US to maintain aid freeze over human rights record
President Museveni and US ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi (R) at a campaign to distribute mosquito nets at Mulago Hospital in August. Looking on is Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda (L). PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
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Policy. US Embassy public affairs officer says they strongly oppose any legislation that takes away rights from any group of people or promotes discrimination
WASHINGTON/KAMPALA. The United States government has said its relationship with Uganda remains “complicated” over human rights issues and aid assistance to various government departments and ministries will remain frozen, including a travel ban on “corrupt” government officials.
The public affairs officer at the US Embassy in Kampala, Mr Daniel Travis, in an email to this newspaper said their national values are central to their foreign policy, and “commitment to human rights is a critical part of that engagement”.
“The same is true in our relationship with every country, and it will continue to be. We strongly oppose any legislation that takes away rights from any group of people or promotes discrimination,” he said.
The Barack Obama administration in June, in the wake of the anti-homosexuality law, which was later struck down by court, cancelled a planned aviation security exercise with the UPDF, slapped a ban on officials involved in “serious” human rights abuses and corruption.
Additional funds for programmes with the Uganda Police Force, Ministry of Health and National Health Institute, were also discontinued leading to several job cuts and suspension of certain projects.
Another $3 million (Shs7.5 billion) National Public Health Institute which was planned to be established in Uganda was also relocated to another unnamed African country.
Ugandan officials on the other hand maintained government’s innocence and remain “perplexed” by the context of aid cuts.
Persecution of gays
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr James Mugume, challenged US authorities to put forward names of any person who has been denied basic needs for being homosexual.
“The only issue of concern as far as we know was the homosexuality law, and the allegations of persecution that keep going around but can they point to anyone who has been denied medical care or any service for being gay?”
He, nonetheless, said consultation on the matter is on-going.
