BY JIBRIL TURE

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken today announced a new visa policy targeting Ugandan officials.

In response to Uganda’s flawed presidential election in 2021, the United States announced a visa restriction policy targeting those it deems responsible for the irregularities, calling on the government “to significantly improve its record and hold accountable those responsible for flawed electoral processes, violence, and intimidation.” The visa restriction has now been extended to include other groups that the United States believes to be responsible for “undermining the democratic process in Uganda or for policies or actions aimed at repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations.”

The extension of the initial visa restriction targets a large spectrum of individuals comprising those who undermine the actions and livelihood of environmental activists, human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTQI+ persons, and civil society organizers. The extension does not spare immediate family members of the target individuals.

The Secretary stated that the United States “stands with the Ugandan people” and reiterated the administration’s commitment to work with the government of Uganda to “advance democracy, human rights, public health, and mutual prosperity.” He once again called on the Ugandan government “to make concerted efforts to uphold democracy and to respect and protect human rights so that we may sustain the decades-long partnership between our countries that has benefited Americans and Ugandans alike.”

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