Former Rwandan Prime Minister Pierre-Celestin Rwigema has fled to the US and applied for applied for political asylum, news organisations reported on Monday. Rwigema told the BBC’s Kinyarwanda service in Chicago on Monday that he had received warnings his life might be in danger if he returned to Rwanda. He accused the government of new Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, of muzzling opposition parties and said the country was now in the grip of the predominantly Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) more firmly than ever. Rwigema was prime minister from 1995 until his resignation in February amidst allegations of corruption. He had praised the government then, and said he would not leave the country. Rwigema left Rwanda two months ago for Europe, reportedly to attend a family wedding, but many observers predicted that he would not return.
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