For First Time, Rwanda Police Accuses Uganda Intelligence

Right from March when the current standoff with Uganda started, Rwanda Police has been reacting to incidents, not this time.

Police last night released statement in which it accuses Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) of abducting two Rwandan nationals, Samvura Pierre, 47, and Habiyaremye Eric, 25.

They were abducted yesterday May 26 at 12:30 pm inside Uganda where they had gone to attend a baptism ceremony.

The incident took place in the same area in which two people were shot dead on Friday night as they tried to smuggle contraband into Rwanda.

Uganda Police was the first to release a statement, followed by protest letter of Uganda’s Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa. But the letter, according to Rwanda, was published in the media before it reached Kigali.

Rwanda Police also released statement giving completely different version of what transpired. Then the Foreign Minister Dr Richard Sezibera also responded to Kutesa’s letter, and also gave it to media.

As all this unfolded, photos circulated on Saturday in which President Paul Kagame was seated next to Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni at the inauguration of South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. Kagame and Museveni were calmly talking.

But even before the war of letters and statements could die away, Rwanda Police went on the offensive.

“The two (abducted) are residents of Gahamba village, Tabagwe cell, Tabagwe sector, Nyagatare district, the same area at the border where the recent incident involving smugglers, who lost their lives, took place.”

“Samvura and Habiyambere were abducted at Gasheke, 1.5km inside Uganda where they had gone to attend a baptism ceremony of the son of their friend Muhwezi Silver.”

“The two Rwandans had earlier been urged by their friends not to go to Uganda because they feared they would be putting their lives in danger. However, they ignored the warning, insisting that they needed to honor Muhwezi’s invitation.”

Rwanda, since the crisis started, has accused Uganda of kidnapping more than 900 Rwandans from various parts of Uganda.

It is the first time Rwanda Police has released statement as quickly as it did yesterday. Instead, Police has been the one receiving those deported and dumped at border – often in terrible state after torture.