Kagame: Muhoozi got my telephone number through a "gamba n'ogu"

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has revealed that first son and commander of the UPDF land forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba went through a number of friends to get access to him.

“Muhoozi went through friends, got my telephone number, sent me a message and we talked. I accepted. He then asked, can I visit you, I said come," Kagame revealed during the State dinner to celebrate Muhoozi’s 48th birthday.

The Rwandan President said when he received Muhoozi in Rwanda he knew instinctively that the message he was carrying was not his.

“I was absolutely aware and convinced that even in my strongest belief in Muhoozi, the President of Uganda (his father) definitely must have been behind the message. I was not under any illusion that his was Muhoozi operating on his own," he said.

Relations between Uganda and Rwanda took a turn for the worse in 2019, when Rwanda closed its border at Gatuna/Katuna.

The Rwandan head of state accused Uganda of harbouring persons who posed security threats to Rwanda. He also accused Uganda of harassing and arresting Rwandan nationals in Uganda, although the Ugandan government denied these allegations.

As the Gatuna / Katuna border remained closed and business at a stand still for close to two years, Commander land forces Muhoozi journeyed to Rwanda to discuss Uganda – Rwanda issues.

The foreign affairs ministry in Uganda acknowledged that Muhoozi played a big role in the negotiations to see the border reopened early on this year.

What binds us is deep

The Rwandan president said at the birthday dinner that Uganda and Rwanda are deeply connected and that even when the relations took a hit, he was sure that it was just temporary.

"If bringing Uganda and Rwanda together needed you (Muhoozi) to be in the midst of it, then thanks be God. We are having difficulties between our countries but I was always convinced these were going to be temporary. The ties that bind us are deep," Kagame stressed.