Robert Bayigamba wari minisitiri ‘imikino mu Rwanda mu mwaka wi 2004, avuga ko atigeze aterwa ishema n’ikipe y’igihugu yitabiriye imikino y’igikombe cy’Afurika kuko yari igizwe n’abanyamahanga benshi kandi ikaba yari ikipe itarigeze itegurwa.
Iyo bavuze ibigwi by’u Rwanda mu mupira w’amaguru ku isonga bavuga igikombe cy’afurika ikipe y’Igihugu yitabiriye muri Tunisia mu mwaka wi 2004, iri joro rigaruka mu mitwe ya benshi nk’amateka yari akomeye ku gihugu icyo gihe kuko hari hashize imyaka 10 gusa FPR Inkotanyi ihagaritse Jenoside yakorwag Abatutsi. N’ubwo iri joro benshi baryibuka nk’ijoro ry’amateka Robert Bayigamba aryibuka nk’ijoro ryamuzamuriye isukari ryari rigiye gutuma akazi kose kakozwe gahinduka ubusa.
Mu kiganiro urubuga rw’imikino kuri radio Rwanda, Robert Bayigamba wari uyoboye abanyarwanda bari bitabiriye iyi mikino muri Tunisia yatangaje inararibonye yakuye mu mikino y’igikombe cy’Afurika cya 2004 u Rwanda rwitabiriye.
Robert Bayigamba yavuze ko abakinnyi bamusabye amafaranga kandi bitari bukunde ko abonekere igihe bayashakiraga. Umukino ufungura igikombe cy’Afurika cya 2004 wagombaga kuba ku wa gatandatu taliki ya 24 Mutarama 2004, ugahuza u Rwanda na Tunisia yari yakiriye. Gusa uyu mukino wari ugiye kutaba kubera ko abakinnyi b’ikipe y’Igihugu y’u Rwanda basabaga amafaranga mu ijoro ryo ku wagatanu bavuga ko nibatayabona batari bujye mu kibuga.
“ Narabasobanuriye hari ku wa gatanu bashaka kuyararana mbabwira ko muri Tunisia uwo munsi banki zaho zidakora bazayabona ku wa mbere barabyanga ndasohoka ndabasiga njya kwicara mu modoka ntekereza icyo ndibubwire abantumye.”
Bayigamba akomeza agira ati: “Nagiye kwicara mu modoka ndikwibaza icyo ndibukore noneho ngaruka kongera kubaganiriza nshaka kuvuga mu Kinyarwanda nsanga benshi ni abanyamahanga nabo batavuga ururimi rumwe mbaza umuyobozi wa federasiyo uko bahuza abo bantu ambwira ko ari akazi k’abatoza.”
Bayigamba Robert n’ubwo atavuga uko iki kibazo cyacyemutse ngo ikipe y’Igihugu y’u Rwanda yitabire umukino wagombaga kuyihuza na Tunisia akomeza avuga ko byamuhaye isomo rikomeye ryo gutegura abakinnyi b’abanyarwanda bahereye ku bakiri bato.
“ N’ubwo icyo gihe u Rwanda rujya mu gikombe cy’Afurika abantu babyishimiye n’u Rwanda rukavugwa ariko njye nishimiye cyane igikombe cy’Isi u Rwanda rwitabiriye muri Mexico mu mwaka wi 2011, icyo gihe nibwo twari dutangiiye kubaka imikino itanga icyizere ihereye ku banyarwnada bakiri bato.”
Ikipe y’Igihugu y’u Rwanda yitabiriye imikino y’igikombe cy’Afurika cya 2004 yari yiganjemo abakinnyi benshi bahawe ubwene gihugu ariko nyuma baza kubwamburwa kubera impamvu zitandukanye.
Si Robert Bayigamba gusa wabaye mu buyobozi bwa siporo mu Rwanda uvuze ko atigeze aterwa ishema cyane n’ikipe y’u Rwanda yitabiriye imikino y’igikombe cy’Afurika cya 2004 kuko benshi mu bari bayigize batari Abanyarwanda mu buryo bwa Kavukire. Nzamwita Vincent Degaule wabaye perezida w’ishyirahamwe ry’umupira w’amaguru mu Rwanda hagati y’umwaka wa 2014 na 2018 nawe mu mwaka w’i 2016 yavuze ko n’ubwo u Rwanda rwitabiriye igikombe cy’Afurika ariko kitakinwe “ n’abakinnyi b’Abanyarwanda.”
Icyo gihe Degaule yagizet ati : “ Ibyo kujya mu gikombe cy’Afurika 2004, sinjya mbitindaho kuko kuri njye ni nkaho tutagiyeyo kuko twakoreshaga abanyamahanga.”
Mu mwak w’i 2004 u Rwanda rwari mu bihugu 16 byitabiriye imikino yanyuma y’igikombe cy’Afurika, iyi niyo mikino ikomeye ku mugabane u Rwanda rutarongera kugira amahirwe yo kuyisubiramo n’ubwo amakipe ayitabira yazamuwe akava kuri 16 ubu akaba ari 24.
