A Ugandan lawyer has gone to the East African Court of Justice to challenge what he terms as the illegal closure of the Gatuna and Chanika border posts with neighbouring Uganda.
Steven Kalali Kalali who filed the case before the East African Court of Justice Registry in Kampala on Friday last week says that the border closure contravenes the East African Community Treaty and the Common Market Protocol which allow free movement of people, goods and services across the bloc.
Rwanda is a signatory to the treaty.
In February this year Rwanda closed its borders with Uganda in Katuna and Chanika in Kabale and Kisoro districts respectively.
In a petition he filed against the Attorney General of Rwanda, Kalali wants the justices at regional court, to order Rwanda open its borders, to allow the free movement of Ugandan citizens and goods in the spirit of free trade.
The closure affected hundreds of cargo trucks destined for Rwanda.
The Rwandan authorities advised the truck drivers to turn back and use the Mirama Hill border in Ntungamo District, which is 100 kilometers away.
Initially, Rwanda claimed it had closed the borders to work on the Onestop border post.
However, during the same time, Rwanda advised its citizens against travelling to Uganda claiming that the Ugandan authorities were abducting, arbitrarily arresting, jailing, torturing and illegally deporting Rwandans.
Uganda was also accused of hosting, sponsoring, and facilitating terrorist groups – more specifically Rwanda National Congress-RNC and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda FDLR – that have declared war on Rwanda.
CN/as/APA