Open Letter to the President of Uganda.
Subject: Tensions between Rwanda and Uganda.
Your Excellence
President of The Republic of Uganda.
I read and understand your new year’s message especially on the Tensions between Rwanda and Uganda, I want to focus on this subject because I have been closely following Rwanda’s behavior, I have fallen victim to these tensions for my continuous reporting of crimes committed by Rwanda to Ugandans.
I understand your position is that there should not be a war between the two countries, indeed this position is shared by many including me however there is a Luganda saying ”bwonyigiriza enyindo ojileta omusayi” literally meaning when you squeeze the nose you can cause it to bleed. I think Rwanda has squeezed our nose too much that it has caused us to bleed.
Your Excellency, President Paul Kagame has no respect for the Ugandan leadership and no respect for diplomacy, he enjoys stabbing others as he maintains his grip to power, his only means of negotiation is by killing those opposed to him, am sure you know that by all means President Kagame’s interest is that you handover those that run to Uganda back to him. He also demands that you hand over criminals that committed crimes in Uganda to him, president Kagame wants you to silence Ugandan citizens like me and others that you have already been informed of from making comments about his leadership and human rights record. This is an impossible task especially if you have no control of people like me.
I don’t fight Kagame because I have any connection to Rwanda, in fact, I am pure Muganda with no mixture of any blood. My fight is for Uganda, I fight to protect the image of Uganda, to protect the integrity of my nation, I fight for the innocent Ugandans who have continuously been caught up in this crisis.
If President Kagame had respect for diplomacy he wouldn’t have been making reckless statements as he made during the recent Makerere Demonstrations, or recently that ”leaders who stay more than 3 terms are fools.” These statements can’t be made by the president of another country unless he is provoking something.
In that regard Mr. President I feel that Uganda has to treat Kagame as a hostile leader, there are security reports that he has funded crime in Kampala, that he has tried to sabotage our economy, that he is directly linked to ADF, you yourself have previously admitted that crime is supported by external forces, you have admitted Mr. President that Criminal elements run to neighboring countries.
I have carefully been reading Rwandan sponsored newspapers and their stories toward Uganda are full of hate for this beautiful nation Uganda, articles on Virunga Post have attacked the office of the president many times. Rwanda DMI has a fully equipped social media department that disseminates information on Facebook and Twitter disguising as opposition supporter pages, Uganda has consistently kept quiet, but why should we allow this small country to step on us this way?
It’s well documented that Rwandan Security used Ugandan security officials to commit crimes against humanity when they forcefully repatriated Rwandan refugees between 2012 to 2017 leading to deaths of up 400 refugees returned. This was unacceptable abuse of human rights by elements of the police forces then and it embarrassing for a nation like Uganda that host many refugees not to take serious action.
I have heard Many Kagame apologists praising their army as powerful constantly referring to Kisangani 1 and 2 as battles that Rwanda won against us. Mr. President, please be reminded that Ugandan bodies were brought back in body bags, they innocently fell to the hands of our supposed brother.
As a Ugandan, I feel our Government needs to take a strong stand against anyone or country that works to destabilize Uganda. We can’t continue to play diplomacy with people that are arrogant and adamant about diplomacy.
Mr. President our foreign policy should be revised on Rwanda, Rwanda should not dictate our foreign and internal policies. Ugandans are united to defend our nation against any foreign aggression regardless of the political situation.
Rwanda should be given an ultimatum to open its border or we impose trade sanctions on the small nation with a big-headed leader.
For God and My Country
Titus Seruga