Uganda's military threatens US ambassador with expulsion

kampala, uganda — 

The main of Uganda’s defence forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has fixed U.S. Ambassador William Popp until Monday greeting to apologize oregon permission the country.

It is not wide wherefore Kainerugaba, who is President Yoweri Museveni’s son, issued the ultimatum to the ambassador, though this week the United States sanctioned 4 Ugandan constabulary officers for quality rights violations.

On Friday, Kainerugaba took to X 3 times to accidental Uganda was astir to person a superior confrontation with Popp for “disrespecting our beloved and celebrated president and for undermining the constitution of Uganda.”

Five hours later, Kainerugaba tweeted again, saying if Popp did not apologize to the president personally by 9 a.m. Monday for what the wide called Popp’s undiplomatic behavior, the authorities would request that helium leave.

Speaking to VOA, Sewanyana Livingstone, manager of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative Uganda, said Kainerugaba has nary authorization to state Popp persona non grata unless helium is appointed curate of overseas affairs.

Sewanyana said Kainerugaba’s comments should beryllium dismissed.

“He needs to calm down. He needs to recognize that Uganda is not him, neither is helium Uganda,” Sewanyana said. “Uganda volition ever beryllium there. Sanctions are not the functions of an ambassador. They are issued by the State Department. So, I deliberation helium is adjacent targeting the incorrect person. I deliberation Ugandans request to telephone him to order. It’s precocious time.”

On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said 4 Ugandan constabulary officers had been sanctioned for gross violations of quality rights. These included torture and cruel inhumane attraction and punishment.

The constabulary officers were identified arsenic Bob Kagarura, Alex Mwine, Elly Womanya and Hamdani Twesigye.

The State Department said reports of the violations arsenic documented by Ugandan civilian tribunal documents, civilian nine organizations and autarkic journalists were superior and credible.

Ugandan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

A study released past period by the African Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, oregon ACTV, noted that torture cases successful Uganda were connected the emergence contempt laws against the practice.

Herbert Sam Nsubuga, enforcement manager of ACTV, said the enactment was acrophobic astir the concern successful Uganda.

“The concern is not arsenic bully arsenic we privation it to be,” Nsubuga said. “Because conscionable halfway this year, we person made 903 cases. So, it’s inactive truly an issue.”

In 2023, monitors successful Uganda recorded 1,235 cases of torture, with the Uganda People’s Defense forces and constabulary arsenic apical perpetrators.

The 4 designated officers successful April 2020 raided a Ugandan legislator's home, accusing him of violating the regulations enactment successful spot to power the dispersed of COVID-19 arsenic helium distributed nutrient to susceptible communities.

According to records produced successful court, the legislator, Francis Zaake, was arrested and detained astatine the Defense Intelligence and Security headquarters, wherever helium was tortured earlier helium was near astatine a hospital.

He aboriginal sued the 4 officers, and a tribunal awarded him $20,400.

In effect to VOA questions connected Kainerugaba’s threats, the U.S. Embassy successful Uganda quoted State Department spokesperson Miller arsenic saying the embassy, the ambassador and the U.S. authorities were continuing to enactment straight and usually each time with Ugandan authorities connected a afloat scope of issues.

Miller said successful accordance with U.S. law, the United States was committed to supporting justness for victims and accountability of those progressive successful quality rights violations astir the world.

This, helium said, includes denying oregon restricting question visas to sojourn the United States for individuals erstwhile determination is demonstrated grounds that they person committed abuses.