US Election: What a Kamala or Trump Win Means for the Rule of Law

The two contenders are Republican Party candidate Donald Trump, a former president who was defeated by the incumbent Joe Biden, on the one hand, and Ms. Kamala Harris, Mr. Biden’s vice president, who took over after the incumbent dropped out of the race, on the other. on the other hand.

Both Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris have already demonstrated their foreign policy stances on Uganda and the rest of the country on human rights violations, abuses and the rule of law.

Under Mr. Trump, Ugandan government officials have largely avoided sanctions for serious violations and abuses of human rights and the rule of law. But Trump has previously used disparaging remarks about Third World countries and explicitly stated that immigrants from such countries should be barred from entering the US.

Trump also cut $67.8 million (about Shs246.8 billion) funding to Uganda in 2017/2018, which affected many critical projects, especially USAID-funded projects.

Mr. Trump’s concern was all about his “Making America Great Again” mantra, regardless of how that would impact the rest of the world.

Under the Biden-Kamala administration, public officials in Uganda have suffered some of the most severe sanctions due to the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act in 2023, human rights abuses and have been cited negatively for engaging in serious corruption.

For example, after Parliament passed the anti-homosexuality law by acclamation, the US government under the Biden administration strongly condemned Uganda for passing the law, which they called draconian.

Similarly, after the Karamoja iron sheet theft scandal, the US government sanctioned five Ugandan civil servants, including Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, her husband Moses Magogo, Karamoja Affairs Minister Agnes Nandutu, her senior colleague Mary Goretti Kitutu and Finance Minister Amos . Lugolobi.

The sanctions also extended to their immediate family members, who are prohibited from traveling to and doing business with the US.

Regarding human rights violations, the US government has imposed sanctions on General Peter Elwelu, the former deputy chief of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF). The US government said General Elwelu was designated because of his involvement in serious human rights violations.

The statement said: “Specifically, Peter Elwelu was involved, while in command of the UPDF forces, in extrajudicial killings by members of the UPDF. As a result of these actions, designated Ugandan officials are generally ineligible for entry into the United States.”

In early 2021, under the same Biden administration, the US Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on Uganda’s then head of military intelligence, Major General Abel Kandiho, due to alleged human rights abuses committed under his watch.

For the President and other public officials, the statement said Ms Among is being designated because of her involvement in significant corruption related to her leadership in the Parliament of Uganda.

Ms Kitutu and Ms Nandutu and Mr Lugolobi were singled out for their alleged involvement in significant corruption related to the misuse of public resources and the diversion of materials from Uganda’s most needy communities.

“All four officials abused their public positions for their personal benefit at the expense of Ugandans,” the statement said.

At the same time, the US State Department also said it was taking steps to impose visa restrictions on several Ugandan officials for undermining the democratic process and repressing members of Uganda’s marginalized or vulnerable populations.

“These individuals are responsible for or complicit in the repression of Ugandan members of opposition political groups, civil society organizers and vulnerable communities in Uganda,” the statement said.

Mr. Mathew Miller, State Department spokesman, said the US stands with Ugandans who stand for democratic principles, a government that delivers for all its citizens, and accountability for the actions of those who abuse their position through corruption and serious violations of human rights.

He said impunity allows corrupt officials to remain in power, slows the pace of development, facilitates crime and causes an unequal distribution of resources that can disproportionately affect underrepresented and underserved populations.

“Today’s actions reaffirm the U.S. commitment to support transparency in Uganda’s democratic processes, fight corruption globally, and address the broader culture of impunity that prevents all Ugandans from enjoying human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he said.

The State Department also named Ms Among’s husband Mr Magogo, Kitutu’s husband Michael George Kitutu; and Lugolobi’s wife, Evelyne Nakimera; they are also ineligible for entry into the US. Additional steps to impose visa restrictions on several other Ugandans are being taken under Section 212(a) (3) (C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, according to the policy.

In 2023, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the expansion of the visa restriction policy to include current or former Ugandan public officials or others believed to be responsible for or complicit in undermining Uganda’s democratic process or for policies or actions that aimed at repressing members of marginalized or vulnerable populations.

“These groups include, but are not limited to, environmental activists, human rights defenders, journalists, LGBTQI+ people and civil society organizers. Immediate family members of these individuals may also be subject to these restrictions,” he said at the time.

Several Ugandan government officials and corporate entities responded to this story but declined to comment, but some of them said privately that who wins the US presidential election is none of their business because they will be the US president, not Uganda.

Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have already demonstrated their foreign policy stances on Uganda and the rest of the country on human rights violations, abuses and the rule of law.

Under Mr. Trump, Ugandan government officials have largely avoided sanctions for serious violations and abuses of human rights and the rule of law. But under the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration, Ugandan public officials have suffered some of the most severe sanctions over the passage of the anti-homosexuality law in 2023, human rights abuses and have been singled out for engaging in serious corruption.