Ugandans residing at the Katuna border post in Kabale have blocked traffic from crossing to and fro Rwanda, accusing the southern neighbour of arresting Ugandans at will.
The development follows the arrest of one Justus Twongyeirwe, allegedly by the Rwanda Police on hitherto unsubstantiated charges.
‘The businessman banked 170 million shillings at the boarder (sic) with intent to move to Kigali and purchase goods as his usual business. He wasn’t aware that Kigali Police was right outside waiting for him; he was first charged with forgery and immediately taken to prison,’ an unofficial document seen by this Website indicates in part.
According to the document, the police turned around and later claimed that Twongyeirwe was taking the money to aid ‘subversive elements’ in Rwanda.
‘Rwanda has now turned around claiming this money was for (Lt. Gen. Faustin) Kayumba, (exiled former Rwanda Defence Forces commander), that it is meant to organize crime in Rwanda after failing to show forgery,’ the document adds.
This development comes in the wake of seemingly frosty relations between Uganda and Rwanda, with the latter arresting police officers allegedly linked to the kidnap and subsequent repatriation of Rwandan refugees and asylum seekers including one Lt. Joel Mutabazi, a former bodyguard of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Lt. Mutabazi was subsequently arraigned before the court martial and sentenced to life in prison, a senior police officer, Commissioner of Police (CP) Joel Aguma, is currently being charged by the Army Court Martial for among other crimes, Mutabazi’s forceful return to Rwanda.
Meanwhile, in a related development it has been reported that Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda Major General Frank mugambage has written a ‘protest note’ (Note Verbale) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, protesting the alleged arrest of Rwandan nationals in Uganda.
