Musanze- Top government officials from Congo Brazzaville, visited and interacted with repatriated ex-combatants at the Mutobo Demobilisation Centre, in Musanze District .

The delegation which was led by Col. Francis Nde’, commended Rwanda’s efforts of reintegrating the ex-combatants, and the commitment to restore peace.

 "The testimonies of people who returned from Brazzaville, and what we have seen, is a clear message to other people still living as refugees in Brazzaville that they need to seriously consider returning home,” Nde said.

The officials visited Nkamira Refugee Camp in Nyabihu District, and went to the home of one of the ex combatants, who lived in Congo Brazzaville, and who has since been reintegrated into a community in Kinigi Sector.

 At least 27 of the 292 ex combatants currently at Mutobo were from Congo Brazzaville, where up to 1,700 Rwandan refugees are said to be living.
At the centre, ex-Corporal Desire Muhire, shared his testimony about his life in the North Kivu, Kinshasa, and Congo Brazzaville.

"I was an intelligence officer under the command of Gen. Nyamuhimba, in Congo Brazzaville; he never wanted us to return home,” Muhire said.
 "I escaped, and was arrested and jailed for over a year in Kinshasa,’’ he added.

Maj. Gen. Paul Rwarakabije, a commissioner in Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission, said that it was a good opportunity for the visiting officials to witness how the ex combatants were reintegrated into the society, in order to assist in persuading other refugees to return home.  

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