Amid the recent turmoil within the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, there was a collective expectation for reforms.
While some argue that there have been improvements, our thirst for change runs deeper than mere refinements.
Recently, while perched at my usual spot at #TheBalcony, I stumbled upon a news story engineered to captivate its audience. Ironically, it uncovered a more profound predicament.
In this narrative, an immigration official asserted that certain individuals, presumed to be foreigners, received passports only to falter during interviews due to their inability to converse in their supposed mother tongues.
Granted, there might be a grain of truth in this assertion. However, do these officials recognize that many Ugandans no longer speak their ancestral languages? Of course, this is not a good thing to celebrate but do they genuinely expect someone identifying as Mugishu to be fluent in Lugisu? Unless they hail from Mars, this cannot be the sole criterion for passport eligibility.
I personally know of a friend whose grandparents once resided in Gulu. Today, none in their family can speak the local language; they communicate in a blend of English and Luganda. Such instances are widespread in our communities. I, too, have a distant relative whose great-grandfather “migrated” from Buganda to Acholi. When I met relatives from that lineage, they could barely utter a word in Luganda despite bearing Kiganda names.
Some argue that speaking one of Uganda’s local languages secures clearance, even if someone is Nakamanya, claiming to be Muganda but unable to speak Luganda yet fluent in Lutooro. Well, that’s convenient. But what about those who cannot speak any local language? Have you not heard of families where, from grandparents to grandchildren, the Queen’s language reigns supreme?
A recent account highlighted this predicament, which may appear isolated but is profoundly significant to the individuals affected.
Ultimately, a passport is a right held by all Ugandan citizens. While my legal acumen might not be all-encompassing, it seems reasonable that a Ugandan with a national ID should not be subjected to onerous form-filling rituals. They should merely request and receive their rightful passport.
The irony arises when one possesses a national ID yet is denied a passport by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, ostensibly for not being Ugandan, even though the National Identification & Registration Authority-NIRA, another agency under the same ministry, validated their Ugandan status.
A basic online search reveals that according to the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Ugandan passports and travel documents are issued to individuals confirmed as Ugandan citizens. Lawyers, please assist: If NIRA has already confirmed someone as a Ugandan citizen and issued a National ID, is further approval necessary for obtaining a travel document?
In my opinion, efforts to prevent non-Ugandans from obtaining national documents should prioritize the national ID application process.
I remember that national ID application forms used to necessitate signatures from LC1 officials, RDCs, and even DISOs, along with parental information that could be verified before ID issuance. At this stage, if someone raises citizenship concerns, it could indeed be a valid point, justifying the need for investigative procedures.
I have to express my concerns, but it seems that those individuals conducting passport interviews are positioned at the wrong stage. They should be relocated to NIRA if their services are necessary.
With my ID, I should be able to visit the immigration office, request a passport, make payments (which is crucial for taxes required for our country’s development), and receive my passport within minutes, similar to the efficiency of the driving license agency.
Reverting to the notion of language as a yardstick for Ugandan citizenship is laughable and impractical. It’s no surprise that many of our Rwandan friends, proficient in a few local languages after residing here, manage to secure Ugandan passports.
While reforms are undeniably necessary within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, let us ensure that these reforms are rooted in logic and reality, rather than relying on an archaic and ludicrous criterion to determine who qualifies to be a genuine Ugandan passport holder..
-CKW-
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