Africa-Press – Rwanda. Justice Minister Johnston Busingye is in big trouble after President Paul Kagame discovered that several ‘thieves’ in government have managed to dodge prosecution and continue enjoying their loot.
On Friday, hundreds of senior Rwanda Patriotic Front Party members assembled at Intare Arena their headquarters outside the capital Kigali. President Kagame chaired the high level gathering- Extended National Executive Committee (NEC).
President Kagame has in the past months been super charged with determination to uproot a network of sophisticated mafia that have in the recent past years caused massive financial loss to state, abused office and others simply involved in shameful corruption scandals.
This, as it happens, the President faulted the justice Minister and his array of judges, accusing them of failing on the job. He said judges take bribes from suspects, a behaviour that has abated justice, and promised that he is going to handle the matter with his own hands.
During this meeting of which Taarifa was in attendance, President Kagame spent over an hour addressing the top brass of the ruling party. There was serene silence as Kagame picked on case by case of very corrupt officials in his government.
“Auditor General, where are the switches?” the President asked. “One of them is to go after them,” “Tell me,” Kagame insisted as he stood face to face with tough man Obadia Biraro who has been unearthing the rot in government for over a decade.
The President paraded some of the corrupt officials including; Infrastructure Minister, Clever Gatete, former Governors Emmanuel Gasana (former Inspector of Police) and Jean Marrie Vianney Gatabazi.
In particular these officials have failed the President. He has not only warned them countless times, but has also engaged them and none of them even heeds their own promise to change.
Kagame is very disturbed by many cases, and went ahead to describe a particular case involving a public servant, Nicholas Kaganza, suspected of embezzling more than U$408,000 (approx Frw363 million) paid by tourists between August 2018 and January 2019, according to the recent Auditor General’s report.
This money was collected manually instead of using the official online platform (Irembo). The suspect was arrested and later granted bail. He later fled the country to Uganda where he changed names but was tracked down and brought back and detained. However, this man was again granted bail, regardless.
He’s also being investigated on how he owns five houses for a young 28 year old junior public officer. This is where Justice Minister may have to explain the rationale of how the justice system cannot clearly see that the suspect is a flight risk and a thief.
The President learnt about his release and instructed the Police to arrest him again and locked him up. “I instructed the Police to arrest him,” the President told members of the Extended National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting bringing together at least 250 members including leaders representing different party organs.
President Kagame who is also the Chairman of the RPF party, warned that he is willing to send everyone to jail even if it means having him left with half of the members.
“When you are a thief, it doesn’t matter where you come from, but I know where you belong; prison,” Kagame said after over an hour of tough address to party members.
The whole arena seemed too small for the party members. The President was very tough and serious that nobody inside even moved their feet or turned their heads.
Known for his art of managing an audience, President Kagame walked through the hall all the way from the front to the end and back, he could see faces of people who have given him a hard time countless times. And he was vividly perturbed.
“I don’t have a problem having half of the people here in prison,” the angry President said, adding, “Ntabwo mwananira (you won’t give me hard time).”
President Kagame said he had warned most of these corrupt officials many times but they continue doing the same mistakes; “I promise you, there is going to be accountability,” he said as the room remained in total silence.
“Don’t think it is over,” the President warned. “You will have to pay the price.” In his concluding remarks, President Kagame sent a strong last warning. “It is over,” “I am tired.”
At the express request of President Kagame, Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) is expected to swing in action to interrogate several public officials connected to most of the shameful corruption scandals.
Check this site later for another detailed story regarding Minister Gatete’s alleged criminality and misconduct.
Article was published June 27,2020
Kagame Unleashes RIB, Police To Interrogate Minister Gatete
Kagame Unleashes RIB, Police To Interrogate Minister Gatete
