Kasambya County MP and Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Secretary General Daudi Kabanda has weighed in on the controversial rejection of Prof. Lawrence Muganga’s ministerial approval, linking the decision to alleged irregularities in the handling of his dual citizenship status.
Kabanda argued that the issue at the centre of the debate was not ethnic or political background, but compliance with established legal procedures governing the renunciation of foreign citizenship, particularly in Rwanda.
He explained that the process of renouncing Rwandan citizenship is clearly defined and requires a formal written application submitted to the Director General of Immigration and Emigration in Rwanda. According to Kabanda, the procedure must also receive Cabinet approval before being finalised.
He further noted that the process is only concluded once a certificate of renunciation is issued and the individual’s details are published in the official government gazette.
“In this case, Mr Muganga did not follow any of the above procedures,” Kabanda said, insisting that the legal framework was not adhered to during the process of giving up Rwandan citizenship.
He alleged that instead of following the established diplomatic and legal route, Muganga’s approach did not meet the required threshold for full renunciation under Rwandan law. Kabanda further claimed that submitting documentation through the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) alone was not sufficient to terminate foreign citizenship.
“What he did was like marrying someone’s daughter before your lawyer without visiting the parents,” Kabanda said, using an analogy to emphasize what he described as a procedural gap.
He added that those close to Muganga should inform him that the method he allegedly used through URSB amounted, in his view, to a flawed or invalid process that does not meet legal standards for renunciation of Rwandan citizenship.
Kabanda maintained that Parliament’s vetting committee was acting within its mandate by scrutinising such matters closely, especially where questions of eligibility and compliance with citizenship laws arise during ministerial appointments.
The remarks add a new dimension to the ongoing public debate surrounding Muganga’s rejected nomination, with differing interpretations emerging over whether the decision was based on legal technicalities, procedural compliance, or broader political considerations.