

Uganda-Rwanda Tensions XXIII: Communique (14.02.2020)







President Paul Kagame had a speech yesterday with the Diplomatic Corps in Kigali, Rwanda. This is the most direct his been in a while in concern of the border dispute with Uganda. That has lasted all through 2019 and continues to linger in 2020. The big-men are fighting shadow games and trading blame. While the peasants are hurt in the midst of the battling between. That part never dies in these sort of diplomatic disputes.
What was striking was a few of his remarks. I will not cover the whole speech, but give a few interesting tide-bits of it. Which is deserving a little look into and some social commentary. Because, inside the Republic everyone will eat his every word and to many are paid to do his praises abroad. So, something gotta give, in this case, me.
Here we go:
“ This is what has happened between Rwanda and Uganda in the recent days. We have had hundreds of Rwandans arrested in Uganda. And we have raised this matter with Ugandan authorities. We have families of hundreds of families coming and appealing to us asking why don’t you ask Uganda to release our people. And that matter has been raised with Uganda repeatedly, several times, by different layers of our administration. I myself travelled there” (Kagame, 29.01.2020).
“As that is happening, and I am calling it good progress — forget about the other stories of how they have been mistreated — the other side says, you see we have shown a good gesture. Now you must also do something. We say, what? Something that tells Rwandans to start traveling to Uganda. And I asked one of the officials who came to see me and told me that: I can easily say that, make a statement that you released nine people, everything is okay, you can start going to Uganda. I told this official, suppose I start doing that, and the next day and another day more Rwandans are arrested and those still in custody are not released. Are you suggesting I would go tell these Rwandans, you know what, I was deceived. Again stop going there” (Kagame, 29.01.2020).
“What I am being asked to do is say Rwandans can start comfortably going to Uganda. That’s what I am being asked. And I am holding on to that because I am not yet comfortable that I can tell Rwandans to start doing that. That they won’t be arrested and relatives will then come tell me you put our relatives and friends into trouble” (Kagame, 29.01.2020).
These three paragraphs are the most striking in the whole speech in concern with the spat and dispute between Rwanda and Uganda. As the Rwandan President have never been so clear during the whole process. His now totally assaulting the way the Ugandan counterparts are treating the Rwandan citizens on its soil. The President is directly saying the Ugandan authorities are illegally arresting, detaining and selecting Rwandans on the border.
There are evidence of a certain amount of Rwandan captives and arrested people, both in the hands of ESO (External Security Organization), ISO (Internal Security Organization) CMI (Chief of Military Intelligence) and other agencies, both in safe-houses and gazetted facilities. Some have been through the legal system, some are conspiring terrorist and spies, which have been detained by CMI and ESO for those reasons. These cases are usually following other procedures, which should be known to the former Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) in Uganda and now President of Rwanda. So, if someone knows this game and knows his former ally Museveni. Kagame knows, but instead speak in small riddles.
Kagame knows and has an idea, but trying to act aloof and act innocent in all of this. Like his border patrol and others haven’t done anything of sort. That the Rwandan counterparts haven’t attacked nor shown aggression towards the Ugandan. Which by all counts is hogwash. They have both acted in ill fate, but the Rwandan President trying to clean his dirty hands too. It might work on his propaganda stations, but not with me.
Kagame, you better start talking to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Museveni better start talking to you. So, you to can settle your grievances and hurt, maybe even kiss and make-up. Then after that tell each other war stories, which would a moment of nostalgia between the too gentlemen. Peace.


