Kampala. The Belgium government has written to Uganda demanding to know the whereabouts of a former Rwandan military officer who is said to have disappeared at Mutukula border point as he had gone to meet his relatives last week.
Major Emmanuel Nkubana fled Rwanda in 2007 to Belgium where he was granted citizenship after falling out with President Paul Kagame.
Mr Yves Vanderweeën, Belgium embassy consul, confirmed receiving information of disappearance of their national and they have written to Uganda Foreign Affairs ministry for answers.
“We have sent a verbal note to the Foreign Affairs to ask about his whereabouts,” Mr Vanderweeën said on Thursday.
When contacted, the Foreign Affairs permanent secretary, Amb James Mugume, said he has not seen the communication because he has been away.
“I haven’t seen the letter. I will find out,” Amb Mugume said.
Mr Vanderweeën said they have also sent a similar note to Rwanda government, but they have not received any response from the two governments yet.
Maj Nkubana’s friends told Saturday Monitor that he booked into a guest house on Tanzania side at Mutukula where he spent a night. In the morning, he crossed to Uganda to meet his relatives and that was the last time they had from him.
Linked to Uganda
After the Tanzanian police was informed, officers visited his room and only found his luggage. Their investigations indicate that he crossed to Uganda.
However, Greater Masaka regional police commander, Mr Maxwell Ogwal, denied knowledge of any case.
“We haven’t received any case of kidnap in Mutukula. If he (Maj Nkubana) had crossed then I would have known,” Mr Ogwal said.
Another Ugandan police officer in charge of Mutukula border told Saturday Monitor that they haven’t received any information that Nkubana crossed to Uganda.
Maj Nkubana was born in Mbarara District in Uganda. In 1990, he joined National Resistance Army in Uganda. He later joined Rwanda Patriotic rebels and he was among the first group to attack Rwanda. When they took power, he commanded a Gendarmarie unit.
This is not the first time Uganda security agencies are accused of helping to hand over Rwandan dissents in Uganda without following due process.
In 2013, Ugandan security forces handed over Lt Joel Mutabaazi, a former bodyguard of President Kagame, to Rwanda government without following international standards.
abagala@ug.nationmedia.com