Dr Gideon Rugari, a surgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital, has denied reports of being a member of Rwanda National Congress (RNC), a diaspora-based movement mobilising to remove President Paul Kagame from power.
“This was made up,” said Rugari in an interview with ChimpReports on Friday.
“I stopped following Rwandan propaganda,” he said, adding, “What I concentrate on is my security.”
The reports indicated that RNC had formed what was described as the “The RNC Province of Uganda” on November 13,2019 in Kampala-Uganda.
The alleged structure reportedly comprised Bishop Deo Nyirigira as the main coordinator and Frank Ruhinda as the deputy.
Rugari was named as Commissioner in charge of Communication and Media.
Rugari, a regular commentator on regional political and security affairs, told us: “I am the type that will defend my position to death.
This, I didn’t participate.”
Kigali has previously accused Uganda of providing a safe haven for RNC operatives to roam freely and recruit fighters in Uganda to destabilize Rwanda.
Gideon Rugari
Kampala has denied the claims as baseless, saying it doesn’t harbour intentions to destabilize Rwanda.
Kigali also claimed that Ugandan officials were meeting and providing support to the Rwandan dissidents.
In response, President Museveni said he had accidentally met with a member of RNC who asked for support from him to fight President Kagame’s government, a request he said he turned down and even reported to the Rwandan leader.
The RNC leadership on Thursday night said in a media statement that the alleged structure in Uganda was not known to its leadership.
Jerome Nayigiziki, who speaks for RNC says the Ugandan structure is a “mere fabrication.”
Reports about the creation of the Uganda structure could further worsen the tense bilateral relations with Rwanda.
Talks between the two countries have been postponed several times, raising prospects of a possible military confrontation.
But Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa recently said Kampala remained optimistic to an amicable resolution of the conflict.