Kampala Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

Rwandan and Ugandan governments sued over border closure

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 22:00:00 +0000

Civil society groups in Uganda are suing the governments of Uganda and Rwanda over the closure of their border.

They’re seeking compensation for those affected by this which they argue violates the treaty establishing the East African Community.

The case in the East African Court of Justice will take years to hear.

The civil society groups are hoping the publicity it generates now will give the governments of Uganda and Rwanda pause to the think about the effects of their diplomatic spat.

The groups say women traders at the border posts are being driving into poverty.

Since February, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has blocked goods coming into his country from Uganda and prevented his citizens from crossing into the neighbouring country.

The government of Kigali and Kampala have exchanged accusations of interference in each others’ affairs.

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Two killings raise simmering tensions along Uganda Rwanda border

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sun, 26 May 2019 22:00:00 +0000

The deaths of two Ugandans by Rwanda police gunfire has raised simmering tensions between the two Great Lakes countries.

Authorities in Kampala and Kigali are at odds over where the shootings took place.

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For some months, Rwanda’s partly closed its border with Uganda for allegedly supporting rebels against President Paul Kagame.

Rwandan authorities say, Ugandan smugglers about to be apprehended by Rwandan police last Friday attacked them with machettes. The police fatally shot two of them who were carried back across the border into Uganda by their gang.

Kampala authorities insist the Rwandas soldiers crossed into Uganda and fired on innocent civilians.

The increased tension has further restricted movement across the border between these formerly close allies in the fight against the dictator Idi Amin.

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20 women killed in Kampala in recent weeks

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 22:00:00 +0000

The body of yet another woman has been found abandoned in a shrub outside Uganda’s capital Kampala.

This brings two 20 the number of women killed in Wakiso and Kampala districts, in recent weeks.

Police, who are coming under increasing pressure for not catching those responsible for the spate of killings, say the latest victim is in her mid-20s.

She’d been strangled shortly before her body was recovered.

Officers are still examining the scene for clues.

Since May this year, at least 30 suspects have been arrested over the killings of women.

Police say they’ve increased patrols in the affected areas.

Local women’s groups say the authorities are not doing enough to apprehend the killer or killers.

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Islamists attack Malian town and army base

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 22:00:00 +0000

Malian uthorities say gunmen have killed at least 10 soldiers and wounded 38 in an attack on an army camp in the central town of Nampala.

The deputy mayor says the suspected Islamist militants have seized control of an army base.

The Malian army is regrouping in nearby Diabaly preparing a counter-attack to retake the base, which fell into the hands of the assailants

Officials have no information on casualties.

French forces intervened in Mali in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked a Tuareg uprising to take over the desert north.

But despite the presence of an 11 000-strong peacekeeping force, militants have reorganized and continued to launch attacks across Mali and the wider West Africa region.

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