President Yoweri Museveni has advised government officials not to be tempted to engage in an exchange with their Rwandan counterparts over allegations made by Rwandan officials.
Rwandan officials including Maj Gen Frank Mugambage — Rwandan ambassador to Uganda and Richard Sezibera — Rwandan minister of foreign affairs have accused Uganda of hosting agents hostile to the Kigali government.
The government spokesperson Mr. Ofwono Opondo has however revealed that following President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s advice, no official will respond to the claims in the media.
Instead, Museveni guided that there are proper government channels where such the issues between Rwanda and Uganda are being discussed.
Nonetheless, Uganda has rubbished as false accusations that Rwandan dissidents are being harbored in Uganda.
In an earlier statement, Minister for foreign affairs Sam Kutesa said Uganda cannot allow anyone who threatens a neighbor operate in its territory.
“It is false that Uganda host elements fighting Rwanda. Rwanda knows this very well, as it has been a matter of confidential communication at the highest level of the two countries,” he said.
The Minister said its Uganda’s principled position that they cannot allow anyone destabilize a neighbor, bearing in mind the fact that the country’s “development and transformation cannot take place without peace and security in the region.”
Kutesa’s statement followed sweeping allegations by Sezibera earlier today in Rwanda’s capital Kigali.
Addressing a press conference in Kigali, Sezibera accused Uganda of harboring dissidents including forces allegedly working to overthrow President Paul Kagame’s government.
Sezibera alleged that some of those operating in Uganda include rebels allied to former Rwanda Defence Force Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa’s RNC (Rwanda National Congress) — 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 several assassination attempts.
However, Kutesa dismisses the allegations, saying the government of Uganda is aware of the importance of being at peace with her neighbors.