Banyarwanda in Uganda under their Council for Abavandimwe have lodged a formal complaint and notice of intention to sue Ministry of Internal Affairs officials, including principal immigration officer Deborah Amanya over passports.
In a letter penned by Council for Abavandimwe chairman Frank Gashumba, Banyarwanda in Uganda accuse Amanya and other immigration officials for their “discriminatory tendencies including your aevutary refusal to grant them passports.”
Gashumba noted that despite meetings with then internal affairs minister Gen Jeje Odongo to “find common ground, build consensus and finding lasting solutions” to the abuse and violation of rights of Banyarwanda in Uganda, nothing much had been achieved.
“Unfortunately however, and as demonstrated by your negative tone and attitude in the meeting referred to above, you have deliberately and unashamedly proceeded with business as usual, denying our people passports with reckless abandon,” Abavandimwe boss addressed Amanya.
Gashumba further told off Amanya for reportedly harbouring ‘personal hatred against Banyarwanda.”
“That perhaps explains why despite the resolutions of our meeting, to among others, consult Banyarwanda elders to verify bonafide Ugandan Banyarwanda passport applicants in addition to our language test proposal to ascertain bonafide applicants, you have consistently ignored all that and instead, you make ridiculous demands that our people should present their grandfathers’ baptism cards, graduated tax tickets and draw family trees,” continued Gashumba.
“While you can hate us, you have no right to violate and abuse our rights, and for that, we shall go to every length and use all available avenues and legal means to fight your prejudice and discrimination.”
The Council of Abavandimwe has further blasted Amanya for changing the rules and labelling Banyarwanda in Uganda Rwandan spies sent by Kigali.
“Despite your unfairly stringent and absurd conditions (which our people have endeavored to comply with), you still reject their applications and order them to apply for naturalization something that strips them of their citizenship besides occassioning loss of their money,” continued the Abavandimwe Council chairman.
“Assuming they are Rwandan operatives as you falsely claim, does sending them for naturalization stop them from carrying out purported subversive activities?”
The Banyarwanda association is also protesting Amanya’s “attitude of constituting yourself into the law, investigator, the prosecutor and the judge in some sort of Kangaroo Court, which is successfully stifling our people’s rights.”
“We know our rights and we won’t tolerate your vindictive personal vendetta against our people in total disregard of professional ethics and abuse of your office,” the Abavandimwe Council further warned.
“Henceforth, unless you change course and start treating our people with positive consideration like other Ugandans, we shall not hesitate to sue you and hold your personally accountable for causing our people loss and damage, at your cost and regret. Stand warned, there shall be no further notice.”
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