Amidst rising tensions, Rwandan opposition figure Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza is caught in a web of unease. Accused by a presidential adviser of "waging war on compatriots" for her critique of the UK’s deportation deal, Umuhoza, renowned for her incisive Guardian columns on Rwanda’s treatment of refugees, faces international backlash. An ally of President Paul Kagame labels her as someone "maligning Rwanda" globally, intensifying the scrutiny.
A eight year in prison after a trial denounced by human rights groups, Umuhoza discloses warnings of imminent threats on her life. Simultaneously, government supporters condemn her on social media.
Expressing her disquiet, Umuhoza states, “I'm alarmed by what seems a concerted effort to harm me for expressing views on the UK-Rwanda asylum deal in international media.
Two weeks ago, a friend hinted at an imminent threat on my life, initially dismissed as rumors. Recent information now substantiates an ongoing plot to cause me harm. Regardless of the validity of these claims, the unsettling truth persists – individuals in Rwanda, including my supporters, have faced violence and disappearance before.”