MPs fault immigration staff over mess at passport office
What you need to know:
Legislators on the Public Accounts Committee say officials have failed to prevent diplomatic passports falling into the hands of wrong elements.
PARLIAMENT- The immigration directorate has failed to stop the abuse of diplomatic passports three years after the then minister in charge of the Internal Affairs docket promised to recall some of the travel documents which have fallen into the hands of criminals and undeserving elements, MPs said yesterday.
Mr Hillary Onek, while still Internal Affairs minister, admitted that Uganda’s diplomatic passports were “being abused by criminals”. He had promised to find out how foreigners obtain Ugandan passports and ensure that “all those with diplomatic passports return them” so that they are properly inventoried.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday, the director citizenship and immigration, Mr Godfrey Sasaga, also sought to clarify reports that the government had “unceremoniously revoked” the diplomatic passports held by former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and his wife, Ms Jacqueline Mbabazi.
On Mbabazi passports
Mr Mbabazi was sacked on September 18 amid political bickering within the ruling party over President Museveni’s proposed sole candidature.
Mr Onek, who was not available for comment yesterday, was transferred to the Relief and Disaster Preparedness docket.
“We have not withdrawn their [Mbabazi and his wife] diplomatic passports,” Mr Sasaga said, adding: “For us to do that, we need clearance from Cabinet. That information is not correct; we have not done that and I am not aware.”
Mr Sasaga was responding to a question from Mr Martin Muzaale (NRM, Buzaya) who quoted the government media centre and demanded to know whether the officials had clandestinely withdrawn the Mbabazi documents.
Another MP, Mr Eddie Kwizera (Bufumbira East) also asked the officials to explain why former ministers still carry diplomatic passports.
When contacted, Uganda Media Centre executive director Ofwono Opondo said MPs were spreading “false rumours” about the Mbabazis’ passports.
“Maybe at the time of renewal a decision will be taken at that point,” Mr Opondo said.
Mr Sasaga, who was appearing before PAC to answer queries from the 2012/13 Auditor General’s report, was told by MPs to withdraw diplomatic passports from former ministers and underserving individuals.
Passports in wrong hands
Former Leader of the Opposition Nandala Mafabi (FDC, Budadiri West) told the committee that previous holders of diplomatic passports have included controversial businessman Michael Ezra, who in 2011 was indicted on criminal charges both in Uganda and Kenya. Mr Sasaga promised to investigate “these matters” and insisted that Ezra’s diplomatic passport was cancelled because “he had irregularly obtained it and he did not deserve one.”
The MPs yesterday reacted with incredulity to the findings from Auditor General who noted serious leakages at the Passport Control Office. The auditor noted that passport dummies worth more than Shs48 million disappeared through unclear circumstances and another batch worth Shs58 million had damaged passports.
However, Mr Sasaga said one of the passport control officers he did not name was implicated in the passport scam and has since been charged in court.
The committee has asked Mr Sasaga and his team to table the guidelines, the policy and the list of individuals carrying diplomatic passports.
On many occasions, Uganda’s diplomatic passports have been found in possession of drug traffickers.
“We are working with foreign affairs and security to ensure that we deal with this matter,” Mr Sasaga said. “The problem is that we cannot just recall these diplomatic passports without the directive from Cabinet. This is a policy issue. But whenever the passports expire, during renewal process we keep recalling them and issue ordinary ones to undeserving individuals.”