| KAMPALA
RWANDA came out strongly yesterday to deny any working relationship with the opposition Forum for Democratic Change led by exiled Col. Kizza Besigye.
The denial was in response to a claim by the FDC chief Mobiliser, retired Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu (R), that Rwanda and South Africa were strong allies of the party, which seeks to unseat President Museveni in the 2006 general elections.
The Rwandan ambassador to Uganda, Mr Ignatius Kamali Karegesa, told Daily Monitor yesterday that the Kigali establishment had no agreed working relationship with political parties in Uganda.
What General Mugisha Muntu says is wrong and unfounded. We challenge him to come out and prove his story, Kamali said by telephone.
He said: But may be the story is wrong because he cannot say that. Let us wait and see if he has any proof.
While in Washington on Wednesday, Muntu said Rwanda and South Africa were strong allies of the party. He said FDC was deepening its
relationship with regional governments. We are working on the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments, he said.
FDCs spokesman Mr Wafula Oguttu independently told Daily Monitor that his colleagues remarks were fairly accurate.
But Kamali said Rwanda couldnt support or make alliances with individuals or political groups when it enjoys very good ties with the Ugandan establishment.
This is not true and since I didnt hear Muntu make those claims, I take it that he is innocent, Kamali added.
However, the Movement spokesman, Mr Ofwono Opondo, said time had come for Ugandans to choose whether to be ruled by Rwanda or Uganda. We have been telling Ugandans all the time that a foreign country is funding FDC and they thought we were lying. But Muntus admission has confirmed it, Opondo told Daily Monitor.
He added that the Movement would not allow proxy rule in Uganda. If we were able to kick out colonialism by Britain, how can we accept to be ruled by
a broke
country? We shall resist them, Opondo said.
He said the denials from the Rwanda government were meant to hide their support. They are dealing with amateur groups. They dont want to be seen to be dealing with them. But for us in intelligence we know that they want to impose themselves.
However, the Rwandan Information Minister in the Prime ministers office, Prof. Laurent Nkusi, told Daily Monitor yesterday that his government did know what Muntu was talking about. May be Muntu is looking for his own support by making such statements. We dont know what his motive could be.
He said Rwanda and Uganda were enjoying a cordial relationship.
Ambassador Kamali also said Rwanda and Uganda enjoy a very good relationship, stressing that whoever was pushing for a rift between the two countries would do so at his or her own peril. In response to the Rwanda denials FDCs Oguttusaid, I thought they (Rwandese) were our friends but since they have denied, th
en its
okay.
But for us we want to cultivate good relations with our neighbours. We shall work on that when we come to power next year. Rwanda was at one time blacklisted as a hostile foreign power after Uganda suspected it of having supported the 2001 Kizza Besigye presidential election campaign. | 
