File Photo. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, with President Yoweri Museveni and first lady Janet Museveni in Uganda, February 2020. Source: @KagutaMuseveni
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni that he wishes him “much success as you begin your new term in office.”
Netanyahu added that Israel looks forward to “further enhancing” its relationship with Uganda.
President Museveni was declared winner of the presidential election that took place on 14 January, 2021, extending his 35-year rule, as his main rival Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alleged fraud and has since filed a legal challenge against the poll results.
“Dear Friend, I wish you much success as you begin your new term in office and I look forward to further enhancing our relations for the mutual benefit of our countries,” Netanyahu said in his letter to Museveni.
He added: “In recent years, the ties between our two countries have become stronger and I am confident that through the joint efforts of our governments Israeli-Ugandan cooperation will continue to expand.”
Our readers should note that Benjamin Netanyahu urged President Museveni to open an embassy in Jerusalem during his visit to Uganda last year. Netanyahu also expressed interest in a direct flight from Israel to Uganda.
“You open an embassy in Jerusalem and I will open an embassy in Kampala,” promised Netanyahu. “We hope to do this in the near future.”
“If a friend says I want your embassy here rather than there I don’t see why there would be…,” Museveni said before trailing off and continuing: “we are really working, we’re studying that.”
Should the supreme court turn down Mr Kyagulanyi’s petition, Museveni will swear in as the duly elected Ugandan leader in May 2020 at Kololo grounds in Kampala.
