Igara West MP, Hon. Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, has known as on authorities to account for and rescue Ugandan college students stranded in Iran following an alleged pretend scholarship scheme coordinated via the Office of the National Chairman of NRM Party in Kyambogo.
Hon. Mbwatekamwa stated that the 100 college students had been lured into making use of for the totally funded examine alternatives however couldn’t discover the programs utilized for on arrival in Iran. He added that every scholar was made to pay US$ 800 as a requirement for journey to Iran.
“On 10 October 2023 the Office of NRM National Chairman, Kyambogo wrote an advert requesting all Ugandans who wished to go to Iran on scholarship for numerous programs. One hundred college students had been taken and promised that the scholarship would cowl all the prices, however as we speak, after they reached some discovered that the programs they had been informed don’t exist,” he stated.
He stated that a few of the college students have been pushed to the streets, with some women turning to prostitution.
Hon. Abed Bwanika (NUP, Kimaanya-Kabonera Division), attested to the plight of Ugandan college students in Iran, citing a relative who was allegedly duped in the identical scheme.
“One of my kin is a sufferer of the scheme. He was taken to Iran by the identical workplace to review veterinary medication, and was stranded and didn’t even have transport again. We have simply evacuated him. This is a critical matter and it have to be investigated,” stated Bwanika.
The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi stated authorities ought to use this disaster to deal with the gaps in diplomatic illustration in Iran created by the demise of former Ugandan Ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Kisambira in August 2023.
Nkunyingi noticed that appointment of an envoy may very well be among the many cures needed to deal with the plight of Ugandan nationals in Iran.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeje Odongo, stated the allegations had been new to him however pledged to analyze and supply a substantive assertion in the midst of the week.
He additional famous that the gaps in diplomatic representations weren’t solely in Iran however in three different missions together with Kenya for the reason that demise of Ambassador, Hassan Wasswa Galiwango in January 2023.
