Africa-Press – Uganda. Authorities at Katuna Border Post have asked President Museveni to resume bilateral talks with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in a bid to reopen the border post that has been closed for about two years.
The Katuna town clerk, Mr Eric Sunday, told Daily Monitor in an interview last week that they have so far lost Shs1b in taxes, resulting from the continued closure of the border.
“Before the cross border trade was stopped, we used to collect about Shs400m per year as local revenue from daily and weekly markets at the border post, which included trading licence and night and day parking fees from long route trucks, buses and taxis. This is no more,” Mr Sunday said.
“We appeal to the central government to consider special grants for Katuna Town Council so that we can be able to offer services to the people. We are struggling to collect garbage, provide clean water, fund town council meetings and facilitate technical staff to carry out field activities,” he added.
Losing hope
Residents at Katuna border have since lost hope in the opening of the border post.
“It is my prayer that the bilateral meetings between the Ugandan President and his Rwandan counterpart begin as soon as possible to reduce on the existing tension among the border community members that are always denied to visit their relatives living in either country,” the mayor of Ryakarimira Town Council, Mr Enock Kazooba, said.
Mr Banet Champion, the chairperson of Butanda Sub-county, and his counterpart, Mr Enock Kazooba of Ryakarimira Town Council, which both neighbour Rwanda, said reviving the bilateral meetings would instil hope among the people in the border communities.
They said the people are currently desperate because of the continued restrictions yet they need to visit their relatives and attend social functions on either side.
Mr Fraco Korinako, the chairperson of Katuna Traders Association, wondered why the construction of the Katuna one stop border post is ongoing yet there is no trading activity there.
“Whereas we appreciate the ongoing construction of the one stop border post at Katuna, the infrastructure may remain redundant if the cross border trade remained closed. I feel the priority should be reopening the border then infrastructure development later,” Mr Korinako said.
The Rukiga District Resident Commissioner, Ms Pulkeria Muhindo, said she has no idea about the reviving of the bilateral talks although local leaders have been petitioning her office over the matter.
“Our President is aware of the situation in the Ugandan border communities with Rwanda because we make monthly reports to his office. I have no idea on when the bilateral talks will begin,” Ms Muhindo said.
Background
In March 2019, Rwanda closed the border, initially claiming an upgrade of the Gatuna customs point infrastructure, before accusing Uganda of arresting and illegally detaining its citizens.
Uganda counter-accused its south western neighbour of infiltration of its security and intelligence and espionage.
Both allegations, which either side denies, have not been independently verified
Mr Museveni and Mr Kagame have since held two meetings; one in Angola and the other in Uganda, mediated by Angola President João Manuel Gonçalves. The two meeting are yet to yield any results in regard to opening the border.
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