Ugandan Government Blocks Rwandan News Websites

The impasse between Uganda and Rwanda seems to have taken a different twist after the Yoweri Museveni Government blocked multiple Rwandan-based news websites.

The Ugandan government has defended their actions saying that the news websites were publishing content that was deemed ‘harmful and undermines the national security of Uganda.”

“We wrote a letter to the operators instructing them to block the websites,” Ibrahim Bbosa, the public relations officer of the Uganda Communications Commission while confirming the blockade to the New Times Rwanda.

In response to the blockade, Patrick Nyirishema, the Director-General of Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Authority said, “I have formally reached out to my counterpart to seek clarification on the blockage of some news sites which is not proper in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by our leaders today (on Wednesday).

The blockade came at a time when the respective Heads of State are meeting in the Angolan capital Luanda to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to resolve the stand-off.

The stand-off between the two East African nations have been experienced in the recent months and was mainly characterized by various allegations leveled by both foreign ministers of the East African nations.

Rwanda’s foreign minister, Richard Sezibera accused Uganda of sabotaging trade to its neighbor, mistreating Rwandans in Uganda and supporting rebel groups opposed to president Paul Kagame’s government.

Uganda, on the other hand, accused Rwanda of spying on its territory and infiltrating its security agencies.

Meanwhile, The NewTimes has reported that the two Governments have signed a Mou as a goodwill and commitment towards normalising relations.

Part of the agreement, calls for the two parties to refrain from engaging in actions that destabilize the other party such as financing, training, and infiltration of destabilizing forces.

Featured Image Courtesy : Watchdog Uganda