Gashumba reappointed Council for Abavandimwe chairperson
Gashumba was reappointed to lead the group during an annual board of trustees meeting held on Wednesday (December 18) at the entity’s Pioneer House office in Kampala.
City businessman Frank Gashumba has been re-appointed the chairperson of the Council of Abavandimwe. (File photo)
NewVision Reporter
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City businessman Frank Gashumba has been re-appointed the chairperson of the Council of Abavandimwe, a body dedicated to supporting and protecting the rights of Banyarwanda-Uganda citizens.
Uganda's constitution recognizes the Banyarwanda as one of the tribes in the country.
But some reportedly face discrimination, particularly in securing citizenship and travel documents.
The Council of Abavandimwe works to promote and protect the rights of Banyarwanda-Uganda citizens.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday, Gashumba was reappointed to lead the group during an annual board of trustees meeting held on Wednesday (December 18) at the entity’s Pioneer House office in Kampala.
Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Dr Lawrence Muganga was appointed vice-chairperson and Maj. (rtd) Eliphas Nyandwi as coordinator in charge of the Greater cattle corridor.
Fred Bahati, Rodgers Bulegeya, Dr Sarah Mutesi Akello and Jackline Mbabazi were appointed vice-chairpersons for the Eastern, Central, Northern and Western regions, respectively.
John Kabagambe was named director of legal affairs, Sarah Kaitesi director of finance, and Rodgers Manishimwe director of research.
Justine Bukyana takes on the role of publicity secretary.
Council for Abavandimwe.
Paul Ntale will be the youth coordinator and Sophie Kaberuka, the women’s coordinator.
Pr. John Twesimire Rwigeyma is entrusted with coordinating elderly affairs, Samuel Mushabe leads mobilization, Steven Kagaba will coordinate the informal sector, and Michael Kagabo has been appointed head of diaspora affairs.
The Gashumba-led non-profit commands an active membership of over 260,000 self-identifying Banyarwanda, spread across Uganda and abroad.
The group says that discrimination affects their members' ability to transact business and travel, among other things.
In March this year, the Council for Abavandimwe petitioned Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among to this end.
The engagement resulted in an inquest led by Parliament's defense and internal affairs committee.
In their report, MPs advised aggrieved citizens who have lived in Uganda since birth to pursue alternative pathways to Ugandan citizenship as stipulated under the country's legal framework.
“All aggrieved Banyarwanda should pursue the dispute resolution process outlined in Section 83 of the Registration of Persons Act, Cap 332 and Section 10 of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, Cap 313, if they are unsatisfied with the decision made by NIRA (National Identification and Registration Authority) and DCIC (Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control), respectively," said the report.
"NIRA has set up an Internal Citizenship Verification Committee to handle such cases."
NIRA is a government organization charged with registering births and deaths in the country and with developing a national identification register for both citizens and legally resident non-citizens.
It is also mandated to issue national identification numbers and cards for every citizen and lawfully admitted alien.
'Museveni met the group'
In their petition, the Abavandimwe had also complained that during the process of applying for passports, some immigration officials had made it a norm to extort bribes ranging from sh10 million to sh15 million promising to grant them passports.
They contended that this fraud has left many of their kin without national documents and unable to commute internationally and engage in business.
However, Parliament's committee noted that this allegation could not be substantiated, as the ministry, during its interactions, had explained that opportunities for soliciting bribes had diminished with the advent of digitization.
“Applicants must visit the DCIC passport portal and answer security questions. After this, one can print the payment advice form and use it to pay the fee at their chosen bank," said the committee report.
"Once paid, one can schedule an appointment through the DCIC homepage link, print the appointment form, and visit the passport centre with the form and required documents. Ordinary passport fees are sh250,000, with an additional sh150,000 for express processing, payable at the bank separately."
The committee's report was not adopted after Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja assured that the matter was being handled at the highest level.
“The President (Yoweri Museveni) met the group — Bavandimwe and others — on October 25 this year," she told Parliament.
"He briefed Cabinet on October 28 and Rt. Hon. Speaker, a number of things are being done. I want to promise members that Government is doing a lot to make sure that this is solved."