Border killings: Body of Rwandan victim transferred to Kabale hospital

Kigezi regional police commander Richard Ecega ( right) talks to locals at the crime scene where Rwandan soldiers allegedly shot two people dead on May 24, 2019. Photo by Robert Muhereza

What you need to know:

  • Relations between Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, once close allies, have turned deeply hostile in recent months with the pair making allegations of espionage, political assassinations and meddling against each other.
  • The standoff escalated dramatically in March when Rwanda publicly accused Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels bent on overthrowing the government.

The body of a Rwandan national and businessman John Batista Kyerengye who was shot on Friday evening at Habusavu trading centre near Uganda-Rwanda international boundary has been transferred from Kamwezi health centre IV to Kabale regional referral hospital awaiting for the official hand over to the Rwandan authorities by the Ugandan foreign affairs ministry.
The Kigezi deputy regional police Commander, Mr Dan Byaruhanga on Saturday evening said the body was transferred because Kamwezi health center IV does not have a fridge to preserve it.

Kyerengye, a resident of Nkoma cell Ntabarwe parish, Nyakatere District of Rwanda and Alex Nyesiga, 32, and resident of Nyakabungo cell Kyabuhangwa parish Kamwezi Sub County, Rukiga District in western Uganda were on Friday evening shot dead by Rwandan soldiers on anti-smuggling mission.
Ugandan authorities said the soldiers entered "about 50 metres into Ugandan territory" in pursuit of Kyerengye who rode into Uganda on a motorbike laden with goods from Uganda but made a U-turn on seeing the soldiers.

Mr Byaruhanga added that the body of the Ugandan national was also yet to be handed over to the relatives for burial.
“Kyerengye’s body has been transferred from Kamwezi health centre IV to Kabale regional referral hospital for preservation awaiting the ministry of foreign affairs officials to come and hand it over to the Rwandan authorities,”Mr Byaruhanga said.

Uganda’s ministry of foreign affairs on Saturday said they would hand over Kyerengye’s body to the government of Rwanda on May 27, 2019.

Rwanda, however, disputed the Ugandan version of events and said the incident happened on its side of the border after officers were attacked with machetes.
In a statement, Rwanda National Police said Rwandan security forces were attacked by people with machetes after stopping the suspected smuggler on a motorcycle after he crossed the border from Uganda.
"The officers shot two people, one Rwandan, who died instantly and one Ugandan who later died," it said. "The incident happened in Rwanda."

Relations between Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, once close allies, have turned deeply hostile in recent months with the pair making allegations of espionage, political assassinations and meddling against each other.
Rwanda drastically reduced imports from Uganda a few months ago and its citizens are banned from crossing over into Uganda.
Uganda however has not imposed tit-for-tat measures.

The row between the two strongmen risks dragging in their neighbours, threatening economic integration and regional stability in an already conflict-prone swathe of the continent.
The standoff escalated dramatically in March when Rwanda publicly accused Uganda of abducting its citizens and supporting rebels bent on overthrowing the government.
Museveni -- who has admitted meeting, but not endorsing, anti-Kagame rebels -- harbours his own suspicions about his erstwhile ally. His officials have accused Rwandans in Uganda of spying, and some have been detained or deported.