Ugandans abroad to discuss voting rights and gov’t programs

Summary:

• Ugandan expatriates in London convene for the “Outreach Mission” conference, exploring ways to contribute to national development through knowledge transfer, skills sharing, and technology initiatives, with a focus on enhancing diaspora engagement and voting rights for the 2026 general elections.

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Ugandan expatriates have gathered in London for a conference aimed at exploring avenues for contributing to national development initiatives, encompassing the sharing of knowledge, skills, and technologies to foster meaningful employment opportunities.

Dubbed the “Outreach Mission,” this two-day event is being hosted by Ambassador Nimisha Jayant Madhvani, Uganda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Ambassador Johnny Muthahi Muhindo, Head of the Diaspora Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that the conference would enhance the ministry’s database regarding the identity, locations, and skills of the Ugandan Diaspora.

Muhindo encouraged Ugandans abroad to actively engage in government programs by regularly visiting various embassies worldwide. Furthermore, he urged conference participants to initiate Diaspora Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) to facilitate investments both domestically and internationally.

Addressing the conference, Ambassador Nimisha proposed a pilot project in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to expedite the formulation of a policy ensuring a secure, orderly, and development-focused diaspora, with planned returns of qualified Ugandan expatriates.

The conference unanimously recommended the establishment of an annual homecoming summit, commencing in 2024. Additionally, it called upon the government to fulfill its mandate and make provisions for the diaspora to exercise their voting rights and privileges in the upcoming 2026 general elections.

Despite constitutional provisions under Article 59 guaranteeing the right to vote, the state is urged to take necessary steps to facilitate citizen registration and participation. Various laws have been enacted to ensure voting rights at different levels, including presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections.

Uganda, with an estimated diaspora population of at least 1.5 million residing across Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, relies on remittances as a crucial support system. A May 2021 report from the Migration and Development Brief revealed that remittances to Uganda in 2020 amounted to 4.130 trillion Shillings, reflecting a 26 percent decline from the 2019 figure of 5.256 trillion Shillings due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.