The Rwandan ambassador in London criticized the immigration policy followed by the conservative British government, which has signed an agreement with his country to host migrants.

When asked in a documentary published online by the activist group “Led By Donkeys” on Saturday night about what he would say to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or Home Secretary Suella Braverman regarding their immigration policy, Johnston Busingye, Rwanda's High Commissioner in the UK (i.e., the ambassador), replied that he believes it is "very bad."

He also said, "They should adopt a long-term policy so that individuals do not risk coming to the UK," adding that "many people do not come here because of the war in their country, but they come here because they are desperate (…) and have no future."

While the British government claims to have a "good" policy towards migrants, the ambassador, who was captured on hidden camera, viewed London's stance as "immoral," recalling Britain's colonial history in India and Africa.

London and Kigali signed a partnership on immigration that stipulates that the UK can deport thousands of migrants to Rwanda who have entered the country illegally across the English Channel in small boats. However, the scheme has faced criticism from migrant assistance organizations and is currently suspended by the judiciary.

To defend this agreement, the Home Secretary asserted that Rwanda is a safe country, despite accusations from many human rights groups regarding the situation in that country.

Additionally, the ambassador was asked in the documentary about a previous incident where refugees were killed by Rwandan police, to which he responded, "Yes, it may have happened. What of it?"

In response to the documentary being posted on social media, the Rwandan government pointed out "many inaccuracies in the facts."

It stated that Rwanda "upholds the principle of treating every person (…) equally," adding that "Rwanda and the UK engage with mutual respect and open dialogue" and welcoming the "important role" of the High Commissioner "in maintaining our strong bilateral relations."

A spokesperson for the British government also defended the partnership with Rwanda, stating, "We need innovative solutions to stop the boats and break the economic model of the trafficking gangs."