President Yoweri Museveni has reached out to Rwanda President Paul Kagame

Museveni’s message to Kagame was delivered by Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare.

“Thank you, President Paul Kagame, for warmly receiving me today to deliver President Museveni’s special message,” Ayebare said.

In diplomatic terms, this easing of hostility between the two countries is known as Détente and it indicates the possible resumption of relations between the two countries, after a three-year standoff.

In 2017, the disagreements between the two countries festered as Rwanda accused Uganda of habouring rebels plotting to destabilize Kagame’s government.

Rwanda also accused Uganda of illegally arresting its citizens.

These allegations were dismissed as untrue by the Uganda government.

Uganda then counter-accused Rwanda of sending spies to Uganda and planting them in the security forces with the implied aim of overturning Museveni’s government.

Hostilities reached fever pitch when Rwanda closed its border with Uganda in 2019, preventing any Rwandans crossing into Uganda.

However, in the same year, Museveni and Kagame signed an agreement to settle the unsettled relations between their two countries. Then, in 2020, both countries signed an extradition treaty in a bid to normalise ties.

However, their frosty relations did not thaw as the border between the two countries remained tightly closed.

When asked about the closure of the border between the two countries last year, Museveni said Uganda was not responsible for the border closure, Rwanda was.

“You go and ask the border. I am not the one who closed it. We had discussions (with Kagame) long ago with mediation of Angola and I have not seen the border being opened,” Museveni said.

Then Museveni, when asked to respond on being called a regional bully by Rwanda, volleyed the accusation back into Rwanda’s court.

“Well, a bully how? By doing what? I don’t agree with it. He should tell you how we are bullies.”

Intriguingly, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations and the Commander Land Forces Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, tweeted two days ago warning anyone abusing his “uncle” President Paul Kagame.

“This is my uncle, Afande Paul Kagame. Those who fight him are fighting my family. They should all be careful,” Lt Gen Muhoozi tweeted, with two pictures of Kagame alongside his words.

Muhoozi, also the First Son, is believed by many observers to have his finger on the pulse of what’s going on between the two countries. This is why his charitable words about Kagame are seen as an offer of reconciliation to Rwanda from Uganda.

It remains to be seen whether Kagame will take this olive branch.