KIGALI: Two hand grenade attacks in the Rwandan capital Kigali killed one person and wounded 28 others overnight, a police spokesman said on national Radio Rwanda on Sunday.
The attacks are the latest in a wave of violence in the run up to presidential elections in August after similar attacks had hit Kigali on February 19 and March 4, with two dead and about 20 wounded.
"Around 7:00 pm (on Saturday) a hand grenade exploded in the business district where 24 people were wounded and another person died," spokesman Eric Kayiranga said.
"At Nyabugogo (a Kigali district near the bus terminal), another hand grenade exploded wounding four people," he added. Nyabugogo was also the scene of the February 19 attacks.
The latest violence occurred in the Nyabugogo neighborhood, which was already hit by the first attack on February 19, that left one dead and several injured.
"Everybody was busy selling or buying when we suddenly heard an explosion. With the recent explosions still in everyone’s memory, everyone bolted straight away," said peddler Meriam Nyarasafari.
The attacks targeted busy neighborhoods during rush hours as tensions mount ahead of presidential elections due August 9.
Incumbent President Paul Kagame is widely tipped to win the election after he was officially nominated by the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front in a special party congress on Saturday.
The Rwandan government has accused two former high-ranking army officers, general Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa and Colonel Patrick Karegeya, of masterminding the February and March attacks, branding them "acts of destabilization".
Both have fled to South Africa.
In early March Rwandan authorities said a Rwandan government opponent, Deo Mushayidi, was also believed to be behind the hand grenade attacks and arrested in Burundi.
"Police is doing their job and reassure the people: troublemakers will be unmasked and arrested, police spokesman Kayiranga said on Sunday.
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