By Frank Nyakairu
July 27, 2003-Monitor
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Rwanda has asked Uganda to explain the mysterious detention of her diplomat in Kampala by security personnel. Internal Security Organisation operatives allegedly arrested a former welfare officer at the Rwandan embassy in Kampala Mr Vincent Butera in June last year. �We regard this as a very unfortunate thing. We ask the Uganda government to explain the circumstances surrounding his [Butera] arrest,� Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Charles Murigande told Sunday Monitor by telephone from Kigali this week. He said Rwanda�s foreign officers has on several occasions raised such complaints with their several Ugandan counterparts. �God knows how many times we have brought these issues to the their [Uganda] attention including President Yoweri Museveni,� Murigande said. �We know of those arrested, some have been released while others died,� he added. The Minister of Regional Cooperation Mr Augustine Nshimye told Sunday Monitor that he had not received any official communication from Kigali regarding Butera�s case. �I am very sorry to hear that, but I have not been officially communicated to on that particular issue,� Mr Nshimye said. A family member came to The Monitor last week and said Butera was arrested by operatives from Internal Security Organisation and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence. He identified some of them as Lt. Ben Baguma, Lt. Patrick Lumumba, Lt. Francis Odechi and Pte. William Ssekitoleko. The Rwanda Ambassador Ms Christine Umutoni last week confirmed Butera�s arrest. She said the embassy did not follow up the matter because Butera was no longer an employee of the embassy when he was arrested. The relatives said they feared he could have been killed in detention. Sunday Monitor failed for a whole week to reach ISO Director General Col. Elly Kayanja and the head of CMI Col. Noble Mayombo for a comment. They were reportedly in meetings whenever Sunday Monitor called their mobile phones. |
� 2003 The Monitor Publications
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