Rwanda Should Use Regional Mechanism For Its Concerns Against Uganda – Says Minister
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Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem said Friday that there is an “easy” way through which Rwanda can use to settle its issues with Kampala.
Minister Oryem said if Rwanda had used that way, its concerns would have already been settled.
Uganda and Rwanda are in a standoff which started on February 28. Kigali accuses Uganda of what it has described as “three outstanding issues”.
They have been publicly outlined by President Kagame as: support to individuals and groups including RNC of Kayumba Nyamwasa and “P5″─ groups focused on fighting the Rwandan government; arresting, torturing and deporting Rwandans as well as economic sabotage.
As a result, Rwanda is not allowing its citizens to go to Uganda. Business between the two sides has been affected, as the private sectors count huge losses.
President Kagame himself, despite recently indicating a change of tone away from the tough talk, has made it clear that President Yoweri Museveni is personally responsible as he was directly aware of Rwandan dissidents.
Kagame has openly said Museveni knows the dealings of Rwandan tycoon Tribert Rujugiro, who is financing the Rwandan dissidents commanded by Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa, a former army chief.
Museveni is also said to have personally hosted the dissidents and held discussions on their Rwanda project.
In addition, Museveni’s own Minister of state for East African Affairs, Philemon Mateke, has reportedly been handling Uganda’s links with FDLR militia based in DR Congo, whose members executed the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Despite President Kagame putting the ball in the court of his counterpart Museveni, Minister Oryem suggested today that the solution lays elsewhere.
Rwanda’s concerns can be “easily addressed and dealt with” if it used “regional mechanisms”, according to Oryem in his interview with NTV Uganda television.
He also added that Rujugiro has informed President Museveni that he is “not in any way involved” with dissidents, and that he is “just a businessman”.
