The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat has promised to mend the relations between Uganda and Rwanda once elected president.
Amuriat made the promise on Sunday while campaigning in Kisoro district.
Rwanda has closed its border with Uganda since February 2019. Rwanda accuses Ugandan authorities of abducting its citizens and locking them up in ungazetted areas. Rwanda also accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially Rwanda National Congress-RNC and the Democratic Forces for the liberation of Rwanda FDLR, which have declared war on the Kigali government.
Since the border closure, eight people including Ugandan and Rwandan nationals have been killed by Rwandan security operatives on accusations of smuggling. The talks to resolve the impasse are yet to yield positive results.
However, Amuriat attributes the impasse to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. According to Amuriat, Museveni’s bad policies in the great lakes region and his habit of manipulation left Rwanda with no option but to close the border. Amuriat says that the border closure has affected the community in the area.
He also says that it is regrettable that Museveni is doing nothing yet people are losing jobs and lives due to the impact of the border closure. He adds that when elected, he will ensure that in June next year, he will resume talks with Rwanda so that the border re-opens immediately.
Earlier on, police fired tear gas and live bullets as they blocked Amuriat from campaigning in Kabale town.
On Monday, Amuriat is scheduled to campaign in Kanungu and Rukungiri district, according to Electoral Commission campaign road map.
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