A report by Amnesty International claims President Paul Kagame, his Rwandan government and security agencies tasked spies to use Israeli hacking software Pegasus to hack into mobile phones of Ugandan officials, including then Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen David Muhoozi, Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa and External Security Organization (ESO) Joseph Ochwet.
The hacking granted Kigali access to highly sensitive security information.
A Pegasus Project report claimed “Rwandan authorities chose thousands of activists, journalists and politicians to target with NSO spyware.”
Rwanda is believed to have infected phones of politicians and diplomats of several foreign countries, including Uganda and DR Congo.
“New evidence uncovered by Amnesty International and Forbidden Stories has revealed that Rwandan authorities used NSO Group’s spyware to potentially target more than 3,500 activists, journalists and foreign politicians. It was also used to infect the phone of Carine Kanimba, Paul Rusesabagina’s daughter, of Hotel Rwanda fame,” read the report in part.
Kigali and Kampala have had frosty relations in recent years.
The neighboring countries accuse each other of espionage and of harboring and supporting rebels against either nation.
President Kagame has in recent months warned Kigali would defend herself against aggression.
