Rwanda has deployed heavily armed personnel along with its border lines with Uganda – further raising already strained diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The armed personnel is visible in the hills at Mukaniga, Byumba, and Buganza. Also at Chanika in Kisoro district, the Rwandan army can be seen patrolling the Rwandan side of the border.
According to The Observer, Uganda’s Internal Security Organization (ISO) officials and locals confirmed the presence of the heavily armed Rwanda Defence Force soldiers along the borders. Although ISO officials said, Uganda doesn’t see a reason yet to also deploy armed personnel, Rwanda’s deployment has aroused tensions among the locals near the borders.
Rwanda and Uganda once fought a deadly battle on foreign soil in Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in June 2000. The number of casualties was in excess of 1,000, with Uganda registering the biggest deaths.
Rwanda’s deployment signals an escalation of the diplomatic hostility between the two countries which has been ongoing for the last two years. Since Wednesday last week, Rwanda blocked Ugandan trucks and buses from crossing into or out of Rwanda. Initially, the official reason given, was that Rwanda was upgrading its one stop border post at Gatuna border and advised drivers to use Chanika border post as an alternative.