Don’t waste our time: When Kasirye Ggwanga told off Museveni, Kagame over border impasse

Because he was a free-spirited man, Maj.Gen.Kasirye Ggwanga once told off Presidents Museveni and Kagame of Uganda and Rwanda respectively to put their egos aside.

As the bickering between the two neighbouring countries reached its climax, the maverick general said there are other useful things the two leaders should do for their respective countries other than bickering.

“If they have their issues, they should not waste our time. This world is not theirs” Kasirye Ggwanga said in an interview.

When the interviewer reminded the maverick general that the two people were presidents for their respective countries, he said he knew them very well because they had fought together during the bush war that ushered the National Resistance Army into power.

“I know those people very well because we fought together. Who are they? Leaders! My ears! Don’t give me that crap. It makes no sense, being engaged in such when people lack food, the infrastructure is down and corruption is too much. Cut the crap, I don’t buy.”

The relations between the two neighbouring countries of Uganda and Rwanda have in the past three years not been at their best with each country making accusations against the other.

Whereas the Kigali establishment accuses Uganda of supporting forces aimed at toppling their government and arresting their citizens the Kampala government accuses Rwanda of infiltrating its security forces by sending in spies.

In February 2019, Rwanda closed her borders with Uganda but also stopped her citizens from crossing to Uganda as the diplomatic row between the two countries became more pronounced.

Peace talks have since been initiated for Presidents Museveni and Kagame to solve the impasse and open the border but seem to have hit a dead end.

The latest attempt to bring normalcy between the two countries was last week’s virtual meeting but ended in a stalemate without reaching a position on the opening of the border.