Parliament has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, to give a statement over the state of Uganda’s Missions and Embassies abroad.
The move follows a recent embarrassing situation in Uganda’s Embassy in United States where a Ugandan diplomat, Kintu Nyago a few days ago is said to have “accidentally” shared a confidential government brief about South Sudan with the UN Security Council, triggering a diplomatic incident and embarrassment.
Hon. Jack Wamanga Wamayi the Mbale Municipality MP and Hon. Felix Okot Ogong the MP for Dokolo South while discussing before the house in parliament questioned the capacity of Uganda’s officers whom they said are a mere political appointments to the missions abroad.
They argued that such jobs require people who are well trained and conversant with diplomatic methods of work.
“We feel very embarrassed when an officer reduces Uganda to a laughing stock like it was in New York when the Uganda’s Charge` d’ affaires, Kintu Nyago, shared a private mission document on South Sudan with UN Security Council. This shows that office cannot handle sensitive information about our Country. We need to have competent officers in such offices if those currently in place cannot handle the tasks,” Wamayi charged.
Okot on his part questioned why the Minister of Foreign Affairs is never in Parliament to brief parliament on matters under his ministry.
“We have lately had many issues that need clarification from the Foreign Affairs Minister but he is never in the house the clear the air about these bad public images,” Okot noted.
It was at this point that Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs to bring a statement to Parliament and a report clarifying how a confidential document was leaked to the UN Security Council was leaked by Uganda’s representative in New York.
