The Rwandan community in Uganda is apprehensive of this 2021 presidential election season. Over the past weeks, social media has been inundated with obscure audios calling for and endorsing violence against “Banyarwanda”. Uganda is home to many Banyarwanda, those who hold Ugandan citizenship, residents, refugees who are now targets for wanton violence.

Tensions between Rwanda and Uganda have been the source of economic hardship in both countries. In Uganda, they steered up frustration and resentment for which Rwandans are convenient scapegoats. 

The defamation campaign aimed at questioning president Museveni‘s own citizenship has added fuel to the fire in that it reinforces the narrative according to which Rwandans are to blame for all of Uganda’s problems.  

The recent allegations of Rwanda’s meddling into the violence along Uganda’s opposition campaign rallies are alarming. The momentum is building up to a potentially explosive situation and something needs to be done. Urgently.

If our regional leaders are willing to tolerate and normalize this regional instability, we should not look on and wait for this fist-fight to deteriorate into a full-blown civil war.

This is an appeal to reason. An appeal to President Kagame to be the better person for the sake of the thousands of Rwandans living in Uganda who have got nothing to do with his and President Museveni’s falling out. Not all Rwandans living in Uganda are RNC operatives. Many are there for business. Others are there because of their families. And all these people are stranded, hoping and waiting for their government and leader to make peace with Uganda.

Rwanda needs to make peace with its neighbors. 

It is president Kagame’s duty to see to the welfare of his nationals. He has a responsibility and he needs to find a way to address Kenya’s and Uganda’s grievances to make peace with our neighbors and save Rwandan lives. 

We Africans, particularly our leaders, need to start walking the talk and stop procrastinating and excusing our disunity.  There will be no prosperity without peace.

Noble Marara