The Foreign Affairs Ministry has rubbished a proposal by Kyandondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi to repatriate Ugandans and Africans stuck in China.
In a letter dated 15th of April addressed to the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, Kyagulanyi said he has partnered with an American media owner and businessman Neil Nelson to evacuate 285 people from China including Ugandans and other black Africans.
He asked the government to allow the people into the country. According to Kyagulanyi, they have secured a privately chartered Quantam Jet Airbus A330-200.
In his letter, Kyagulanyi says they travellers would be taken care of while in quarantine.
Government has however asked Kyagulanyi, to leave foreign Affairs matters to the President.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem questioned if Kyagulanyi will meet the quarantine costs.
Oryem also wondered if Kyagulanyi will also transport Ugandans stuck in other parts of the world.
He says the responsibility of protecting the Ugandans abroad, lies with the Head of State.
“If any Ugandan succeeds and achieves, it’s the responsibility of the President of Uganda, if any Uganda dies abroad, this is also the responsibility of the President of Uganda. Does he have the capacity to be held responsible for all of this, no? This is a foreign policy issue that you do not just wake up to do” Oryem said.
According to Oryem, the government is currently registering Ugandans abroad, in America, the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.
Joel Ssenyonyi the Spokesperson People Power says that Kyagulanyi and his partners will cater for all of the costs, including the quarantine and feeding. He says the government should not ignore its citizens suffering abroad.
Betty Aol Ochan, the Leader of Opposition says that Kyangulanyi’s offer is based on humanitarian grounds and not for politics.
Africans have become targets of suspicion, distrust and racism in China and now authorities have ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin.
A U.S. Embassy security alert on Saturday said that “police ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin,” and local officials have launched mandatory testing and self-quarantine for “anyone with ‘African contacts.’’
Early last week unfounded rumours began to emerge that African communities had become a new hotbed for the coronavirus in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. Soon after, health officials began door-to-door testing targeting African immigrants.
The two leaders are currently working to facilitate a humanitarian mission to airlift those Africans and African-Americans who are affected by the attacks to a country in Africa that is willing to receive them.
‘‘We are appalled by widely reported instances of Xenophobia in parts of China. Where Africans and Africana-Americans are being rejected from residences and forced to sleep on streets, denied medical care and mistreated’’ a statement signed by the two leaders reads in part.
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