Jeje Odongo, a senior officer in the Ugandan People's Defense Forces, promised full cooperation. The mining officials also say Mr. Mugabe has an interest in the Generales des Carrieres et des Mines, Congo's state-owned mining company. Soon after the beginning of the war, the management of this mine was transferred to Billy Rautenbach, a white Zimbabwean who is based in South Africa. Over the past year, South African and Belgian press reports have linked Mr. Rautenbach to the Mugabe family. Rautenbach, however, has denied ever meeting President Mugabe.
Experts say that debt has at least doubled in the past year.