WHY DIANE RWIGARA RELEASE MIGHT BE A NEW DAWN TO RWANDA

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Rwanda fierce government critic Diane Rwigara  and her mother Adeline  Rwigara have been freed on bail, according to the decision by the court.

Rwigara was presented in court on Friday facing charges of incitement and fraud . Her mother , who was also in court was being held on charges of discrimination and sectarian practices.

The high court judges who were hearing the case ruled out that the prosecution team did not present enough evidence to and that their was no clear reason why the two should be detained any further during their trial. The court directed both of them to be released on bail.

The news of their release was received with so much joy from their supporters who had gone to witness the ruling. The two have stayed in prison since September 2017.

The family members including his brother expressed their happiness and gratitude’s for the court finally releasing them.

Diana Rwigara was the female challenger of the last years presidential elections in which president Paul Kagame won the election with almost 99% of the votes cast.

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Diane Rwigara launched her campaign with the sole aim of changing Rwanda from the long rule of President Paul Kagame. Her campaigns did not last long till she was disqualified by electoral body of Rwanda.

The electoral body said that Rwigara had forged signature to secure the threshold required before campaigns and even submitting the names of the dead people.

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Her supporters said that all the charges against her were political and were meant to pin her down from fighting for the rights of the people of Rwanda and freeing them from the long era of Paul kagame.

Among the 2410 prisoners that  were released is Victoire Ingabire , who was the leader of the opposition party FDU-Inkingi party. The 49 year old had served eight years of her 15 year sentence. Ingabire claimed that her sentence was due to persistence government critics and the charges crippled her freedom of expression and her spirit for fighting for the people of Rwanda.

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Rwigara who launched the People Salvation Movement ( Itabaza) , an activist group to encourage Rwandans to hold their government accountable  was arrested immediately she formed it and started campaigns to mobilize the Rwandans.

On their release Ingabire said ,”The Kagame government should not just release the opposition and think that is enough. it is a step but they should understand that what our country needs is a society with room for critical voices to speak freely and peacefully. we have to end the cycle of political violence in Rwanda and build it into a reconciled nation , hopeful of durable peace and prosperity .”

The increased independence of the judiciary in Rwanda is definitely shaping the political mode. The move will give Rwigara a voice and she will continue speaking against the government of Kagame.

The freeing of the prisoners and the activists indicate that Rwanda is moving away from the scripted verdict to following the rule of law.

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The  move by the high court has received many positive feedback especially from Rwigara’s supporters, who are fade up with the current regime which they term it as being dictatorial and oppressing to the critical minds and non- governmental supporters.

The political landscape of Rwanda is seemingly going to be shaped by this move of releasing, Rwigara and his her mother who are at the forefront in speaking for the people of Rwanda.

 

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