Coming soon! Today’sTides Program
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: human rights
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Calls for Paul Rusesabagina’s Immediate Release
Opinion finds numerous human rights violations by the government of Rwanda
Paul Rusesabagina, international humanitarian
WASHINGTON – March 29, 2022 – PRLog —
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), an arm of the UN’s Human Rights Council, has released an advance version of its opinion on Rwanda’s kidnapping and detention of Hotel Rwanda humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina. UNWGAD found that the deprivation of liberty of Paul Rusesabagina amounts to arbitrary and enforced detention, which is illegal under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“Universal Declaration”) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“Covenant”). The Working Group requests that the government of Rwanda take all necessary steps to remedy the situation. (Link to opinion at end of press release)
According to the opinion, given the circumstances of the case the appropriate remedy under international law is for Rwanda to immediately “take urgent action to ensure the immediate unconditional release of Mr. Rusesabagina.” In addition, UNWGAD members found that Rwanda should “accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations.“
The key findings of the UNWGAD include:
- The kidnapping of Mr. Rusesabagina, which began in the United States and culminated in him boarding a flight from Dubai to Kigali, was set up by the Rwandan government to take him against his will to Rwanda. This constitutes an abduction and his subsequent detention is therefore arbitrary and illegal.
- The circumstances of Mr. Rusesabagina’s abduction and subsequent treatment on arrival in Kigali, including incommunicado detention, being detained in secret, and no acknowledgement of his arrest, amount to a deprivation of liberty analogous to an enforced disappearance, and mean that Paul’s arrest has no legal basis and is therefore arbitrary.
- Mr. Rusesabagina’s treatment by the Rwandan government resulted from his free expression of his political views and criticisms of that government. Thus his treatment constitutes an illegal violation of his right to freedom of expression.
- Violations of Mr. Rusesabagina’s physical and mental health during his illegal detention should be referred to the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment for appropriate action.
- Given all of the above, the criminal case against him in Rwanda should never have gone to trial and should have been dismissed. That being the case, when it went to trial Mr. Rusesabagina’s due process and fair trial rights were continually violated throughout the trial process.
Letter to the Senate Subcommittee On Africa and Global Health Policy Expressing Concerns of Human Rights
The Honorable Lindsey Graham
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Tim Kaine
231 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Graham and Ranking Member Kaine:
The narrative known worldwide is that Rwanda has been achieving remarkable economic and social progress over the past couple of decades. However, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The economic facts of Rwanda described at length in a recently published report entitled Rwanda Vision 2020 Development Programme Scrutiny, presents a comprehensive analysis of the country’s development program objectives.
As a concerned citizen of the United States of America and a Pastor with a keen interest in all matters relating to Rwanda and the Great Lakes region of Africa, I am writing to express my concern over the deterioration of human rights in Rwanda. Recently, the Rwandan government has intensified its policy of openly harassing human rights activists globally and any dissenting voices emanating from and outside of Rwanda. Most notably, the assassination of the late gospel singer and reconciliation activist Kizito Mihigo. Recently, Mr. Theophile Ntirutwa came close to death after being targeted by a killing squad who instead mistakenly murdered Reverend Theoneste Bapfakurera. This murder took place on the outskirts of Kigali in Rwamagana, on May 11, 2020.
On September 6, 2017, Mr. Ntirutwa Theophile, the leader of the United Democratic Forces (FDU) in Kigali, went missing. He was held incommunicado for seventeen days until his family found him on September 23, at the notorious Remera police station. The regime often uses bogus charges against anyone who opposes it and consequently imprisoned Ntirutwa and several other FDU members. He served 30 months in a maximum-security prison, and then he was released on January 25, 2020, after the court found him innocent. After his release, Ntirutwa joined a newly formed political party, DALFA Umurinzi, founded by the former president of the FDU, Ms. Ingabire Victoire. On Monday, May 11, 2020, a pro-government killing squad attacked the compound where Ntirutwa lives and conducts business. Ntirutwa narrowly survived the assassination. Unfortunately, Reverend Theoneste Bapfakurera was stabbed to death.
