PM Makuza attacks Twagiramungu, exiled Army officers, Ingabire

Kigali: In unusually strong comments not known for Prime Minister Bernard Makuza, on Friday he spent more than an hour attacking his predecessor Faustin Twagiramungu, embattled opposition politician Ingabire Victoire and exiled former Army chief General Kayumba Nyamwasa.

October 01 is Patriotism Day in the country – coming from the October 01 1990, the start of the armed rebellion by the Rwanda Patriotic Font (RPF) which would out the government in Rwanda in July 1994. PM Makuza held a press conference – where he summed all the above government critics and other opposition figures as not patriotic.

Looking calm and fresh from being reappointed by President Kagame to lead government, Mr. Makuza started his tirade with exiled ex-premier Twagiramungu.

He accused Twagiramungu of negating the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis – after the ex-PM testified as a defense witness at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Mr. Twagiramungu has testified for different suspects at the Tanzania-based since he was thrown out of government in 1995 – at some point claiming the RPF is responsible for the Tutsi Genocide. He was replaced by Pierre Celestin Rwigema - then came in Makuza in early 2000.

PM Makuza, who was now sounding furious at the press conference, wondered how Twagiramungu would deny the Genocide was planned when life-term-serving former Premier during the Genocide, Jean Kambanda, had admitted otherwise.

“Is that really being patriotic?” asked Makuza. “How can [Twagiramungu] say otherwise when those being tried at [ICTR] have admitted that they planned to exterminate Tutsis?”

“Even those like [Col Theoneste] Bagosora who executed the Genocide have admitted that they had planned the end of Rwanda calling it the apocalypse…then [Twagiramungu] says there was no planning.”

Twagiramungu incompetent

According to Makuza, the former PM also at some point in either 1994 or 1995 mocked the three-month Genocide moarning period arguing that it was not necessary. Makuza said Twagiramungu had politicized the “pain” that Tutsis who had lost entire families were going through.

The Prime Minister claimed that Twagiramungu reaffirmed the same comments denying the Genocide against Tutsis in the French Senate. Makuza did not elaborate, but at some point described his predecessor as incompetent.

“Some of these things just provoke anger,” said the PM, throwing his hands in air in apparent disgust.

The Prime Minister also said Twagiramungu did not merit the 3% votes which he got in the 2003 presidential elections. Incumbent Kagame scooped some 95.6% of the ballots – forcing Twagiramungu to disappear in oblivion until recently when he started attacking President Kagame and his government.

Greedy officials

Done with Twagiramungu, the Prime Minister turned to Lt. General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa - a former army chief who survived a June assassination attempt in South Africa; Col Patrick Karegeya - a former intelligence chief who fled Rwanda in 2007; Theogene Rudasingwa - a former President Kagame chief of staff, and Gerald Gahima, former prosecutor general.

Without elaborating, Makuza said the four are “greedy” – affirming the government position that they fled the country after they realized they would be prosecuted for crimes including corruption.

“By coming out to make baseless accusations, they have made Rwandans to understand who they are and there motives,” said Makuza.

He said the four former top officials have formed an alliance with embattled opposition politician Ingabire Victoire – with each often speaking in defense of each other.

“They can defend each other because they seem to have the same intention of grabbing everything from Rwandans instead of working for them,” said Makuza.

"Who sent you to speak for Hutus?"

In early September, the four former RPF top officials authored a 60-page document in which they called for the armed overthrow of President Kagame – also making several allegations which have been vehemently dismissed in Kigali.

Makuza dismissed the threat of war from the officers – saying Rwandans have “tested war and peace” and are ready to fight to protect their country. According to Makuza, the four officials have no sense of manhood which would enable them to accept when they are removed from senior government positions.

“There is nothing they can change on the positive political path that Rwandans voted for…which they have tested…” said Makuza, in possible reference to the recent reelection of President Kagame.

“Patriotism is working for the country whether in government or not, in the army or not…” said Makuza, also demanding that the four come out as men to plead for forgiveness for their mistakes.

“That is how our politics has been built,” he said, adding "They claim to be speaking for Hutus. Who sent them anyway...because [Hutus] already have a spokesman whom they elected - President Paul Kagame...You are speaking as who?"

Commenting on the recent interview that Gerald Gahima had on BBC Kinyarwanda service dismissing the August 09 elections in which President Kagame carried 93.08%, Makusa called the issues raised in the interview insulting.

“What moral authority does Gahima have to speak about elections in Rwandan when he did not even vote,” said Makuza.

After the opening statement at the press conference in which he spoke for more than an hour, Makuza answered some questions which centered largely on the controversial UN report which was released today. Internal issues were also discussed.

More programs are planned on state TV and radio to commemorate Patriotism Day.

RNA/RNA