Shadow minister of Foreign Affairs Atkins Katusabe has asked President Museveni to sit with Rwandan leader Paul Kagame and settle border issues.
The Bukonzo West Member of Parliament said Museveni has fathered Kagame in many ways so negotiations should be possible.
It is now a week since Rwandan authorities closed Katuna border post.
In the process, a travel ban was issued by Kigali on all Rwandans planning to cross to Uganda because, according to Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister Richard Sezibera, Uganda is hosting its armed adversaries, restricting movement of Rwandan goods on its territory and tormenting its citizens.
“We don’t see why the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) should be part of any equation between Rwanda and Uganda but for some reason, they still operate in Uganda. We have had cases of an RNC operative working with people in Uganda who passes on information to another NRC official in South Africa and then the official in South Africa calls,” said Sezibera.
However, this was denied by Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kuteesa.
“It is false that Uganda hosts any elements fighting Rwanda. Rwanda knows this very well as it has been a matter of confidential information at the highest level,” he said.
On Thursday, Katusabe and other opposition politicians under the block of People’s Government have asked President Museveni to reach out to Kagame in order to settle their disputes before the ‘current tension between the two neighbours culminates into bloodshed’.
Katusabe also told journalists in Kampala that Museveni should soberly come out and tell Ugandans what is going on at the border and also cautioned him not to dare call for war between the two countries.
“We very well know that Uganda and Rwanda are almost brothers but if all leaders keep quite yet citizens are suffering, with some are now living in fear of the war, there must be a strong reason for this,” said Katusabe.
“We have heard that soldiers from both sides have already been deployed at the border without any awareness of the Parliament. I want to inform all military leaders behind this that we shall hold you responsible for any bloodshed. We need not wars but negotiations.”
Katusabe said that Uganda is a country with over 43 million people who need to know why the situation at the border is like this.
“Don’t take Uganda as your family dear President Museveni. This is a serious matter, you told us that Kagame is your son I urge you to sit with him and find the solution,” he added.
On the issue of Rwandan imprisoned in Uganda, Katusabe advised Museveni to let the rule of law prevail. He requested him to let prisoners see their relatives if the negotiations are to be of great change.
