By David Himbara
At the joint press conference after presidents, Paul Kagame and Yoweri Museveni met in Uganda on March 25, 2018, the two heads of state assured their respective countries that there was no issue between them. The relationship between Rwanda and Uganda is normal — said the two presidents.
But no sooner was Kagame back in Rwanda than his New Times started expelling its Ugandan journalists.
Uganda’s online news outlet, ChimpReports has provided the following details about the expelled Ugandans:
- Sports editor Hamuza Nkutu, kicked out.
- Business editor Steven Nuwagira, kicked out.
- Chief subeditor Angel Musinguzi, kicked out.
- Chief news editor James Tasamba, kicked out.
- Senior photographer Timothy Kisambira, kicked out.
- Managing editor Arthur Baguma, kicked out two weeks earlier.
ChimpReports further describes the developments at the New Times as follows:
“Though the publication cited financial problems to be the cause of the lay-off, it is only Ugandans that have been affected, and this website has also learnt that computers belonging to Ugandans have been taken over by Rwandan officials.
Officials say that they were not given a three months notice as required by the law, before one is sacked.
The incident comes just a few days after Rwandan President Paul Kagame reassured that bilateral ties with Uganda were being strengthened.”
ChimpReports lists other Ugandans sacked from various sectors by Rwandan authorities. Further, “Ugandan teachers working in Rwanda were recently sacked.”