Court Debate Over Ingabire Victoire’s “Forces” in Rwanda.
In the trial of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza taking place at the High Court in Kigali, her alleged role in military activities aimed at overthrowing the government continued to spark a heated debate between her and the Prosecution.
Ingabire is accused of seven crimes, all related to a plot to overthrow the current government through the use of weapons, violence, or bloodshed.
On September 21, 2026, the Prosecution told the court that Ingabire played a role in an attack launched by the RUD-Urunana rebel group in the Kinigi and Musanze sectors of Musanze District in October 2019, which claimed the lives of 15 people.
RUD-Urunana is a breakaway faction of the FDLR, which at the time was led by Juvenal Musabyimana, known as ‘Gen Africa Jean Michel’. Many fighters were captured alive during this attack.
In an effort to determine what role Ingabire might have played in the attack, the Prosecution questioned some of the captured fighters, including Théoneste Habumukiza.
On September 21, 2026, the Prosecution explained that during interrogation, Habumukiza stated that Major Nshimiyimana Cassien of the CRAP unit (affiliated with the FDLR) had told them they would find Ingabire’s forces in Rwanda and join forces with them.
The testimony of Habumukiza, read by the Prosecution, states: “The CRAP Commander, Major Nshimiyimana Cassien, told us that the leader of FDU-Inkingi, the political party of Victoire Ingabire, has forces inside the country, and we will meet them in Cyanika and Kadatemwa.
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When Habumukiza was questioned about the cooperation between P5 and RUD-Urunana, he said: “First, Major Nshimiyimana Cassien told us that Brig Gen Jean Michel had already announced that he had allied with Victoire Ingabire’s FDU-Inkingi, and FDU-Inkingi is the coalition of P5 activities here in Rwanda.”
On September 28, Ingabire stated that she was among the first to issue a press release condemning the RUD-Urunana attack, showing that she had no hand in it. Ingabire noted that after her release in September 2018 following a presidential pardon, she decided to exercise extreme caution, implying that she would not disregard that pardon to engage in an attack that took the lives of Rwandans.
Regarding the fighters captured during the attack in Rwanda, Ingabire stated that the Prosecution had nowhere shown her involvement with the “rebels” of RUD-Urunana, nor proven whether or when she gave them any orders.
Addressing Habumukiza’s statement, Ingabire said: “If you read his interrogation record, he says, ‘They told us to go and attack Rwanda, and in Rwanda we will find the forces of Victoire Ingabire.’ Mr. President, does the Prosecution really believe that I have an army in this Rwanda, other than just lying?”
Ingabire maintains that she practices a politics of peace and seeks solutions through dialogue, pointing out that as a mother and a Christian, she could never make a decision that involves shedding blood.
