
Uganda-Rwanda Tensions Part X: Meeting of the Ad Hoc Commisson for the Implementation of Memorandum of Understanding of Luanda between Republic of Uganda and Republic of Rwanda (12.09.2019)



On the 23rd August 2019, the Minister of State for East African Community Julius Wandera Maganda sent the report on the Closure of Uganda-Rwanda Border. This report has been made to update the EAC Committee. Still, the public deserves to get the numbers and the gist of the closure. What it really means in the hard numbers and with the cross-border trade.
Clearly, the closure has had an affect on both republics. As the Report states are that:
“Following the closure of Cyanika, Katuna and Mirama Hills Border Posts on the 27th Feb 2019 by the Republic of Rwanda, as part of their mandate, the Ministry of East African Community (MEACA) has undertaken a number of steps as indicated below”.
There has been certainly new rules for entry between Uganda-Rwanda:
“i. There is still free movement of persons (Ugandan Nationals and other Nationalities) to and from Rwanda save for the Rwandan citizens who are only allowed entry and no ex;.t from Rwanda.
ii. The only Rwandan nationals allowed exit from Rwanda from the borders above are the drivers on transit to Kenya and not to Uganda.
iii. It was also noted that the Ugandans who cross to Rwanda only go there mostly to attend Parties or Funerals, and not business as the environment for Ugandan goods and products is hostile.
iv. Whereas Ugandan nationals are allowed to enter Rwanda, it is unfortunate that Ugandan goods/products arc not allowed entry. These are rejected with no reasons given, no rejection notes/documents are provided. Many drivers have suffered the disappointment of being told to turn back to Uganda”
All of this has consequences. Just as the financial implications by this alone. The Ministry can show that in FY 2017/18 value the imports from Rwanda at 160,293,270,436 UGX and in FY 2018/19 it has gone down to 123,338,816,439 UGX. This is downfall of imports of 23.05 % from the last year.
The consequences for the export to Rwanda is also hit. In FY 2017/18 was 585,436,037,282 UGX and in FY 2018/19 is 426,884,832,406 UGX. This is a downfall of export in the amount of 27,08 %. from the last year.
The results of the closure of the border at Katuna has ensured that there was no trucks passing this pass, between March 2019 to the June 2019. When the trucks started to crossover again. Still in a fraction of what was done in the past. Before February 2019, the average inflow and outflow of trucks was above 3000. However, in the months of March to June 2019, there was less than 500 every month. Even ZERO in the months of April and May 2019. Before, the numbers has started to rise, but not more than 300 in June 2019. Surely, One-Tenth is a major change and has affect.
This has resulted in more traffic, within the inflow and outflow at the Mirama Hill. Until February 2019, there was usually about 300 passing in both directions. However after this it was around 2000 trucks passing through every month between March to June 2019. Which is showing that there are blocking of trucks and also the total numbers of trucks passing on both passes is less than 3000 in both directions. That is really hurting the cross-border trade between the Republic’s. It is easy to see.
The closure has had an affect and the new measures on both sides. Has hit the trading, but also general movement. That is visible and surely, would be nice to see what the Rwandan Parliament would write as a counter to the Ugandan side. To see if their have another explanation for this. Peace.

