President Paul Kagame has been invited by his Ugandan counterpart to attend celebrations to mark the 26th National Resistance Movement’s anniversary, the high commissioners of both countries in their respective cities have confirmed.

Uganda’s High Commissioner to Rwanda Richard Kabonero, said that President Kagame has been invited by President Yoweri Museveni to participate in the celebrations and to recognise his role in the liberation struggle.

"You are aware that his Excellency the President was one of the people who participated in the liberation of Uganda, and in fact, I dare say, he is the only Head of state who participated in the liberation of this country,” the envoy told The New Times in Kampala yesterday.

"It’s really a solid beginning, and for us, we could not have been delighted to begin 2012 on a more solid footing of this state visit”.

Apart from attending the anniversary celebrations, the two Heads of State will hold bilateral talks.

The January 26 event is observed annually in commemoration of the day, almost 26 years ago, when President Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) toppled Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa’ military junta.

In a separate interview, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage, also said that the President’s invitation relates to his participation in the liberation struggle of Uganda.

Unconfirmed reports have indicated that during the celebrations, the President will be presented with a medal in recognition of his role in the NRA liberation struggle.

Prior to the President’s visit, Ministers of both countries will meet in Kampala to participate in the tenth Joint Permanent Commission (JPC) which will review progress made in various areas of cooperation, since the ninth JPC meeting in Kigali last year.

"When we last met in Kigali, we set out a number of targets which we hope to accomplish; we set timelines, and I’m glad to note that in a number of areas, we have made progress, including in ICT,” Kabonero said.

Last November, ICT Ministers of both countries agreed to share information and experiences on establishing a conducive legal framework to promote ICT with emphasis on broadband policies, cyber laws and fighting against child pornography.

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