John AdoyiThe United States government through the State Department has imposed a Visa Ban on some citizens of Uganda and officials of the Ugandan Government allegedly involved in rights violations of marginalized communities in the country.
Announcing the ban on Monday, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said the new restriction is an expansion of the 2021 ban that was placed on Ugandan Officials who were undermining the democratic process in the country by taking part in voter intimidation and violence in the “flawed” presidential election that saw the reelection of longtime leader, Yoweri Museveni for the sixth term since 1986.
“Today, I am announcing the expansion of the visa restriction policy to include current or former Ugandan officials or others who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in undermining the democratic process in Uganda or for policies or actions aimed at repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations,” Mr Blinken said.
According to Mr Blinken, the groups include but are not limited to environmental activists, human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTQI+ persons, and civil society organizers.
Tension between the Ugandan government and the United States began to strain in 2021 when Museveni was reelected for his sixth tenure amid violence, voter crackdown, arrest of opposition candidates, and killing of opposition supporters that marred the entire process.
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Since then, the US and the Ugandan government have been at loggerheads but the relationship further suffered when the Ugandan government passed the Anti-Homos3xuality Act 2023.
The US described the law as one of the toughest in the world with Secretary Blinken saying that the US was “deeply troubled” by the provisions in the law and said sanctions will be imposed on those supporting the law. While homos3xuality was already illegal in the East African country, the new law imposes capital punishment for some behaviours including “aggravated homosexuality,” and 20 years in prison for “promoting” homos3xuality.
The law has led to the withholding of funds by the World Bank and aid from other international organisations.
Meanwhile, Mr Blinken said the new restriction may apply to immediate family members of the targeted officials.
Reiterating the US commitment “to advance democracy, human rights, public health, and mutual prosperity,” in Uganda, Mr Blinken urged the government “to make concerted efforts to uphold democracy and to respect and protect human rights,” that will ensure the sustenance of “the decades-long partnership between our countries that has benefited Americans and Ugandans alike.”
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