President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni has explained how damaging the mishandling of deportations can damage a country’s image.
The whereabouts of Turkey-based National Unity Platform (NUP) social media blogger named Fred Kajubi Lumbuye remains a mystery.
On August 06, junior foreign affairs minister in charge of International relations Henry Okello Oryem said Lumbuye would return to Uganda the following day.
But police would later say they were yet to receive the NUP propagandist and fake news monger.
NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has even sent envoys to search Lumbuye in Turkish detention facilities.
The party has further applied for the production of Lumbuye, dead or alive, in court since Minister Oryem said Turkey had deported the blogger to Kampala.
Bobi Wine’s Envoys Fail to Find Lumbuye in Turkey, NUP Wants Court to Produce Blogger Dead or Alive
Now, in his August 14 state of security address, Museveni noted that foreigners should only be extradited after being tried in competent courts of law.
He also said the deportation must follow national and international laws.
“Deporting foreigners without trial is wrong. Deportation must be handled legally,” noted the president.
“These loopholes can be a disadvantage to our country.”
Indeed, the mystery surrounding Lumbuye’s arrest and deportation won Uganda negative international press.
International media outlets hyping opposition NUP’s position that Lumbuye could be killed or tortured if deported to Uganda.
Meanwhile, Museveni said Uganda was a free and secure country, adding that people like Dr Aggrey Kiyingi who had sought political assylum elsewhere were dishonest people.
“When we came into power, Uganda was number four in the whole world for producing refugees. Right now, there are no refugees from Uganda,” he continued.
“Instead, we have got 1.6 million refugees from other countries. By observing human rights, we have stabilized our country.”
