Uganda, Rwanda talk over Muzoora - Monitor 16/02/2003
By David Kibirige
It�s out of our Hands - armyGovernment has said it is going talk to Rwanda over Colonel Edison Muzoora, who is reported to have fled to Kigali.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs James Wapakhabulo told Sunday Monitor on Saturday morning from Nairobi, Kenya that Uganda has opted to handle the matter through diplomatic channels.
�I am in Nairobi now and have not read that story about Colonel Muzoora fleeing to Rwanda. However there are arrangements between the two countries where political refugees are not supposed to engage in any political activities which might destabilise the countries,� he said over the phone.
Mr. Wapakhabulo said: �We will first talk to Rwanda because there are mechanisms which were put in place.�
Colonel Muzoora went missing February 7 from his home village in Kyeigombe� Kyabugimbi sub-county Bushenyi district. He is a former commander of the Gulu-based 4 Division and in 2001 he was the UPDF sector commander in Beni, Congo.
He had just been recommended for a senior commander�s course in China.
His friends in the army describe him a reserved, strict and very disciplined officer.
Army Spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza on Saturday denied the colonel was about to be arrested and said the matter can now only be handled bilaterally.
�We as the army can not handle that,� he said.
In response to Mr Wapakhabulo�s comments, Rwanda�s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Charles Murigande again refused to confirm whether Colonel Muzoora is in Kigali but welcomed the idea of talks with Uganda.
�We are ready to have talks with our Ugandan brothers not only about Muzoora but other issues as well,� he said.
A retired UPDF officer Lt. Dan Mugarura who was charged with treason on January 21 told reporters in court in Kampala that security personnel had asked him about his links with Col. Muzoora among other officers.
Government has accused Lt. Mugarura of having links with Col. Samson Mande and Lt. Col. Anthony Kyakabale who are allegedl! y traini ng a dissident group, the People�s Redemption Army, to fight the Uganda government in a neighbouring country.
In July 2001 Colonel Mande and Lieutenant Colonel Kyakabale fled the country. The former UPDF Director of Records Major Sabiiti Mutengesa also escaped to the UK last year.
The Chief of Military Intelligence Colonel Noble Mayombo, while speaking on Monitor FM�s Andrew Mwenda Live talk show last July, read out a list of about 20 junior officers who had allegedly defected to Rwanda.
February 15, 2003 11:46:22
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