Gatuna/Katuna One Stop Border Post (Rwanda and Uganda)

Location

The Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) lists six land border posts with Uganda: Buhita, Buziba, Cyanika, Gatuna, Kagitumba and Rwempasha ⁷. Gatuna is known as Katuna on the Ugandan side, as reported by Hellen Githaiga in The EastAfrican ¹.

The 2019 restriction and OSBP works

On 28 February 2019 The EastAfrican reported that cargo trucks from Uganda were blocked from entering Rwanda at Gatuna to make way for an upgrade of the one stop border post ¹. The Rwanda Revenue Authority announced the step in a letter to the Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner for Customs, and heavy trucks were to be redirected to other crossings ¹.

KT Press reporter Dan Ngabonziza wrote in April 2019 that Rwanda described the closure as renovation work that left Gatuna at about 30 percent capacity ³. Trucks were diverted to the Kagitumba and Mirama Hills border posts ³. Uganda accused Rwanda of closing the border ³. Foreign Minister Richard Sezibera said during a visit reported on 19 April 2019 that work was almost complete on the Rwanda side and called for speedy completion on the Uganda side ³.

Trial opening in June 2019

On 10 June 2019 KT Press reported that the Rwanda Revenue Authority said the border was temporarily opened for trial pending full completion ². The report said Uganda viewed the earlier truck ban as political sabotage, and Kigali said it was for renovation ². A photo caption in the report said the Rwandan side of the OSBP was complete ².

Reopening on 31 January 2022

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation announced on 28 January 2022, on behalf of the Government of Rwanda, that the Gatuna One Stop Border Post would reopen on 31 January 2022, as reported by Edmund Kagire in KT Press ⁴. The post had closed on 28 February 2019, and Rwanda said at the time it acted to prevent more Rwandans from going to Uganda, citing their safety ⁴.

The government linked the decision to the communiqué of the 4th Quadripartite Summit held at Gatuna/Katuna on 21 February 2020 ⁴. It followed a visit to Kigali on 22 January 2022 by Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba ⁴. Health authorities of both countries were to put COVID-19 measures in place ⁴. The EastAfrican reporter Johnson Kanamugire wrote on 31 January 2022 that it was the first crossing allowed in three years ⁵.

Facilities and trade

A KT Press special report by Vincent Gasana on 12 February 2022 described drive-in and walk-in scanners at the post and a one-stop design where goods and travellers are not checked twice ⁶. The report said Uganda's trade ministry reportedly recorded upwards of US$250 million in trade through Gatuna in the fiscal year ending June 2018 ⁶. It said the figure reportedly fell to US$170 million within four months of the closure and noted that accurate figures are hard to find ⁶.