Kutesa, Kivejinja in Rwanda for liberation celebrations 

 

Speaking during the Kwibohora (Rwanda Liberation Day) celebrations at Amahoro stadium, Kagame said, "I salute the forces from the East African Community partners here with us today, who have been conducting medical outreach exercises. Thank you."

 

The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) medical team camped in Rwanda for two weeks ahead of the Kwibohora day to participate in the rotational EAC armed forces civil-military activities.

 

Uganda was represented by the second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Kirunda Kivejinja at the celebrations organised under the theme, ‘Together We Prosper'.

 

Kirunda's delegation to Rwanda also had foreign affairs minister, Sam Kutesa.

"It is a privilege to mark this occasion, in the company of so many friends of Rwanda from around the world. I thank you all on behalf of our country, for your solidarity and friendship over many years. It means a great deal to us," Kagame said.

 

Also present at Kwibohora celebrations this morning were various Heads of States, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe of Togo, Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Dr Eric Masisi Mokgweetsi of Botswana.

 

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President of Nigeria and Kassim Majaliwa, the Prime Minister of Tanzania, also attended the celebrations to mark July 4, the day Rwandan Patriotic Army ended the 1994 genocide.

 

"We all share the same aspirations to be free and to improve ourselves to the fullest extent. Our continent cannot remain dependent on what happens elsewhere. Our mindset should be to rely, first of all, on ourselves and on each other," Kagame said, emphasising that on July 4, Rwandan forces ended the killing and that twenty-five seasons of mourning have passed since 1994.

 

"For three long months in 1994, our country's survival was in doubt. A segment of the population was being hunted. More than a million people were murdered," he added.

 

It is also expected that the Kivejinja delegation will hold bilateral talks with Kagame on the closure of the Gatuna border, which has cost Uganda over $204m (about sh745b) in terms of trade export business with Rwanda.

 

In February, Rwanda closed Gatuna border, saying that they were conducting special rehabilitations on the border point road.

Last month, Rwanda announced that it had re-opened the Gatuna border for Uganda Cargo trucks for 12 months. 

 

But recently trade minister Amelia Kyambadde said the Rwanda authorities told Government that they were testing whether the newly refurbished road can handle heavy cargo.

 

After 12 days, Rwanda closed the border point again, sparking off outrange within the private sector players in Uganda, who said the closure of Gatuna border point, has forced them to cut production, with many nursing heavy losses.