“What I know is there is safe houses but you (MPs) will not be allowed to go there because the laws does not permit you” Gen. Elly Tumwiine on 28th August 2019
Gen. Elly Tumwiine is again defending the indefensible. Where he is now apologetic in the concern of the safe houses, which is ungazetted arround the Republic. This is the Minster of Security, the one whose the head of the operations and he has no issues with them.
“The Minister confirmed that indeed there were safe houses in Uganda and noted that safe houses were not peculiar to Uganda but they are a worldwide intelligence practice.
He told the Committee that some of the functions of safe houses included:
▪To coordinate clandestine intelligence operations
▪To debrief and re-brief intelligence assets
▪To secure and protect witnesses in danger, especially criminals who have turned into witnesses
▪To secure persons who come seeking to be protected by the state for various security reasons
▪To manage hard-core criminals who require a long time to reform and now need observation and surveillance” (Parliament Watch Uganda, 28.09.2019).
Clearly, the state misuse the Safe Houses, these unverified locations to keep people they have as suspects. It is a reason why this is problematic. Because, the people taken there is kept for long, without warrants, court orders or even following their citizens rights.
When the General speaks of permission, what in his right mind does he have to take away the public civil liberties and their constitutional rights?
Have the NRM during the time of Gen. Tumwiine at any point suspended the 1995 Constitution to give a free-for-all and take everyone as suspects before trial, before sentencing and discovery of evidence? Because that is what this seems.
Thanks to ulii.org and several of Court Cases, where innocent civilians was put into these Safe Houses and later won for damages against the state. These cases uses certain laws, which I will copy. To prove the misgivings within the law of the Republic for having these places. No matter, what Tumwiine says. Because, the Republic can never repay him back for his sacrifices, not even with their time and their freedoms apparently.
Lets look briefly at some pieces of legislation. Shall we?
Article 28 clause 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda as follows:-
“In the determination of Civil Rights and obligations or any criminal charge a person shall be entitled to a fair, speedy and public hearing before an independent and impartial court or tribunal established by law”
Article 44(a) of The Constitution of The Republic of Uganda states:
“Notwithstanding anything in this constitution, there shall be no derogation from enjoyment the following rights and freedoms-
(a)Freedom from torture and cruel, in human or degrading treatment or punishment.”
The National Resistance Army (Application to Civilians) Regulations 1996, Regulation 5(1) provides that – “upon arrest of civilian, that civilian may be detained in a military cell and shall be brought before a military court not later than forty eight hours after arrest”.
While these legislation proves how the state are supposed threat there suspects, but that is not what they do.
I will take some snippets from a court case dating to the Judgment on 19th August 2019 –
“THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA, CIVIL SUIT NO. 386 OF 2014, LT. (RTD) GEORGE KIGGUNDU:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PLAINTIFF VERSUS ATTORNEY GENERAL::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: DEFENDANT, BEFORE HON. JUSTICE MUSA SSEKAANA”.
As the Plaintiff testified this: “He testified that he was taken to the Head of Investigations Captain Mbahweza Ceaser who was a captain at the time, now a Colonel, who had a heap of sticks and started beating/assaulting him and asked him to remove his shoes and later locked him up in the toilet at Chieftaincy of Military of Intelligence. He was not informed of the reason why he was being beaten. PW1 further testified that was repeatedly beaten to a point when he started bleeding profusely. He was detained in some place in Kololo, which he came to know was a safe house in the dungeons. The plaintiff further testified that after about two weeks he was asked to make a statement that was when he was told that he was suspected to be recruiting PRA (Peoples Redemption Army) and ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) in areas of Kasese, Kampala and Masindi to which he responded that he did not know anything to do with any rebel activity. He insisted that evidence be brought forward connecting him to the allegations but to date nobody ever brought any evidence against him. Pw1 stated that spent sixty one (61) days in detention in a safe house under extreme torture, sleeping on floor, no visitors, and no treatment. As a result of that torture and detention, PW1 testified that he became black as a result of skin disorder, was beaten on his left leg and suffered severe grievous head Injuries” (High Court Judgment, 19th August 2019).
We are seeing a pattern of this, where the state keeps suspect without their constitutional rights respected, neither the lawful procedure, as the state has decided that a certain individual is a suspect and therefore, can be handled with the full arm of the law. Without any warrant, court order or sentencing. This is just one man out of plenty.
Lt. George Kiggundu got 20 million shillings in damages, which was a nearly half of what he sought out for, which was 50 million shillings. However, this proves that High Court see the damages, the way the CMI and most like ISO is breaking the laws in concern of the safe houses.
That is why I had to write to day and put pieces together. Because, Tumwiine wouldn’t want to end up with the treatment of Lt. George Kiggundu any day of the week. No one should, because, you should have fair trial and process. To see if the state is right about the possible crimes a person has committed. With the safe houses, all people are fair game and whatever snoops of intelligence the ISO/CMI/Flying Squad has gotten. They can abduct, torture and detain someone for long without the legal justifications for doing so. Plus breaking the law, by making the supposed suspects victims of state violence against them. Where the state justifiably breaks the articles of the Constitution and other laws to be able to hurt, damage and scorn people for life.
Just because Tumwiine and the NRM is afraid someone might be a criminal or spy, without even having the evidence. Therefore, they need houses to torture the incriminating evidence instead of gathering it and proving it to the Courts, that the person in question is planning/doing/evidentially connected to the sort of activity that would put their life in legal jeopardy. But the way the state is doing it.
They are not doing it right, not acting right and using the passage of power as a government and authorities to bring the peace. They are actually acting, as if people are guilty before they are proven innocent. Instead of everyone is innocent before proven guilty. Peace.