According to reliable information from a human rights activist based in Kigali, the attack took place around 7:30 PM local time. Ntirutwa, with friends and family members, were surprised by a killing squad armed with traditional weapons and pistols. When the attackers arrived at Ntirutwa’s boutique, they asked, “Who is Theo?” There were two Theos in the same boutique. Reverend Bapfakurera Theoneste, who also goes by the name “Theo,” responded, “I am Theo!” Without any hesitation.
Consequently, the killers stabbed Reverend Bapfakurera to death. Ntirutwa hid under the counter as members of the killing squad stated: “Mission accomplished we can leave now.” Little did they know, they had killed the wrong Theo.
After the killing squad left, Ntirutwa called the police to report the incident. However, the police appeared at the crime scene two hours later. Ntirutwa was treated as a suspect rather than a victim of attempted murder. In the past Rwanda National Police and other security organs have been utilized to harass, assassinate, or made disappear perceived opponents of the present regime. Fortunately, Ntirutwa narrowly survived murder. However, the police arrested his wife— who was not at the crime scene. In addition, Ntirutwa’s sister, and two other survivors were arrested.
When the attack took place, the following people were present: Reverend Bapfakurera Theoneste (Ntirutwa’s landlord), Mr. Ntirutwa Theophile, Mrs. Mushimiyimana Emerithe (Ntirutwa’s wife), Ms. Mukantwari Francine (Ntirutwa’s sister), Mr. Hakizimana Frodward, and Mr. Rudasingwa Jean Bosco. When the police arrested Ntirutwa Theophile and his wife, leaving their two underaged children, ages 5 and 7, unattended.
In addition to the arrest of Mr. Ntirutwa Theophile, his wife, and other survivors, a progovernment hate Youtube TV channel and website based tabloid named my250tv.com claims that Mrs. Ingabire Victiore was the mastermind of the assassination of Reverend Bapfakurera because “he refused to join her political party DALFA Umurinzi!” Furthermore, a reporter named Ellen Kampire said, “I ask myself why Ingabire Victoire is not locked up because in [the] past she was involved in acts of murder. It is not only the assassination in Rwamagana she masterminded. She was the mastermind behind grenades attacks in Kigali! I think she should also be murdered because she masterminded crimes that took the lives of many Rwandans.”
The government of Paul Kagame coordinates media propaganda with investigations through the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), which serves as a government tool to crush all opposition. Mrs. Ingabire Victoire was summoned by RIB for investigation on Monday, May 18, 2020. I am deeply concerned that these charges are politically motivated by the government of Rwanda. Mrs. Ingabire Victoire and additional opposition members may face fabricated charges and possibly assassination in the coming days.
Unfortunately, killing or making members of the opposition party disappear has been a norm by the current regime in Rwanda. For a few years, squads killed Jean Damascene Habarugira, Iragena Illuminee, Anselme Mutuyimana and Syrdio Dusabumuremyi. Furthermore, Eugene Ndereyimana disappeared and Boniface Twagirimana mysteriously disappeared while he was in prison.
As a concerned Citizen of the United States, a Pastor and human rights activist I am requesting the US Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health to use its leverage under section 116 of Section 503 of the Foreign Assistance Act to urge the regime of General Paul Kagame to cease its human rights abuse and become tolerant to members of the opposition and dissenting voices in Rwanda and abroad.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, Rev. Dr. Innocent N Justice
Resident of the State of North Carolina
(980) 689-1839
CC
The Honorable David Perdue
455 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Rob Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ron Johnson 328
Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ted Cruz
127A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Christopher Coons
218 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Cory Booker
717 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Chris Murphy
136 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Rwanda: Kagame’s daughter unleashes “her war dogs” against Ingabire Victoire!
On March 21, 2020; Victoire Umuhoza received in her residence Aimable Karasira, a university professor who also manages a Youtube channel during his spare time. In his videos, Mr KARASIRA carries analyses on social phenomena, and counts many followers.
A gesture of washing hands
Before granting an interview to Karasira, Victoire Ingabire washed her hands with soap, following the example of President Paul Kagame, who in a video, had invited Rwandans to protect themselves against the corona virus by washing hands regularly.
