KIGALI - The Government of Rwanda will not be deterred by sentiments over a recent shooting incident in South Africa of Rwanda’s former Ambassador to India, Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, to exonerate him from the serious crimes he is accused of.

This was said yesterday by the Government Spokesperson and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, during a press conference.

"The Government of Rwanda is not angry with him. I want to take the sentimentalism out of it and say that Gen. Nyamwasa has been pursued for very serious criminal charges so it’s not a question of anger, it’s a question of crime,” she pointed out.

"I want to remind you that since the incident over the weekend, we as a government have expressed our sympathy to the family, it is quite understandable.

"We have also a level of understanding for some of the people who feel for the family and want, of course his swift recovery---we want the same thing, but that doesn’t take away the element of crime,” Mushikiwabo said 

Mushikiwabo warned that one of the things people should take seriously are matters of state and criminal behaviour and that gravity of the crimes cannot be taken away by the predicament the person undergoes or what his family and friends feel.

"I just want to set the record straight; that it’s about his behaviour, it’s about his accountability, its about the crimes that this man is accused of, but that doesn’t take away the charges that are weighing against him,”
"As far as the Government of Rwanda is concerned, he is a Rwandan citizen, he has a family. Our government is not a government that wants or supports violence. We don’t want to be associated with some of the comments we are seeing in the media about this government trying to kill Nyamwasa,” Mushikiwabo said.

She said that it is unfortunate and wrong that President Paul Kagame is directly being incriminated in the media, adding that the record of the government is very clear.

Mushikiwabo added that the current government, in the last 16 years has pursued forgiveness and acceptance, including Genocide suspects, but Kayumba did not choose that path but instead went soiling the image of the government.

Mushikiwabo revealed that Kayumba’s family was not mistreated or put under house arrest in India after Kayumba escaped as reported. She added that diplomatic discussions are ongoing regarding a possible extradition.

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