Twenty seven years after the Genocide against Tutsi, Faustin Twagiramungu, 77, is a man that still lives in the vicious past of his upbringing and checkered political career, albeit very brief. But the man thinks he is a legend in his tortured mind.
Alas! His mouth moves faster than his brain.
Lately, he has found a forum, IKONDERA Libre — a mediocre Hutu extremist internet radio with pseudo reporters — where he spews his vicious hatred and traffics in genocidal ideology. His distortion of Rwanda’s history to suit his failed, short-lived sad political career is astounding.
It is so sad to watch and listen to a man in advanced age advocating debunked theories, but if one were to look hard for a reason why, the answer is not difficult to find: exile is hell, especially at 77. Twagiramungu is not gainfully employed and living on the Belgian welfare system can be a vicious challenge for a man with grandiose half-baked ideas.
A wiser man would ask: How did I end up here?
It is sad because it doesn’t have to be so. Many of his genocidaire brethren have either found the light, gone back home to contribute to Rwanda’s recovery, moved on, or completely shut the hell up instead of making a spectacle of themselves.
Twagiramungu was Prime Minister from July, 1994 through August, 1995 — a mere 400 or so days — but listening to the man talk about Rwanda you would think he is the Founding Father of the Nation. Not. My search for his achievements or mark on our country during his short stint as Prime Minister comes back empty.
Twagiramungu’s legendary vitriol, self-serving proclamations about his invincibility define what manner of man he is. A tragic and comical ailing, sad, and vilified genocidal extremist with a deep un-abashed proclivity for the hatred of Tutsi.
This Gregoire Kayibanda’s son-in-law does not even distance himself from Kayibanda’s genocidal DNA, going as far as saying, with a straight face, that his father-in-law was a true statesman. Well, the fruit does not fall far from the tree.
Another one of Twagiramungus’ fantasies is that Rwanda was better off under Kayibanda’s and Habyarimana’s regimes. You cannot make this stuff up. I am told by a psychiatrist friend of mine that a delusional condition is hard to cure.
Keep this in mind: Twagiramungu was preceded by Jean Kambanda now serving a life sentence for his participation in the Genocide against Tutsi and crimes against humanity. Can it be a mere coincidence that Kambada leaves and Twagiramungu come in? Food for thought. Maybe it was simply bad air in Kigali at the time!
Among many stupid and child-like claims devoid of logic and humanity is Twagyiramungu’s claim that in 1994 there could not have been more than 560,000 Tutsi in Rwanda, therefore there could not have been genocide.
Show me your friends and I will tell you what manner of man or monster you are. Twagiramungu was in 2002 a character witness in the genocide trial of Elizaphan and his son Gerard Ntakirutimana, swearing under oath about their integrity and “sainthood”. It boggles the mind, but such is Twagiramungu.
Twagiramungus’ other bizarre claim is that there should not be Genocide Memorials in Rwanda because it is against our culture. But for the craziness and stupidity of his claims, one would be inclined to dismiss such assertions and blame them on old age and failing health, and all the hardships of self-imposed exile. I wonder if it is mental. I really do.
I am told Twagiramungu has not been himself since the arrival of his old pal Rusesabagina. Could he be wondering if there is a private jet parked and waiting to deliver him home?
I respect differing opinions on any subject. But Faustin Twagiramungu is not entitled to his own facts. Either respect history or shut the hell up as you are being thrown into the garbage bins of history. Your time has come and gone, and the train is not coming back to the station.
