President Paul Kagame’s Rwandan security agencies have intensified arrests, detentions and deportation of Ugandans.
Kigali deported at least six Ugandans this week.
On June 10, Rwanda’s dreaded National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) informed Dancan Himbisa (born July 31, 1995) and Alex Byamukama (born May 20, 1994) they were prohibited immigrants in Rwanda.
This notice came from Bernard Kanyehara, the Gicombe DIO. Kanyehara was acting on behalf of Francois Regis Gatarahiya, the director general of Rwanda’s Immigration and Emigration department.
“Take note that you are declared as prohibited immigrants in the Republic of Rwanda within the meaning of articles 12 and 15 of the law number 57/2018 of 13/08/2018 of Immigration and Emigration of Rwanda,” Kanyehara wrote to Himbisa and Byamukama.
Earlier in the week, Kigali had deported four Ugandan teachers.
Rwanda claimed the four – Alex Balikitenda, 29; Abdul Mutwarib Ssenono, 31; Jethro Naturinda, 41; and Samuel Nalumenya, 45 – had attempted to leave Rwanda through porous border routes.
Upon their arrest about two months ago, Rwanda had detained the four Rwenzamenyo-Nyamirambo prison in Kigali for two months.
Their work permits cancelled, Kigali levelled what they insist are trumped up charges.
They say Ugandans in Rwanda are living in fear lr deportation, illegal arrests and detention over the bad blood between Kigali and Kampala, and the two principals: President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni of Uganda and Kagame of Rwanda.
Some of these deportees are even claiming they were told to choose between telling lies about Museveni or facing the worst in Rwanda.
Although Pearl Times News couldn’t independently verify these claims, the publication understands many Rwandans and Ugandans could be caught up in the crossfire of the cold war between Kigali and Kampala.
The six deportees might be lucky to return home without much torture or lengthy prison terms.
But the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), a notorious sister security agency of the NISS, continues to profile Ugandans targeted for arrests, detentions and deportation.
One of its recent victims is Conary Mugisha, accused of defrauding Dubai based Gorah Metal Trading in a gold deal.
As has become Kigali’s ritual, Mugisha was paraded before the press at the Kigali Metropolitan Station.
But RIB didn’t want to reveal details of how they had arrested Mugisha.
If convicted, Mugisha could face imprisonment for a term of not less than five years but not more than seven years and a fine of not less than Rwf3 million and not more than Rwf5 million, according to Rwandan penal laws.
