The South African owners of MTN are seeking an urgent explanation from Museveni, as are the governments of France, Italy, Rwanda and Belgium who’s nationals he booted out.

The exact motivation for deporting MTN Uganda chief executive Wim Vanhelleputte last week and four other top MTN executives  two weeks earlier is unclear.

Ugandan officials say the executive remained in contact after the expulsions and were running the company over the internet.

Others insist the action is a manifestation of a bitter row between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni who is sheltering member of the Rwanda National Congress opposed to his counterpart Paul Kagame

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South Africa also officially took umbrage at what it called undiplomatic language by Rwanda’s Deputy Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe

Pretoria officially demonstrated its anger by withdrawing its  Ambassador to Kigali George Twala for consultations.

Rwanda’s Ambassador to Pretoria Vinvent Karega was summoned to the foreign ministry for an official dressing down.

The Rwanda government was incensed by Sisulu telling reporters in Pretoria that she had been in talks with General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, a former confidante of President Paul Kagame who sought refuge in South Africa after falling foul of the Rwanda leader.

At least three assassination attempts have been made on Nyamwasa in South Africa where he has formed the opposition Rwanda National Congress.

This has angered the South African government.

The last straw, however was the 2014 murder of former Rwandan intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya in a luxury Johannesburg hotel.

South Africa expelled three Rwandan diplomats based in Pretoria. 

Rwanda responded by expelling six South African envoys in Kigali.

An inquest into Karegeya’s death will start in Randburg next year.

Prosecutor Yusuf Baba says it will last 15 days with at least 30 witnesses due to give evidence.

These include employees of the hotel where Karegeya was strangled with a curtain cord.

Karegeya’s family, who insist his death was ordered by Kagame, have welcomed this.

In March, President Cyril Ramaphosa instructed his foreign minister to work on mending bilateral relations with Rwanda. 

It has come to light that the white-collar-crime unit known as the Hawks have urged Home Affairs to delay issuing visas to Rwandans until the Karegeya inquest is completed.

At their meeting during the AU special summit last month, Ramaphosa assured Kagame this matter would be speedily resolved.

South African diplomats say since their protests in Pretoria and Kigali the insulting and undiplomatic tweets from Rwanda officials have ceased.

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The party insists Rwanda’s former spymaster was killed on orders from President Paul Kagame.

Rwanda National Congress executive member Etienne Murabazi says today’s hearing in the the Randburg Magistrates Court outside Johannesburg will determine whether the prosecution is ready to proceed.

It will decide on the date and venue for the inquest into the death of Colonel Patrick Karegeya.

Karegeya’s family and the Rwandan National Congress have expressed their gratitude to the South African authorities for the progress made in the pursuit of justice.

Murabazi says it is expected in any criminal trial with political overtones that there will be delays as the authorities try to avoid a hearing.

He says the RNC is certain Karegeya, who fled into exile in South Africa in 2007, was killed on orders from President Paul Kagame.

The denials from Kagame and his ministers are to be expected.

The killing at the luxurious Michalangelo Towers in Sandton marred bilateral relations between South Africa and Rwanda.

Then Justice Minister Jeff Radebe lashed out at foreign governments  seeking to perpetrate criminal acts in South Africa 

South Africa expelled three Rwandan diplomats alleged to have been connected to the killing on New Year’s eve in  2013.

Rwanda retaliated by expelling six South African diplomats in Kigali.

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The party insists Rwanda’s former spymaster was killed on orders from President Paul Kagame.

The hearing in the Randburg magistrates court tomorrow will decide on the date and venue for the inquest into the death of Colonel Patrick Karegeya.

His family and the Rwandan National Congress have expressed their gratitude to South African authorities for the progress made in the pursuit of justice.

Three Rwandan diplomats alleged to have been connected to the killing at the Michelangelo Towers on December 31 2013 were expelled.

Karegeya had been in exile in South Africa since 2007.

Rwanda reciprocated by expelling six South African diplomats.

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