KIGALI – Rwandan authorities have insisted that advisory that warns its citizens against travelling to Uganda still stands, despite the temporary re-opening of Katuna-Kyanika borders points for heavy trucks.
The development has been confirmed by Rwanda’s minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation also the government spokesperson, Mr. Richard Sezibera.
Mr. Sezibera told local media the Gatuna/Katuna border with Uganda has re-opened for heavy trucks in order to test facilities at the border following the construction of a one-stop border post, but Rwandans should continue to heed the travel advisory for their own safety.
The minister spoke to this newspaper from Parliamentary Buildings in Kigali, shortly after he met senators for a session focused on explaining the Government’s foreign policy on promoting trade and investment.
“The travel advisory has not changed. The travel advisory says that ‘you are strongly advised not to travel to Uganda’. That hasn’t changed,” he said.
At the beginning of March this year, Kigali administration barred it citizens not to go to Uganda saying “their security was not guaranteed”.
“Rwandans are arrested, tortured, and harassed in Uganda; this is an issue we have raised with Uganda many times at different levels. Those that are not arrested, harassed, and detained are deported for reasons which we don’t understand,” Sezibera told the media.
Rwandan officials say that Ugandan authorities have arrested scores of Rwandan citizens for unclear reasons and have deported or denied entry to hundreds of others since January 2018.
