Rwanda president donates cows to man whose herd was attacked by rebels

Rwandan president Paul Kagame on Monday, August 30 donated five cows to Jean de Dieu Twagirayezu, a resident of Bugeshi Sector of Rubavu District, as compensation for his cows which were shot in an FDLR’s incursion last Friday.

The attackers shot at Twagirayezu’s cattle at nighttime.

“I heard gunshots at around 10.30pm and I found that they had shot five cows, with one dead,” Twagirayezu said.

“The army began to treat those which had been wounded. Although that was a loss, I knew that our country had more cattle. I am thankful to our leadership for compensating me.”

The five donated cows, which are pregnant, were delivered by Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and district authorities.

“We have gathered here three days after the coward attack at the border. The attackers cannot do any more harm than shooting at our cattle; that’s all they can do,” Deogratias Nzabonimpa, the Vice-Mayor in charge Economic Development in Rubavu District, said Monday during the ceremony to handover the compensation.

The DR Congo-based terrorist group, FDLR, attacked the border sector of Bugeshi during the night but were quickly pushed back by RDF, according to Maj. Gen. Alexis Kagame, the army’s regional commander in the Western Province, who delivered the president’s donation.

“The FDLR have been weakened, but they can launch small attacks and kill cows or throw grenades if we are not watchful,” Maj. Gen. Kagame told Bugeshi residents.

He added that the RDF is capable of keeping Rwanda’s security.

“We troops are in Mozambique, in Central African Republic, in South Sudan and other parts. We cannot provide security there and fail in our country.”

He also called on local residents to tighten community patrol, known as irondo, and work with security organs to ensure that borders are protected.

Besides, the president’s donation, local residents had pledged three cows as compensation to Twagirayezu, The New Times has learnt.