Kagame, Uhuru use IDs to enter Uganda

By David Lumu

Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya used their national identity cards as opposed to their passports to travel to Uganda on Wednesday. 

The leaders, who jetted in at different times, showed their IDs to the immigration staff at Entebbe International Airport and each received a coupon, marking the official launch of the use of national identity cards, voter/students cards as travel documents in the region.

President Museveni invited his EAC counterparts for the 4th summit of the Northern Corridor integration projects.The summit is an initiative bringing together Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda to fast-track regional development through regional infrastructure, trade as well as political and economic integration.

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Kenya President Uhuru Kenyata is recieved by Uganda security chiefs; Lt. Gen. Charles Angina (deputy CDF) Gen. Kale Kayihura (IGP) and Johnson Byabashaija (Uganda Prisons Services). PHOTO/Peter Busomoke

The tripartite infrastructure integration projects summit is a follow up of a series of summits geared towards fast tracking regional development through infrastructure development, trade, political and economic integration.

The last summit was held in the Rwanda capital Kigali in October last year.

Presidents Kagame of Rwanda and Kenyatta of Kenya jetted into the country last night and used their national identity cards.

The presidents then received a coupon each, marking the official launch of the use of national identity cards, voter/students cards as travel documents in the region.

Kenya President Uhuru Kenyata (left) presents his national ID to an immigration officer, Godfrey Sasagah on arrival at Entebbe Airport. PHOTO/Peter Busomoke

Coupons are equivalent to visas and they are used because the IDs do not have any provision for emigration officers to stamp — so they stamp on the coupons.

The coupon bears a stamp that is valid for six months and can be renewed.

“To implement the recommendation on the use of national IDs as travel documents, we asked the delegations of President Paul Kagame and President Uhuru Kenyatta to use their IDs and not passports,” foreign affairs permanent secretary Ambassador James Mugume told New Vision.