{UAH} WHAT IS GOING ON BETWEEN RWANDA AND UGANDA??
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By Amos Kasibante
The death in Oct 1990 of Fred Gisa Rwigyema's a day after the RPF crossed into Rwanda would establish the pattern of dealings between Uganda and Rwanda, although this would not have been realised at the time. The official RPF version was that Rwigyema was tragically killed by a single bullet from the enemy the day after the RPF crossed into Rwanda. But as often happens in deaths of my high profile officers, the cause of death is often shrouded in mystery. Non-official versions claim it was an inside job.
What we know is that days after his death, two suspected senior RPF commanders, Maj. Baingana and Maj. Chris Bunyenyezi, were dead. Again, non-official channels (rumours) say that a team of senior NRA officers from Kampala travelled to the border and conducted a trial after which the two RPF officers were condemned to die by shooting.
What is called "the pattern" results from senior officers from both the NRA and the RPF knowing one another too well, having been fellow "wapiganaji" during the Bush War and/or even in the 1978-79 "liberation war". So, if a veteran of these wars based in NRA learns that a former comrade who had now "defected" to the RPF was treated very badly, they would want to help out. Remember that these former rebel outfits are not strictly governed by legal or geographical boundaries.
The "boys" in down-town Kampala, and by the "boys" is not meant soldiers, but Rwigyema's many fans, some of them football fans (Rwigyema was a football fan and supporter) were satisfied that the two conspirators had also been got rid of. Again "down-town Kampala" here is an inclusive term for many fans in Mbarara, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, and Kabaare.
So, the story goes that when Dr Kizza Besigye was fleeing from Uganda, eventually seeking asylum is South Africa, he used the Rwandan route rather than the Kenyan route. This writer was shown the old road to Rwanda by which he escaped. "Besigye passed here", the young man said, pointing to the dust road that branches off a few miles before Ntungamo.
RPF's turn was to come. Rumour has it that the dissidents Kayumba Nyamwasa and Karegyeya both passed through Uganda as they fled to South Africa where, several years later, the former was shot (he survived) and the latter hanged in a hotel.
We don't know whether PRA actually existed or was a figment of Uganda Intelligence's crafting, rather like Besigye's rape charge. But whether it did or not, the state said it had its bases in Rwanda, which is an indication of mutual suspicion at this early stage in the life of the two movements, NRA and RPF.
Against this background, whether there are Rwandan agents working in Uganda or Ugandan agents working in Rwanda remains a mystery. It's one of those things that back in the day we were cautioned (by our elders) never to talk about openly if we wanted to keep out of trouble.
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-- The death in Oct 1990 of Fred Gisa Rwigyema's a day after the RPF crossed into Rwanda would establish the pattern of dealings between Uganda and Rwanda, although this would not have been realised at the time. The official RPF version was that Rwigyema was tragically killed by a single bullet from the enemy the day after the RPF crossed into Rwanda. But as often happens in deaths of my high profile officers, the cause of death is often shrouded in mystery. Non-official versions claim it was an inside job.
What we know is that days after his death, two suspected senior RPF commanders, Maj. Baingana and Maj. Chris Bunyenyezi, were dead. Again, non-official channels (rumours) say that a team of senior NRA officers from Kampala travelled to the border and conducted a trial after which the two RPF officers were condemned to die by shooting.
What is called "the pattern" results from senior officers from both the NRA and the RPF knowing one another too well, having been fellow "wapiganaji" during the Bush War and/or even in the 1978-79 "liberation war". So, if a veteran of these wars based in NRA learns that a former comrade who had now "defected" to the RPF was treated very badly, they would want to help out. Remember that these former rebel outfits are not strictly governed by legal or geographical boundaries.
The "boys" in down-town Kampala, and by the "boys" is not meant soldiers, but Rwigyema's many fans, some of them football fans (Rwigyema was a football fan and supporter) were satisfied that the two conspirators had also been got rid of. Again "down-town Kampala" here is an inclusive term for many fans in Mbarara, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, and Kabaare.
So, the story goes that when Dr Kizza Besigye was fleeing from Uganda, eventually seeking asylum is South Africa, he used the Rwandan route rather than the Kenyan route. This writer was shown the old road to Rwanda by which he escaped. "Besigye passed here", the young man said, pointing to the dust road that branches off a few miles before Ntungamo.
RPF's turn was to come. Rumour has it that the dissidents Kayumba Nyamwasa and Karegyeya both passed through Uganda as they fled to South Africa where, several years later, the former was shot (he survived) and the latter hanged in a hotel.
We don't know whether PRA actually existed or was a figment of Uganda Intelligence's crafting, rather like Besigye's rape charge. But whether it did or not, the state said it had its bases in Rwanda, which is an indication of mutual suspicion at this early stage in the life of the two movements, NRA and RPF.
Against this background, whether there are Rwandan agents working in Uganda or Ugandan agents working in Rwanda remains a mystery. It's one of those things that back in the day we were cautioned (by our elders) never to talk about openly if we wanted to keep out of trouble.
"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"
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