Edward Bakeiha, a father to Arinda says that after the victim, he immediately altered the office of the town council LC3 Chairman and Resident District Commissioner for help.
The parents of Ronald Arinda, a Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF soldier attached to the Special Forces Command (SFC), are spending sleepless nights following the arrest of their son under unclear circumstances last month.
Arinda, 23, a resident of Muguri village, Kakyerere ward in Ryakarmira town council Kabale district was on November 27, arrested from a cattle market in Burera district in Northern Province, a few meters away from the Uganda-Rwanda border.
Arinda who was on his official leave was misled to cross to Rwanda by Rwandan security informers disguising as locals who live along borderline claiming that they had some cattle they wanted to sell him.
Arinda’s parents and locals say that the government is taking long to have Arinda released.
The detained Soldier’s father Edward Bakeiha says that he has requested local leaders and the Resident District Commissioner to intervene in vain. Bakeiha wants President Yoweri Museveni to engage the Rwandan government to have Arinda released.
Arinda’s mother Eunice Nduhukyire, wants the government to put pressure on Rwanda so that her son is released immediately.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner calls for patience saying that the matter is being handled by government officials. Nyakahuma also says that the government is trying to provide counseling to the family members as the talks continue.
The Uganda-Rwanda borders were closed by Rwandan President, Paul Kagame in February 2019. Kagame issued a travel advisory to his nationals against traveling to Uganda, saying their safety is not guaranteed.
Kagame accused Ugandan authorities of abducting its citizens and locking them up in non-designated areas. Kagame also accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially from Rwanda National Congress-RNC and the Democratic Forces for the liberation of Rwanda FDLR, which have declared war on the Kigali government.
