Rwandan Top Military Leaders, Suspected of Planning a Coup, Arrested in Kigali, Rwanda

Portrait of Rwandan General Paul Kagame by Prisonners

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Breaking News: Sources within the Rwandan Department of Military Intelligence tell an AfroAmerica Network correspondent in Kigali that key top Rwandan military commanders and leaders were arrested over this week. Those arrested include General James Kabarebe, General Patrick Nyamvumba,  and General Charles Kayonga.

According to the sources, those arrested are being accused of planning a coup and of stealing advanced weapons from the army top secret arsenal depots. Other informations received by AfroAmerica Network point to at least two more top military leaders or high ranking officials within the MInistry of Defense, already under house arrest, for the same accusations.

Gen. James Kabarebe is the Senior Presidential Adviser to the Rwandan dictator, Gen. Paul Kagame, on security matters, since October 2018. He was the Minister of Defense before the appointment. Between 1996-2003 Gen. James  Kabarebe was the top commander  of the wars in Zaire, later known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The wars led to the massacres of more than 6 million Congolese civilians and Rwandan refugees.  He is a close friend of Congoles political leader, Vital Kamerhe, currently in prison accused of embezzling more than US $ 47 million.

Lieutenant-General Charles Kayonga was being watched since July 2019, when he was abruptly removed from the post of Rwandan Ambassador to China. In late 2018-early 2019, rumors had circulated alleging that Lieutenant-General Charles Kayonga had been given funds, in millions of US dollars, by opposition leaders and businessmen in exile to fund a coup against the Rwandan dictator.  Lt-Gen Kayonga was appointed Ambassador to China in February 2014, after  being  without any appointment since June 2013,  when he was abruptly replaced by Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba as the Rwandan Defence Force top commander. At the time, Gen. James Kabarebe was suspected of being behind the sacking of Gen. Charles Kayonga.

Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba served as Chief of Defence Staff of the Rwanda Defence Force , from 2013-2019.  He was appointed Minister of Internal Security in July 2019. On April 27, 2020, Gen. Paul Kagame fired Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba, accusing him of corruption.

AfroAmerica Network is still closey following the story.

 

 @AfroAmerica Network