The journalist filmed this sequence before he, himself washed his hands. The interview focused on a unique topic: The corona virus and its consequences in a country like Rwanda in general and in the city of Kigali in particular. Karasira made it clear that he is not in politics, that he does not belong to Ingabire’s DALFA (Development And Liberty For All) party or to Paul Kagame’s RPF. He invited Victoire Ingabire to limit herself only on this one topic in her statements.
During the interview, Victoire Ingabire drew attention to the damage caused by the corona virus to the Rwandan economy. She notably pleaded in favor of small self-employed people (hairdressing saloons, motorcycle and car taxis, repairers of all kinds, vendors at markets, etc.) who saw their activities closed while tha was their onlys source of income and daily bread. She suggested that the state provide assistance unto them.
In fact, the quarantine measures decreed by Rwanda are extreme since they go as far as the closing of all borders, which will weigh heavily on the supply of essential goods from neighboring countries. Meanwhile, the authorities are asking traders not to raise prices and have even ordered rationing.
War dogs unleashed
Instead of criticizing this proposal by Victoire Ingabire, the presidnt’ daughter, Ange Kagame and her team, via Twitter, launched an action to denigrate the political opposition, focusing on the gesture of washing their hands made by Victoire Ingabire. The attacks were virulent and some suggest that Victoire Ingabire be taken to the psychiatric hospital for examination (1).
Among the eminent members of the team include not only Ange Kagame but also another figurehead of the entourage of the president, a certain Yolande Makolo, ex- director in charge of communication of president Kagame ; Lucy Mbabazi, another important woman in Kagame’s system; or Edwin Mukiza, a lawyer and legal adviser to cabinet offices.
Like father like daughter ?
Since her arrival in Rwanda in January 2010 to stand for the presidential elections, Victoire Ingabire has been designated as the person to be killed by all means. It didn’t take long, and in his official speeches, President Kagame verbally attacked her, calling her a hooligan in particular and predicting her imprisonment. It didn’t take long, Ingabire was taken into prison the same year. The appeals were unsuccessful and in 2013 the Supreme Court sentenced her to 15 years of prison, for “conspiracy against the authorities by terrorism and war”, inter alia. She was released after eight years by presidential pardon. Recently, she founded a new political party: DALFA (Development And Liberty For All) but her troubles are far from ending. In fact, in one of his legendary angers, the president threatened to have her put back in prison.
It is worrying that Ange Kagame joins his father in harassing political opponents. Young, and holder of American universities degrees, one would wonder what what she has learned from the country pionneer of the modern democracy. How comes she cannot understand and measure the importance of political opposition in a country for the promotion of a true democracy and a real respect for human rights?
B. Ndengeyingoma (left) and A. Kagame (right)
But the dice are loaded and therefore it cannot be otherwise. Isn’t Ange Kagame’s husband Bertrand Ndengeyingoma (2) cited in the Panama Papers, an investigation in which the world press denounced the owners of bank accounts hidden in tax havens! The couple therefore rolls on gold. The couple has millions of dollars in blocked bank accounts, especially in Panama. Ange Kagame has an interest in seeing no political changes in Rwanda, scared that she migh lose her colossal fortune stolen from Rwandan taxpayers. If Ange Kagame unleashes her war dogs to silence any dissident voice according her father’s policy, she knows that by the time she won’t be in power any longer, the castle will collapse. When that time comes, it will be “la fin des haricots”!
Jean-Charles Murego
Source: http://www.echosdafrique.com
A free translation from French by Chaste GAHUNDE
(1) This means a lot to Rwandans, since recently another political opponent was sent to the mental health facility and injected drugs in order to silence him. A new strategy to fight the dissenting views.
(2) There are unverfied information that Ndengeyingoma cited in the Panama Papers might be Ange Kagame’s brother-in-law, not her husband.
Avis aux lecteurs: Nos articles peuvent être reproduits à condition de citer le nom d’auteur et le site web source. Notice to readers: Our articles may be reproduced provided the author’s name and the source website are cited.
RWANDA Govt social media accounts used to “intimidate people” – US Government.
The US government’s 2019 human rights report on Rwanda says social media accounts paid for by taxpayers money are used for other sinister actions.
“Government-run social media accounts were used to debate and at times intimidate individuals who posted online comments considered critical of the government,” reads the 38-page report in part.
