Assiel Kabera Memorial Website. » Search for Justice

Search for Justice

It has been twenty-five long years since our brother, husband, father, friend Assiel Kabera has been killed in cold blood by the killing squad of the current president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. It has been twenty-one long years that, the family has been asking the government of Rwanda to investigate this assassination to no avail.

Since Assiel Kabera’s assassination on March 5, 2000, there have been a series of similar killings of high profile politicians and businesses people, and it has become a norm of governing in this country of one thousand hills. There is a deliberate policy of eliminating any person who is perceived by RPF leadership to have a different opinion: kill and silence the surviving family members- no question to ask.

A recent example of assassination and silencing the surviving family members is the case of Assinapol Rwigara. After the assassination of this prominent businessman, his surviving wife-Adeline and daughter-Diane were put in jail, just for the sake of refusing to be silenced and asking for justice. This assassination was following another one of a Popular Gospel Singer- Kizito Mihigo, who was strangled in his cell in 2015 just because he had different opinion of how the situation of suvivors of genocide was/is managed.

The cry for justice is heard everywhere but the Justice System in Rwanda is at the service of the strong man and his acolytes. There is no accountability for these extra-judiciary executions. The regime of Kigali has always an explanation for those killings but constantly fail to bring the culprits to justice.

In the case of Assiel Kabera’s assassination, the regime floated the story of family revenge from Kagaju family and promised to investigate, but twenty-five years after, nothing has occurred. This proves that the story was just a distraction, the regime had committed the crime.

At this time we celebrate Assiel Kabera’s life, let’s remember who he was, what he stood and fought for. Assiel Kabera survived the genocide of 1994. He left his wife and children in the USA and accepted a position with the new government led by the current president of Rwanda- Paul Kagame. It was not an easy decision, but Mr. Kabera did it for the love he had for the country. He accepted to work as a governor of Kibuye from1995- 1997 at the time when the area was the center of military insurgency since then defeated the regime.

Assiel Kaber’s life was daily threatened by this insurgency but he accepted the challenge and risk to his life. From 1998 to March 5, 2000- the day of his assassination, he was serving as a senior economic and social advisor to the former President Pasteur Bizimungu.

Year after year, Assiel Kabera family had called upon President of Rwanda and the General Prosecutor, asking them to use the authority of their office to investigate and prosecute the alleged culprits but nothing happened.

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