Sanctions against Uganda and its officials by the US were unnecessary, Timothy Kersewell, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen has said.

According to Kersewell, the sanctions were a clear indication that Western liberalism is not a normal political Ideology, but a force based on continuous expansion.

The US President Joe Biden administration last week sanctioned some Ugandan officials including Uganda Prisons Services commissioner general Johnson Byabashaija over alleged human rights violations.

Kersewell made the remarks while addressing Chinese and Ugandan officials during a symposium on China-Uganda co-operation hosted at Silver Spring Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday.

According to the don, the current stand-off between Uganda and the West over the legislation on homosexuality and the struggle to determine her own non-aligned political path, was a clear demonstration that the west invented the idea of sovereignty but that their basis of sovereignty was the liberal political principles.

L-R:Chinese Ambassador to Uganda H.E Zhang Lizhong, The 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Lukia Isanga Nakadama and Professor Ephraim Kamuntu during a symposium on China-Uganda Cooperation at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

“The liberal societies will never respect the sovereignty of those who maintain their unique political systems, customs or cultures. This year, we have seen more evidence. For example, the recent sanctioning of Uganda's Commissioner General of Prisons and the pressure applied on Uganda by the World Bank over the [anti] homosexuality law,” he said.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken last week announced sanctions against current and former Ugandan officials alleging that they committed human rights abuses against opposition leaders and other groups.

“After Uganda’s flawed 2021 presidential elections, I announced a visa restriction policy targeting those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Uganda. At that time, I implored the government of Uganda to significantly improve its record and hold accountable those responsible for flawed electoral processes, violence and intimidation,” he said before announcing the expansion of the visa restriction policy to include current or former government officials.

In May 2023, the US government threatened to remove Uganda from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and introduced sanctions on the country after it passed the widely home backed anti-homosexuality legislation.

The law among others imposed a death penalty on people found guilty of engaging in aggravated same-sex acts.

The Ugandan government has since resisted sustained pressure to have the law repealed with President Yoweri Museveni and other government officials including Parliament Speaker Anita Among sticking to their guns that they will not be coerced.

Dr Allawi Ssemanda, an executive director at the Sino Uganda Research Centre (SURC), said the West should be called to order to allow Uganda to determine its own destiny of growth.

Dr Allawi Ssemanda, the Executive Director Sino-Uganda Research Centre presenting during a symposium on China-Uganda Cooperation at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Relations commended

Chinese Ambassador in Uganda Zhang Lizhong commended the mutual relations between China and Uganda which continued to grow unhindered.

Lizhong said the trade co-operation between China and Uganda has witnessed tremendous growth in the last six consecutive years.

Quoting the latest statistics from January to October, 2023, the Chinese top diplomat in the country said the total volume of bilateral trade had boosted to $1.1b (about shillings 4.1 trillion). He added that Uganda’s export to China increased by 24.9% to $59m (about shillings 223.6 billion)

“The level of trade facilitation has also been upgraded. In May 2021, China and Uganda signed AEO mutual recognition arrangement to allow authorised economic operators of our countries to enjoy preferential policies in documents review and goods inspection during customs clearance,” he said.

He added that the two countries had made outstanding progress in the investment projects in the fields of transportation, electricity generation and transmission, oil development and industrial parks.

“This year alone, the embassy has hosted more than a dozen Chinese delegations who flew here eager to explore more investment opportunities. In August, I attended the official factories commissioning ceremony in Mbale Industrial Park where President Yoweri Museveni commissioned 16 new factories. This is a demonstration of the strong interests of Chinese investors in Uganda,” he said.

Number 10 in attracting Chinese investment

According to the Chinese Embassy, China’s direct investment in Uganda reached $131m (about shillings 496.5 billion) in 2022, ranking number 10 among all African countries in attracting direct Chinese investments.

The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda H.E Zhang Lizhong delivering his speech during a symposium on China-Uganda Cooperation at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

He added that the two countries are jointly implementing the nine-points programme announced by the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the eighth edition of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) that took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 29-30 November 2021.

They cover areas of health, poverty eradication, multicultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, personnel training among others.

Vice-President of Uganda Jessica Alupo, who was represented by the Third Deputy Prime Minister Lukia Isanga Nakadama, expressed gratitude that China-Uganda relations were on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

The Third Deputy Prime Minister Lukia Isanga Nakadama (left) shaking hands with the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda H.E Zhang Lizhong (2nd right) as UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina (3rd right) and Allawi Ssemanda. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

“The industrial parks in Kapeeka and Sino-Uganda Industrial Parks in Mbale, are among the fruits of the Sino-Uganda co-operation. The government of Uganda appreciates this and we will continue offering a safe and conducive environment for Chinese investors willing to do business with us,” she said.

Commenting on the latest pressure on Uganda, Alupo said: “As an independent and responsible country, with a responsible government, Uganda will not accept to be lectured on internal affairs".

The executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Allen Kagina, used the occasion to laud the Chinese government and its financing institutions for helping Uganda’s road network development including Entebbe Expressway and the 700km oil roads which have successfully been executed with Chinese support.