About 40 Rwandan nationals were arrested in a joint operation between the Military Intelligence and Police chieftaincy in Kibuye, a Kampala suburb, authorities said.
The operation was carried out in an unspecified church on the first floor of the Joinus house at Kibuye on Entebbe Road, with membership of only Rwandan people.
Before ordering them out, the UPDF troops first cordoned off the scene where the group supposedly held a conference. Anyone who walked from the church was instructed to board a waiting van. Our journalist was unable to find out where the group was being held.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Speaker Patrick Onyango confirmed the arrests and clarified that only “a supportive role” was played by the police in the action.
“We only played a supportive role. For details, I ask that you speak to my senior colleague in the UPDF,” Mr Onyango said.
The UPDF spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, declined to disclose information of the arrests when asked for information.
“This is an ongoing operation, I cannot give details right now because it will jeopardize the operation,” Brig Karemire said.
A security source informed reporters that the suspects were a security menace, but the nature of the risk they posed was not elaborated on.
“Most of the people we arrested were Rwandans but they had Ugandan National identification cards which were found to be fake,” the source said.
When Maj Gen Frank Mugambage, High Commissioner of Rwanda, contacted Uganda via his official telephone line, the respondent said;’I am not available.”
Recently, relations between Uganda and Rwanda struck a very low level with Rwanda closing its border side. Rwanda accuses Uganda of arresting its people and supporting dissidents, a claim which was constantly refused by officials in Kampala.
The government of Rwanda, in turn, encouraged its citizens not to travel to Uganda. ‘their own personal safety.’