KIGALI - Rwandan nationals, who are currently living in the Egyptian capital Cairo, are expected to be airlifted today following the raging anti-government protests that have, for over a week, rocked the North African country.

This was revealed, yesterday, by the Director General of the Diaspora Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Robert Masozera.

According to Masozera, by yesterday evening, all preparations on the Rwandan side were complete to have an estimated 60 Rwandans evacuated to Kigali.

"All that remains is getting landing clearance from the Egyptian civil aviation. Otherwise we have already secured a Rwandair aircraft that will bring them to safety,” Masozera said.

"I am absolutely optimistic that tomorrow they will be landing at the airport (in Kigali).”

He pointed out that so far over 60 Rwandans, the majority of them students, had been identified; adding that the Rwandan Embassy in Ethiopia was liaising with its consular office in Egypt to establish if there are others who might be caught up in political turmoil.

Masozera added that by yesterday evening, many of them had started arriving at Cairo airport to wait for the aircraft, and urged any other Rwandans who could still be trapped there to contact the consulate to get assistance.

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