The movement of people across the Rwanda-Uganda border is set to resume on March 7, 2022 following a decision by the government of Rwanda to re-open its land borders.
The decision was reached during a cabinet meeting convened on Friday, March 4 and chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
“Land borders shall reopen starting Monday March 7, but people must be subject to random Covid-19 testing by the Ministry of Health upon entry,” a communique issued by the Prime Minister’s Office read.
Among the land borders opened is the Gatuna border that links Rwanda to Uganda, Rwanda’s border to Burundi and to Tanzania
Commenting on the decision by Rwanda to allow movement of people accross the border, Lt General Muhoozi Kainerugaba said, “… I thank him (Kagame) very much for re-uniting our people….”
Rwanda’s decision to re-opening the Gatuna border post signals an end to a three-year frosty relations between the two nations.
The re-opening followed a series of meetings to mend relations by Presidents Museveni and Kagame in Luanda in Angola, at the Katuna border and President Museveni dispatching Special Envoy Adonia Ayebare to Kigali on two occasions to deliver special messages to Kigali.
President Museveni also dispatched Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to Kigali where he met President Kagame that preceded the announcement by Muhoozi and Kigali that Rwanda would reopen the border to Uganda.
“Now our people can freely move, trade and interact as Almighty God always intended,” Kainerugaba noted then.
However, Rwanda initially allowed the movement of cargo trucks.
Through her twitter, the Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo, said that trucks, Rwandan citizens and returning residents were able to cross into the country at Gatuna, in line with Covid-19 restrictions.
“Rwandan & Ugandan health officials are working on joint Covid protocols, which will enable all to cross on both sides,” she added without mentioning the situation for Rwandans wanting to travel to Uganda.
Uganda’s Immigration Commissioner, Marcelino Besigye, said that the two sides had agreed to give priority to cargo trucks but non-essential travel was not “encouraged” because of COVID-19 protocols.
“Our health teams and that of Rwanda will be working out a mechanism to ensure passengers are tested and allowed to proceed,” he added.
Before the closure, Ugandan exports to Rwanda totalled more than $211 million in 2018, according to World Bank figures.