President Museveni and President Kagame
The back-and-forth trips of the leaders
TheJuly/August, 2011. Museveni visits Kigali, spends four days. Holds one-on-one talk with his host Kagame, both declined to divulge details. They participated in community works (umuganda) and later toured Kagame’s cattle ranch and the host offers his guest 10 Inyambo cows. Museveni donates $300, 000 (about Shs780m) to erect a new building at Nyamugunga Primary School in Kigali.
December 11, 2011. Kagame jets in and Museveni hosts him at State House Entebbe. He accompanies his guest to Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo to pick a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Young Achievers Award ceremony.
December 23, 2011: The two leaders meet at Katuna border post to inaugurate re-construction of the 124-kilometre Mbarara-Katuna highway. Kagame begins a five-day visit, holds one-on-one chat with Museveni. His family cools off Christmas at Mweya Safari Lodge in Kasese District from where hotel employees allegedly stole items belonging his aide. Both governments rushed to tamp down the story to save face and not rattle revived friendship.
January 22, 2012. President Kagame expected to return for a 4-day state visit and get decorated for his contribution during the 1981-1986 NRA liberation war.
TheJuly/August, 2011. Museveni visits Kigali, spends four days. Holds one-on-one talk with his host Kagame, both declined to divulge details. They participated in community works (umuganda) and later toured Kagame’s cattle ranch and the host offers his guest 10 Inyambo cows. Museveni donates $300, 000 (about Shs780m) to erect a new building at Nyamugunga Primary School in Kigali.
December 11, 2011. Kagame jets in and Museveni hosts him at State House Entebbe. He accompanies his guest to Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo to pick a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Young Achievers Award ceremony.
December 23, 2011: The two leaders meet at Katuna border post to inaugurate re-construction of the 124-kilometre Mbarara-Katuna highway. Kagame begins a five-day visit, holds one-on-one chat with Museveni. His family cools off Christmas at Mweya Safari Lodge in Kasese District from where hotel employees allegedly stole items belonging his aide. Both governments rushed to tamp down the story to save face and not rattle revived friendship.
January 22, 2012. President Kagame expected to return for a 4-day state visit and get decorated for his contribution during the 1981-1986 NRA liberation war.
Both presidents skipped each other’s swearing-in ceremony. Earlier, Kigali accused Kampala of harbouring, and in some cases providing conduit, for its dissidents after wanted renegade general Kayumba Nyamwasa fled through Uganda. Kagame’s government was named by Uganda’s security in allegedly bankrolling opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye’s campaigns and the walk-to-work demonstration that erupted after the 2011 campaign.
The DR Congo fresh fears
Efforts to reconcile Mr Museveni and Mr Kagame, according to a diplomatic source, have been ongoing since 2001. It is, however, understood that the latest bonding stems from mutual fears that a possible backlash from DR Congo’s disputed ballot would create a safe haven for negative elements to organise and arm to destabilise both Uganda and Rwanda.
Efforts to reconcile Mr Museveni and Mr Kagame, according to a diplomatic source, have been ongoing since 2001. It is, however, understood that the latest bonding stems from mutual fears that a possible backlash from DR Congo’s disputed ballot would create a safe haven for negative elements to organise and arm to destabilise both Uganda and Rwanda.
The two leaders shunned President Joseph Kabila’s rushed re-election inauguration even when the Congolese leader attended Museveni’s May 12 swearing-in in Kampala.
Uganda has lately been at odds with Kinshasa over how far deep UPDF soldiers on LRA chase should put their boots on DRC soil.
Uganda has lately been at odds with Kinshasa over how far deep UPDF soldiers on LRA chase should put their boots on DRC soil.
The International Crisis Group reported in November 2011 that middle-ranking Congolese military officers, believed to be taking cue from political supervisors in Kinshasa, blocked Ugandan troops from stepping in areas such as Banda, Nangadi, Haut-U’el’e District and Garamba National Park where LRA is active.
This newspaper has been told that Mr Kagame, who, together with family, spent the Christmas holiday in Uganda, will fly in for a 4-day state visit beginning January 22.
“They will hold bilateral talks,” Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Amb. James Mugume said by telephone, adding that he was on leave and had no details.
“They will hold bilateral talks,” Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Amb. James Mugume said by telephone, adding that he was on leave and had no details.
Maj. Gen. Frank Mugambage, Rwanda’s high commissioner to Kampala, said arrangements for the visit - Kagame’s third within six weeks - is underway, “but I am not ready to give the specifics.”
“The visit is going to be there,” he said, “President Kagame has been invited to attend the January 26th NRM celebrations.”
