The current citizenship law framework in Uganda was established by the 1995 Constitution and the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act 1999. The 1995 constitution provides for an explicit ethnic definition of Ugandan citizenship, and includes a schedule listing ethnic groups that are considered Ugandan. For members of those groups, however, citizenship is provided based on birth in Uganda, without need to prove the parent is a citizen — restoring the jus soli citizenship that had existed at independence, but only for indigenous groups (which exclude people of European and Asian descent). Some ethnic groups, such as the Maragoli, have complained at exclusion from citizenship rights because they are excluded from this list. Children of refugees are also excluded from acquiring citizenship based on birth in Uganda.
The constitution provides that spouses of citizens, and persons living in Uganda for twenty years on entry into force of the constitution, as well as others who have “legally and voluntarily” entered the country, are entitled to acquire citizenship by registration. Naturalisation, a more discretionary process, is provided for by the act, based on twenty years residence in Uganda and other conditions.
In 2005, the citizenship provisions in the constitution were amended by Act No.11 of 2005, to permit dual citizenship, change the residence periods for registration as a citizen, and add to the list of “indigenous” groups; the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act was amended in 2009 to match the revised constitution. In 2006 a new Refugees Act was adopted, stating that “the Constitution and any other law in force in Uganda shall apply to the naturalisation of a recognised refugee.” In 2015, a Constitutional Court judgement confirmed that refugees were not eligible for citizenship by registration as provided under the Constitution, but expressed its view that they should be eligible for naturalisation under the Citizenship and Immigration Control Act.
Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) has revealed that foreign nationals are enlisting the help of Ugandans to impersonate their parents, facilitating their Ugandan passport applications. Simon Peter Mundeyi, spokesperson for […]
By JONATHAN KAMOGA Uganda’s minority ethnic groups have petitioned parliament to amend the constitution to grant them citizenship rights. In a joint petition to the Speaker of Parliament last week, the groups said that this exclusion has denied them the […]
The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control – DCIC has confiscated over 10,000 Ugandan national identity cards from foreigners. Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Ministry of internal affairs spokesperson revealed that the foreigners are believed to have beaten the National Identification […]
A new study by the Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, highlights risks of statelessness for refugees who have spent more than 20 years outside their country of origin, […]
By Bronwen Manby This study investigated risks of statelessness among long-term refugees in three countries of the Great Lakes region in Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda. The study focused on refugees who had left their country […]
At least 32 men have written to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC), demanding the cancellation of children’s passports after DNA results showed they are not the biological fathers. Mr Simon Peter Mundeyi, the Ministry of Internal Affairs […]
Auditor General John Muwanga has warned that Uganda may not switch smoothly to the new digital national identification cards because the responsible agency does not appear to be ready to effect the transition. The new, next-generation identity cards, which are […]
By BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI Uganda’s indigenous community the Bagabu has never recovered from the trauma of being evicted from their ancestral land, Bunyampaka Chiefdom, by the British colonial government where it established Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the 17th century, majority […]
After decades of statelessness, the Benet community in Uganda are struggling to survive and access basic services like education and health care. By Tukundane Yonna in Mount Elgon, Uganda Moses Mwanga Kapchekwengu sits on an old rocking chair outside his […]
By Derrick Wandera & Peter Sserugo The government has set aside Shs600b for renewal of the National ID, which starts in June next year. Addressing the media yesterday, Minister of Internal Affairs Kahinda Otafiire said the money would be used to purchase high-tech […]
The Government of Uganda is set to be dragged to courts law for omitting information about “citizenship by descent” in the registration process for national Identity Cards. The lawsuit is being brought by the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), under […]
Parliament has stayed processing of the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2022 and tasked government to establish a Constitution Review Commission to comprehensively consider all amendments. The bill moved by Jacob Karubanga, the Member of Parliament for Kibanda South County sought to […]