NEWS- A total of 140 Congolese Nationals comprised of 98 Police officers, 02 civilian males (1 disabled) 13 women and 27 children have returned back home to DRC from Ishasha Border in Kanungu District to Mpwonde – Kasindi border post in Kasese District.
The Congolese officials have been in a safe environment on Ugandan side following M23 take control of Kiwanza, Nyamirima, Buganza Nyaruhanje and Ishasha in Rutchuru region – North Kivu. This has led to an influx of Congolese nationals including Police officers.
This insecurity has been on for several years with Uganda Government receiving many refugees with hundreds of them received weekly at Matanda transit camp in Kanungu and Nyakabande Transit camp in Kisoro district.
This is not the first time to receive Congolese security officers on Ugandan side after skirmishes on their side, we received them before, we treated them as per International law requirements, we have always given a safe passage which is a humanitarian act for our counterparts and we will always do our best for purposes of regional Security and in spirit of Pan-Africanism. This spirit is as a culmination of Cordial Relations the two countries; Uganda and DRC enjoys.
Lt Col Tembo Sitende , Ugandan battalion Commander at the border in Kanungu with UPDF and FARDC joint verification and Intelligence taskforce officials are on their way to Mpwonde – Kasindi in Kasese district to hand over the Congolese Nationals.
On 12 August 2024, Lt Col Jacob Apunia , did a verification exercise and confirmed that indeed all of them are Congolese National Police Officers who crossed for safety with 41 assault rifles, 55 full loaded magazines, 10 empty Magazines, 1 hand grenade, 02 helmets and 1 rocket propelled grenade fuse after M23 took control of areas along borders in DRC.
Meanwhile, Congolese refugees continue to enter Uganda from areas of Katwiguru,, Kiseguro, Binza, Nyabanira, Kisharo, Ntamugenga, Nyamirima, Karambirp, Nyanzari, all from Rutchuru region. Notable crossing points are Kyeshero and Ishasha in Kanungu Districts and Bunagana and Nkuringo in Kisoro. According to women refugees , moving long distances crossing into Uganda is attributed violence emanating from Insecurity perpetuated to unarmed natives by a cocktail of armed groups in North Kivu and therefore search for peace and Security in Uganda.
The UPDF 2nd Infantry Division continues to tighten Surveillance and reactivated vigilance mechanisms at the borderline in order to deter possible infiltration by Negative elements operating in the region.
