Don't respond to verbal attacks from Rwanda, Museveni orders government officials

President Museveni has asked government officials to desist from responding to any allegations by their counterparts from Rwanda.

Following the border impasse, Rwanda government officials have always accused the Ugandan government of a number of issues through social media prompting the latter to respond in equal measure.

Responding to questions from journalists at the Media Centre during the weekly press briefing on Tuesday, government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo said they had been advised to refrain from countering attacks from Rwanda.

“President Museveni asked us not to respond to them through the media like it has always been,”Opondo said.

“The ministries and government agencies responsible will do it using the appropriate channels.”

Over the weekend, there was an exchange of words between the Ugandan government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo and the Rwandan foreign affairs Minister, Richard Sezibera on twitter.

The war of words started when Sezibera claimed that they had not closed their border to anyone but that they had asked their citizens not to come to Uganda for fear of being abducted and tortured.

“Rwandans are strongly advised not to travel to Uganda due to ongoing arrests, harassment and torture, Sezibera posted on Twitter.

In response, the Ugandan government spokesperson denied the claims saying there was no witch-hunt for Rwandese in Uganda as had been alleged by Sezibera.

“We would like to send a clear message to Rwanda that there is no one Uganda is harassing from Rwanda or is in custody,”Opondo said.

“Thanks minister, you would do your audience great favour by providing details of the detained by name, ID, passport numbers and locations where they were picked?”

In response, Sezibera said this had been done “countless” times but they had not been responded to.

The latest outburst is a climax of a frost relationship between Uganda and Rwanda which has gone on for a number of years.

Rwanda has for long accused Uganda of habouring rebels led by South Africa based Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa fighting the Kigali setting.

“There are armed groups and individuals who head groups that are opposed to the government at Rwanda…these are the groups that have carried out criminal acts here in Rwanda and are based in Uganda,” said

Richard Sezibera, the Foreign Affairs minister in an interview with The New Times, a government newspaper based in Kigali.

In response, his Uganda counterpart denied the claims as being baseless and unfounded.

“Uganda does not and cannot allow anyone to operate from its territory and threaten a neighbour as alleged. This is a principled position. We are fully aware that our won development and transformation cannot take place without peace and security in the region,” Kutesa said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.