Is President Kagame Right to Politicize the Rwanda-Uganda Crisis?

What normally should be a simple issue solved between two brothers over the phone has turned into a case that threatens not just the peace between two countries but the sovereignty of the entire African continent.

The ongoing crisis between Uganda and Rwanda over a border issue is a big disgrace to the whole continent. The crisis has continued to raise the wrong signals and attract the worst reactions which have led to the loss of lives and properties. The worst part is that rather than for the two countries to sit down as brothers and resolve the issue amicably, they are both playing the blame game and pointing fingers at each other as the cause of the crisis.

During the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda, CNN business reporter Ellen Giokos asked Kagame whether the closure of the Gatuna border point was impacting negatively on economic integration in the East African Community. Kagame justified his actions and gave instances in the past where Ugandan authorities have shut its border to Rwanda.

“Mineral containers from Kigali to Mombasa were held in Uganda for five months...Kenyans who bought milk from Rwanda had containers held in Uganda for days until tens of thousands of liters were spoilt. Politics is behind this rather than anything else. We have our people imprisoned in Uganda in places that are not known. We have brought this up with Uganda for the past two years and are getting nowhere,” he said.

On his part, President Museveni has accused his counterpart of fueling the crisis because according to him, Rwanda imposed the trade barriers, affecting the flow of goods in a key transport channel that between the two countries.

President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has tried to intervene in curbing the crisis and striking a peace accord between the two countries but have failed to make any headway.

“What is wrong is for Rwandan agents to try to operate behind the government of Uganda. I get a lot of stories, but I will never raise them unless I have confirmed them,” President Museveni has said in his letter to President Kagame.

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