Four Million Ugandans Abroad Targeted for Registration

From Texas to Tororo: Uganda’s New Global Roll Call

Uganda is the land of Matooke, Rolex, and ever-elusive public services. Now, in the spirit of leaving no stone unturned—or in this case, no Ugandan untracked—our dear government has launched a grand quest to register all Ugandans living abroad.

A group of top diplomats, complete with their shiny suits and serious faces set off from Kampala on June 30, 2024, to the far reaches of the United States. Their mission? To locate, count, and possibly even charm the Ugandan diaspora into contributing to national development.

Leading this mission is none other than Ambassador Abbey Walusimbi, Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs. If this title sounds like something out of a Nollywood drama, you’re not far off. Walusimbi and his team are headed to places like California, Massachusetts, Texas, and Illinois. Why those states, you ask? Perhaps because they are known for their thriving Ugandan communities—or maybe they just heard that the weather is nice this time of year (It is approaching summer in USA).

“The goal is to establish demographics, understand the size, distribution, and characteristics of the Ugandan diaspora,” Walusimbi explained. In other words, they want to know exactly where all our relatives who “went to look for greener pastures” ended up. According to official data, over four million Ugandans are living outside the country. That’s roughly the population of the entire Ankole Region on a market day, scattered across the globe.

These Ugandans abroad aren’t just sipping lattes and taking selfies by the Statue of Liberty. No, they are sending back serious money—$1.42 billion (a cool 5.28 trillion shillings) in 2022 alone. This impressive sum saw a 13.4% increase from the previous year, proving that our diaspora isn’t just good at escaping the local traffic jams, but also at boosting the national economy. As Walusimbi noted, diaspora investments have flowed into agribusiness, education, tourism, and more, like a well-oiled crested crane swooping down to bring prosperity.

But it’s not all roses and Rolex for the Ugandans abroad. The mapping exercise aims to shine a spotlight on the challenges they face, from racial abuse to documentation issues. Think of it as the government finally realizing that its children abroad need more than just an occasional “hi” and “how are you” via WhatsApp.

Next on the agenda is Canada, with stops in Toronto and Ottawa. The team plans to meet several diaspora chapters there, presumably to ask, “So, how’s the maple syrup, eh?” But jokes aside, they will be assessing immediate and long-term needs that can guide future government action. From North America, the exercise will spread to Europe, Asia, and Oceania, proving that no corner of the globe is safe from this grand Ugandan roll call.

Sharon Nirere, a US-based Ugandan communications officer, expressed optimism about the mapping exercise. She hopes it will address long-standing issues like the misuse of remittances and the lack of access to social services. “Most of the problems we face are not addressed because they are always unknown to our home government,” she said. And isn’t that the truth? It’s like a long-distance relationship where one partner thinks everything is fine, while the other is silently suffering.

In recent years, the Ugandan Presidency has shown a strong commitment to diaspora affairs, even creating an office led by Walusimbi specifically for this purpose. It seems that the government is finally waking up to the potential of its overseas citizens, much like a groggy giant realizing it has stepped on something valuable.

“We want to grasp the best way for knowledge transfer and innovation,” Walusimbi said, “while we also build social, cultural, and economic connections between the diaspora communities and their country of origin.” In simpler terms, they want to keep the dollars flowing and the ideas buzzing, all while ensuring that the diaspora doesn’t forget the taste of real Ugandan Katogo.

The government has claimed this grand mapping exercise is about more than just numbers and data. It’s about forging a stronger bond between Uganda and its global citizens, ensuring that those living abroad remain an integral part of the nation’s story. So, whether you’re in Texas or Toronto, the message is clear: the government is watching, and they might just show up at your doorstep with a pen, a notepad, and a whole lot of questions.