CoW moves to mend rift with Tanzania as mistrust festers between Rwanda and Dar

 

From left: Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Yoweri Museveni (Uganda). The three countries form the Coalition of the Willing (CoW), which has been accused of leaving out Tanzania and Burundi in making key decisions that affect the East African Community. Photo/FILE 

By JOINT REPORT The EastAfrican

In Summary

• The EastAfrican has learnt that as part of efforts to stop the rift between CoW partners — Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda — and Tanzania from widening further, it has been agreed that all partner states and the EAC secretariat will be invited to future infrastructure meetings geared towards developing the northern corridor.

The last minute cancellation of a Coalition of the Willing (CoW) meeting in Kampala last week could be a pointer to ongoing efforts to bring Tanzania back into the fold, after a year that put the future of the East African Community (EAC) into question.

The EastAfrican has learnt that as part of efforts to stop the rift between CoW partners — Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda — and Tanzania from widening further, it has been agreed that all partner states and the EAC secretariat will be invited to future infrastructure meetings geared towards developing the northern corridor.

Speaking at the opening of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) meeting in Kampala on January 21, President Yoweri Museveni spoke of ongoing efforts to bring Tanzania back to the table.

He said that the Summit had talked and agreed to involve Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete in the planned infrastructure projects and in the removal of non-tariff barriers that are currently being undertaken on the northern corridor.

Tensions

This comes as fears emerged that the newly formed alliance between a Rwandan rebel force based in DR Congo and Rwandan opposition groups is threatening to trigger regional tensions following reports that the coalition could be soliciting support from regional countries.

Two weeks ago, a faction of Socialist Party (PS) Imberakuri loyal to jailed politician Bernard Ntaganda together with Rwanda Dream Initiative led by former Prime Minister Faustin Twagiramungu announced that they had formed an alliance with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

READ: Unease in Kigali as opposition ties up with FDLR

FDLR are remnants of the militias accused of committing the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The rebel group has been hiding in DR Congo since 1994. It has been accused of committing human atrocities and has been categorised by the US as a terrorist group.

The alliance prompted the Rwandan government to issue a warning to those allied to FDLR, pointing out that they will be considered terrorists too.

However, the new alliance is likely to play into regional tensions with new allegations that the alliance, dubbed Common Front for the Liberation of Rwanda-FCLR Ubumwe, could be looking for support from regional countries.

News of Rwanda, a local website in Rwanda linked to top government officials and security organs, reported last week that Rwanda’s first premier after the genocide, Faustin Twagiramungu, was in Dodoma in Dar es Salaam where he was “a special guest” of President Kikwete.

The website further claimed that Mr Twagiramungu arrived in Tanzania on Sunday, January 19 and was hosted at secret locations under the direct protection of President Kikwete’s official detail.

According to sources privy to issues within the camp, Mr Twagiramungu was brought on board to use his clout to lobby for talks between the government and Rwandan opposition groups abroad, including FDLR.

If the reports of Mr Twagiramungu’s presence in Tanzania are anything to go by, it is believed that the plan would be to persuade President Kikwete to urge other regional leaders in the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region to urge Kigali to come to the negotiation table.