The report, compiled annually by the US State Department, also says the Rwandan government continued to monitor email and internet chat rooms.
It reads: “Individuals and groups could engage in the peaceful expression of views online, including by email and social media, but were subject to monitoring. There were reports that some individuals were arrested based in part on information obtained from email and internet monitoring.”
As for how much access Rwandans have to content online, the Americans, who are the single biggest bilateral donor to Rwanda, say there is notable restrictions of what we in Rwanda can see.
The report reads: “The government restricts the types of online content that users can access, particularly content that strays from the government’s official line, and continued to block websites.”
In May 2019, the minister of information and communications technology and innovation, Paula Ingabire, announced in Parliament the government planned to impose regulations on social media content so as to combat misinformation and protect citizens.
Minister of information and communications technology and innovation, Paula Ingabire Musoni was instrumental in establishing censorship against critics.
The government blocked access within the country to several websites critical of its policies, including websites of the Rwandan diaspora.
According to a 2010 law relating to electronic messages, signatures, and transactions, intermediaries and service providers are not held liable for content transmitted through their networks.
Nonetheless, says the US report, service providers are required to remove content when handed a takedown notice, and there are no avenues for appeal.
Avis aux lecteurs: Nos articles peuvent être reproduits à condition de citer le nom d'auteur et le site web source. Notice to readers: Our articles may be reproduced provided the author's name and the source website are cited.
Rwanda Needs to Take Torture Seriously
On December 6, the UN Committee Against Torture released its concluding observations after a routine review of the situation in Rwanda. During the review, committee members raised concerns about serious violations – including torture, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and intimidation of journalists, human rights defenders and opposition party members – and asked numerous, precise questions about the Rwandan government’s actions.
The Rwandan government’s response was to deny, deny, deny. On illegal detention and abuse in military camps, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the government wrote in its final submission to the committee that, “we want to repeat and insist that there are no unofficial or secret places of detention in Rwanda.”
In October, Human Rights Watch issued a report documenting abuses in military camps around Kigali, the capital, and in the northwest. For at least the last seven years, Rwanda’s military has frequently detained and tortured people, beating them, asphyxiating them, using electric shocks and staging mock executions. Most of the detainees were disappeared and held incommunicado, meaning they had no contact with family, friends, or legal counsel. Many were held for months on end in deplorable conditions. We continue to receive information about new abuses.
Many of those tortured were forced to confess to crimes against state security and later transferred to official detention centers. Instead of keeping quiet, scores of victims dared to speak up at their trials. When the committee asked the Rwandan government why judges did not investigate when defendants said in the courtroom that they had been tortured – which the government is required to do under the Convention against Torture – the government simply presented a table in its report asserting that no one alleged they were tortured in trials from 2013 to 2017.
This stands in stark contrast to the facts. From 2011 to 2016, we documented65 cases in which individuals said in court said they were illegally held in military camps or unlawful safe houses. Of those cases, 36 said they were either tortured, beaten or otherwise forced to confess to crimes they did not commit. These were statements either made publicly in court during trials we monitored or are reflected in official court judgments.
In response to allegations, including by Human Rights Watch, about torture in Kami, a military base outside Kigali, the government wrote in its final report that it needed, “clarifications of these allegations… because the people who alleges [sic] to have been tortured… in The Kami Military Camp are unknown. Those reports did not provide names of victims and suspects; therefore, no investigations were conducted.” To Johnston Busingye, the justice minister who headed the Rwandan delegation at the committee, I say: please see Appendix I, pages 92-98 of our last report.
We provided the case numbers and the identity of those who dared to speak up in court. It is not difficult to confirm. That the government would simply say these people never spoke is the final act of torture. It denies them their right to tell the truth about what happened.
The government maintains it has no political prisoners. The government also says any case of enforced disappearance is investigated. Here again, recent facts tell a different story. Take the case of Théophile Ntirutwa, Kigali representative of the Forces démocratiques unifiées (FDU)-Inkingi, a banned opposition party. Ntirutwa was forcibly disappeared on September 6, after the arrest of several other FDU members the same day, and held incommunicado until September 23. During this period, the police would not confirm to Human Rights Watch or his family whether he was in custody.
