The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has so far registered 2400 Ugandans stuck abroad following the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown.
In April, government through the different Ugandan Embassies and High Commissions abroad started the process of registering and verifying Ugandans who are stranded due to COVID-19 for possible evacuation and support.
The embassies mainly reached out to citizens whose return to Uganda was interrupted to register with them.
Although their was excitement on possible evacuation of the Ugandans, government later said the registration was for possible support especially feeding, medical and negotiations for visa extension.
Now URN has learnt that only 2,400 Ugandans were registered internationally, in the two weeks of the process.
According to the Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Patrick Mugoya, they registered only 2,400 people, a number that is slightly lower than expected.
According to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem, although they have concluded the registration process, unfortunately the Ugandans registered are actually only those who were stuck and yet they hoped to get statistics of Ugandans abroad.
“We thought we would register all Ugandans, but we only got those who were genuinely stranded,” said Oryem.
Government will today lay down a plan to help Ugandans stuck abroad while there are anticipations of reopening from the lockdown.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is today expected to address the nation and possibly relax the lockdown.
Uganda currently has 248 cases of COVID-19, and is currently battling the problem of truck drivers importing the cases.
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