By Patriot Corps
In a legal maneuver, Ugandan barrister Okello Joshua has instituted proceedings against the United States government in the High Court of Uganda, Civil Division, under Miscellaneous Case No. 738 of 2024. The litigation contests the imposition of sanctions on Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among, promulgated in May 2024, which preclude her from entering the U.S. due to purported involvement in corruption and egregious human rights violations.
Okello’s suit seeks a plethora of declarations and orders, positing that the sanctions are ultra vires and constitute an affront to Uganda’s sovereignty. He avers that the sanctions are predicated on spurious allegations and contends that the U.S. government has no locus standi to meddle in Uganda’s internal affairs. Okello underscores that the Speaker has never been indicted on corruption charges in any judicial forum and asserts that U.S. Senator Bob Menendez’s allegations of corruption are devoid of merit.
The sanctions, enunciated by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, were ostensibly a reprisal for human rights violations against LGBTQI individuals and Uganda’s enactment of a statute criminalizing the promotion of homosexuality. Okello’s affidavit emphasizes that foreign interlocutors, including the U.S., ought to respect Uganda’s sovereignty and desist from exerting influence on its domestic politics and policies.
In his petition, Okello seeks injunctive relief to enjoin the U.S. government from imposing sanctions on Ugandan officials and mandates respect for Uganda’s internal governance. He also seeks compensatory damages and costs of the application.
In a related matter, Okello also has a case against the United Kingdom government filed at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
The adjudication of this lawsuit could engender significant ramifications for Uganda’s diplomatic relations and its stance on internal governance issues.