Ambassador Acheng Receives Canadian Cold Shoulder
Uganda’s diplomatic scene just got a lot spicier. Ambassador Joy Ruth Acheng has been given a grand exit from Canada, and it’s not due to the lovely maple syrup. According to Uganda’s Foreign Affairs State Minister, Henry Okello Oryem, the Canadian government has declared Acheng a “persona non grata.” For those not fluent in Latin—or diplomatic jargon—this essentially means she’s been told, “You’re not welcome here.”
Oryem broke the news to New Vision Online on August 17, 2024, sounding as dismayed as a cricket fan whose team just lost the World Cup final. He confirmed that Acheng, who has been representing Uganda with the pride of a peacock, is set to pack her bags and head back to Uganda on August 21, 2024. “I’m extremely disappointed,” Oryem said.
The reason behind this chilly reception? According to Oryem, it’s a collection of “unresolved issues” that have left the Canadian authorities as fed up as a boda boda driver stuck in traffic. While Oryem insists that this diplomatic hiccup doesn’t spell the end of Uganda-Canada relations, he admits that Acheng’s situation is more tangled than a boda boda rider’s helmet in Kampala traffic.
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The drama reportedly reached its peak when Acheng had an epic face off with a group of protesters in Toronto. Acheng, dressed in a bright yellow dress that could give a NRM Tshirts a run for their money, was caught in an intense exchange with demonstrators against the Ugandan government. She was seen engaging in what could only be described as an enthusiastic street debate, complete with selfies and all. It was the kind of encounter that makes for good gossip at a village meeting.
On August 7, 2024, National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, known for his wide social media reach and diplomatic connections, shared a video of Acheng’s street spectacle. The video, which spread faster than news of a celebrity nude video leak in Kampala, showed Acheng interacting with NUP supporters in Toronto, looking like she was at a political carnival rather than a diplomatic event.
Asked about what’s next for the displaced and disgraced diplomat, Oryem shrugged it off with, “She has to come back home and wait for the President’s discretion.” Essentially, Acheng will be cooling her heels in Uganda while the President decides if she’ll return to the diplomatic stage or take a different path—like maybe starring in a reality show about diplomatic blunders.
While Acheng’s Canadian chapter might be closing, Uganda and Canada are expected to keep their ties as strong as ever—despite the occasional diplomatic drama that spices up international relations.
