What next after Rwanda opened border with Uganda?

March 7 was a happy day for the people of Uganda and Rwanda, because the land borders between the two countries were re-opened after three years, for people to freely move beyond their national boundaries through land borders.

However, a few weeks later, Kigali speaks of some persisting issues that are yet to be addressed by Kampala. In a tweet, Yolande Makolo, Spokesperson of the government of Rwanda noted that despite all the positivity and progress of the second visit by Lt.Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, there was still need to pay attention to underlying unresolved issues.

Of the unresolved issues that Kampala is invited to pay attention to, not a single one is new.

The issue of hostile individuals bent on destabilizing Rwanda who remain at large and still operating in Uganda is yet to be addressed by Kampala. Part of their ongoing operation in Uganda is seen through continued hateful media propaganda, produced by Uganda-based persons including Obed Katuramu, alias RPF Gakwerere, Sula Nuwamanya, Gerald Tindifa, Robert Higiro, and Asiimwe Kanamugire.

What’s the confusion about Covid-19 tests?

On a positive note, the people of Rwanda and Uganda praised the free movement of people through the shared Gatuna/Katuna land borders that is gradually coming back to the old normal.

However, travelers are complaining of the prohibitive cost of travel after Uganda imposed a mandatory PCR test for Covid-19 for anyone to access their territory.

To put things into perspective, the cost of PCR tests for a Rwandan citizen is subsidized to Rwf30,000.

However, this amount for a person travelling by bus to Kampala, the Ugandan capital, is double the amount for the bus fare.

The reopening of Rwanda’s land borders – including with other neighboring countries – was a decision taken by the Government of Rwanda after a great progress was registered in containing the Covid-19 pandemic.

With Uganda specifically, whose borders with Rwanda were closed way before Covid-19 struck, the decision to reopen came after the Ugandan government expressed goodwill and took steps to address sticky issues that have for years been raised by Rwanda.

All in all, the news was welcomed with lots of excitement and cheers by the people of both countries as they quickly started to plan for their travels to Rwanda or Uganda.

At the time of the last meeting between President Kagame and President Museveni’s envoy, land borders were re-opened for cargo trucks pending a meeting between the health officers of the two countries to discuss on the management of the people’s movements with regard to the pandemic.

We cannot tell if the said meeting took place but one thing we know and can attest, is Rwanda’s preparedness and precautionary measures to keep up with its effective Covid-19 management while assuring the free movement of people across its land borders with Uganda.  

A quick catchup with the border crossing guidelines. The most important of them all, being that anyone is free to cross into Uganda from Rwanda or from Uganda coming to Rwanda. However, a week after the border opening, people who have used the land borders have complained of the high cost of the Covid-19 PCR test imposed by the Ugandan Government to all entries into their territory.

Here is what people need to understand as regards Rwanda’s position to all people coming to Rwanda from Uganda, or from other countries for that matter.

Rwanda’s health officers at the land borders are doing a random sampling from people coming into Rwanda for Covid-19 testing and the tests will be free of charge. This literally means that there is no mandatory Covid-19 PCR test imposed to travelers who are coming to Rwanda from Uganda through land borders.

It is not the same for those crossing to Uganda from Rwanda. Uganda requires a negative Covid-19 PCR test for all the people entering the country, either by air or by road. Therefore, it is a must that Rwanda complies with Uganda’s requirement by making sure that the people who cross its borders to Uganda have got a negative Covid-19 PCR test.

Rwanda’s land borders remain free to cross without a Covid-19 PCR test, except the ones shared with Uganda as it is a requirement set by of Uganda. People crossing to Tanzania or DRC only need a negative Covid-19 rapid rest to cross.

However, all people need to have been fully vaccinated to be allowed to cross for their own safety as vaccines have proved to be very effective in the management of this pandemic.