Kagame, Museveni meet at Gatuna border

The fourth Quadripartite Heads of State Summit in a bid to normalize ties between Rwanda and Uganda is scheduled for today, February 21 at Gatuna border.

Presidents Paul Kagame, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda will be joined by Angolan President João Lourenço and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi.

The agenda of today’s meeting includes review and discussion of feedback from Uganda following a Note Verbale from Kigali dispatched on February 15.

The Note Verbale was sent after the third meeting of the Ad Hoc Commission on the implementation of the Luanda Memorandum of Understanding between Uganda and Rwanda held in Kigali on February 14.

Uganda was meant to respond to the Note Verbale on February 20, which Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and EAC affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe acknowledged that it was done.

The reply will be subject to discussion at the border meet.

Among the concerns, Rwanda expected reactions to the verification of operations and fundraising activities of; Prossy Bonabaana, Sula Nuwamanya, Dr. Rukundo Rugali, Emerithe Gahongayire and Emmanuel Mutarambirwa.

The individuals are said to be part of the RNC leadership through an NGO called Self-Worth Initiative.

Uganda was also expected to file a response verifying Charlotte Mukankusi’s travel history to Uganda, especially during the month of January 2020 and the progress towards the withdrawal of her Ugandan passport. The passport bears the number A000199979.

Kigali was also anticipating the verification by Uganda of the presence of RUD-Urunana terrorist suspects who were involved in the October 2019 Kinigi attacks.

So far, Uganda has deported two suspects Kabayija Seleman and Nzabonimpa Fidel who are accused of being part of the deadly attack by RUD-Urunana militia on Kinigi, Musanze District on the night of October 3-4, 2019.

The duo – along with two others, Muganeza Eric and ‘Captain’ Nshimiye a.k.a Gavana, who led the attack on Kinigi – withdrew to Uganda after Rwanda’s security forces neutralised the assailants, killing 19 of them and capturing five others.

Rwanda has also demanded the arrest and deportation of both Nshimiye and Mugiraneza so they can stand trial for their actions.

Friday’s summit agenda will include a review of resolutions from the previous summit which included the release of nationals of each country held whereby lists were submitted to facilitate the objective.

Whereas no Ugandan is known to be in the custody of Rwanda illegally, hundreds of Rwandans have been held in Uganda without consular access or legal representation.

This week, Uganda released 13 nationals and deported two terror suspects.

Three such high-level summits have been held since the signing of the Luanda MoU in August, the latest of which took place earlier this month.

This week’s summit will be the first under the Luanda framework to be held outside of Angola.