Museveni in dilemma as Kayumba’s RNC falls apart

On November 7, the family of Ben Rutabana, a former Rwanda National Congress (RNC) commissioner of mobilization, held a virtual night vigil to pay tribute to Rutabana.

Family members believe that Rutabana was killed in Uganda by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), under the orders of Kayumba Nyamwasa, a Rwandan renegade who heads a terrorist group, the RNC, intent on destabilizing Rwanda.

They gave testimonies of how Rutabana had, over a long time informed them, that Kayumba, together with his brother-in-law Frank Ntwali, were baying for his blood. Adeline Rwigara, a relative of Ben Rutabana, in a somber mood told mourners that, “before Ben flew to Uganda he would mostly ask me to pray for him as he knew he would die any time.”

“And I would ask, but why, why talk of dying?” Adeline said, adding: “Ben said, “Frank Ntwali will kill me one day!” I was unaware of that name initially but he (Rutabana) would keep saying that name, asking me to remember it.” Tabitha Gwiza, another relative stated that, “it is now an open secret that Rutabana was betrayed by Kayumba Nyamwasa.”

Sources have revealed that all is not well in the RNC camp since the vigil organized by Rutabana’s family and attended by a number of RCN members. Most of the RNC members who attended vowed to abandon Kayumba. Others are contemplating dragging him to courts of law in South Africa where he resides.

Kayumba has been gradually losing the trust of RNC members mainly due to nepotism and embezzlement of RNC funds. In 2017, when Rwanda was about to hold presidential elections, Kayumba scheduled a number of fundraiser meetings promising members that they need money to buy arms to remove the government in Rwanda, and President Paul Kagame.

“Our intention is to go back to our country by force of arms. Kagame cannot be removed from power through any other means. This is the only language he can understand. This is the right time that each of us has to contribute so that we can buy modern weapons to topple Kagame’s regime. What I can assure you is that the Presidential election about to take place in Rwanda will not happen because we shall have taken control of the country,” said Kayumba, who fired up RNC members to contribute a record $1.5 million.

Later, when RNC members wanted to know from Kayumba if the arms to remove Kagame had been purchased, he played hide and seek games, and later switched off his known telephone lines. The disappointed RNC members came to find out that Kayumba had used their money to buy himself a fleet of cargo trucks for personal business.

Rwanda held successful elections and Kagame is still the President. The case of Rutabana’s disappearance is the last straw that broke the camel's back within RNC. Kayumba is now the leader of RNC of mainly his close family members while other followers have abandoned him.

CMI boss, Brig. Gen. Abel Kandiho, who coordinates RNC activities in Uganda and Kayumba, along with his brother-in-law, Ntwali, who are believed to have killed Rutabana, have set their own downfall.

Rutabana proved to be a thorn in Kayumba’s flesh for challenging the corruption of the latter in running the affairs of the RNC terror organization, especially questioning his use of funds, nepotism in entrusting most important tasks to his brother-in-law and other close friends and family members.

There has been, for a long time, no transparency in RNC. Kayumba is accused of running it like his family enterprise.  Reliable sources say that Kampala is now in a dilemma on what the next step will be, as the RNC godfathers have realized that, over the years, supporting Kayumba’s RNC is a waste of time without a positive outcome.

In 2019, Uganda and RNC suffered the biggest blow when more than 200 RNC fighters were killed by the Congolese forces in the jungles of Minembwe, in eastern DRC, while 25 others were captured and handed over to Rwanda. Those handed to Kigali include a retired Major, Habib Mudathiru, who later spilled the beans on Uganda’s involvement in recruiting, training and arming RNC fighters.

Uganda has been trying to forcefully recruit Rwandans in Uganda into RNC. Those who refuse are subjected to torture, arbitrary imprisonment, as well as being labeled Rwandan spies. The Rwandans who do business in Uganda have been forced to contribute money to RNC. 

The recent release of scores of Rwandans from Ugandan prisons and safe houses is not a change of heart by Ugandan authorities but an act out of frustration, sources say. Their ‘Kayumba project’ is up in smoke. Watch this space.