I have a hard time to celebrate that certain men plans to step down from their Presidency. I know, I should be, but I don’t want to be fooled. During the last end of the decade and year of 2019. The Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi pledged to step down. Said it on various occasions. However, I am not yet buying it.
That the President of Burundi. The man who was a rebel, who has made himself a supreme ruler and been at the helm since 2005. Plus the President haven’t followed the Arusha Accords, he have amended the Constitution to fit his own agenda and he has already held a questionable term, which was validated by his own appointed Constitutional Court. Awaiting a new term this year, as the up-coming elections of 2020 is coming up.
With all that in mind, I have a hard time believing Pierre Nkurunziza of CNDD-FDD and the violent government of his. Will suddenly stop acting, stop ceasing operations and be in the wind. I don’t believe he will be relaxing at a mansion or palace in Gitega. No, it’s not happening, unless he drops an resignation letter, a letter of intent and some sort of decree, proving that the President will not be there after the 2020 elections.
It is not like Nkurunziza understands or has the ability to listen to scrutiny. The ones who stands in his way stops. The ones who pokes fun on painting crayons on his pictures get arrested. Therefore, his not the sort of guy to get tainted or get kind hearted. So, he will struggle as a civilian, who would be questioned for the abductions, killings and the reason why so many opposition members are in exile.
The second one, who I doubt will step down from the throne is Rwandan President Paul Kagame. His been in power forever. First in Ugandan government, before he together with other Rwandan diaspora militia did a coup d’etat and part-take in genocide of 1994. Since then he was the Vice-President and Minister of Defence between 1994-2000. Since 2000 his been the President and by law he can be so until 2034. Therefore, I have little faith of him stepping down.
Well, someone whose elected with 98% in the election of 2017 would most likely not step down. Not someone who has all power consolidated. A man who has the army and the security operations working as clock-work around his orders. Not believing someone who support militias in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Because, of his vicious affairs, I doubt he will jeopardize his place.
This is the sort of man that has ban political satire, because of frail sense of power. So, its not like Kagame has thick skin and can manage critics. That is why his real opposition is either behind bars or in exile.
These sort of gentlemen … isn’t the sort who listen or accept to be humiliated, laughed at or even spoken ill off. They would not like to have tainted legacy, even though that is true. Because, they want to be giants, big-men and remembered like deities. They want to be modern saints, canonized in the Vatican and be living legends.
However, even if they do step-down from being Heads of State. Their legacy will be the bloodshed, the impunity within their republics and their oppressive behaviour. It will not be fantastic speeches, bended knees and other policies.
So now, if they are stepping down. Prove it, show some real backing behind it. Letter of intent. Resignation letter or even groom a successor. Do something, your words have no value, when you have amended the laws to give you ability to stay longer in power. Peace.





Today, was the rescheduled 2nd Ad-Hoc Meeting, which was supposed to happen in October, but since then been postponed. This has all happen since the Luanda Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the 21st August 2019 and the first meeting was in the middle September in Kigali. Today, it was in Uganda, as the parties met together with the other stakeholders too.
Well, the parties couldn’t resolve anything. They couldn’t even drop a joint communique from the 2nd Ad-Hoc Meeting. The MoU isn’t a legally binding document, neither was the first joint communique from September. However, the breakdown today is surely not the signs in the stars that the public needs.
The Rwandan and Ugandan parties are not able to settle grievances, they are not able to negotiate or even talk. Not even for the PR perspective. They were together and had the opportunity to settle things, instead they are back-stepping and mudding the waters more.
The various dignitaries today cannot proud of their work, neither for themselves or for the East African Community in general. This is putting a hold on a needed relations, as they are neighbours and will be connected whether they like it or not. If it is the ego of the head of states. If it is the grudges from the past.
This is not only a border dispute, the way both republic’s a treating their citizens. It is also about the possible shadow-war done in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The spoils of militias inside there, which the parties doesn’t want to put on the table. Neither also take responsibility for. Because, that means knowingly taking responsibility for in the insecurity, they both are promising to help, all of the time.
These two parties needs to settle it and the citizens are paying the price, the traders and border regions are hurt by this. The Uganda-Rwanda tensions needs to be resolved, as there been a long stalemate and need to figure the next few steps. The stakeholders needs to put forward steps and timelines. If not this will drag-on into 2021 or even escalate further by possible violence at a border point. Which has already occurred, but if it happens again. It might be more than just letters of warning between the parties. But actual further actions made, which none of us wants to see. Peace.






