Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has come under fire for ‘joking’ instead of helping solve the ongoing rift between the governments of Rwanda and Uganda.
Tension between the two neighbouring states has been growing in the recent past and climaxed with the closure of the Gatuna border by Rwandan authorities last Wednesday. Then, a statement signed by Rosine Uwamariya, the Commissioner for Customs at Rwanda Revenue Authority, claimed the move was to pave way for the upgrading of the One Stop Border Post at Gatuna.
Hours later, Richard Sezibera, the Rwandan minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation cautioned his countrymen against travelling to Uganda, accusing Uganda of illegally detaining their nationals, enforcing the deportation of hundreds and denying others entry
According to Olivier Nduhungirehe, there are more than 40 Rwandan citizens languishing in Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence run cells in Uganda. Nduhungirehe is Rwanda’s state minister in charge of East African Community.
The call to have Rwandans desist to cross over to Uganda, saw Duncan Abigaba ask Sezibera why he doesn’t want Rwandan children to attend Ugandan schools.
When a Spokesperson of a government is mocking and joking instead of addressing a bilateral concern… pic.twitter.com/5RuiDWu2Ha
— Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe (@onduhungirehe) March 5, 2019
“Why should @rsezibera deny innocent Rwandan children an opportunity to attend Ugandan schools when he had all his education in Uganda & Burundi? He attended nursery in Burundi, primary, secondary & university education in Uganda. Rwanda elites shouldn’t suffocate ordinary Rwandans,” Abigaba tweeted on Monday.
Another cross border tweet by Sebastian Murangira claimed Ugandan men are complaining that their baes are no longer coming for the weekends in Kampala.
“Imagine a weekend without our Rwanda baes,” snmurangira tweeted.
To these tweets, Ofwono Opondo replied with laughing emojis and ‘Ayayaya batwita’ respectively.
Ayayaya batwita literally translates to ‘they have killed us’
But Nduhungirehe, who has used twitter to mock Uganda and some officials since the deportation of Tabura Annie, a Rwandan national who was head of sales at MTN Uganda, responded with ‘when a spokesperson of a government is mocking and joking instead of addressing a bilateral concerns.’
The tweet drew numerous responses from Nduhungirehe’s followers, with most calling for the head of Opondo, while others reminded him of the Uchumi-underpant incident.
The government mouthpiece is yet to make a response.
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