After new arrests of Rwandans inside the East African nation, Rwanda is seeking explanations from Kampala – a development that could deteriorate the already tense bilateral ties between the two nations.
Reports from Kampala show that some 40 Rwandan nationals were detained on Tuesday in Kibuye’s Kampala suburb in a joint operation undertaken by the Military Intelligence Chieftaincy (CMI) and Uganda Police.
According to Uganda’s reporters, the operation was carried out at an unnamed church situated on the first floor of the Joinus building in Kibuye, a suburb along Entebbe Road, which allegedly belongs to only Rwandan people.
The State Minister responsible for the East African Community Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe informed reporters that the government of Rwanda is monitoring Rwanda citizen’s recent arrests in Uganda.
“We are yet to get enough information. The High Commission is following the case with Ugandan authorities,” Nduhungirehe said.
In a short telephone interview, Rwanda’s High Commissioner for Uganda, Maj. Gen (Rtd) Frank Mugambage said the mission is monitoring reports of new arrests targeting Rwandans.
“We are yet to get details but we are following up on the issue,” he said, adding that more details will be provided in due course after Ugandan authorities communicate.
The spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police Patrick Onyango informed journalists that only “a supportive role” was played by the police in the operation.
In particular, Rwanda has accused the CMI military intelligence outfit of targeting Rwandans within Uganda, with hundreds already languishing without trial in arbitrary detention centres.
Rwanda also claims that Rwandans were tortured while others were illegally deported and dumped at the frontier.
The spokesperson of the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF), Brig Richard Karemire, did not provide information about the arrests, but sources say the action is private to the unilaterally working CMI.
Rwanda also accuses CMI of enabling groups fighting mainly the Rwandan government headed by Kayumba Nyamwasa, the Rwandan National Congress (RNC).
No details were given about the arrests, despite reporting by local media in Uganda that the arrested people were a ‘ security threat. ‘
Rwanda-Uganda relations have deteriorated over the past two years with Rwanda accusing Kampala of arbitrary arrest of Rwandans and supporting rebel groups trying to destabilize the nation.
Rwanda also vehemently dismisses reports that the Rwandans detained are spies, but rather normal people who run their businesses in Uganda before being targeted by security agents who either force them to join rebel groups or lock them up for refusal.
On June 12, in a meeting held in Luanda, Angola, under the auspices of DR Congo’s host President João Lourenço and Félix Tshisekedi, attended by President Paul Kagame and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, both countries expressed their ‘ willingness ‘ to engage in dialog to resolve the current situation.
Nearly two weeks now, however, there is no indication of the relenting condition and there were no dates for further dialogue.
With the arrests continuing in Uganda, authorities in Rwanda claim it is too early to say whether the dialog that Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will facilitate will lead to the restoration of friendly ties between the two neighbors.
Rwanda government has cautioned its citizens to refrain from travelling to Uganda for their own safety.
