The Ministry of Internal Affairs has called on former Members of Parliament and ministers who are no longer in government service to return official passports issued to them while in office and replace them with ordinary travel documents.
According to the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Simon Mundeyi, only a small number of former officials have so far complied with the directive, despite repeated calls for them to surrender the documents once they leave public office.
Mundeyi stressed that official passports are government property issued strictly for use during active service in designated public offices.
He noted that although the passports remain valid for up to 10 years, their use is tied to official duties and tenure in government.
He warned that former officials who continue using official passports after leaving office risk scrutiny and possible embarrassment at international immigration checkpoints.
“If they travel to another country using an official passport, immigration authorities may ask them which government position they currently hold and what official duties they are carrying out on behalf of the Government of Uganda,” Mundeyi said.
He added that returning the passports helps avoid unnecessary questioning and ensures compliance with international travel protocols.
The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs issues several categories of travel documents, each linked to a specific status and purpose.
Diplomatic passports (red) are issued to top-ranking state officials representing Uganda in an official diplomatic capacity. These typically include the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Ambassadors, and other accredited diplomatic representatives.
Service or official passports (often green or special government-issued documents) are issued to public servants, Members of Parliament, and government officers travelling abroad on official duty. These passports are strictly tied to employment in public service and must be surrendered once the holder leaves office.
Ordinary passports (blue) are issued to all Ugandan citizens for personal travel, education, business, or tourism purposes, and remain valid independent of government employment.
The DCIC also issues Convention Travel Documents (dark blue) to refugees recognized under Ugandan law, enabling international travel under the 1951 Refugee Convention framework.
In special or emergency cases, the government issues Certificates of Identity (grey), which serve as temporary travel documents for both Ugandans and foreigners who may lack access to their national embassies or require urgent documentation.
Additionally, under regional integration agreements within the East African Community, national identity cards are accepted as valid travel documents for Ugandans travelling to countries such as Kenya and Rwanda.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has reiterated that all former public officials still in possession of official or service passports must return them without delay and obtain appropriate ordinary passports in line with established regulations.