KAMPALA, Uganda — A recent U.S. travel advisory warning its citizens about crime, political repression, and terrorism in Uganda is deserved and reflects the reality on the ground, a former Al Jazeera digital editor and a Ugandan journalist argues.
In a column published Sunday, Musaazi Namiti wrote that the Level 3 advisory issued by the United States on April 23 was “not a surprise” and that Uganda has “earned it.” Level 3 advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel due to serious risks.
Namiti contrasted Uganda with Level 1 countries like Cape Verde, Mauritius, and Norway, which are considered generally peaceful and crime-free, emphasizing that the advisory level is tied to safety, not prosperity. He noted that tourists in Ugandan game parks face a higher risk of attack compared to similar locations in Norway.
The columnist cited historical incidents, including the 1999 massacre of eight foreign tourists and the 2001 killing of a college director and 11 students in Murchison Falls National Park. He also mentioned the more recent October 2023 killing of a British honeymooning couple and their guide.
Namiti pointed to Uganda’s neighbors, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, both at Level 4 (the highest risk), as examples of how conflict and instability lead to severe travel warnings. He suggested that Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, all at Level 2, present a safer picture.
The journalist criticized the Ugandan government for not adequately addressing crime, political repression, and election-related violence. He stated that while some Kampala suburbs are affluent and relatively safe, robberies targeting foreigners in broad daylight are not uncommon.
Namiti argued that the government has focused more on targeting journalists and using surveillance technology than on curbing urban crime. He quoted Ugandan Member of Parliament Joseph Ssewungu, who noted the extensive security measures now required for the president’s movement as evidence of a lack of peace.
“The US State Department is not orchestrating a smear campaign. They do not tarnish Uganda’s image. The government does,” Namiti concluded.
