EXCLUSIVE: Rwanda Writes Protest Letter to Uganda over Arrests; Gen Nyamwasa ‘Recruitment’
In the correspondence, Rwanda names some of its citizens it says have been held incommunicado and denied consular services in Uganda.
It further queries reports of facilitating the activities of Rwanda National Congress (RNC) – a diaspora-based political party run by dissident General Kayumba Nyamwasa.
“…the Republic of Rwanda wishes to call the highest attention by Ugandan authorities, and request remedy without delay to the following,” the note reads in part.
“1. Multiple unjustified arrests, failure to notify the Diplomatic representation of Rwanda in Uganda and mistreatment of Rwandan citizens in Uganda in the last several months…”
Some of the Rwandan nationals arrested in Uganda include James Bayingana, Ali Lando Nshekanabo, Vianny and Byaruhanga Nduwamungu.
The trio, according to the Rwandan government, was picked on September 23 in Bukasa, Kampala, before being held incommunicado for more than a month and released in November 2017.
Rwanda also cited Rene Rutagungira who was on October 27 arrested on charges of kidnap and illegal deportation of Lt Joel Mutabazi.
He was brought to the court martial three months later.
Rwanda further named Fidele Gatsinzi who was arrested on December 9, 2017.
Kigali says Gatsinzi “had gone to visit his child studying at Uganda Christian University, Mukono.”
However, Ugandan officials told ChimpReports that Gatsinzi, a former RPF Chairman, Mbarara, was being held by the Military Intelligence for alleged espionage and harassment of Rwandan refugees in Uganda.
Sources further accused Gatsinzi of recruiting rebels to fight governments in DRC and Burundi and facilitating a smear campaign against President Museveni in the media.
This website could not independently verify these claims.
The First Chancellor at Rwanda’s High Commission in Kampala, Noel Mucyo confirmed the detention of Gatsinzi by CMI but said the Rwandan national was “innocent.”
Mucyo further said the Mission was using all diplomatic means to secure Gatsinzi’s release.
Uganda speaks out
Contacted for comment, the Head of Public Diplomacy at Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ms Margaret Kafeero said she was on leave and couldn’t competently speak about this development.
She referred this website to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amb Patrick Mugoya who confirmed receiving the correspondence.
“It’s true, the note came,” said Mugoya.
“We now need to hear from relevant authorities and then we will be able to respond.”
Foreign Affairs PS, Patrick Mugoya
Pressed to comment on the arrests, Mugoya politely responded: “We are not police. We’ll refer these matters to authorities to clarify on them.”
Asked to contextualize the diplomatic note in the wake of recent events that have threatened to hurt the two countries’ relations, Mugoya stressed: “Relations go beyond arrests. If there are some suspects involved in crimes, they can be arrested.”
He, however, reassured that that the bilateral relations with Rwanda are “okay.”
Nyamwasa party
Meanwhile, Rwanda says in its diplomatic note that its “most concerning” issue is the “facilitation of recruitment and travel in the region of Rwandans in possession of Ugandan travel documents, of whom are mostly from refugee camps in Uganda, for the benefit of the terrorist group known as Rwanda National Congress (RNC).”
Rwanda further added: “Information in our possession has revealed that this network has intentions to cross from Uganda into Tanzania and eventually end up in DRC in the RNC camps.”
According to the note, “The incident of December 11, 2017 involving forty of such recruits at the Uganda-Tanzania-Kikagati border is one glaring example of the above mentioned facilitation in favour of Rwanda’s enemy.”
Uganda Police spokesperson Emillian Kayima recently told this investigative website the law enforcement body was interrogating the arrested Rwandans to establish their motive.
“The information we have is that a group of over 40 people were travelling in a Ugandan bus allegedly going to Burundi for a Christian fellowship,” said Kayima.
“They allegedly carried with them suspected fake travel documents. They were intercepted on this note,” he added.
The bus had crossed into Tanzania before its occupants were returned to Uganda for questioning.
Earlier, immigration officials had expressed suspicion about the trip, leading to frantic telephone calls to senior security officials in the region.
“They were brought to the region (Uganda) for questioning to establish facts and falsehoods,” said Kayima, adding, “if they will be found capable for any offences, they will be brought to book accordingly.”
But in a statement, RNC spokesperson Jean Paul Turayishimye described the reports as “contradictory” and a “smear campaign” against RNC that is being spread through Government owned newspapers, suggesting that Uganda is helping RNC to recruit refugees to join a rebel group intended to oust the government of Rwanda.”
He added: “One may ask how, in one week, the same government that is assisting the organization, Rwanda National Congress creating an army to fight Rwanda government, will arrest people from the same organization for doing exactly what the government of Uganda wants them to do. The story seems to suggest that, Ugandan government and Ugandan Police are two different entities, which work against each other.”
Nevertheless, Rwanda has since requested “a full investigation of this incident by the three countries concerned i.e, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania as soon as possible.”
Amb Mugoya told ChimpReports that Uganda’s response to Rwanda would be informed by “what comes out of our Ministry’s inquiries (consultations with authorities – Ed).”
He also underscored the correspondence was part of the “normal procedure between two countries.”
“This doesn’t necessarily mean that the relations are bad. It’s a normal way of communication,” said Mugoya.
