Kampala, 27 January 2012
President Kagame and Mrs. Kagame today concluded the three-day visit that commenced on January 25 in Kampala Uganda. On his last day, President Kagame visited Quality Chemical Industry in Luzira, Kampala where he was conducted to a tour of the ultra-modern chemical plant.
Following this visit, President Kagame met and interacted with the Rwandan community living in Uganda at Serena Hotel Kampala grounds. In his address to the over 3000 Rwandans and friends of Rwandan who attended the meeting, President Kagame pointed out that politics based on divisionism cannot advance a country and its people.
“There is no point in making distinctions between Rwandans based on their backgrounds or those in Rwandan and Uganda. We are all the same and should work for our country and our common good. Good politics transcends ethnicity and borders, it’s about productive positive partnerships. Good relations should exist among Rwandans and beyond to the communities they live in. Rwandans should add value “Agaciro” wherever they are.”
President Kagame told the gathering that his frequent visits to Uganda are not for leisure, but for the benefit of Rwandans, Ugandans and indeed the region and observed that inter -country relations and cooperation are priceless.
President Kagame and Mrs. Kagame were later in the day received by President Museveni and Mrs. Museveni at State House, Nakasero where a Joint Communiqué was presented by the acting Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, and four MoUs signed by Ministers of Trade of both countries.
Before departure, President Kagame and President Museveni held a joint press conference where they fielded questions related to the two countries, the region and the continent.
On the question of the arrest in Rwanda of three generals and a colonel that has attracted massive media attention recently, President Kagame pointed out that this is something that happens everywhere in the world and that Rwanda’s case was not unique because it is not the first time the country was holding high ranking government and military officials accountable.
President Kagame said that Rwanda’s judicial system had come a long way to be where it is today, where it has the capacity of any other justice system anywhere else in the world.
“Rwanda’s judicial system is impartial and fair and this conclusion has been made and agreed upon. The rest is just politics. Our judicial system has been assessed and found to be meeting international standards and that’s why the UN and Canada decided to send suspects recently to be tried in Rwanda. In fact, our justice system does what others don’t do because it seeks to not only provide justice but also reconcile.”
In the joint communiqué, the two Presidents directed that the outcome of the Joint Permanent Commission be implemented within the agreed timeframe and inform them for guidance on any outstanding issues. They also directed that the East African integration be fast tracked and that identified areas of cooperation like ICT, cross border trade, defense and security, education and research, governance and international cooperation be consolidated and given much focus.
The Heads of State also directed that Non Tariff Barriers be eliminated to facilitate cross border trade and also work jointly to eliminate the same in the coastal countries. Four Memorandum of Understanding; on cross border trade, Non Tariff Barriers, cooperation on micro, small and medium enterprises and on cooperation and cooperatives development were signed by the Ministers of Commerce and trade of the two countries.