General Muhoozi speaks out about the opening of the Rwanda-Uganda border.

Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Commander Land Forces (CLF) and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, commended the reopening of the Uganda-Rwanda border on Monday.

Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba praised President Yoweri Museveni and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in a tweet, saying the reopening of the border will enable inhabitants of the two sister nations to connect as God intended.

“I express my gratitude to our great leaders, President Museveni and President Kagame, for totally opening our borders.” This is a fantastic accomplishment. Our people may now migrate, trade, and communicate freely, just as Almighty God intended! “May God bless East Africa.” According to Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba,

“Respect your elders always,” Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba remarked during his meeting with President Kagame on January 22, 2022. There’s a reason God appointed them as your elders. Always choose peace over battle; the enlightened are the ones who make peace! Never be a foreigner’s slave! Africa will be liberated.”

Rwanda reopened its border with Uganda on Monday, but only for trucks. Several Ugandan crossings into Rwanda were refused admission, leading Ugandan officials from the Uganda Revenue Authority and the Immigration Office to enter into Rwanda and consult with their colleagues about the new situation.

In a tweet, Rwandan Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said, “Trucks, Rwandan citizens/returning residents are crossing to Rwanda at Gatuna, according to East African Community Covid-19 norms.”

According to the communiqué, Rwandan and Ugandan health experts are developing joint covid guidelines that will allow everybody to travel on both borders.”

The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation published a statement on Thursday, January 28, 2022, declaring that the border will reopen on Monday, January 31, 2022.

According to the statement, after Gen. Kainerugaba’s discussions with Rwandan President Kagame, the Kigali leadership observed that there were tangible attempts to resolve their concerns.

Rwanda said that the decision to reopen the border was motivated by Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba’s visit on January 22, 2022.

According to the statement, the one-day tour was a clear sign that there was a procedure in place to resolve the difficulties presented by Rwanda, as well as the pledges made by the Rwandan government to remove the remaining impediments.

“In this respect, and in accordance with the communiqué of the 4th Quadripartite Summit held at Gatuna/Katuna on February 21, 2020, the Government of Rwanda wants to notify the public that the Gatuna Post between Rwanda and Uganda would be re-opened on January 31, 2022,” the statement said.

“The Rwandan government is dedicated to continued efforts to settle outstanding concerns between Rwanda and Uganda and thinks that today’s (Thursday’s) declaration will help to the rapid restoration of ties between the two countries.”

Rwanda further said that, as with other land border checkpoints in the nation, the health authorities of Rwanda and Uganda would collaborate to put in place the essential safeguards to enable travel in the framework of COVID-19.

The Ugandan government, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed Rwanda’s willingness to restore the Katuna/Gatuna border post, which was shuttered by Kigali authorities in April 2019.

“We commend the efforts of the two Heads of State, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and His Excellency Paul Kagame, in restoring the strong historical bilateral connections that are critical to the well-being of the peoples of both nations.”

We look forward to continuing to work together to overcome any impediments to our friendly relations. “The Government of Uganda is dedicated to continuous efforts to settle outstanding concerns between our two nations,” the ministry said in a statement.

The statement made on Friday also praised Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba’s visit to Rwanda on January 22, 2022, which “provided the Government of Rwanda with assurances of Uganda’s resolve to overcoming the remaining hurdles, therefore closing the border on January 31, 2022.”

Reforms in security

In February 2019, Rwandan President Paul Kagame closed the border and issued travel advice to his countrymen warning them not to go to Uganda since their safety is not assured.

He accused Ugandan authorities of kidnapping its nationals and imprisoning them in undesignated locations.

Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba visited Kigali on Saturday last week, and upon his return, the Ugandan government conducted many security reshuffles.

The Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence had its Commander, Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho, transferred to South Sudan and replaced by former Commander of Special Forces Command, Maj. Gen. James Birungi.

Muhoozi tweeted on January 25, 2022, “We are one people! “May God bless Uganda and Rwanda’s unity.”

Muhoozi was also instrumental in the release of a Ugandan special forces soldier who had been caught and jailed in Kigali after crossing the border.