Just a week after the US government announced a travel ban on Ugandans accused of interfering with the 2021 elections, government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo has made it clear he doesn’t need an American visa.
The visa restrictions announcement, made by secretary of state Antony Blinken, did not make mention of the affected officials.
According to Ofwono Opondo, most people are afraid of telling the Joe Biden administration the truth on baselessness of the sanctions because they want to travel to America.
“Everybody fears to criticize America because you will be denied a VISA,” he said during Thursday night’s NBS Frontline.
“I am saying no because I don’t need one. I am comfortable here.”
Opondo insisted the US should have privately raised her concerns with Kampala for redress and response instead of rushing to declare sanctions against officials whose list Washington has so far failed to publish.
He also believes the US government announced the visa restrictions to appease the opposition who had been crying to America for help.
He assured Ugandans the sanctions would not kill them.
“The Americans have withdrawn their support before. Did we die?” asked Opondo.
“Part of the problem is borrowing which is part of our indiscipline which we must check.”
He also urged the US to release the list of sanctioned officials so that Kampala can take action against them.
Opondo regretted that government had taken long to respond to human rights concerns such as abductions.
He believed a timely resolution would have prevented the US from slapping a visa ban against officials.