The January 26 event is observed annually in commemoration of the day, almost 26 years ago, when President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) guerilla force toppled the Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa-led military junta...
“The visit is going to be there,” he said, “President Kagame has been invited to attend the January 26th NRM celebrations.”
The January 26 event is observed annually in commemoration of the day, 26 years ago, when President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) guerilla force toppled the Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa-led military junta.
The January 26 event is observed annually in commemoration of the day, 26 years ago, when President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) guerilla force toppled the Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa-led military junta.
It is understood State House, which is directly handling Kagame’s planned visit, has instructed Foreign Affairs officials to prepare for his presence at NRM’s 26th anniversary in Kapchorwa District.
This year’s observance will be held under the theme, “Uganda, the Land of Opportunities: NRM’s contribution during the last half of the 50 years of Uganda’s independence,” according to Information Minister Karooro Okurut.
Another top government official, who preferred not to be named because the visit is still being treated as confidential, said the Rwandan leader will be honoured at the Kapchorwa function for his contribution to Uganda’s liberation.
Fulfilling promise
Insiders said the recognition will be in fulfillment of a promise President Museveni made over dinner during his August voyage to Kigali that he will belatedly reward Kagame for “his role in NRA liberation war.”
The Rwandan leader was a spymaster for then rebel outfit and is said to be among the first 27 NRA fighters, although some Ugandan security officers have tried to downplay his contribution, while a UPDF general told Sunday Monitor on Friday that “there never was anything like 27 original NRA fighters.”
A highly-placed source said news of Kagame’s impending trip is a “big surprise and we don’t know what the two presidents are planning.” “They have been holding only one-on-one talks,” the source said.
Presidential Spokesman Mirundi Tamale said he was uninformed about the visit.
“If they meet regularly, that assures the two countries and citizens that there will be peace,” said Mr Tamale. “What would worry is if they were not seeing eye-to-eye.”
“If they meet regularly, that assures the two countries and citizens that there will be peace,” said Mr Tamale. “What would worry is if they were not seeing eye-to-eye.”
Although there has been a sudden warming between the two leaders, it comes after years of mistrust, including clashes between the Ugandan and Rwandan forces in Kisangani, DR Congo.
Both presidents skipped each other’s swearing-in ceremony. Earlier, Kigali accused Kampala of harbouring, and in some cases providing conduit, for its dissidents after wanted renegade general Kayumba Nyamwasa fled through Uganda. Kagame’s government was named by Uganda’s security in allegedly bankrolling opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye’s campaigns and the walk-to-work demonstration that erupted after the 2011 campaign.
Both presidents skipped each other’s swearing-in ceremony. Earlier, Kigali accused Kampala of harbouring, and in some cases providing conduit, for its dissidents after wanted renegade general Kayumba Nyamwasa fled through Uganda. Kagame’s government was named by Uganda’s security in allegedly bankrolling opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye’s campaigns and the walk-to-work demonstration that erupted after the 2011 campaign.
The DR Congo fresh fears
Efforts to reconcile Mr Museveni and Mr Kagame, according to a diplomatic source, have been ongoing since 2001. It is, however, understood that the latest bonding stems from mutual fears that a possible backlash from DR Congo’s disputed ballot would create a safe haven for negative elements to organise and arm to destabilise both Uganda and Rwanda.
Efforts to reconcile Mr Museveni and Mr Kagame, according to a diplomatic source, have been ongoing since 2001. It is, however, understood that the latest bonding stems from mutual fears that a possible backlash from DR Congo’s disputed ballot would create a safe haven for negative elements to organise and arm to destabilise both Uganda and Rwanda.
The two leaders shunned President Joseph Kabila’s rushed re-election inauguration even when the Congolese leader attended Museveni’s May 12 swearing-in in Kampala.
Uganda has lately been at odds with Kinshasa over how far deep UPDF soldiers on LRA chase should put their boots on DRC soil.
Uganda has lately been at odds with Kinshasa over how far deep UPDF soldiers on LRA chase should put their boots on DRC soil.
The International Crisis Group reported in November 2011 that middle-ranking Congolese military officers, believed to be taking cue from political supervisors in Kinshasa, blocked Ugandan troops from stepping in areas such as Banda, Nangadi, Haut-U’el’e District and Garamba National Park where LRA is active.
SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR, Posted Sunday, January 8 2012 at 00:00
AUTHOR: TABU BUTAGIRA (email the author)
SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR, Posted Sunday, January 8 2012 at 00:00
AUTHOR: TABU BUTAGIRA (email the author)
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