Umuhoza’s Story: The Price of Opposition in Rwanda

Rwanda’s Bureau of Investigations (RIB) is still holding in custody Jackie Umuhoza, the daughter of Uganda-based preacher and activist Deo Nyirigira.

Umuhoza first went missing this past Wednesday, triggering social media outrage.

Under pressure, RIB later confirmed arresting Umuhoza, saying she faced charges related to treason and espionage which attract a life sentence.

ChimpReports understands Rwanda’s security agencies also arrested Umuhoza’s sisters, Axelle Umutesi, 30 and Lillian Umutoni, 32 from their residence in Kicukiro.

Umutesi and Umuhoza were later released without charge. It remains unclear if they won’t be arrested again as it was the case with Diane Rwigara’s family.

As of Sunday afternoon, Rwanda security services continued to block Umuhoza’s relatives and lawyers from accessing her.

Kigali claims Pastor Nyirigira is a member of Rwanda National Congress (RNC), a diaspora based opposition movement.

Nyirigira denies the claims as fabricated.

The arrest of Umuhoza and her family members raises concerns about the manner in which Rwandan authorities conducts its investigations.

In several cases, authorities also target family members of suspects.

In the case of former Republican Guard Commander, Col Tom Byabagamba, Rwandan authorities also arrested his in-law, Frank Rusagara.

The security agencies also went after Byabagamba’s wife, Mary Baine.

A strong supporter of RPF, Baine served as Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) Commissioner-General for five years until 2011 when she was named Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs. She was removed from this position in 2014.

Byabagamba is a brother of activist David Himbara who fled Rwanda to South Africa before continuing to Canada where he lives in exile.

In another instance, Rwandan security arrested Diane Rwigara who had moved to stand against President Paul Kagame in the 2017 elections.

Her mother Adeline Rwigara was arrested detained and charged for tax evasion, a move criticized by human rights groups as political persecution.

In 2010, Rwandan authorities arrested Lieutenant Colonel Rugigana Ngabo, the brother of General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, who was chief of staff until 2001. He was accused of being involved in “destabilization” activities.

This pattern underscores the challenges opposition figures endure in Rwanda.

Veronica Shandari, the daughter of Rusagara recently said under President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has become a “strangely silent place, where even private conversation can be policed and personal opinions have been eradicated. The effect is stifling, for freedom of expression, the basis of democracy itself, lies at the core of every human’s being. There is no better method of stripping away an individual’s humanity than suppressing their freedom to express themselves.”

She added: “The country I still call “home” will next year host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Welcoming the leaders of an organisation committed to democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law should, in theory, be a proud moment for a small African nation with a haunted history.”

“However, the country concerned is Rwanda, and CHOGM’s choice of venue betrays the very principles the organisation embraces. Whatever it once pledged, the Commonwealth’s newest member – Rwanda only joined in 2009 – shows little interest in upholding a charter whose articles guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful dialogue.”

Harassment 

The Observer newspaper recently reported that Nyirigira’s daughters have for long endured harassment by Rwanda’s security services.

It was reported that Lillian’s husband was intimidated into divorcing her; which he did before being forced out of their house with the two little children.

She moved in with her sisters.

Then the three were sacked from their jobs without clear reason. They were summoned by military intelligence for questioning about money their father was sending them for rent and upkeep. They were also asked why their father was fighting the government.

The authorities reportedly told Nyirigira’s daughters to write a letter denouncing their father if they wanted to regain their peace but refused.

When they tried to leave the country at the beginning of March, they were arrested again and spent a week in prison with the children.

Their Rwandan and Ugandan documents were confiscated.