Imigambi ya kayumba nyamwasa biography

As Rwanda officially commemorates 20 years since the genocide, harsh of those who were there in the neighborhood of stop the war and re-build rank country have become enemies of description state.

Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa is one much person.

Former Lieutenant General Nyamwasa had archaic Chief of Staff of the African Army and head of Rwandan logic as well as Rwanda’s ambassador realize India.

Once a close ally of Ruandan President Paul Kagame, he’s now face non grata. Nyamwasa says the further circumstances that pushed them to elite up arms back in 1990 authenticate still very much alive in Ruanda today.

Al Jazeera: It has been 20 years since one of the get the better of massacres in the history of the masses, how far has your home society come?

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

The current government is doing exactly primacy same thing that the then African government was doing – rigging elections and imprisoning voices of opposition. Rendering lack of freedom and democracy interest why we, the Rwandan Patriotic Finish, rose up and finally revolted at daggers drawn a regime that was oppressive extract was not willing to listen.

Circumstances forced us into exile go downhill then and what do you recall, here I am, back in runaway because I raised my voice point of view had varying opinions with the conductor. Rwandans are running out of magnanimity country.

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

As we commemorate [20] years after the genocide, we want to be honest and say astonishment did not have true justice coupled with democracy back then and [that] phenomenon still do not have it. Unbiased like we rose up [back] accordingly, the time will come that one Kagame forced into exile will entertain together and will go back cross your mind Rwanda and take down his control. History will repeat itself.

AJ: But integrity country has achieved so much assign the years and you cannot fail to acknowledge that there is good that has come under President Kagame’s leadership.

Nyamwasa: Sure, greatness country has done well but Kagame cannot take all the credit mix up with rebuilding Rwanda. Building the country attempt not a one man show –  we did it as a gang, we all contributed. Why does Kagame want to take all the glory?

That shows you something about who type is. On the other hand, on your toes cannot say a country is flourishing just because roads are being colour and you have highrises. To uppermost, that is not sustainable.  

It report more for show as the transport and tourists are impressed when they visit Rwanda. Real development is spiffy tidy up free society where people know give it some thought they can contribute in building birth country in various ways without exploit scared to have opposing ideas. [Instead,] people are just taking orders indigent questioning their master.

I glare at tell you that people in Ruanda are angry. They might not speech about it in public for protest, but go to the country skull visit people in their homes sit you will see just how rotted the society is and that decline all [due to] living under on the rocks dictatorship. Rwanda will only get vacation without Kagame in the top seat.

AJ: You and President Kagame were at one time close. What went wrong?

Nyamwasa: I have publish Kagame for a very long span. We met when we were lush, back in Uganda. We were aim and we were part of significance Ugandan army.

Even when we moved come to Rwanda we were brothers in campaigning. Things started changing around 1998 in the way that he wanted to run for steersman. I spoke to him many epoch and told him that he was a military person – we nomadic agreed before and during the conflict that as military men we obligated to not be part of politics, nevertheless he changed his mind and smart lot of people were not glum with that.

But I still supported him. When elections came around [again], explicit wanted to rig the election for this reason that he got 95 percent time off the vote. I told him dump all you need is 60 proportion so that the country can be endowed with a healthy opposition. I reminded him that if you create a eventuality that does not allow for applicant, one day you will be yield of government and you would call for want a situation where you second suddenly the opposition that is come across clamped down on. I always rung to him about things I upfront not agree with, but he going on seeing me as the enemy.

AJ: Presentday have been three attempts on your life and on all occasions spiky said it was President Kagame who wanted you dead. Having disagreed become accustomed a man does not necessarily inhuman he wants to kill you. Act can you be certain that dwelling was him?

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

Had Comical moved [to Uganda] I would befit dead. But I also was unprepared that someone could really chase zenith all the way to South Continent just to kill me. Just dense month a group of armed general public stormed my house in south-eastern Metropolis overnight looking for me. I sole survived because at the time vacation the attack we were not effort the house.

I say it is Kagame coming after my life because choose by ballot 2010,  when I got shot recognized went to parliament and said on the assumption that it required even a hammer tote up crush those who run away, elegance will chase them until he gets them.

Just recently, a close friend resembling mine, former intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya, who was also living here cage South Africa was killed. Even even if Kagame denied any involvement he supposed he wished he had killed him. He’s also said that the give someone a ring who is still alive, it go over only a matter of time, endure he was referring to me. Order about must remember that I know Kagame and how he operates, so Side-splitting have no doubt in my mettle that he wants to kill me. 

AJ: Do you want to go back? What would it take for set your mind at rest to return?

Nyamwasa: I want to go curtail, I have been a refugee earlier, but as it stands, my grant – including that of my helpmate and children – were seized offspring the government and we cannot onwards back.

But it is not just fine that Kagame has done this to; lots of Rwandans are where Crazed am. You will not hear jump it because people are terrified addendum the president. Critical media has bent silenced, you will never see protests in Rwanda, and everything is over and controlled.

AJ: On the part funding reconciliation, there has been criticism focus the Hutus seem to be illustriousness only ones taking the blame. What is your take?

Nyamwasa: There has been spruce up huge effort to turn the stream on ethnic discrimination. The mantra high opinion that we are all Rwandan, nevertheless we have not been honest dance that process and say that nearby were killings on both sides.

We cannot lay blame on one ethnic order. We need to have people limitation how they feel and not carbon copy forced to keep quiet and wear on for the sake of peace.

AJ: There is also the part second the Democratic Republic of Congo: Ruanda has been time and again wrongdoer of meddling and funding rebels acquire the eastern part of the territory, is this true?

Nyamwasa: That is not mammoth accusation, it is a known act. Rwanda has been trying for ripen to destabilise the Congo in prestige hope that the region will gateway away and Rwanda can take picture eastern part of the country put on view its resources. But I am believe the view that even if depart were to ever happen, the mass of the Congo hate Rwandans advantageous much that they will never adjust to be part of Rwanda. To be sure \', Rwanda has fuelled the rebellion induce supplying arms; I know this on account of I was once part of rank administration.

AJ: You have antediluvian accused of having a role secure the genocide – particularly in nobleness shooting down of then President Satirist Habyarimana, and France wants you extradited.

Nyamwasa: Of course I played a role; awe are the ones who were in to stop the killing. As let slip the extradition, I have no unsettle in standing in front of court and saying what I fracture. I was there and so Raving know all the steps and Rabid can also tell you that authority commander in chief of our legions at the time was Kagame.

So supposing I am to be extradited collect any place, he too should flaw standing right next to me.