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It has emerged that Britain gave £64million of taxpayers’ cash to an African country ruled by a tyrant suspected of murdering his rivals. Critics last night demanded a fresh purge on the generous handouts to the regime which is run by Rwandan president Paul Kagame. The 59-year-old millionaire has been linked to the death, disappearance and imprisonment of dozens of opponents, as well as allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption.

GETTY UK aid policy was labeled a ‘disgrace’ after it was revealed £64m a country ruled by dictator

But his regime has been rewarded with the bumper payout after being praised as “open and inclusive” by the Department for International Development. Last night Ukip’s home affairs spokeswoman Jane Collins said the money was “a damning indictment of the UK’s disastrous foreign aid policy and another reason for a complete rethink of where and how we provide aid”.

All UK financial support in Rwanda is earmarked for specific programmes only DfID spokesman

She added: “To spend money, taken from the pockets of British workers and give it to a regime with such an appalling human rights record is a disgrace. “We must end our huge foreign aid budget and focus instead on sorting out spending priorities in this country – including reducing the national debt and ensuring proper border and policing and keep our aid to emergency funds.” The latest payout emerged as the Government comes under increasing pressure to cut the UK’s £12billion annual overseas aid budget.

UK Foreign Aid: Where did it all go? Mon, January 16, 2017 Public mood changes following scandals over how the money is allocated. This is where the UK Foreign Aid was being spent in 2015. Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 India = £150.4m

GETTY Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame is suspected of murdering his political rivals

David Cameron pledged to spend 0.7 per cent of Britain’s national income on foreign aid and Theresa May has maintained it. But Tory MP Philip Hollobone said the over-commitment means we are forced to fund dubious countries and projects. He said: “The fundamental problem is that we are spending too much on overseas aid and DfID cannot spend this money quickly enough, so it is going to inappropriate causes.”

GETTY Ukip’s Jane Collins called for an end for Britain’s ‘huge foreign aid budget’

A DfID report outlined the £64million aid package to “build effective Government institutions” and support “development of an open and inclusive society”. It said Mr Kagame had a “strong record of using aid effectively”. Mr Kagame, who is believed to control assets worth £350million, took the presidency 17 years ago. After “restructuring” the electoral system he could remain in power for the next 17 years. But political opponents feared murdered include Illuminee Iragena, a member of the rival United Democratic Forces Party, who vanished on the way to work.

GETTY A DfID spokesman claimed the money was spent on specific projects such as education