JOHANNESBURG - RWANDA’s former Ambassador to India, Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, was yesterday shot and critically wounded in Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to media reports, Kayumba was shot at the gates of his home by a lone gunman who immediately fled the scene.

The former army officer and diplomat was rushed to hospital with bullet wounds in the stomach.

Efforts to reach the South African Police for comment were futile by press time, but Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, was shocked by the news.

"We learned the news through the media; we have no confirmation of the incident. The Government of Rwanda does not condone violence, and we wish the family strength and serenity,” she said.

"We trust the South African Authorities’ ability to investigate the incident thoroughly”.

The South African city is ranked as one of the most violent in the world. The country’s police force reported that despite crime having reduced by 10.4% between April 2008 and March 2009, over two million serious crimes were reported countrywide.

The most known fatality was the shooting to death of reggae superstar, Lucky Dube, during an attempted car-jacking in October 2007.

Kayumba is not the first Rwandan national to fall victim to violent crimes in South Africa. In recent years, several Rwandans have been attacked and some of them killed.

Before his appointment to represent the country to India, Kayumba Nyamwasa served in many senior positions, among them, Chief of Staff of the Rwandan army.

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