US Top Diplomat Raps Rwanda over Mihigo Death

The United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy has registered his reservations and that of his government over the death of Rwandan musician Kizito Mihigo.

Mihigo, a popular gospel singer, was pronounced dead by Rwandan police from custody in Ramera, Kigali on February 17, 2020. The police ruled the death as suicide.

Assistant Secretary Nagy noted that the suicide declaration by Rwandan government before carrying out postmortem was a concern.

“I note with concern the death of Kizito Mihigo while in custody and references to suicide before an inquiry or autopsy was initiated by Rwandan authority,” said Nagy.

Nagy called for an investigation by Rwandan Investigation Bureau into the events that resulted to the death of singer, who was convicted of plotting to kill President Paul Kagame and other government officials in 2014.

The Human Rights Watch has also called for a “thorough, independent and transparent” investigation in to the death of the singer.

HRW also appealed to Rwanda’s international partners to call for accountability for Mihigo’s death before and during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to take place in Kigali in June 2020.

“His death adds to the list of disappearances, murders, and suspicious deaths of perceived critics and opponents of the Rwandan government, and the authorities’ failure to deliver justice in these cases sends a deliberately chilling message.”

Mihigo was released in 2018 with 2140 following a directive by President Kagame.