By Frank Kamuntu
Ministerial nominee, Dr. Lawrence Muganga, has strongly pushed back against claims that he was rejected by Parliament’s Appointments Committee over undisclosed foreign citizenship, insisting that allegations linking him to a Rwandan passport are false and part of a broader campaign of discrimination against him.
Muganga’s response follows remarks by Kasambya County MP David Kabanda, who defended the committee’s decision and argued that the educator was not rejected because he is a Munyarwanda, but because investigators allegedly established that he held Ugandan, Canadian, and Rwandan passports.
In a strongly worded statement, Muganga dismissed the claims outright, maintaining that he does not possess a Rwandan passport and accusing some members of the vetting committee of spreading misinformation.
“Hon. Daudi Kabanda, with due respect, I must set the record straight. I do NOT hold a Rwandan passport. This is a deliberate falsehood introduced by Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, and the truth must be told,” Muganga said.
The nominee further revealed that his fate was predetermined before he even appeared before the committee, noting that some members had already resolved to block his appointment regardless of the facts presented.
“We have it on record — Hon. Thomas Tayebwa’s own words: ‘In every vetting session we have to fail someone, and this time it had to be you, Dr. Muganga.’ This rejection was decided before the process even began. It was never about passports, qualifications, or integrity,” he asserted.
Muganga described his experience before the committee as deeply troubling, arguing that he was subjected to unfair treatment because of his ethnic background.
“What I experienced in that committee was not parliamentary oversight. It was hatred. It was discrimination. It was racism directed at me simply because I am a Munyarwanda,” he said.
The academic, who has spent decades working in higher education and leadership development, emphasized that Banyarwanda are a recognized community in Uganda and should not be treated differently from other citizens.
“We Banyarwanda are Ugandans. We were born here. We pay taxes here. We build institutions here. We have given our lives to serve this nation,” Muganga stated.
He pointed to his record of service in education, noting that throughout his career he has represented Uganda internationally and worked extensively to improve educational standards and leadership development.
“I have spent decades working tirelessly for Uganda, conducting thousands of interviews, engaging with thousands of people, and sitting in hundreds of boardroom meetings across 56 countries. In all those years, I have never encountered the kind of hostility that I experienced during this process,” he said.
Muganga has previously acknowledged holding Ugandan and Canadian citizenship, arguing that acquiring another nationality should not be interpreted as a lack of patriotism.
“Before I came here, I definitely had two citizenships, that is the Ugandan citizenship and the Canadian citizenship. Many Ugandans do that. But that does not take away one’s love for the country. I am Ugandan. Uganda is my country,” he said following his appearance before the committee.
Meanwhile, many Ugandans argue that Muganga’s professional achievements, contribution to Uganda’s education sector, and commitment to national development should weigh more heavily than debates surrounding passports and citizenship technicalities.
Several legal experts have also questioned whether provisions of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act that restrict dual citizens from holding certain offices are fully consistent with the Constitution.
Lawyer Rashid Ssemambo recently argued that the Constitution permits any Ugandan citizen qualified to be a Member of Parliament to serve as a minister and that citizenship rights cannot be diminished merely because an individual holds another nationality.
According to Ssemambo, dual citizenship does not reduce a person’s obligations or rights as a Ugandan citizen, and any law that appears to create additional restrictions beyond those provided in the Constitution may be vulnerable to constitutional challenge.
As public debate intensifies, Muganga says the broader issue is not simply about his nomination but about ensuring that all Ugandan citizens are treated equally regardless of ethnicity, background, or ancestry.
“Uganda belongs to all its citizens equally. Banyarwanda included. We are not second-class citizens. We will not be treated as such. We are Ugandans. We belong here,” he said.
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