Ugandans blocked from entering Rwanda despite Katuna Border reopening

KISORO, UGANDA: Rwandan Government has blocked several Ugandans from crossing over to its country despite the reopening of the Katuna Border after three years of closure amid tension between the two East African countries.

Rwandan authorities last week in a statement said the Katuna border was sent to reopen fully on Monday (today) January 31, 2022, and today morning around 6 am, the border had been allowed to reopen but the authorities guarding at the borderpoint denied Ugandans entry.

Images of a few vehicles were seen crossing from both countries but passenger vehicles such as buses and taxis were being blocked to enter the country from Uganda.

Speaking to this reporter, Mr. Abel Bizimana, the Kisoro LCV chairman, and Mr. Nelson Nshangabasheija, the Kabale District Chairman said they had received communication from Rwandan officials that only cargo trucks are allowed to cross into Rwanda and not passenger vehicles as the border had not officially been reopened.

At the time of this report, Ugandan officials from the tax collecting body – Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and immigration office had crossed to Rwanda to engage their counterparts on this new development.

Rwanda’s decision to reopen the border came shortly after First Son and Commander of Land Forces, Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba visited President Paul Kagame on January 22, 2022 on what was described as a high-level diplomatic visit to solve the boiling tension between the two countries.

Since the closure of Rwandan border, there has been a raging border row between the two countries where Kagame posed travel restrictions stopping its nationals from traveling to Uganda and blocking goods from entering into the country, a move that contradicts with the intentions that led to the formation of the East African Community (EAC).

Kagame’s government has always accused Museveni of facilitating the dissident group, Rwanda National Congress (RNC) led by Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa dissidents.

Last year, rebel groups of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Uganda killing at least seven people. In tandem rebel outfit M23 seized at least two villages in the eastern DRC near the border with Uganda and Rwanda.

Kagame’s Army Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) has since blamed Eastern DRC attacks on Uganda saying that the Ex-M23 group didn’t seek refuge in Rwanda during their retreat from DRC in 2013, it has been based in Uganda where the attack originated where the armed group retreated.