Kampala, (UG):- The United States government has imposed sanctions on several senior officials of the Uganda Police Force, citing their involvement in gross violations of human rights.
According to a statement released by the U.S. State Department on Wednesday, October 02, the targeted officials have allegedly been implicated in numerous incidents of what it calls brutality and unlawful actions against civilians, particularly during Uganda’s 2021 elections and subsequent protests.
“The Department of State is taking action today to promote accountability for human rights violations committed in Uganda by designating four members of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) due to their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,” reads in part the statement, copy of which DailyExpress has seen.
The individuals designated by the sanctions have been accused of orchestrating acts of violence, including unlawful detentions, excessive use of force, and extrajudicial killings. These include;
- Bob Kagarura, who was the Wamala Regional Police Commander at the time;
- Alex Mwine, the former District Police Commander for Mitanya District;
- Elly Womanya, who served as a Senior Commissioner in the Uganda Police Force and Deputy Director of the Criminal Investigations Division overseeing the Special Investigations Unit (SIU); and
- Hamdani Twesigye, the former Deputy Inspector of Police assigned to the SIU.
The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, emphasized that the sanctions are part of Washington’s broader effort to promote accountability for human rights abuses worldwide.
“The reports that Kagarura, Mwine, Twesigye, and Womanya were involved in gross violations of human rights, as documented by Ugandan civil court documents, civil society organizations, and independent journalists, are serious and credible. By publicly designating these individuals, the United States reaffirms its commitment to advancing the human rights of all Ugandans and promoting accountability for those responsible for human rights violations,” the statement adds in part.
These sanctions mean that the officials and their immediate family members will be barred from entering the United States, and any assets or properties under U.S. jurisdiction may be frozen. Some of the officers designated have since retired from the force or transferred and appointed to new roles. The statement did not mention when the alleged human rights violations were committed.
This round of sanctions adds to the growing list of Uganda government officials, including senior officers of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and Uganda Prisons Service, who have been slapped with visa bans for alleged violation of human rights while others were placed under financial sanctions over economic crimes claims.
The list includes former Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura, Maj-Gen Abel Kanduho, former head of the Chieftaincy of Military Police, and Johnson Byabashaija, the current Commissioner-General of Uganda Prisons Service.
The UK and US in April and May this year designated the Speaker of Uganda Parliament Anita Among, as well as former and current Cabinet ministers on claims of engaging in serious corruption and violation of human rights, including stealing from vulnerable communities.
The sanctions are expected to put a strain on relations between Uganda and the U.S., particularly in the context of Uganda’s controversial Anti-Homosexuality Act, which has already led to freezes in financial aid and strained diplomatic exchanges.
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