The plane carrying the first batch of migrants deported from UK to Rwanda under the recently signed Migration and Economic Development Partnership was expected to land in Kigali on Wednesday 15th June 2022.
Few hours before scheduled time for the plane to take off, BBC reported, the flight was stopped after a late intervention from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) led to fresh challenges in the UK courts.
After the judgement from the ECtHR, passengers were removed from the plane which had to take off on Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. of Kigali Time.
The human rights court said that it had suspended the deportation of one migrant from Iraq who was onboard the plane.
It also maintained that UK must wait for the final judgement next month before further action.
Rwanda and UK signed the partnership on 14th April 2022.
Following the last minute cancellation; the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has said that Rwanda remains committed to welcome the migrants when they arrive.
“We are not deterred by these developments. Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The current situation of people making dangerous journeys cannot continue as it is causing untold suffering to so many,” she said.
“Rwanda stands ready to receive the migrants when they do arrive and offer them safety and opportunity in our country,” added Makolo.
Following the cancellation, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said that she was “disappointed” but added that preparation for the next flight continues.
“I have always said this policy will not be easy to deliver and am disappointed that legal challenge and last-minute claims have meant today’s flight was unable to depart,” she said.
“We will not be deterred from doing the right thing and delivering our plans to control our nation’s borders. Our legal teams are reviewing every decision made on this flight and preparations for the next flight begins now,” added Patel.
Under this partnership, the UK will provide an upfront investment of £120 million to fund invaluable opportunities for Rwandans and migrants including secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons and higher education.
These asylum seekers from African countries and others outside the continent will be treated decently like Rwandans upon arrival. It is expected that those willing to return to their mother lands will be helped to do so.
The demonstrations took place in different places including Goma and premises of Rwanda’s embassy in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Those who participated in the protests include parliamentarians, representatives from civil society organizations, ordinary citizens, motorcyclists and traders among others.
In Goma, protestors turned violent and mounted demonstrations at the country’s small border with Rwanda commonly known as ‘Petite Barrière’ where they threw stones on Rwandan territory.
Protests are escalating in DRC where all political parties harbouring destructive ideologies against Rwanda are requesting for approval to stage demonstrations.
Each political party has to write to DRC leadership requesting for a go ahead to mount protests at Rwanda’s embassy in the country.
Rwanda’s embassy is headquartered in Avenue de Justice in Kinshasa. It is located in a multi-storey building which also houses different businesses.
The embassy’s officials are safe as the majority opted to work from home lest they are assaulted by protestors.
On 1st June 2022, Congolese in Bukavu town staged protests at Rusizi I and Rusizi II borders requesting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to close all borders with Rwanda particularly in Rusizi District.
Congolese involved in protests were heard yelling, speaking ill of Rwanda and insisting that they want to fight Rwanda.
The tension between Rwanda and DRC rose since M23 rebel group resumed fight with Congolese Army (FARDC).
DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting M23 and claimed that Rwandan soldiers crossed to the country for the same cause.
During the clashes with M23, FARDC in collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have shelled Rwanda territory three times since March this year.
The rockets shelled on Rwanda’s land injured people from Musanze and Burera district and destroyed properties.
Following the tension between the two neighboring countries; Angolan President João Lourenço embarked on mediation process. His recent discussions with Congolese President, Tshisekedi saw the country releasing two Rwandan soldiers kidnapped by FDLR and FARDC.
On Monday this week, it was reported that M23 captured Bunagana town and border, seized an armoured vehicle from FARDC. The Spokesperson of M23 announced that Bunagana town is in full control of M23 adding that Congolese soldiers in the area fled to Uganda.
Bunagana is located in 60 kilometers from Goma town located at the border between Rwanda and DRC.
Rwanda has at different times explained that DRC’s allegations are baseless and insisted that the crisis is an internal matter of DRC which has to be solved without dragging it into the issue.
BBC has reported that the flight was stopped after a late intervention from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) led to fresh challenges in the UK courts.
The cancellation of the flight followed days of arguments in UK courts, ending with the home secretary getting the go-ahead to begin transporting some of the asylum seekers.
After the judgement from the ECtHR, passengers were removed from the plane which had to take off on Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. of Kigali Time.
BBC has reported that the Boeing 767, chartered at an estimated cost of £500,000, had been due to take off from a military airport in Wiltshire.
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was “disappointed” but added that preparation for the next flight continues.
