Museveni skips Rwanda question, urban crime

Kampala- In his State-of-the-Nation Address to Parliament yesterday, President Museveni avoided the Rwandan question which has led to increasing tension between the two neighbouring countries, resulting in closure of their common border at Katuna early this year.

Tensions continue to flare with Rwanda accusing Uganda of harbouring dissidents and undermining the Kigali government.
Uganda denies the allegations and says its borders are open to any law abiding person.

When he turned up for the State-of-the-Nation Address at the Kampala Serena International Conference Centre, many expected President Museveni to give an update on the two countries’ icy relations. None flickered through.

About two weeks ago, a Ugandan; Alex Nyesiga and a Rwandan national John Batista Kyerengye, were shot dead by Rwandan forces, who pursued their citizen across the border into Katuna in Rukiga District, Uganda.

In his speech on Ugandans who have died since the last State-of-the-Nation Address, Mr Nyesiga was not mentioned anywhere nor was the unresolved cross-border tension between the two countries.

Rwandan president Paul Kagame, in his address to the military High Command back home recently, said no one would bring him to his knees. He warned that anyone can choose to “kill me but not the people of Rwanda”.

In the face of all accusations, Ugandan authorities have denied liability but largely taken a silent path, and only mentioned Rwanda about regional and cross-border trade.

The bilateral hostility remains of strategic disadvantage to both countries, with Uganda’s exports to Rwanda suffering sad shocks and Rwandans being denied of essential commodities.

Like the Rwandan question, President Museveni skipped the accountability on urban crime. Since 2015, the President has been drumming up for installation of CCTV cameras to fight increasing urban crime.

Last year, the President unveiled gun finger-printing, CCTV installation in major towns and highways, sniper guards for MPs, electronic number plates and helmets for boda-bodas and ban on hoods and deployment of Local Defence Unit personnel as measures to curb urban crime.

Installation of cameras
By April 2019, 1940 CCTV cameras had been installed out of the 3,233 earmarked for Wakiso and Kampala districts, according to police authorities.

During his address yesterday, the President largely ignored the aspect of crime and did not give any substantive update except the usual pledge to ensure security in the country.

“UPDF works with other security agencies to deter or curtail any acts of lawlessness; the recent peaceful holding of the Martyrs Day, where an estimated three million people turned up, shows that police and the UPDF already have good capacity,” he said.

The President said the NRM government remains committed to ensuring a secure and peaceful Uganda.
He said: “Some months ago, killers, robbers and rapists had intensified their activities.”

He added that criminals had intensified in collusion with some elements within the security forces.
“They were committing these crimes with impunity because the police had been infiltrated by criminals and people who had been compromised in some ways; the National Security Council reviewed the situation and came to some conclusions,” the President said in his address to the antion.

He ended by yet another regular promise saying “crime wave will be defeated”.

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