“Madam speaker I wish to mention that a safe house is a secure place used for intelligence work, all intelligence and security agencies world over operate safe houses,running a safe house is not peculiar to Uganda but it’s a worldwide intelligence practice” security minister Gen. Elly Tumwine (August 21. 2019).
That there is reports and statements made during this week from Hon. Francis Zaake and Betty Nambooze, whose both have stated their evidence of the usage of Safe Houses. This has been known for a long while. There is several of these houses and used by the Internal Security Organization (ISO). Hotel Serena used to be a sort of house back-in-the-day, but has rebuilt to other use.
That the Nalufenya was closed earlier in the year, there is still other building used for the same ways. To torture, hide victims and supposed spies. That the state takes away in silence, abducts without warrants and usage of even soldiers to take away activists, political opponents and whatnot.
All of this isn’t new in the Republic. That National Resistance Movement (NRM) have continued the practices of previous administration. The NRM have been brazen and its been known that dissidents has been tortured and arrested for long time. This been done by the Flying Squad, CMI or even ISO. All of them has picked up people and kept them in “safe houses” without court orders to keep them detained.
Therefore, don’t be shocked when Zaake MP says he knows about 900 people, whose arrested and tortured at this moment at the safe houses. Surely, the NRM will not verify this. Because, they don’t want this to be a thing. They want to show the Northern By-Pass, that they used over a decade to finish, maybe more.
Let’s be clear, we don’t have all the information. Because, this is in the dark, grey-area, which is kept a secret. The state doesn’t want the news out. They don’t want to show the darkness, the only thing we know is the stories from a few victims. Since, there is no Parliamentary Report like on Nalufenya, which we got just days before closure of it. Then, it was shown the systemic violations of human rights and cruel behaviour of the state towards their own citizens.
We cannot know how big of deal this is, because the numbers, the lack of leaked reports and the proof is not there. But when the likes of Gen. Tumwiine verifies it. Shows there is an intention of open violence against the citizens of the Republic.
If these people picked up by ISO, CMI and other security organization from the state, they should have warrants and prove the criminal intent of the suspects. Not just abduct them and detain them in random “safe houses” unless the state wants to keep their activities as a secret. Because, if they were sincere … then the state would prosecute them like everyone else. Innocent until proven guilty of a crime.
Alas, that is not the case, because the state uses this to intimidate and oppress the citizens. Peace.

The Secretary-General recognizes the important role of Presidents João Lourenço of Angola and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in facilitating the signing of the Memorandum.
He encourages the parties to implement the agreement in good faith, with a view to restoring friendly relations and cooperation between the two neighbouring states, in the interest of peace, stability and sustainable development in the region.
The Secretary-General recognizes the important role of Presidents João Lourenço of Angola and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in facilitating the signing of the Memorandum.
The Secretary-General stands ready to support the momentum generated through this and other initiatives to advance peace, cooperation and integration in the region.





That the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have used many methods to continue to surveillance the ones in opposition. Not only all the notifications to the Police Force, when the Opposition parties are planning gatherings, meetings and rallies. This clearly shows that the state wants to follow and monitor them.
This is not the only tricks, the state have done what it could to hack into the gadgets of opposition leaders.
Like Privacy International reports: “In late 2011, officials of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and Uganda Police Force (UPF), acting on presidential orders, used an intrusion malware, short for malicious software, to infect the communications devices of key opposition leaders, media and establishment insiders. The secret operation was codenamed Fungua Macho (‘open your eyes’ in Swahili), according to documents acquired by Privacy International. The tool chosen as the ‘backbone’ of the operation, FinFisher, is intrusion malware that was at the time manufactured by the Gamma Group of companies, headquartered in the UK” (Privacy International, January 2019).
Clearly, the NRM has used this tactics before and could use it again. Through new forms and even other type of equipment. So, the idea that the NRM could use all sort of tactics of surveillance of the new People Power Movement and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. This has been written about in Wall Street Journal. However, the Chinese Embassy of Kampala has dismissed it.
Still, the Chinese company haven’t dismissed it, and secondly, the company has gotten into question for questionable usage of data in the past. Therefore, Huawei could have breach the privacy and done this to the rising star, Bobi Wine. They could do this on order combined with favourable deals with the Ugandan Government. None of which, sounds surprising, knowing the friendly relationship between the NRM and Beijing.
So, I am not shocked, as the NRM has even used other techniques in the past. Like putting in devices to monitor the movement of the car of Besigye. This they did during the campaigns of 2014/15. Therefore, that they could launch a new method to follow Bobi Wine wouldn’t be shocking.
We cannot be sure, but knowing how the NRM operate and uses all methods to breach the peace. They will initially find a way to monitor, surveillance and use their power to know everything. To take the data and connections, they will wire-tap or do whatever it take to gather intelligence on opposition leaders. That is what they do, if they have the opportunity.
They used Fungua Macho, they have used other since. To believe otherwise, would be naive and the usage of CMI, ISO, UPF and Office of the State House would be anticipated. Peace.


