Rwanda Information Portal

Alleged assassination attempt on chair of PS Imberakuri dissident faction

Rwanda News Agency reports the arrestation by Rwandan police of a young man who had allegedly planned to set ablaze the house of Christine Mukabunane, chair of the dissident faction of the opposition party PS Imberakuri.
RNA writes:

Kigali: Police has arrested a man who had allegedly planned to set ablaze the house of Ms. Christine Mukabonane � who heads a splinter faction of the opposition PS Imberakuri party, RNA reports.

VP Pasteur Pastor Noel Hakizimfura is accused of hatching the assassination plan on his boss

The youthful man Theophile Uwayezu was arrested Monday night in possession of five litters of petrol, five litters for acid, candles, lighters and a rope – after his plan fell-through as he ran short of fire materials. The house did not catch fire.

The suspect has told police that the entire plan was hatched by party VP Pastor Noel Hakizimfura, who had wanted to replace his boss – to be the one carrying the party flag in the August 09 presidential polls.

In March, Mr. Hakizimfura connived with then PS Imberakuri VP Ms. Mukabunane and another official Mr. Augustin Niyitegeka to defect from the party leader Bernard Ntaganda. The three held an impromptu delegates conference where they ousted Mr. Bernard Ntaganda, and setting up new structures.

The embattled Ntaganda fought back reaffirming control over the PS Imberakuri by firing Ms. Mukabunane from the post of Vice president and expelling her from the party.

What was then PS Imberakuri now has two extreme factions � with that of Ms. Mukabunane being accused of leaning towards the ruling Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

However, reports arose recently suggesting that Ms. Mukabunane could be on the verge of being thrown out by the faction by her two male party colleagues.

The latest arsonist attack according to the arrested Uwayezu was meant to get rid of the woman politician. The alleged arsonist claims that Mr. Hakizimfura had promised to pay for him tuition to attend university education in Burundi if the plan was successfully executed.

As part of the deal to execute the attack, Mr. Hakizimfura apparently provided cash of 30,000 Francs (Approx. $52) which Uwayezu used to by the materials in Kayonza district of eastern Rwanda.

Police said investigations are still ongoing � suggesting he may not have acted alone. Mr. Hakizimfura was also arrested Tuesday.

The authorities say the men will be handed to prosecution, and could soon be paraded in court.

Source: ARI-RNA.

Rwandan politics are always full of theatrical suprises. We have to wait and see what is behind this incident!

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May 26, 2010   No Comments

Rwanda: Professor Peter Erlinder ventures into Kigali to defend Ingabire


Olivier Nyirubugara (23 May 2010)- Professor Peter Erlinder flew to Kigali last Saturday 22 May to meet Ms Victoire Ingabire, an opposition leader currently under arrest on charges of denying the genocide against the Tutsi and collaborating with terrorist groups.

Ingabire returned home earlier this year after 16 years of exile in the Netherlands. She was then hoping to register her party, the United Democratic Forces and to run for presidency in coming August. All seems to be turning in a nightmare for her as her passport, computer and mobile phone were seized.

I met professor Erlinder in Brussels a few hours before his flight to Kigali. He was attending a conference on the legacy and lessons from the UN Tribunal for Rwanda. The mission will certainly be difficult as local pro-government media have portrayed him as a genocide �minimizer�. In this interview, Professor Erlinder gives his point of view on the road ahead.

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May 26, 2010   3 Comments