By Priscah Atuhaire,
RWANDA:
Two female Ugandan English teachers in Rwanda have been arrested by the Rwandan security.
The detained are Gloria Ayebare and Annet Kabanyena, both residents of Kibumba village in Nyakabande sub-county, Kisoro district.
They both teach at Maranatha Nursery and Primary School in Rubavu District in Rwanda.
According to Kabanyana’s close relative who spoke to our reporter, the two communicated back home on Monday this week that they had just received a short holiday and were traveling to Uganda.
The relative says however, that the family members waited for the two to arrive on Tuesday in vain, and that all their mobile phones were abruptly switched off.
“It was not until Thursday evening that we got information from Rwanda that the two were arrested and taken to an unknown destination,” the relative revealed.
It was later learnt that Ayebare and Kabanyena were arrested while in a process of crossing the border to Uganda.
Francis Ndagize, the father of Ayebare says after hearing of the arrest, they have rushed to the Ugandan Immigration office at Chanika border for help but officials have yet to help them connect with their Rwandan counterparts.
He says that Rwandan Immigration officials asked the family members to wait as efforts to check if the victims are in Rwandan prisons go on.
Ndagize says the arrest of Ayebare and Kananyena has created worry to family members as they might be killed or tortured.
Ndagize wonders why the victims are arrested yet they were in Rwanda to export English knowledge and support the Education sector of the country.
Captain Peter Mugisha, the Kisoro RDC confirmed to our reporter that security in the district is aware about the victims’ arrest.
He says the two ladies have been teaching in Rwanda for the last seven years.
“We have already contacted Rwandan authorities and were promised that the matter will be handled. They Rwandan authorities are arguing that the teachers were arrested in relation Covid-19 regulations,” said the RDC.
It should be noted that earlier, Ugandans Alex Balikitenda from Kalilo district, Samuel Nalumenya and Ablul Ssenono Mutwarib from Wakiso district, as well as Jethro Naturinda from Kabale district were arrested in March and April this year and sent to Rwenzamenyo- Nyamirambo detention centre until June when they were deported through Katuna Border in Kabale district.
