Starting January 31, 2022, Ugandans and neighbours in Rwanda will be allowed to cross the Gatuna/Katuna border freely, three years after its closure on February 27, 2019. The Gatuna border post is the main transit point for the flow of goods and people between the neighbouring countries.
This comes after the Rwandan government finally agreed to re-open its border with Uganda, following an official statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in Rwanda.
The statement indicates that the promise to reopen follows the visit by Lieutenant General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Senior Presidential Adviser on Special Operations and Commander Land Forces to Kigali to meet the President Paul Kagame for peace talks.
“Following the visit to Rwanda of Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Senior Presidential Adviser on Special Operations and Commander Land Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) on January 22, 2022, the government of Rwanda has taken note that there is a process to solve issues raised by Rwanda, as well as commitments made by the Government of Uganda to address remaining obstacles.
Rwanda closed its borders after accusing the President, Paul Kagame accused Ugandan authorities of spying on them, abducting and torturing citizens at ungazetted facilities, and facilitating rebels to declare war on the Kigali administration.
Rwanda accused Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, the former Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) boss, of harassment and illegal detention of its citizens.
The country then issued an advisory banning its citizens from traveling to Uganda, saying their safety was not guaranteed.
On January 22,2022, Gen Kainerugaba held a closed door meeting with President Kagame in Kigali, Rwanda, Upon his return, the President made changes to the CMI, dropping Gen Kandiho as the CMI boss for Maj Gen James Birungi. This change has since been speculated to be informed by the recent meeting between Gen Kainerugaba and President Kagame in Rwanda.
Uganda has been trying unsuccessfully to convince the Rwandan government to reopen the border to its citizens. Recently, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Adonia Ayebare was sent to Kigali, on the same agenda but it was futile.
Uganda and Rwanda have also been in negotiations mediated by the a few African Presidents in a summit facilitated by Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
On 21 February, President Kagame and Museveni met at the shared Gatuna border post,with hopes of resolving the disputes.
The key outcome was a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which committed both parties to release imprisoned citizens, refrain from supporting destabilizing groups and create a commission to monitor the implementation of the agreement.
President Museveni and Kagame signed an agreement in Angola to ease tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
“In this regard and in line with the communique of the 4th Quadripartite Summit held at Gatuna/Katuna on February 21, 2020, the Government of Rwanda wishes to inform the public that the Gatuna border post between Rwanda and Uganda will be reopened from January 31, 2022,” the statement reads.
