Rwanda-Uganda border impasse will be resolved- President Museveni

KABALE-President Yoweri Museveni has said that mutual talks between Uganda and Rwanda  to revive the cross border trade between the countries which was disrupted after the closure of the Gatuna post, are progressing.

“Recently we met the Rwandan leader in Angola and we discussed about the border issue. Leave it to us. Talks shall continue until the matter is completely resolved. It does not make sense to keep talking on radios but what is important is to ensure that the border issue is resolved,” Mr Museveni said. “[The issue] took me to Angola to meet President [Paul] Kagame [Rwanda’s president] and other leaders and I will not reveal what we discussed.”

Mr  Museveni was on Tuesday addressing journalists at Kabale State Lodge after meeting local leaders from Kigezi Sub-region where he was preaching wealth creation in homesteads.

In February Rwanda closed Gatuna border post for cargo trucks. But the border remained open for all other small cars and buses.

The leadership in Rwanda explained that they were constructing the one stop border post at Gatuna.

They, however, restricted Rwandans from entering Uganda after claiming that Uganda was a hostile country.

Mr Museveni's stand come days after Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde said Ugandans should drop “sentimental” attachment to Rwanda, which shut its main Gatuna border to Ugandan cargo in February, and explore new regional markets for exports.

He asked residents of Kigezi to use wetlands sustainably because God created them for a purpose and turning wetlands into gardens defies His plan.

Mr Museveni promised to compensate people whose land was taken over by government on Kihumuro Hill in Kabale District, where a UPDF barracks has been established.

Mr Museveni promised to deploy marine personnel on Lake Bunyonyi to prevent people from drowning in the lake.