“Major fighting took place yesterday in Kusisa (Kalehe territory, South Kivu) between the Congolese army and the CNRD, a Rwandan rebellion that resulted from a split with the FDLR in 2016” (Kivu Security, 27.11.2019).
There are apparently two different views to what happened in Kusisa, Kalehe territory in South-Kivu province. What it says, there are claims of the violence towards civilians in a refugee camp by government soldiers and Rwandan soldiers camouflaged as so in South Kivu. While the Rwandan government claims the militia caused these attacks. The MRCD have already promised to wage war against Kigali, while they are still based in the DRC.
Clearly, they could play for the facade, but we never know in these instances. The MRCD claims a total different picture from the Rwandese, both using the UN documentation, while the DRC reporter states what the FARDC says it does. Therefore, it is hard to know what’s going on. But something is up and civilians are the casualties in all of this.
MRCD Statement:
“On the night of 25 to 26 November 2019, the FARDC (Armed Forces of the DRC), together with the Rwandan soldiers in Congolese army uniform, attacked and destroyed the Rwandan refugee camp in Kalehe territory in South Kivu. The Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD-Ubumwe) had nevertheless alerted the International Community of the imminence of these attacks given the encirclement of this camp since 13/11/2019 by members of the RDF (Rwandese Defence Forces) disguised as Congolese soldiers. We denounce the silence and passivity of the International Community before such massacres against the survivors of the genocide perpetrated in Congo by the same troops of General Paul KAGAME in 1996-1998, as proved in the UN Mapping Report: These massacres of refugees are committed with the indifference of the UN military force MONUSCO, which has been present in the DRC since 1999. The MRCD-Ubumwe also recalls that MONUSCO has several soldiers not far from this camp of attacked refugees” (MRCD – ‘Rwandan soldiers in Congolese army uniform, attacked and destroyed the Rwandan refugee camp in Kalehe territory’ 26.11.2019).
Rwandan Embassy in Brussels Statement:
“Recently, and to the knowledge of the Belgian authorities, it has been proven that two politico military platforms named P5 and MRCD operate from the Kingdom of Belgium where some of its leaders are staying, including Paul Rusesabagina, who heads the Rwandan Movement for Peace. Democratic Change (MRCD Ubumwe), Faustin Twagiramungu and Placide Kayumba (Vice President of the United Democratic Forces (UDF) and co-founder of Jambo ASBL). This group meets regularly, signs pacts and raises funds for the sole purpose of overthrowing the Rwandan government by force. The details of the activities of the P5 military branch led by the Rwanda National Congress led by Kayumba Nyamwasa and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) were analyzed in a report by the UN expert group. on the Congo from December 2018. As a reminder, the FDLR are the ideological heirs of the perpetrators of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 and since their presence in eastern Congo are responsible for systematic killings and rapes. In spite of these criminal acts, members of the ASBL under Belgian law called “Jambo ASBL”, actively involved in a misinformation campaign against Rwanda, regularly visited the eastern part of the Congo to meet with them. FDLR leaders” (Rwanda in Belgium – ‘Le Rwanda déplore que la presse belge fasse l’écho d’une campagne visant à le déstabiliser’ 27.11.2019).
Reports from the DRC:
“Information confirmed by the FARDC that announce that on the orders of the high military hierarchy, the operational sector Sukola 2 South Kivu and North Kivu, launched this Tuesday, November 26, an offensive against the armed group CNRD with the objective of neutralizing this group armed foreign active on Congolese soil. “For the only day of this Tuesday, November 26, the FARDC have already recovered the localities of Kitindiro, Rutare1 and 2, Bibatama and Nganjo, formerly under control CNRD. The populations of all these localities are asked to remain calm and to dissociate themselves with all these armed groups “, adds captain Dieudonné Kasereka military spokesman of the operation Sukola 2 South South-kivu” (Justin Mwamba – ‘Sud-Kivu : les FARDC récupèrent plusieurs localités jadis occupées par les CNRD à Kahele’ 27.11.2019, Actulite.cd).
We can clearly see that none of them is denouncing the skirmishes, the battles nor the actually fatalities in South Kivu Province. However, the FARDC says its liberated parts of the territory, while the MRCD claims the army did crimes against humanity and went after civilians in a refugee camp. That is not the story from the FARDC. But who would confess that directly? Secondly, what militia doesn’t want goodwill and try to portray their enemies in the worst light? Thirdly, what government doesn’t want to defend themselves, against the ones who want to overthrow it?
That is all reasonable, but, a very important but, someone is lying here. Someone is not coming with a straight face. There is a lie here and I cannot catch it. As there are two much between the lines and that I have no knowledge of. What we do know, is that Rwandan soldiers has been and easily could be in the Kivu provinces. The MRCD and allies are working to get rid of Kagame, that is a mere fact. FARDC has a bad rep together with MONUSCO to not shield citizens. Therefore, there is a lot at stake and also open questions. Neither do I trust the FARDC, the MRCD nor the Rwandan in this matter. Because, they could all be lying. However, there must be truth there somewhere, but I cannot see that either.
That’s because they are all lying and in war, the first thing that is the innocent and the innocence of people. They are all using all means to win. It doesn’t matter which side of the gun you are, as long as your not on the losing side. Because, that means either punishment or death. That’s why all of these will tell stories, will amplify or even spread propaganda for their own narrative. I just don’t know who to believe. That’s my issue. What’s the real issue is that by all accounts, civilians and refugees was in the midsts of cross-fire and certainly someone died because of warlords was busy tormenting the region. Peace.