President Kikwete on visit

Apr 30, 2008

Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete is in Uganda for a two-day official visit.

By Barbara Among

Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete is in Uganda for a two-day official visit.

Kikwete, who arrived yesterday afternoon, was welcomed at State House Entebbe by President Yoweri Museveni.

Kikwete is also the chairman of the African Union.

Sources said he will discuss with Museveni the renewed fighting in Burundi between PALIPEHUTU-FNL Movement and the government forces.

Museveni chairs the regional peace initiative on Burundi and Kikwete is his deputy.

The stalled Juba peace talks and the insurgency in Somalia will also be on the agenda.

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza asked Kikwete to intervene after the recent clashes in the capital Bujumbura and four western provinces, which left 38 people dead.

Last week, Kikwete directed his government officials to meet rebel leader Agathon Rwasa.

The rebels wants power-sharing, which Bujumbura rejects.

Last week, Museveni discussed the worsening situation in Burundi with Laberata Mulamula, the executive secretary of the International Conference on Peace and Security in the Great Lakes region.

In a statement, the organisation said the fighting had gravely endangered the security situation in the country and undermined regional and international initiatives to bring lasting peace and stability to Burundi.

It called upon the parties to return to the negotiating table and respect the commitments they undertook with regard to the implementation of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement.

Museveni chaired the negotiations that led to the signing of a peace deal between the rebels and Nkurunzizi’s government in September 2006.

Uganda and Tanzania played a leading role in the negotiations.

The renewed fighting has led to several deaths and destruction of property in Bujumbura.

A bomb hit the residence of the Pope’s envoy.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});