Uganda crawls as Rwanda runs in the current standoff (PHOTOS)

UGANDA CRAWLS AS RWANDA RUNS IN THE CURRENT STANDOFF

CHANGE OF GUARDS - Events are unfolding very fast since the Rwanda/Uganda took a different twist a week ago. For quite sometime, relations between the two countries have been deteriorating. Different diplomatic engagements could not yield anything because Museveni felt he had an upper hand. While Uganda hosts Rwandan refugees, Rwanda hosts no known Ugandan refugees. While it is alleged that Uganda hosts and facilitates Rwandan dissidents, Rwanda hosts no known Ugandan dissident group.

While Kampala falsely believed that Rwanda so much depends on trade and more especially food supplies from Uganda, the surprise move by Rwanda to close its borders exposed Kampala's arrogance and hypocrisy. As it turned out, instead, it was Uganda that went on its knees to plead for the opening of the border.

While Rwanda appeared to be confident in its handling of the saga, Kampala visibly panicked with uncoordinated verbal responses. In Rwanda, it was only the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minster of State for East Africa Community Affairs who spoke about the issue. In Uganda the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Trade, Minister of East Africa Community Affairs and the Minister of Security all went into hiding. It was instead Ofwono Opondo who was left to issue uncoordinated statements and assisted by the likes of Police's Enanga and Darius Ndinda (the RDC Kabaale). It went on until Museveni reigned in and stopped issuing of uncoordinated and self implicating statements that the situation normalized and Kutesa resurfaced. As Opondo put it "President Museveni asked us not to respond to them through the media like it has always been. Ministers and government agencies responsible will do it using the appropriate channels."

In Uganda, Parliament put government to task to explain what was going on between Rwanda and Uganda. When the executive tried to play the usual tricks, Parliament issued a two days ultimatum that expired today when the Prime Minister reported back with nothing but a revelation that government was in the process of issuing travel advice for Ugandans not to travel to Rwanda. This move is also laughable and baseless because no single Ugandan has been harassed or threatened in Rwanda. As Opondo put it "Ugandans and citizens of other countries are moving to and from Rwanda without undue impediment."

The opposition in Uganda and Dr. Besigye's People's Government has put the regime to task to tell Ugandans what is going on between Rwanda and Uganda. It has gone ahead to recommend that Rwanda's Ambassador to Uganda be allowed access to detention facilities to trace his people who are alleged to be under incarceration. It has gone ahead to castigate Museveni for lack of "moral high ground to lecture other countries on rule of law." Finally it urged Kampala to pull back its troops that are deployed at the border.

While Kampala is maintaining denials, Kigali has released a list of 40 of its nationals who are incarcerated in different detention centers in Uganda. Interestingly, Kampala continues to release and deport some victims. Kigali is also on a diplomatic offensive. President Kagame is in Tanzania for a two daysè visit. Tanzania is not only the alternative external trade route but a key player in regional power balance. The other day, DRC handed over to Rwanda the top rebel FDRL officials whom it had arrested at its border as they returned from Kampala where they had allegedly been state guests. Rwanda's Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed that "they are divulging a lot of information."

Rwanda maintains Gen. Frank Mugambagye as its Ambassador in Kampala. He grew up, studied and served in the Uganda army before returning to Rwanda. He has had a number of years as Ambassador in Uganda. On the other hand, Uganda's Ambassador to Rwanda is a one Wonekha who as usual was recently posted there after she failed to make it to parliamentary via elections.  She had previously been Uganda ambassador to Washington DC.

It is a race between the wheelbarrow and the Mercedes Benz on a tarmac road.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM