THE RWANDA CONNECTION: THE CASE OF SPECIAL ENVOY MALANJI
By Zambia Eagle
Foreign affairs Minister Mr Malanji returned from his secretive mission to Rwanda today and immediately held a triumphant press briefing, in which he declared the Bilateral Relations between the two Nations as Intact.
Now this is very curious. The Government of the republic of Rwanda have not made any official comment on the revelations made in court regarding our President’s alleged involvement in supporting some rebel groups. I presume this is because those revelations were made during court proceedings and those proceedings are still active before the Rwandan courts of Law. As such Rwanda has not accused Zambia of anything that would strain the relations between the two Nations.
The question one asks therefore is, given that the allegations were made during court proceedings and that those proceedings are ongoing, why and how then did the Zambian government consider it prudent to send the Foreign Affairs Minister to get the assurance from President Kagame regarding our relations with Rwanda?
A few questions beg to be answered. We went into a foreign country to discuss a case that is active before the courts of Law. Was this mission an attempt to get President Kagame to interfere in court proceedings on our behalf, because that is what we would have done in our country to cases that touch the ruling elite? Why would President Paul Kagame tell Mr Malanji that the Rwandan Government does not give any credence to the allegations being made by the Rebel leader, when it is his own Government prosecuting this rebel leader?
If the issue is about bilateral relations, surely there would have been a joint press briefing with our Rwanda counterparts to affirm those relations. Is the reason that this is done this way because the Rwandan Government would rightly want to see this case get to it conclusive end? That would explain the new angle the minister in trying to sneak in, of someone inciting the rebel leader to make this allegation. There are no prices for guessing who that person enticing the rebel leaders is supposed to be.
The importance and speed with which those in and around State House are moving on this issue tells us it is wise to for us to be patient because this case is still unfolding.