He has now been charged with supporting an armed group. On November 21, during a hearing, Ntirutwa said in court, “I was disappeared for 17 days… My family was not informed of where I was, nor were human rights organizations. My wife told the police I had been disappeared. All that time I was blindfolded and handcuffed before it was revealed I was at [a] police station.”
These were words said in a public courtroom. The government should follow through on its obligations, open an investigation, and hold those responsible for this enforced disappearance accountable. But if recent history is any indication, chances are nothing will happen. Ntirutwa had previously been detained on September 18, 2016, allegedly by the military, in Nyarutarama, a Kigali suburb. He said he was beaten and questioned about his membership in the FDU-Inkingi, then released two days later. Accounts of this detention were published, but the government did not investigate.
The committee wrote its final report that it is “seriously concerned” both about Rwanda’s failure to investigate allegations of torture and its “failure to clarify whether or not it opened an investigation into the allegations of unlawful and incommunicado detention.”
The committee’s concluding observations are cause for concern about the situation in Rwanda. While technically Rwanda has made advances in its legislation, in reality it does not seem to take seriously the absolute prohibition on torture. Rwanda is bound by both national law and international treaty obligations to act on allegations of torture and enforced disappearances, and to take steps to prevent such abuses. Instead of denying these abuses exist, it should demonstrate that it is ready to meet those obligations.
Ida Sawyer
Director Human Rights Watch, East Africa
Source: Human Rights Watch
STAND protests speech by Rwandan president
Around a dozen members of Stanford STAND, a human rights group, demonstrated outside a Graduate School of Business event featuring Rwandan President Paul Kagame last Friday, in an effort to prompt conversation of and raise awareness about allegedly repressive actions by Kagame’s administration.
According to Jared Naimark ‘14, the STAND students demonstrated at the event because the Stanford chapter of the national STAND organization focuses explicitly on human rights in Sudan, South Sudan, Burma, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda has repeatedly intervened in Congo in recent years.
The group also works with Friends of the Congo, an organization based in Washington, D.C. that works to raise awareness about challenges faced by people in the Congo and to support Congolese institutions.
Demonstrators emphasized, however, that their efforts were not intended to interrupt the procession of the event.
“We [were] not planning to disrupt the event in any way,” Naimark said. “We’re curious to hear what he had to say. The goal is to get information in people’s hands.”
The demonstrators handed out informational factsheets and flyers that detailed human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the Kagame administration, as well as printed copies of an editorial article that they had published in The Daily that day, according to Melanie Langa ‘16, a member of STAND and one of the demonstrators.
“STAND was interested in changing the dialogue around this event because we felt it wasn’t representative of the whole story,” Langa said. “There are whole stories and perspectives that you can take to this event. Since he’s been president, Rwanda has made many strides and has improved and [Kagame’s] done a good job in a lot of cases and scenarios but it’s also important to recognize that his government has been destabilizing Eastern Congo and because of that we are interested in making sure that side of the story people knew about.”
Scott St. Marie MBA ‘15, one of the student coordinators of Kagame’s address, stated that he thought the STAND students’ presence at the event was beneficial.
“I’m glad that they were there to help broaden our dialogue about Kagame and Rwanda,” St. Marie said. “Rwanda has a tumultuous and complex history, and I’m glad we were able to talk about multiple perspectives.”
In fact, St. Marie later approached the students and ensured that one of the STAND representatives could engage in the audience participation portion of the event. Audience questioning, according to St. Marie, included queries about term limits and whether Kagame has plans to run for a third term.
“We passed out all the flyers we brought and people were very receptive,” Langa said. “I think it was very successful. We got people to think of other issues that we didn’t think would be addressed without some kind of push and we’re contributing to what might be missing from that conversation.”
Nitish Kulkarni contributed to this report
European Union Parliamentarians urge the International donors and International Community to increase the pressure on Rwanda for Changes for promotion of Human rights and Democracy.
