Rwanda election may cause delay in deportation flights until July

Window for removing migrants before June had already narrowed after Lords defeat of Bill

RWANDA’S presidential elections are threatening to delay deportation flights to the country until July, The Telegraph understands.

Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame is seeking to extend his 24-year hold on the post in an election campaign due to start on June 15 with the votes cast on July 15.

Rishi Sunak has expressed his ambition to get the first flights off to Rwanda this spring but saw the Rwanda Bill defeated and amended for a second time in the Lords last week, potentially delaying them until June.

“Just like purdah in Whitehall when announcements that might influence the election are not allowed, you should not expect Rwanda to operate any differently during the election campaign like the first flight to the country,” said a Whitehall source.

The £500 million Migration and Economic Partnership under which illegal migrants to the UK are deported to Rwanda to claim asylum there has won the backing of the public in the central African state. But it is opposed by Frank Habineza, the Rwandan opposition leader standing against Mr Kagame.

The window for getting the flights off before June 15 has narrowed after the Lords defeated the Government with seven amendments to the Rwanda Bill on Wednesday.

MPs are not due to return from Easter break until April 15, when the Government is expected to seek to overturn the Lords’ amendments and return the Bill for a second time to the upper house.

The delay means that deportation flights are likely to be pushed back from May to June because of the legal appeal process for migrants and logistical preparations for detention and removal.

Internal Home Office documents show that officials have identified “several critical risks” that could delay the first deportation flights. One risk would be officials failing to locate and detain sufficient numbers of migrants combined with “significant attrition” through the legal process.

Number 10 said the Lords’ votes would not affect its timetable.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Our spring timeline has not changed and once the Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty are in place, we will get flights off the ground as soon as possible.”

Although Rwanda said its airport and migrant accommodation would “remain operational”, sources said it would be politically difficult for the first flights to arrive in the election period.

A Rwandan government spokesman said: “Rwanda remains committed to making sure the partnership is a success.”