Has Ministry of Foreign Affairs abdicated its role?
On September 5, minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa delivered the first annual Foreign Minister’s Lecture at an event organised by the Uganda Council on Foreign Relations.
The lecture, delivered in Kampala on “The status of Uganda’s Foreign Policy” was attended by senior government officials, Foreign Service officers and members of the diplomatic corps, including US ambassador Deborah Malac.
The lecture underscored the premier role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the conduct of Uganda’s Foreign Policy, including the day-to-day management of bilateral relations between Uganda and countries accredited to Uganda.
The ministry has a spokesman who regularly makes official pronouncements and a senior career diplomat, Ms Margaret Kafeero, who handles public diplomacy.
Against this background, I was surprised to read in the New Vision of September 22 some outrageous and unacceptable remarks made by government spokesman Ofwono Opondo about the US ambassador and the EU delegation. Up to the time of writing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had neither issued a statement to denounce the hostile remarks Opondo made nor distanced the ministry from the same.
On defending the indefensible
According to an article titled, ‘Govt hits back at US and EU envoys’ published in the government-owned New Vision newspaper, Opondo issued a statement on September 21 in which he rebuked the US and EU envoys for expressing concern about the brutal and unnecessary raids by Uganda police on two civil society organisations, ActionAid Uganda and the Great Lakes Institute of Strategic Studies on September 20.
Worse and more outrageous police brutality against hundreds of innocent and law-abiding citizens of Uganda, including Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, occurred in many parts of the city and elsewhere in Uganda on September 21, the day a Bill was due to tabled in Parliament seeking to remove a constitutional presidential age limit. ActionAid Uganda country director, Arthur Larok told Daily Monitor that police confiscated office computers, documents and mobile phones from some members of staff.
“While we value diplomatic relations with all countries of the world, Uganda is not keen on taking unqualified lectures from foreign agents. Government of Uganda through its law enforcement agencies cannot sit back as misguided people, especially Opposition politicians and civil society leaders intimidate elected MPs,” Opondo said.
A statement Ambassador Malac issued said, “the US is deeply concerned that recent arrests and raids stifle the Uganda people’s right to free expression and tarnish Uganda’s global image,” which is true.
A statement issued by the EU delegation read: “We are deeply concerned about the build-up of tension in and outside Kampala that might lead to infringing the fundamental freedoms of Ugandan citizens and damage the country’s international reputation” which is also true. One wonders why a disproportionate and scathing attack was, therefore, unleashed by the government spokesman!
The proper procedure to follow
The US and EU are long-standing and important friends and development partners of Uganda. If government was unhappy with the statements they issued, the proper procedure to follow would have been for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send protest notes to the two missions or summon the envoys for a meeting with the Foreign minister or the Permanent Secretary. It is at such a meeting that a senior official of the ministry would express government’s displeasure.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should, in my considered opinion, assert its role as the primary institution of government for the conduct of relations between Uganda, foreign diplomats and foreign missions accredited to Uganda.
Mr Acemah is a political scientist, consultant and a retired career
diplomat. [email protected]
