Thousands of youths yesterday staged demonstrations across Kigali city in protest over the arrest of State Protocol Director Rose Kabuye on the weekend.

Holding banners with different messages calling for the arrest of genocide fugitives in Germany, the youths chanted the heroic acts of Kabuye.

"She is an inspiration to all of us as youths…she had been alerted about her possible arrest if she went to Germany. However, leaving her young children behind, she chose to go and prove her innocence. This teaches a lot to the youths especially the females because of the attachment women have with their children,” said Regine Twahirwa, a youth leader in Gasabo District.

Kabuye was arrested on Sunday upon arrival at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany where she had gone to prepare for President Paul Kagame’s visit.

Yesterday, President Kagame went on an official visit to Germany where he also took the opportunity to visit and talk to Kabuye who is detained at a women’s detention facility from where she is awaiting transfer to France.

"She is our hero and we want her back…this is another indication of how the so-called western countries have persistently looked down upon us,” said Augustin Hategekimana, one of the thousands who turned up for the demonstrations that were staged both in front of the German embassy and at the Kigali offices of the European Union in Kacyiru.

The youths castigated what they called French inspired conspiracy theories aimed at misleading the world on what happened in their country.

In a message read in English, French and Kinyarwanda both before the embassy and the EU mission, the youths deplored the political manipulation of international justice by some western countries.

"We continue to be disappointed that the mass murderers of the 1994 Genocide continue to enjoy freedom and protection in European capitals including Germany and France, even as they pursue their extermination plans on European soil,” read the statement.

Germany is currently harbouring Ignace Murwanashyaka, the leader of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) a genocidal outfit made up of dissidents responsible for the 1994 Genocide of Tutsis.

Together with the FDLR, Murwanashyaka has been listed as a terrorist by the United States.

Several other fugitives remain scot-free in Germany including Callixte Mbarushimana, the FDLR Secretary General and a major genocide suspect who was arrested in Frankfurt – the same city where Kabuye was arrested – on an Interpol Red Notice but was later released despite pleas by the Rwandan judiciary to extradite him to face justice.

This has sparked anger from different  sections of Rwandans who accused German authorities of double standards.

The demonstrations attracted youth who gathered about 30 metres  from the EU offices blocking cars from either side of the highway amidst heavy deployment by riot police.

The President told the media after visiting Rose Kabuye that the arrest was a violation of the sovereignty of Rwanda. He dispelled assertions by some European officials that Kabuye was on a private visit.  

"Rose’s visit to Germany was not private. It was official in that she was doing the work of the Rwandan President,” he said.

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