EXCLUSIVE: FDLR commander in Tanzania since last week
LaForge Fils Bazeye, the spokesman of the militia group in FDLR bases in eastern DR Congo
The executive secretary of Rwandan FDLR rebels Col Wilson Irategeka is guest of Tanzania’s government and staying at one of the known residences of controversial politician Rev Christophe Mtikila in Dar es Salaam.
Col Irategeka arrived in in Dar es Salaam on Friday 29th August in the morning. The militia commander travelled early last week via Uvira (DR Congo), then Kigoma (Tanzania) and was flown by private chattered aircraft to Dar es Salaam, according to sources privy to the classified travel.
Irategeka first stayed at another location in the MIKOCHENI suburb of Dar es Salaam. On Monday night, he was moved to a large house owned by Rev Christophe Mtikila – who is accused in Tanzania as President Kikwete’s front man for destroying the opposition.
FLDR commanders and exiled Rwandan politicians are no strangers in Tanzania. News of Rwanda has published a series of articles since January this year detailing travels of Rwandan politicians.
First was former Rwandan premier Faustin Twagiramungu back in early January, and has since had two secret trips there. He was in Dar es Salaam from 19-23 January. Strangely, perhaps to gain some public relations points, Twagiramungu went public about his first trip – causing a massive diplomatic embarrassment to Tanzania.
The ex-premier arrived in Lyon France for a conference of his political organistion RDI Rwanda Rwiza which had been on schedule weeks before. The conference of about a dozen only selected party diehards took place 25 January (Saturday).
The 3-hr conference from 3pm (16hrs GMT) took place at Salle Halle in Grains at the address 61 Rue Président Salvador ALLENDE 69200 Vénissieux. Twagiramungu with pride informed his delegates that he had been to Tanzania on a “very important missionâ€.
Following sustained articles on News of Rwanda, the office of President Jakaya Kikwete released an angry statement to media accusing this website of fabricating the information to complicate Rwanda-Tanzania relations. The statement however did not dispute the factual elements in the stories.
Other top FDLR commanders have constantly used Tanzania as their second base, as the government in Rwanda’s large neighbor establishes itself as the current godfather for the militia group – which executed the genocide against Tutsis in Rwanda 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, Rev Mtikila’s house is regularly used as safe house for FDLR stay and transit. Two of the militia group’s Belgium-based officials Joseph Nzabonimpa and Faustin Murego were in Dar es Salaam in January 2013 to meet commanders from DR Congo jungles.
While in Dar es Salaam, they stayed at the same residence. According to UN Group of Experts report on DRC released on 24 January 2014, Reverend Mtikila confirmed to them that he had indeed hosted the FDLR officials when confronted with the facts. (See page 26-27 of report).
After hosting former premier Twagiramungu, then Theogene Rudasingwa of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), Tanzania’s establishment also invited convicts of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) including ex-army Rwanda commander Brig Gen Gratien Kabiligi. This new meeting was in late January.
It was meant to bring together FDLR executive secretary Lt Col Wilson Irategeka and Col Hamadi, the operations commander with Brig Gen Kabiligi who had come in from France. Several meetings took place on Friday 24th January, while others were during the days which followed.
Relations between Kigali and Dar es Salaam have remained frosty since 26th June 2013 when President Kikwete suggested at an African Union heads of state summit that President Kagame negotiates with FDLR rebels. Tanzania eventually sent troops to DR Congo which have been providing a protection buffer zone for the FDLR in the east.
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