Several trucks and dozens of Burundian nationals find themselves stranded on the Rwandan side following Burundi's unilateral decision to close its borders with Rwanda on Thursday, January 11. At the Nemba border post in Bugesera District, the Burundian nationals who spoke to The New Times said they were shocked to be told they could not enter their country. ALSO READ: Rwanda regrets border closure by Burundi The Rwandan side of the border remains open. Hamisa Nshimirimana, a resident of Gitega who arrived at Nemba on Friday morning on her way from Kampala, Uganda, said all she wanted was to go back to her county as she had no options. “I want to go back home but the border is closed. I’m told to use the Rusumo border and go through Tanzania, but I don’t have the money to go there.” ALSO READ: Rwanda dismisses claims by Burundian president on ties with rebel group Also stranded at the Nemba border post were truck drivers who had goods bound for Burundi. WATCH: Several trucks and dozens of Burundian nationals find themselves stranded on the Rwandan side of Nemba border post following Burundi's unilateral decision to close its borders with #Rwanda on Thursday. : @MugwizaO /TNT pic.twitter.com/OrHY6FUY9m — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) January 12, 2024 For Shaban Nuru, a truck driver from Uganda who had a consignment of assorted goods bound for Bujumbura, if there is a planned closure, officials should at least communicate about it in advance. “I arrived here around midnight yesterday only to find that the border is closed and I'm still here not knowing exactly what's going on,” Nuru said. “It’s very unfair. It's quite unfortunate for us as East African Community citizens. It’s mannerless. What’s the meaning of the East African Community? What I've realised is that Rwanda has no problem because the border officials are working.” ALSO READ: Government must take steps to protect Rwandans in Burundi The Rwandan government said on Thursday that it learnt of the border closure from media reports. Although no official communication from the Burundian government, the Burundian Minister for Internal Affairs Martin Niteretse was reported saying his country had suspended diplomatic ties with Rwanda owing to allegations that the latter harboured people with intentions to destabilise Burundi. The Rwandan government said the unilateral border closure was an “unfortunate decision [that] will restrict the free movement of people and goods between the two countries.” PHOTOS: At Nemba border post, Burundian nationals were shocked on Friday after being told they could not be allowed into their country following the Burundian government's unilateral decision to close all land borders with #Rwanda. : @MugwizaO /TNT pic.twitter.com/CPsh9uQg7M — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) January 12, 2024 The development comes less than a month after Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of harbouring and training members of RED Tabara, a Burundian armed group based in eastern DR Congo which is responsible for an attack that killed 20 people on December 22 in Gatumba, western Burundi. The Rwandan government dismissed Ndayishimiye's claims on December 29, saying there was no truth whatsoever in his allegations. In 2020, the two governments began the normalisation of diplomatic relations, which took a hit after a foiled coup attempt in Burundi in 2015. Senior and local government officials met on several occasions as the relations returned to normalcy. The Burundian president said members of RED Tabara were responsible for the coup attempt. Rwanda has previously handed over, through the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism, Burundian combatants who illegally crossed into Rwanda. In 2020, the government handed to Burundi close to 20 rebels and their ammunition after they were intercepted by Rwanda Defence Force in south-western Rwanda. The Rwandan government has called on their Burundian counterparts to address their concerns through diplomatic channels.
