The Ministry of Internal Affairs has asked Ugandan Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija’s children to pick their passports.
Last week, the human rights lawyer, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija petitioned Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) claiming that his children were denied passports. Kakwenza said his children applied for passports on February 15, 2022, and did interviews on March 10.
He said there were numerous efforts to follow up on the application; however there have been no explanations for the delay by the passport office.
The three children include; Rutakirwa Mugabe Kakwenza (2 years), Siima Nyinaboona Kakwenza (4 years) and Nina Kayitesti Kakwenza (9 years).
Simon Peter Mundeyi said Kakwenza’s children are Ugandans therefore they have a right to apply for and get passports.
“They applied at the time, when we were doing a system upgrade and cut the production of passports by 60%. This process ended two to three weeks back, and we started clearing the backlog. The children’s passports are now ready for pick up in Kyambogo. We don’t involve politics in our work at the passport office. I want to make that very clear,” he said.
Kakwenza is currently in Germany where he fled while on bail. He was arrested in December 2021 after a twitter feud with supporters of UPDF Land forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Kakwenza averred that Muhoozi’s supporters were allegedly bullying him for criticizing President Yoweri Museveni.
Kakwenza is charged with two counts of offensive communication, contrary to Section 25 of the computer misuse act 2011. The Lawyer pleaded not guilty and subsequently remanded to Kitalya prison till 21st January 2022. He was on 25th January 2022 granted Shs 500,000 cash bail as his Sureties were ordered to pay 10mshs noncash. He on February 9, 2022 fled into exile.
