Kigali — The President of the yet-to-be registered political party, FDU-Inkingi, Victoire Ingabire, yesterday provoked a fracas at Kinyinya Sector as she attempted to jump the queue ahead of local residents lined up to receive their national identifications.
According to eye witnesses, trouble began when Ingabire arrived to pick her identification papers and decided to bypass a long line of people who had been waiting for their turn, for hours, to collect their documents from the local authority.
"People became angry when she jumped the queue, ahead of locals who have been waiting for months for their IDs. They protested that Ingabire and her group should not get preferential treatment, and should wait in line like anyone else," an eyewitness said.
"Wednesday is the only day set aside by the Sector to deal with issues relating to identification papers. It is usually crowded."
A war of words ensued as the crowd attempted to block Ingabire's group from going into the office. Sector officials, including the Executive Secretary, tried to intervene but they were told off by the residents who had been waiting for long hours to receive their documents.
Ingabire left the scene in her car, leaving behind her personal assistant, Joseph Ntawangundi.
Later, she claimed that she lost her handbag in the melee. Police were called in and dispersed the crowd. Five individuals were arrested following the scuffle.
Police spokesman, Eric Kayiranga, confirmed the arrest but refuted claims by some sections of the media and members of FDU-Inkingi that Ingabire had been injured and hospitalised at King Faisal Hospital and her assistant arrested.
"She was not hurt at all. Only Ntawangundi's shirt was ripped off by the angry residents," said Kayiranga.
"We did not arrest him as alleged, but took him to the police station to make a statement, a routine procedure for any witness."
In an interview with the BBC, Ingabire also confirmed that she had left the scene unhurt.
Victoire Ingabire arrived in the country last month and announced her intention to stand in the next presidential elections slated for August this year.
Her statements immediately after her arrival attracted the ire of many sections of the society, for their racist and revisionist contents.
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this is the dictatorship regime because it never happened how can the president to be can be betten by the people in the opsition and the president sit in his office and do nothing? why he hasn't say anything to the public? is he haven't had about the traged toward our future president. we love her, we need the change, we need proper democracy in our land. About the people who still worshiping the bones let them worship those bones,is there any difference between Hutu's bones and Tutsi's I agree too because that is an insult to the community the leaders should teach how to live in peace and hamony not to live hatred.