The United States announced on Thursday sanctions against five senior Ugandan officials for alleged involvement in corruption and human rights abuses.
The US State Department imposed travel bans on Ugandan parliament speaker Anita Among, former ministers Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, and former state minister for finance Amos Lugolobi, citing “significant corruption.”
These sanctions follow similar actions by Britain last month.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the officials misused public resources and diverted materials intended for Uganda’s neediest communities, abusing their positions for personal gain.
Additionally, Peter Elwelu, former deputy chief of the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), was sanctioned for his involvement in human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings by UPDF members.
As a result, these officials are now generally ineligible for entry into the United States. Washington also plans to impose visa restrictions on other Ugandan officials accused of undermining democracy and repressing marginalized populations.
In April, the British government imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Among, Kitutu, and Nandutu over corruption allegations. The Ugandan parliament claimed these sanctions were based on false premises and were a response to Among’s support for Uganda’s controversial anti-gay legislation.
Kitutu and Nandutu were specifically accused of stealing roofing materials meant for the poor and redirecting them to politicians and their families.
