Regional

Rwanda: Ingabire a convicted criminal, no opposition politician

2023-07-29 05:18:00

When presidential elections in Rwanda approach, a boring narrative of “Rwandan opposition leader said…” spreads like wild fire in Western media headlines.

The east African country has consistently experienced political threats from a bunch of bullies in Western media that are imposing ghost opposition on Kigali.

What they always fail to mention is that the “opposition leader” of their choice, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, is not qualified to be a politician in accordance to Rwanda’s system.

Ingabire is a convicted criminal.

In December 2013, the Rwandan Supreme Court increased Ingabire’s jail term to 15 years from the eight years earlier ruled by the High Court, after it found her guilty of inciting the masses to revolt against the government, forming armed groups to destabilize the country, and minimizing the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Ingabire thanked President Paul Kagame in September 2018 for listening to her pleas and granting her a pardon. After stepping out of prison, Ingabire praised the progress that the country has achieved and pledged to play her part.

“I am grateful for the presidential mercy because the president [Paul Kagame] decided to pardon me so that I can go out and live a normal life,” Ingabire said.

But she continues to stage her usual lies and genocide ideology in international media and human rights platforms, just to tarnish the image of Rwanda’s leadership.

Many Rwandans believe that Ingabire should be in prison like everyone else who harbors a genocide ideology. She is a danger to society, especially the Rwandan society that is still healing.

Although Western media are pushing for their political agenda towards Africa, ‘regime change’, and to put Ingabire in the spotlight, they are wasting their time in their attempt at confusing the world that she is a Rwandan “opposition leader”.

Rwanda’s system is very clear on who should be a politician in the country.

Organic Law n° 10/2013/0L of 11/07/2013, governing Political Organizations and Politicians prohibits anyone who has been sentenced to an imprisonment equal to or exceeding six months; or committed crimes of Genocide against the Tutsi, to be in the management of a political organization.

Ingabire does not qualify to be a politician or to head any political organization as she was sentenced to 15 years in jail, and found guilty of minimizing the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

No matter how Western media will whitewash her, Ingabire will never be a qualified politician in Rwanda.

Rwandans deserve better.

They know their history and efforts required to rebuild their nation, and hence can never accept any venomous persons like Ingabire to have a space in leadership.

What actually would she bring to the table, except genocide ideology?