A visit to the scene where Rwandan soldier killed two inside Uganda

The spot where a Rwandan soldiers shot dead one Rwandan and a Ugandan at Hamisavu Trading Centre, Kamwezi, Rukiga District, was still cordoned off as a crime scene on Tuesday this week.
Dry blood of Alex Nyesiga was still visible and the sandals made out of car tyres that he wore that day also dangled near the exact spot where he lay in pool of blood before he was rushed to Nyakibungo Health Centre by Herbert Turyasingura, the area councillor on a motorcycle, where he died moments later.

Batista Nkyerengye, the Rwandan, died on spot a few metres near Nyesiga, who was buried on Tuesday in Nyakibungo Parish.
A visit to the scene by a team of journalists and police on Monday attracted crowds on the Ugandan side and security operatives across the Rwandan side, who came closer to the border line to watch what was happening.

At this border point, the two countries are separated by the road and a stone mark that was erected to separate the countries, puts the scene of crime on the Ugandan side by a few metres.
Apart from the stone, there are eucalyptus trees on the same straight line with the erected stone that also mark the borderline.
At Hamisavu, people from either side were freely crossing to the either side without any problem before this political wrangle that now threatens unity among the people living along the border.
On the Rwandan side, there are no shops to buy basic groceries and the Rwandans would cross and buy from Hamisavu Trading Centre.
Mr Abel Rubahuka, the LC1 chairman of Mpororo, said on the fateful day at around 7pm, he heard bullets and came running to see what had happened.

On arrival, he found Nkyerengye’s lifeless body lying on the ground, although Nyesiga could still talk.
“I came running and found the Rwandan lying in a pool of blood. We hurriedly looked for a boda boda to take Nyesiga to the hospital [health centre] for treatment,” Mr Rubahuka said.
As they were still preparing to take Nyesiga for treatment, seven Rwandan soldiers came to take the body of Nyekyengye.
“They entered. But people resisted and threw stones at them. As the scuffle was still ongoing, two Ugandan police officers came and fired two bullets and the soldiers fled,” Mr Rubahuka said.
Mr Turyasingura took Nyesiga to the health centre.

“I thought he had been shot in the leg. But when we reached the hospital [health centre], the medical officer told us that he had been shot twice in the ribs,” he said.
Nyesiga was reportedly bleeding profusely. He was later put on a bed as they prepared to take him to Kabale for better treatment but after a few minutes, he was declared dead by the medical officer.
“He [medical officer] pressed his arms and touched his chest and told us he was dead,” Mr Turyasingura said
The police officers later addressed the residents and told them not to be violent against the Rwandans.

“You have been living together in peace with your fellow neighbours. Don’t let this incident cause tension. Please, remain calm because we know what is happening and the situation will be under control,” the Kigezi Regional police spokesperson, Mr Elly Maate, said.
Before the team of journalists and police went to this borderline, they had been at Katuna Border for the handover of Nkerengye’s body.
At Katuna, there were dramatic incidents as both Ugandan and Rwandan delegations first disagreed on the exact spot where to handover and receive the body.

The Rwandan delegation led by Nyagatare Mayor Claudian Mushabe crossed to Uganda’s No-man’s land but refused to sit in a tent that had been organised for both the groups and the diplomats.
One of the Ugandan police officers was heard asking the Rwanda’s police commander of the eastern region, Mr Emmanuel Hatari, why they were fearing to sit in the tent.
Mr Hatari replied: “We are not fearing anything, but tell your people to come forward.”

The Ugandan delegation and the diplomats later heeded to the Rwandan’s demands and moved out of the tent and move to the spot where the Rwandan delegation stood in middle of the road.
On the Ugandan side, crowds swelled and they were anxiously watching outside the security ring formed by Uganda police to see what was happening.
Across the Rwandan border, the Rwandan police officers were stiffly lined up holding their guns as they carefully watched what was happening.

The Rwandans came with their ambulance and a coffin. Rukiga District Woman MP Caroline Kamusiime spoke first after the two groups agreed on the spot for Uganda to handover and Rwanda to receive the body.
She told the Rwandan delegation to stop their soldiers from entering Uganda’s territory.
“We condemn this act and we also expect Rwanda government to do the same,” she said.
She said Ugandans and Rwandans near the borders have been living as brothers and sisters but wondered why “some people were sowing seeds of disunity”.

Kabale deputy mayor Gad Rugaju said it was the 16th time the Rwandan soldiers were crossing the border and entering Uganda with guns.
In response, Mr Mushabe said Rwanda would not tolerate smuggling.
Two relatives of the Nkyerengye came along to receive his body.
Mr Habakize Augustine, a brother of the deceased, said: “We were told that he had a panga and wanted to hack the soldiers who had stopped him.”

As journalists were interviewing him, the Rwandan security operatives rushed to hear what he was talking about before they pulled him away.
After the interviews, the Rwandan ambulance was parked close to the Ugandan ambulance that carried both Nyesiga and Nkerengye’s bodies.
Nkyerengye’s body was wheeled from the ambulance and moved to the Rwandan side as delegations bid farewell to each other.
It’s not clear what happened after the handover. But on the Ugandan side, Nyesiga was buried on Tuesday.

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