By Spy Uganda
Rwandan government has said it is not yet ready to welcome Ugandans into the country saying for now they only allow truckers and returning citizens or Rwanda residents to use the Gatuna border post between Rwanda and Uganda.
The clarification was made by the Rwandan government spokesperson earlier Monday, January 31 as Gatuna border reopened after nearly three years of inactivity.
Kigali says this is in line with the existing Covid-19 protocols of the East African Community (EAC), a six-nation regional bloc that counts both Rwanda and Uganda as members.
The Covid protocols discourage non-essential travel, prioritising cargo movement instead.
“Trucks, Rwandan citizens/returning residents are crossing to Rwanda at Gatuna like at other border points, as per EAC Covid protocols,” Yolande Makolo, the Government Spokesperson tweeted.
The reopening of the border came days after the Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba a Senior Presidential Adviser on Special Operations and Commander of Land Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), visited Rwanda on 22nd January 2022, where he met President Paul Kagame in Kigali to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries which had deteriorated further since the 4th Quadripartite Summit held at Gatuna/Katuna on February 21, 2020.
According to sources, President Kagame and Gen. Muhoozi agreed to take practical steps towards resolving issues that have caused tensions between Rwanda and Uganda over the last five or so years.
After the above meeting Gen Yoweri Museveni indeed took practical steps and transferred some of the individuals accused by Rwanda of being behind acts that target innocent Rwandans in Uganda, notably Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho, the former head of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).
Maj. Gen Kandiho was removed from his position and posted to South Sudan as a special envoy and replaced by Maj Gen James Birungi at CMI. He had been accused by Rwanda for being behind the witch-hunt targeting Rwandans inside Uganda, arbitrarily arresting them on accusations of espionage and detaining them incommunicado. He was also accused of working with subversive groups looking to destabilise Rwanda.
