Uganda on Thursday called upon authorities in Rwanda not to prevent people from crossing the border at the Southern point of Katuna (Gatuna). The Ugandan government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo told journalists that since Wednesday 6:00pm (local time), Rwandan authorities had denied entry to both private and public vehicles attempting to cross the border from Uganda.
Opondo also questioned the explanation by Rwanda’s Revenue Authority (RRA) that cargo trucks from Uganda were prevented from crossing the border at Katuna because of a planned upgrade of the border post.
This follows a deteriorating relationship between Rwanda and Ugandan due to counter accusations of espionage and engaging in activities of destabilizing each other. Ugandan recently deported several top telecommunications officials including a Rwandan national, accusing them of compromising its national security.
Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly alluded to foreign agents attempting to destabilize the country. Last year, Museveni hosted his counterpart, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and reduced the deteriorating relations to ‘ alapse in communication’.