Repatriated Students flown back to Egypt

KIGALI - 35 Rwandan students who were recently evacuated from the political turmoil that had besieged Egypt were yesterday taken back to resume their studies.The departure took many by surprise, including their parents who had given up on their children resuming their studies.

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Rwandan students heading back to Egypt (Photo T.Kisambira)

KIGALI - 35 Rwandan students who were recently evacuated from the political turmoil that had besieged Egypt were yesterday taken back to resume their studies.
The departure took many by surprise, including their parents who had given up on their children resuming their studies.

"I am really happy to see my son going back to study. We had feared the studies of our children had been terminated. It’s quite unbelievable what our government has done,” Asina Mukaperezida,, mother to Abdul Mbanzakwambaza. one of the students, said .

Joseph Kabakeza the newly appointed 1st secretary at the Rwandan High Commission in India, who is still in charge of the Diaspora in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out that it was the government’s obligation to ensure students resume their studies.

"We have realized that the situation has normalized, people have gone back to their businesses and schools are resuming. So, on the advice of our Embassy in Ethiopia, we had to take them back to continue their studies,” he said in a telephone interview.

Rwanda has a consulate in Egypt that is run by the Rwandan embassy in Ethiopia.The Mufti, Sheikh Swaleh Habimana, who escorted the students, commended the government for fulfilling its pledge.

"During the evacuation of the students, the government pledged to take them back  if the situation changed, and it has done it.

Recently 18 students were also evacuated from Libya following the political instabilities that seek to unseat col. Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader who has been in power for over 42 years.

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