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Kigezi leaders ask govt to reopen DRC border
The UPDF armoured vehicles crosses into the Democratic Republic of Congo through the Bunagana Border Post in Kisoro District for a peace mission last month. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA.. PHOTOS/FILE
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The leaders say this will revive the cross border trade in Kisoro and Kanungu districts that has slowed down ever since the border posts were closed last year in June.
A section of local leaders from Kigezi Sub-region have appealed to the government to negotiate for the reopening of the closed border posts with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in order to revive cross border trade.
The affected border posts of Bunagana and Busanza in Kisoro District, Ishasha and Kyeshero in Kanungu District, were last year in June closed by the Ugandan authorities after the M23 rebels captured the adjacent areas in the DRC.
The authorities later explained that the border closure was to protect traders and their goods despite the fact that there was no legitimate government that would secure merchandise.
In a separate interview on Saturday, the Kanungu District chairperson, Mr Sam Kajoojo, and his counterpart in Kisoro District, Mr Abel Bizimana, said the closed border posts have not only interrupted cross border trade but also affected Ugandan farmers who have been hiring land for commercial agriculture in the DRC.
“We appeal to President Museveni to use the same strategy that was used for the reopening of Ugandan land borders with Rwanda to apply it for the reopening of the Ugandan land borders with the DRC. This will revive the economy in Kisoro and Kanungu districts that has slowed down because of the closed border posts,” Mr Bizimana said.
Last month, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) contingent of about 5,000 soldiers was deployed in the DRC through Bunagana Border Post in Kisoro District. The commander of the East African community Joint Forces, Gen Jeff Nyagah, promised that the Bunagana-Goma road would be opened for the revival of cross border trade and the free movement of goods and people but to date, nothing has changed.
“Although the promises were made, up to now, there is no cross border trade visible at Bunagana border. We also expected that the deployment of the East African Joint Forces would facilitate the construction of the Bunagana-Goma road but this is yet to happen. It’s our prayer as local leaders from the affected districts that the construction works for the Bunagana-Goma road begins because it will facilitate trade,” Mr Bizimana said.
Mr Kajoojo said the closed borders have interfered with the flow of tourists who have been flocking into the area for mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks and the climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
“We appeal to our leaders to quickly engage the Congolese government on the need to have the Ugandan land border with the DRC to be reopened because they have been the gate pass for the Ugandan goods and services. It is our appeal that Ishasha-Rutshuru-Goma road be considered for tarmacking after tarmacking Bunagana-Rutshuru-Goma road so that trade on that side can also boom,” Mr Kajoojo said.
Although Gen Nyagah on Saturday said civilian vehicles will be escorted by the East African Community forces from Bunagana to Goma through Rutshuru, Kiwanja, Masisi and Kitchanga, the spokesman of the UPDF contingent that operates in Bunagana area, Capt Hassan Kato, said they were waiting for official communication.
“Uganda contingent is waiting for the official communication from the EAC force headquarter to include in depth guidance on how the operations will be conducted,” Capt Kato said on Saturday evening.
