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JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE President Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda and President Museveni of the Republic of Uganda

At the end of a one-day official visit to Rwanda by the Ugandan President, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and his host, Rwandan President, H.E. Paul Kagame held a press conference at which they answered questions on bilateral and regional issues.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE:

Questions and Answers.

Question - Khalid Hassan, B.B.C.:
Selekari la kwenyu, kilionekana kuli kuwepo hali iliyo pelekewa wewe na mwenyeji wako kutoelewana na kuleteya jeshi, kupigana huko Kongo je : sasa hiri tunaweza tukasema kwamba hali hiyo imeondoka? Na nini hasa iliwapelekewa kumpendana ! na katika haali hii inaonekana kwamba imeleta piya hatari kwa vita vya Kongo kuendeleya kama irivyositikana sasa hivo wa Kongomani, waasi wanaleta juhudi za kutaka kuungana ili kuweza kuendeleya na mapambano nini itakuwa msimamo wako wewe napiye msimamo wa Raïs wa Rwanda katika hali hiyo kabila bado anaendereza mashamburizi yake harafu kuusu mkutano wa Barundi huko kenya Naïrobi, waasi wawo wali susiya mazungumzo katika kibindi cya week moja hili kuweza kuona msimamo wawo, je ! vikwa zo hivyo ni vipi ya kijeshi ama nivya ucumi na tukirudi nyuma kidogo kwa swala hili Kongo inahasili vipi ucumi wetu na piya ucumi wa Rwanda.

 President Museveni
 Kwa kuelewana mpaka sasa hatujajuu ilitokeya wapi tuliweza kufanya utume la pamoja kucunguza ile ya kutoelewana ilitokeya vipi ? Na kwamba sasa hatuja pata jibu kwa swala hilo, lakini kusimamisha hitarafu, hizo zimesimama kama unavyo ona, hatuna hitarafu tena na tumefanya hatuwa kubwa kurudisha husiyano juu ya Burundi, Burundi wale waasi ambao wana ungwa mkano na Kabila kwa sababu ndiyo peke wanapaki inje ya mkataba, kwanza tulizungumuza nawo jama, tulizungumuza na kikundi kimoja, itatusaidia na kuzungumuza na kingine. Vikwazo inaweza ikakuwepo vikwazo kwa aina zote. Kwa upande wa ucumi, ucumi wa uganda umeendeleya kama kuna shida moja kwa moja hatuwezi kuendereya na vita vya Kongo.

Question- Emmanuel Goejon, AFP:
I would like to know what you have decided or what you are planning to do to give a reality to the common front to the rebel movement in Congo?

President Museveni
 Well, that is not for us to decide. It is for the rebels to decide. You know that I am not Congolese myself. You know my nationality. President Kagame is not Congolese either. I am Ougandais. I am not Congolais. I am in Congo because of Ougandais matters. I am in Congo to fight bandits. But in my language we say 'if you are going on a long journey and you have a companion, if that companion is your paternal cousin it is even better'. So when we were in Congo fighting our bandits, and Soudanais, very bad people, what do you call bad people in French? Yes, méchants. So when we are there fighting bandits and méchants then we found other people who were also angry with Kabila for different reasons. These are the ones you are talking about. So, we know them, but we are not them. They will have to do their own things.

Question- Virginie Gomez, RFI:
You were both in Nairobi to witness the signing of the Burundi peace agreement. How do see the future of the peace process there?

President Kagame
The fact that all parties in Burundi have signed the peace agreement is a step in the right direction. Over and above that we need to achieve a ceasefire. The region has also been assisting the Burundi parties, this time including the rebels, to respect the peace agreement and come to an agreement on a ceasefire also. That is what is going on. The efforts right now are directed towards bringing everybody on-board, including the armed rebel groups. That gives hope that things are moving forward and will continue to do so. But a lot depends on the Barundi themselves. Peace in Burundi is important primarily for the Barundi, and I think they should realize that. What remains is for us to continue to support them.

Question - David Mutebile, Uganda:
President Kagame, in view of the fact that the Ugandan leader is visiting for the first time since you came to power, what are your impressions of the visit?

President Kagame
The visit is in good light. I think it is a signal of the good relations between our two countries, which did not come about just after I became President. The friendship between our two countries has been there for a long time, despite the difficulties we may have had in the recent past, which we have since overcome. So the visit is well received, and we appreciate it, regardless of whether it comes when I am President or not. Even if I were not the President, it would still be very much appreciated.

© The Government of Rwanda.