Since President Kagame usurped the mantle of leadership of RPF after the sudden and mysterious death of its Founding father Gen. Fred Rwigema, President Kagame has used all tactics of lies and violence to keep himself in power.

Kagame Paul

The manner in which Gen Fed Rwigema and his immediate commanders namely Chris Bunyenyezi and Peter Bayingana were killed is still a mystery.  The Kagame/RPF version states that on the second day of the invasion, Rwigema was shot dead by Rwandan army sniper. But another version probably with a grain of truth as it came out later was that the general was killed by his own juniors.

It is unfortunate that we don’t know with virtual certainty the real cause of death of the RPF first commanders and most likely we shall never know what happened since most senior commanders who were with Fred Rwigema have been killed by Kagame or have resorted to tell lies for their own survival. So how did Baingana and Bunyenyezi die? The RPF/A said the two died on October 23, 1990 as they travelled to Nyagatare from Gabiro to reinforce the fighters at the frontline.  Make no mistake  former RPA senior commanders like Gen  Sam Kanyemera Kaka who was a major at the time has a vital and valuable information that can break the ice, but can he risk his life and tell us what happened exactly behind the corridors of the their first invasion?

By 1993 RPF/A had become a formidable force that could not be ignored as a bandit force as the Habyarimna used to call it. RPF/A under the command of Kagame, waged vicious battles against the EX-FAR of President Habyarimana and managed to capture big chunk of territory that forced Habyarimana to negotiate peace. However, negotiations were problematic because there was a failure on both sides to understand each other and their motivations.

Under  Kagame’s soul and mind, peace agreement was not an issue , indeed, he  had fronted the likes of Pasteur Bizimungu,  Col. Alex Kanyarengwe, Seth Sendashonga and later  infiltrated the Rwanda opposition  parties  MDR of Mr. Twagiramungu Faustin, PSD of Felecien Gatabazi,  and other small parties.  Little did all these opposition parties or Habyarimana himself know that Kagame was not honest with negotiations, he was just buying time and using them to get power.

Hawks and eagles can never live together, so the saying goes in some parts of Africa. Could that be why the 1993 Arusha peace talks’ between Habyarimana and RPF failed? The signing of the Arusha peace talks, later it was famously called the Arusha peace jokes (Amasezarano nibipapuro).  Many people who Knew President Museveni the mentor of RPF and Kagame believed that the signing wouldn’t be honored, and many predicted a disaster even if the accord was signed.

Furthermore, as Kagame continued to consolidate power and quench thirst for power he didn’t even spare his own suspected of being potential challengers or just having vital information against his personal weakness , the likes of Commander  Vedaste Kayitare, Sam Byaruhanga, Bitamazire, Stephen  Ndugute  Kalisoso, William Bagire, Ngoga, and recently, Patrick Karegeya and  Kayumba Nyamwasa is not a coincidence of events but a vicious love for power,  it is still standing  in the way of  peace in our country.

The Rwandan Patriotic Front ended the 1994 genocide by defeating the civilian and military authorities responsible for the killing campaign of innocent civilians in modern history; however, the untold story is that the RPF slaughter of civilians has been poorly documented during their struggle to capture power. We have also learnt that RPF under the command of Kagame ordered the shooting of the Habyarimana official Jet that might have been the precursor of the Genocide against the Tutsis.

The story of Kagame/RPF war against the government of Habyarimana seems to be littered with broken promises, suspicion and betrayal. According to information available to Inyenyeri News, Kagame was forced to sign the Arusha Peace agreement by both regional and international players but the quest of power inside his mind was high, he also had a very good experience from his mentor President Yoweri Museveni who had betrayed the Nairobi Peace Talks in 1985. Therefore, peace agreement or no agreement Kagame knew he will take power.

When RPF formed the government in July 1994, the question of Kagame becoming the next president came up within the RPF circles but cunningly Kagame declined, he instead forwarded the name of Mr. Pasteur Bizimungu rather than Col. Alex Kanyarengwe who was the Chairman at the time. Suspicion is that Kagame never wanted a former Habyarimana Col. to become the next president; he therefore preferred a soft target of Pasteur Bizimungu who was later removed in 2000.

Indeed, barely only 3 years most senior RPF officers and other coalition partners had either been eliminated or left the country.  According to our source, whoever tried to follow up the promised agreements, accountability for everybody not a selective accountability as Kagame does; was forced out the system, many have paid a heavy price; they have either been assassinated or politically made impotent.

As Kagame get closer to the end of his Term in office, his quest for power remains intact and again learning from his mentor President Museveni, has started fronting the idea of changing the Constitution so that he can stand again. This idea came up first with the current Minister of Internal Security Fasil Harelimana on the orders of President Kagame. Some RPF senior members who didn’t know the inside mind of their boss have fallen victim of innocence.  Mr. Tharcisse Karugarama the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General  was quick to tell the international press that the President would honour his promise and leave power after his term expires in 2017. Little did Mr. Karugarama know that his counterpart Fasil Harelimana was an advance party of President Kagame to spread the gospel of removing term limits? Mr,.Karuagarama was later fired in a mini reshuffle with a stern warning from his boss that he should keep quite because  he too has been in the system for too long.

Through his proxies, Kagame is now advancing the idea that the Rwandan people love him so much that they will even commit suicide if he declines to stand again. “Abaturage bo mu Murenge wa Muko mu Karere ka Musanze batangaje ko bifuza ko Perezida Kagame yazongera kwiyamamaza bakamutora 100%. Hari n’uwavuze ko adatowe, yakwiyahura.”

Who are these peasants who really don’t even have access to good water, their children can hardly go to school, they are fronted on the cameras and the local press to say what they have been told to say by Kagame spin Doctors. With this background of alleged broken promises, betrayed trust and unacknowledged roles, analysts think it will be difficult for President Kagame to peacefully organize free and fair elections, hand over power to any choice of the Rwandan people.

Jacqueline Umurungi

Brussels.