Museveni directs local committees to lead citizenship verification for Bavandimwe and other long-settled communities

Kampala, Uganda – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has issued new directives to reform Uganda’s citizenship verification process, shifting authority from central government bureaucrats to local community structures.

Following a June 23, 2025 meeting with the Bavandimwe (Banyarwanda of Uganda) at State House Entebbe, Museveni acknowledged concerns of discrimination and mismanagement in the current system. He emphasized that local communities are best positioned to identify genuine Ugandan citizens, especially in historically settled areas.

“It is totally unfair and unnecessary to waste the time of our people with bureaucrats in Kampala to determine who is a Ugandan,” Museveni said.

Key directives

Museveni ordered that all citizenship registration and verification be handled at the local level. Local committees will lead the process during the ongoing national ID enrollment exercise. In cases of doubt, decisions will escalate to the district level.

Importantly, individuals or families who settled in Uganda before 1962 are exempt from paying for citizenship services. Those who arrived after 1962 must pay applicable immigration fees.

Historical and regional context

Museveni invoked personal and historical examples to underline the injustice of requiring established residents like the Banyarwanda, Nubians, and Indian communities to “beg” for citizenship. He emphasized that citizenship should be based on longstanding community knowledge.

He also addressed the future integration of the East African Federation, proposing legal amendments to allow remaining refugees to acquire Ugandan citizenship under this regional arrangement.

Truth and Accountability

The president warned applicants against making false declarations, noting that dishonesty is punishable by law. However, he emphasized that fear of fraud should not be used to delay the issuance of identity documents.

“If there is fraud, those documents can be impeached… and the culprits punished,” he stated.