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Rwandan refugees in Zimbabwe accused of fuelling anti-Kagame agenda
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Zimbabwe is harbouring a covert network of Rwandan refugees opposed to President Paul Kagame's government who are accused of engaging in clandestine operations aimed at sabotaging diplomatic ties between Harare and Kigali, while spreading genocide ideology and fomenting hostility against the Rwandan regime, a NewsHawks investigation has revealed.
While bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Rwanda have significantly improved under President Emmerson Mnangagwa — who took power through a military coup in November 2017 before winning a subsequent election — they now face threats from underground political and security activities driven by anti-Kigali Rwandan refugees on Zimbabwean soil.
The two countries, once on opposing sides in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) war between 1998 and 2003, have since reconciled. They have opened embassies in each other's capitals and signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) under a Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation. These agreements span trade, investment, and regional stability efforts. However, the presence of politically active Rwandan refugees in Zimbabwe is straining the ties, threatening to unravel the hard-won diplomatic progress.
Among these refugees are former Rwandan army officers and civilians linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The most notable case was that of Protais Mpiranya, the former head of the Rwandan presidential guard, who was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for war crimes. After years of evading capture, Mpiranya died in Harare in 2006 and was secretly buried at Granville Cemetery (Mbudzi). His death was only confirmed by investigators in 2022 after his grave was exhumed.
Another key figure in this shadowy network is Ramazani (Ramathan) Muhire, a wealthy businessman based in Harare and a genocide suspect wanted by Rwandan authorities. He is accused of being a former member of the Interahamwe militia and taking part in atrocities during the genocide, including killings in Kibungo Prefecture. Muhire fled Rwanda through Malawi before settling in Zimbabwe, where he is reported to have amassed a fortune and deepened his influence in the country's institutions.
Investigations by The NewsHawks, which also collaborated with the United Nations-led probe that confirmed Mpiranya's death, reveal that Muhire and other anti-Kigali refugees have infiltrated Zimbabwe's strategic state institutions, including immigration, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra). These connections are allegedly being exploited to secure illegal citizenship, suppress pro-Kigali refugees, and frustrate Rwandan investors.
"Some of these people now brag that they have captured key institutions in Zimbabwe," a source said. "They have embedded themselves by marrying Zimbabwean women, speaking Shona fluently, and establishing business empires."
Muhire is said to lead an underground network of refugees engaged in logistics, wholesale trade, and minerals, valued at over US$20 million. The group is also suspected of funding the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militant group operating in eastern DRC and linked to former Rwandan regime elements. The FDLR aims to topple Kagame's government and has been at the centre of regional conflict dynamics involving DRC, Burundi, and Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
Sources allege that Muhire has channelled money to the FDLR through Malawi and South African-based networks. His acquisition of Zimbabwean citizenship, reportedly at a cost of up to US$500,000, is seen as a shield from extradition requests by Rwanda.
Zimbabwean Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe has denied knowledge of Muhire's identity or activities, saying: "I am not aware of this. I am hearing this for the first time, I don't even know this person."
The presence of such figures has not only led to rising tensions with Kigali but also internal contradictions. For instance, while the Rwandan government encourages investment in Zimbabwe, bona fide investors are reportedly being deported or harassed at ports of entry, allegedly at the behest of Muhire's network. Some are labelled "Kigali spies" and denied legal residency or business permits.
One source claimed: "Investors are encouraged to come by both governments, but the anti-Kagame group is undermining that effort. Their influence extends into key sectors, and that's a major issue."
Additionally, the anti-Kigali faction is accused of promoting genocide ideology in Zimbabwe — the same brand of hate that fuelled the 1994 atrocities. "They are sowing dangerous seeds of ethnic division. These ideas have no place in Zimbabwe or anywhere else," warned one refugee source.
A particularly tragic incident that further stirred suspicion occurred in May last year when Samuel Habimana, a refugee and businessman in Mainway Meadows, Harare, was killed by armed robbers. Despite police confirming it as a robbery, anti-Kigali elements blamed the Rwandan government, a narrative that has stirred political tension within the refugee community.
Habimana, known to store large sums of cash at home, was shot in the neck after resisting a gang demanding money. US$100,000 was reportedly in his possession, although only US$2,100 was recovered from his pocket.
As Kigali continues to push for the extradition of Muhire and two other fugitives from Zimbabwe, the issue remains a litmus test for Mnangagwa's administration. While publicly committed to regional peace and justice, Harare's protection of individuals like Mpiranya and now Muhire raises questions about the country's stance on international justice and its priorities in foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Rwandan officials and rights groups are calling for Zimbabwe to halt the harbouring of genocide suspects and dismantle networks that threaten regional stability.
A Rwandan diplomat told The NewsHawks: "We want justice, not vengeance. But harbouring those who caused so much pain only weakens the region's moral compass. Zimbabwe must not be a safe haven for those who spilled blood and now plot more chaos."
