Foreign Affairs Ministry Under Fire for Clearing 3 People to Fly in Despite Airport Closure; Airline Speaks Out

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is facing backlash after it emerged that they granted permission for three people to fly into the country despite the ongoing Covid19 lock down.

Minister Sam Kutesa reportedly granted special permission for just three Ugandans to be flown in from abroad.

The three are Barbra Kavuya, Blanche Kibaju and one Isaiah Byabashaija.

These are meant to jet in from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday next week on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Minister Kutesa granted the permission in a letter to the Ethiopian Airlines Country Manager on Wednesday May 13th..

There was no confirmation yet whether the three had chattered the air craft.

However, Ms Aisha Kabwama, the Ethiopian Airlines sales representative in the country confirmed to us this morning that there is a flight coming in from Addis Ababa next Monday.

This flight she said however, is for repatriation of Canadian citizens who are going back home.

“All I know is that we have one of those repatriation flights next week, which is for Canadian citizens. As for the Ugandans coming in, I’m not aware of that,” she said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Amb. Patrick Mugoya also told us he was unware of the clearance for the three passengers.

“I don’t know about that; as you know I’m not in office because of the lockdown. May be you should talk to the minister himself,” he said.

Our efforts to reach minister Kutesa were futile as he didn’t pick our calls.

Entebbe International Airport since March 21^st has remained closed to all passenger flights as one of the Covid19 prevention measures.

President Yoweri Museveni however, allowed only cargo flights to come in and out under strictly guidelines.

There have also been a number of repatriation flights cleared for foreigners leaving the country.

The decision to grant special permission to the three individuals has since sparked fury with many Ugandans accusing the ministry of being selective.

“Isn’t Entebbe Airport closed to passenger flights? How do Ugandans get the exemption to fly back home? The cries of Ugandans banished abroad are deafening,” said FDC’s Col Dr Kizza Besigye.

“These guys are inciting others against a particular grouping of people,” ranted one Emma Katamba.

“Such interventions should be institutionalised and should target very one not a select few. Hope the others are next but if it’s not done we are doomed as a people with this selective application of interventions.”

It should be noted that for several weeks, scores of Ugandans stranded abroad have been pleading for government to help them back home.

Among these is famous artiste Edirisa Musuuza, better known as Eddy Kenzo who is stuck Ivory Coast.

Government last month, on the directive of the president, initiated a process of registering all Ugandans that need to be brought back home.

The process however, seemed to have died a natural death ever since.