JEANNETTE KAGAME: RWANDA’S DRAGON LADY?

 

As the saying sometimes goes that behind every successful man there is a strong and influential woman.  It follows therefore that behind every weak man there lurks a controlling and manipulative woman. Though, in order to continue in the same line of argument, one needs here to consider the fact that becoming a dictator cannot be regarded as a success story but rather a disaster/failure  because of what the position implies particularly for those who end up as victims of the said couple.

 

The African leader misapplies and abuses power without a second thought. This is probably part of our genetic make-up. Put a uniform or any paraphernalia of authority on the African male or female and you have made him/her a mini-god. You have virtually given him immortality and immunity from worldly inconveniences. You have virtually given him/her the license to abuse you, to kill you, to oppress you. Rwandan society is replete with examples of this abuse and misapplication of power from Queen Kanjogera’s reign to her present day nephew President Kagame.

It is therefore no wonder that when some people find themselves in positions of power and authority, they become drunk with power and irresponsible. This article will not dwell on President Kagame per se because I believe he has been demystified already. The reputation of being an upright, incorruptible and untainted leader has been blown apart to reveal his real character, that of a strret boy who found himself in a position of absolute power. His wife on the other hand needs demystification because like her husband she has carefully woven an image of the loving mother of the nation, a traditional tutsi woman who lives a simple down to earth life not typical of other African first ladies.

The office of the First lady should normally be a respectable and welcome addition to good governance. It hardly matters if the position is catered for in the Constitution or not as long as it serves the purpose of humanitarianism and contributes to the successful reign of their husbands.

 

INDIVIDUALS HARASSED AS PERCEIVED/IMAGINED ENEMIES

Mrs Kagame’s first casualty was Mrs Kajangwe, a childhood friend who more or less became a confidante and business partner in the first private school Mrs Kagame founded, GREEN HILLS ACADEMY. Emeritha Kajangwe was tasked with coaching the first lady in how to entertain guests to State House, personal stylist and an altogether “lady-in-waiting”.

This relationship quickly fizzled after her questionable closeness to the president failed to sit well with the first lady. The poor woman and her husband’s business interests were rendered bankrupt and harassed by Jeannette’s bodyguards they had to flee to Canada. Other RPF female stalwarts soon followed. Inyumba Aloisea lost her Ministerial post and provincial governorship positions on the insistence of Mrs Kagame and soon became her sworn enemy purely from the closeness she shared with Paul Kagame as a signatory to RPF Crystal Ventures Bank accounts and close confidante. Many believe Jeannette was threatened by the emergence of a powerful female politician whose advice the president seemed to rely on and value. But like many Party faithful  who know that in order to get back in good books with the President and First Lady, one has to kneel and grovel on the floor to ask for forgiveness irrespective of whether you faulted or not. The act of humiliating one in front of their peers/audience is relished by the first couple!

Up until Inyumba’s death in December 2012, their relationship was to say the least icy.  We can say the same of Edith Gasana, present wife of Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa. Edith Gasana headed Rwanda development Bank but after a short stint in the said position, she was summarily dismissed and charged with trumped up charges of conflict of interest and corruption. She fled to South Africa after a failed car accident that was meant to seriously harm/kill her.During this period, Edith was under constant surveillance and harrasment by agents of the Dreaded General Jack Nziza

at Madame’s behest.

A coterie of targeted women soon followed, Rosette Kayumba, Jeannette Rwigyema, Mrs Rujugiro, Mrs Thereza Karuletwa, Anna Kalemera,

Rose Kabuye, Immaculee Mugabo, Conso Rwayitare, Consolata Rusagara, Rosette Rugamba, Rosemary Museminali, Christine umutoni, Aisa Kirabo Kakira, susan Nyamvumba and Esperance kabarebe. Majority of these women have altogether fled Rwanda and sought new lives elsewhere.

 

Nepotism, Greed and Abuse of Power

 

When looked at closely, Mrs Kagame’s  pet projects IMBUTO FOUNDATION, PACFA and MALAIKA MULINZI have attracted enormous foreign funding that has been diverted for sinister use such as to prop up her husband in the 2010 presidential elections, to carry out unclassified missions by the clandestine intelligence outfit headed by the infamous Jack Nziza and to line her family’s pockets. Imbuto Foundation apparently offers scholarships to the best performing students in primary- leaving examinations. Where do these students end up attending higher secondary education? Green Hills Academy the private school belonging to Jeannette Kagame.

