The US Department of State on Wednesday announced travel sanctions against four officials of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) over what it called gross human rights violations against citizens including torture and degrading treatment.
These designated individuals are Bob Kagarura, the former Wamala Regional Police Commander of the UPF; Alex Mwine, former District Police Commander for the Mitanya District of the UPF; Elly Womanya who was Senior Commissioner within the UPF and Deputy Director of the UPF’s Criminal Investigations Division in charge of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU); and Hamdani Twesigye, then-Deputy Inspector of Police assigned to SIU.
According to the statement published on the website for the Embassy in Kampala, the travel sanctions announced today extends to the immediate relatives of Kagarura, Mwine, Womanya, Twesigye and therefore are all ineligible for entry into the United States.
“The Department of State is taking action today to promote accountability for human rights violations committed in Uganda by designating four members of the Uganda Police Force (UPF) due to their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment” The statement reads in part.
The US, according to the document is acting on reports that Kagarura, Mwine, Twesigye, and Womanya were involved in gross violations of human rights, as documented by Ugandan civil court documents, civil society organizations, and independent journalists, which they say are serious and credible.
It is however not the first time the US government is designating officials in Uganda’s security forces over human rights violations. Other officials including the former Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura were in 2018 slapped with a travel ban over alleged human rights violations against Ugandans.
“By publicly designating these individuals, the United States reaffirms its commitment to advancing the human rights of all Ugandans and promoting accountability for those responsible for human rights violations.” The document adds;
“These public designations are made pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47).”