Departing passengers at Entebbe International Airport. PHOTO/FILE/EVE MUGANGA
Uganda is once again on collusion path with the US government, placing the country on the list of countries that its citizens should reconsider while traveling. The new advisory issued by the US state department last week, among other things, lists threat of terrorism, crime, political demonstrations, and what it calls discriminatory laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
“Reconsider travel to Uganda due to crime, terrorism, and laws targeting persons based on sexual orientation. Exercise increased caution due to potential security risks and the unpredictable nature of public demonstrations. This includes demonstrations by political groups leading up to the January to February 2026 elections. Read the entire Travel Advisory,” the statement says.
According to the US State Department, “there remains a threat of terrorist attacks in Uganda,” and says the terrorists are targeting Religious venues, schools, government buildings, police stations, transportation hubs, and areas visited by tourists. It is not clear if the government of Uganda has received any report on the threat of a terrorist attack planned in the foreseeable future.
Different government agencies, including the Uganda Police, the foreign affairs ministry, and the ministry of security, did not respond to our calls yesterday to explain the state of security and the level of the terrorism threat in the country.
The US government in the latest travel advisory also cites issues of violent crime, which it said is rampant in the country, including sexual assault, armed robberies, and a host of other crimes.
“Violent crime is a real danger in Uganda. It includes armed robbery, home invasion, and sexual assault. Both visitors and residents face these threats. Crime can happen anytime. It is more common in larger cities, including Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe, Karamoja region, along Uganda’s western and northern borders.
Police struggle to respond to serious crime in most places due to limited resources,” the advisory states.
The US government and other western powers have repeatedly targeted Uganda with travel advisories and other targeted sanctions since the country enacted the Anti-Homosexuality Law two years ago.
The speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, and several other government officials have already been sanctioned in the past, though the sanctions were as a result of corruption and abuse of human rights, said the US and UK.
As Uganda heads towards 2026 general elections, the situation is already charged with security forces targeting opposition political parties with brutality. Already Kawempe North parliamentary by-elections have witnessed the level of violence meted out by different security forces against unarmed civilians for supporting an alternative candidate which does not subscribe to the ruling NRM party.
The US advisory said protests can occur with little to no warning and that they often rise around political issues and events, like elections. The US has warned those who intend to travel to Uganda to avoid demonstrations and crowds, keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings and not to display signs of wealth.
