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34 Rwandans deported
Rwandans carry a boat engine and other fishing materials that they were Intercepted with on Saturday. PHOTO BY Robert Muhereza
What you need to know:
Reason. Officials denied the Rwandans entry on grounds that their colleagues at Kiyindi landing site in Buikwe District, which was their intended destination, are involved in several criminal activities
usKabale.
Atleast 34 Rwanda nationals carrying a boat engine and other fishing gear were on Saturday denied entry into Uganda and deported by the security operatives at Katuna border town.
Officials denied the Rwandans entry on grounds that their colleagues at Kiyindi landing site in Buikwe District, which was their intended destination, are involved in several criminal activities.
The chairman Katuna border security committee, Mr Charles Mugabe, together with officers of the Uganda Police, Immigration and other security agencies intercepted the accused persons on a bus from Rwanda that was Kampala-bound. They had a speed engine boat and other fishing materials in their possession.
Officials said all of them were not sure of where they were going as they were relying on one team leader who claimed that he was taking them to carry out fishing activities at Kiyindi landing site on the shores of Lake Victoria in Buikwe District.
“Information received from our counterparts in Buikwe indicates that about 600 Rwandans that have settled at Kiyindi landing site on Lake Victoria are involved in activities of illegal fishing, fishing with under size nets and fighting among themselves and the members of the neighbouring communities and not respecting the Ugandan borders with Kenya and Tanzania thus creating multi-lateral conflict,” Mr Mugabe said.
“For these and many other reasons, we have denied this group entry into Uganda,” he added.
He said the increasing numbers of Rwandans at Kiyindi Landing Site and their involvement in criminal acts is yet to be discussed at a higher level so that a permanent solution is put in place.
Mr Mugabe said that whereas people are allowed to move freely under the East African Community, border security shall not allow suspected criminals to exploit the opportunity.
“We respect the East African Community protocols but why is it that Ugandans are not free to stay in Rwanda like the Rwandans are received in Uganda? Security should be tightened because the increasing numbers of such foreigners staying in our country increases pressure on our natural resources and national budget,” Mr Williams Muganda, one of the long route drivers, told Daily Monitor at Katuna on Saturday.
The Mayor-elect Katuna town council, Mr Nelson Nshangabasheija, promised to convene a cross-border meeting of local leaders to discuss the matter.
When contacted yesterday, Ugandan ambassador to Uganda Gen Frank Mugambage said he “had no knowledge of the matter.”
