Regional
Tshisekedi’s new plot to destabilize Rwanda using genocide convicts exposed
Congolese
President Felix Tshisekedi is again leaving no stone unturned as he works to
reinforce his relationship with genocide perpetrators, as part of a long-term
strategy to wage war against Rwanda.
For
the past years, Tshisekedi has openly said that he will support every possible
efforts to overthrow the current democratic government in Rwanda headed by
President Paul Kagame.
On
different occasions, the Congolese head of state has met with several
anti-Rwanda government forces including leaders of FDLR and pledged his support
to them. Today, he is keeping his promises.
As per
a confidential Note Verbale signed on July 26 by DRC’s Director of Cabinet,
Anthony Nkizo Kamole, it is clear that Tshisekedi has been engaged in secret
negotiations with the government of Niger to receive six Rwandan genocide
convicts who were transferred by the UN Mechanism for International Criminal
Tribunals (MICT) which tried them for Genocide related crimes.
The
six convicts in question are Sagahutu Innocent, Nzuwonemeye Francois Xavier,
Mugiraneza Prosper, Nteziryayo Alphonse, Ntagerura Andre and Zigiranyirazo
Protais.
They
are former key figures of the Habyarimana regime which planned and executed the
genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. They were all tried by the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and later acquitted or
released after serving their sentences in whole or in part.
A
source that preferred anonymity revealed that Tshisekedi confidentially
designated a special envoy to Niger, Ali Illiassou Dicko, 68, to convey his
request to relocate these criminals to DRC.
“Since
July, negotiations between Tshisekedi’s representative, the relocated persons’
counsel, and the government of Niger, have been ongoing to determine a smooth
transition of these individuals” revealed the source.
The UN
Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), reported that, on July
15, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger met with Dicko and Kadidiatou
Hamadou, the Nigerien-based lawyer for the Relocated Persons, to discuss DRC’s
offer. On August 14, a meeting was held between the relocated persons and
Tshisekedi’s special envoy.
Despite
their acquittal or early release by the UN court, some of these individuals
have been engaging in subversive activities against Rwanda, proving that they
did not reform, and are oblivious to the consequences of the genocide crimes
they committed.
Tshisekedi’s
plan is to integrate these génocidaires into FDLR, which has been armed,
supported, and is now working with his army, FARDC, in hopes of causing ‘regime
change’ in Kigali, which has been the genocidaires’ wish for long.
The
convicts' continued genocide ideology and anti-Rwanda sentiments match
Tshisekedi’s agenda, hence his wish to offer them a safe haven and work with
them to destabilize Rwanda.
Joining
the FDLR in DRC has been a dream which Tshisekedi is helping the convicts to
fulfill. For instance, Sagahutu, a
former ex-FAR Captain, who was granted an early release in 2014, tried to join
FDLR in 2017 through the border of Burundi.
In
March 2024, on Tshisekedi’s invitation, Sagahutu tried to cross to DRC using different names on a Burkina Faso
passport and was suppose to go through Mali, Tanzania and end up in DRC to join
and command the genocidal militia but his plans delayed due to leakage of
information.
Sagahutu
has been seen and heard on different media platforms calling for the overthrow
of the Rwandan government, while clearly stating that he has plans to work with
negative forces against Rwanda.
Tshisekedi’s
continued rallying of Rwandan genocide fugitives to reinforce the FDLR
terrorist group shows his bid to implement a long-term plan to wage war against
Rwanda.
By
providing sanctuary to genocidaires to destabilize Rwanda, Tshisekedi is not
only causing a security threat to the entire region but also to his country
where the venom of genocide ideology has already been spread targeting
Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese Tutsi.