The recent discovery of Protais Mpiranya’s grave in Zimbabwe under the tombstone of Sambao Ndume was good news, indeed. But this discovery sixteen years after this monster died cheated Mother Justice. He should have been captured, tried and paid for his heinous crimes. Death was too kind an exit for this monster of a man.
Justice should not only be done it should be seen to be done.
In pursuit of justice, families of those who died at Mpiranya’s hands and at his behest deserve better, to see justice done in order to deal with their enormous, and perhaps everlasting trauma.
But the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly.
The discovery of Mpiranya’s grave in an overgrown cemetery outside Harare in Granville cemetery, and the continued denial of Zimbabwean government officials that they did not know of his presence in the country does not add up. It is laughable, much as it is not the first time countries caught red-handed harboring genocidaires have feigned ignorance.
To this shameful list add France, Belgium, the Vatican, Malawi and many African countries.
Kudos to Serge Brammertz, the UN prosecutor who led the manhunt, and who has over the years refused to give up in his quest to bring perpetrators of the genocide against Tutsi in 1994 to book.
We are told Mpiranya died in October 2006, at 50, of a heart attack brought on by tuberculosis. Karma is a bitch.
But we must never lose hope. The fact that many of Mpiranya’s ilk — Kabuga, Rusesabagina, Munyenyezi, Nyiramasuhuko, Mugesera and many other tragic figures I don’t care to remember are behind bars is a good thing. Others like Ingabire, Twagiramungu, Rudasingwa, Nyamwasa and many others have been rendered irrelevant and will without a doubt, in due course be swept into the dustbins of history.
Rwanda has proved defiant and a power to contend with that our traitors’ supporters in the West are slowly but surely taking que. We will not, and cannot be dictated to, and nobody knows best what is good and right for us. We fought long and hard to liberate our Motherland, and against great odds we triumphed. The fact that there has not been victors’ justice speaks volumes to our just cause.
Yes, history shall absolve us, because we will write it.
The message is clear: there is a price to betraying Rwanda and attempting to destabilize us. Many have tried and met the indomitable spirit of Rwandans. We refuse to be defined by bloody events in our history, but rather by the resilience of our spirit and our absolute contempt for subjugation and continued pursuit of happiness.
The new Rwanda is bursting at the seams with amazing developmental projects, good exceptional clean governance and upholding the value of our women. Amidst a sea of failed states on our continent we must guard against the arrogance of success. Much has been accomplished but the journey is young.
Rwanda is soaked in the blood of millions who died needlessly because of who they were born. To them we owe much: knowing right from wrong, being each other’s keeper and ensuring that we all strive for the greater good — One Nation, One People.
To those who much is given, much is expected. That, I dare say defines us.
