The United States has imposed more visa restrictions on Uganda officials after the African nation passed an anti-LGBTQ law that was condemned by many countries and the United Nations, the U.S. State Department said.

These officials of the East African country are suspected of ‘undermining the democratic process’ in the East African country.

U.S. President Joe Biden had threatened aid cuts and other sanctions, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month the government would consider visa restrictions against Ugandan officials.

The State Department statement did not mention any names or even the number of officials that would be hit with the visa restriction but said the U.S. would hold accountable those who are responsible for abusing human rights in Uganda, “including those of LGBTQI+ persons.”

“Today, I am announcing the expansion of the visa restriction policy to include current or former Ugandan officials or others who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Uganda or for policies or actions aimed at repressing members of marginalised or vulnerable populations,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blonken early Tuesday morning.

“These groups include, but are not limited to, environmental activists, human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTQI+ persons, and civil society organisers. The immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions,” he added.

This is the third raft of measures against Uganda following the 2021 elections and the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.

The American Government recently discouraged their companies from investing in Uganda and moved to remove Uganda from the beneficiaries of the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) list.

The U.S. government did not mention the Ugandan individuals targeted by the visa restrictions.

However, senior Ugandan security officials have previously been denied visas to the U.S. for their alleged roles in human rights violations.

The restrictions mean targeted Ugandans will not be able to travel to the United States.

In May, 2023, a Ugandan lawmaker Asuman Basalirwa said the United States had cancelled the visa of Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.

Lawmakers said the Anti-Homosexuality Act is aimed at protecting African traditional marriage and culture.

The new law will see anyone engaging in acts of homosexuality facing 20 years in jail and the death penalty for anyone engaging in aggravated homosexuality (homosexual acts with minors, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups of people).

The increased measures by Washington against Ugandan officials are likely to further undermine relations between the countries.

In response to Washington’s actions, President Museveni recently warned that “some of these actors in the Western World overestimate themselves and underestimate the freedom fighters of Africa.

Museveni said, “on account of some of the freedom fighters making mistakes of philosophy, ideology and strategy, some of the foreign actors erroneously think that African Countries cannot move forward without their support.

The President further said “these pressures from outside are joogo (dharau – looking down upon somebody, underrating somebody) towards the Africans and must be rejected. I am told that some of the Arab Countries have similar laws. Why don’t these actors put similar pressures on them?”

PEPFAR

The U.S. government had threatened to withdraw support of Ugandans living with HIV/AIDS.

Museveni said the “American Government avoided the mistake of defunding the procurement of the HIV drugs for our 1.4 million people on those drugs. However, all our People on the ARVs and all the Ugandans need to know that we had a contingency plan to fully fund the procurement of those drugs if ever the external funders were unable to fund them.”

Uganda has been a reliable partner for the United States in promoting stability in the Horn and East/Central Africa and in combating terror, particularly through its contribution to the African Union Mission in Somalia.

The U.S. regularly uses its extensive foreign aid as leverage to exert pressure on vulnerable African countries to achieve Wahsington’s interests.

The United States provides significant health and development assistance to Uganda, with a total assistance budget exceeding $950 million per year – but the better part of the funds goes to paying American expatriates deployed in Uganda and procuring medicines and equipment from the United States.

Additional Reporting By Chimp Reports