Body of Ugandan trader shot in Rwanda repatriated
Relatives and friends of the late Jack Turyahikayo Rwakigezi carry a casket containing his body shortly after it was handed over to Ugandan authorities by the Rwandan security officials at Kamwezi Border Post in Rukiga District on January 23, 2023. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA
What you need to know:
- The deceased is accused of smuggling household items to Uganda.
The Residents of Karera Village in Kashekye Parish, Kamwezi Sub-county, Rukiga District yesterday staged a peaceful demonstration at the burial of Jack Turyahikayo Rwakigezi, 52, who was shot dead on Tuesday last week by Rwandan security operatives.
Rwakigezi was accused of smuggling metallic plates and cups to Uganda.
The Resident District Commissioner of Rukiga, Mr Fred Nayebare, said security investigations show that the deceased was shot dead at around 8pm in Nyakisa Hill in Mpororo Border Village in Kashakye Parish, Kamwezi Sub-county, Rukiga.
He added that the victim was shot after crossing into Uganda, but the body was carried back to Rwanda until Monday afternoon when Rwakigezi was repatriated through Kamwezi border in Rukiga at around 4pm.
“We are tired of Rwandan security operatives killing our people whom they suspect of smuggling goods either into their country or vice versa. This is the sixth person from Kashekye Parish who has been shot dead by Rwandan security operatives since 2019. We deserve an apology from the government of Rwanda over these extra-judicial killings,” Mr Nayebare said.
The mayor of Nyagatare District in Rwanda, Mr Stephen Gasana, who was accompanied by the Nyagatare District Police Commander, Mr JB Dusengimana, led the Rwandan delegation that delivered the body of Turyahikayo.
They accused the deceased of trying to injure the Rwandan security operatives with traditional tools such as spears and pangas.
“The deceased was shot dead after resisting arrest after he was intercepted while smuggling goods out of Rwanda. The deceased was in the company of five other colleagues that carried traditional tools, which they threatened to use to injure our security operatives, and in self defence, [our team] shot him dead while the rest ran away and disappeared,” Mr Gasana said as he presented a postmortem report to Mr Nayebare.
However, the exhibits, which the deceased allegedly used to fight the Rwanda security operatives, were not presented.
Mr Nayebare, the UPDF commander for the 33 Battalion, Lt Col Stephen Sabiiti, and the Rukiga chairperson, Mr Robert Mbabazi Kakwerere, led the Ugandan delegation that received the body before it was handed over to the relatives for burial.
Mr Nayebare promised to establish a police post at Mpororo Border Post and deploy day and night patrols to ensure that Ugandans are safe in their country. Mr Kakwerere said the renewed killing of Ugandans may lead to another frosty relationship between Kigali and Kampala. “Whereas we encourage our people to always use the official customs and immigration offices to cross into Rwanda, the Rwandan government should discipline its trigger-happy security operatives,” he said.
The chairperson of Kirihura Border Village, Mr Abel Rubahika, said: “We are tired of Rwandan security operatives shooting and killing our people yet we accommodate and employ their citizens in our border villages. The government should [immediately] put in place measures to curb this vice.”
Mr Medard Owunyesiga, a brother to the deceased, eulogised him as a prominent businessman dealing in household items. Turyahikayo is survived by four wives and 11 children.
