Kagame Finally Speaks Out on Calls for Katuna Border Reopening

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has responded to calls on him to reopen the Katuna/Gatuna border point.

Linking Rwanda and Uganda, the Katuna or Gatuna Border Point has remained closed since Kagame ordered its closure at the height of the crisis between the two nations.

Despite talks between Kampala and Kigali, the cold relations between the two neighboring countries have persisted.

Citizens across the two nations, who have borne the brunt of the misunderstanding between their two leaders and the countries’ military intelligence units, wish to return to normal times.

In a weekend interview with Aljazeera, Kagame broached the issue of the border closure.

Kagame insisted he would not reopen the border until the issues which necessitated its closure have been resolved.

“The big part of the border is closed. Some people say, just open the border, and do trade which everyone wants in the whole region,” said Kagame.

“For us, the problem is, what actually led to the closure of the border that needs to be answered before the border is open.”

And he believes there is still a long way to go.

“There are still a number of issues that need to be resolved. We are searching for the solution to the problems that still exist,” he noted.

“We understand the root cause. Therefore, we should be able to find the way forward, better understanding than we have had in the past. We have had opportunities to discuss some of these problems openly.”