British Prime Minister David Cameron has canceled his leg to Rwanda, which was scheduled after his tour in South Africa. The sudden cancellation of the long planned trip to Rwanda has created speculations in Johannesburg, Kigali, and London.
In fact, the British Government, one of the few remaining supporters of the Rwandan Dictator General Paul Kagame has been unhappy with him recently after the British MI5 and Scotland Yard uncovered plots by Rwandan Intelligence operatives to assassinate Rwandan-British and Rwandan-American citizens living in UK and United States of America. The British police eventually warned Rwandans living in UK and arrested and deported one of the Rwandan Intelligence operatives involved in the assassination plots.
Meanwhile, in South Africa, an on-going trial involves Rwandan intelligence operatives who attempted a failed assassination on the Rwandan exiled general Kayumba Nyamwasa (See our previous articles on the subjects).
Concordant sources have confirmed to AfroAmerica Network that the sudden cancellation may be to the two events and that these events have soured the already tense relations between the Rwandan Government and the UK, one of the few remaining General Paul Kagame’s Western backers.
Earlier this month, General Paul Kagame traveled to UK to receive an award arranged by his fried and personal adviser, the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. His attempts to connect with British officials were snubbed; he left UK without meeting with government officials.
After enjoying widespread sympathy and support after the 1994 Rwandan tragedy, General Paul Kagame has seen his stock of credentials and goodwill dwindle due to his ruthless repression of the opposition, the marginalization of the Rwandan Hutu ethnic majority, and his campaigns of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide committed by his army and militias in Rwandan and in the Democratic Republic of the COngo (DRC).
Speaking in Johannesburg at the Union Buildings on Monday, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, expressed the commitment of UK to helping African nations, especially in promoting the new African tripartite Free Trade Area (T-FTA). Accompanied by prominent British business representatives, David Cameron stressed the importance of the T-FTA and its potential to grow gross domestic product (GDP) on the continent by $62 billion a year, hence diminishing the need for aid, now estimated at $20 billion a year
The British Prime Minister told the media that his trip was included in the overall British policy of getting out there and encouraging trade and investment with African nations in the interest of both the British and the African people, in order to create jobs and growth.
He nuanced the policy though, when he stated that the UK will focus on fast expanding developing regions and countries such as South Africa, India, China, and Brazil.
David Cameron made the comments after visiting with the South African President Jacob Zuma.
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