APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – President Paul Kagame was among the guests of honor who attended the birthday party for the first son of President Yoweli Kaguta Museveni who is also his senior presidential advisor, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Kigali late on Monday.
Speaking at the occasion, Kagame thanked Gen Muhoozi for having served as a bridge “we used to cross from one side to another.”
In addition, President Kagame observed that both Rwanda and Uganda are friends and are at peace as neighbours.
“You can have peace but at the same time you may not be friends,” Kagame said.
In March last year, President Kagame gifted ten cows to Gen Muhoozi who said this occasion was aimed at ironing out “outstanding issues” between the two countries.
In the traditional culture of the Rwandan and Ankole (Uganda) cattle keepers, both of whom farm the world-famous Ankole cow (called Inyambo in Rwanda), cows ave given to friends to cement a deep friendship
or kinship.
If the person is younger, cows are given to lift them up, to show that the giver is happy with them, or to show support because they are conscientious people with a potentially bright future.
Relations between the two neighbours deteriorated in 2018 when Kigali accused Kampala of harbouring groups hostile to it and torturing innocent Rwandans on its soil.
The heightened tensions saw Rwanda close its common border with Uganda.
The two countries have since held several talks to normalise relations, and the border was reopened in February following a visit by Gen. Muhoozi in Kigali.
CU/as/APA