The US has imposed visa restrictions on the Ugandan government for undermining democracy in their country during the last elections.
In a statement, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said the Ugandan government's actions during the elections undermined respect for human rights.
“Today I am announcing visa restrictions on those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Uganda, including during the country’s January 14 General Election and the campaign period that preceded it,” Blinken said.
The state said the concluded election was neither free nor fair.
Without naming the specific individuals affected, Blinken said the action represents a continued downward trajectory for the country’s democracy and respect for human rights as recognized and protected by Uganda’s constitution.
He said opposition candidates and civil society and activists working to support electoral institutions and transparent electoral processes were routinely harassed, arrested, and held illegally without charge.
“Ugandan security forces were responsible for the deaths and injuries of dozens of innocent bystanders and opposition supporters, as well as violence against journalists that occurred before, during, and after the elections.”
“They faced harassment, intimidation, arrest, deportation, and spurious legal charges and denial of bank account access,” Blinken said.
He said the government limited accreditation for international and local election observers and civil society.
“However, those who were able to observe the process noted widespread irregularities before, during, and after the election, which has undermined its credibility,” Blinken said.
Among those arrested included presidential candidates Patrick Amuriat of the Forum for Democratic Change and Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, of the National Unity Platform.
Bobi Wine, who was the leading opposition figure, was placed under house arrest for 11 days after voting.
Uganda's government accused US Ambassador Natalie E Brown of seeking to subvert the country’s January 14 presidential election by trying to visit Bobi Wine at his home when he was under house arrest.
Human Rights Watch in its January report noted that since the election campaigns began in November last year, security forces clamped down on opposition members and journalists, violently arresting scores of people.
“On November 18 and 19, security forces clamped down on protesters demanding the release of then detained Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, resulting in at least 54 deaths,” the report said in the report.
It was not until the High Court ordered the military to release him and his wife Barbara Itungo on January 25.
The state argued that it had detained Bobi Wine “as a preventive measure to neutralize security threats”.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris