"What we have heard is that the plane was hired from Kenya. It was definitely not a military plane. It was being used by people drawing aerial maps. Both countries were informed of it in advance, so it is surprising that Rwanda has complained," the source said.
"What I heard is that a plane took off from Kisoro and flew to Rwanda. It was not identified. We do not know to whom the plane belongs. I hear it flew to Rwanda and came back," he said.
Otafiire: what do you mean you HAVE HEARD! A plane takes off from Uganda, you as a prominent "Minister" in Museveni's dictatorship, as a matter of state security, MUST know what kind of a plane it is: who it belongs too, and what was the mission of the plane when it illegally penetrated Rwanda's air space!
Matek
Rwanda Quizzes Ugandan Envoy
The Monitor (Kampala)
February 23, 2003
Posted to the web February 24, 2003
David Kibirigeby David Kibirige
Kampala
Rwanda has summoned Uganda's envoy in Kigali after a Ugandan 'military' plane flew into the country without clearance.
Ms Lillian Bazirake, the Uganda charge D'Affaires in Kigali, was summoned by Rwanda's acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Augustine Mukama, on 21 February.
Mr Mukama officially protested and also demanded an explanation from Uganda.
The plane strayed on 20 February and spent 27 minutes in Rwanda airspace before reportedly flying back into Uganda.
Mr Mukama produced a radar print out and cited the Entebbe frequency on which the plane picked signals.
"We officially registered our protest and want an explanation as to why a Ugandan military plane flew into Rwanda airspace. The Ugandan embassy officials have said they have already informed Kampala about the protest," Mr Mukama told The Monitor at the weekend.
"We have [all the proof]. We have all the details like time, altitude and the time spent in our airspace."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly summoned Ms Bazirake back to Kampala.
Minister for Regional Co-operation Col. Kahinda Otafiire yesterday said they will make a full explanation to Rwanda but denied that it was a military plane.
"What I heard is that a plane took off from Kisoro and flew to Rwanda. It was not identified. We do not know to whom the plane belongs. I hear it flew to Rwanda and came back," he said.
Col. Otafiire said the army does not have any military plane in Kisoro.
He said what Rwanda did is the normal diplomatic procedure.
On how the Ugandan government can fail to know who owns the plane, Otafiire said: "It might even be a civilian plane or it may have come from Goma, but all the same we will explain to them."
A diplomatic source in Kigali later told The Monitor that the plane was from Kenya, and had been hired by cartographers.
"What we have heard is that the plane was hired from Kenya. It was definitely not a military plane. It was being used by people drawing aerial maps. Both countries were informed of it in advance, so it is surprising that Rwanda has complained," the source said.
