Gasabo residents IN protest march German's DW masts in support of Kabuye

Gasabo residents IN protest march German's DW masts in support of Kabuye

BY GEORGE KAGAME

Thousands of Gasabo district residents yesterday braved the midmorning heat and light rains to the hilltop of Kibagabaga suburb protesting against German's continued detention of Rose Kabuye on the verge of her transfer to France.


The residents made long lines in the middle of the road walking from as far as Kabuga and Kacyiru to the Kinyinya intersections where they joined up and moved to up to Deustch Welle's radio masts holding placards that called for the Freedom of Kabuye. Among prominent protesters included Rwanda Defense Forces' Chief of General Staff James Kabarebe and Caesar Kayizari who drove his military double cabin slowly through the marching crowds and they chanted his name. Many of the marchers also spotted a green badge with a rose floe flower to show their support to Kabuye who was due to be extradited to France on the same day to face charges for her alleged role in shooting down the plane on 6th April 1994 before the onset of the Rwandan Genocide that claimed close to one million people in 100 days.

France sued 9 senior leaders of the Rwanda Patriotic Front accusing them of shooting down the plane carrying ex president Juvenal Habyarimana, the incident has been investigated by many including the United Nations' but no one has come up with a definite answer as to who was responsible for the shooting but many neutral observers believe that the plane was shot by the famous 'Akazu' in Habyarimana's regime-which after organizing the genocide wanted a spark to set it off. The French government is trying the RPF leaders because of their three nationals that died along with Habyarimana.

Robert Mugenzi a resident of Kanombe and part of demonstrators said he was marching to show his support for the current government; "this government has got us from being ignored to our present status. Am proud to be a Rwandan today because this government has done alot of good. The Germans and French want to discredit our leaders by issuing their warrants but we shall rally behind our leaders and we will refuse Europeans making decisions for us."

For Claude Ntambara the protest was about Rwandans showing their anger against the insensitivity of Europeans towards Africans: "how can the French be concerned or care about Rwanda, they are jealous that the country has moved on without their patronage and instead of cooperation they have resorted to arresting our leaders who have done more for the country in a short time than Habyariamana and his French cohorts could do since independence."
For Jaque Nzamwita the protests were about the determination of Rwanda to get rid of French influence in the country, he said that France is mad for Rwanda for breaking away from their wings; "am here to detest France's role in Rwanda before and even now. They are using Kabuye to prove that they power in the international community but we are determined to protest peacefully to get the truth known."