“I have always said this policy will not be easy to deliver and am disappointed that legal challenge and last-minute claims have meant today’s flight was unable to depart,” she said.
“We will not be deterred from doing the right thing and delivering our plans to control our nation’s borders. Our legal teams are reviewing every decision made on this flight and preparations for the next flight begins now,” added Patel.
The human rights court said that one migrant from Iraq onboard the plane was not supposed to be deported.
It also maintained that UK must wait for the final courts’ judgement next month before further action.
Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed that the National Order of Honour awarded to Houlin Zhao is in recognition of his distinguished service as the leader of ITU during a very consequential period for the globalization of telecommunications technology.
Zhao has been awarded with the National Order of Honour during a ceremony that took place today at Urugwiro Village.
It was attended by officials including the Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire and the Political Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda, Xing Yuchun among others.
Agaciro is awarded to a Head of State/Government, the head of an international organization, or another high-ranking official who has distinguished themselves through actions that significantly promote the common good, in Rwanda and beyond, in political, economic or social domains.
Agaciro is among five National Orders in Rwanda. The remaining four include; the National Order Of Friendship (Igihango), National Order Of Performance (Indashyikirwa), National Order Of Culture (Indangamirwa) and National Order Of Bravery (Indengabaganizi).
The International Telecommunication Union is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for many matters related to information and communication technologies. It was established on 17th May 1865 as the International Telegraph Union, making it the oldest UN agency.
ITU’s global membership includes 193 Member States as well as some 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations.
The current Secretary-General of ITU, Houlin Zhao,72, hails from China.
He was elected for the first time in 2014 and re-elected for another term in 2018.
Houlin Zhao is a great friend of Rwanda who stayed closer to Rwanda along its journey to accelerate use of technology in different areas.
Despite the deployment of forces under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), citizens in eastern DRC have been experiencing unrest for several years due to incessant wars between rebel groups operating there and Congolese Army (FARDC).
Recently, M23 resumed fighting with FARDC which teamed up with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and other groups.
As of today, M23 has captured Bunagana town while DRC soldiers have massively fled to Uganda.
FDLR is comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi which plotted hit and run attacks on Rwanda and repelled back.
The recent collaboration between FARDC and FDLR triggered mixed reactions among people questioning how the Congolese Army decided to work with the group whose members perpetrated Genocide against Tutsi.
Tito Rutaremara, a political expert and the Chairperson of Rwanda Elders’ Advisory Forum has via Twitter handle pointed out DRC politicians as the root cause of security threats in eastern part of the country.
During colonial rule in DRC, there were people who used to seek shelters in forests as they fled torture by colonizers.
After the death of Patrice Lumumba, many people staged protests and took arms against the regime of Mobutu Sese Seko installed by white people.
The fighting took place in different places including Kitwit Murele and Kisangani where a rebel group known as Mai Mai was created. Members of this rebel group used what they called blessed water with a belief that it protects them against bullets.
The fighting erupted from Kisangani and spread out to the entire eastern DRC.
Many rebels were defeated where few groups including the one led by Laurent -Désire Kabila stayed in the forests of northern Katanga, excavating minerals that were sold in Tanzania.
Mobutu seemed to have ignored the rebel group because it stayed in forests without directly threatening his security.
When Laurent -Désire Kabila took power after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, he trained and recruited Interahamwe militia, and former soldiers of the Armed Forces of Rwanda (FAR) among others into Congolese Army.
He promised them that they would liberate eastern DRC, capture Rwanda and install them on power but failed to do so.
After replacing his father; Joseph Kabila, the son of Laurent Désiré Kabila decided to cease fire and agreed to take part in peace accords held in Sun City of South Africa.
They established a government sharing the power with all rebel groups. At the time, Kabila became president while Azarias Ruberwa and Jean Pierre Bemba who headed hostile groups became vice presidents.
However, Kabila took all the soldiers from FAR, Interahamwe militia and others who had joined FARDC, provided them with arms and money and dispatched them to North and South Kivu.
He encouraged them to fight for their country of origin and promised support.
At the time, they lived independently in DRC, committed rape, murders, and looted properties among others.
{{How rebel groups are controlled by politicians}}
After the creation of Mai Mai groups, Tito Rutaremara has said, many DRC politicians worked with them to secure mining sites so they can obtain enough money to participate in electoral campaigns whether at provincial or national level.
The money helps them in their ‘lobbying’ activities among ministers and parliamentarians from the United States of America (USA) and European countries to get international recognition.
