Rwanda on Monday afternoon handed over the body of Sydney Muhereza, a Ugandan businessman who was last week shot dead in Rwanda.
Muhereza was allegedly smuggling matchboxes when he was gunned down by Rwandan security.
The body was received at Katuna border Post by to the Kabale LC5 chairperson Patrick Besigye Keihwa and the Resident District Commissioner Darius Nandinda.
Mr Nandinda called on Rwandan security to respect the lives of people, urging that there’s no need to kill citizens who cross borders given the fact that the two countries are in East African community.
Muhereza is the fourth Ugandan to be shot dead since Rwanda closed her borders with Uganda on February 27th 2019.
Muhereza was a resident of Bigaaga Parish in Butanda subcounty, Kabale District. He was allegedly shot on 2nd June 2020.
Mr Keihwa,the Kabale LC5 chairperson condemned the killing, saying shooting wasn’t the final decision.
“This is the fourth Ugandan that Rwanda has shot dead,we really condemn this . We are brothers,not enemies. We have your people but we can’t shoot any of them, ” Keihwa said.
He said the shooting comes at a time when Uganda was planning to release at least 17 Rwandan prisoners who are held for different crimes at Ndorwa prison in Kabale.
Keihwa reveled that the prisoners are part of the peoplebthat were recently pardoned by the President.
Uwanyirigira Marie Chantal,the Mayor of Burera District while handing over the body to Ugandan Authorities accused the deceased of smuggling drugs in Rwanda.
She also said that the deceased was shot dead after attempting to fight Rwandan security using traditional tools.
” We shot him after resisting arrest. He was armed with traditional tools,and therefore he was killed In self defence. We apologise for his death, “Uwanyirigira said.
Elly Maate,the Kigezi regional Police Spokesperson commenting on the matters condemned the Rwandan government for the shooting, saying even if the deceased could have been involved in smuggling, he didn’t deserve death.
” Even if he was snuggling,he didn’t deserve death! I want to call on our Ugandans who want to do business along the borderlines of Uganda to use gazztted legal methods. it’s hard for the Ugandan security to protect her citizens outside the territories of Uganda, ” Maate said.
Uganda’s state minister for planning in the ministry of finance Hon David Bahati, who’s also the area Member of Parliament (Ndorwa West Constituency where the deceased has from) giving his eulogy advised the window, Rhoda Muhereza to always seek the comfort of God.
” I want comfort Rhoda to seek God’s comfort and all my prayers and thoughts are with her family” David Bahati said.
Zadock Tumuhimbise,the secretary general of Uganda teachers union who’s the niece to the deceased tearfully urged Rwanda to choose peaceful means of handling any crisis than choosing to kill.
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