By Mulengera Reporters
The Government of Uganda has repeatedly signaled to the US State Department about their unconditional willingness to closely partner with the American government to the extent of hosting and treating any US citizen who ever gets infected with Ebola on its soil (in Kampala).
Uganda officially says it has a duty to humanity to render medical care to whoever desires to have it. It’s against this background that Uganda had officially responded with enthusiasm when the State Department initially reached out requesting that any American citizen who ever tests positive for Ebola gets medicated on the Ugandan soil.
However, along the way, the Trump Administration, whose foreign policy is coordinated and overseen by Marc Rubio, changed their mind in favored of Kenya, which is considered to be having more advanced health systems on top of being a better-governed country. The Kenya President William Ruto was willing and registered his readiness to honor the American request.
However, the Kenyan option became complicated after some of the country’s civically well-empowered citizens took to the streets vigorously objecting to any such pro-American Ebola treatment center being established in their country. They considered the same unsafe and imperialistic, making it clear that Kenya has its own problems.
Even when the Kenyan option remains contested up to this day, with citizens making it clear the move is unpopular, the Trump Administration continues preferring Kenya ahead of Uganda whose President YK Museveni is so vicious to the extent that none of his clearly subdued citizens can risk staging even a one-man demonstration, saying no to such an arrangement.
Because they have been through a lot, the mere location of such Americans’ Ebola treatment center is not something Uganda can pay attention to or even become sleepless about. They have many other more pressing grievances but over which they can’t safely stage any demonstration on the streets the way Kenyans have freedom to do. But for some reason, the Trump Administration remains less inclined to take up the Ugandan offer.
The US State Department (the equivalent of Foreign Affairs Ministry) recently imposed visa restrictions to travelers from Uganda. This has been in force since 18th May, in light of the Ebola problem. Besides a well-escalated advisory urging American citizens to avoid traveling to Uganda and DRC as well because of the Ebola problem, the Trump Administration also introduced restrictions making it harder for travelers arriving in any of the 50 American states from Uganda.
Uganda, whose government officials are proud of the fact that its medics are helping the worse-impacted DRC to manage its Ebola cases, has so far registered 19 Ebola patient cases on its soil. 14 of these are foreigners and the mere 5 are Ugandans (mainly health workers and trans-border transporters/drivers).
Only God knows why the Trump Administration is more comfortable working with Kenya, and doesn’t have much appetite accepting Uganda’s willingness to cooperate and partner with them should need ever arise to treat any American citizen who ever tests positive for Ebola. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
