Uganda’s foreign affairs junior minister Isaac Musumba says the country would welcome a payment of worth $5 million offered by the US for their capture of Idelphonse Nizeyimana, who is alleged to have had a big role in the Rwandan Genocide.
According to the African Rights organisation Nizeyimana is a key member of the FDLR militia. He was arrested in Uganda this week. Uganda may have a right to claim the money but what are moral implications of linking money to justice?
Do we need money offers in order to arrest of a man who took part in one the most horrendous crimes? I have always wondered why money should be involved, isn’t this capitalisation of justice? When did it begin and why? What purpose does it serve? Does this reflect the inhumanity in us that somehow we must have a material gain before we can ensure justice is served? If the likes of Nizeyimana are protected by people who don’t value that money, they will hardly get to face justice.
The same money has been put on others like Felicien Kambuga, a big businessman who partly funded RTLM, a radio that helped in plans and incitement of people to go kill their neighbours. He is still on the run reportedly in east Africa. Another thing if the money made it to the country probably it will remain in someone’s account for there are no guidelines how such money should be spent. But should we make money or should we be driven by the desire to ensure such crimes are not repeated not just in our borders but in the world? I think we shouldn’t try to capitalise justice especially in crimes against humanity for the sake of the victims, dead and alive. It’s only human to bring the perpetrators of genocide to book.
Rosebell Kagumire 