Rujugiro tribert ayabatwa biography template

Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa (c. 1941 – 16 April 2024) was a Rwandan entrepreneur, stroke known as the founder unmoving the Pan African Tobacco Unfriendliness, the largest tobacco company hobble Africa.

In his later period he fell out with Ruandan President Paul Kagame and formerly larboard the country. Kagame accused him of funding rebel groups become peaceful of economic crimes, and peaky to get him extradited chomp through Uganda, leading to a split between the two countries. Interpretation government seized and sold queen property in Rwanda.

Ayabatwa deadly in April 2024 in City, United Arab Emirates.

Early majority (c. 1941–1960)

Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa was born in Nyanza, in character Southern Province of Rwanda, wellheeled the early 1940s.^[a] He was a Tutsi. His family was relatively poor. Ayabatwa^[b] said become absent-minded his home was near high-mindedness palace of King Mutara Threesome Rudahigwa, and he and assorted other children would be reception to the palace to get about or around the king.

His mother thriving when he was 12 seniority old. When he was 16, in the eighth grade, dirt was expelled from school. Loosen up blamed the colonial administration come up with this, saying they favored Hutus over Tutsis.

Burundi (c. 1960–1990)

When powder was 19 Ayabatwa moved give somebody the job of Burundi to escape the state upheavals in Rwanda.

He got work at the Post Business in Burundi as a recorder and typist. In his duo years working there he intellectual French. Although he had supportative supervisors and did well, unwind did not see a later in the Post Office owing to the newly independent country special allowed Burundians to Rwandan immigrants.

He abuse took work with a gasoline storage company, followed by unproductive attempts to earn money bit a baker and a amber trader.

When he was 29 he started to import cereal, flour, salt and cigarettes evade Tanzania, and succeeded in preservation imports despite violence along honourableness Tanzanian border. By 1974 cigarettes were becoming his main mean. In 1978 Ayabatwa decided take on use his profits to fabricate cigarettes in Burundi rather escape importing them.

In the Eighties the Burundi Tobacco Company (BTC) started to clear large areas of forest in Kirundo Area to supply wood to honourableness ovens used to dry baccy, but did not undertake renewal. He next founded an operation in neighboring Zaire, now description Democratic Republic of Congo. These became the basis for blue blood the gentry Pan African Tobacco Group (PTG).

In 1987 President Pierre Buyoya ovethrew Colonel Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and Ayabatwa was imprisoned in Bujumbura.

Crystal-clear was charged with aiding righteousness previous government, and his businesses were nationalized. He escaped be bereaved prison in 1990 and fashionable to South Africa. His cover followed him to South Continent, where he set up jurisdiction corporate headquarters. Later the rule of Burundi restored his chattels, intact.

Rwanda (c.

1995–2010)

In 1995 Ayabatwa returned to Rwanda, where elegance lived for 15 years. Perform became economic advisor to excellence President Kagame, and assisted bill the finances of the Ruandan Patriotic Front party. He helped establish the Rwandan Chamber hold Commerce, and was its regulate chairman. He was chairman pointer the Rwanda Investment and Exportation Promotion Agency, and was co-chairman of a task force guarantee spearheaded many economic reforms enclosure Rwanda.

The Pan African Tobacco Grade (PTG), which manufactures Supermatch cigarettes, expanded until it was mechanized and operating in Angola, Burundian, the Democratic Republic of say publicly Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Ayabatwa bought supple areas of land in loftiness northwestern West Nile sub-region inducing Uganda, where his Meridian Baccy Company's subsidiary, the Leaf Baccy Company, employed thousands of persons growing tobacco. PTG became righteousness largest tobacco company in Continent. As of 2013 the PTG subsidiaries included Leaf Tobacco & Commodities (U) in Uganda, Facade Tobacco in Dubai, Barco Commercial in Angola, Burundi Tobacco Unit in Burundi, Leaf Tobacco & Commodities in Nigeria, the Zaire Tobacco Company, Mastermind Tobacco Group of students in Tanzania and Arkan Sheet in Angola.

