Wode Maya’s Smoke screens about Rwanda:
Rwanda's Capital Kigali Is The Cleanest City In Africa? How about clean villages???
How about the rural country side ??
Rwandan nationals buying land in Kabale to resettle in Uganda
Rwanda advised truck drivers destined to Kigali to use Kagitumba border via Mirama hills. However, Rwandan officials including President, Paul Kagame later accused Ugandan authorities of abducting its citizens and locking them up in ungazetted areas.
Rwanda also accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which have declared war on the Kigali government. Rwanda advised its citizens against travelling to Uganda, saying it can't guarantee their safety.
Now, fresh information from Katuna town council, Rubaya and Butanda sub counties in Ndorwa West County in Kabale district indicates that Rwandan nationals are stealthily crossing into Uganda to buy land for construction so they can permanently relocate.
Bernard Nturanabo, a resident of Kahungye in Butanda sub county, says he has personally seen various Rwandan nationals crossing into Uganda through the porous borders looking for land for purchase. Nturanabo says the Rwandan nationals don’t mind about the fertility of the land but all they need is land for construction.
Geresome Mafuuni, the Murandamo village LC 1 chairman in Bigaga parish says most Rwandan national cross to his village at night to buy land because of fear of being arrested by Rwandan border security. Mafuuni says some Rwandan nationals have already started preparing land to construct houses, saying they want to relocate to Uganda.
Butanda sub county LC V councillor Eric Kigunzu Tumwesigye, says that he has already notified security about the Rwandan nationals crossing to his sub county to buy land. Gad Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe, the Kabale deputy resident district commissioner says their records show that more than 60 Rwandan nationals have bought land in Butanda with intentions of constructing houses.
He faults LC 1 chairpersons and Ugandan nationals for consenting to the sale of land to illegal immigrants.
"People cross to Uganda and connive with Ugandans and buy land. And when they buy land, they settle and don’t go through the process. Legally they are not Ugandans, you don’t become Ugandan by how many years you have stayed in Uganda. You’re Ugandan by citizenship or by birth. So when you come here you’re supposed to register, you go through the legal process…over 56 people crossed to Uganda, they bought land and they are beginning to develop it. That is illegal and land must be returned back to Ugandans and these Rwandans must follow the right process of how to acquire land in another country." said Rugaaju.
One of the Rwandan nationals who bought a piece of land in Murandamo village recently told our reporter on condition of anonymity that they plan to settle and become Uganda’s citizens to escape the misery in their home country.
Rwanda destroys bridges leading into Uganda
The development comes amid increased tension between Uganda and Rwanda. For the last one week, the Rwandan border at Gatuna in Kabale district and Chanika in Kisoro district have been closed, blocking entry of hundreds of cargo trucks transiting through the busiest crossing point to Kigali and several other destinations.
Rwanda government, instead advised cargo trucks to turn-back and use Mirama hill border in Ntungamo district a distance of about 100km away. Amid the chaos, Rwanda, through its minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Richard Sezibera barred Rwandans from crossing into Uganda, saying Rwanda couldn't guarantee their safety. He also accused Uganda of harbouring dissidents planning to topple the Kagame administration.
Despite the directive, Rwandan nationals neighbouring the Ugandan border, continued to sneak into Uganda via the Katuna and the neighbouring porous borderlines. Since the borders closure, Rwandans have been crossing into Uganda via the Gatuna and Mukensiyoona river streams to buy especially food and medicine.
But Rwandan soldiers and police officers have now destroyed all the temporary bridges that were constructed along the streams. Our resident reporter says that now there are Rwandan police officers deployed at every footpath connecting the two countries. The police officers at the footpaths are supplemented by heavily armed soldiers who are keeping a watchful eye at the borderlines. Despite denials by Rwanda, Rwandan nationals and Ugandan locals have confirmed the unusual deployment of heavily armed soldiers along the borders.
John [other name withheld], a Rwandan national found at Mukensiyoona market after escaping from Byumba in Northern Province, Rwanda to buy food, says that all the temporary bridges at the streams separating the two countries have been destroyed and that the security personnel are whipping whoever attempted to cross into Uganda.
John said Rwanda's continued blockade has left Rwandans stuck without food to eat, and that most Rwandans are totally unhappy about the current situation.
Deus [other name withheld], another Rwandan national says that he crossed into Uganda via Katuna on Tuesday to offer casual labour in return for food so he could feed his family, but on returning, he found all bridges destroyed. He says for now he decided to remain in Katuna in fear of being reprimanded for crossing to Uganda.
Jean a resident of Byumba in Rwanda says that the prevailing situation has forced him to cross back to Rwanda after witnessing from a distance how those who were caught crossing with food from Uganda got whipped by the security officers. He added that security officers poured paraffin into some of the food that had been bought by some of the residents.
Solange Mujawimana, a businesswoman dealing in agricultural produce is also stuck on the Ugandan side of the border. She says that although she used to buy foodstuffs from Uganda and sell them in Rwanda, her movements have now been restricted.
Katuna town council mayor Nelson Nshangabasheija says that tension is still mounting across the region. He adds that business at the border post has completely collapsed.
Speaking before parliament on Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda explained that Uganda is optimistic that the matter will be soon resolved.
