Julius Mucunguzi
24 December 2001
The Member of Parliament for Tororo County Geoffrey Ekanya has called for increased intermarriages between Ugandans and Rwandese to reduce the growing tensions between the two countries.
Ekanya was speaking at a wedding reception of the director of Finance and Administration at the Population Secretariat David Bahati, on Saturday. He said that: "If we could continue to have intermarriages marriages like these, Museveni and Kagame would go home and sleep for the ordinary people would be working to better the relations themselves." The function took place at Resort Beach Munyonyo.
The wife of David Bahati, Juliet Kyomugisha is a Ugandan of Rwandese origin.
"The more Ugandans marry Rwandese, the lesser will be the possibilities of a war between the two countries. There is no way Ugandans and Rwandese can fight if the people are not interested," he said.
Earlier in the day, a preacher from African Evangelistic Enterprises (AEE) Rev. Geoffrey Byarugaba had echoed, during the church service at All Saints Church Nakasero, that marriages across cultures and nationalities help build bonds that prevent animosity.
Relations between the two former allies have been deteriorating with each country accusing the other of planning aggression against the other. After a series of heated exchanges, Uganda's defence minister Amama Mbabazi said in a statement that there would be no closer political and security ties between the two countries.
The woman MP for Nebbi Hon Alio caused frenzied laughter when she asked the people attending the party to pray for her so she can also get married.
prolonged laughter.
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