Museveni, Kabila meet
PRESIDENTs Yoweri Museveni and Joseph Kabila of the the DR Congo met at the Mpondwe border post in Kasese yesterday.
By Henry Mukasa and John Thawite
in Mpondwe
PRESIDENTs Yoweri Museveni and Joseph Kabila of the the DR Congo met at the Mpondwe border post in Kasese yesterday.
It was the first time for Kabila to visit Uganda and Museveni to visit Congo since Kabila took over office in January 2001, following the assassination of his father Desire Kabila.
In the Kasese meeting, the leaders discussed ways to eliminate LRA rebels from eastern Congo, where they have been based for the last couple of years after the UPDF kicked them out of northern Uganda.
They also resolved to implement the Ngurdoto Agreement signed in the mountain resort of Ngurdoto, Tanzania on September 8, 2007.
The pact provided the platform for the neighbours to jointly fight the rebels in the Garamba jungles and the normalisation of relations between them.
The agreement, signed at the time of the peace talks in the southern Sudanese town of Juba, provided the foundation first for Operation Rudia and then for Operation Lightning Thunder, launched in December 2008. The leaders gave LRA 90 days to sign the peace agreement or be attacked.
Operation Lightning Thunder comprises South Sudan, Uganda and Congo forces. Since the offensive began on December 14, the rebels have been on the run after their camps and gardens were destroyed and many captives rescued.
The Ngurdoto talks also discussed the Rukwanzi island border dispute. Both Uganda and Congo claim ownership of the island, which is located in Lake Albert.
Although the presidents did not explicitly refer to Operation Lightning Thunder at the Kasese talks yesterday, army officers had earlier said the meeting would determine by how much time to extend the mission whose deadline expired last month.
Museveni spoke in general terms after the meeting, which was held in a tent. “We held talks about strengthening measures to fight insurgency in both countries,†he said.
“There are things we have discussed but we shall not say in public,†the President added.
Kabila concurred with him. “There are things we have discussed but we will not say in public.â€
In an earlier communiqué, lands minister Omara Atubo, who is holding the portfolio of foreign affairs, said the presidents reviewed the implementation of the Ngurdoto agreement and other protocols.
Museveni arrived at Mpondwe at 10:45am. Ten minutes later, Kabila emerged from Congo with his ministers. Security was tight on both sides.
Museveni walked to the border line marked by a bridge over River Lhubiriha and received Kabila.
After greeting security chiefs, ministers and officials from both sides, the leaders took to the dais for the anthems.
After that, Kabila inspected a guard of honour and received a 21-gun salute in honour of his maiden state visit.
The gun salute took residents by surprise and sent them scampering, but they regrouped shortly afterwards.
After the private meeting, the presidents moved to a tent where VIPs were assembled for the reading of the communiqué.
Ministers and technical officials from both sides spent the previous three days at Margherita Hotel thrashing out the areas of cooperation. These included joint oil exploration, extension of power from Kasese to DR Congo towns of Beni, Butembo and Rubandi, upgrading diplomatic missions to ambassadorial level in one month and strengthening cooperation.
Museveni said initially the West had despised Ugandan oil but had turned around to describe it as “world class†and had sent investors to prospect it.
He said although Congo began exploring oil before Uganda, Uganda had registered more success largely because of decades of conflict in Congo.
Museveni also proposed the renaming of Lake Albert, which is shared by the two countries, as ‘Mwittanzige’. This is the local name of the lake.
Kabila said his country and Uganda were brotherly nations and that Uganda could supply eastern Congo with electricity. Kabila said he was happy to drive to Uganda from Kisangani in eastern Congo, which he said showed stability was taking root.
Kabila welcomed Museveni’s willingness to share experience on oil exploration. “This meeting will go a long way in further cementing our bilateral relations,†Kabila said.
He called for more such meetings in Kampala or Kinshasa. He invited Museveni to Kinshasa, which he agreed. The Mpondwe meeting was at the invitation of Museveni. Another meeting will be held at a later date.
The presidents did not field questions. Kabila said tongue in cheek: “I hate questions.â€
Thereafter, the presidents rode in Museveni’s official vehicle into Uganda and greeted crowds at Mpondwe and Bwera towns. “I have brought a guest to greet you,†Museveni said.
