As General Rutatina rightly put it in one of his articles on Kayumba’s demotion and his 24 year sentence in absentia by our military courts, this is a man who did preside over demotion of other military officers, and certainly for crimes, much more insignificant than treasonable acts that Kayumba has been accused for, and with credible evidence adduced to that effect.

That he wanted to take over power from elected government by force (treason) is no longer exclusive to those in the know. Treason in many countries carriesa life sentence, and in countries where death sentence is applicable, treason leads criminals to the gallows.

This happened in many of our neighbouring countries especially Kenya and Uganda to be specific. Twenty four years for Kayumba, and his demotion from his general rank is, buta lenient sentence by any measure given his treasonable acts.

Kayumba did not risk his life more than our other serving general. On the contrary, whether in our liberation struggle (which he was never part as he does not believe in it) nor all the fights we know of. Even during the insurgence in the North, in late 1990s, Kayumba chose to pursue a Masters degree in UK.

That he abandoned a force at war, questions his credentials military or otherwise, and more so his sense of judgment (if any). But again if he does not believe in our struggle, a struggle through which he gained the general rank, why even cry for loss of the rank, which he claims cannot be taken from him. For such a rank becomes a myth for a person that was not substantively part of the struggle.

Winning a War is not an end in itself.

A struggle that has a cause, and ours had many, does not end at the end of the war as Kayumba espouses. End of the war is just the beginning of a more serious and even more challenging project of fulfilling what a people fought for, and for which they paid a very heavy prices by all accounts.

Development of our country be it, social or economic is the end of a struggle. And this development process is more challenging than taking on a defined enemy anywhere, and by any means. It calls for the will and willing of the entire population to be mobilised for such cause, in total brief that, this will shape their destiny. This also calls for building of institutions to spearhead the development process. This has proved to be very challenging for Rwandans of good will as it was also rewarding, going by miraculous achievements in a short period of time so far.

It is the second phase of national building, that most of these renegades could not adjust to and fast. Most of these kept their status quo but mainly for personal gains. They did gain from the same, judging from wealth these accumulated during war period. That Kayumba can afford to buy US $ 1000,000 mansion in South Africa, tell a story. Judging by the salary he was earning, such savings are unimaginable. One can only guess how he earned the same...

Renegades with a terror cause

Although Rwanda has had numerous gangs in DR Congo, albeit brought together by a common cause and a unity of purpose – unfinished genocide business. A cause they have tried to fight for (in DR Congo and Abroad where they are scattered) in vain and one they can never win, for forces of good always prevails over forces of evil. No one ever expected even remotely that the renegade four (Kayumba, Karegeya, Gahima and Rudasingwa) could team up with terrorist groups of FDLR, FDU and RUD. No one in his right senses would align with terrorist that killed one million people, and still teach genocide ideology to their recruits to-date. That these renegades could think of joining this alliance has left most Rwandans in shock, except their own.

I have argued in this column that, our genocide scars both physical and psychological are too fresh to scratch. I have also pointed out that, the will to fight these forces is one of our strongest tangible asset, and these renegades may be out of touch, or may be counting on illusive support from quarters that cannot match this will and willing to take on whoever and wherever the same comes from.

Their demonic project has not only led them to be terrorists, but also to associate with characters that have openly financed this group. Their hero is Rusesabagina, a Hollywood created hero, and one who has openly accepted that he sent funds to these terrorist. This man argues that, it was not a lot of money after all. The issue here is not the amount. Rather the intent to work with terrorist.

This intent is the critical elements that is a measure of a terrorist association, rather than the amount sent. More so working with these groups qualifies one to be a terrorist as well not merely by inference, but by design and thus identity. Period.

Rudasingwa: Self re-engineered?

Now, Rudasingwa, the renegades’ spokesperson, and a man of questionable character whose fraudulent behaviour goes back to his student life in the University (the REDCOM SAGA/SCANDLE that will haunt him for the rest of his life), and later caught in corrupt practices where he corned the office of The President of hundreds of millions through shoddy deals ranging from repairs to supplies, and one that spelt the end of his career.

This is a man, who Rwandan will ever remember for unparalleled arrogance, and abuse of office while in office, be it as Secretary General of RPF, and an Ambassador in Washington, positions he held for less than two years in each case.

He has come open not only as part of FDLR, but also like other terrorist of FDLR, denies genocide and calls it a civil war. Surely someone would be crazy to deny Tutsi genocide, and more so one who purportedly saw in the face of genocide.

Rudasingwa’s self-re-engineered character hands him the virulent distinction as the first ever individual, be it Rwandan extremists or foreign, to call for the release of the criminals convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), for the genocide crimes committed against the Tutsi in 1994.

Not even the most rabid revisionists have ever crossed this red line to call for the release of the genocide convicts, a line that no mortal in his senses would cross such even in his silent heart.

Now, this is the man that would want to unite Rwandans, for to him unity and reconciliation is upside down phenomenon seen from the rule of large numbers, rather than ability to lead, and lead.

To be continued...

Email:mnshuti@yahoo.co.uk