Abavandimwe urged to follow new guidelines for Ugandan passport processing

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Uganda's internal affairs ministry has issued fresh directives to assist long-time residents of Rwandan descent in Uganda aka Abavandimwe, facing delays in acquiring Ugandan passports due to citizenship verification issues.

The guidelines, which come after a meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni on June 23, 2025, aim to streamline passport issuance while upholding constitutional definitions of citizenship by birth.

Addressing journalists at the Uganda Police headquarters in Naguru, on July 14, 2025, internal affairs ministry spokesperson Simon Mundeyi said over 8,000 passport applications from members of the Banyarwanda community have remained pending due to questions surrounding their citizenship status.

“Many of our brothers and sisters from the Banyarwanda community have genuine claims to Ugandan citizenship under Article 10 of the 1995 Constitution,” Mundeyi said. “These guidelines will ensure fair access while verifying authenticity.”

According to the Constitution, one qualifies as a Ugandan citizen by birth if:

They were born in Uganda and have at least one parent or grandparent who belonged to an indigenous community present in Uganda as of February 1, 1926, or.

They were born outside Uganda but have at least one parent or grandparent who was a Ugandan citizen by birth.

To resolve long-standing delays, applicants must now obtain a letter from the LC1 of the village where their parents or grandparents were born or buried.

This letter must then be endorsed by LC2, LC3, and most critically, by the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) — who must include their National Identification Number (NIN) for verification.

“These new layers, especially the GISO endorsement with a NIN, are to prevent forgeries. We’ve seen fake letters being churned out for a fee, and this will help weed them out,” Mundeyi added.

The development comes after several petitions by sections of Banyarwanda, mainly the Uganda Banyarwanda Development Cultural Association (UMUBANO), petitioned several institutions, including the Presidency, accusing immigration officials of harassment when they apply for national identity documents such as national IDs and passports.

Museveni's take

President Yoweri Museveni recently rejected dual citizenship between Uganda and Rwanda, telling long-time residents of Rwandan descent in Uganda, "You cannot be both".

While celebrating the inclusive nature of Uganda’s citizenship laws, President Museveni has emphasised the importance of clear national allegiance, especially among those with roots in multiple countries.

“What we cannot accept is dual citizenship between Rwanda and Uganda. Please decide. You cannot be both,” he says, noting that identity should be rooted in lawful national commitment.

“Even me, I am a Muhooro. Our people are across Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, but I was born here. If I want to be Rwandan, I go to Rwanda. But I can’t say I’m both Munyankole and Munyarwanda.”

The President made the remarks while meeting the Banyarwanda (Abavandimwe) community on June 25, 2025, at State House, Entebbe.