The United States has publicly sanctioned five current and former Ugandan officials for their involvement in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights.
According to the US, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among is designated due to involvement in significant corruption tied to her leadership of Uganda’s Parliament.
Former Minister of Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu, former Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu, and Minister of State for Finance Amos Lugolobi are being designated due to their involvement in significant corruption related to conduct that misused public resources and diverted materials from Uganda’s neediest communities.
The US revealed that all four officials abused their public positions for their personal benefit at the expense of Ugandans.
Additionally, Peter Elwelu, former Deputy Chief of the Ugandan Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), is designated due to his involvement in gross violations of human rights.
These say Elwelu was involved, while commanding UPDF forces, in extrajudicial killings that were committed by members of the UPDF.
The Department is also designating Among’s spouse, Moses Magogo Hassim; Kitutu’s spouse, Michael George Kitutu; and Lugolobi’s spouse, Evelyne Nakimera. These are are generally ineligible for entry into the United States.
The additional steps to impose visa restrictions on multiple other Ugandan individuals are being taken under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act under the policy Secretary Blinken expanded in December 2023.
“As a result of these actions, the designated Ugandan officials are generally ineligible for entry into the United States,” the US announced.
The US has also taken more steps to impose visa restrictions on multiple other Ugandan officials for undermining the democratic process and repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations in Uganda.
They say these individuals are responsible for, or complicit in, the repression of Ugandan members of political opposition groups, civil society organizers, and vulnerable communities in Uganda.
These public designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47).
