Rwanda Braces Up for President Bush’s Visit

As Rwandans gear up to welcome the United States president George W. Bush, the security agencies have detained hundreds of people in security operations mounted across the country ahead of the visit.

According to reliable sources, armed security operatives are rounding up people in night raids and detaining them on suspicions of insecurity. “So far hundreds have been arrested around the country and put into custody but Kigali city has been the most affected,” a highly placed source told APA on Saturday.

The military source said the operation is being mounted by the national police force and military police with the help of the United States secret service.

Security agents can be seen combing the streets, bars, restaurants and markets, among other points of convergence around Kigali, the capital. Those who fail to present or even defend their identity cards are facing immediate temporary detention, the source said.

The patrols are targeting congested areas like churches, trading centers and nightspots. “Life is simply not easy for ordinary people in Rwanda especially in Kigali,” said one Kigali resident.

Despite increasing complaints of illegal detentions, the police has announced it would not take security for granted.

“We are on the ground to ensure order and this is not extraordinary,” said the police spokesman Willy Marcel Higiro.

He said the police would not spare anyone found without all the necessary papers.

It has been confirmed that President Bush will be in Rwanda on Tuesday as part of his five-nation African tour that will also take him to, Benin, Tanzania, Ghana, and Liberia.

On his Kigali visit, the US president is expected to hold talks with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame on various bilateral issues. He is also expected to unveil a new multimillion diplomatic establishment, one of America’s biggest embassies in Africa.

The new $80m US embassy in Kigali is being relocated from Nyarugenge to its new premises at 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie in Kacyiru, a Kigali suburb, and it will be inaugurated by Mr Bush on Tuesday, according to US official sources.

Meanwhile, the US government has bankrolled Rwanda to the tune of some 167 million dollars in 2007

Source African Press Agency

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