Rwanda government calls off second meeting with Uganda over border closure
The Rwandan government has called off the second meeting that was slated to take place in Kampala on Monday, November 18 over the closure of the Uganda- Rwanda border.
“The media is hereby informed that the second meeting of the Adhoc commission on Luanda Memorandum of Understanding between Uganda and Rwanda scheduled for November 18, 2019, in Kampala has been postponed at the request of Rwanda. A new date will be communicated, ”Opondo said in a statement.
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The meeting that was aimed at finding a solution and tackling issues concerning border closure of the two countries, unfortunately, has been called off with another date yet to be communicated.
Earlier, when the two presidents met on August, 21, in Luanda, the Angolan capital, Museveni and Paul Kagame signed an agreement to end wrangles between their countries that also culminated into border closures.
The two agreed to have all the mess between the two close allies settled in time, but now it seems the peace talks between the two presidents is yet to bear any fruit. Besides, there is no highlight given as to why the Kigali decided to postpone the sitting.
It is the second time the same meeting is called off, on October 13 another meeting was called off with the Rwandan government indicating that they had not been contacted by their neighbours Ugandan earlier enough.
A brief history: Uganda- Rwanda impasse
Days after signing of the August 21 agreement between the two neighbouring countries, their wrangles have just been growing, recently, the Rwandan government blocked a number of Ugandan websites from being viewed in Kigali while the latter also in retaliation blocked the Rwanda government website, the New Times over negative comments.
The persistent wrangles arise because of the two government blame and accuse each other of arresting and mistreatment of their nationals with Rwanda mainly accusing Uganda of aiming to overthrow the government.
Relationships between the two countries have declined in the past two, recently Uganda released a statement protesting the manner in which two of their citizens were shot dead in Rwanda by security agencies there.
“The Government of Uganda protests in the strongest terms the murder of its nationals by Rwandan security personnel for allegedly being involved in smuggling of goods across the common border. The alleged crime cannot justify the high handed and criminal act by the Rwandan security personnel, against unarmed civilians residing along the common border,” a statement from the Ugandan government read attributing the murders to the recent wrangles going on.
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“Furthermore, the Ministry notes that these murders are inimical to the ongoing efforts to improve relations between the two countries. The Ministry demands that a joint investigation in the murders be conducted and the perpetrators held accountably.”
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By John Dalton Kigozi
