Abavandimwe Excited With President Museveni's Impending Executive Order

The Banyarwanda community in Uganda, represented by the Council for Abavandimwe, has expressed optimism and excitement over the impending executive order promised by President Yoweri Museveni. The order is expected to address the longstanding challenges of systemic discrimination, citizenship uncertainties, and bureaucratic hurdles that have affected the community for decades.

Speaking during an emotionally charged address at Speke Hotel in Kampala on Saturday, Frank Gashumba, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Council for Abavandimwe, described the upcoming executive order as a beacon of hope for a community that has endured exclusion and prejudice in their own country.

“The Constitution of Uganda is very clear. To be a Ugandan, you must belong to the indigenous communities that existed in Uganda before 1926, and the Banyarwanda are listed as number 24,” Gashumba reiterated. He emphasized that their demand is not for special treatment but for the equal application of the Constitution.

Gashumba and Dr. Lawrence Muganga, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University and a leader in the Council for Abavandimwe, outlined a series of discriminatory practices faced by the Banyarwanda community. These include:

Unreasonable Proof of Lineage: Officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Identification & Registration Authority (NIRA) often demand proof of lineage dating back to 1926 when processing applications for national IDs and passports. This requirement, Gashumba argued, is impossible for ordinary Ugandans to meet. “Nobody in Uganda, including the President, the Vice President, or the Chief Justice, can produce such documents. Yet our people are unfairly subjected to this impossible demand,” he said.

Arbitrary Deactivation of National IDs:

NIRA has been accused of deactivating national IDs based on perceived Rwandan-origin names such as Kayitale and Kayitesi, without offering individuals a fair hearing. This has left many Banyarwanda unable to access essential services, including banking and healthcare.

Barriers to Passport Acquisition: 

Banyarwanda applicants often face undue scrutiny, preventing them from obtaining passports needed for scholarships, employment, or medical treatment abroad. Gashumba recounted cases where individuals were denied opportunities and lives were lost due to the inability to travel for medical emergencies.

 Selective Application of Laws:

Despite being constitutionally recognized as an indigenous ethnic group, the Banyarwanda community faces discrimination rooted in assumptions that they might be Rwandan nationals seeking Ugandan citizenship.

The Council for Abavandimwe has proposed practical solutions to these challenges, including a streamlined verification process involving Local Councils (LCs) and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs). According to Gashumba, this approach had been agreed upon in the past but was never implemented by immigration officials.

Dr. Muganga echoed these sentiments, highlighting the selective interpretation of Uganda’s constitutional provisions that guarantee citizenship to individuals present in the country on October 8, 1962. “We must come together, guided by our legal system, to ensure the right actions are taken. Discrimination must end, and fairness must prevail,” he said.

The community views the forthcoming executive order as a turning point in their struggle for equality and recognition. The Council outlined four key demands for the order:

Equal application of the law without bias by NIRA and immigration officers.

Restoration of deactivated national IDs for Banyarwanda citizens.

Simplification of passport application procedures through local-level verification.

Fair hearing processes before revoking citizenship rights.

Gashumba expressed optimism in President Museveni’s commitment to addressing these issues. “The President assured us that an executive order is coming, based on recommendations from the Solicitor General and Attorney General. We trust that this order will restore dignity and fairness to our people,” he said.

Dr. Muganga added, “We are eagerly waiting, just like many others in this country who share the same hope. This order will wipe away the tears of so many people and restore their dignity.”

Despite the challenges, the Banyarwanda community remains hopeful that their advocacy will yield justice. Their message is clear: they are not seeking favours but fairness and equality under the law.

As Uganda awaits the signing of the executive order, the Banyarwanda community clings to the hope that their cries for justice will finally be heard. They envision an inclusive Uganda where their identity is honoured, their citizenship valued, and their contributions to the nation’s progress recognized.

For now, they wait—hopeful that this long-awaited action by President Museveni will pave the way for a brighter future for all Ugandans, regardless of their ethnic background.