The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rubbished rumors circulating on different social media platforms and media houses that Ugandan diplomats have been expelled from the United Kingdom.

In a letter dated Friday, October 4, 2024, addressed to certain media houses, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tasked media houses spreading the rumors to bring evidence in regard to their allegations that Ugandan diplomats had been expelled from the UK over alleged human trafficking.

This followed certain media houses alleging that some diplomats were taking advantage of their diplomatic privileges to smuggle Ugandan women into the UK under the pretext of hiring domestic workers.

“We would like to first and foremost clarify that no Ugandan diplomat has been expelled from the United Kingdom. Under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, the receiving state may at any time, without having to explain its decision, declare any member of a diplomatic staff of a sending state persona non grata. It’s only under that provision that a diplomat is deemed unwanted in the receiving state that we can use the term expelled,” P.S. Bagiire said.

Bagiire clarified that the diplomats in question might have been seen coming back home in Uganda after ending their tour of service or duty that runs between 3 and 4 years and were recalled to headquarters in Kampala for further duty instructions as the practice is in diplomatic service.