Kagame and Museveni should sort their issues and let their citizens be

A Radio DW correspondent in Kampala called me seeking a comment on the frosty relations between Kampala and Kigali. For the latest arrivals from Planet Mars, DW is Germany’s answer to UK’s BBC.
Here is the backgrounder to the DW Correspondent’s request for an interview. Ugandan security authorities had arrested Rwandan citizens alleged to have illegally entered Uganda. Some were deported and some were processed for prosecution.
In an expression of total disquiet and marked disapproval, Gen Frank Mugambaje protested this incident in public. Gen Mugambaje, formerly commissioner of Rwanda National Police, is Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda.

He is quoted as saying that the deportation of Rwandan citizens without Ugandan authorities even bothering to notify the Rwanda High Commission in Kampala was made in a bad diplomatic taste and faith. And what do I have to do with the deportation of aliens (Rwandans or other)? May be because I was once deported from one country to the other…

*****************
The second Minority Report of 2018 was headlined as ‘Paul Kagame and Museveni just need to talk, otherwise…’
Many people know the relationship between Kampala and Rwanda is currently not cordial. But the media has a way of picking me out for a comment on these things…; probably because I am the only one stupid enough to make public my thoughts about Rwanda and Uganda.
Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda was right to protest the deportation of Rwandan citizens without the diplomatic courtesy of informing his office.
What would it cost the Ugandan authorities to inform the High Commissioner? Nothing. If the Ugandan authorities could not have the courtesy of formally informing the Rwandan government about this incident, would one expect the arrested Rwandans to be allowed access to consular deputation?

Dear reader, the meaning of all this is that the cloak and dagger guys (men and women of the guns) have taken over the consular and administrative management of our relationship with our neighbours (without recourse to diplomatic sensibilities and sensitivities).
In the circumstances, President Kagame and Museveni should sort their issues and let the citizens of their countries be. The Rwandan citizens who were arrested (and deported others prosecuted) were part of the wave of migrant casual labourers from Rwanda (that started in 1936).
These people come here to seek social and economic opportunities (in spite of course the Singapore of Africa tag assigned to their country).
Dear President Paul Kagame and Museveni, please tell (order) your boys to stop their cloak and dagger ‘patriotic games’.
It is hurting us citizens of the two countries.

*************
In 2002, I was deported from Rwanda and sent back to Uganda. Gen Marcel Gatsinzi, who signed my deportation order, had the courtesy of copying Uganda’s Ambassador to Rwanda. My case was handled at police headquarters where Gen Frank Mugambaje was the commissioner of police. Mary Gahonzire, the director of CID, handled the investigations.
I was familiar with the circumstances under which the said Gahonzire left the Uganda Police Force and joined (and was commissioned) in the Rwanda National Police.
When she was interrogating me, we just talked about ordinary things such as Kampala’s and Kigali’s social life. She also asked me what I was planning to do in Uganda.
We never talked about the particulars of the charges for which I was appearing before her. She was even shy and never wanted to look directly into my eyes.

Mr Bisiika is the executive editor of East African Flagpost.

[email protected]