The United States government has defended her financial sanctions against Chief of Military Intelligence boss Maj Gen Abel Kandiho saying such sanctions are targeting individuals in government and security forces who are violating human rights and are corrupt.
While addressing journalists during an annual report release of the U.S. Mission in Uganda on Tuesday at the American Center, Embassy Plaza in Kabalagala-Kampala, the US ambassador to Uganda HE Natalie Brown said sanctioning individuals is one of the tools used by the US to issue a warning to people and institutions that undermine the democratic process in Uganda.
Brown added that more sanctions are on the way as a way of advancing and protecting human rights and respect for rule of law.
Last week, the US Treasury Department announced its sanction on Kandiho because of his role in gross human rights abuses carried out under his watch.
In their statement, they said that military intelligence officers under Kandiho’s watch have arrested, detained, and physically abused Ugandans “due to their nationality, political views, or critique of the Ugandan government”.
Gen Kandiho responded to the sanctions saying that they are politically motivated and inconsequential.
Gen Kandiho is not the first official to be sanctioned, in 2019, Gen. Kale Kayihura was sanctioned by the US for gross violations of human rights when he was head of the Uganda Police Force.
He was banned from traveling to the US. His properties and bank accounts are frozen and close family members have been denied visas, among other restrictions.