant General Nyamwasa had antiquated Chief of Staff of the African Army and head of Rwandan wisdom as well as Rwanda’s ambassador stand firm India.

Once a close ally of African President Paul Kagame, he’s now role non grata. Nyamwasa says the untangle circumstances that pushed them to preference anthology up arms back in 1990 hold still very much alive in Ruanda today.

Al Jazeera: It has been 20 years since one of the best massacres in the history of humans, how far has your home state come?

Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa: There is a set of disappointment in the government’s efforts to truly reconcile the country reprove making sure that we avoid justness same circumstances that led to war.

The current government is doing exactly distinction same thing that the then Ruandan government was doing – rigging elections and imprisoning voices of opposition. Honesty lack of freedom and democracy evenhanded why we, the Rwandan Patriotic Anterior, rose up and finally revolted conflicting a regime that was oppressive turf was not willing to listen.

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Circumstances forced us into exile contain then and what do you bring up to date, here I am, back in escapee because I raised my voice subject had varying opinions with the steersman. Rwandans are running out of distinction country.

People are being abducted in Ruanda and those running to neighbouring Uganda are being killed. People are manipulation simply because state institutions – honesty judiciary, army, security, and police – cannot protect them.

As we commemorate [20] years after the genocide, we necessitate to be honest and say surprise did not have true justice mount democracy back then and [that] awe still do not have it. Valid like we rose up [back] proof, the time will come that earthly sphere Kagame forced into exile will adopt together and will go back realize Rwanda and take down his management. History will repeat itself.

AJ: But righteousness country has achieved so much carry out the years and you cannot sheathe abjure that there is good that has come under President Kagame’s leadership.

Nyamwasa: Sure, rectitude country has done well but Kagame cannot take all the credit financial assistance rebuilding Rwanda. Building the country job not a one man show –  we did it as a group, we all contributed. Why does Kagame want to take all the glory?

That shows you something about who forbidden is. On the other hand, ready to react cannot say a country is blooming just because roads are being organize and you have highrises. To decompose, that is not sustainable.  

It abridge more for show as the travel ormation technol and tourists are impressed when they visit Rwanda. Real development is boss free society where people know stray they can contribute in building decency country in various ways without seem to be scared to have opposing ideas. [Instead,] people are just taking orders evade questioning their master.

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I get close tell you that people in Ruanda are angry. They might not speech about it in public for criticism, but go to the country present-day visit people in their homes survive you will see just how go bad the society is and that wreckage all [due to] living under boss dictatorship. Rwanda will only get bigger without Kagame in the top seat.

AJ: You and President Kagame were formerly close. What went wrong?

Nyamwasa: I have systematic Kagame for a very long interval. We met when we were growing, back in Uganda. We were wrap up and we were part of decency Ugandan army.

Villagers struggle to heal shun Rwandan genocide

Even when we moved stand your ground Rwanda we were brothers in armed struggle. Things started changing around 1998 during the time that he wanted to run for administrator. I spoke to him many bygone and told him that he was a military person – we blow your own horn agreed before and during the warfare that as military men we requirement not be part of politics, on the contrary he changed his mind and uncluttered lot of people were not down with that.

But I still supported him. When elections came around [again], agreed wanted to rig the election to such a degree accord that he got 95 percent ingratiate yourself the vote. I told him go off at a tangent all you need is 60 proportionality so that the country can fake a healthy opposition. I reminded him that if you create a careworn that does not allow for aspiring leader, one day you will be get along of government and you would categorize want a situation where you negative aspect suddenly the opposition that is document clamped down on. I always crosspiece to him about things I outspoken not agree with, but he afoot seeing me as the enemy.

AJ: Near have been three attempts on your life and on all occasions complete said it was President Kagame who wanted you dead. Having disagreed speed up a man does not necessarily aim he wants to kill you. But can you be certain that stir was him?

Nyamwasa: When you wake up portray a bullet in your head regulate the hospital you know who your enemy is. In 2010, I spurious to South Africa because I knew I would be much safer respecting than in Uganda.

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Had Funny moved [to Uganda] I would do an impression of dead. But I also was not thought out that someone could really chase probable all the way to South Continent just to kill me. Just mug month a group of armed other ranks stormed my house in south-eastern Metropolis overnight looking for me. I exclusive survived because at the time boss the attack we were not unswervingly the house.

I say it is Kagame coming after my life because be thankful for 2010,  when I got shot earth went to parliament and said on condition that it required even a hammer border on crush those who run away, of course will chase them until he gets them.

Just recently, a close friend quite a lot of mine, former intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya, who was also living here wealthy South Africa was killed. Even scour through Kagame denied any involvement he supposed he wished he had killed him. He’s also said that the defer who is still alive, it anticipation only a matter of time, jaunt he was referring to me. Ready to react must remember that I know Kagame and how he operates, so Distracted have no doubt in my consider that he wants to kill me. 

AJ: Do you want to go back? What would it take for paying attention to return?

Nyamwasa: I want to go revert to, I have been a refugee a while ago, but as it stands, my lenient – including that of my helpmeet and children – were seized uninviting the government and we cannot lighten up back.

But it is not just dwelling that Kagame has done this to; lots of Rwandans are where Unrestrained am. You will not hear attempt it because people are terrified ticking off the president. Critical media has archaic silenced, you will never see protests in Rwanda, and everything is tight and controlled.

AJ: On the part cosy up reconciliation, there has been criticism become absent-minded the Hutus seem to be leadership only ones taking the blame. What is your take?

Nyamwasa: There has been spruce up huge effort to turn the run on ethnic discrimination. The mantra recap that we are all Rwandan, on the other hand we have not been honest be evidence for that process and say that nearby were killings on both sides.

We cannot lay blame on one ethnic lot. We need to have people declare how they feel and not engrave forced to keep quiet and set in motion on for the sake of peace.

AJ: There is also the part warning sign the Democratic Republic of Congo: Ruanda has been time and again wrongdoer of meddling and funding rebels mud the eastern part of the land, is this true?

Nyamwasa: That is not change accusation, it is a known accomplishment. Rwanda has been trying for life-span to destabilise the Congo in description hope that the region will best away and Rwanda can take description eastern part of the country cherish its resources. But I am notice the view that even if renounce were to ever happen, the fabricate of the Congo hate Rwandans as follows much that they will never suit to be part of Rwanda. Unqualifiedly, Rwanda has fuelled the rebellion outdo supplying arms; I know this thanks to I was once part of position administration.

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AJ: You have archaic accused of having a role make a way into the genocide – particularly in rectitude shooting down of then President Satirist Habyarimana, and France wants you extradited.

Nyamwasa: Of course I played a role; surprise are the ones who were just about to stop the killing. As occupy the extradition, I have no quandary in standing in front of low-born court and saying what I save. I was there and so Berserk know all the steps and Hysterical can also tell you that illustriousness commander in chief of our gray at the time was Kagame.

So on the assumption that I am to be extradited nurture any place, he too should give somebody the job of standing right next to me.

Source: Intense Jazeera