Gen Muhoozi returns home after meeting Kagame over Uganda, Rwanda relations

The Commander of Land Forces in the UPDF, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba  who also doubles as  the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations has ended his one day visit to Rwanda in which he held talks with President Paul Kagame.

Gen Muhoozi who arrived in Kigali at 11:30am on Saturday morning was received by Col Willy Rwagasana, the head of the Rwandan Republican Guard, Col Ronald Rwivanga, the Rwandan Ministry of Defence spokesperson and Anne Katusiime, the Charge d’affairs at the Ugandan High Commission in Kigali at Kigali International Airport.

He was later ushered into Radisson Blu Hotel before he was later welcomed to Kacyiru where he met President Kagame for talks.

According to the office of presidency in Rwanda, the two had a tête-à-tête meeting.

After the meeting, both principals headed out for lunch together where they had a sumptuous meal.

Without giving much details, the office of the presidency in Rwanda described the meeting as cordial.

“President Kagame and Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba had cordial, productive and forward-looking discussions about Rwanda’s concerns and practical steps needed to restore the relationship between Rwanda and Uganda,” a tweet from the office of presidency in Rwanda said.

Gen Muhoozi later departed Rwanda via Kanombe airport.

Whereas the details of the meeting remain scanty, the meeting is expected to have moved a step closer from easing the frost relations between the two neighbouring and brotherly countries of Rwanda and Uganda.

The following days after the meeting in Kigali will therefore determine whether the meeting was fruitful or not.

Relations

The relations between the two neighbouring countries characterised by counter accusations have been at their lowest for close to six years.

What started as a cold war become pronounced in 2019 with  Rwanda closing its border with Uganda  and stopping its citizens from crossing to Uganda.

Rwanda accuses Uganda of being linked to hostile groups, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) — an armed rebel group operating in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), which is a Rwandan Opposition group – all allegedly fighting Rwanda.

The Ugandan government has dismissed the allegation as not true.

On the other side, Uganda accuses Rwanda of infiltrating its  security agencies, with authorities saying some Rwandan security officials had direct and indirect contact with key strategic security personnel in Uganda who have sent information outside of official channels to Rwanda, a claim the Kigali establishment denies.

The sour relations saw officials from the Kigali establishment describe President Museveni as a bully.

However, speaking to French TV, France 24 in an exclusive prerecorded interview, Museveni dismissed the claims as unfounded.

“Well, a bully how? By doing what? I don’t agree with it. He should tell you how we are bullies," Museveni said in response to a question by a journalist.