Uganda Supporting Rebels to Overthrow Kagame – Minister Sezibera

By Wilson Kakuru On Mar 5, 2019 1,499 0

Rwanda's Foreign Affairs minister Mr Richard Sezibera. Courtesy photo

Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister Richard Sezibera has accused Uganda of supporting its enemies, restricting movement of Rwandan goods on its territory and harassing its citizens.

During a press conference in Kigali on Tuesday morning,Mr Sezibera said talks between Presidents Museveni and Paul Kagame as well as among senior government officials on both sides, have failed to resolve Kigali’s concerns.

He accused some Ugandan officials of supporting groups that are hostile to Rwanda. He claimed that some of the groups operating in Uganda have carried out attacks in different parts of Rwanda.

“There are armed groups, individuals who head armed groups that are opposed to the government of Rwanda, that have a violent agenda towards Rwanda who operates in Uganda [such as] the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) [and]…these are groups that have carried out (criminal) acts here in Rwanda and are based in Uganda; and, the third is the challenge related to the free movement of Rwandan goods across Ugandan territory,” he added.

The RNC is a rebel group linked to Lt Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa, a former chief of staff of the Rwandan Defence Forces, who fled and now lives in South Africa where has survived assassination attempts.

Although Mr Sezibera claimed his government has engaged their Ugandan counterparts, Sezibera, who is also the Rwanda government spokesperson, did not offer evidence to back up his allegations against Uganda.

Back in Uganda, Mr Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of Uganda Media Centre, said as far as he is concerned, Uganda and Rwanda enjoy bilateral and diplomatic relations through which outstanding issues can and should be resolved.

“We don’t ordinarily conduct disputes with foreign governments, more so a neighbour, through the media. Uganda government has been cooperative with Rwanda when issues are raised in writing through the ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Mr Opondo said.