Rwandan President Paul Kagame: Once an ally, now an enemy

Analysts say Kigali is angry at Kampala for giving sanctuary to former Rwandan army officers and students in the past year.

Uganda's Interior Minister Muruli Mukasa said the decision to classify Rwanda as hostile was taken after fighting last year between the two countries in the northeastern Congolese town of Kisangani, which left 700 people, mainly civilians, dead.

Uganda is holding presidential elections at present and media reports have suggested one of the candidates has received funding from the Rwandan Government.

By law, presidential aspirants are legally barred from receiving campaign funds from hostile countries.

Congo clashes

Rwanda and Uganda were once strong allies. The Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, backed the rebellion which saw the current government in Rwanda seize power seven years ago.

In 1998, the two countries jointly entered the Democratic Republic of Congo to back rebels fighting to overthrow the government of the then President, Laurent Kabila.

Media reports allege Mr Besigye received Rwandan funding

However, their relations deteriorated in 1999 after the two allies opened fire on each other in Kisangani.

They subsequently clashed two more times, and relations between the two governments have since soured.