By Spy Uganda
In a surprising turn of events, a crucial consultative meeting for the Banyarwanda community in Uganda was abruptly halted by police on Wednesday commanded by the RPC Vincent Mwesigye. The meeting, which was set to discuss the drafting of a memorandum to the President regarding amendments to Article 10 of the Ugandan Constitution, aimed to secure citizenship rights for the Banyarwanda people.
The gathering, led by Mr Simon Kayitana,the Banyarwanda representative to the Buganda Lukiiko, along with their National Legal Advisor Hon. Dr. Fred Mukasa Mbidde, was part of a series of meetings organized to advocate for the rights and recognition of the Banyarwanda within Ugandan society. Attendees had gathered in very large numbers at Kassanda playground hoping for a constructive dialogue around their citizenship concerns, which have lingered for years.
However, the atmosphere turned tense as police arrived on the scene, deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as participants scrambled for safety amidst the cloud of tear gas. The rationale behind the police intervention remains unclear, leaving many in the Banyarwanda community feeling frustrated and marginalized.
“This meeting was a preparatory opportunity for Banyarwanda to voice peacefully concerns and seek the necessary changes to our status in this country,” said one attendee, who wished to remain anonymous. “Instead, we were met with force and intimidation. It is disheartening to see our efforts for peaceful dialogue thwarted.”
The Banyarwanda community has long faced challenges regarding their citizenship rights in Uganda, with many feeling unrecognized and disenfranchised. The proposed amendment to Article 10 seeks to address these issues by clarifying the rights of citizenship for the Banyarwanda people.
As the dust settles from the police intervention, community leaders are left to contemplate their next steps. “The cause shall not fail in account of bulwark, gasconades and fanfaronades by the other wise misguided security agencies,merely tainted with schadenfreude against Ugandan Banyarwanda,” said Dr. Mbidde in a brief statement following the incident. “We will regroup and continue the common fight afresh for these rights, as we believe that dialogue should be met with understanding, not hostility.”
The incident has drawn attention to the ongoing struggles faced by minority communities in Uganda and raises concerns about the government’s approach to civil discourse. As the Banyarwanda community prepares for future meetings, they remain hopeful that their voices will eventually be heard and that their plea for recognition will not fall on deaf ears.
Authorities have yet to comment on the police actions at the meeting, and the community is now left to navigate the uncertainty of their next move in their quest for justice and equality.
