By J. L Andrew
As the country gears up for the National Identification Card Mass Enrollment, the Government has issued a warning to all citizens and non-citizens about the consequences of forging citizenship documents.
A cautionary notice was issued following the apprehension of an individual named Sam Nkubito Sam for possessing a fraudulent Ugandan National ID and attempting to undergo biometric registration for a passport on July 9, 2024.
According to a press release from Simon Peter Mundeyi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, discrepancies were detected in his travel records as he utilized a Rwandan National ID to enter Uganda.
“Our systems flagged his travel history, as he used his Rwandan National ID to enter Uganda,” he noted.
He stressed that investigations are underway to determine why he was attempting to obtain a Ugandan Passport illegally, circumventing the necessary criteria for citizenship.
“We are aware of criminal organizations that train non-Ugandans to falsely claim Ugandan citizenship in order to obtain our travel documents. This is often done to engage in criminal activities while using our travel documents. We are actively addressing these issues and collaborating with other security agencies to dismantle these criminal organizations,” he added.
He econuraged Ugandans to report individuals engaging in such activities to the appropriate authorities.
Who is a citizen of Uganda?
According to chapter 3 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda (Articles 9-19), a Citizen of Uganda is defined as follows:
- A Citizenship by Birth under Article 10(a) is every person born in Uganda, with at least one parent or grandparent who is or was a member of one of the indigenous communities listed in the third schedule of the constitution as of February 1st, 1926.
To be a Citizen of Uganda by birth, the following conditions must be met:
- The person may or may not be born in Uganda.
- At least one parent or grandparent must belong to one of the 65 indigenous communities listed in the constitution.
- The community must be listed in the 3rd schedule of The 1995 Constitution.
- The indigenous community must have existed and resided within Uganda’s borders as of February 1st, 1926.
- Being born in Uganda alone does not automatically qualify a person for this category of citizenship.
2. Citizenship by Naturalisation under Section 16(5) Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act Cap 313:
If individuals do not meet the criteria outlined in the Citizenship by Birth section (meaning their family’s lineage in Uganda starts with migration to Uganda after February 1st, 1926) and have been living in the country since, they have the option to apply for naturalization. This process confirms their legal status as a citizen, and there is a fee of 100,000 UGX. The naturalization application can be submitted online at www.visas.immigration.go.ug. Once approved, a certificate will be issued, which can then be used to apply for a National ID, among other requirements. Many individuals from different backgrounds, including Banyarwanda among others, who initially did not qualify as per the constitution, have successfully naturalized by following the correct procedures after seeking advice. The qualifications for Naturalization are as follows:
- Must have resided in Uganda for at least 20 years in total.
- Must have continuously lived in Uganda for the last 24 months before applying.
- Need to demonstrate adequate knowledge of either a designated Ugandan language or English.
- Must have a clean criminal record and be considered a person of good moral standing.
- Must intend to make Uganda their permanent residence after becoming a citizen.
- The applicant must fulfill all the above requirements.
Mundeyi encouraged the public to seek information from credible sources such as the Constitution and the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act.
“These are readily available to the public. Furthermore, we advise against making sensational and attention-seeking social media posts that lack a basic understanding of the law and facts, as this could lead to legal consequences if breached,” he noted.
He stressed that if during the course one feels that they have not been served correctly, they are encouraged to seek redress through the ministry’s various channels, including supervisors and leadership offices.
“The procedures are simple, and we advise the public to be cautious of scammers who may mislead and frustrate them in seeking our services,” he added.
Mundeyi said the ministry is committed to preserving the integrity of all the travel documents.
He said they are intensifying efforts to enforce their mandate for legal and orderly migration, including the verification, granting, and cancellation of citizenship.
“Our systems are secure, but we frequently encounter fraudulent attempts by individuals seeking our documents while retaining their original nationalities. Anyone applying for Ugandan citizenship should familiarize themselves with the relevant laws and procedures,” he added.
He urged the public to be cautious of brokers and individuals seeking to exploit or mislead them regarding passports or citizenship, as such actions could result in cheating, deception, or imprisonment.
Mundeyi urged the public to seek more details and to report such incidences, to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Public Relations Office on mail, [email protected] and on our X (Formerly Twitter): @mia_uga and @DCICUg and Phone Number 0417102600.
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