Opposition Leader Demands Government Clarity on Alleged US Deportees Deal
Leader of Opposition (LoP), Joel Ssenyonyi has called on the government to provide Parliament with detailed information regarding reports that an unspecified number of migrants from the United States may be deported to Uganda.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Ssenyonyi said the reports, which first surfaced in the media, raise serious questions about the nature of the alleged arrangement.
“We have heard, and Rt Honourable Speaker I am sure you have taken note of media reports showing that there is a deal that’s been agreed upon by the US gov’t and the Uganda gov’t to bring US deportees here. We don’t know whether they are criminals or current or whatever the case might be,” he said.
He also highlighted inconsistencies in government statements, noting that Foreign Affairs Minister Okello Oryem initially denied the reports, but subsequent media coverage persisted.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Okello Oryem denied these reports initially but then reports persisted days later. I think it is important for government to help us understand here. Is it true? If so, how? What’s the arrangement? What kind of people are these?” Ssenyonyi asked.
Ssenyonyi questioned why Uganda would be chosen as a destination and stressed the need for transparency on the deportees’ origins.
“Don’t they have their original countries where they were coming from? Why Uganda? And if Uganda, where? I think all of these issues need to come through,” he said.
He warned of the potential security risks if the public remains uninformed.
“Somebody might wake up and there is a criminal as their neighbour and they have no idea. If the reports are untrue, it would be good that they clarify here on the floor of Parliament and say it entirely untrue then we know how to proceed,” Ssenyonyi added.
The opposition leader’s call for clarity comes amid growing speculation and concern over Uganda’s potential acceptance of deportees from foreign countries, a matter that could have far-reaching social and security implications.
