Frank Gashumba: If You Want Us Banyarwanda to Go Back to Rwanda, You Should Let Us Go Back With Our Land

Businessman and social commentator Frank Gashumba has reignited debate about the status and rights of Uganda’s Banyarwanda community after declaring that any calls for them to return to Rwanda should also include surrendering the land they have occupied and owned for generations.

The remarks come amid renewed public discussions about citizenship, identity, and belonging, particularly concerning Ugandans of Rwandan descent who have long complained of discrimination and exclusion from government services.

Gashumba, who serves as Chairperson of the Council for Abavandimwe, an association that represents the interests of the Banyarwanda community in Uganda, has emerged as one of the most vocal defenders of the group’s rights and recognition.

His comments appeared to challenge individuals who question the citizenship of Banyarwanda people living in Uganda, arguing that many families have lived in the country for generations and possess legitimate claims to land and property acquired over decades.

The businessman has consistently maintained that the Banyarwanda community forms an integral part of Uganda’s social, economic and political fabric.

Through the Council for Abavandimwe, he has been advocating for greater recognition of the community’s rights and protection from what he describes as systemic discrimination.

Over the years, several members of the Banyarwanda community have complained about difficulties in obtaining or renewing national identity cards, as well as alleged profiling during citizenship verification exercises.

Gashumba has repeatedly condemned what he calls the unfair targeting of Banyarwanda people, arguing that such actions have left many individuals unable to access essential government services, employment opportunities, banking services and travel documents.

According to the Council for Abavandimwe, some members of the community have allegedly been removed from government databases or had their national identification documents confiscated, effectively rendering them stateless despite having lived in Uganda for most or all of their lives.

The issue of citizenship has remained a sensitive one in Uganda for decades, particularly in areas where communities of Rwandan origin settled long before the country’s independence.

Many families trace their presence in Uganda back several generations, while others arrived during different historical migration periods.

In a video trending on social media, Gashumba said: “By the way, if you want us to go back to Rwanda, we should go back with our land.”

If you want us Banyarwanda to go back to Rwanda, we should go back with our land — Frank Gashumba, leader of Bavandimwe #Banyarwanda #Uganda #Rwanda pic.twitter.com/p4nOo1FSJa

— The Pearl Times (@thepearltimes) June 4, 2026

Gashumba’s latest remarks have generated widespread reactions online, with supporters arguing that his statement underscores the deep historical roots that many Banyarwanda families have established in Uganda.

Others have viewed the comments as a response to recurring narratives that question the nationality and belonging of Ugandans of Rwandan ancestry.

The Council for Abavandimwe has in recent years intensified its advocacy efforts, calling on government institutions to ensure that all eligible Ugandans are treated fairly regardless of their ethnic background.

Gashumba has consistently argued that citizenship should be determined by the Constitution and the law rather than ethnic stereotypes or public perceptions.

His latest statement is likely to further fuel discussions about national identity, citizenship rights and the place of the Banyarwanda community in Uganda’s future.

For many supporters of the community, the message behind Gashumba’s viral remark was clear: those who regard Banyarwanda as outsiders must also confront the reality that many have deep roots in Uganda, including homes, businesses, farms and land acquired over generations.

Gashumba’s remarks are trending after Dr Lawrence Muganga accused deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa of failing him during a session to vet him as internal affairs minister, even as he has now insisted that Banyarwanda will not be silenced. (See Details Here and There).

It should be remembered that even if President Museveni has previously claimed that many people in central Uganda who claim to be Baganda are Banyarwanda, he has also told Banyarwanda to choose between Uganda and Rwanda, as reported Here and There.

Last year, Museveni issued 15 directives on the issue of Banyarwanda citizenship in Uganda, after many years of what was interpreted by some as suspicion against Banyarwanda in security and immigration circles. (See Details Here, There and Over There).