By Arnold Gakuba
According to the Ugandan newspaper Chimpreports, the Ugandan government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered a protest note to the Government of Rwanda against the abduction of a Ugandan soldier by Rwandan soldiers on Ugandan soil.
The protest happens after the Rwandan government announced on Saturday, June 12, 2021, that a Ugandan soldier named private Baluku Muhuba was arrested on Rwandan soil in Burera District, Cyanika Sector, Kamanyana Cell, Majyambere Village.
Therefore, on Monday, June 14, 2021, the Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs via the Embassy of Rwanda in Kampala delivered a protest note (verbal note) to the Government of Rwanda to refrain from provocation after receiving factual information that the soldier was abducted from Ugandan soil and detained in Rwanda.
The incident was considered as a provocation, according to Ugandan government spokesman Mr Ofonyo Opongo, who spoke to Chimpreports on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 and was reaffirmed by the Ambassador Patrick Mugoye while interviewed by VOA.
The soldier was returned to Uganda on Sunday, June 13, 2021 and received by the resident Commissioner of Kisoro District Captain Peter Mugisha after about 28 hours of abdication. This has been great concern to the Ugandan government.
The Ugandan government denied allegations by the Rwandan soldiers that private Bukuru Muhuba was arrested on Rwandan soil as the information obtained from Ugandan CTV Cameras indicates that he was abducted on Ugandan soil. Evidence confirmed that he fell into the clutches of Rwandan soldiers stationed on Ugandan soil. In an in-depth investigation, Chimpreports was told by the Ugandan military intelligence that private Bukuru was abducted on Ugandan soil by the Rwandan soldiers.
The note delivered to the Government of Rwanda stipulates that: “On Saturday, June 12, 2021, at around 5:40 p.m., at Gahugu village in Rukare ward, approximately two kilometers west Cyanika, Rwandan soldiers kidnapped a Ugandan soldier named private Bukuru Mahuba. ” The soldier was abducted in about 100 meters on Ugandan soil. The note called for his immediate release. The Rwandan government rejects its responsibility in the incident.
We remind that the diplomatic conflicts between Uganda and Rwanda has been going on for almost five years. The Kigali government accuses Uganda of harboring insurgents, but the Ugandan government denies it. This has led to President Paul Kagame to close the Rwanda-Uganda borders, which has created a serious economic crisis between the two countries and made the economic situation for the people living or doing businesses on borders to deteriorate.
Those who arrive at Katuna border confirmed that it is now a ruin without any commercial activity. Another tragedy is that the people living on the border between the two countries have siblings and relatives who are now inaccessible in both sides.
The provocation of the Rwandan military could provoke seemingly unresolved tensions between the two countries . What is the reason for this provocation?
