A secret military intelligence document from Rwanda’s former genocidal government reveals that the regime of President Juvénal Habyarimana considered assassinating Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni during the early stages of the Rwandan Patriotic Front’s 1990–1994 liberation war. ALSO READ: Habyarimana's role in planning, implementing Genocide against the Tutsi The document which The New Times has seen, dated May 23, 1991, and marked SECRET, was produced by the genocidal regime’s military intelligence as government forces struggled against the RPF, a rebel movement largely composed of Rwandan refugees who had fled decades of ethnic persecution. The report portrayed Uganda as the principal force behind the RPF and framed the conflict as foreign aggression rather than a domestic political crisis. ALSO READ: The former Rwandan Armed Forces' central role in preparation of 1994 Genocide Repeatedly describing the RPF as acting under Museveni’s direction, and that Uganda was planning to attack Rwanda, the report reads: “Through specialized private organizations, we should consider making an attempt on the life of MUSEVENI. It is not impossible to have him eliminated.” “The cost of carrying out such a plan would be far lower than the cost of the war that MUSEVENI has inflicted upon us.” The document argued that such an operation would be less costly than continuing the war against the RPF. It also outlined plans for cross-border military raids into Uganda, intensified psychological warfare, and diplomatic pressure on neighbouring states – Uganda and Burundi – accused of supporting the RPF. Uganda and Burundi were both depicted as complicit in sustaining the rebellion. The military intelligence services were tasked with an “in-depth study” of the plan to assassinate President Museveni.
