Paul Kagame - The African Mirror

Mar

2023

Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero departs Doha for Houston for family reunion

IMAD CREIDI THE man who inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda", Paul Rusesabagina, has boarded a plane in Qatar bound for Houston after being released from prison in Rwanda last week, a source familiar with the matter said. Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident who has lived in exile in San Antonio, Texas, for over a decade, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing. The 68-year-old, a vocal critic of Kagame, says he was lured to Rwanda in 2019 when he boarded a private…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina leaves Kigali, reaches Qatar

NEWS

IMAD CREIDI and PHILBERT GIRINEMA PAUL Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the film "Hotel Rwanda" about the 1994 genocide, has arrived in Qatar after being released from prison in Rwanda last week, Rwanda's government spokesperson said. Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing. He was released on Friday after his sentence was commuted following months of negotiations between Washington and Kigali. Washington's historically close ties with Rwanda have been strained by Rusesabagina's detention and by U.S.…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Rwanda plans constitutional change to hold presidential and parliamentary polls together

NEWS

RWANDA plans to amend its constitution to allow for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held at the same time, according to a statement outlining cabinet resolutions, seen by Reuters. The statement said that the cabinet on Friday approved a proposal by President Paul Kagame to amend the country's constitution to allow the "harmonisation of parliamentary and presidential elections calendars". It did not say when the amendment would become effective. Parliamentary elections are currently scheduled to take place in August this year, but if the constitutional change is implemented, they may be pushed back to next year to be held…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Kagame looking at ‘resolving’ detention of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina

NEWS

RWANDAN President Paul Kagame said there were discussions about "resolving" the fate of Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda" and is serving a 25-year sentence in Rwanda on terrorism charges. Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 over his ties to an organization opposed to Kagame's rule. He denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial that he and his supporters called a political sham. Washington has designated him as "wrongly detained", partly because of what it called the lack of fair trial guarantees. Rusesabagina has U.S. permanent residency…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Britain’s Sunak discusses migration partnership with Rwanda’s Kagame

NEWS

BRITISH Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Rwandan President Paul Kagame discussed the UK-Rwanda migration partnership and the need to disrupt the activities of smugglers while addressing humanitarian concerns, the British government. In a telephone conversation on Monday evening "the leaders committed to continue working together to ensure this important partnership is delivered successfully", Downing Street said in a statement. The leaders also discussed the escalating violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and international efforts to support a lasting peaceful resolution to the conflict, the statement added. Thomson Reuters Foundation

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

East Congo clashes resume after de-escalation agreement with Rwanda

NEWS

CLASHES broke out in eastern Congo between the military and M23 rebels, a civil society and a rebel source said, a day after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda agreed to de-escalate diplomatic tensions over the insurgency. The M23, which Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting, began a major offensive in the eastern borderlands at the end of March, seizing an important border post and other towns despite army efforts to stop its advances. Rwanda denies backing the M23 and has in turn accused Congo of fighting alongside another armed group intent on seizing power in Kigali. Rwandan President Paul Kagame…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Congo and Rwanda to meet for talks amid tensions over rebels

NEWS

STANIS BUJAKERA and CLEMENT UWIRINGIYIMANA DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi will meet his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame for talks in Angola this week, officials said. There were no details on what they would discuss, but the neighbours have been at diplomatic loggerheads since a surge of attacks in eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group - which Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels and has, in turn, accused Congo of fighting alongside insurgents - a face-off that has raised fears of fresh conflict in the region. The meeting is likely to occur on Tuesday…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Rwandan troops cannot stay Cabo Delgado forever’

NEWS

BAZ RATNER and SHAFIEK TASSIEM RWANDAN President Paul Kagame said the country cannot stay forever in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, where allied Rwandan and Mozambican troops have been recapturing areas from Islamist militants since July. "As much as we cannot be here forever, I think the problem we are dealing with, with our friends in Mozambique, cannot stay here forever too," Kagame said at a news conference with Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi in Pemba, Cabo Delgado's capital city. "Every time, every step, we are assessing what needs to be done... The need to stay and for how long, that comes…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Hotel Rwanda’ film hero jailed for 25 years

NEWS

CLEMENT UWIRIGIYIMANA A Rwandan court has sentenced Paul Rusesabagina, a one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film about the 1994 genocide, to 25 years in prison after he was convicted of terrorism charges. Rusesabagina, 67, who was feted around the world after being portrayed by actor Don Cheadle in the film "Hotel Rwanda", is a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame. He denied all charges and said he was kidnapped from Dubai this year to be put on trial. His supporters called the trial a sham, and proof of Kagame's ruthless treatment of political opponents. "Rusesabagina…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Rwandan justice minister fired

NEWS

RWANDA’S President Paul Kagame has removed the justice minister but made him ambassador to Britain amid international scrutiny over the trial of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotelier credited with saving many lives during the 1994 genocide. A government statement gave no reason for the dismissal of Johnston Busingye, who had served as justice minister and attorney general since 2013. Busingye was appointed Rwanda's ambassador to Britain, the statement said. Kagame did not immediately name a new justice minister. Requests for comment to government spokespeople and the presidency office were not answered. Rusesabagina was hailed as hero after he used his connections…