Wife says Rwandan general who fell out with Kagame shot in South Africa

Wife says Rwandan general shot in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG — A Rwandan general accused of terrorism in his homeland was shot and wounded in South Africa on Saturday, his wife said, blaming Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Lt. General Kayumba Nyamwasa’s wife, Rosette, interviewed Saturday at a hospital in Johannesburg, said she and her husband were returning from shopping to the upscale gated community where they live in northern Johannesburg when a lone gunman fired on him. She said her husband was shot in the stomach and doctors tell her he will make a full recovery. The gunman escaped.

South African police said they have no information on the shooting. A South African foreign ministry official referred questions to police.

In Rwanda, Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said her government was unaware of the shooting.

Rosette Nyamwasa said she has no proof, but suspected politics was the motive because the gunman did not try to rob her and her husband. She said Kagame has publicly threatened her family.

“He must be behind it,” she said. “He wants us dead.”

The Rwandan government has linked Nyamwasa, who came to South Africa earlier this year, to three grenade attacks in Rwanda’s capital Feb. 19. The attacks in central Kigali killed one person and injured 30.

The Rwandan government has accused Nyamwasa of trying to destabilize Rwanda — while he was in the country, and while he was in India, where he recently served as Rwanda’s ambassador.

South African police said earlier this year they had not arrested Nyamwasa because they do not have an extradition treaty with Rwanda.