Ugandan Embassies start registering Ugandans stranded abroad for possible evacuation
Ugandan embassies around the world have started registering citizens for possible assistance amid the current coronavirus crisis.
According to a statement a statement by the Ugandan High Commission in London, all Ugandans stranded in the United Kingdom and Ireland have been asked to register for possible assistance from government.
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“The Uganda High Commission, London is seeking to register and verify stranded Ugandan nationals who are currently in the United Kingdom and Ireland and because of the Covid-19 pandemic are not able to return home,” the notice in London reads in part.
“Such individuals may include students who have completed their studies and short term visitors of all categories. This exercise does not include Ugandans who already have a settled status in the UK and Ireland.”
US
In the US, the Ugandan Embassy in Washington DC has also issued a similar note seeking to register Ugandan nationals stranded in its area of accreditation including the United States, Central and Southern America as well as the Caribbean with the exception of Cuba who are not able to return home for possible assistance .
“These may include students and research fellows who have completed their studies or program and short term visitors or non-immigrant visa holders of all categories whose travel plans were disrupted by the border closures,” the notice by Mull Sebujja Katende the Uganda Ambassador in the US reads in part.
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates is one of the countries where there are so many Ugandans especially those who went for work but according to Ambassador Zaake Kibedi, all Ugandans stranded in the Middle East country in towns including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain and are unable to return have been asked to register with the embassy.
“Please note, this exercise is specifically for stranded Ugandans in UAE due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the ambassador said in the note.
Other countries
Similar notices have been issued and circulated, for Ugandans stranded in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Vatican, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania to register to register at the embassy in Berlin.
The same has been done for Ugandan citizens in Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritius, Comoros and Madagascar to register at their respective embassies and High Commissions.
The process is ongoing for all Uganda’s missions worldwide and citizens have been asked ot make use of them.
Requirements
Consequently, these have been asked to send their details including current address, phone contacts, copies of bio-data pages of their Ugandan passports, scanned pages of their visa and copies of return tickets where available.
“Ugandans who have already attained the settled status have been asked not to register,” the notices say.
Background
Early this month, government advised stranded Ugandans in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to remain there until further guidance is provided.
James Ebitu, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development said any plans to help the stranded Ugandans would be decided upon by Cabinet and Parliament.
“Every Ugandan is still advised to stay where they are just as it was done to the students in China…as of now, we advise them to stay there until further guidance from government is decided. We cannot commit that there is any arrangement now,”Ebitu said.
However, President Museveni this week said he had directed the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Kutesa to develop a plan of evacuating some of the Ugandans stranded abroad over the current Coronavirus pandemic.
“I will talk to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to see what plans we can work out,”Museveni said on Tuesday.
Other countries including the US and Germany have since evacuated some of their nationals from Uganda following the lockdown.
