By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Following the change of the council/community’s name from Banyarwanda community to Abavandimwe in Uganda, its Chairperson Frank Gashumba says that in a space of less than 2 (two) weeks, Abavandimwe has become a household brand country wide.
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Having become a vibrant brand, the delegation of Council for Banyarwanda on 6th April 2021 met Minister Gen. JJ Odong (Honourable Minister for Internal Affairs) together with departmental heads of Immigration and NIRA that included Major General Kasita Gowa (Director, Citizenship & Immigration Control), Brig. General Kwiringira (ED NIRA), Mr.Siminyu Jacob (spokesperson,MIA) and other officials to discuss the challenges Banyarwanda face in the process of applying for and processing travel documents.
According to a statement released by Gashumba, the Hon. Minister acknowledged that there is a problem and a need to put in place remedial measures to address it.
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https://www.facebook.com/FrankGashumba/posts/314978276658555
Gashumba adds that in the agreed framework, both his team and that of the Hon Minister of Internal affairs agreed to identify Banyarwanda elders in every district, to assist the passport control office to verify bonafide Uganda Banyarwanda passport applicants.
”We further recommended that the immigration officials be sensitized through workshops and seminars, so as to avoid taking arbitrary actions that are often prejudicial to the citizenship rights of Ugandan Banyarwanda,” added Gashumba.
He further notes that they pointed the ministry officials to a fact that Ugandan Banyarwanda are usually fluent in local dialects spoken in the communities they hail from and so that should be used as a strong indicator for one to qualify for a passport or national ID something he says was welcomed by the Hon. Minister and his team.
”The Honourable Minister pledged to have an open-door policy where we can easily and freely access him, to consult and find solutions and interventions, as and when the need arises. For that, we are most grateful,” adds Gashumba.
He added, ”In conclusion, we call upon all bonafide Ugandan Banyarwanda whose citizenship rights have been violated or flouted in one way or another, either through denial of a passport or a national Identity card or arbitrary revocation of the same, when either one or both your parents are members of one of the indigenous communities enshrined in the 1995 constitution, to contact us (during working hours us) via the following:+256-414-660343-+256-708-500444 or info@council4banyarwanda.org.”
