Kigali: The new administration at Nyarugenge district says opposition politician Victoire Ingabire is a wanted suspect and therefore cannot be allowed to hold a party conference on its territory.

The lady mayor of Nyarugenge, here in Kigali, Ms. Theophila Nyirahonora, on Friday wrote to the yet-to-be registered United Democratic Forces Inkingi (FDU Inkingi) that since its leader Ms. Ingabire is under Police investigation over several grave cases, they are not welcome in her district.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is currently building charges on Ms. Ingabire which could result into a major suit on links to a terrorist group due to her alleged dealings with the Rwandan FDLR rebels. Ms. Ingabire has also been interrogated on Genocide negationism.

The allegations are serious and could lead to lengthy jail.

Nyarugenge district says Ms. Ingabire is free to hold the party conference at anytime after she has been cleared by the authorities.

The group was scheduled to converge a major conference for March 12 � which now becomes the second time it has been postponed.

The latest Nyarugenge decision was delivered to Ingabire following a closed-door meeting with her personally on Friday. Apparently, the district has no assurance that Ms. Ingabire is an individual of integrity as such serious charges continue to haunt her.

Ms. Ingabire is furious.
According to FDU Inkingi, the conference was to set up party structures in Rwanda, as the group prepares to register ahead of the August presidential polls.

For Ingabire and her party colleagues, the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) is clearly behind the latest developments, in what she described as a government orchestrated plan to delay the FDU from registration.

Its coalition partner the Green Party abandoned Nyarugenge district for neighbouring Gasabo, but it has also refused to allow it to meet unless they have police clearance. The Green Party has petitioned the Minister of Local Government accusing the Police and Gasabo district.

For a party to be registered, it needs several government issued documents as well as notified signatures of at least 600 delegates equally distributed across the 30 districts of the country. All parties must be registered by June.

ARI-RNA – rnanews.com