The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda is under fire after angry Ugandans on Twitter protested the continued selling of Ugandan passports to foreigners, especially Nigerians.
Ugandans on Twitter have revealed that they are suffering abroad because foreigners who buy Ugandan passports commit atrocities and the country’s image is tainted.
The anger of Ugandans was ignited by the arrest of 3 foreigners for falsely obtaining Ugandan passports.
“We arrested three foreign Nationals and one Ugandan accomplice last week attempting to fraudulently acquire Ugandan passports in our passport centre in Kampala last week, reads the statement issued by The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of Uganda.
The statement further reads that; “The First arrested foreign National is Ishime Gadiel alias Aime, a 29-year-old Burundian Male National and music artiste.
“He first came to Uganda in August 2015 using a Burundian Passport before later getting a National ID after falsely declaring himself as a Munyankole from Kiruhura District.
“He later on using the same fraudulent means got a Ugandan Passport. He was arrested from Busia Border Post trying to exit to Germany. He is currently detained at the Immigration Detention Center at the Headquarters
“The Second, one Saunders David Joshua alias Damba Joshua David, a 27-year-old Nigerian male who claims to be a businessman dealing in computers.
“He has been frequently travelling to Uganda and last came to Uganda on 05/02/2023 via Katuna Border Post.
“He also registered and got a National ID as Damba Joshua David which he then used to apply for a Ugandan passport.
“Our keen officers on interview immediately suspected that he was not a Ugandan but to give him a benefit of doubt asked him to come with a relative to authenticate his rather incoherent story.
“He presented a one SSERUWAGI GIBSON as his paternal relative. His Nigerian passport was recovered. The two, Saunders David Joshua and his accomplice SSeruwagi Gibson are in Police custody.
“The third is a one Kaliisa Sam, a 29-year-old Rwandan male, unemployed and a resident of Kitemu in Wakiso District.
“He came to Uganda in 2022 through an ungazzeted border point. He later connected with a one Shafiq who helped him get a National ID.
“He impersonated Shafiq and used his information including his parents for his National ID as well as while applying for the passport.
“Kaliisa however escaped from police custody and on top of the charges already levied against him, will be charged with escaping from lawful custody. Efforts to have him re-arrested are underway
Ugandan Passports are for Ugandans. There are other ways in which a foreigner can acquire Ugandan citizenship including through Registration and Naturalization after fulfilling the requirements.
“Our system is continuously improving and we shall get you, arrest you and prosecute you to the full extent of the law when you try to acquire our passport illegally. Please desist and get other residence facilities relevant to you such as work permits and student passes.
“We equally urge Ugandan Nationals to avoid being used by foreign Nationals to sell their country. It is wrong and you will be charged as an accomplice all because of the peanuts you are paid. Please desist as well.”
The statement did not go well with some Ugandans on Twitter and this is what they had to say about selling Ugandan passports to foreigners.
You’re the very people issuing passports to Nigerians who later go to Dubai and commit crimes thus staining the Ugandan image in the UAE Gov’t. Ugandans are paying for crimes committed by Nigerians who get passports from @DCICUg .Shame upon u. U love money more than Uganda .
FARMERS AMBASSADOR OF KAYUNGATM
But sincerely how do those non ugandans acquire our passports without the help of
@DCICUg staffs, I think there are some loopholes associated with giving out passports, first of all , our boarders are too porous, ie easy to penetrate into Uganda because corruption has eaten away.
FARMERS AMBASSADOR OF KAYUNGATM
An essential intangible commodity called integrity in human beings, and the get rich quick mentality is the factor, I think you know how those people get our passports illegally.
Met one Nigerian in München (Munich) Deutschland (Germany) with a Ugandan passport and i immedietly contacted the Germany Polizei (police) to act and he was arrested but to my suprise a Ugandan girlfriend had helped him to aquire it!! We must protect our Country image everywhere
You have made a great work by issuing Ugandan passport to Nigerian who committ crimes everyday and now Ugandans are suspended from entering in UAE
shaaa, how many rwandies have you given passports and even there is an indian who have it plus national id and he even contested for mp, not only that one, museven also holds ugandan passport nga ye temumubuuza
Hmmmmm let me hope you will be aserious on that good job you have started we are tired of putting our country down using our passports
We have Indians that bare the national ID here, first I thought a National of belongs to we the Ugandans
U love money more than ur life hmmm sell the country u live in to foreigners for sake of money shame on u hmmm!!!!
You people ur totally a mess to Ugandans who are now facing challenges outside here coz of ur love for money how comes foreigners a getting Passports a head of the Ugandans it’s really a big shame
You treat foreigners very well than the citizens. People are committing big crimes across the world but produce Uganda passports well as its not their country of birth. Bribes has eaten the whole system.