By Milton Olupot

RWANDAN President Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame was among the five heads of state that arrived yesterday for Museveniâ€™s swearing-in.

The number brought the total of heads of state at the Kololo function to nine.

Presidents who arrived yesterday were Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Pierre Nkurinzinza of Burundi, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. They were treated to a red-carpet welcome by Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya.

Two Democratic Republic of Congo vice-presidents Pierre Bemba and Maniwa Rubero also arrived on separate flights for the ceremony.

They were received by trade state minister Igeme Nabeta and international affairs state minister Augustine Nshimye respectively.

Bukenya, flanked by ministers, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima and Police chief Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, braved the morning downpour that persisted for about four hours.

Mbeki arrived at 7:50am aboard a South African Airforce jet and was immediately driven to Kampala in the company of foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa.

Kagame arrived shortly after in a South African-registered jet and was accompanied by works, communication and housing minister John Nasasira to the function.

Kagame studied in Ntare School between 1972 and 1975 and was part of the NRA led by Museveni that took over power in Kampala on January 26, 1986, before he led a group of Rwandese who took over power in Rwanda.

Rwanda under Kagame and Uganda under Museveni, once strong allies, turned enemies and the relationship between the two countries has never been the same again after their armies fought fierce battles three times in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999-2000.

Kagame was last here in October 2000 when he led a team of Ntare School Old Boys re-union at the school.

Tanzanian President Kikwete, accompanied by his wife Salma, arrived aboard a Fokker 50 Tanzanian jet.

They were accompanied to Kampala by local government minister Prof. Tarsis Kabwegeyere, while Burundi President Nkurinzinza arrived aboard Air Burundi.

Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi arrived aboard a Boeing and was accompanied to Kampala by the Minister in the Prime Ministers Office, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera.

All the heads of state received a gun salute on arrival before the national anthems were played by the army band.

Both military and regular police were deployed on the Kampala-Entebbe highway to oversee security.

Former President Godfrey Binaisa was also present.

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