Uganda: Museveni Pledges to End Uganda-Rwanda Standoff

President Museveni has pledged a new beginning and vowed to restore relations between the two “brotherly” people of Uganda and Rwanda.

In a special New Year Facebook and Twitter messages, Mr Museveni saluted his counterpart, President Paul Kagame, and the people of Rwanda and once again promised that “Uganda, I can guarantee, will do its share of the normalisation of the relations between our two countries.”

The President also offered insights into Ambassador Adonia Ayebare’s recent mission to Kigali. He confirmed that Uganda’s special representative to the United Nations delivered his message to President Paul Kagame and that it was well received.

“Ambassador Ayebare was well received by H.E Paul Kagame and they had very fruitful discussions. Soon, the two sides will be taking decisive actions to end the tension,” President Museveni said.

Mr Ayebare delivered the message to President Kagame at the weekend. The President’s message to Mr Kagame came after members of the ad hoc commission formed in Angola to diffuse tension between the two countries failed to agree and decided the talks be referred to the presidents.

There has been tension between Uganda and Rwanda with relations reaching its lowest point when Rwanda closed it’s busiest border point in February last year.

Rwanda’s decision has hit hard the transport business between the two countries, with bus companies and associated businesses reported to have made heavy losses.