Members of the private sector have so far made contributions to a tune of more than Rwf800 million toward a campaign to raise £1 million (about Rwf1.2 billion) bail for Lt Gen Karenzi Karake.

The campaign has been dubbed "Ishema Ryacu? Our Nation, Our Pride.”

Karake was arrested in the UK while on an official visit following an arrest warrant issued by a Spanish judge in 2008 against 40 former officers of the Rwanda Patriotic Army.

He is currently out on bail and is due to appear back in the Westminister court for his extradition hearing in September. 

Many experts and observers have termed the arrest as well as the controversial arrest warrants as politically motivated.

"The figure is now around Rwf820m; however, this is not final as some districts are yet to send reports on how much they have contributed,” Private Sector Federation chief executive Stephen Ruzibiza told The New Times yesterday.

At a fundraising event held at Kigali Serena Hotel, last week, over 70 business persons from Kigali contributed over Rwf358 millions toward the fund.

Andre Bitwayiki, the chairperson of traders in Kigali City, encouraged his colleagues to strive for the pride of the nation by contributing towards the fund.

"As business people who have enjoyed peace and security through which our businesses have thrived, we cannot accept the insolence of foreigners to mistreat and violate our nation’s pride. We cannot ignore the journey of where we came from and we are happy with the steps we have taken,” said Bitwayiki.

"We ask for justice; we ask foreign countries to respect our justice as Rwandans. I ask Kigali’s traders to unite and fight these threats to our nation’s development.”

Ishema Ryacu fund was launched by members of PSF on June 26.

"Those people in the West think the money to bail our General will be drawn from the National Budget, which they partly fund, and our determination is to say no. This money will come from us. This is our commitment and we will soon hit the target,” he said.