Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part III: Kenyatta’s Double Diplomatic Trip within 24 hours!

Today on the 11th March 2019, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta have been busy, as he visited both Kigali meeting Rwandan President Paul Kagame and later in the day at State House, Entebbe in Uganda, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

What is really special is how quickly the Kenyan President passed between the Heads of State, as well as how brief it was in Kigali and also in Entebbe. Its also special, that there was no issued statements, joint communications or anything significant dropped hours after the visits. There only been minor dropped quotes and citation in the likes of New Times Rwanda, Chimps Reports/Soft Power News, which are positive and government friendly media outlets in respective countries. Also, some acknowledgement in the Kenyan Press. However, nothing official about this.

Even though it is positive that the Kenyan President have visited Kigali and Entebbe within this short time, as the escalation and growing tensions between the state has significantly strained over the past two weeks. As the Rwandan has closed the border, the Ugandan have arrested and questioned Rwandan nationals, as the states are retaliating against each with various of measures. While not talking or having dialogue between them. As well, as even more questionable behaviour of both …

The talks today between Kenyatta and Kagame might have been pleasant, as the pictures of the event seems joyful. Also, that the cordial meeting between Museveni and Kenyatta, seemed decent enough in the circumstances. But whatever progress or whatever the talks was about. Is surely not easy to know. There was no minutes, was no official documents or any communique of any sorts, that has been released. Not even the pre-text for the 24 hours hasty meetings in Rwanda and Uganda of the Kenyan counterpart.

It is positive that Kenyatta does this, but we doesn’t know with what intention, what mandate or anything he plans to get out of this. Except he is trying to the be giant in the East Africa. The Big-Man able to settle the grievances between neighbours. Because what does it say, that Kagame and Kenyatta held a “a tête a tête” meeting for a brief while, while later holding bilateral talks at Entebbe State House with Museveni. Who knows what it produced or didn’t produce.

That is what I bugged about, because this sort of meetings shouldn’t be kept secret. The narratives, the stories and their plays should be public. For the regard of the trust between the Heads of State and their citizens. All three’s best interest are the public trust and the lack of transparency in this matter. Shows why the tensions between the state is filled with conspiracy and mistrust between both parties. Is because of the lack of open government and lack of proper consultation between the President and the general public. Peace.

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part II: More retaliating measures!

As we have seen over the weekend at the border points between Rwanda and Uganda. There been stoppage of trucks at Katuna Border Post. A place where the trucks been stuck and not able to cross. There are even some whose been able, but they have been fined with higher rates to cross with certain goods like maize and other exports from Uganda to Rwanda.

With this in mind, there been also higher fines on the buses with Rwandan nationals crossing into Uganda. There also been reports of more deployment of soldiers close to the border. As well as three Rwandan Generals arrested, this being Joseph Nzabamwita, Fred Ibingira and Emmanuel Ruvusha. Whose all been arrested as this tension between the Republic are spiralling.

We certainly knows that the Rwandan government is retaliating. They are making it harder for the Ugandans to cross into Rwanda. Also, as the Rwandan government warned their citizens about doing this. Therefore, the buses and trucks are paying more for crossing the borders. That means, in the end the businesses on both sides will be affected and most likely the produce and imports will be more costly for the consumers in the respective country. That is what Rwandan citizens will be doing in the end, because the Ugandan traders have to get their ends.

That is the minor scratches of this, which now is very spiteful. This is happening as there is speculations of spies, sudden arrests and even missing Rwandan nationals in Uganda. As well, as the big-man play of Yoweri Museveni who is possibly supporting rebel outfits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the RNC and FDLR, whose sole mission is to destroy Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). Paul Kagame surely won’t take that kindly and might be the reason for three General arrested recently.

Therefore, the border dispute is getting ugly. As the possible acts of the Presidents are going hard. They are ordering their security organizations and spies all over. The CMI and ISO are surely working overtime, as there reports of new editorial line at Radio Simba FM, where they are coming with spiteful chants about Rwandans. This is surely in retaliation against what is happening.

Now, there is a jam, a long line of trucks, where about 130 are waiting in line waiting to able to cross into Rwanda from Uganda. This is sure sign of how the Rwandan are looking at Uganda. Also, the way the Ugandan are able to deal with Rwanda. As this has been going on for over 4 days, and the measures on the other side is getting more restricted and costly.

There are surely some paranoia both ways, as there are possible ways to diplomatically end this dispute. Where the ones losing is the citizens and businesses. The ones not losing is the ones in power and the elites. It is the bus-passengers and the exporters whose paying the initial price. The public are pawns in the giant chess-set of their masters. The Presidents are playing their game and the pawns are the ones taken out, one by one.

Right now, the Rwandan are exercising their sovereign state activity, they are allowed to close their borders and put tariffs on imports. However, its done as a retaliating measure and not through any notification. Neither, has there seemingly been a regard for the each others nationals behind bars. Which has been used as well as reasons for this. There been no talk about the possible rebel outfits or the sponsoring of such, as that that would be on shady back-stabbing ground.

We will not know how this is going, but surely the template is that it will go on. Until one of the President humiliate himself and actually asks to talk to the other. So, that the functions of the borders goes back to normal and that they can settle the differences that is there. They are both known for playing shadow murky games. This could be more of that, we don’t know at this point. Because, they are not transparent and open about this. Since, then we would see the dark-side of their reign. Peace.

BoU Scandal: Office of the Leader of the Opposition – Recommendations of the opposition on COSASE report (28.02.2019)

BoU Scandal: IGG letter to ISO – Alleged Misconduct of Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) – (19.02.2019)

MTN Uganda Not Subjected to an ISO Raid on Friday 15 February 2019 (16.0.2019)

MTN Uganda Scandal: Why are all of these people deported?