As diplomatic ties grow between Zimbabwe and Rwanda, the presence of genocide-linked fugitives and their subversive operations presents a dangerous paradox — one that demands urgent redress if the promise of cooperation between Harare and Kigali is to be truly fulfilled.
While bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and Rwanda have significantly improved under President Emmerson Mnangagwa — who took power through a military coup in November 2017 before winning a subsequent election — they now face threats from underground political and security activities driven by anti-Kigali Rwandan refugees on Zimbabwean soil.
The two countries, once on opposing sides in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) war between 1998 and 2003, have since reconciled. They have opened embassies in each other's capitals and signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) under a Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation. These agreements span trade, investment, and regional stability efforts. However, the presence of politically active Rwandan refugees in Zimbabwe is straining the ties, threatening to unravel the hard-won diplomatic progress.
Among these refugees are former Rwandan army officers and civilians linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The most notable case was that of Protais Mpiranya, the former head of the Rwandan presidential guard, who was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for war crimes. After years of evading capture, Mpiranya died in Harare in 2006 and was secretly buried at Granville Cemetery (Mbudzi). His death was only confirmed by investigators in 2022 after his grave was exhumed.
Another key figure in this shadowy network is Ramazani (Ramathan) Muhire, a wealthy businessman based in Harare and a genocide suspect wanted by Rwandan authorities. He is accused of being a former member of the Interahamwe militia and taking part in atrocities during the genocide, including killings in Kibungo Prefecture. Muhire fled Rwanda through Malawi before settling in Zimbabwe, where he is reported to have amassed a fortune and deepened his influence in the country's institutions.
Investigations by The NewsHawks, which also collaborated with the United Nations-led probe that confirmed Mpiranya's death, reveal that Muhire and other anti-Kigali refugees have infiltrated Zimbabwe's strategic state institutions, including immigration, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra). These connections are allegedly being exploited to secure illegal citizenship, suppress pro-Kigali refugees, and frustrate Rwandan investors.
"Some of these people now brag that they have captured key institutions in Zimbabwe," a source said. "They have embedded themselves by marrying Zimbabwean women, speaking Shona fluently, and establishing business empires."
Muhire is said to lead an underground network of refugees engaged in logistics, wholesale trade, and minerals, valued at over US$20 million. The group is also suspected of funding the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militant group operating in eastern DRC and linked to former Rwandan regime elements. The FDLR aims to topple Kagame's government and has been at the centre of regional conflict dynamics involving DRC, Burundi, and Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
Sources allege that Muhire has channelled money to the FDLR through Malawi and South African-based networks. His acquisition of Zimbabwean citizenship, reportedly at a cost of up to US$500,000, is seen as a shield from extradition requests by Rwanda.
Zimbabwean Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe has denied knowledge of Muhire's identity or activities, saying: "I am not aware of this. I am hearing this for the first time, I don't even know this person."
The presence of such figures has not only led to rising tensions with Kigali but also internal contradictions. For instance, while the Rwandan government encourages investment in Zimbabwe, bona fide investors are reportedly being deported or harassed at ports of entry, allegedly at the behest of Muhire's network. Some are labelled "Kigali spies" and denied legal residency or business permits.
One source claimed: "Investors are encouraged to come by both governments, but the anti-Kagame group is undermining that effort. Their influence extends into key sectors, and that's a major issue."
Additionally, the anti-Kigali faction is accused of promoting genocide ideology in Zimbabwe — the same brand of hate that fuelled the 1994 atrocities. "They are sowing dangerous seeds of ethnic division. These ideas have no place in Zimbabwe or anywhere else," warned one refugee source.
A particularly tragic incident that further stirred suspicion occurred in May last year when Samuel Habimana, a refugee and businessman in Mainway Meadows, Harare, was killed by armed robbers. Despite police confirming it as a robbery, anti-Kigali elements blamed the Rwandan government, a narrative that has stirred political tension within the refugee community.
Habimana, known to store large sums of cash at home, was shot in the neck after resisting a gang demanding money. US$100,000 was reportedly in his possession, although only US$2,100 was recovered from his pocket.
As Kigali continues to push for the extradition of Muhire and two other fugitives from Zimbabwe, the issue remains a litmus test for Mnangagwa's administration. While publicly committed to regional peace and justice, Harare's protection of individuals like Mpiranya and now Muhire raises questions about the country's stance on international justice and its priorities in foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Rwandan officials and rights groups are calling for Zimbabwe to halt the harbouring of genocide suspects and dismantle networks that threaten regional stability.
A Rwandan diplomat told The NewsHawks: "We want justice, not vengeance. But harbouring those who caused so much pain only weakens the region's moral compass. Zimbabwe must not be a safe haven for those who spilled blood and now plot more chaos."
As diplomatic ties grow between Zimbabwe and Rwanda, the presence of genocide-linked fugitives and their subversive operations presents a dangerous paradox — one that demands urgent redress if the promise of cooperation between Harare and Kigali is to be truly fulfilled.
Source - newshawks
