The deportees including six men, two women and one child were dumped at the border after spending days in Uganda’s detention facilities in Mbarara.

Upon arrival, they received emergency assistance and tested for COVID-19.

Their deportation follows series of circumstances under which Ugandan officials have been dumping Rwandans at borders following days of torture in detention facilities accused of being spies yet they had traveled to Uganda to run businesses or visit relatives among other reasons.

Recently on 15th September 2021, Rwanda received 15 nationals evicted from Uganda through Cyanika border in Burera district after enduring torture and dispossession of their valuables.

Rwanda, Uganda relations worsened since 2017. Rwanda has been expressing concerns over Rwandans who travel to Uganda for business purposes but are abducted, imprisoned and tortured accused of being spies.

Rwanda also accuses Uganda of hosting dissidents that are posing a threat to national security.

In March 2019, the Government of Rwanda officially advised citizens not to travel to Uganda for their security following testimonies of over 1000 Rwandans tortured and deported from Uganda.

In August 2019, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame signed memorandum of understanding ‘Luanda Agreement’ in a bid to solve conflicts between both countries.

Despite efforts to sign the agreement between both heads of state witnessed by mediators including the President of Angola, Joao Lourenço and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation is still worsening as Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence continues with arbitrary detention of Rwandans who are subjected to torture in its facilities.

The deportees including six men, two women and one child were dumped at the border after spending days in Uganda’s detention facilities in Mbarara.