By Spy Uganda
Retired Brigadier General Dr. Frank Rusagara, a distinguished former officer of the Rwandan Defense Forces and one-time Secretary General of the Defense Ministry, has died in prison at the age of 70. His death on March 24, 2025, comes after nearly 11 years behind bars on charges widely criticized by international human rights advocates.
Rusagara, who also served as Rwanda’s military attaché to the United Kingdom, was arrested on August 18, 2014. In 2016, he was convicted by the Military High Court in Kanombe of inciting insurrection and tarnishing the image of the government. Among the claims raised in court was that he had described Rwanda as a “police state and a banana republic” and called President Paul Kagame a “dictator.”
Though his 20-year sentence was later reduced to 15 years by the Court of Appeal in 2019, rights groups including Human Rights Watch condemned the trial as politically motivated, citing allegations of torture and witness tampering.
His passing has reverberated far beyond Rwanda’s borders. Winnie Byanyima, a prominent Ugandan diplomat and UN official, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media:
“I have learnt with deep sadness that our dear brother-in-law Brigadier General Dr Frank Rusagara died in prison in Kigali on Monday night. He is in a better place. He has suffered here on earth. A brilliant, selfless, courageous public servant and caring human being has bowed out. My heart goes out to his children, to Karemera, Rusanganwa, Gisagara and all the Kanyambo family and to all relatives and friends. May Frank rest in eternal peace.”
Rusagara’s death underscores persistent concerns about political repression in Rwanda and the treatment of dissenting voices. His legacy as a soldier, scholar, and outspoken critic of authoritarianism adds a complex chapter to Rwanda’s post-genocide political narrative.
As tributes pour in, questions remain about the conditions of his imprisonment and the broader implications for freedom of expression and justice in Rwanda.
