I have read extensively lots of views by various commentators on the above rather important and serious issue with interest and discernment as a party that claim informed understanding of issues that have characterised Rwanda-Uganda relations since 1997.
Issues as will be argued later that will need be addressed by Ugandan political elite instead of window dressing these which only serves to postpone the solutions at the expense of socio-economic welfare of two sister countries and a people that are bonded by historical underpins, blood relations, and location that defines their fate and thus destiny for generations to come.
This bond cannot be discounted, underwritten, nor demeaned by political machinations for this is very expensive to both countries and should thus be avoided and ironed out as and when these arises.
Trended!
Destabilization of Rwanda by Ugandan top political elite is as trended as it is ill intended strategy that in my opinion has only served to destroyed beyond repair the best ever strategic alliance that had immense economic as well as socio-political, benefits to both countries at least during the current Uganda’s political leadership.
Thus, current support Ugandan leadership has extended to RNC that has publically agitated its intentions to remove a democratically elected government in Rwanda (a myopic elusion at its extreme at its worst) and confirmed by President Museveni’s meeting with its top diplomates Charlotte Mukankusi and Eugene Gasana on 1st March 2019 (no accidental meetings with Presidents that happen anywhere in the world) speaks volumes of Uganda’s intention to destabilize Rwanda, an intention that is not only a political daydream, but one that has served to collaborate other past ill motives against Rwandan government, and Rwandese in general.
As will be argued later, mobilization of FDRL a genocidal out fit in DRC Congo against Rwanda has left many Rwandese dumbfounded with regard to intentions of Ugandan ruling elite, given that this terrorist outfit claimed the lived of over one million of our compatriots in 1994, has left an indelible scar on our conscious as a country and a people that any one, party or country that supports or is even sympathetic with it earns eternal wrath of Rwandans.
However, support of destabilizing forces by Uganda’s ruling elite is not a new phenomenon. What is new though is the form as well substance this support has taken over late. Thus, as way back as 1997/98 support for such negative elements by Uganda, as Major Furuma, Sebarenzi, Sendashonga etc is irrefutable.
Issuing of Ugandan passports to FDRL bigwig of Murwanashayaka, Hyacinth Rafiki, and Wallace Nsengiyunva in 2006 to travel to Europe to conduct their subversive activities against Rwanda shocked many in Rwanda then, but no more.
Facilitation by Uganda given to late Karegeya in 2007 and then to Kayumba Nyamwasa in 2010 when they were going into self-exile is in the know of Rwandans and is trended to earlier subversive activities by Ugandan political elite. As will be pointed out later, some of these so called ‘’dissidents’’ had the blessings of, and are in fact a machination of Ugandan ruling elite in their ill-conceived strategic project of destabilising Rwanda, that has fortunately not succeeded nor ever will, for any such move is known before it is implemented.
And the headache with the Ugandan ruling elite is why Rwandans get to know of such destabilization in real time, instead of the same being bothered as to why this should be done to a potential allay and a sister country. Reasons behind this unfortunate trend will be highlighted in subsequent articles.
Unprecedented
Nonetheless, this trend has reached unprecedented scale of late with dire consequences to the relationship between Rwanda and Uganda. Ugandan political elite have arranged and or organize destabilizing forces RNC, FDRL etc into the so called P5 located in DRC so as to destabilize Rwanda, a project that is dead in the water for Rwanda has more than capacity to deal with these elements despite what Ugandan political elite would have been told to the contrary by their RNC allies of evil.
As pointed out earlier, that Uganda can mobilize FDRL with their genocide ideologue of extermination of Tutsis in Rwanda, an ideologue akin to that ISIS is beyond comprehension whatever differences there may be between Rwanda and Uganda. A country can win a war against rag tag fighters, but not a well-entrenched ideologue.
That any country least Uganda which should understand this better can support this group (s) has baffled many Rwandans. Thus, LaForge Fils Bazeye who was the Spokesperson of FDLR and Lt Col Theophile Abega, who was FDLR Head of Intelligence, were arrested by the Army of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the end of last year.
They were arrested at Bunagana Border on their way from Kampala on 15th December, 2018 from where they had held talks aimed at destabilizing Rwanda’s security. These genocidal elements carried with them lots of information on mobilization of these and others against the government of Rwanda.
Rwanda has all this information. This is true to the information of activities of RNC renegades whom have accepted to join hands with FDRL at insistence of Uganda. That these developments have been collaborated by The UN Group of Experts Report published on 31 December last year is only the latest factual indictment of the Museveni regime for its anti-Rwanda activities.
The report details Uganda as a recruitment hub for groups that have declared war on Rwanda’s legitimate government. Denying this by Ugandan ruling elite or even by President Museveni himself “There is no question of Uganda supporting anti-Rwanda elements.” … does not and cannot negate the enormity of this unprecedented situation and on the contrary reinforces its magnitude and consequences.
Obote II antics
The above has led to arrests, detention, and torture of over 800 of innocent Rwandan civilians by Uganda operatives of Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and other Ugandan intelligence services akin to what happened to Rwandese in Uganda some of which were Ugandans by all definitions but were labeled Museveni supporters and spies by Obote II regime, and they were to pay a high price including under documented murders.
Some of us who lived in Uganda at that time have indelible memories of the same. And although this mobilized young Rwandese fighters to join NRA (National Resistance Army now UPDF) in large numbers and as will be argued later contributed fundamentally to President Museveni eventually rise to power in 1985, no Rwandese would have imagined least or expected that this would happen under President Museveni’s regime, a regime that was supposed to stop Obote II torture and murder of real and imaginary “enemies’ of his regime.
That this can now happen under the same President to whom these Rwandese were accused of supporting have left many Rwandese perplexed. Worse still this is done with, and in cohort with RNC renegades who identify innocent Rwandese for arrest by Ugandan intelligence tells it all. An alliance with a ‘’rebel’’ force for intelligence gathering on a neighbouring country is a situation so bizarre and with far reaching consequences.
Testimonies, and evidence of this heinous crime against Rwandese in Uganda abound despite the fact that Ugandans living in Rwanda live in peace and harmony alongside their Rwandese brothers and sisters which is expected for we are bound by fate and destiny that no political system can undo by any means or did whatsoever.
To be continued.
