Rwandan accountant detained in Uganda released on police bond
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Ronald Mutarindwa. / Photo: Net

A Rwandan national who was recently detained in Kampala by Ugandan authorities under unclear circumstances, and charges, was Monday afternoon "released on a Police bond," according to a relative who is closely following the case.

The relative, who prefers anonymity, told The New Times that Ronald Mutarindwa, a 55-year old man, who was arrested on Saturday, March 21, 2020, "is required to report at Kireka Police station on 04 April."

Kireka is a town in the outskirts of Kampala.

"He will continue reporting to the police. We don't know at the moment what will be next," the relative added, when asked if they had any idea what really follows next.

Reports emerged, early last week that Mutarindwa, who has lived and worked in the Ugandan capital for the past four years, had become another victim of the anti-Rwanda campaign by the Ugandan regime.

Murarindwa has lived and worked as a private audit consultant in Uganda since 2016.

On the day of his disappearance, Mutarindwa had been at Cafe Javas at Shoprite Lugogo shopping mall, an up-market shopping centre located in Nakawa division, one of the Ugandan capital's largest suburbs, where he had gone for coffee.

Family sources say Mutarindwa was picked by officers attached to Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

His friends and relatives got very worried, knowing that Rwandans previously detained by Ugandan intelligence operatives faced the worst forms of cruelty while others have died.

They petitioned the government of Rwanda to intervene and secure the release of their relative.

Speaking to The New Times on Friday last week, the State Minister for EAC affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe said they had written to their Ugandan counterpart notifying them of the Rwandan national.

Nduhungirehe said last week: "We don't need, for now, to send any message via the media. We are in touch with the family and we are working on the release of Mutarindwa."

Mutarindwa is a qualified Accountant, a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a leading International accountancy body. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Public Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR).

Before relocating to Uganda, he worked as an Auditor with the Rwanda Revenue Authority, and MTN Rwanda.

Hundreds of Rwandan nationals have endured horrendous torture in the neighboring country in the past three years after relations between Kigali and Kampala worsened.

Kigali has, among others, accused Kampala - and provided evidence - of harbouring negative forces intent on destabilizing Rwanda. Kampala continues to deny it's involvement with anti-Rwanda forces and, in spite of the evidence, turns on Rwandans on its territory, who are arrested on allegations of espionage.

Consequently, Kigali warned Rwandans not to travel to the neighboring country since their security there is not guaranteed.

End last month, President Paul Kagame, Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Félix Tshisekedi of DR Congo and João Lourenço of Angola met at the Rwanda - Uganda border in yet another attempt to try end the feud between Rwanda and Uganda.

The recent Summit, the fifth of its kind by the four leaders, had been decided at another such Summit which took place in Luanda, Angola, on February 2.