There will be no media coverage for the meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame at Katuna border on Friday, URN has learnt.
The two leaders are expected to meet as part of the Quadripartite summit held in Luanda, Angola on February 2, 2020 to end the tension between the two countries.
URN visited Katuna town on Thursday afternoon to check on the preparations for the meeting and found heavily armed security operatives drawn from Uganda Police Force, Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) and Special Forces Command-SFC patrolling the town.
Road gangs were also seen sweeping the road with others hanging banners welcoming the two heads of state to the town. A top security officer from SFC who declined to be named told our reporter that apart from security officials and invited delegates, no any other person including journalists are authorized to step in the border town.
He explains that the meeting doesn’t require any media coverage apart from the Presidential Press Units of Uganda, Rwanda, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also said that even after the meeting, the heads of state or their officials will not address the press about the resolutions.
The President’s Press Secretary, Don Wanyama confirmed that the meeting will be closed to the media. “No media is allowed,” he said in a text message to URN. David Bahati, the Area Member of Parliament, who is also the State Minister of Finance, says all preparations to ensure that the meeting goes on uninterrupted are done.
His Deputy Linda Wamboka Nabusayi latter sent a text message to journalists confirming Wanyama’s position.
“The proceedings at the summit at Katuna border (Where cleared) will be covered by the respective PPUs from the four countries and shared. PLEASE NOTE the Presser at the close if the ceremony will be relayed live on UBC TV. We shall share with you the links at start of presse,” read her text.
David Bahati, the Area Member of Parliament, who is also the State Minister of Finance, says all preparations to ensure that the meeting goes on uninterrupted are done. He says their prayer is to see that the meeting resolves to open the border with immediate effect.
Rwanda closed its borders with Uganda in February 2019. Rwandan authorities led by President, Paul Kagame accused Ugandan authorities of abducting Rwandan citizens and locking them up in ungazetted areas.
They also accused Uganda of hosting and facilitating dissidents especially from the Rwanda National Congress and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, who have declared war on the Kigali government.
Rwanda advised its citizens against travelling to Uganda, saying it can’t guarantee their safety.
The News Editor ,Reporter at Kagadi Kibaale community Radio
