International

Genocide fugitives in France: why does Agathe Kanziga get preferential treatment?

2023-07-10 05:30:00

Genocide survivors were relieved to hear the conviction and sentencing of Hategekimana Philippe, also known as Biguma, by a Paris court for his role in the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

A former senior police officer in the current Nyanza District, Biguma was handed a life sentence following overwhelming evidence presented by prosecutors showing how he led attacks that resulted in the death of thousands of Tutsi.

Life imprisonment is the highest penalty that can be awarded by the French judiciary.

Nonetheless, many people still find this justice half-baked. They especially question the fate of Agathe Kanziga Habyarimana who seems to enjoy preferential treatment from authorities in France.

They also question the slow pace of justice in France where, so far, only five convictions have been tied up despite the 47 lawsuits. Five convictions in 29 years! And yet Genocide is a crime against humanity! But when?

France is home to many more Rwandan genocide fugitives, many of whom are actively involved in subversive activities against Rwanda while working around the clock to deny the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Top on this list is Agathe Kanziga, the widow of President Juvenal Habyarimana and one of the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. She has been living in plain sight in France for close to three decades. One wonders how this can even be possible, but the truth is that she has been an illegal resident in France who enjoys privileges and preferential treatments from the Government of France.

There is some effort by the French judiciary to try genocide fugitives, with two cases already conducted this year.

Soon, in November, the trial of another suspected Rwandan mass murderer, Dr Sosthene Munyemana, could start followed by that of Eugene Rwamucyo. But so many more genocide fugitives still roam free in the country.

Genocide fugitives like Col Laurent Serubuga, Aloys Ntiwiragabo, Maj Faustin Ntilikina, and others still consider France their safe haven. But for Agathe Kanziga, France qualifies as a paradise for impunity.

As a powerful First Lady, Agathe Kanziga was known to be the commanding officer of ‘akazu’, a notorious circle of leaders who in majority were her close relatives from her nuclear family and that of President Habyarimana, just like Dr Seraphin Bararengana, a brother to President Habyarimana who had married Catherine Mukamusoni, her sister.

Also as a member of the notorious group was Protais Zigiranyirazo also known as Mr Z, a brother to Kanziga. The akazu is known to have played a central role in the preparation and the execution of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

Kanziga was the de facto leader of the group as she chaired most of the meetings that prepared the Genocide and sponsored the activities of Interahamwe militias.

In January 1991, President Habyarimana accompanied by his wife and other members of the notorious circle including Joseph Nzirorera, Charles Nzabagerageza of Ruhengeri prefecture, Come Bizimungu of Gisenyi and Col Elie Sagatwa, a brother to Kanziga, attended a meeting that strategized on how to exterminate the biggest number of Tutsi people who lived in the regions of Gisenyi and Ruhengeri.

At the meeting, it was estimated that the cost of the notorious operation would cost around $110,000 (Rwf10 million at the time). The money would cater for the transportation of Interahamwe militia and purchase of arms they would use to kill the Tutsi.

Thankfully, this operation never took place as the RPA forces launched a surprise attack on Ruhengeri maximum security prison on January 23, 1991 that scuttled the execution of the evil plan in Ruhengeri and Gisenyi. The change of plan prompted Kanziga to call for a meeting later, which took place at the home of Pascal Simbikangwa – another genocidaires convicted by French courts – in Remera.

The house was referred to as the “temple” by the members of the notorious circle of Akazu. At the notorious “temple” Kanziga called on the members to mobilize and train better the Interahamwe militia group so that they could execute their mandate more effectively. The obligation of the militia group was to exterminate the Tutsi.

In February that year, Kanziga chaired a meeting at Elie’s Sagatwa’s home. Hysterically, President Habyarimana attended the meeting alongside Protais Zigiranyirazo, Kabuga Felicien, Joseph Nzirorera and Dr Bararengana Seraphin, her brother in law. The meeting evaluated the progress of FAR at the battle front with the RPA, and discussed ways how they could mobilize young Hutu militiamen for the killing of the Tutsi so as to demoralize the RPA.

In 1993, she chaired a meeting in Gisenyi that took place at the home of Wellars Banzi. The meeting which was attended by Col Theoneste Bagosora, Mathieu Ngirumpatse and Kabuga discussed modalities of increasing the financial support towards the Interahamwe militia group.

At the meeting, Kanziga pledged to contribute towards the purchase of uniforms for the militia group and tasked her brother, Zigiranyirazo, to coordinate the financial support activities of the Interahamwe. She later donated Rwf5 million to Robert Kajuga, the president of Interahamwe as a direct financial support to the extermination project.

As accounted by her longtime friend, who rushed to the presidential palace to condole the first family after the crash of a plane that was carrying President Habyarimana on April 6 1994, Susane Seminega upon arriving at the presidential palace was stunned to find the First Lady not grieving but busy drafting a list of names of Rwandan politicians who had to be killed.

Topping the list was Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana. Jean Birara a close aide at the Presidential palace testified that while sitting in the living room with her sisters-in-law a few minutes after the place crash, Kanziga ordered Bagosora to immediately kill Uwilingiyimana, and key opposition politicians including Landouard Ndasingwa, Joseph Kavaruganda and Faustin Rucogoza.

She also ordered Bagosora to monitor closely the situation and regularly update her. It was under her directive that Bagosora went to officially announce the death of president Habyarimana and to chair the meeting that prepared the transition.

After her undeniable central role in the preparation of the genocide against the Tutsi, Kanziga was rewarded by France a VIP evacuation to Paris, where upon arrival, she was welcomed with a cheque of over $30,000 that was given to her by then French President Francois Mitterand through Premier Edouard Balladour.

Kanziga and her family were taken to Forest Hill Hotel for a good rest while the Tutsi were being killed in Rwanda, including her own employees of the Orphelinat St Agathe, an orphanage she had founded.

She continues to live in France scot-free despite a well detailed indictment in the custody of the French judiciary.