Ugandan groups to protest Kabuye’ arrest

The arrest of the Director of State Protocol, Rose Kabuye, is raising a furore not only in Rwanda but in Uganda and other countries as well. In Uganda, civil society groups have planned massive demonstrations against what they have termed a ‘kidnap’ by Germany and France. “Uganda is joining the thousands of protesters who marched through Kigali Streets to deliver a memorandum to the German Embassy and we are doing the same here. I mean, if Germany can collaborate with France, then I think Uganda should join our neighbour and fellow East African Community member, Rwanda, to condemn the arrest of Kabuye,” said renowned moralist Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church. Among the protesting groups is the Ugandan Civil Society, Makerere University Guild, Makerere Community Church and the Pan African Movement. Speaking to The New Times on phone in Kampala, Ssempa said that the arrest of Kabuye is an unfortunate incident and a clear manifestation of European hypocrisy and conspiracy to weaken the self determination of African people. According to Sempa the Europeans are attempting to control, dominate and eventually render Africa irrelevant. A joint statement released by the organisers ahead of the protest scheduled for tomorrow calls upon German authorities to unconditionally release Kabuye. The statement signed by Ssempa and Grace Kabayo, the Executive Director of the Global Pan African Movement was copied to the Rwandan, German and French Embassies in Kampala as well as the African Union and European Union Secretariats. “We expect a big turnout with CSO’s, Universities, Pan-Africanists and the Church Community, all promising to rise up against the deliberate infringement by Germany and France on Rwanda’s independence and Africa’s sovereignty in general,” Ssempa said. The peaceful Protest will begin from Makerere University through Kampala streets to the embassies where they will be delivering statements condemning the arrest of Kabuye. Among other things, the groups will also protest the arrest warrants issued two years ago by Jean Louis Bruguire, a French Judge. He is accusing Kabuye and other top officials of downing the plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana. “We the Civil Society, Pan-Africanists and the Students Community condemn this act of re-colonisation of Africans, European ego, insult and dishonour of Rwandans. We therefore demand for the immediate unconditional release of Mrs. Kabuye and an apology to her family and the Government of Rwanda,” reads the joint statement. The groups also argue that the issue which is entirely Rwandan must be left for the AU or any other neutral legal entity other than France, a known accomplice in the 1994 Tutsi Genocide and a ‘City of refuge’ to the Senior Genocidaires. They also argue that France keeps away from the DR Congo conflict by sending troops to defend Interahamwe activities in the Eastern part of the country, which pose a great threat to the security of Rwanda, just like it did during the 1994 Genocide. “It’s a shame that Germany which had renounced the olden ways of Adolf Hitler has retrogressed and acted closer to the times of Hitler,” the statement concludes. Efforts to reach Kabayo by press time were futile as she was reportedly busy coordinating the planned demonstration. Kabuye, is well known in Uganda having lived and studied there before joining the Rwanda Patriotic Front liberation struggle. She joined Makerere University in 1986, attaining a Bachelors degree in Political Science. Ends

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Ugandan groups to protest Kabuye’ arrest