Uganda-Rwanda: Full-scale Border Operations Resume Tomorrow after 3-yr Closure
By George Kalisa
Rwandan President Paul Kagame on March 4, 2022 presided over a Cabinet meeting that adopted the decision to fully reopen all land borders on March 7, 2022. The decision will see the Gatuna/Katuna border open 24/7 to people crossing into Rwanda and Uganda. The decision applies to all land borders including the Burundi/Rwanda common border.
Rwanda closed the Gatuna/Katuna border in February 2019 after tensions between long-time allies had spiraled. Rwanda’s stance to continue having the border closed was later motivated by the obligation to protect her people through stepping up mitigation measures against the further spread of COVID-19 pandemic that brought all nations globally to their knees, killing people in their millions and crippling economies.
Rwanda has announced that some passengers might, however, be subjected to random Covid-19 testing before permission to proceed with their journey is awarded.
The border resumed operations on January30, 2022, pretty much a week after Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son to Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, currently serving as Senior Presidential Advisor in Charge of Special Operations and the Commander of the Land Forces in the landlocked East African (EAC) nation.
The decision followed Uganda’s current apparent political will and determined resolute to solve Rwanda’s concerns that sparked a three-year stalemate in diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Uganda. Gen. Muhoozi has been highly praised by the inhabitants in the two east African countries for the key role he continues to play towards achieving a complete restoration of the relations
Among several initiatives and commitments include flushing out Rwandan dissidents from Uganda that documented facts point at as used by negative elements as one of the key bases before the unprecedented developments. Rwanda has always engaged her neighbour in peaceful and diplomatic means to solve her concerns and reiterated that the dissidents’ goal is to destabilize Rwanda.
“General Kayumba and RNC, I don’t know what problems you had in Rwanda with the mainstream RPF/RDF? But I warn you not to dare use my country for your adventures!” said Gen. Muhoozi via his official tweeter account today.
He said the illegal and criminal activities previously carried out on Ugandan territory by RNC rebel outfit were going to lead Rwanda and Uganda to a “stupid war”.
The general welcomed the step Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame took as one that will lead to greater movement of people from the region across the borders.
“As of Monday 7th March my uncle His Excellency President Kagame has permitted greater movement of people across our borders! I thank him very much for re-uniting our people. I also thank him for being a great hero!” Gen. Muhoozi tweeted on March 6, 2022.
Rwanda closed the border citing mainly concerns of grave abuses of Rwandan nationals by Uganda’s Chieftaincy Military Intelligence (CMI) especially while Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho was the security organ’s Chief.
Kigali accused Uganda of hosting and supporting Rwanda’s dissidents particularly the subversive Rwanda National Congress (RNC) led by Gen. Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa. Kigali declared RNC a terrorist group that is behind grenade explosion in the capital, Kigali from 2010-2014 that claimed 17 lives and injured more than 400 people.
Secondly, Rwanda accused her northern neighbour of orchestrating and committing grave human rights violations of her nationals on Ugandan territory. The abuses included murder, arbitrary arrests and detentions of innocent people as well as torture of Rwandan nationals.
Uganda, until recently has been denying, instead accusing Rwanda of carrying out espionage on its territory, and calling victims of human rights abuses suspects of espionage.