KIGALI - Prime Minister Bernard Makuza slammed exiled politicians for collaborating with "opposition figures” like Victoire Ingabire to soil the image of the country, referring to them as "unpatriotic”.

Speaking at a press conference on patriotism day yesterday, Makuza slammed his predecessor, Faustin Twagiramungu, Victoire Ingabire and exiled former RPF officials; Kayumba Nyamwasa, Patrick Karegeya, Gerard Gahima and Theogene Rudasingwa, for working tirelessly to tarnish the image of the country.

He accused Twagiramungu of negating the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi by denying that it had been planned even when the former PM had testified as a defence witness at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

The Premier said that it is common for Twagiramungu to negate everything, from Genocide to development, even where it is visible to everyone, adding that it’s no wonder his testimony was thrown out of the tribunal.

Shortly after he was replaced as PM Twagiramungu testified in the cases of several genocide suspects at the Arusha-based tribunal claiming that the RPF was responsible for the Tutsi Genocide.

Makuza wondered how Twagiramungu would deny the fact that the Genocide was planned even its main architects such as Jean Kambanda admit the fact and had been sentenced to life in prison.

"I don’t understand how Twagiramungu can say such a thing when the main planners have admitted before the ICTR that they planned to exterminate Tutsis, and have been sentenced. Is that really being patriotic?” Makuza wondered.

Makuza then shifted attention to renegade officers Kayumba Nyamwasa and Patrick Karegeya who he accused of betraying the country as they wished Rwandans to return to violence as a way of solving issues.

He did not spare Gahima and Rudasingwa, saying that the pack which recently penned a document referred to as "Rwanda Briefing,” is nothing but a bunch of people who after failing the patriotism test, have turned to hurling insults and tarnishing the image of the country.

The PM said that the four where greedy officials who fled the country after committing crimes for which they would have been prosecuted, particularly corruption.
"By coming out to make baseless accusations, they have made Rwandans understand who they are, their motives and the type of leaders they were” Makuza, said adding that they would not succeed in their ill motives.

"President Kagame is a leader whose qualities cannot be matched by any of the four. Even when they were still in Rwanda, they knew that he was way above them in terms of thinking and actions”.

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