KAMPALA – The Ministers of Internal Affairs and that of the East African Community Affairs (EAC) have been summoned by Parliament to explain the recent murders of Ugandans in South Sudan and Rwanda.
Two Ugandan teachers were shot dead in South Sudan on 26 May 2019. The duo from Kasese and Bushenyi districts were teachers of Hope and Resurrection Secondary School in Atiaba, Western Lake State of South Sudan.
Their murder was allegedly meant to avenge the death of a South Sudanese girl who was knocked dead by a vehicle being driven by foreigners.
The Ministers are also expected to explain the murder of a Ugandan, Alex Nyesiga, by Rwanda soldiers near the Uganda-Rwanda border.
Nyesiga was shot by Rwandan soldiers in Rukiga District near the Uganda-Rwanda border on 24 May 2019 as he tried to intervene in a scuffle between the soldiers and their countryman, John Batista Nkerenye.
It is reported that the two Rwandan soldiers on motorcycles pursued Nkerenye into Uganda before shooting him dead. It is during this fracas that Nyesiga was shot and died as he was being rushed to a hospital in Kabale District.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, according to Ms. Kadaga should update the House on what happened and steps being taken to ensure that such incidences do not re-occur.
She also wants the Minister of EAC to update MPs on the general state of the EAC integration and cooperation.
“We ask the Minister of EAC to come and update the House on where we stand on this issue,” said Kadaga.
The decision to summon the Ministers during the Thursday 31 May 2019 sitting, follows concerns raised by MPs Winfred Kizza (Kasese District) and John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya County)
Fomer leader of opposition described the murder of the two Ugandans in South Sudan as unfortunate, saying that is against the spirit of promoting Pan-Africanism and the EAC integration.
“It pains us that we are talking about brotherhood and sisterhood in the African continent and South Sudan is in the East African Community but a Ugandan is called a foreigner in South Sudan,” said Kiiza.
She was also concerned that Uganda hosts over 800,000 South Sudanese in refugee camps and yet Ugandans are killed in South Sudan.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and EAC should take up this matter and find out how we can continue living with each other as EAC while looking at each other as foreigners,” Ms. Kiiza added.
Mr. Nambeshe said that such incidences raise questions on the need to continue promoting the EAC integration.
“Fast-tracking the EAC cooperation is a matter of procedure that requires a full report on the relationship Uganda has with Member States of EAC,” he said.
