Uganda’s Embassy in Washington at risk
By Our reporter
The chairperson of the committee on foreign affairs, Rose Mutonyi has called upon Government to utilize plots of land belonging to Government of Uganda in various countries before they are grabbed by other people.
In an interview with Eyewitness at Parliament Mutonyi said that, Uganda has got 5000 squares meters of land in Brussels in Belgium which is at very high risk, 8900 in Abuja Nigeria , 1200 square meters in Juba in South Sudan, which stand a risk of being taken away if not utilized.
‘Uganda’s plot in Addis Ababa Ethiopia was encroached by opportunists who fenced it off, and it has now become a problem to evict the encroacher’ Mutonyi revealed.
Hon Mutonyi who also disclosed that Uganda was offered a plot of land in Washington by the US Government at 5 million dollars to facilitate our embassy relocate from its current location citing security reasons, but Government of Uganda has failed to pay the money.
She said Uganda is failing to raise 5 million dollars to US government in order to acquire the plot in a diplomatic area where all embassies are located. According to the MP ,the US government says they cannot guarantee security of Uganda’s embassy in its current location.
‘’Now government of America says it cannot look after our diplomats because the are not in diplomatic area which is embarrassing in fact” Mutiny noted.
She also asked government to increase foreign education allowances to the children of the diplomats to avoid family separations.
According the legislator, each child of a diplomat abroad is only offered 2000 dollars per year for their education, which is not enough abroad because education in schools abroad is expensive charging tuition that lies between 16000 to 20000 dollars per year per child.
She said this situation has forced couples to bring their children back to Uganda seeking for cheaper education which creates a separation between the father or mother remaining with children in Uganda while the other partner stays abroad since they cannot afford in fees abroad. This, has resulted into marriage breakups which have become common with Uganda’s diplomats.
She however asked government to increases education allowances for the diplomats to make the couples stay together in order to educate their children in the country Uganda is being represented.
