Members of Buranga Women Cooperative have petitioned the ministry of Commerce to allow them operate their business free of the interference of two administrators. The group claims that the rift between an American Jarred Miller and Kenyan pastor Amollo Anyienga has affected their operations. The women under their flagship, Keza operates a weaving business. The group points an accusing finger to the faction led by Anyienga, a former associate of Miller with whom they had formed ‘Sisters of Rwanda”, of frustrating their business. Buranga Women Cooperative is a breakaway of “Sisters of Rwanda”. Jane Mutesi, the coordinator of the cooperative, accuses the faction of resorting to blackmailing anybody who opts to work with Miller. “They have been frustrating us ever since we broke away from “Sisters of Rwanda”. We joined Miller’s new KEZA because he treated us fairly,” Mutesi said on Friday. She also confirmed taking the matter to MINICOM.“Yes, we have been to the ministry to report our case because these people have worked tirelessly to frustrate us. We have the right to do business with any person with a fair deal,” Mutesi said. She also added that when they detached themselves from “Sisters of Rwanda”, two associates of Anyienga; Margaret Karara and Nyanja Nzabamwita, began working against the cooperative and Miller. Commenting on last month’s botched fashion show that had been staged by Keza, Mutesi accused Nzabamwita of having forewarned them that they would do all possible to ensure that the show does not take place. “Nzabamwita told me that they would not let our fashion show take place. We thought it was a joke, but police came and stopped the show,” Mutesi said. However, when contacted, police spokesman John Uwamungu has said the stopping of the fashion show has nothing to do with above related issues. “Those are imaginations. The public should stop perceiving the police as an institution that operates anyhow. There is procedure and in this particular case, these people were not authorised. Every entertainment event must be authorised first,” Uwamungu said. Susan Asiimwe, the legal officer at MINICOM also confirmed receiving the complaint but declined to give details. “They have been here, I have received their file but I have not checked it thoroughly. But what I am meant to understand so far is that there is a conflict between Miller and a Kenyan pastor Anyienga and two other women,” she said. Sources have also said that both Miller and Pastor Anyienga have been summoned at MINICOM to explain the matter while Karara is currently in Kenya. Nzabamwita’s four cellphonr numbers given to the legal officer are unreachable. When contacted for comment about the summons to the ministry, Anyienga said that he adhered to the call after he was asked to appear on Karara’s behalf. According to the evangelist, at the time of the summons, Karara had travelled to Nairobi, Kenya. The Genesis Anyienga came to Rwanda in 2007 as a social worker working with former commercial sex workers in Kimironko where he has since established a church. He joined hands with Miller and Karara to register “Sisters of Rwanda” as an NGO to raise the women out of poverty. However, after months of operation, the organisation’s funds started disappearing, allegedly by Anyienga and Karara. Late last year, Miller was summoned by CID to clarify on a document that was distributed in the United States. The document was portraying the Rwanda’s society as one full of sex slavery. However, prosecution dropped the case for lack of evidencesimplicating Miller as the author of the document. “It seems like the prosecution dropped the case but what has not been done is clearing him completely,” said Emmanuel Mugisha, Miller’s lawyer. Ends
