By Aggrey Baba
Haji Kurunda Faruk, the senior Presidential Advisor and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson has criticised what he described as delayed and weak communication from African governments, including Uganda, following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
Through his weekly column in the New Vision, Kirunda said many Ugandans living and working in the gulf were left uncertain about their safety after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks.
The conflict, Kirunda says has directly affected countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Lebanon and Oman, noting that the escalation has resulted in massive loss of life and raised fears of a wider regional war.
However, beyond the battlefield, Kirunda said his immediate concern was the fate of Ugandans caught up in the crisis. He pointed out that in recent years, thousands of young people from Uganda have moved to different Gulf countries in search of employment, while others use the region as a transit route to Europe, Asia, the USA and Australia.
“As we talk, many Ugandans are trapped over there with no certainty about what is coming next,” Kirunda wrote.
The presidential advisor criticised what he called laxity in issuing early advisories to citizens abroad before the conflict escalated, observing that the first public warnings came from countries directly involved in the fighting, including USA and Israel, followed by major global powers such as China and European countries, but Africa was largely quiet until missiles started flying and by the time African governments reacted, many of their citizens had already been exposed to danger.
He said Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs eventually issued a statement after the attacks had begun, describing the effort as commendable but delayed.
Kirunda argued that the situation has exposed a wider gap between African governments and their diaspora communities.
He said there is a communication and trust deficit that needs urgent attention, especially during emergencies. Kirunda emphasized that the diaspora contributes billions of shillings in remittances annually, supports families back home, and represents their countries in the global labour market, further, adding that many are increasingly taking interest in national development and political participation.
“By all means, the diaspora is an extension of the homeland. What happens with and around them should be of concern to home governments.”
He further argued that Africa’s failure to act as a united bloc in global affairs weakens its ability to protect its citizens abroad, noting that African countries often act individually instead of collectively, limiting their influence in times of international crisis. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
