We don't handle diplomatic relations in the media, ugandan govt tells Rwanda - The Crime 24
http://thecrime24.com/news/we-dont-handle-diplomatic-relations-in-the-media-govt-tells-rwanda/We don't handle diplomatic relations in the media, govt tells Rwanda
The government responds to President Kagame's interview with The East African newspaper in which the Rwandan leader suggested that Ugandan government was being played by dissidents from South Africa.
RELATIONS | The government has hit back at Rwanda President Paul Kagame, saying Uganda has no intentions of conducting its diplomatic relations in the media.
Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of Uganda Media Centre, was responding to Kagame's media statement in which the Rwandan leader attributed the tensions between the two nations on Ugandan government listening to rumours from people who are opposing the Rwandan government and are only looking for economic gains.
"The Government of Uganda has taken a very cautious decision of not conducting diplomatic foreign relations between our country and any other country through the media. We leave that to the officials of Rwandan government if they want to conduct diplomatic relations via the media, it is their choice," Ofwono, who was addressing a weekly cabinet briefing, said.
Sendo Cleaners
In his interview with the East African newspaper that has been reproduced by other Nation Media Group media including Daily Monitor, President Kagame said relations between Uganda and Rwanda are not improving because of reluctance to solve the differences, adding that the two nations have had discussions over the rift for two years.
The relations between the two countries took a nosedive from the cold war that has been ongoing for two years when Uganda expelled four MTN Uganda executives, including Rwandan Annie Tabura.
Uganda government accused the officials of engaging in acts that endangered national security.
Initially, the two sides traded in veiled messages accusing each other of some wrong. Kagame said there was a neighbouring country working to undermine Kigali while Museveni warned some neighbours of "taking Uganda's generosity for granted."
But the sides went open after the deportation of the MTN executives, with Rwanda's deputy foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe accusing Uganda of habouring and training Rwandan dissidents led by exiled former chief of staff Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa.
Amb. Nduhungirehe said it appeared like "the only Rwandans allowed to walk freely in Kampala are RNC [Rwanda National Congress) dissidents."
Maj Gen Don Nabaasa, the commander of the Special Forces Group, the elite unit tasked with the protection of the president and his immediate family, a fortnight ago followed the war of words, making a startling revelation that some enemies had tried to harm President Museveni.
But Kagame said he believes the issues can be resolved whether it is egos or someone just wishing that things should be bad.
"It is very intriguing to find that, even with the history (between the two countries) and a good foundation, we have something like this going on. And it goes on every day, even as we speak. It is hard to just put it in one word, or even a few words. All I can say is that it's a matter that can be resolved. That must be resolved. Because the alternative is not something that we should even be thinking about, or entertaining," he said.
Like with Amb. Nduhungirehe's open remarks, The East African quoted the Rwandan leader linking a group of Rwandan dissidents in South Africa and his troubles with Uganda, with President Kagame, accusing Uganda of choosing to listen to the dissidents, and act against Rwanda based on the information from the group.
The dissidents, Kagame said, are soliciting Uganda's support in their plans to destabilise Rwanda.
However, Opondo said the Government of Uganda doesn't listen to rumours from dissidents in other parts of the world who have disagreed with their countries.
"It is laughable [to suggest] that the Government of Uganda doesn't have institutional mechanisms to pick and process information and simply relies on rumours perhaps Rwanda," said Opondo, who is also the government spokesperson.
"If that were to be the case, the Government of Uganda would be at loggerheads with every government around the world because in each of these countries around the world, there are people who bad-mouth the Government to Uganda."
Opondo refuted claims of rift between Uganda and Rwanda, arguing that just last weeks, President Museveni met with Kagame during the African Union Summit and if there were any problems they would have been brought to the attention of the president.
"We still consider that we have very good relations with Government of Rwanda, people of Rwanda, country Rwanda and we shall not move away from our African stance of supporting African brothers and sisters who may be in trouble," said Opondo.
Dr Barnabas Taremwa, a former bushwar comrade in the liberation struggles of both Uganda and Rwanda, offered to mediate the cold war between two former leaders, adding that the two countries can set up a joint team to come to the bottom of this problem.
"This can only be done if Rwanda engages government genuinely instead of using proxies and obscure internet sites to accuse Uganda – let there be direct contact and talking between Kigali and Kampala," Dr Taremwa said.
Posted by: Nzi Nink <nzinink@yahoo.com>
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