The Ugandan Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a protest to the government of Rwanda over shootings that continue to occur along the border between the two countries. It also demands for joint investigations into murders to have perpetrators brought to book
The document of protest was delivered to Rwanda’s High Commission to Uganda, Maj. Frank Mugambaje by the Permanent Secretary in Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Amb. Patrick Mugoya on Tuesday.
The new development followed an incident that happened on Sunday 10th November 2019 when two Ugandans Job Byarishanga and Bosco Tuheirwe were shot dead by Rwandan security agents from Tabagwe, along the Kamwezi border. The government of Rwanda has since acknowledged the deaths but alleged that the two were involved in smuggling of goods across the common border.
The government of Uganda protested in the strongest terms the murder of its nationals by Rwandan security agents saying the alleged crime cannot justify the high handedness and criminal acts of Rwandan security agents.
The Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that the murders are detrimental to the ongoing efforts to improve relations between the two countries and demands for a joint investigation into the murders to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Concerns were also raised over another shooting incident that happened a week ago along the common border by Rwandan security agents in which a Rwandan national Peter Havugimana was shot in the shoulder while carrying food from Uganda, forcing him to return to Uganda.
Ugandan authorities say the shootings constitute a pattern, and an act of reckless and high handedness against ordinary people living along the common border.