Gen Muhoozi visited Rwanda in March 2022 where he met with President Kagame whom he calls uncle. At the time, they held discussions aimed at reinforcing bilateral relations.
During the visit, the head of state took Gen Muhoozi to his farm and gifted him ten cows locally known as Inyambo cows as a gesture of friendship pact.
In the evening of Monday 24th April 2023, President Kagame hosted Muhoozi to a ceremony in honour of his 49th birthday and commended him for his efforts to restore both countries’ relations to normal.
Both countries turned a new page for relations following visits of Gen Muhoozi at the beginning of 2022.
Relations had deteriorated since 2017 as Rwanda accused the neighbouring country of illegal detention of Rwandans and working with subversive groups intending to threaten its security while Uganda accused Rwanda of sending spies to the country.
Following the mediation of Gen Muhoozi, Rwandans illegally incarcerated in Uganda were released followed by the reopening of borders.
“We are seeing peace between our two countries. Well, you can have peace but at the same time you may not be friends. We are friends and we are at peace,” said Kagame at the birthday celebration for Gen Muhoozi.
He extolled Gen Muhoozi for his role along the journey to restore ties to normal.
“Thank you for being that bridge we used to cross from one side to another,” he noted.
Gen Muhoozi said that their interactions with Kagame went from being a president and army officer to ‘a personal friend’.
“The mark of this friendship was the cows that he gave me and I take this very seriously. Your Excellency, I would like to report that the cows are doing well and have reproduced. You gave me ten cows, now I have 17 from the ones you gave me. From that point on, really we became friends,” he disclosed.
In Rwandan culture, cows represent a very significant symbol of friendship and are considered part of the best wealth a person can ever possess.
In Rwanda, cows were the only token that would be given for dowry or as a present to a friend. Even today, a cow is still considered the best present one can ever give a beloved one. Be it a wedding, graduation or a birthday party, cow giving makes the occasion more colourful and real.
As he attended Gen Muhoozi’s birthday in Kampala last year, President Kagame thanked the general for his contribution and commitment to restore relations between Rwanda and Uganda.
President Kagame has said that Lt Gen Muhoozi asked for his phone number to discuss issues between both countries’ relations.
“Muhoozi went through friends, and asked for my phone number. And so, I provided the direct line,” he said.
“He asked me in a message if I could accept talking to him in that direct way. Even before, I knew what he wanted to tell me. I accepted. He came. All this happened in a very short time of about two weeks,” Kagame added.
The commitment led to first talks with Lt Gen Muhoozi in January 2022 paving the way for normalized relations.
At the time, P Kagame went on to say that he did not only trust Muhoozi for his intentions to mediate the two countries but also was convinced that his father, Ugandan President Museveni was behind the good cause.
[{{Related article: President Kagame, First Lady host Gen Muhoozi on his birthday}}->https://en.igihe.com/news/article/president-kagame-first-lady-host-gen-muhoozi-on-his-birthday]
Leave a Reply