Recently, after the army shake up that saw the departure of General Charles Kayonga, there was a headline in the Newtimes of 7/7/2013 ‘Mountain Tea’ acquires government’s stake in Kitabi.

Already the owners of Rubaya and Nyabihu Tea Estates, Rwanda Mountain Tea belonging to Mr & Mrs Kagame had bought the 65% Governments share in Kitabi Tea Estate. This Investment is under the cloak of one of the many Rwandan businessmen who fronts for the first family, Egide Gatera.

Mr Gatera (read Mrs Kagame) is the sole supplier of jet fuel and fuel for the Rwanda Defense Forces and is run by Richard Murefu, Madame’s brother.

It is a known fact that Mr and Mrs Kagame financial tentacles both in Rwanda and abroad extends in communication companies, construction, real estate, banking, venture capitalism, IT broadband communications, education, fuel, precious metals, tea/coffee import-exports and Hotel industry. They have stashed millions of dollars in foreign accounts in China, Mauritius, Dubai, UK, USA, Turkey and Luxembourg.

Nepotism plays a large part in today’s Rwanda. The extent of your connection to the first family opens doors for you, Government contracts, scholarships to fine universities abroad, public/private jobs……etc

Within Rwanda, Mrs Kagame has appointed loyalists to serve her interests in all sectors of public/private enterprises. Notable amongst her long list is Dr Agnes Binagwaho, the overzealous Minister of Health (once her Children’s pediatrician) who has literally emptied the coffers of her ministry to the detriment of the nation’s doctors, nurses and health clinics across the country. Dr Binagwaho is the mastermind of programs such as cervical cancer immunization for young girls and male sterilization that were heavily funded by donors yet these programs failed to reach their targets. Her brother Richard Murefu features prominently in running her Tea estates, Radio (and soon to be TV stations), coffee exports and fuel imports for the country including fuel for the Rwanda Defense forces.

Her latest indulgence has been to exclusively court sons and daughters of Tutsi prominent families to join the Army and Air force by offering lucrative scholarships to first class US institutions. This offer is only made to Tutsi families that are “pro” Kagame  so questionable Tutsi’s need not apply! Additionally, as a way of discouraging prominent RPF cadres from joining the opposition, the first lady is actively enticing their now grown and educated offspring with lucrative job postings which further creates a new dynamic in families, children turning against their parents who resist toeing the kagame line!

Perhaps nothing is more disturbing than the first Lady’s close relationship to the notorious serial killer Jack Nziza! It is an open secret that the First Lady uses Jack to harass, intimidate and sometimes kill opponents of the first family. Case in point is Andre Kagwa Rwisereka whose body was found at the river bank with a severed head all because he joined the Green Party to oppose the ruling party of President Kagame, RPF.

 

We cannot forget Umuvugizi reporter Rugambaga and (inyenyerinews) on-line journalist Charles Ingabire. These young men exposed first lady’s corrupt ways and she got the go-ahead from her husband to dispose them. Recently, a former army officer who was ADC to Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa, Major John Sengati was shot in broad daylight with a silencer on the orders of Jeannette.

Jeannette Kagame has no shame. Nowhere in African culture has one heard of a First lady subjugating the widow of a former compatriot to public humiliation like the way Mrs Kagame treated Jeannette Rwigyema. For whatever reason/difference the first Couple could have had with Late Rwigyema’s widow, she did not deserve to report daily to CID for over 6 months, bankrupt her travel agency and made to sit on the concrete floor of a police cell without shoes and endure interrogations that lasted more than 12hours daily! All this took place in police cells at Kacyiru under the auspices of Mary Gahonzire with the full knowledge of the President, RPF party faithful and army hierarchy! After months of this humiliation, she was ordered to write the infamous apology letters that President Kagame treasures for future blackmail! Today Mrs Rwigyema lives a quiet and isolated life in total fear.

Of late, our first lady has taken to lending the President her platforms to entice our young generation. On June 30 2013, at the youth Konnect annual meeting organized by Imbuto Foundation, the president made a speech that was tantamount to incitement and racial hatred when he told the youthful Hutu audience that they needed to seek forgiveness for the sins of their murderous parents under the watchful and cunning eye of his wife who had staged the whole act. I know many will attack this article claiming we are attacking her character but just as the Presidents sinister character has unraveled with time, so will Jeannette’s!

 

In our next article, we shall expose her inner circle and their mode of operation to silence dissent, thwart upcoming/dynamic business personalities and the mega millions they have siphoned from foreign investors.

 

We shall overcome.

 

RPF Cadre,