The Ugandan delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York has been significantly reduced to just five members. This came after the US Embassy in Kampala declined to grant entry visas to dozens of senior government officials who had sought to travel. The five who made the trip included Vice President Jessica Alupo, her bodyguard, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine, and Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare.
According to diplomatic sources, the rejections caught senior government figures off guard, with even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs unable to secure clearance for its own staff. Many officials reportedly begged and pleaded for intervention, but there was little that could be done. The US Embassy in Kampala cited legal constraints and declined to elaborate on the rejections, stating that visa records are confidential under US law.
The mass visa rejections are linked to concerns over the Ebola outbreak that Uganda reported from May 15 this year. Although both the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) cleared Uganda on August 27, the American government remained cautious. Fresh anxieties arose from large gatherings during the week-long burial and mourning ceremonies for King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
Uganda's difficulties are part of a broader pattern of travel restrictions linked to the Ebola situation in the region. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded approximately 7,400 cases and 3,600 deaths, and several countries continue to impose entry requirements on travellers from Uganda, South Sudan, and DRC. Earlier, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja encountered entry hurdles in Dubai after the UAE imposed travel restrictions on arrivals from Kampala.
The original Ugandan delegation list stood at eleven names, was later trimmed to seven, and eventually reduced to five. In previous years, between 30 and 50 officials drawn from various ministries, departments and agencies have routinely travelled to New York for the September UNGA sessions. President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly called for curtailing foreign travel by public servants.
Vice President Alupo is scheduled to address the UNGA session, sharing the floor with leaders from Kenya, Germany, Poland, Rwanda, Namibia, Australia, Spain, and several other nations. The assembly runs under this year's theme: "Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all." The UNGA session is a significant event where global leaders discuss pressing issues and shape international policies.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by Ugandan officials in travelling abroad due to the Ebola outbreak. The US decision to deny visas to senior officials has significant implications for Uganda's participation in international events and its diplomatic engagements. The incident also underscores the need for Uganda to strengthen its measures to contain the Ebola outbreak and ease travel restrictions.
Key points
- The US Embassy in Kampala denied visas to senior Ugandan officials due to concerns over the Ebola outbreak in Uganda.
- The Ugandan delegation to the UNGA was reduced to just five members from an original list of eleven.
- The incident highlights the challenges faced by Ugandan officials in travelling abroad due to the Ebola outbreak.
