Regional
Rwanda Hands Over To Uganda Intercepted UPDF Soldier
![image](webadmin/images/Rwanda uganda.jpeg-20210614121928000000.jpeg)
Rwanda on Sunday evening handed over to Ugandan authorities a
soldier under the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) who was intercepted on
Rwanda soil by Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) patrol on Saturday morning. RDF said
that the soldier, identified as Pte. Bukuru Muhuba, who was armed, was arrested
in Cyanika Sector, Burera district in the Northern Province.
“On 12 June 21, at approximately 1445hrs, an RDF Day patrol
intercepted a Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldier identified as Pte
Bakuru MUHUBA who was on Rwandan soil in Northern Province, Burera District,
Cyanika sector, Kamanyana cell, Majyambere village,”
“He was dressed in UPDF camouflage uniform, armed with a Medium
Machine Gun (MMG) with its 100 rounds, 01 Binocular, 01 cell phone and his
military Identification documents. RDF is in the process of repatriating him,”
the short statement reads.
The handover took place at Cyanika border post on the evening of
June 13, where the soldier admitted to making a mistake while on duty on patrol
with his colleagues, finding himself accidentally crossing the border into
Rwanda.
His confiscated items, including a the MMG, ammunition and other items, were handed over to the Ugandan government during a ceremony attended by Cpt Peter Mugisha, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kisoro district who apologized to the Government of Rwanda, saying that what happened was a mistake, assuring his Rwandan counterparts that such an mistake of violation of territory will not happen again.
He commended the Rwandan government for its good treatment of
the soldier, saying that good relations between the two countries’ military
forces would continue. The admission of violation dispelled earlier reports by
local media outlets in Uganda, affiliated to the Chieftaincy of Military
Intelligence (CMI) claiming that Pte. Bukuru was ‘kidnapped’ by Rwandan
soldiers.
The ceremony ended with the signing of documents confirming that the two sides had exchanged the soldier, following the speeches and handover activities which were cordial in nature, regardless earlier propaganda fueled by media reports inside Uganda. The soldier said he was treated well during his stay in Rwanda.