President Yoweri Museveni has reaffirmed the rights of Ugandans of Rwandan descent, urging fair treatment and swift recognition of their citizenship.
Speaking at State House Entebbe on June 25, Museveni emphasized that those who have lived in Uganda for generations—especially before 1926 or born on Ugandan soil—must be treated as rightful citizens.
“If your community knows you, you shouldn’t be denied your rights. Uganda is not America—we use local knowledge, not graveyards, to prove ancestry,” he said.
The President issued directives to simplify the process for obtaining national IDs and passports, including:
Accepting verification from LC1, GISO, and local elders
Prioritizing birthright citizenship
Stopping arbitrary rejections by immigration officers
However, Museveni was firm on one point: no dual citizenship between Uganda and Rwanda.
“Choose one. You can’t be both,” he stated. “Even I—though my people are across borders—am Ugandan.”
Frank Gashumba, leader of the Abavandimwe Council, welcomed the move but called for equal access to national documents, saying, “This is not just paperwork—it’s our children’s future.”
The new stance could open doors to education, jobs, and opportunity for thousands who’ve long felt in limbo.
