Andrew Mwenda talks friendship with President Paul Kagame

His journey to Rwanda for an interview with Kagame marked the beginning of a long-standing bond that would influence diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Uganda.

During a recent podcast, Mwenda revisited that initial encounter, describing it as “like love at first sight.”

“I entered the room, we had short pleasantries and the interview started. After the interview, we set aside the recording equipment and we entered a conversation which lasted 3 hours,” he recalled.

“It was about a range of issues mostly politics, in Rwanda, Uganda and Africa.”

“During that discussion, there were things he said that got me so intrigued that I wanted to record them. But at the time we were using MP3 players, and I could not reset it to record more.

“So, I asked him if I could go back to my hotel, call Kampala and ask how to reset this equipment and then come back for another 10-minute interview with him, he said yes. And just like that I secured a second appointment with the president.

“I did not even have clothes, so the next day I went back in sportswear and we had the second interview for 10 minutes. After that, we had another conversation that lasted 4 hours. One of his bodyguards Ronnie told me he had never seen him speak to someone for so long. That is why it was love at first sight because I was able to talk to him for all that time.”

From that time, Mwenda says hen has been a very keen listener and student of President Kagame.”

Mwenda’s unique access and subsequent interactions with Kagame were not just beneficial on a personal level but also politically significant.

In 2011, he was nominated by Kagame to serve on his Presidential Advisory Council.

Between 2011 and 2018, Mwenda played a crucial role as a de facto envoy, negotiating truces and fostering dialogue between Kagame and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, especially during periods of heightened tensions.

These efforts were particularly pivotal in 2019, amidst a diplomatic rift that led to the closure of the Rwanda-Uganda border.

Mwenda was involved in the talks that eventually saw the reopening of the border, smoothing over the bilateral relations.