The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) revealed it was caught off guard by Rwanda's abrupt border closure, which entered its sixth day on Monday, disrupting cross-border trade and stranding thousands of tons of cargo.
A March 2 letter from URA Commissioner Dicksons Kateshumbwa to his Rwandan counterpart highlighted the logistical challenges, emphasizing that the unilateral decision to shut down the Gatuna border post—where 10 Rwandan, 49 Ugandan, 37 Kenyan, and nine Burundian trucks were stranded—risked significant economic and safety consequences.
Kateshumbwa argued that the closure, implemented without prior consultation, ignored the interdependence of the one-stop border posts. He noted that many goods had already cleared customs under the Single Customs Territory agreement, while perishables and flammable petroleum products faced immediate spoilage risks.
Despite repeated appeals since February 28, no resolution had been reached by mid-March. Ugandan police confirmed heightened security monitoring at the border, while a Cabinet meeting addressed the crisis. Rwanda’s restrictions also barred its citizens from entering Uganda, reigniting tensions between the two nations that have deteriorated since 2017.
President Paul Kagame attributed the dispute to external influences, alleging anti-government groups in South Africa were fueling the conflict, according to an interview with The EastAfrican.
