13th Feb 2024, George Williams
The Woman Member of Parliament for Kiboga District Hon Christine Kaaya has raised a concern as to why Ugandans of Banyarwanda tribe are denied passports.
Kaaya’s question was raised in Parliament as legislators discussed a statement from the Minister of Internal Affairs Gen David Muhoozi regarding the planned mass renewal of the National Identity Cards exercise which is expected to commence mid this year.
Kaaya also said that Banyarwanda have national identity cards which they acquired as any Ugandans but to her dismay they are denied passports whenever they apply for them wondering the basis that Ministry of Internal Affairs uses to segregate them.
“My people from Kiboga especially the Banyarwanda tribe are denied passports, the rest of us use National IDs to process passports, I don’t know when it reaches this tribe (Banyarwanda) why they are segregated. And at the point at which they are segregated is a point when they have paid their money ” said Kaaya Christine.
Kaaya also said that Ugandans of the Banyarwanda tribe are worried that their national Identity Cards may not be renewed during the mass renewal or they may face problems in renewing them.
The Minister of Internal Affairs was asked to make a response to issues raised which will be tabled before Parliament on Thursday 15th Feb 2024.
The issue of Banyarwanda tribe in Uganda being denied passports has become a growing concern as many of them miss job or scholarship opportunities due to being denied passports yet they are Ugandans and are recognized by the Constitution.
