Nine Rwandans that were set free by a Ugandan military court on Tuesday received an emotional welcome on their arrival home in Rwanda in the early hours of Thursday.
The group was received at Rwanda-Uganda Gatuna border by family members and some government officials.
“Despite the circumstances under which we were arrested and detained we thank the government for engagements that led to our release,” Rene Rutagungira, one of the returnees told reporters at the border.
The group had been held on separate charges related to illegal possession of firearms since August 2017.
Rwanda’s minister of state for East African affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe had told the media on Tuesday that the release is a good step toward normalizing Rwanda-Uganda relations.
He, however, said there are more Rwandese who are still incarcerated in Uganda and the Rwanda government has demanded that they be released unconditionally.
There are more than 100 Rwandans incarcerated in Uganda, according to the minister. Enditem