There are speculations going on there as the biggest Telecom Company MTN Uganda Limited have been under fire since the midst of January 2019. This has been shown over the recent month, as the leadership and executives have been deported. By my count since mid of January, there been four people.

The three firsts was addressed like this by MTN Group:

MTN Uganda has not been officially notified of the grounds for these arrests and deportations and is trying to establish the precise reasons for the deportations. We are understandably concerned about these developments and the wellbeing of all our employees. MTN Uganda is fully committed to respecting and operating within the laws of the country. Notes to the editor: On Saturday, 19 January 2019, the MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer, Olivier Prentout, was arrested by police at Entebbe airport upon arrival from a business trip abroad. On the morning of Monday 21 January 2019, the MTN Uganda Head of Sales and Distribution, Annie Bilenge Tabura, was arrested by unidentified security personnel upon arrival at the MTN headquarter offices, in Kololo, Kampala. Subsequently, both Mr Prentout and Mrs Bilenge have been deported from Uganda to their home countries, France and Rwanda respectively. On the 22 January 2019, Elza Muzzolini, Head of Mobile Financial Services was also deported from Uganda. – Issued by MTN Group Regulatory and Corporate Affairs” (MTN Group, 23.01.2019).

Therefore, three people has already been deported, this being Prentout, Tabura and Muzzolini. They have all been banished from the Republic. Today, it has escalated again, as CEO Wim Vanhelleputte, whose also has been interrogated and been questioned by ISO/CMI during January 2019. Was today on the 14th February 2019 deported to Belgium by the authorities.

Clearly, the state is retaliating, as they are fearing for their safety and the data shedding the company is doing. As there been speculation that the company has had disgruntled staff leaking intelligence to Rwandan Intelligence Service. This has been reported by various of online news-outlets. Therefore, some thinks it is connected to this, that the President and the regime is afraid of this. That is why these people are all deported from the Republic.

It is clear, that there something going on behind the scenes. As the Security Organizations summons, interrogate and deport MTN executives from the Republic. This is happening, as the state are trying to silence the MTN or stop leaked intelligence to Rwanda. We don’t know if that is true or what. But what we do now, is that the Ugandan government and authorities are acting swiftly and retaliates against the high-ranking officials within the Telecom. Peace.

The Media is under siege in Uganda!

There is no joke, there is no play in concern for the journalists in the Republic of Uganda. This can be said after the Uganda Communications Commission yesterday has suspended the Daily Monitor Online Newspaper after publishing a traditional healer story connected with the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga on their pages in the end of January.

As that is happening, today, there was arrest of Next Media Limited, which are behind the NBS Television, who has arrested the wife Vivian Serwanjja of senior investigator Solomon Serwanjja, also arrested Kassim Mohammed, Rashid Kaweesa and Godfrey Badebye from the BBC TV. All of them gotten arrested today. As they were working on an investigation into government drugs and the black market trading in the Republic.

As that is happening, the journalists Raymond Wamala (Spyreports Uganda), Bob Atwiine (Spyreports Uganda), John Njoroge (CEO Magazine), Richard Wanambwa (Eagle Online) and Andrew Irumba Live (Spy Uganda) have been summoned by CID to be at the Police HQ tomorrow. Tomorrow they will be questioned and interviewed by the Police for certain stories they have posted or published. As they have been critical of the regime and what they are claiming. All of these has been there before, as the state tries to intimidate them from doing investigative reporting.

As, we see, it is a pattern, that repeats itself. Every-time someone digs deep or tries to uncover the truth. The state answer with intimidation, arbitrary arrests and even taking people hostage, like they have done in Vivian’s case. Today, Solomon has been hiding, therefore, the state took Vivian in instead. That is how they deem fair treatment of citizens and of the ones possibly exposing the oppression and unjust in society. While doing that, they themselves become criminals and outlaws. As they are just doing their job and trying to report on the events and acts that is done in the Republic.

The media is just telling what they are seeing, they are just exposing and revealing what information they are gathering and finding. They are not trying to make a situation look different than it is. They are trying to reports and explain the background and the context to all the acts that is done in the Republic. If the Republic and government has nothing to fear, then they should not fear journalists. But if the ills of society comes from the government, than the journalists will find it, as they dig into the realities and society they are apart.

Nevertheless, reporting and journalism isn’t a crime, they are just painting the canvass, they are not trigger the gun, but explaining why the person used the gun and the possible reasons for why the person used it in the first place. They are just painting the story, they are not creating the stories. That is reality, that is why these arrests, which isn’t new. The summoning of others, isn’t new either. In the middle of December 2018, the same people was summoned by the CID. So, they are doing it again, apparently.

The BBC has gotten arrested at Abim Hospital and in Kasese in recent years, as they were reporting both during the Campaign before the General Election. Also, as the Special Force Command was burning down the Palace in Kasese. I even remember the journalist outside of Besigye house in Kasangati, Wakiso, as Besigye was house-arrested. He was taken directly, as he was filming it live and was detained while he was on air. That was right after the General Election of 2016. These are just some quick examples, where the authorities has silenced the media. Because, they want to keep to people in the dark.

The Police continues to do this, the authorities wants this, but they are clearly sending the message, that they want to keep the public in the dark. Peace.

Uganda: Next Media Services – Press Release on the arrested journalists (07.02.2019)

Uganda Police Force: Press Release on the arrest of Journalists (07.02.2019)

Uganda: FCAU calls for the immediate release of journalists (07.02.2019)