Kutesa Explains Why Museveni Travelled to Kigali By Road
New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
June 8, 2005
Posted to the web June 9, 2005
By Felix Osike
Kampala
THE Government yesterday explained why president Yoweri Museveni travelled to Kigali by road.
Foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa refuted The Red Pepper report of a plan to down Museveni's plane at Kanombe Airport in Kigali.
He said Museveni travelled by road due to engagements he had in western Uganda.
On Thursday last week, there was a diplomatic glitch when more than half of Museveni's convoy was blocked by Rwanda soldiers at Katuna border and some Ugandan delegates were harassed at Intercontinental Hotel in Kigali, the venue of the 10th COMESA summit.
The President was in Kigali to hand over the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA) chairmanship to Rwanda President Paul Kagame. Below is the full statement:
"I have read reports in one of the daily newspapers here in Kampala regarding the reasons why president Museveni did not fly to Kigali for the COMESA meeting and instead travelled by road.
I wish to make it categorically clear that the Uganda government has no information to the effect that there was a plan to down President Museveni's plane at Kanombe in Kigali. This is utterly false.
The reason why the president travelled by road was that he had planned engagements in western Uganda after the COMESA meeting and it was more rational to travel by road and return in time to fulfil his engagements which indeed he did.
Everybody is aware that upon the President's return, the following day, he opened a ginnery at Kyambura and addressed a rally in the same place. He also opened a health centre at Rugazi and proceeded to Mbarara to attend a give-away ceremony of Ambassador Butagira's daughter and the burial service of Mrs. Mutembeya at Rutoma in Mbarara.
There is, therefore, no truth in the claim that he did not fly to Kigali because of security concerns.
Uganda government stands by the press statement I issued on Monday 6th June, 2005.
Let me take this opportunity to reiterate the policy of my ministry that we do not intend to continue using the press in the conduct of our diplomatic relations."
In an earlier statement issued on June 5, Kutesa described as false allegations by Rwanda that the convoy was blocked because Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB) officers carried extra guns across the border.
He said there were there were no extra guns beyond the ones agreed by the two sides, that were taken to Rwanda.
Rwanda's state minister for foreign affairs Mitali Protais had told Sunday Vision that PGB carried more than the mandated six pistols.
The glitch happened at a time when relations between the two countries battered by the clashes between their armies in Kisangani in 1999 and 2000 are said to be improving.
Kagame, who was expected in the country on Monday for an international agricultural conference, cancelled his trip despite government assurance that his delegation would be shown customary hospitality and courtesies due to guests.
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