Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, has denied claims that he receives support from Uganda to destablise Rwanda.
Nyamwasa who lives in South Africa is the leader of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), an opposition group in exile which Rwanda President Paul Kagame accuses of aiming at toppling his government.
In an interview with Saturday Vision on May 5, 2019, the former Rwandan Lieutenant General said if Uganda was behind him, Kagame and his government would be no more.
“If Uganda was supporting me, they would not be in power. They know very well what happened when Uganda supported them (although they deny it now),” he revealed.
However, Nyamwasa admitted that as RNC they have approached many governments including Uganda asking for assistance in resolving the Rwanda Political impasse as well as writing to Kagame seeking a peaceful dialogue.
“That can hardly be interpreted as seeking support to fight.”
On the issue of RNC training rebels to declare an armed struggle against Rwanda, the former chief of staff of the Rwandan army stated that the reports are baseless and being speared headed by Kagame to fight the group.
“Those reports have existed since RNC was formed and there have been no attacks.
“That is how all dictators describe genuine opposition. It is also common knowledge that dictators construe political criticism as crimes. Even where crimes do not exist, Kagame will fabricate them to justify a witch-hunt. Look at Bizimungu, Charles Ntakirutinka, Victoire Ingabire, Gen. Frank Rusagara, Col Rugigana, Col Byabagambaa and Lt Joel Mutabazi, all prisoners of conscious, but convicted of imaginary crimes. Considering the publications of Human Rights Watch, court decisions in South Africa, international media reports in relation to Kagame, it is amazing how he gets the audacity to call anyone a criminal compared to his record. Before he labels other people criminals, I wonder whether he knows how other people view him.”
Nyamwasa who has survived at least two assassination attempts he believes were ordered by Rwandan authorities further disclosed that he regrets to have worked with Kagame.
“The Rwanda Patriotic Front [RPF] struggle is a lost cause. I am not the only one who has been disappointed by what is happening in Rwanda. During the war, the Ugandans across the border fought the war like all of us. They gave us food, shelter, carried and hid our casualties. They also got casualties of their own from bombings across the border. In ‘appreciation’, Paul Kagame has the courage to close the border and kill their businesses. Even if he did not like President Museveni, how can he quickly forget the sacrifices of people who supported a war that was not their own? Inside the country, people cannot express their views or associate freely. The country is churning out refugees more than ever before. Our foreign policy is driven by assassinations abroad. Surely, regret is an understatement.”
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