Security authorities have banned the sale of alcohol along
Uganda-Rwanda border of Ryakarimira town council in Ndorwa West County, Kabale
district.
The order comes days after Rwandan security officials shot dead
one person and injured two others. Chabobuzi Bizimuremye alias Chabobo,23,
a resident of Sebukuma village, Musenda parish, Gatebe Sub County in Burera
district, Rwanda was shot in the chest and buttocks last Friday at around 9:30 pm
while at Nyakena village in Rwanda about 100 metres away from the border.
His colleagues Rusizi Rwamayanje was shot on the leg while Ronald
Nyihabusa was shot on the shoulder. Bizimuremye died from Muguri trading centre
while being rushed to Muguri Health centre II for treatment.
The deceased and the injured had crossed back to Rwanda through a
porous border of Muguri B before they were intercepted by Rwandan security
officials. The victims had spent the whole evening in Muguri trading centre,
Ryakarimira town council and later crossed with bags of smuggled local waragi.
Dan Byaruhanga, the Kigezi Region Police Commander says that security
has realized that despite the border closure by Rwandan authorities, Rwandan
nationals have continued to sneak into Uganda through porous borders to smuggle
and drink alcohol especially local waragi.
Byaruhanga says that security has also launched a routine sensitization
exercise to residents along Ugandan border not to cross to Rwanda saying that
their security is not guaranteed.
Enock Kazooba, Ryakarimira town council LCIII Chairman
supports the directive saying that it will save them from Rwandans flocking the
area through porous borders to smuggle waragi.
Kazooba says that as the town council security chairperson, he has
started liaising with village chairpersons to identify and report bar owners
who defy the order.
According to Kazooba, whenever Rwandan nationals cross, they drink
a lot of waragi and start fighting which attracts Rwandan security operatives
to waylay them near the border while crossing back.
Bosco Muhereza and Jane Turinawe all bar owners at Muguri village
in Ryakarimira say that the order is not favourable because Rwandan nationals
also cross to Uganda to buy food for survival in addition to waragi. They also
say that the order suffocates business of waragi because they are the big
customers.
Bizimuremye’s body is still stuck at Kabale regional referral
hospital mortuary since the incident as Rwandan government remains mute.