In their plenary of May 23th, 2013, European Union parliamentarians have debated and passed the resolution 2013/2461/RSP urging Rwanda to initiate changes to allow the respect of human rights and democracy. Based on Ingabire Victoire’s trial currently in appeal, the resolution gives a synopsis of this case, which they judge as a political tool devised by the incumbent political party- RPF- to silence any dissenting voice. The parliamentarians brought to the world attention that the law against “genocide ideology” used to arrest Ingabire is vague and lacks conformity with international law standards, and seems to perpetuate fear and terror in the political space. This resolution notes that political opponents Ingabire Victoire, Deo Mushayidi and Bernard Ntaganda all in prison in Rwanda, have been nominated for a prize known as “Prix Sakharov du parlement Européen pour la liberté d’Esprit” on September 13, 2012.
In its conclusions, the resolution expresses the serious concern in regards of Ingabire’s trial and asks the president of European Commission to designate observers in that trial currently in appeal. It goes on to condemn Kagame’s administration which violates human rights, persecutes opponent politicians as well as journalists and reporters who report what is wrong. Therefore, the resolution urges Kagame’s administration to unconditionally set free all those who were imprisoned because of their political views. By this resolution, the European parliamentarians caution that in order to have a sustainable development in Rwanda, human rights, democracy, multipartism, and separation of powers (executive, legislative and judiciary) must be embraced. The resolution urges the security council of the United Nations and the international donors to keep a continuous pressure on Rwanda for changes in favor of Human rights and democracy. The resolution was submitted to the European Commission, The security council of UN, the East African Community, The African Union and the ACP-EU parliament for application.
A lesson to learn
The first lesson to learn from this is that the world has become a small village in which all actions are interconnected. Kagame is going to tell Rwandans that no foreigner should decide on our behalf, that Rwanda is a sovereign and free country and that nobody should come to teach us how to respect human rights! When Kagame says such, his intention is to make us believe that he is an anti-imperialist leader; however he was enthroned by those imperialists. Please do ask him and hear what he has to say.
Indeed, it is not good for foreigners and especially the West to decide on our fate or to teach us how to respect human life and/ or lives of our brothers and sisters. This resolution comes in after less than one week Kagame was humiliated at Oxford University when protesters have thrown eggs and horses’ waste like a shower on his vehicle and at the doors of the hall where he was delivering the day key speech. In his statement to the Rwanda day participants, Kagame called those protesters Africans (as if he did not know their exact nationality) ignoring the main ( Ingabire’s) visible picture on protesters’ posts. The protesters demonstrated how peaceful they are by using eggs instead of stones or grenades! The meaning behind it is that they did not want to hurt him, they did not hate him but the hate the bad within him and therefore they wanted him to give up the inhumanity. At least what happened in Oxford and London was a proof that Rwandans are boldly contributing to the revolution against the RPF’s clique.
It can also be deemed unfair to accuse the West of involvement in our own business. Imagine you were in their shoes, would you sit and watch passively somebody who has been killing his own fellow compatriots since more than 20 years ago, and who keeps eliminating whoever opposes him? Would you ignore such atrocities because it is not happening in your country? Here one should keep in mind that all that takes place in one country affects other countries especially those who have to take care of refugees using their own taxpayers’ money. That is why for Kagame, no Rwandan should be given such an opportunity to have a refuge because this exposes the Kigali administration’s inefficiencies, and by extension, is a magnanimous proof that it deserves tutorials on Human rights and democracy principles. Maybe, had we respected our compatriots’ lives, those tutorials from the West would have been unnecessary.
It is obvious that a special pressure is going to be exercised on Kigali regime to release Ingabire Victoire, and indeed it has been suspected when recently a witness has been allowed to give a testimony to support the accused. On the other hand, Kagame’s administration knows that once Ingabire is proclaimed innocent, she will have a right to file injunction against the same regime for compensation. For this, Ingabire can be sentenced to imprisonment of years she has already served as to prevent her from running her presidential campaign since the constitution of the Land stipulates in its 99 article section 5 that the presidential candidate must “not have been convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of six months or more”.
In all cases nobody should be sentenced because he/she has exercised their political rights. If President Kagame persists in denying his people their basic human rights, if he does not open the political space and if he refuses to set free all political prisoners, the revolution of the people will do it for him. And this will not delay.
Long live the Zeal to fight for the Truth and the Sharing of national wealth.
Chaste Gahunde
Deputy General Secretary of Ishema party
GAHUNDE 