Kagame: Rwandan Sani Abacha

Kagame's flagship in Kigali

 

A British journalist, Jon Edwards, who has been on duty trip in Rwanda for the coverage of the Conservative Umubano convention could not hide his shock from his brief visit in Rwanda. He got first hand accounts of what people whisper in Rwanda: that Kagame is becoming richer than the country he rules, while UK pumps hundreds on millions of pounds directly into his government’s budget.

The Rwanda leader, the owner of the brand new Kigali City Tower, is relentless in having shares in every company doing business in Rwanda, said Jon Edwards.

The British journalist “discovered” what Rwandans don’t dare discuss openly in fear reprisals from Kagame police state that:

• Kagame is the main shareholder of Crystal venture (ex-Tristar) which owns Repli Investiment, the company Kagame set up in order to by two Bombardier Global Express jets that cost over $100,000,000.00 to charter to himself and international VIPs.
• Kagame owns 23% of Rwanda Air.

Diplomats in Kigali,Rwandan capital are now comparing Kagame to the late Nigerian dictator General Sani Abacha.

They both love money and are ruthless, and will do anything however reckless to stay in power to protect their ill-gotten wealth.

Here are some Kagame-dominated companies, in a Kagame-dominated government that is benefiting from direct budget support by British taxpayers to the tune of £83,000,000.00 annually:

• Civil works and concrete products http://www.npd-cotraco.com/ <http://www.npd-cotraco.com/>
• Construction and real estate development http://www.realcontractors.net/ <http://www.realcontractors.net/>
• Telecommunications http://www.mtn.co.rw <http://www.mtn.co.rw/>
• Agricultural value addition http://www.bourboncoffee.biz/ <http://bourboncoffee.biz/>
• Security services http://www.intersec.co.rw/ <http://www.intersec.co.rw/>
• Printing and publishing http://www.gpsrwanda.com <http://gpsrwanda.com/>
• Furniture trading http://www.mutara.co.rw/ <http://www.mutara.co.rw/>
• Aviation charter services, http://www.replinvestments.com <http://replinvestments.com/>
• Building materials —http://www.bmi.com <http://www.bmirwanda.com/>
• Property development and management–http://www.bond.co.rw <http://bond.co.rw/>
• Beverage and food processing – http://www.inyangeindustries.com <http://inyangeindustries.com/>
• Media Systems Group– http://www.mediasysgroup.com <http://mediasysgroup.com/>

As can be seen from this partial list, there is no section of the economy that is not dominated by Kagame-affiliated firms.

The journalist was further stunned to find that no private sector businessman would discuss on record the size and role of Kagame companies in the Rwandan economy. Off the record though, they confirmed that there is no space in Rwanda for business other than Kagame-affiliated operations.

The business people laughed when told that Rwanda is among the top reformers in World Bank’s Doing Business. They pointed out that this was based mainly on reforming five outdated laws. In any event, what use is a good pro-business law executed by a government headed by Kagame, the owner of Rwanda Incorporated, they asked. The Rwandan setup is tantamount to a wolf guarding sheep.

Source: africadictator.