We Can’t Die Because Of Your Evil Acts!! Museveni Mocks USA Over The New Sanctions

Ugandan Prisons chief Johnson Byabashaija recently joined a list of high-profile officials facing sanctions from the United States, part of a broader initiative targeting hundreds, including legislators, for alleged human rights violations within the resistant Ugandan regime.

In a State House address just before the US revealed sanctions against Byabashaija, President Museveni criticized the Americans and other Western powers for what he perceived as disrespect towards Uganda’s sovereignty. He affirmed that external pressures, particularly regarding the contentious anti-homosexuality law, would not sway Uganda’s stance.

The US Department of the Treasury, in a statement on December 8, highlighted human rights abuses within the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) since Byabashaija assumed the role in 2005. Cases of torture, beatings, and violations against vulnerable groups, including government critics and the LGBTQI+ community, were cited.

Byabashaija, designated for his involvement in significant human rights abuses, is one of 19 individuals facing sanctions across nine countries. The measures include asset freezes, travel restrictions, prohibitions on transactions, and visa restrictions for Byabashaija and his family.

These sanctions follow the US Department of State’s recent announcement of a visa restriction policy targeting Ugandans, especially government officials implicated in human rights violations and the repression of marginalized groups. The move, an extension of 2021 restrictions against those undermining Uganda’s democratic processes, prompted Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to call for accountability and improvements in Uganda’s human rights record.

The US reiterated its commitment to working with the Ugandan people to advance democracy, human rights, public health, and mutual prosperity. This isn’t the first time the US has employed travel bans or sanctions against Ugandan officials accused of undermining democratic processes.

After the 2021 general election, similar measures were imposed on those allegedly involved in gross human rights violations during that period.