Kagame accuses Uganda of hobnobbing with Rwandan rebels
What you need to know:
- Kagame: When I hear somebody say no one can destabilize their country, I agree. No one should actually be destabilizing that country but that country should also not be destabilizing others, I think it is a fair deal,” Kagame said in one of the tweets quoting him.
- Museveni Nobody can disturb our peace. Anyone who thinks of destabilising Uganda, will destroy themselves and even those who have been killing people in Kampala, will be defeated and destroyed
Rwandan president Paul Kagame has said that Uganda has been arresting and improvising Rwandans on the advice of the Rwanda National Congress – a rebel group led by Lt Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa – a former ally of Kagame.
Speaking during the 16th edition of the Rwanda Leadership Retreat, Kagame said that some of the Rwandans who are put in prison is on the advice of RNC.
“There is the case of a man who has been in prison for two years after he refused to be recruited by RNC,” Kagame is quoted on the Rwanda presidency twitter handle.
Just four days ago, Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister Richard Sezibera said Uganda is hosting its armed adversaries, restricting movement of Rwandan goods on its territory and tormenting its citizens.
But the RNC Secretary General Gervais Condo on Tuesday told Daily Monitor that Rwanda has had bad relations with all her neighbours even before their organisation was formed.
“It’s not RNC that has caused wrangles between Rwanda and its neighbours. Rwanda has problems with Burundi, Tanzania, DR Congo and now Uganda. This can’t be RNC,” Mr Condo told Daily Monitor by telephone from the United States.
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Kagame who opened the 2019 annual retreat that brings together senior leaders from Central Government, Local Government, parastatals and the private sector sent a veiled message to his Ugandan counterpart.
“When I hear somebody say no one can destabilize their country, I agree. No one should actually be destabilizing that country but that country should also not be destabilizing others, I think it is a fair deal,” Kagame said in one of the tweets quoting him.
On several occasions, President Yoweri Museveni has assured Ugandans that nobody can disturb Uganda’s peace, something he reiterated just yesterday while officiating at the International Women's Day celebrations in Bunyangabu district.
“No one will disturb the peace in Uganda. The peace will be maintained. The ADF are in Congo and the conflict will remain there. Whoever wants to cause conflict in Kasese, will not manage. ADF cannot come here so do not be scared,” said Museveni.
On February 6 (Tarehe Sita), Museveni used similar words when he said “Nobody can disturb our peace. Anyone who thinks of destabilising Uganda, will destroy themselves and even those who have been killing people in Kampala, will be defeated and destroyed,” he said.
Last year in march, Kagame was in Ugandan at the invitation of Museveni hardly a week after President Museveni had called off a trip to Kigali, where he was slated to attend the African Continental Free Trade Area Treaty.
Accusations
The two governments have at different times accused each of other of supporting dissidents from the other country and espionage, among others.
In what has been referred to as the “Kisangani clashes” during the late 1990s, the armies of the two countries on a number of occasions clashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which they had attacked claiming to be pursuing rebels.
