Ex-President Arrested; Political Activities Cited

Pasteur Bizimungu, Rwanda’s former president turned opposition leader, has been arrested over what police said was illegal political activity.

Bizimungu’s right-hand man, Charles Ntakirutinkad, also has been detained, said police spokesman Tony Kuramba.

Bizimungu, an ethnic Hutu, resigned as president in March 2000 after falling out with leading members of Rwanda’s Tutsi-dominated ruling party and was replaced by military strongman Paul Kagame.

“They were advised to wait for the end of the transition period before carrying out political activity, but they did not heed that advice,” Kuramba said in Kigali, the capital.