Ugandan goods still restricted despite Rwanda border re-opening

Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Most Ugandan goods are yet to get clearance to be imported into Rwanda, a month after border-reopening, our reporter has learnt.

The Rwandan authorities ‘fully reopened’ the border this month, a month after partial re-opening.

President Paul Kagame had closed the borders on February 27, 2019, accusing Uganda of hosting Rwandan dissidents, abducting Rwandan nationals, and locking them in non-designated areas.

Rwanda then issued a travel advisory to its nationals against traveling to Uganda, saying their safety was not guaranteed.

The border was re-opened following a diplomatic visit of Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Commander Land Forces of the UPDF to Kigali.  The re-opening has so far taken several stages, including a relaxation of rules on COVID-19 tests.

However, after re-opening, expectations of locals and business operators along the border especially Katuna are yet to be achieved.

Locals had expected public transport and free movement of people crossing to either country.

However, most goods like cement and maize flour that Uganda would export to Rwanda on large scale are still being blocked with no reason being given, according to the traders.

Honest Tahinduka, a private clearing agent with Transco International Cargo Services says that he has personally witnessed trucks transporting cement from Kasese district and others transporting maize flour and beans being blocked by Rwandan authorities at the border from crossing.

Tahinduka says that only trucks transporting goods loaded from other countries like Mombasa -Kenya are free to pass.  He says that his wish is to see change and Ugandan goods also get allowed to be exported to Rwanda since the border was fully re-opened.

Reuben Mutabazi, the Kabale District Internal Security Officer says that after security authorities kept on receiving reports that Ugandan goods are still being blocked from being exported to Rwanda, he and Godfrey Nyakahuma, area Resident District Commissioner early this week drove to Katuna border to carry out investigations.

Mutabazi says that he and Nyakahuma confirmed that the matter is true. He says that they were surprised when they witnessed one of the trucks that were transporting goods from Uganda but was blocked for three days as documents detailing the goods being exported were sent to Kigali for analysis and later the driver was ordered not to cross.

He says that this has continued to cripple the trade despite border re-opening. Mutabazi says that there is a need for higher Ugandan authorities especially the cabinet to look into the matter and forge means of handling it with Rwandan authorities.

Robert Mbabazi Kakwerere, Rukiga district LC5 Chairman and also a resident of Uganda-Rwanda border sub county of Kamwezi says that locals in Kamwezi are still blocked from crossing to Rwanda to sell their agricultural produce like they used to before the impasse.

He says that Rwandan authorities block them with restrictions they don’t even reveal. Kakwerere however says that even though goods are still being blocked, people should be happy that there is a full re-opening for people to cross.

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