Congo Senate President arrives in Uganda, to hold talks with Museveni, Oulanyah

The President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Modeste Bahati Lukwebo alongside other government officials have Sunday arrived in Uganda for a three day working visit, according to the Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

They were received by a delegation of Government Officials of both countries led by Harriet Ntabazi, the Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu Special Presidential Advisor.

Others are James Mbahimba the outgoing Uganda’s Ambassador to the DRC, Jean Pierre Massala the Acting Ambassador of the DRC to Uganda, Dr. Edith Namutebi Counselor Uganda Embassy Kinshasa, Stephen Kaboyo Chairman SINO Uganda and other Members of the business community.

The delegation will stay in Uganda from today December 19 to December 22, 2021, and will hold meetings with both the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni and the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah.

The main purpose of this visit, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is to further bolster the excellent cordial bilateral relations between the Republic of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“Uganda and the DRC enjoy excellent and cordial bilateral relations, reflecting a history of close political, economic and socio-cultural ties and common mutual interests. These interests are pursued under the Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) which is the framework for bilateral cooperation, and was established in 1986,” reads a statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in part.

Modeste and Museveni will discuss ways of strengthening and consolidating bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The meeting will take place at State House.

After meeting with the President, Lukwebo will then proceed to engage the Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah before visiting Nshara Industrial Park as well as officiating the opening of the Zhang Beef Factory in Mbarara.

The visit comes on the heels of the ongoing joint mission by security forces of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in eastern DRC to iron out the remnants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel outfit linked to Islamic extremists that terrorised parts of both countries through the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The group is accused of looting and meting war crimes on civilians in both Uganda and Congo including high profile murders witnessed in Uganda over the past couple of years and the killing of four civilians a couple of weeks ago in Kampala when suicide bombers detonated their explosives at parliamentary avenue and Central Police Station in Kampala.

The visit of Congo officials is also happening at the time when Uganda has just started the construction of the 223 Kilometer road network that will open the Eastern part of the country to cross border trade with Uganda.

The project when completed will boost trade between the two countries since transportation of goods between the two countries had been hampered by poor infrastructure in the past.