The convoy crossed over to Congo and Museveni too greeted equally enthusiastic Congolese telling them how they had agreed to work together for development.
in Mpondwe
PRESIDENTs Yoweri Museveni and Joseph Kabila of the the DR Congo met at the Mpondwe border post in Kasese yesterday.
It was the first time for Kabila to visit Uganda and Museveni to visit Congo since Kabila took over office in January 2001, following the assassination of his father Desire Kabila.
In the Kasese meeting, the leaders discussed ways to eliminate LRA rebels from eastern Congo, where they have been based for the last couple of years after the UPDF kicked them out of northern Uganda.
They also resolved to implement the Ngurdoto Agreement signed in the mountain resort of Ngurdoto, Tanzania on September 8, 2007.
The pact provided the platform for the neighbours to jointly fight the rebels in the Garamba jungles and the normalisation of relations between them.
The agreement, signed at the time of the peace talks in the southern Sudanese town of Juba, provided the foundation first for Operation Rudia and then for Operation Lightning Thunder, launched in December 2008. The leaders gave LRA 90 days to sign the peace agreement or be attacked.
Operation Lightning Thunder comprises South Sudan, Uganda and Congo forces. Since the offensive began on December 14, the rebels have been on the run after their camps and gardens were destroyed and many captives rescued.
The Ngurdoto talks also discussed the Rukwanzi island border dispute. Both Uganda and Congo claim ownership of the island, which is located in Lake Albert.
Although the presidents did not explicitly refer to Operation Lightning Thunder at the Kasese talks yesterday, army officers had earlier said the meeting would determine by how much time to extend the mission whose deadline expired last month.
Museveni spoke in general terms after the meeting, which was held in a tent. “We held talks about strengthening measures to fight insurgency in both countries,†he said.
“There are things we have discussed but we shall not say in public,†the President added.
Kabila concurred with him. “There are things we have discussed but we will not say in public.â€
In an earlier communiqué, lands minister Omara Atubo, who is holding the portfolio of foreign affairs, said the presidents reviewed the implementation of the Ngurdoto agreement and other protocols.
Museveni arrived at Mpondwe at 10:45am. Ten minutes later, Kabila emerged from Congo with his ministers. Security was tight on both sides.
Museveni walked to the border line marked by a bridge over River Lhubiriha and received Kabila.
After greeting security chiefs, ministers and officials from both sides, the leaders took to the dais for the anthems.
After that, Kabila inspected a guard of honour and received a 21-gun salute in honour of his maiden state visit.
The gun salute took residents by surprise and sent them scampering, but they regrouped shortly afterwards.
After the private meeting, the presidents moved to a tent where VIPs were assembled for the reading of the communiqué.
Ministers and technical officials from both sides spent the previous three days at Margherita Hotel thrashing out the areas of cooperation. These included joint oil exploration, extension of power from Kasese to DR Congo towns of Beni, Butembo and Rubandi, upgrading diplomatic missions to ambassadorial level in one month and strengthening cooperation.
Museveni said initially the West had despised Ugandan oil but had turned around to describe it as “world class†and had sent investors to prospect it.
He said although Congo began exploring oil before Uganda, Uganda had registered more success largely because of decades of conflict in Congo.
Museveni also proposed the renaming of Lake Albert, which is shared by the two countries, as ‘Mwittanzige’. This is the local name of the lake.
Kabila said his country and Uganda were brotherly nations and that Uganda could supply eastern Congo with electricity. Kabila said he was happy to drive to Uganda from Kisangani in eastern Congo, which he said showed stability was taking root.
Kabila welcomed Museveni’s willingness to share experience on oil exploration. “This meeting will go a long way in further cementing our bilateral relations,†Kabila said.
He called for more such meetings in Kampala or Kinshasa. He invited Museveni to Kinshasa, which he agreed. The Mpondwe meeting was at the invitation of Museveni. Another meeting will be held at a later date.
The presidents did not field questions. Kabila said tongue in cheek: “I hate questions.â€
Thereafter, the presidents rode in Museveni’s official vehicle into Uganda and greeted crowds at Mpondwe and Bwera towns. “I have brought a guest to greet you,†Museveni said.
The convoy crossed over to Congo and Museveni too greeted equally enthusiastic Congolese telling them how they had agreed to work together for development.