KAMPALA (Reuters) – Uganda’s military said on Tuesday it has been officially notified of U.S. financial sanctions against its chief of military intelligence, Major General Abel Kandiho.
The Ugandan military made the announcement in a statement but did not specify whether the United States had informed Uganda of the reason for the sanctions.
“… we are disappointed that such a decision could be made by a country we consider friendly, a partner and a great ally, without due process…,” the statement said. It added that Uganda would seek clarification from the U.S. government.
The U.S. Treasury and State departments declined to comment.
The Treasury is imposing a series of sanctions this week to mark President Joe Biden’s U.S. Summit for Democracy, targeting people it sees as engaged in corruption, serious human rights abuse and who undermine democracy, among others.
It was not immediately clear if Kandiho was designated as part of that action.
The military intelligence service led by Kandiho has been accused by Uganda’s opposition and rights activists of perpetrating harassment and torture of opposition politicians.
The United States in April imposed visa bans on Ugandan government officials accused of human rights violations and repressive acts that tainted the January election.
(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Additional reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Alex Richardson, Mark Heinrich and Nick Zieminski)