That is why, DRC politicians rush to blame Rwanda for crisis erupting in the country which white people digest without verifying authenticity of provided information.
As he started the process of solving security issues in northern and eastern parts of his country; the incumbent DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi mulled the support from Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to bring it to an end.
However, politicians rejected his plans claiming that Tshisekedi wanted to leave DRC under the control of Rwanda.
These claims discouraged Tshisekedi given that next presidential elections draw near in DRC.
As DRC joined the East African Community (EAC), member countries sought how to solve the issue in collaboration with Tshisekedi and designated Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya to follow up.
Politicians from eastern DRC politicians tampered with the process, falsely claiming that Rwanda is disturbing them and excluded M23 from peace talks with rebel groups in eastern DRC.
Excluding M23 from peace talks irked members of the rebel group that had fled to Uganda and returned to its former bases.
It is said that politicians asked FARDC to team up with FDLR to attack M23 which responded, seized weapons from opponents and captured different parts.
The politicians took advantage of the clashes and accused Rwanda of having attacked their country ‘because M23 was defeated without means to obtain light weapons’ yet the group seized them from FARDC soldiers in Rumangabo.
In order to find evidences, they propelled rockets into Rwanda three times, which injured people and destroyed properties but Rwanda did not respond.
“They took children gazing goats to be paraded but people mocked at them insisting that they are not soldiers. They also kidnapped soldiers on patrol but Rwanda request to return them home. Fortunately, they did it accordingly.”
The insecurity in eastern DRC is in the hands of politicians in eastern DRC and Mai Mai protecting mining sites helping them to secure money to continue their lobbying among citizens and politicians from America and Europe.
RDF has made the disclosure through a statement released on Tuesday 14th June 2022.
“Rwanda Defence Force would like to inform the general public that the defence and security of the Rwandan population, as well as Rwanda’s territorial integrity is assured, and that the RDF will continue to seek guarantees that cross-border attacks on Rwanda’s territory are stopped,” reads the statement.
The statement follows escalating tension between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since M23 rebel group resumed fight with Congolese Army.
DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting M23 and claimed that Rwandan soldiers crossed to the country for the same cause.
During the clashes with M23, FARDC in collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have shelled Rwanda territory three times since March this year.
The rockets shelled on Rwanda’s land injured people from Musanze and Burera district and destroyed properties.
RDF’s statement is released at a time when Rwanda is in final preparations ton host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) due in the week starting from 20th June 2022.
Some political analysts indicate that the provocations are meant to tamper with smooth preparations of the meeting.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat requested Rwanda and DRC to engage in discussions aimed at calming the tension between both countries.
Following the tension between the two neighboring countries; Angolan President João Lourenço embarked on mediation process. His recent discussions with Congolese President, Tshisekedi saw the country releasing two Rwandan soldiers kidnapped by FDLR and FARDC.
On Monday this week, it was reported that M23 captured Bunagana town and border, seized an armoured vehicle from FARDC. The Spokesperson of M23 announced that Bunagana town is in full control of M23 adding that Congolese soldiers in the area fled to Uganda.
Bunagana is located in 60 kilometers from Goma town located at the border between Rwanda and DRC.
M23 has announced to have captured Bunagana town today morning leaving many Congolese soldiers fleeing to Uganda.
Sources have revealed that three military vehicles and two FUSO trucks carrying FARDC soldiers have crossed through Bunagana border to Uganda while others have been seen fleeing on foot.
The Spokesperson of M23, Major Willy Ngoma has confirmed that the rebel group is now in full control of Bunagana.
Apart from FARDC soldiers who fled to Uganda, he revealed that others have laid arms downs and took cover among civilians.
“The fighting was intense yesterday that FARDC soldiers at the border also fled to Uganda. Others took off their military uniforms and took cover among civilians. They have abandoned an armoured fighting vehicle. We are in full control of the entire Bunagana town,” he said.
The fighting has also left more than 5000 civilians from Bunagana and its surroundings to Uganda while over 25,000 have fled to schools and churches in Rwanguba and Kininoni in Rutshuru territory.
Mugisha wins Tour du Cameroun clocking 26h34’24’’ after the eighth stage covering 1066.2 kilometers.
He was followed by Andreev Yordan of Team Martigues SC with 32- second lead and Artuce Jodele Tella riding for SNH Vélo Club with 33 seconds lead.
