The Director of State Protocol, Rose Kabuye is back home. This time we understand for a much longer time, after the French judiciary lifted the European Warrant of arrest against her.

Kabuye can now move safely in any part of the world, without fear of harassment or intimidation. Need anyone in Rwanda say we are vindicated?

Through out this ordeal, since being wrongly detained late last year in Germany, Kabuye took the bull by the horns as she remained steadfast in exposing the treachery behind French judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere’s case against her.

We have written warning of the impeding collapse of the case based on flimsy evidence and trumped up charges, for political purposes.

It was clear from the day Mrs Kabuye was allowed to come home for Christmas that someone in the French judiciary, could smell the coffee, that the evidence was thin with humiliation impeding.

For surely the two words ‘terrorist’ and ‘bail’ can never be used in one sentence, for Kabuye they were used again and again, she is almost free. Strategic retreats have become the order of the day for the French officials.

Instructive, however, is the government’s response to the latest development, that Rwanda ‘‘will cooperate with other nations in the framework of mutual respect and judicial commissions rather than warrants of arrest’’.

This should now be the real basis for starting conversations on the whole principle of Universal Jurisdiction and whose interests it serves.

Kabuye’s case offers a clear example of the malice and treachery possible in the application of the principle.

It is sad that Kabuye and family had to go through this ordeal, in fighting european arrogance and deceit, but her courage and conviction have won the day; not just for Rwanda, but the rest of Africa.

While the initiators of the dubious charges thought its little Rwanda to be taught a lesson, the bigger lesson has been to them, because anything built on a weak foundation of lies, will only crumble.

The case against Kabuye is not just about a test on the fair dispensation of international justice, but also about bringing out the truth of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.  

As history would have it, Kabuye comes back home days before the 15th Genocide Commemoration takes place. Countrywide, preparations are in full progress, as the nation psyches itself to remember those dark days, honour those who lost their lives and make fresh vows -- never again.

As the theme aptly captures, ‘Let us commemorate Genocide against the Tutsi while fighting genocide revisionism’.

Ends