Rwanda wasting time to spy on Uganda, says Museveni
Former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and former Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa were allegedly spied on by the Kigali elite, according to the report.
President Museveni has mocked accusations that Rwanda is spying on Uganda, claiming that they are wasting their time because they will get nothing out of it.
“It’s a complete waste of time….. What is the purpose of spying?… However, if I have secrets, you will not be aware of them because they are kept in my thoughts. On Wednesday, Museveni said, “They are not on microphone.”
In an exclusive prerecorded interview, the president spoke to French television channel France 24. Rwanda utilized Israel’s Pegasus software to spy on many top-ranking Ugandan government officials, according to a recent global reporting investigation published by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
Former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and former Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa were allegedly spied on by the Kigali elite, according to the report.
“OCCRP has identified numbers belonging to long-time senior Cabinet member Sam Kutesa, former [Chief of Defence] Forces General David Muhoozi, senior intelligence officer Joseph Ocwet, and key opposition figure Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu among the Ugandans on the [wiretapping] list. According to the report, “the selection [of the phone numbers for tapping] coincided with a visit by Kagame to Uganda.”
When asked about it, President Museveni responded that while he didn’t pay attention to the reports, he was convinced Rwanda wasted their time spying on Ugandan officials because they couldn’t gain anything. Relationships with the Frost
Museveni also addressed the icy relations between the two neighboring countries, which have recently been tarnished by counter-accusations of espionage and engaging in destabilizing activities.
The “cold war” between the two countries reached a pinnacle in early 2019, when Rwanda closed its busiest border crossing with Uganda at Katuna, as well as preventing Rwandan residents from travelling into Uganda.
When queried about the border closure, Museveni stated that Uganda had never closed its border, but that her neighbors had done so.
“You go to the border and inquire. I wasn’t the one who shut the door. We had meetings (with Kagame) a long time ago with Angolan mediation, and I have yet to see the border open,” he said.
When asked about reports that he is viewed as a regional bully by the Kigali establishment, Museveni denied the claims as incorrect.
“How do you define a bully?” What exactly are you doing? It does not sit well with me. He should tell you about how we bully.”
Museveni, on the other hand, stated he couldn’t discuss the reasons for the deterioration of relations between the two neighboring countries because it would be unfair because the other side (Kagame) isn’t present to explain himself.
“I’m not going to get into it because Mr. Kagame isn’t here, and you’re not a court. I’m not going to defend my posture toward you in the face of Mr. Kagame.”
Despite Rwanda’s provocations in numerous fora, President Museveni has remained tight-lipped on the topic.
