KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Opposition figures and other stakeholders in Uganda have expressed strong discontent regarding a recent agreement with the United States to accept deported migrants. Critics argue that the deal lacks necessary parliamentary approval and may provide political relief to Uganda's long-standing authoritarian leader, President Yoweri Museveni.
Ibrahim Ssemujju, a prominent opposition lawmaker, noted that the Ugandan president, who faces U.S. sanctions targeting several government officials, is likely to welcome the agreement, stating, "He will be asking, ‘When are you bringing them?’” This sentiment reflects a perceived alignment of interests between the Museveni administration and the U.S.
While Ugandan officials have disclosed few details about the agreement, it has been indicated that the country prefers to accept deportees of African descent and wishes to avoid those with criminal backgrounds. However, Uganda has been presented as a potential location for the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador native charged with human smuggling.
Abrego Garcia was detained by immigration officials in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that he is being processed for removal to Uganda. The lack of parliamentary oversight on this agreement has raised eyebrows among critics, with Mathias Mpuuga, the former opposition leader in Uganda’s national assembly, stating that “the whole scheme stinks.” He expressed confusion over the agreement, especially given Uganda’s ongoing challenges in supporting refugees from neighboring countries.
Mpuuga described the agreement as an economically motivated arrangement for the Ugandan government, questioning what benefits the Ugandan authorities will receive in return for hosting deportees. The Ugandan attorney-general and ministers responsible for refugees and internal affairs were unavailable for comment, but Deputy Minister Okello Oryem dismissed claims about the agreement as "complete rubbish," only to have a permanent secretary later confirm its existence.
Negotiations reportedly took place directly between Museveni and U.S. representatives. Museveni, who has held power since 1986, has faced diminishing favor in Washington over time. Although he was previously viewed as a valuable ally in U.S. counter-terrorism efforts in Somalia, recent sanctions from the Biden administration target his government over corruption, LGBTQ rights abuses, and other human rights violations. A growing list of Ugandan officials, including key allies of Museveni, have found themselves subject to these sanctions.
During 2023, Museveni explicitly stated a lack of interest in visiting the U.S. in response to sanctions following the enactment of an anti-homosexuality law. Marlon Agaba, head of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, indicated that the agreement to accept deportees aligns politically and possibly economically with Museveni's interests, suggesting it may also lead to new trade opportunities. Agaba characterized the Trump administration’s approach as focused on deal-making, which could be appealing to authoritarian leaders like Museveni.
Ssemujju reiterated that the matter of such agreements should involve parliamentary procedures and that the absence of formal legislative authorization renders the deal fundamentally flawed. The recent history of U.S. deportations highlights a broader trend, as five individuals were sent to Eswatini and eight to South Sudan in July, with Rwanda also agreeing to accept up to 250 deported migrants.
