Rwandan national shot dead, two injured in Kabale

Kabale, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  A Rwandan national has been shot dead and two injured by Rwandan security personnel in Kabale District.

The deceased has been identified as Muremi Chabobuzi, a resident of Burera District in Northern Province, Rwanda. The injured are Rusizi Rwamayanje and Ronald Nihabusa. 

The incident occurred on Friday night at around 9:30 pm at Mushunga in Burera district. 

Robert Bamuturaki, the LCI Chairperson for Muguri B village in Ryakarimira town council says that both the deceased and injured together with a group of other Rwandan nationals had crossed back to Rwanda through a porous border of Muguri B before they were intercepted by Rwandan security officials in Mushunga a few metres away from the border. 

Bamuturaki says that the victims had spent the whole evening in Muguri trading centre, Ryakarimira town council and later crossed with bags of smuggled local waragi. He says that in the process, when soldiers started shooting, the victims crossed back to Uganda but in the Chabobuzi was shot on the chest and buttocks while Rusizi was shot on the shoulder while Nihabusa was shot on the leg.  

He says that Chabobuzi died at Ryakarimira trading centre while being rushed to Muguri Health Centre II.

On Saturday morning security officials led by Dan Byaruhanga, Kigezi Region Police Commander, Brian Ampeire, Kabale District Police Commander rushed to the border to investigate the incident.

The injured were transferred to Rubaya Health Centre IV under tight security. 

Byaruhanga said that investigations into the incident are on-going. 

Five Rwandan nationals who were in the company of the victims have been taken to Kabale police station to help in investigations. They include Bosco Manirafasha, Erike Nyakanengo, Kasasira Nyabirikimusi, Jean Damuru Habyarimana, Haruna Nakirutimana and Theoden Marishimana. 

Chabobuzi is the eighth person to be killed by Rwandan security operatives since the border closure in February 2019. 

Rwanda accuses Ugandan authorities of abducting its citizens and locking them up in un-gazetted areas. Rwanda also accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially Rwanda National Congress-RNC and the Democratic Forces for the liberation of Rwanda FDLR, which have declared war on the Kigali government. 

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