ONTARIO-The head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Senior Presidential Advisor Mohammed Bagonza, has rallied Ugandans in the diaspora to join hands with Ugandans back home to build the nation. Speaking at the 2023 Canada NRM Chapter Symposium in Brampton Ontario, Mr. Bagonza who also led the delegation from State House stated that “We wish to invite you to the table of building our nation of Uganda. I call upon all the skilled professionals to engage with us and develop our country using their vast skills applicable in different sectors.”
In his speech, Mr. Bagonza further elaborated the purpose for the establishment of the State House Diaspora Unit.
“We are a unit under State House and we were established under the patronage of His Excellency the President to closely monitor and provide quick solutions to the diaspora people. As the diaspora unit, we are mandated to come in, if approached to help out on such internal issues also with liaison with your leadership, in associations and our embassies and determined to come in and provide quick and timely state assistance to our Ugandans having trouble in the different host countries,” Mr. Bagonza said.
Citing the numerous challenges that the diaspora face as a result of being far away from home, Mr. Bagonza disclosed the policy and institutional reforms that government guided by His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has undertaken to address them.
“As many of you have experienced, there are some challenges that we have been experiencing as the diaspora because we are far from home, and some of these challenges are institutional. We are noted that many of them can be really solved especially those that require governance and policy adjustments with some direct interventions on issues like processing passports, national IDs, land issues where someone needs an institutional line of intervention but also where there is need to engage a particular, Ministry, department or agency.”
Senior Principal Legal Officer to the President Sandra Ndyomugyeni who also attended the Symposium, made a presentation on the land question in Uganda, and assured the diaspora that all legal provisions were now in place to ensure that their acquisition of land is protected.
At the same forum, Members of the Canada NRM Chapter pointed out a number of issues that they want the Government of Uganda to address which include:
- The Government of Uganda should continue to recognise the diaspora community
- The Government of Uganda should change the narrative of who the diaspora are by not calling them basama, bakadama and therefore hold Ugandans in the diaspora with dignity
- The Government of Uganda should recognize individuals in diaspora contributing to the development of our country
- The Government of Uganda should scout Ugandans living abroad, who have the skills and education to be appointed into offices of responsibility back home
- The Government of Uganda should support Ugandans in the diaspora who are in private sector.
- The delegation from State House should request the President to visit Ugandans in Canada
The three-day Symposium running from 11th to 13th August was attended by a large group of Ugandans in North America, the third Deputy Prime Minister Lukia Isanga Nakadama, the Minister for the Presidency Hon. Milly Babalanda, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Judith Nabakoba, and the deputy Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Mr. Henry Wabyona.
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