Veteran journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo has weighed in on the debate surrounding President Yoweri Museveni’s appointment of individuals with alleged dual citizenship to Cabinet positions, saying the controversy exposes deeper issues in Uganda’s political culture.
The debate follows the appointment of Lawrence Muganga and Calvin Echodu as Ministers of State, a move that has triggered public concern over whether individuals holding dual citizenship should serve in sensitive government roles.
Critics argue that dual citizens may face divided loyalties, especially in positions linked to national security and governance.
But Onyango-Obbo has dismissed the uproar, arguing that it reflects what he calls “immersive nationalism and patriotism” rather than a genuine constitutional concern.
“The outcry… has unintentionally thrown the light on what I think is a far bigger problem – the danger of immersive nationalism and patriotism,” he said.
He added that Uganda’s political system has long been shaped by a hierarchy based on perceived sacrifice during past struggles, which he says has influenced access to power and privilege.
“Uganda’s dominant political system… is built on the idea that some people ‘sacrificed more’ to bring ‘peace and stability’, that placed them on a higher level as a higher caste than the rest,” he noted.
According to him, this structure has contributed to exclusion and abuse of authority, while entrenching divisions in governance and public life.
Onyango-Obbo also questioned the pushback against dual citizenship, saying it risks undermining national development by narrowing participation in leadership.
“Dual citizenship? The single citizenship brigade have done more harm to the Uganda project, and could well destroy the country completely one of these days,” he said.
He concluded by distancing himself from the position, adding: “So, as the Kenyans say, I am not boarding.”