Callixte Nsabimana appeared in court Thursday where he was formally charged with 16 terrorism-related charges. To the Rwandan people, the pain, suffering, and loss caused by his actions, especially the infamous Nyungwe attacks that left nine people dead and many more injured, cannot be underestimated. In Court he did plead guilty to the charges. But what was more damning is the detailed revelation of the support his organisation was receiving from Rwanda’s two neighbouring countries – Uganda and Burundi. While his arrest is a major blow to those bent on destabilising Rwanda, Rwandans must remember that he is only one player in a network. There are other suspects out there who must be held accountable for their involvement with terrorist organisations. According to the Prosecution, Nsabimana has been cooperative and what this means is that his accomplices will now be known, backed up by evidence. In the name of justice, the countries that are offering safe havens for the suspects must not allow to continue being operation grounds for terrorism. And for the neighboring countries that have been implicated, there isn’t much that the public did not know. What is most revealing is the source; Nsabimana, a beneficiary of the support. What is clear is that attempts to distabilise Rwanda are failing but what is registering success is the taking down of the terrorist network. Nsabimana is just the beginning.