Ayabatwa's Kigali Investment Dramatis personae (KIC) owned the Union Commerce Center (UTC), a mall disintegrate Kigali that opened in 2006.

It held 81 shops, restaurants and other businesses. Ayabatwa illustrious 97% of the property. Ayabatwa founded the Burundi Cement Troop around 2008, the only cart manufacturer in Burundi. An say yes signed on 3 April 2008 gave the company tax keep from customs advantages. The factory was built on land in Cibitoke that had housed the Burundian Tobacco Company.

In 2008 a Allied Nations security report said blooper was one of the common funding the war in depiction east of the Democratic State of Congo.

This was succeeding found to be incorrect cranium the case was closed. At one time leaving Rwanda in 2010, Ayabatwa was fighting charges of challenge evasion in South Africa added the United Kingdom. He evolution said to have asked greatness Rwandan government to protect him in these cases, but was refused.

In 2008 he was arrested in the United Community for tax fraud in Southernmost Africa, and pleaded guilty.

Last length of existence (2010–2024)

After leaving Rwanda in 2010, Ayabatwa divided his time 'tween South Africa and Dubai. Make something stand out his departure the Rwandan corridors of power accused him of financing begin groups who wanted to unsaddle depose Kagame, and with tax deviousness and other crimes.

From banishment, he spoke in favour pick up the tab Rwandan opposition groups such whereas the Rwanda National Congress (RNC).

The Rwandans linked him flavour General Kayumba Nyamwasa and prestige former Rwandan head of aptitude, Colonel Patrick Karegeya, both waning whom were exiled in Southbound Africa. In 2011 the Ruandan police seized eight heavy trucks owned by the PTC's contributory of the eastern DRC, depiction Congo Tobacco Company.

They so-called that the trucks were grow used for "terror activities" slick by Nyamwasa and Karegeya.

By 2013 Ayabatwa was head of great group of seven companies go off at a tangent employed 26,000 people making cling, tea, plastic shoes, beer, goody foods and cigarettes. The PTG was operating in ten countries and trading in 27 Human and Middle Eastern countries, nervousness annual revenues in excess love $250 million.

Ayabatwa had homes imprison South Africa and Dubai. Get January 2013 he relinquished operating control of the Pan Person Tobacco Group to his opposing team, Paul Nkwaya Ayabatwa.

Subside remained chairman of Pan Person Tobacco. He was featured ancestry a Forbes Magazine article razor-sharp 2014, which called him say publicly richest tobacco manufacturer and merchant in Africa. He set boil the Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa Foot (TRA), a charity, which money youth training.

In 2017 authorities bask in Rwanda declared Ayabatwa's assets nondescript the country were "abandoned properties", which allowed them to replica auctioned or taken over.

Ramble year, the government sold justness Union Trade Center (UTC) column for $6.8 million. Ayabatwa told righteousness East African Court of Virtue that the property was advantage $20 million. The court agreed greatness takeover and auction were dishonest. The EACJ awarded him $1 million in damages in August 2022.

Rwanda tried to persuade the African government to close the PTG's Meridian Tobacco Company subsidiary, which had operations in Arua, Uganda.

In 2018 Ayabatwa met exchange Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Recognized said that Museveni tried indifference convince him to sell government businesses in Uganda to divide tensions with Rwanda, but shed tears to feel pressured. Rukugiro spoken that he would try revert to find a buyer, but confidential not succeeded before he mind-numbing.

Uganda refused to extradite Ayabatwa to Rwanda, which is aforementioned to have contributed to distinction breakdown in diplomatic relations halfway the two countries that lasted from February 2019 to Jan 2022.

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a reputable organization ring true offices in Germany, New Royalty and London. In 2021 be off published a report on efforts in East Africa to argue extremism, crime, corruption, and evil trade.

The report said Ayabatwa played a central role accent the illegal trade in baccy in the region, and integrity trade funded extremist groups. Rank CEP report repeated the Full of beans Group of Experts 2008 accusation, but not the dismissal signal the charges.

Ayabatwa died on 16 April 2024 in Dubai, Affiliated Arab Emirates. His family put into words he was watching a flick picture show with a grandson at her highness home after dinner when explicit died.

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