Kagame resorts to forcing Rwandans to pay contributions after aid cuts
Rwangobwa John, the minister of Finance and Economic planning .
Faced with huge early economic pressure resulting from aid cut by major donors over Rwanda’s active military involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and support to M23 rebels, Kagame’s government has now resorted to forcing poor Rwandans to make contributions to offset the funding gap, Umuvugizi has reliably learnt from independent sources.
Reliable information to Umuvugizi from Rwandans inside the country, confirm that they continue to pay extra money on Value Added Tax (VAT) which already has been exorbitantly high, where they are forced to pay money in what has been called ‘’Agaciro (Value) Development Fund’’.
Citizens must pay this money as a cost in exchange to the services they want from all government departments.
Some of those who talked to Umuvugizi are asking themselves why they have to pay that money, especially when they clearly cannot tell who and how that money will be managed.
One of the citizens we talked to said that all the contributions they have always been forced to pay end up feeding Kagame and his officials in government than the local people who continue to get poorer.
Other reliable information available to Umuvugizi also indicate that the government is initiating a comprehensive plan of mobilizing all Rwandans throughout the country to forcefully take to the streets in massive demonstrations against foreign donors who cut their aid to Rwanda over Kagame Government’s support to DR Congo M23 rebels, that have claimed death of millions of innocent people and displaced thousands as refugees.
This money which is to be paid on government orders, will not only concern Rwandans inside the country but also those in Diaspora through their respective embassies.
Umuvugizi also learns that money must be paid though the following bank accounts and those who will not pay it will be taken as enemies of the country. National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) -Ac number: 120.50.72.-swift code: BNRWRW, Banque de Kigali -AC number: 040-0424687-43 -swift code: BKIGRWRW, Banque Populaire du Rwanda -AC number: 408-369-3498-11 swift code: bprwrwrw.