The lawyer of Kayumba Nyamwasa’s RNC, Edgar Tabaro recently issued “a heartfelt tribute” to the late Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, recently deceased of Covid-19. In his eulogy of Nkurunziza, Tabaro the lawyer of RNC, a terrorist group, made public his proximity to the departed Nkurunziza. But this was something that already was well known within regional security circles.
Following Tabaro’s actions in June 2018 on behalf of a group of RNC recruits that were facing charges of terrorism in Uganda, the man’s links to the terrorist organization were fully exposed. The recruits were a group of 46 Kinyarwanda-speaking young people that on 12 December 2017 were apprehended at the Uganda, Tanzania border at Kikagati. The group, travelling in one bus claimed they were going to Burundi on “a bible fellowship”.
Several media reports have revealed how Uganda immigration officials and border police became suspicious because though they all carried Ugandan travel documents. Immigration officials spotted their travel documents as fakes. Upon close questioning, they confessed that in fact their final destination was Minembwe, eastern DRC – to join RNC training camps.
They were arrested. A few days later in January 2018, former Uganda Police spokesperson SSP Emilian Kayima announced to the press that the Rwandans “had been arrested for acts consistent with terrorism.” The RNC recruits were locked up in Mbarara. But, according to sources, Uganda Police “were only doing their job, and might not have been aware that in fact the operation to recruit the suspects was a joint one, between RNC agents and Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, CMI.
Observers were left in no doubt when on June 2018, it was revealed, Edgar Tabaro the lawyer of the terror suspects secured the released of 39 of the 46 suspects from prison in Mbarara where they supposedly were as investigations into their activities were carried out. According to highly reliable sources, Tabaro had the funds to bribe Mbarara Grade I Magistrate Daphine Ayebare, as well as JB Asiimwe, the head of international crimes Division at the DPP’s office.
According to our sources the terms of the bribe were: an advance payment, and the balance after release. “No individual has that type of money; to have enough to bribe officials so as to release that many suspects of a crime as serious as terrorism? Only state actors could have that type of money!” exclaimed our source.
“We knew Tabaro was Kayumba Nyamwasa’s lawyer,” a Kigali-based security analyst said. “He also acted as his envoy to Burundi” the same source revealed. In his eulogizing of Nkurunziza, Tabaro talks a trip to Burundi in 2018 saying he had deep discussions with the CNDD-FDD leaders. What would the lawyer of the RNC terrorist outfit be talking about with CNDD-FDD leadership?, many wondered.
Tabaro and other RNC operatives were exposed by the UN Group of Experts as elements that engaged in terrorist activities in Congo, with Bujumbura and Kampala serving as hubs of movements involving delivering recruits, and arms to eastern-Congo based rebel groups.
In September 2018 this website reported that Tabaro had traveled to Burundi to secure support for the RNC. He met with senior army officials like Gen. Ntakarutimana (Head of Intelligence), Gen. Agricole Ntirampeba (security advisor to Nkurunziza), Gen. Emmanuel Sinzohagera, amongst others.
Tabaro, it was apparent through his own writings, was deeply involved in Burundian political affairs and there was only one explanation for that, according to those in the know. He did so in the role of liaison for RNC, while using his contacts in the Ugandan administration, revealed in the fact several times he cites Ugandan Permanent Representative to the UN Adonia Ayebare.
Claiming that “he worked to improve Museveni and Kurunziza’s relations”, Tabaro openly writes about his “shuttle diplomacy”, claiming it was done “outside official channels”. But these are not credible claims, some are pointing out.
“Museveni has several envoys and diplomats; more than enough to contact a fellow EAC President”, a senior Ugandan official said. A Rwandan analyst said what Tabaro was doing in his back and forth between Bujumbura and Kampala must have been covert work for the terrorist RNC, in their sinister alliance with Bujumbura and Kampala.
Tabaro and Sulah Nuwamanya, a fellow RNC agent, are part of a network that mobilizes and recruits for RNC with the facilitation and help of the governments, and security institutions of the deceased Nkurunziza, and Kampala. Last year, however, the Minembwe-based terrorist groups suffered military routs that left them in complete disarray. Senior RNC commanders like Charles Sibo were killed, and Maj. (Rtd) Habib Mudathir captured and sent to Rwanda to face trial.
Following this, according to sources close to anti-Rwanda networks in Uganda, Edgar Tabaro signed a contract with Philemon Mateke, Minister of State for Regional Affairs. Mateke has been exposed as the Ugandan leader’s assigned coordinator of the activities of anti-Rwanda terror networks: RNC, RUD-Urunana and FDLR. In the contract, it is said Tabaro will take over as “Number 1” in the network when Mateke dies. The latter has prostate cancer.
“As the coordinator of groups among them offshoots of perpetrators of the 94 Genocide Against the Tutsi, Mateke’s mission always has been to destabilize current Rwandan administration. But he has always failed regardless of support from Museveni and Nkurunziza,” an experienced commentator said.
Talking in the same vein about Tabaro’s “shuttle diplomacy”, he added: “it was all lobbying activities for RNC. The UN Group of Experts exposed Bujumbura and Kampala as recruitment territories for the terrorist organization. Tabaro’s trips were not a mere coincidence.”
The specialist did not mince his words in concluding. “All their efforts to destabilize Rwanda failed at first attempt. They will always fail.”
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