The last stage covering 151.4 kilometers on Sunday saw riders setting off from Ebolowa heading to Yaoundé. It was won by El Arbaoui Adil, a Moroccan who clocked 3h40’17″ with 18 seconds ahead of Moïse Mugisha.
Moïse Mugisha took the yellow jersey after the seventh stage where riders raced in the roads of Boumnyebel and Mbalmayo covering 112.6 kilometers.
44 riders from eight teams have finished the race held in Cameroun for the 18th time.
Moïse Mugisha was participating along with other Rwandans including Didier Munyaneza who emerged 7th on the general classification, Eric Muhoza who took the 12th position, Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo (25), Samuel Niyonkuru (27) and Etienne Tuyizere (33).
The statement released by RDF today indicates that the two soldiers have been returned home safely.
“Following the kidnap of two RDF soldiers on patrol along the Rwanda-DRC border on 28 May 2022, and the subsequent diplomatic interventions between the Heads of State of Angola, DRC and Rwanda, the RDF is pleased to announce that the two soldiers are now safely back in Rwanda,” reads the statement in part.
These RDF soldiers include Cpl Nkundabagenzi Elysée and Pte Ntwari Gad. They were arrested on patrol along the border between Rwanda and DRC.
DRC said that they were arrested in 20 kilometers from the border as they went to support M23 in its clashes with Congolese Army.
However, Rwanda rejected the statement insisting that they were kidnapped along the border on patrol.
Few days after the incident, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi accepted to release them on the request of Angolan counterpart João Lourenço, who is the mediator between both countries on the issue.
IGIHE recently learnt from credible sources that the soldiers were initially detained by FDLR and later handed over to Congolese Army which incarcerated them in Goma and later in Kinshasa.
Sources also revealed that DRC didn’t want to send them directly to Rwanda but mulled sending them to Angola as the mediator which would hand them over to Rwanda.
RDF has through the statement commended the efforts invested in securing the release of the two soldiers.
Unlike the recent shelling which injured people and destroyed houses, RDF has through a statement revealed that today’s shelling didn’t injure anyone.
“The DRC armed forces, FARDC, fired two 122mm rockets into Rwanda from the Bunagana area, striking along the Rwanda-DRC border in Nyabigoma Cell, Kinigi Sector, Musanze District on 10 June 2022 at 11:55am. There were no casualties but the local population is terrified,” reads part of the statement.
This follows similar shelling by forces in DRC on 19th March and 23th May 2022 in Kinigi and Nyange Sectors of Musanze District and in Gahunga Sector of Burera District, which caused casualties and damaged property.
Rwanda has also reported more provocations by DRC including the kidnap by FARDC in collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) of two RDF soldiers on border patrol. The incidents have been reported to the Government of DRC, the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism of the ICGLR and other partners.
FDLR is rebel outfit comprised of remnant masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi who at different times plotted hit-and-run attacks to Rwanda and repelled back.
RDF has reassured the population that efforts to resolve the issue are underway noting that their safety is assured.
Speaking to the media recently; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Vincent Biruta said that Rwanda is ready to protect its citizens in case the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) does not halt provocations.
Minister Biruta made the revelation on Tuesday 31st May 2022 during a press conference on the current situation of deteriorating relations with DRC.
The press conference was held amidst ongoing tension between Rwanda and DRC, where the latter accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebel outfit in clashes with Congolese Army (FARDC).
Rwanda has however been maintaining that the allegations ‘are baseless’ and accused DRC of working with FDLR.
Commenting on the previous shelling during the press briefing; Minister Biruta said that he called his counterpart of DRC inquiring into what happened, but did neither apologize to Rwanda nor reassure that it won’t happen again.
Minister Biruta also talked about Rwanda’s possible reaction in case DRC’s provocations linger. He disclosed that Rwanda won’t idly sit by if DRC doesn’t stop its provocations.
“We have responsibilities to protect our citizens and country’s borderlines. A country defends itself against attacks. This means, if the issue persists, we cannot idly sit by and wait for repetitive shelling on our citizens every day or provocations to kidnap people anytime. It is among issues pointed out at the African Union Summit in Malabo. I clearly indicated that we have legitimacy to respond and defend ourselves, in case we are attacked,” he noted during the recent press conference.
“We want such provocations to stop. We want these soldiers released. However, in case these attacks continue to threaten our country’s security, we would be legitimate to defend ourselves and you know that we have capacity,” Minister Biruta added.
