The United States Government says it has imposed a visa restriction on some individuals for their actions during the January 2021 presidential election in East African country Uganda.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Friday said all those who interfered with democratic process in the last election were, henceforth, banned from America.
“There are consequences for interfering in the democratic process. Starting today, we are imposing visa restrictions on those involved in undermining democracy in Uganda,” he tweeted.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for nearly four decades, won a sixth term in office in January with 58 percent of the vote.
Museveni’s main rival was Robert Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine, who came second with 35 percent and decried the election as rigged.
The singer-turned-lawmaker refused to accept the result and challenged it in court, saying he won the day. But the 39-year-old later withdrew his petition, saying the judiciary was stacked in favour of Museveni.
Civil rights organisations had since condemned the election as unfree and unfair while Museveni had been accused of using state security forces to arrest, harass and victimise Bobi Wine and members of the opposition.
See tweet by Blinken;
There are consequences for interfering in the democratic process. Starting today, we are imposing visa restrictions on those involved in undermining democracy in Uganda.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 16, 2021
