Museveni in Congo for 50th independence
Publication date: Wednesday, 30th June, 2010 |
| Kabila and his wife greeting Museveni while the king of Belgium, Alberto II, and his queen applaud in Kinshasa yesterday |
and agencies
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni was in Kinshasa yesterday, to attend the DR Congo's 50th independence anniversary celebrations.
It was the first time in 13 years that Museveni visited Kinshasa. Museveni last visited Kinshasa on June 30, 1997 for the swearing in ceremony of President Joseph Kabila's father, Laurent Desire Kabila, as president after the overthrow of President Mobutu.
State House said Museveni was invited by President Joseph Kabila. He was accompanied by foreign minister Sam Kutesa and minister for the presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya, according to deputy presidential press secretary Lindah Nabusayi. Nabusayi told The New Vision from Kinshasa that Museveni was among 18 African presidents at the celebrations, characterised by a grand military parade of about 15,000 soldiers.
Also taking part in the parade along Kinshasa refurbished Boulevard Triomphal were 400 tanks and military vehicles, UN peacekeepers, and representatives of Chinese companies helping to rebuild the mineral-rich country.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who only reconciled with Kabila in 2009, and Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon attended as did UN chief Ban Ki-moon, Belgium's King Albert II and Queen Paola.
"All the countries from the Great Lakes region were represented. It was the largest gathering in Kinshasa since former President Mobutu was removed in 1997," Nabusayi explained, adding that the leaders wanted to show "African solidarity".
She said Museveni and Kabila met briefly, but details of the discussions were not available. Museveni and other visiting leaders did not speak at the celebrations.
Diplomatic relations between Congo and Uganda broke in 1998 when Ugandan troops entered eastern Congo to rout ADF rebels using the region as a safe haven. Uganda subsequently got sucked into a conflict involving eight
African nations.
UPDF withdrew in 2003. Since then there have been concerted efforts to normalise and rebuild relations between the neighbours in the areas of security, trade, and oil and gas exploration. But there still remain areas of disagreement.
For instance, the two countries have a dispute over Rukwanzi, an island on Lake Albert, claimed by both Uganda and Congo. There is also a dispute over other border areas. Museveni and Kabila met in Tanzania in 2008 and agreed on a joint border demarcation based on colonial boundaries. This is pending.
Last year, Museveni and Kabila met at Mpondwe border post and agreed to implement the 2007 Ngurdoto agreement, which provides for improved political and economic co-operation between the two countries. It was the first time for Kabila to visit Uganda and Museveni to visit Congo since Kabila took over in 1997 after his father was assassinated.
Following the agreement, the two countries restored diplomatic ties. In his State-of-the-Nation address, Kabila called for a moral revolution in which the Congolese stopped "attacks on human life and dignity", in particular the widespread rape that has become a feature of the guerrilla conflicts racking the vast nation.
Kabila also singled out "tribalism, regionalism, favouritism, irresponsibility, theft, embezzlement of public property and everything else contrary to values".
Kinshasa society turned out in their best suits and dresses. Kabila, who ruled for an interim period before his 2006 election, is fighting off criticism of his record on governance, human rights and the economy.
Born in 1972, Kabila went to school in Tanzania, then in Uganda. He was back in Congo in 1996 and was sent to China for military training in 1997. On his return, he was promoted to general staff chief.
This article can be found on-line at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/724407
