Ugandan journalist declared Persona Non Grata



Kigali, April 11 (RNA) - Mr. Robert Mukombozi - working with Ugandan newspaper the Daily Monitor was on Friday given five minutes to leave Rwandan territory and his passport stamped "PNG" or Persona Non Grata, RNA can exlussively reveal.



This essentially means that the journalist who has for sometime been on the contrary side of understanding with the authorities over his critical reporting is no longer allowed in Rwanda. Mr. Mukombozi was on Friday returning from Uganda as part of his end of month requirement to report with his employer.



After completing the form-filling procedure on the Ugandan side of the Gatuna border post, Mr. Mukombozi says he moved to the Rwandan side only to be met by officials who actually welcomed him back to Rwanda.



"I was told to step aside from the line of other travellers by immigration liaison officers. I noticed others making frantic calls like they were being briefed by somebody. Minutes later seven men surrounded me and handed me my passport stamped PNG", Mr. Mukombozi told RNA as he remained stranded at the border.



"They told me I have five minutes to leave Rwandan territory and actually wanted to lift me off to no-man's land but I asked them to let me walk myself", he narrated standing at the Ugandan side security post.



He said he had informed his employer in Kampala and was still pondering on where to go. Mr. Mukombozi is Rwandan by origin but has been travelling on a Ugandan passport after the local daily The New Times brought him in from the Monitor some years back. He would later be fired after a series of controversies.



By press time RNA could not get comment from relevant government officials - considering that after 2:00pm local time till evening all officials are either attending Genocide commemoration week functions or have their phones off.



The new Information Minister Louise Mushikiwabo was reportedly in a meeting.



It is not the first time that journalists have been kicked out of Rwanda to Uganda. Mr. Asuman Bisika was also forced out of the country under similar circumstances. Last year, congolese academic and journalist Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka was jailed, released and declared 'Persona Non Grata'.



In February, Mr. Robert Mukombozi was accused by President Paul Kagame at his monthly press conference of misquoting him in a story published by the Daily Monitor. In the same press conference, Mr. Mukombozi had not been allowed to attend by the Presidentail staff. It later transpired that he did not have the required documentation for journalists operating in Rwanda. (End)



ARI-RNA/Media/RNA/ 11. 04. 08/ 15 : 25 GMT



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