Uganda’s army chief calls Rwanda an “enemy”

The Ugandan army chief of staff Brigadier James Kazini on Tuesday said Uganda may now consider Rwanda as an “enemy” following the latest clashes in the DRC city of Kisangani, Uganda’s independent ‘Monitor’ newspaper reported on Wednesday. “At first we did not take their attacks seriously, but we are beginning to realise these people may be real enemies,” Kazini, who is also commander of the Ugandan army in the DRC, told the paper. He accused the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) of trying to show that Rwanda was the “regional power”.

Ugandan and Rwandan forces fought each other in Kisangani last Friday and Saturday, and again on Tuesday. They first clashed in the city last August, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. “But this time we are ready for them. It won’t be like last time. If they don’t stop attacking our troops, we may respond with full force and they will be crushed,” Kazini reportedly said. However, Uganda’s presidential press secretary Hope Kivengere told IRIN on Wednesday that Kazini’s views should not be taken as government policy.

“Those are personal comments,” she said.