Rwanda has beds ready for only 200 UK deportees

A bedroom at Hope Hostel, which is getting ready to welcome the migrants from the UK. AFP

Rwanda only has enough beds ready for about 200 deportees from the UK, a government official said on Friday.

The announcement that 200 beds are currently available comes after statements from UK ministers that plenty of beds would be available for the uncapped number of migrants.

A Rwanda government spokeswoman also said critics of the UK’s new policy are falsely painting Africa as a poverty-stricken “hellhole” without hope.

Yolande Makolo said the deal with the UK, with London providing £120 million in funding, is a way to give youngsters the chance to build a life and “make it” in the east African nation.

During a briefing on Friday she suggested some people think “the streets are paved with gold” in Europe, or in richer countries, claiming: “Part of the reason is this narrative that is cast by different media that Africa is basically a hellhole and that it is a terrible place to live, which isn't true.”

The country has the capacity to accommodate 200 migrants at present but stands ready to “scale up” the operation quickly to meet the numbers arriving, Ms Makolo said.

Hope Hostel in Kigali, which sleeps 100, is ready to house migrants, and officials are in negotiations with other hotels in and around the capital city. There are also plans for “infrastructure developments”, they said.

She also explained that some of the UK deportees might try again to reach Britain.

People have their own reasons and “dreams” about where they want to go, she said.

“I think this is partly affected or influenced by the kind of stories that cast Western countries as better than Africa, as Africa being a place that is poor and full of disease and no opportunities. And I think that is incorrect.

“There are some disadvantages, we have limited means, but we are working on it.”

“This partnership that we have with the UK is one way to increase the number of opportunities for young Africans and people from around the world to live here and then make it here.”

Doris Uwicyeza Picard, chief adviser to Rwanda's justice minister, said: “We are ready to accommodate as many [migrants] as the UK is willing to send.”

She stressed Rwanda is “not a prison state” and repeated assurances that authorities will not be able to stop migrants leaving the country if they wish — giving rise to questions over whether some may try to make their way back to the UK again.

The government will help people return to their country of origin, or another where they have a right to reside, if they choose, she said.

“We do not want to create statelessness or a revolving door of migrants.”