By Rpf Gakwerere
When we talk of political class extravagance, Rwanda’s skinny ass dictator comes on top. His foreign travels are reminiscent of a USA president or a ruler from a petroleum rich Country. Since 2006, he has been traveling on a private jet hired/chartered by the government for him. The government hires/charters the jet from Kagame’s consortium, Crystal Ventures.
The conflict of interest – corruption, sees Kagame the president hiring from Kagame the businessman. The dictator has stopped the idea of the country buying its own presidential plane, preferring the state to constantly cough cash in hiring his jet – gulf stream 6 in transporting him.
Weeks before any of his foreing travels, he will send a section of advanced security team, the number always depend to which Country his visiting, minimum numbers being 12 presidential guard/DMI personnel. When travelling in sub region, advanced team numbers hits above 100. All of them will be staying in all inclusive 5 star hotels; they receive travel allowances and shopping bonus.
On the day of his foreign visit, he will travel with another section of security personnel, this group of internal close protection will be booked in same hotel where he is also booked and they will get the same benefits as the advanced team.
When Rwanda’s criminal ruler is aimlessly roaming the world like a Nyakivale vagabond, the state is losing enormously at the expense of struggling health services, education and developmental projects. Just this week, the state was economically squeezed further by splashing on his extravagance that saw the dictator travel to New Delhi – India for a useless conference, where other invited African leaders preferred to send low level civil servants to represent their respective countries.
In this trip, what has the Country gained?? Totally nothing!! Again, the tax payers being the main losers in this extravagance which has seen a political criminal turning a country into a personal property…………
below a photo of the dictator living like
Marie Antoinette in 18th century France.
