The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the immediate removal of immigration officers accused of obstructing Ugandan citizens of Banyarwanda origin from obtaining national identity cards, igniting widespread public discussion and reactions on social media.
In a social media post, Gen Muhoozi said the officers had been "making life hard" for Ugandan-Banyarwanda seeking identification documents and directed that they be replaced.
"I have decided to remove all the officers in immigration that were making life hard for our Ugandan-Banyarwanda to get IDs immediately. Others will be appointed soon," he wrote.
He further cited a case involving his grandmother, identified as Kaka Bella, who was allegedly denied a national ID.
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He described the incident as unacceptable and warned that those implicated would face legal consequences.
The directive triggered strong reactions online, with users sharing personal accounts of alleged discrimination and corruption within immigration services.
A social media user, Rare, recounted being denied a passport in Mbarara in 2023 despite being born in Ntungamo.
"The officer said I couldn't be 'half potato, half cassava' and demanded Shs200,000," he wrote.
Other responses welcomed the move. Edmund Kagire, Rwandan journalist with roots in Uganda, called it "groundbreaking," saying Banyarwanda citizens had been discriminated against for decades.
Edith Biraaro described the directive as "a bold and necessary step," urging equal treatment for all Ugandans.
However, some cautioned about the risk of identity fraud. Juliet Tumusiime noted that proper verification should be conducted through the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) to ensure authenticity.
The Banyarwanda are recognised as Uganda's 24th indigenous community under the 1995 Constitution, but members of the Abavandimwe group have long complained of systemic discrimination by NIRA and the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), particularly during passport and national ID application processes.
In January 2025, President Museveni issued an Executive Order aimed at addressing these concerns, directing immigration officials to presume citizenship unless credible evidence suggests otherwise and prohibiting the confiscation of national IDs without due process.
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Gen. Muhoozi's directive reinforces the government's commitment to enforcing these policies and ensuring that all citizens can access identity documentation without obstruction.
