Top Story!! Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba Orders USA To Apologize To Uganda, Reinstate Uganda In AGOA

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces, has issued a stern directive to the United States, demanding an apology for Uganda’s removal from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and immediate reinstatement.

“The USA must apologize to Uganda for removing us from AGOA. We must immediately be reinstated. Then we will talk about compensation for all the soldiers we lost in Somalia. On their orders,” Muhoozi said via his X handle.

Muhoozi expressed outrage over the US decision, which he saw as a betrayal by a country he deeply admires. He argued that Uganda’s stance against homosexuality, rooted in its ancient civilization, was being unfairly penalized.

“What the West never understands about Africa is that our civilization is older and more sophisticated than theirs. Take for example the very small issue of homosexuals. Africa had them for ages, much longer than the West. We never killed them or oppressed them. For the USA, a country I love so much, to kick Uganda out of AGOA over this non-issue is a crime. All we want is to be respected!” Muhoozi said.

Uganda’s removal from AGOA followed President Museveni’s signing of the anti-gay law, which imposed severe penalties, including life imprisonment or death, for same-sex relations.

Uganda, along with South Sudan, Somalia, and Burundi, is now excluded from the preferential US trade agreement. South Sudan was suspended in 2015 due to escalating ethnic conflicts.

Uganda was removed from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2023 after President Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposed harsh penalties for same-sex relations. The US, a key AGOA partner, objected to the law, citing human rights concerns.

As a result, Uganda lost its eligibility for duty-free exports to the US, affecting its economy. The removal also sparked debate about cultural sovereignty, human rights, and trade relations.

Uganda’s exclusion from AGOA has significant economic implications, particularly for its textile and agricultural sectors, which rely heavily on US exports.