US donates vehicles, border tools to bolster Uganda’s immigration control

_____________

The United States government, through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has donated equipment to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) to enhance border management and promote safe, orderly migration.

The handover ceremony, held at the Ministry of Internal Affairs headquarters in Kampala on Thursday, September 4, was attended by government officials as well as representatives from IOM and the US Embassy in Kampala, led by Ambassador William W. Popp.

As part of the donation, Uganda received three Toyota Hilux patrol vehicles, three containerised office units for border posts, including Jinja and Kasensero, and five mobile MIDAS kits used to capture and process migration data in real time.

One of the Toyota Hilux patrol vehicles donated. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Sanusi Tejan Savage, IOM’s chief of mission in Uganda, emphasised the value of strategic partnerships in addressing complex migration challenges.

“This support reflects the shared commitment between the United States, IOM, and the Government of Uganda to promote safe, orderly, and humane migration,” he said, adding that effective border management is not just about national security but also about protecting the rights of migrants and facilitating legal, safe movement.

He further highlighted IOM’s longstanding collaboration with the Government of Uganda in implementing the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS), a biometric border management technology already deployed at eight major border posts across the country.

“These mobile MIDAS kits are revolutionising how data is captured and processed,” Savage said. “They enhance operational efficiency and are critical in the fight against transnational organised crime.”

Minister for Internal Affairs Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire making his remarks. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

In his remarks, internal affairs minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire welcomed the donation, calling it a timely intervention in the country’s border security strategy.

“Border control manned by immigration officers is our first line of defence in terms of national security,” Otafiire said. “Unfortunately, those who allocate resources often don’t recognise this important fact.”

He stressed that immigration work goes beyond facilitating entry and exit; it plays a direct role in national defence.

“You may have a strong air force and artillery, but without boots on the ground, you don’t capture territory,” he said. “For us, immigration officers at the borders are the boots on the ground.”

US Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp delivering his speech. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

The Chief of Mission, IOM in Uganda, Sanusi Tejan Savage (left) and Maj. General Apollo Gowa, Chief of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Ministry of Internal Affairs, signed and exchanged documents on behalf of the two Governments. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

The minister thanked both Amb. Popp and IOM for their consistent support, noting that Uganda must also take greater responsibility for its own development.

“Ambassador Popp woke me up and said, ‘There are things you’ve not been doing here,’ and I’m very grateful to him and IOM,” he said. “But let me remind my fellow Ugandans: the United States can afford to help, but they are under no obligation to feed us. Nobody owes us a living. The success of our programmes must be driven by our own internal dynamism. Our partners can only build on what we start.”

The US Ambassador to Uganda, William W. Popp shaking hands with Minister for Internal Affairs Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire.

The US Ambassador to Uganda, William W. Popp shaking hands with Sanusi Tejan Savage, Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Uganda, as Minister for Internal Affairs Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire looks on.

Otafiire urged security sector leaders to prioritise investment in border infrastructure and to continue scaling up interventions such as the containerised border offices.

“Instead of complaining about porous borders, we should focus on plugging the gaps—this is the way forward,” he said.