Government might consider issuing a diplomatic ‘note verbale’ to the US Ambassador to Uganda, Ms Deborah Malac over statements she made at a symposium of governance and peace held at Hotel Africana last week, a senior government official has said.
Ms Malac’s comments were made in reaction to the just concluded elections that have raised concern from both local and international election observers, some of who said they were neither free nor fair.
“The social media shutdown, the detention of Opposition figures, harassment of media – all of these things combined with poor organisation of the election have weakened Uganda’s democracy and tarnished Uganda’s image as a strong democracy in a turbulent region,” Malac said.
But an interview with EagleOnline Media Centre Deputy Executive Director Colonel Shaban Bantariza said that there is a possibility of the Uganda government issuing diplomatic summons for Malac to explain her statements. Bantariza added that the ambassador was out of order.
“You don’t go to the media and conferences to lambast government, there are other diplomatic channels to use,” Bantariza said adding: “If our ambassador in Washington makes statements like the ones she (Malac) made I am sure he will be summoned, therefore if our government is inviting her to explain her statements, it’s entirely diplomatic.”
Last Saturday, during the NRM victory party held at Kololo Independence grounds ,President Museveni also lashed out to foreign governments criticizing his government and the 2016 polls, saying that he doesn’t need foreigners to order him about Uganda.
“These people should leave us and concentrate on solving their own problems,” the President said in apparent reference to the US
