Rwanda : South Africa warns Kayumba and Karegeya over “political activities”

President Kagame meets with South African President, Jacob Zuma Sept 21, 2011. New York (Photo: PPU)

The South African government has come out strongly against exiled Kayumba Nyamwasa and Patrick Karegeya – warning them to stop all “political activities” against Rwanda on its soil as that is illegal.

“Mr Nyamwasa is a refugee in South Africa and in terms of the law governing refugees, South African Refugee Act number 130 of 1998, he is required to refrain from engaging in any political activity or subversive action against any government as this would constitute a breach of the law and he could be liable to lose his refugee status,” says a statement from the S.A Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)

The warning from the South African government comes after Kayumba told a South African newspaper City Press two weeks ago that nobody had barred him from doing politics – which seemed to insinuate that Pretoria has give him green light to plan his activities. The DIRCO director general Ambassador J M Matjila described Kayumba’s comments as “irresponsible and libelous”.

“South Africa and Rwanda maintain friendly diplomatic relations and such statements are devoid of all truth,” said DIRCO. It is the first time South Africa has come out strongly against the two men, in strong support for Rwanda-SA relations which suffered some lull but have since been fully restored.

Kayumba and Karegeya have been granted asylum in South Africa, which status means they are supposed to lead quiet lives. However, they have been organizing political mobilization meetings against the Government of Rwanda. Under international refugee laws, that is illegal, as that is tantamount to a government fighting another.

The two men have been convicted in Rwanda for up to 20years each for various charges including treason and genocide ideology. They already have two arrest warrants from Rwanda against them; one from the military and another from the prosecutor general.

Kayumba for his part is subject to a pending law suit launched by two South African human rights groups which are demanding that his refugee status be stripped from him because of his past. The case has yet to be decided.

Spanish judiciary has also asked the South Africans to extradite Kayumba to Spain. By engaging in activities considered illegal for refugees under various local and international instruments, Kayumba and Karegeya are abusing their host’s hospitality.

As indication of the good relations, President Kagame was seated right next to S.A counterpart Jacob Zuma during celebrations marking the 100th Anniversary celebrations since the founding of the African National Congress (ANC). The two leaders have met at various international fora.

South Africa’s national carrier South African Airways flights for Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from Johannesburg to Kigali, before departing for Bujumbura. South African owned telecom giant MTN is the biggest in Rwanda. There are several other major businesses.

FULL STATEMENT BELLOW

MEDIA STATEMENT

It has come to the attention of the South African Government that certain Rwandan citizens claim to have engaged in political activities against the Government of the Republic of Rwanda “with the approval of the South African Government”. South Africa and Rwanda maintain friendly diplomatic relations and such statements are devoid of all truth.

The South African Government therefore views the comments attributed to Mr Kayumba Nyamwasa (a former General in the Rwandan armed forces) in an article in City Press of 29 July 2012 in a serious light. These irresponsible and libelous comments against a country with which South Africa maintains diplomatic relations, as well as suggestions of plotting regime change, are strongly condemned by the South African Government.

Mr Nyamwasa is a refugee in South Africa and in terms of the law governing refugees, South African Refugee Act number 130 of 1998, he is required to refrain from engaging in any political activity or subversive action against any government as this would constitute a breach of the law and he could be liable to lose his refugee status.

Ambassador J M Matjila

Director-General

DIRCO

6^th August 2012